Label Exec Shan Dan Horan On My Lastest Inner Circle Podcast

I met Shan Dan Horan a few years ago on a conference panel that we were both on and I was immediately impressed how much he felt the pulse of the current music scene.

At that point he was head of new media (meaning all the online activities) for the Century Media label, and today Shan Dan's the VP of operations for the big indie label Artery Recordings.

On the podcast we talk all about artist promotion online, the trends he sees as well as the mistakes that artists make and some of the things they can do to really raise their profiles.

On the intro I discuss how Amazon Prime Music is becoming a big streaming source while staying under the radar, and the demise of New York City's famous Music Row.

Remember that you can find the podcast at BobbyOInnerCircle.com, or either on iTunes or Stitcher.

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New York City's Music Row About To Close For Good

There was a time when the mecca of music stores was 48th street in New York City. A single city block just off Broadway was ground zero for the best music stores, and the best deals, on the planet.

The legendary Manny's Music, the first Sam Ash store, Rudy's Music Stop, Alex Music, Greco's Custom Guitars, Terminal Music, Silver and Horland, New York Woodwind and Brass Shop, and a few others I can't remember made it as vibrant a place as you'd see in the music business. It's where you'd just as likely see a superstar playing the Garden that night as a kid in a local band buying the same gear.

Sadly, Music Row will be soon be no more.

Unfortunately the last two tenants of Music Row will soon be gone, as Rudy's Music closed last week and Alex Music will close at the end of the year. Sam Ash (which purchased most of the other stores over time) moved to 34th street in 2012.

Inside Manny's Music

Anyone who visited Music Row during it's heyday understands how cool it was. There was competition between the stores that you don't have today. Get a price from Manny's and go across the street to Ash to see if they could beat it, and vice versa.

There was the latest in gear, which was a big deal before the Internet made manufacturer communication about new product instantaneous. You'd see it available on Music Row before it even hit the magazines. Talk about exciting.

You had great service. I remember Henry Goldrich, owner of Manny's, treating me like I was Pete Townshend when I had a problem with a Conn Strobotuner.

It's where the home studio craze got it start, selling everything from Tascam 4 tracks to Fostex 8 tracks and ADATS. Both Manny's and Ash were the first to recognize the trend and have recording departments before anyone else.

Like everything else, the music retail business has evolved and moved on, for better or worse. Music Row, we're sorry to see you go!

I'd love to hear your 48th Street stories and experiences.

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Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this blog at no cost to you (just click here).

The Music Has Died On 48th Street

Any musician from the 60s through the 90s knew of 48th street between 6th and 7th Avenue was a mecca for music stores. In fact, these were arguably the best music stores maybe in the world, always with the latest gear and the best prices. The famous Manny's Music would battle it out with cross-street rival Sam Ash while Alex Musical Instruments, Rudy's Music, We Buy Guitars, 48th Street Music, Colony Music Center, New York Woodwinds and Brass, and a few others that I can't remember picked up the crumbs.

If you had gear lust, like every musician has, this was the place to either go to or stay away from. It was actually worth the 125 mile trip from my home in rural Pennsylvania not only for the best deal, but for the best sites as well. You never knew when a star or two or three or four would be in one of the stores (especially Manny's) buying an instrument for stage or studio. The autographed pictures on the wall always had us in awe.

I can remember one day near 6PM when Manny's was about to close when in came a young and fresh Eddie Murphy along with Joe Piscapo, both on a roll at the time from being on Saturday Night Live. While the staff set a kit up for Eddie to try right there on the main floor, I remember having a nice talk about Martin guitars with a rather subdued John Sabastian. And remember, I lived 125 miles away from the city at the time. My head just about exploded. I always thought to myself after leaving, "Image who I might meet if I lived in the City and went there more often."

Sam Ash eventually bought Manny's as well as most of the other stores on that famous 48th Street block, which subdued the scene a bit since the competition was now gone, but now it looks like the music on 48th Street is about to die forever. Sam Ash has now signed a new lease for a huge new store on West 34th Street, and will move its stores there one by one. What's happening is the classic "going condo" in the 48th Street area, and now it looks like the famous and beloved Music Row will soon be just a memory. Goodbye, Music Row. Some of us are going to miss you!

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