Hanging out in Times Square with my beloved Uncle Mitchell ~ Broadway Stage Manager, Director, and Actor.
October 1 will be a sad day for music lovers. Technology claims another victim . . . the iconic Colony Music Center on Times Square in New York City is closing the doors.
So sad.
Colony Music opened in 1948 and for 64 years, it has been a Times Square institution. Colony has over one million vinyl albums and sells the sheet music to every Broadway show ever made. Colony’s tag line is “I found it at the Colony!” If you can’t find it at the Colony, it is likely the music no longer exists.
The owners adapted to myriad changes in the music industry. First came albums and singles, 8-track tapes, cassettes, and CDs, but they couldn’t weather the digital age. And, the landlord is raising the rent from $1 million to somewhere around $5 million a month. Outrageous.
The likes of Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Neil Sedaka, and Carole King often browsed the aisles. The owner tells the story of James Brown walking in the door and saying, “Yeah, baby. This smells like a music store.” I know exactly what he means. A mecca for music lovers is silenced.
But, am I a hypocrite? I own a Kindle and download music (legally). Amazon knows me by my first name and I’m on their Christmas card list. I feel guilty about the part I am playing in the demise of record stores and bookshops.
How about you?
Related articles
- Colony Records, a Longtime Midtown Music Shop, Is Poised to Close (nytimes.com)
- Colony Records, Broadway Music Landmark, to Close (wqxr.org)
- Manhattan’s legendary Colony Records set to close (dangerousminds.net)
Robin Coyle 
I happily partook in the demise of vinyl records. 8-track tapes and cassette tapes weren’t any better.
Digital music? I love it. Instead of having 15,000 vinyl records and 5,000 CDs taking up the living room, study, office, and a bedroom, I now have all that music on eight external hard drives totaly six terabytes, over 55,000 digital music files at this point, and not looking to quit anytime soon.
Via someone’s blog over the weekend, I discovered Adele’s “Rumor Has It” and “Running in the Deep,” both now in my collection.
Books, however, are a different stody. I don’t have a Nook or a Kindle and probably never will. I hope I’m dead before real books cease to exist or be published.
55,000 digital music files? Wow. Awesome collection. Have you heard Adele’s version of Bob Dylan’s “Make you Feel My Love?” Hauntingly beautiful.
I have a Kindle and love it, but will NEVER give up my books! I gather them around me like little friends.
I’d like to get rid of half of my library but it’s the half comprising pre-published books, uncorrected proofs, autographed proofs, etc. I would have thought that there would be a huge black market for such books but there’s not, and one can’t sell them on eBay and such because they all say “NOT FOR SALE” on them. I don’t have the heart to throw them away but that section of the library is becoming unmanageable, and it’s not like I’m going to read any of them twice.
I’m reading an uncorrected proof of “Sentinel” by Matthew Dunn. It is one of the worst uncorrected proofs I’ve ever read. I would have at least hired someone to do a little correcting. To find a whole sentence repeated is just unconscionable (I put “just” in there just for you……ooops, did it again).
Can you donate the books you want to get rid of to the library? Or do they not take pre-published books . . .
i “just” love that you remember my “just” lesson!
Nope. Pre-published and uncorrected books are the black sheep of the publishing world. No one wants them and there’s nothing one can do with them. Even my reading friends don’t want them because they want “the real thing.”
It will seem so sad if the book and the album/CD vanish but in the long run it will just be seen as change and progress – we no longer write with a quill either, or (most of us don’t) process film, or get our milk in bottles (as least here we don’t) … change and progress. I for one like the feel and smell of an old book in my hands. Yet lately, I have wondered about a kindle … it might be something we can’t fight.
Your comment is well-put. When you think of the changes we have seen in technology in our lifetime, nothing stays the same! But if real books disappear, I predict massive riots in the streets by book lovers.
That’s sad! Have I been there?
Did you get our turntable hooked up?
I think it is as much greedy landlord that is responsibly as much as the digital age, while most of us are guilty of using the convience of online shopping be it down loading or ordering from Amazon I know here in the UK there are still plenty of small shop selling vinyl albeit more as collectors items, But I think in reality it is much the same as book, whie we may download new authors to try (because of the sheer volume it would be impossible to buy them all physically) when it comes to favourites we still want that physical copy to hold in our hands. I do think that most music stores now possible make most of their revenue from merchandising rather than the actual albums but then again think back to being a teenager and the totally random things we had just because it was emblazoned with our favourite bands logo
The Colony’s rent increase is extortion! How will the landlord find anyone to pay $5m a month?
