Steven O'Rourke posted on March 09, 2009 20:00
It's a journey that Key Notes doesn't make to often these days and that, as you'll come to hear, is part of the problem.
It used to be that Key Notes would instinctively make his way to Road Records every time he went into town. These days, when Key Notes gets so many CD's for free (to review etc) it's a trip he takes less than 10 times a year.
Road Records was never like Championship Vinyl in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. It was always welcoming, even for music nerds like this blog who once asked Julie (who, along with Dave Kennedy, has owned and operated Road for the past 11 years) if she would be able to provide him with 10 albums by bands from Westmeath. Put it this way, if Key Notes was working in a record shop and somebody asked him that he wouldn't have been as helpful and friendly as Julie was on that occasion. The point that Key Notes is trying to make is that it is Julie and Dave's love for what they do that has led to Road becoming one of the most iconic names in Irish indie music and it is this iconic status that led to the great shock many Irish indie music fans felt when news broke in January of this year that Road may soon have to close its doors.
In the first part of the following interview, Key Notes talks to Dave about the reasons behind Roads potential closure, many of which show that age and demographics are playing a critical part in Irish indie music. In the second part, we examine the future of not just Road, but all Irish indie records stores and talk about the efforts being made to save Road Records including One for the Road, a benefit gig featuring Choice winner Jape as well as The Jimmy Cake, Si Schroeder, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Adrian Crowley, The Large Corporation (a.k.a. The Dudley Corporation vs. Large Mound) and the Road DJs. Tickets for this gig, taking place in Andrew's Lane Theatre on March 14, are priced at 20 europes and are available from Road and WAV Ticket Office.
Interview Part 1 - Reasons for Road's Potential Closure (MP3, 9 MB)
Interview Part 2 - Future of Road & Irish Indie Record Stores (MP3, 9 MB)
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