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Sandbox

HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts
edited March 2007 in Strut Central
Hi,Looks like Sandboxautomatic is getting out of the vinyl game:"March 11, 2007: VINYL IS DYING...LONG LIVE VINYL. Sandbox is making the business decision to no longer sell vinyl records (at least in the way that we currently do) on or before March 31st."So, what do you think? Another Microwave/mp3 casualty? Poorly run bizness? Maybe Labcabin took their business?peaceh

  Comments

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    indie hip hop sucks?
  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    damm
  • tallbobsmoketallbobsmoke 715 Posts
    Poorly run business I'd say. I bought from them once or twice and my records were mad late. I never bought from them again.
  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,632 Posts
    Yeah, they have a pretty bad rep. I'm surprised they're still in business.
  • hemolhemol 2,578 Posts
    Mad long ago I got a package form them and the contents were soaked with water. On some serious wtf? shit.
  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    Their range tends to suck IMO. Usually they don't have enough of the current titles I want at any given time to warrant me placing an order with them. I usually end up buying from either hiphopsite or Labcabin
  • Pistol_PetePistol_Pete 1,289 Posts
    it seems like Fat Beats out in LA is going under too. It's definitely because vinyl isn't selling like it used to and underground hip-hop sucks. I still buy vinyl from Labcabin just cus they get random stuff I'll have a tough time tracking down on MP3. Although the store doesn't get the records on the website until like 2 weeks later.
  • empanadamnempanadamn 1,462 Posts
    that sucks. dude was running the thing from his house in the begining. we used to get records there, no probs.
  • flatblackplasticflatblackplastic 1,209 Posts
    all the factors you listed are valid but the number one reason is:
    poorly run bizness
    b/w
    fuck that place
  • crossingscrossings 946 Posts
    aren't half the CDs they sell there bootlegs to begin with??

    except i think they call them "sandbox exclusives".
  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    aren't half the CDs they sell there bootlegs to begin with??

    except i think they call them "sandbox exclusives".



    Yeah - a lot of them look hella dodgy. Or maybe they're just hella burns!
    --------
  • kicks79kicks79 1,338 Posts
    Its a combination of badly run business and the fact that no one wants indy hip hop records anymore. I mean what are you going to do with those things. You can't play'em out any where and for promo purposes a cd will do just fine.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    Wow. I worked for Ed for a year or so around 97-98. I learned how to pack a record mailer. Shipped hella records to Timmys whose mothers would call asking for Shazbah The Disciple. I can't believe he employed Africa Sam. I still have copies of records I got there. I heard he was doing people dirty a while back, and I guess that don't surprise me, but back then a lot of dudes were getting their records broken there.

    The motherfucker was damn near a sociopath and fired his entire staff habitually every year but at some level this still hits me with a bit of melancholy. It's probably just the liquor though.
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    The motherfucker was damn near a sociopath and fired his entire staff habitually every year

    I think this would explain getting packages 6-8 weeks after ordering w/a slip notifying you that half the records which you were already charged for are now 'out of stock'
  • JustAliceJustAlice 1,308 Posts
    No Shit huh?!

    I heard his mom worked the shipping department, the emails I got were singed by spanky or something like that??? I cant remember I wish I could. Longest wait for records ever.
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    SMILEY
  • JustAliceJustAlice 1,308 Posts
    SMILEY

    YES!!!!!!! LOL
  • dayday 9,611 Posts

    I think this would explain getting packages 6-8 weeks after ordering w/a slip notifying you that half the records which you were already charged for are now 'out of stock'

    That used to piss me off[/b]. It's one thing to wait MONTHS for your order, but then to find out half of it isn't even in there...you just can't run a business like that. I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.
    It's funny, I just checked their site again out of the blue last week. It looked like shit hasn't changed at all.
  • crossingscrossings 946 Posts
    yeah, that site is definitely on some 1997 time-warp shit... all those GIFs are like 16 colors or whatever and make all the pics look awful. looks like some dude's geocities homepage more than an actual business.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I'm obviously biased - I've known Ed since the days before Sandbox, when he was helping dudes dig for rap raers in NYC on commission (dude blessed me with some great shit over those years). Plus, he's hosted Soul Sides for years - for free.

    Regardless, that's pretty wild that he's closing out vinyl sales. For a while, back around the early 00s, he does doing a pretty good business; it seemed like he and Hiphopsite were running neck and neck for a bit but yeah, I guess things done changed since the days when I'd run into Consequence, bringing up white label bootlegs to the office direct.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    I'm kind of surprised to learn that Sandbox still exists--their business model was definitely an anachronism.

    Flashback: who else remembers Oliver and Ed's reviews where they'd be holding forth on late nineties indie rap terds A/B style?
  • cardovacardova 743 Posts
    I was buying hella hard to find 12"s and then new major label promos from Ed before Sandbox opened, back when he just had page with list of records that you needed a password to see. Later in 96/97 when he had a crew of customers doing reviews for the site, I was one of them. Haven't messed with him since 99 or so, but still think that for a minute he had a good thing going.
  • rkwparkrkwpark 915 Posts
    wow that brings back memories. loved the hiphopsite vs. sandbox rivalry.

    sandbox ruled for those w/ slow ass modems though!

    didnt they take out full page ads out in wax poetics in the last year advertising that they were coming back strong?
  • dayday 9,611 Posts


    sandbox ruled for those w/ slow ass modems though!


    HA - definitley. I remember sitting for hours listening to clips.
  • Otis_FunkmeyerOtis_Funkmeyer 1,321 Posts
    SMILEY WONG


    I worked there summer of 02. Ed's a great friend and I thought the business was running pretty well back then.

    I wonder what they'll do with all the vinyl.

    Once I asked her, "Why do they call you Smiley?"

    She said, "Cause that's my name".
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    I can't believe he employed Africa Sam.

    Africa Sam? The dude that supposedly cut Jeru on stage here in Denver about 8 or 9 years ago or something? Or is there another Africa Sam?

    Oh, and I remember Smiley!
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    yes, the same Africa Sam.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Oh shit I didn't even know he worked for Sandbox. I kinda know the dude, although he's out in Hollywood these days I think. Crazy crazy guy.
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