Walls of Sound— A Look Inside the House of Records

Abstract

This documentary video (approximately 63 minutes) is a case study of the House of Records, a brick and mortar independent record store based in Eugene, Oregon. The store has been in operation since 1972 and it currently struggles to exist in the midst of digital downloading (both legal and illegal) and the corporate consolidation of culture (in terms of corporate chain, big-box stores and online music stores). The video is an ethnographic study that combines interviews with the owner and employees, as well as various customers of the store. The video addresses the socio-cultural significance and various folkloric narratives of the store on a number of levels. It considers how the store provides cultural diversity and alternative media, as they cater to the musical fringes and a broad range of musical styles. It is argued the store is akin to a library and acts as an archive of obscure and out-of-print music, where the store-workers share their musical expertise with the customers. The video also addresses the importance of the vernacular design of the physical space (the store is situated in an old house) and tangible musical artifacts, especially the "resurgence" of vinyl records. Lastly, it addresses the importance of face-to-face interaction as the store acts as a community gathering space between the store-workers and customers — one that is ostensibly anti-corporate, fiercely local and subcultural in scope.