Knick Knack Records: More Music, Less Noise

Knick Knack Records: More Music, Less Noise

The local record store goes online to sell music, not commercials

There’s nothing like a needle on a record for genuine tone. Nothing like a corner record store for an honest conversation about music.

And for most of us, both are now harder and harder to access. As iTunes concludes its first decade, music lovers and musicians are wondering-- how much have we lost?

In the spring of 2010, Seattle musician and entrepreneur Joe Johnson launched Knick Knack Records, a label, online record store and distribution venue for artists looking to bypass the MP3 sold via GAP and VW-commercial ethos that was the aughts.

Local Bands Sold Without A Sneer

“We’re creating a site and a label that’s by musicians, real musicians, for real music lovers. People who want their money going to something genuine,” says Johnson about the label.

His greatest pleasure in launching Knick Knack is offering an outlet that actually cares about music. The board of Knick Knack will vet every band, voting on each selection based solely on artistic merits. Knick Knack promises to run their site with the dedication more suited to Lester Bangs than Steve Jobs. This isn’t commerce, it’s art.

Fair Play, Fair Pay

“We don’t require exclusive contracts. We welcome bands who want fair play, fair prices. We’ll be able to offer far better rates than venues like Amazon and iTunes,” Johnson explains. “And we’re not just a book seller or a computer company. We’ll be reviewing and selecting music with quality, not just widgets.”

The Knick Knack Records site, established by Seattle musician and veteran of the city’s web commerce industry, Joe Johnson, will offer access to thousands of hard-to-find records. The label will showcase its own roster of artists on the label who represent the best of what Seattle and the northwest has to offer.