iO/THE BLUE BANNER/December 4, 1986
Santa Claus
is coming
to town
Staff photo-Melanie Floyd
O
V
WookI
lA)ED.DeC« (0
^ MiGHSfnirvj
5^UDe(\l^ CE^i^E^^ L05b9
F(^Sh( iof\j fKQfV\
TMe 1990 s -The s
SFoNSoRCO 8V UNDERDOG pK0DU\Cri0N«
New record outlet
offers diverse music
Asheville’s Qiristmas
parade last Wednesday had
something for everyone.
This little boy, for the
moment anyway, seemed
more interested in his
balloon than the parade.
By Tracy Fagan
Staff Writer
No more trips to Atlanta, Green
ville or any other distance longer
than a trip downtown to satisfy
your vinyl needs.
Now Asheville has its own "other-
than-teenager-Top 40" record outlet,
and it’s called "Discover."
There was a real need for op
tional and alternative music in
Asheville," said John Roundtree, one
of the store’s owners. "I couldn’t
John Roundtree
buy it so I wanted to supply it," he
said.
"We try to cater to everyone,"
said Eric Krebs, an employee. "Other
than the hardcore (rock) and im
ports, we also have folk, blues and
a big reggae section," said Krebs.
Some of^the hard to find artists
include the BoDeans, Laurie Ander
son, The Smiths and China Crisis.
The hardcore section is filled with
both well known and new groups
such as Chrome, October Faction
and the Sex Pistols.
Even with a selection as diverse
as this, "high school kids are asking
for groups that don’t play on any
stations in this area, so there is
definitely a market in Asheville for
this type of music," said Krebs.
The selection also includes many
hard to find older records such as
those available at "Record Survival,"
glSlQppQfiTpuoippiooinaianiBginqj^
SIP ’N DIP
Beer and WincM
Open 7 Days
a Week
642 Merrimon Ave.
252-2164
la^BiappauuiuoiaBiooionioipipnirv
which is run by John Baumgarten.
He is also part owner of "Discover."
"The average age of people in
Asheville who are buying music is
way above the Top 40 listener’s age
and so we cater to the older age
groups also," said Roundtree.
Along with the jazz section, there
is also a new age music section.
This shouldn’t be confused with the
overly used term "new music," which
some use to categorize anything not
on the Top 40 playlist, said Krebs.
New age music is a mixture of
instrumental and vocal music which
caimot be classified as any of the
standard types. "A lot of the new
age music tries to control and sweep
your emotions," said Krebs, "but
wme of it is so close to jazz that
it is hard to separate the two."
The store carries both albums and
compact discs, and so far the albums
are outselling the CDs. We sell
most of the new age music in the
CD form, said Kreb.
"Discover" opened in mid-October
and "business is great considering
we haven’t advertised yet," said
Roimdtree. He said that they will
“There was a real need for
optional and alternative
music in Asheville. I couldn^t
buy it, so I wanted to
supply it”
—John Roundtree
begin advertising after the store has
been open a while longer.
"Contrary to popular belief, not
everyone is into Madonna, and ’Dis
cover’ will give them a choice," said
Krebs.
There isn’t any Prince, Journey,
Bon Jovi or anj^hing heard regularly
on local Top 40 stations, but in
spite of this trend, they do have
some Bruce Springsteen and an
album of Janet Jackson’s.
"Asheville is open to new ideas
and this store ia giving them an
option," said Romidtree.
"Discover" \^lli process i any specid
orders at no extra; charge;
The store will; ^so begin selling a
collection of miasic publications "in
the near future!’ The selection will
include London’s ^ musical weekly
•New Musical Express," a publication
which follows current musical trends
and showcases new bands.