R.I.P. Atomic Records (1985-2009)
If you’re a music nerd, chances are high that you reserve a special place in your heart for your hometown independent record store—the place that first fed your budding curiosity by turning you on to new music. For me, that place is Atomic Records, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Unfortunately, after nearly 25 years in the business, Atomic is slated to close up shop for the last time this Sunday—yet another casualty of declining music sales and the volatile economic climate. In an attempt to document the store’s history before it slips away, I sat down with Rich Menning, Atomic’s founder and general manager, to pick his brain about records, rock ‘n’ roll and the future of independent record stores. Head over to PopMatters to read the interview. (Photo by Flickr user d76, used under a CC-BY-NC license).
