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StoriesYou are in: Birmingham > People > Stories > The end of a musical era  The end of a musical eraBy Tessa Burwood One of Birmingham's last independent music shops is closing in the wake of Woolworth's demise, but the future, owners say, is bright. On Saturday, February 21st 2009, one independent music shop in Birmingham that stood out as a hub for a varied cross section of the local community will be pulling down its shutters for the last time. Jibbering opened nine years ago in Moseley, specialising in funk, reggae and world music. This may sound like a very niche market, and you would be forgiven for wondering how it managed to stay open for so long. Domino effectWhen Woolworths and its sister company Entertainment UK went into administration in November 2008, the thousands of jobs lost on the high street was just a part of the damage it caused.  Shop attendant Richard outside Jibbering Pinnacle, the UK's largest independent music distributor, went under shortly afterwards, instantly cutting off its supply to music outlets, including Jibbering. In an internet age, when music can be downloaded for free, or purchased at a fraction of its usual cost through online outlets, this was the last straw for the shop. As Dan Rafferty, one of the Jibbering team put it, "Selling records in Moseley suddenly turned from being a very difficult uphill struggle to being simply inviable!" Co-founder Jon Walsh agrees: "We're getting the heck out of retail before it's too late."  Pre Christmas sales were down 50% Bargain huntersJibbering's owners say selling CDs and vinyl is just a small part of what the company set out to achieve. The shop diversified into a cafe and wifi hub years ago, as well as a meeting point for Birmingham's musicians, with noticeboards advertising everything from flamenco violinists to cats for sale. As its popularity grew, Jibbering became a headquarters for live music and visual arts promotion. The company- set up by a group of Birmingham University students- are behind Shambala Festival, which has gained cult status, described by The Guardian as "an anti corporate utopian experiment". This year's tickets sold out months in advance, and the festival's green business model has been widely praised. Although the owners are far from down beat, in its last week, as the shop is suddenly busy with bargain hunters, people from all walks of Birmingham's music community are lamenting its closure.  Moseley High Street One more nail in the coffinThe shop doubles as an art gallery, supporting Birmingham's visual artists, and has recently attracted some of the UK's up and coming contemporary talents. I was surprised on visiting the shop to find that, as the last on site exhibition was being hung in time for its opening, the Jibbering team were far from pessimistic about the shop’s closure: "We already have exhibitions booked in for the remainder of 2009 and these will continue as planned, albeit with different venues.Ìý Jibbering Art's future prospects look strong." The shape of things to come...The owners do, however, lament their demise as another nail in the coffin of what was a vibrant and unique Moseley Village. Independent outlets that were once the mainstay of the area's economy have closed one by one in the face of rising overheads, and competition from larger firms. The current exhibition by artist James Dawson is fittingly entitled The Shape of Things to Come…and Have Been. It runs until Saturday February 21st.  Shelley Atkinson Below is a selection of comments Jibbering's closure has sparked. Opinions vary about what the shop's demise signifies, but one thing is certain- it will be missed: "Instant gratification"Shelley Atkinson runs a dance, music and events agency from an office just a few doors down from Jibbering, in Moseley's Alcester Road. She is just one among many in Birmingham's creative industries who laments the passing of shops like Jibbering: "The instant gratification of being able to 'click here' and 'add to the shopping basket' has simply become a consumer mindset, and while it gives freedom to the shopper, the traditional retail experience involving human contact is lost. Global truly is overtaking local in everyday life. "Although Jibbering have struggled in retail, their live events and festival work goes from strength to strength, giving all of us who try to champion new and established artists hope that people aren't content to sit and click their way through simulated experiences.  Simon Harris "They still want to get out there into the real world to listen, absorb and maybe even dance to the wealth of music that is around this great city, and that is a really positive thing." More than bricks and mortarMusician Simon Harris has been coming to the shop since it opened, and feels it has supported him in his work, in a way that online stores are incapable of doing: "The shop did an amazing job of contributing to Birmingham's creative scene and creating millions of magic moments, friendships, projects and connections, not to mention the selling records bit! It's always the people, not bricks that make a place." Robin Giorno is a producer and events organiser who works closely with Birmingham's reggae scene- a community supported by the shop. He voiced his opinions about Jibbering's closure on UK reggae blog basslion.co.uk. Reggae is a genre that has long relied on word of mouth, live music and vinyl distribution. This is all changing, says Giorno, because of new technology:  Even DJs are abandoning vinyl "Until a couple of years ago, despite the most obvious culprits for the downfall of recorded music retail- downloads and MP3s- vinyl was still a viable product. It was collectable as a physical object, valued for its warm sound qualities and manipulability. DJs mix and scratch with vinyl, and promote their music by playing it to the public." The dying bohemian quarterIn recent years, however, new technologies have emerged which allow DJs to mix CDs and MP3s just like records. Now, it seems, DJs are ditching hefty vinyl in favour of digital music, as Robin explains: Ìý"Even the reggae sound systems who were always faithful to the original format now play digital to keep up with the ever increasing speed of music production." This, along with rising costs, says Giorno, is one of the reasons why independent music stores cannot survive, and it's something Birmingham should be sad about: "When Jibbering closes, it will take away from 'the bohemian quarter' one of the last independent shops. More than just a record shop, Jibbering has been a hub for musicians, DJs and music enthusiasts in the last nine years. For me, it has been a focal point for all the time I have lived in Birmingham."  Andrew Dubber: Kate Beatty "Lack of support"Andrew Dubber has lived in Birmingham for 5 years. As well as being Degree Leader for Music Industries at Birmingham City University, he's a senior lecturer and researcher with an interest in online music, radio and new media technology, and has authored various works on the subject. His blog, New Music Strategies, is consulted worldwide by those in the music industry who want to adapt to the fast moving digital age. He has long supported independent music stores, particularly those local to him in Birmingham, and says Jibbering’s closure is partly due to a lack of support from the local community: "Moseley Forum has opted to support betting shops over creative, dining and cultural spaces, to its detriment." last updated: 17/02/2009 at 19:30 Have Your SayWhat do you think about the demise of independent shops, and the changing face of Birmingham's high streets?
Tom
Leon Trimble
Wayne "Chu" Edwards
Mama Feelgood
Keir Williams
Jon Cotton
Rachel
Pippestrelle
George
Elexi Walker, Birmingham
Paul Bullimore, Wiltshire
Richard Hurricks
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