I NEED THAT RECORD! THE DEATH (OR POSSIBLE SURVIVAL) OF THE INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE

Director Brendan Toller / 2008 / USA

“Who wants to live in a world where the same strip mall is in every town and city, where everyone who helps you is in a stupid blue uniform?” - filmmaker Brendan Toller

With wry humour and DIY gusto, guerrilla filmmaker Brendan Toller investigates why over 3000 independent record stores have closed across the USA in the past decade.

Pointing the finger at culprits such as multinational media conglomerates, the digital revolution, commercialised radio, mega stores and the profitable mediocrity of the star system, Toller tracks the (probable) demise of an institution that supports musical innovation, and provides a community centre for music freaks everywhere.

Combining animation, found footage and interviews with music luminaries (including Thurston Moore, Ian MacKaye, Lenny Kaye and BP Helium from Of Montreal), Toller's film is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the swiftly vanishing independent record store.


D Brendan Toller P Keith Overton, Jeff Slocum, Andrew Marino S Brendan Toller WS Brendan Toller TD digibeta/2008

Back To Index