Rising from the ashes....

Well, after the UK's leading musical instrument retailer plunged into administration earlier this year, it seemed that the Sound Control Group was destined to follow in the footsteps of other musical retailers, taking the "legendary" Turnkey store (and Soho Soundhouse) with it too (much to the delight of Digital Village).

However, when you go to the SoundControl site, you are now greeted with the site of the new venture, called Reverb, which promises launch parties at it's six stores in Bristol, Sheffield, Birmingham, Leicester, Stockton & Glasgow. So it looks like it's arrivaderci to the other branches that have been plodding on since the boys in suits marched in. No London store ??? SoundControl London was/is based in the basement of the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street and a prime location, but I guess for a company that was strapped for cash, it had to go. I'm off to London this afternoon so I will endeavour to check out the situation both there and at Turnkey.

I am fully aware of the rise in popularity of internet instrument retailers but I know of no one that purchases instruments "blind", direct from the net. They always go to a retail store to check them out first. And that, I guess, is why companies like SoundControl failed. They couldn't match prices and were simply being used as demo rooms, especially when it came to Hi Tech gear such as synths. Given the look of the new site, it seems they have shunned electronica and will be concentrating on the staples that are guitars and drums.

Another nail in the coffin of electronic hardware ?

I, for one, hope not.

EDIT: Well, much to my dismay and disappointment, I visited both Turnkey & Soundcontrol in London today and they are indeed now both closed. Soundcontrol has been sealed off and gutted, and Turnkey had it's shutters down and was devoid of life. Shame :o(