When I was a teenage, I would lie on my bed and listen to music while reading every word on the album cover, or daydreaming while staring at the album over artwork. That was as much of the music experience as listening to the music . . . can’t do that with a download!
That’s really sad. There a couple of vinyl record collector stores here still. A legendary one closed recently in San Antonio – some of the posters/concert stuff is being moved here for display, but owners are getting older and tired – and as you say the rent of the places.
I’m hanging on to my vinyl for a while – hope the sound is revived and rediscovered.
Our youngest daughter asked for our old record player. I bought it for my husband (then boyfriend) 32 years ago or so. She was thrilled! She recently bought a vinyl album at a music festival. They are making a come-back!
I didn’t know that! Ugh. What a bummer.
Total bummer. I’d love to go to the Colony before it closes.
I have kindle / iPad / download music to iTunes ~ and I think they’re all wonderful ~ still saddened to see such stores disappearing ~ other stores will come and get their chance ~ que sera …
I hope some super-rich musician or music lover gives the Colony an infusion of money and they stay open. So sad to see the end of an institution.
I also download – now I feel guilty. It’s sad to see wonderful places like this go by the wayside.
I agree. Losing a landmark and mecca for music lovers is sad. Tragic. I’d like to make a pilgrimage there before the doors close.
I love music shops, I still prefer to buy physical rather than digital if I can (although I do buy some digital). I don’t know this one but it makes me sad reading about it as these are my favourite kind of shops. Over on the West coast I like Amoeba in L.A. and I have visited their stores in San Francisco and Berkeley. Obviously times change, but it is a shame so many shops are disappearing.
Since I live in Northern California, I’ll check out Amoeba.
Have you been to Ireland? There are several music shops on every street, and often musicians playing. Not a performance, but tinkering on a piano or guitar. Very cool.
The Amoeba website is decent also.
I’ve been to Dublin, as we have friends in the area, but didn’t get to check out too much whilst I was there, other than a few tourist things, and bars.
So glad you hit the pubs! Best in the world. I’ve tipped a pint or two in Dublin’s pubs . . . hope to go back someday soon. Great live music played in Ireland’s bars too.
Oh, as as far as Blur goes . . . not a big fan. I little too heavy/screechy for me.
These are changing times we live in Robin, I only hope they don’t stop printing books in our life time!
If they stop printing books, there will be a revolution with me leading the charge!~
I’ll be right behind you!
It’s part of our cultural evolution. I’m sure the best stone-tool knappers were horrified by the introduction of metal working. I have to wonder, as Madame Weebles noted, if the rent was the real killing blow.
I can see old-school cavemen sticking to their stone-tools and smirking at the up-start metal-tool users and saying, “Kids! What’s the matter with kids these days?” (Can you name the show that line if from?)
The rent increase is a kick out the door for sure. The article I read said Colony’s sales are way down too.
Simpsons is where I heard it. 🙂
Bye Bye Birdie. One of my favorite musicals!
It was also in “Are You Being Served” as I recall….
Robin, surely it opened in 1948 – not 1948 years ago (although if I’m wrong then it’s *extra* sad)?
Oops! I fixed it. Sorry about that!
I’m proofing a thesis at the moment and can’t turn it off!
Why is it I can spot other’s typos from a mile away, but have a tough time seeing mine? Thanks for the catch.
Care to proof my manuscript?
Robin, I don’t know if I mentioned this, but I’m actually a professional proofreader (am proofing a thesis right now!). So I always delighted by any offer of work, sincere or otherwise 🙂
Robin, I don’t know if I mentioned this, but I’m actually a professional proofreader (am proofing a thesis right now!). So I always delighted by any offer of work, sincere or otherwise 🙂 Also, I think the reason it’s hard to see one’s own errors is that of course you *know* what it’s supposed to say, so therefore that’s what you read (even if that’s not what you wrote).
I’m going to email you about your proofing services. I know what you mean . . . the word is “by” on paper, but it is supposed to be “buy.” Argh!
I think it’s terribly sad that this is happening in the Entertainment/Arts industries. I never download music. I always buy CDs. I just prefer it, I have a large collection that I am continuing to build and it makes me happy.
I want to hear more stories about your Uncle Mitchell! The thought of him really makes me smile. 🙂
I like buying CDs too, but I don’t buy them nearly as often as I used to. The last purchase was the boxed set of the remastered Beatles collection. Didn’t that come out two or three years ago?
