PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAIRE GRUEN
Clutter is part of the charm of Goner Records, a Cooper-Young institution.
Editor’s Note: Claire Gruen is a student in Professor Rebecca Finlayson’s Introduction to Journalism course at Rhodes College. The students taking the course spent time this spring researching and writing about Memphis. They are learning the core principles and techniques of journalistic writing while also learning about their local community. Memphis will share examples of a few of the students’ work over the coming days and weeks.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAIRE GRUEN
Bins are filled with albums by local, regional, and national artists.
An independent record label and retail store, Goner Records draws in all kinds of people from the Memphis music scene. Its poster-plastered walls and neon signs stand out among the other shops along Young Avenue, creating an atmosphere of idiosyncratic familiarity that welcomes customers through its bright-red doorway. Known for producing indie rock and grunge, the brand boasts what co-founder and Rhodes College alumnus Zac Ives describes as “a unique perspective” on the independent music scene.
Despite its small size, both physically and commercially, Goner maintains a big presence in the city. What makes it special is how it is both a record label and a physical store. Ives says that when he joined forces in 2000 with his business partner, Eric Friedl, they wanted to “expand the label and online stuff … out of a physical store,” which is how the eclectic black storefront came to be. As Ives puts it, “There aren’t a whole lot of folks” doing what Goner is doing.
Ives says Gonerfest has become “a rite of passage” for countless bands and allows Goner to “showcase [their] city and celebrate [their] little part of the music world” in front of an extremely wide audience.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAIRE GRUEN
It's impossible to miss the store. Just look for the neon and the life-size cutout of Al Green.
Besides its duality, one element that makes Goner such a notable presence is its nonchalant approach to the music industry. Inside the shop, shelves and bins of records, 45s, and CDs crowd the walls and floor space. They are separated by handwritten signs that identify specific artists and every type of genre from Motown, to country, to punk, to reggae, and countless others.
Unfinished paint jobs coat the walls and layers of haphazardly placed stickers add charm to the entrance and front desk. When asked how he and Friedl stay on top of such a competitive and difficult industry, Ives laughs and says that they “just aren’t real worried about keeping up … if we are in [the industry] at all,” which sets them apart from many counterparts in major cities like Los Angeles and Nashville. Rather than taking themselves too seriously, Goner is mission-focused.
To them, the most important things are “musicians and music we care about, and doing the best on their behalf.” Contrary to most of the music industry nowadays, where musicians attempt to scrabble their way to fame, Ives says Goner’s goal is to “worry less about what other people are saying and doing,” and instead keep the betterment of the Memphis community and its local musicians at the center of the operation.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAIRE GRUEN
There's something for everyone at Goner.
Gonerfest is perhaps the most significant way they achieve this goal. An annual music festival held in the heart of Memphis, Gonerfest didn’t have big ambitions when it first kicked off in 2005. However, it slowly became not only what Goner itself is most widely known for, but also a linchpin of Memphis’ arts and music culture, as it draws in “bands and music fans from all over the world.”
The event actually began as an accident. Ives and Friedl were hosting a record release for The King Khan & BBQ Show — a band now known as one of the most successful to come out of Goner, with others including Guitar Wolf, Ex-Cult, and the late Jay Reatard. Because so many other musicians wanted to perform as well, the event turned into a multi-day long festival at the end of September that has continued as Gonerfest ever since.
Memphis is known for Beale Street, blues, and rock-and-roll, but it’s not as well-known for its punk scene. However, Ives says Gonerfest has become “a rite of passage” for countless bands and allows Goner to “showcase [their] city and celebrate [their] little part of the music world” in front of an extremely wide audience.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAIRE GRUEN
Goner Records co-owners Eric Friedl (left) and Zac Ives.
Although it is independent, Gonerfest has emerged as one of the most important elements the Memphis music community has to offer, drawing in an international presence and ratcheting up Memphis’ credibility as a major music city. According to Ives, “it’s become an annual thing for lots of people,” and there’s no sign of slowing down. “This year will be Gonerfest 19!”
What makes Goner special is its ability to be more than just a retail store and record label. Its quirkiness and down-to-earth nature create a personal setting for customers, and Ives cites the interactions with individual people as his favorite part of the job.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAIRE GRUEN
Years ago, the old building was home to an Easy Way Grocery, among other businesses.
“Seeing someone go nuts over something new to them … turning someone on to a song, a record, or a band they didn’t know before … that sense of discovery is the absolute best,” he says. “We are just trying to give back.”
Although the Memphis grunge scene is small, it “helps [Goner] stay focused on what’s important, and also recognize all the talent in [their] own backyard.” From building a grassroots festival that has continued for 18 years and counting, to welcoming the city through its doors with open arms to shop, talk, and listen, Goner Records is a Memphis staple that is redefining what music and community can be — especially when they’re put together.
Note: Aprl 23rd is National Record Store Day, and Goner Records is one of the particapating stores. Go here for more information.
