Where did we buy music from before the Internet?
There was a time when buying music was an actual activity, and not just a click of a few buttons. People would put on their coolest threads, hop on buses and spend a day at the record store checking out music. People would toggle between flipping through the racks to listening to albums at the pre-set listening stations. And once youve decided, you would buy the album(s) you wanted. There are obviously many record stores that mushroomed all over Malaysia between the 80s and the 90s, with many of them dear to a lot of people. Unfortunately, we cant list them all. So instead, heres a snapshot of some of the more iconic ones. Salem Power Station, Lot 10Closed since the 2000s  The first mega store in Malaysia back in the 90s. With its jagged 80s design aesthetic, the place looked more like an 80s discotheque than a record store. It did not have the classic feel of an old school record store but what it lacked in romanticism, it made up for with real estate space. A massive eye opener at the time. Kedai Aunty, Campbell ComplexOpen for business  Kedai Aunty  Creative Commons  In many ways, this store blows most preconceived notions out the door. Store boss Aunty, affectionately named by the mostly black-clad patrons, knows her stuff. She has been known to recommend Riot if you are a Helloween fan. You may not know what these things are. But believe us, she knows. Music Exchange, KLClosed since the 2000s  Music Exchange  Creative Commons  There was a time when second hand CDs and vinyl records were discarded when unused. That almost seems unthinkable these days, with the second hand market a thriving source of music for music lovers still in love with physical mediums. Arguably the establishment that started it all was Music Exchange in the early 2000s. It started out in a snug shop lot but gradually grew into a thriving place for music heads to gather, talk about music and pinch a good deal. Music Magic, Central MarketClosed since the 2000s  Music Magic did not occupy a huge real estate space but it made use of what it had really well. Cramped into a hidden corner of Central Market, it was the place to buy and sell anything from local music EPs to expensive imports. Owner Andru is an almanac of good music, and he knows how to source and get them. He made the jump to Rock Corner when Music Magic sadly had to close its doors. Tower Records, KL PlazaClosed since the 2000s  Arguably the first proper mega music store. Salem Power Station at Lot 10 may have had the space and layout but Tower Records brought the feel of a proper record store. A cordoned off jazz and classical music section with shelves and shelves of CDs slotted haphazardly with hidden gems and expensive imports mingled with local presses. Yes, a proper record store. Victoria Music Centre, Pertama ComplexClosed since the 2000s  Its amazing that you can still find Victoria Music Centre chains all over the Klang Valley even in this age of digital music formats. Its a testament to the brands longevity and willingness to adapt to survive. Like Kedai Aunty in the adjacent complex Campbell, this was a metal pilgrims destination for their fix. You could pick up expensive imports and dubious parallel versions, all on the same rack. You were given a broader smile if you came in black. Virgo Music, One UtamaClosed since the 1990s  A Virgo Music import  Adrian Yap CK  Tucked in a shadowy corner of One Utama in the mid-90s was this ridiculously cavalier music store. You could walk up to the counter, pen down any album you wanted to order and they would import it in for you for a decent price. No questions asked, no deposits required. Pretty soon, bad habits prevailed as the racks were stuffed with uncollected albums that not many people wanted (The Greenberry Woods debut?). It sank soon after. For as long as it lasted, it was gob-smacking.