I have AMAZING stories about/from Uncle Mitchell. AMAZING. He worked with so many famous actors and directors . . . Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Marilyn Monroe, Ian McKellan, and on and on!
Wow… your Uncle Mitchell just sounds fabulous. Wow, how impressive, what a life to have led, eh? I’ll bet he tells these stories really well too! I think you should do an interview with him if he’s up to it. 🙂
Your last CD purchase was a very good one! 🙂
Interviewing Uncle Mitchell is a great idea. I also wrote a short essay about what a nut he is and how many great memories he has given us all. I might post that . . . or part of it.
No, you’re not a hypocrite. It’s a sign of the times. The music lives on; the way we obtain the music is simply different now. I worked for Camelot Music during their heyday. The warehouse was packed with albums and cassettes. The time came when it was full of cds. Now we are digital. I remember feeling sad and nostalgic when Tower Records closed. However, vinyl is making a comeback amongst indie labels. They simply sound better – “vinyl records can reproduce frequencies well above those produced by cds.” The future of vinyl remains to be seen. … I love the picture of you with Uncle Mitchell. Some day when you need a break from everything else, you should share some of his wonderful stories with us.
What didn’t show in my reply were the final two words — hint, hint!
Ha ha! I would love to share some of Uncle Mitchell’s stories. The problem is replicating his deliver. He is hysterical and bless his soul, he is 91! His body is failing but his mind is in excellent shape. He can tell you the name of the director of the 1949 production of South Pacific and the name of the ingenue who was the understudy to Mary Martin.
My daughter asked us for our old turntable. I bought it for my husband in 1980. She was soooooo excited! i like the idea of vinyl coming back.
It is a little sad, I think. I don’t feel guilt though. Things always change with advancements. Technology is killing us – I’m not saying it isn’t – but the loss of music and bookstores isn’t the poison in the syringe.
Hmmm . . . what is the poison in the syringe?
The poison in the syringe is our considerable capacity for binging on 1s and 0s – more and more of us are suffering from toxic levels of overinformation because it is so easy to obtain every waking minute thanks to the digital devices we are getting so attached to. This overload of information leads to exhaustion, leads to isolation, leads to death.
Wow. Well said.
While we were on vacation the past two weeks, I stayed away from the Internet and it was rather liberating. I poked around a little, but it was nice to NOT feel the need to check email, my blog, and others’ blogs. What did I do instead? Hiked, went boating, read a “real” book, and ate amazing food. Lovely.
I realise that tech moves on and we have no choice to move with it, but isn’t it making us all extremely anti social. Now there is one less place to flick through records and talk about music. Now we download and don’t talk to anyone.
Good point. The mom and pop bookstores and music stores were wonderful gathering spots. Rather than getting a book or album recommendation from the owner, I read reviews on Amazon while sitting alone in my family room.
Yes, me too. I try to make it to second hand books stores and talk to other readers about what they are buying. This is very hard for a hermit but just when I have started doing it, shops are closing 😦 I would hate to see us all siting in our houses because technology brings us everything rather than going and getting it.
One nice thing about technology is it has connected us as blog friends!
I don’t think it’s that we’re hypocrites, it’s that the nature of the business has changed, and the music-playing equipment has changed. There simply isn’t the demand for brick & mortar music stores the way there used to be. But the loss of Colony Records is still a big one. I found an awful lot of stuff there back in the day. Although I can’t remember the last time I actually set foot in the store.
Also, it’s worth pointing out that it’s not just that there are fewer customers, but that the landlords of the Colony property have jacked up the rent so high that it would be impossible for any business except a franchise to afford it.
I had to read the line about the rent being $1 million. I thought, that can’t be right! But, the article was in the New York Times, so I figured they researched their facts.
The changes in technology seem to be coming a warp speed now, don’t they?
Before Border’s books closed, one day I wandered the aisles and on impulse bought about $100 worth of books. Several of the books were on sale, so I thought I was coming out ahead since I wasn’t paying for shipping. When I got home I looked on Amazon and even with shipping, the same books were waaaaaaaaaay cheaper. Way. I returned the books to Borders and placed my Amazon order.
Everything changes. You shouldn’t feel guilty for going with the flow. I can’t remember the last CD I bought. I just download the songs I like. But it’s always sad to see an icon go.
The last CD I bought was when the box set of the Beatles collection remastered. Wasn’t that two or three years ago?
I meant to write in this post that I bet some super rich musician or music lover does something to keep Colony open.