Photo by Matt Kelley
Recently the Windup space hosted a 20th anniversary retrospective for a long running and trail-blazing establishment in Baltimore. For those of you who don’t know, Reptilian Records was one of the most successful record stores and labels in the Baltimore counter culture. Specializing in punk, metal, hardcore, and anything obscure or unique, Reptilian Records has undeniably established itself as a home for the sea of inquisitive and unsatisfied youths of the 90’s and 2000’s that lived in and around Charm City.
Unfortunately, DYI record stores like RR have fallen victim to the complete deconstruction of the record industry’s business model. As a result Reptilian Records has been forced to close its physical doors in exchange for a more globally reaching and significantly cheaper to operate online store.
Photo and story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Matt Kelley
“The problem with everyone finding music so easily online is that it depreciates the value of the music. If you didn’t have to work to find it, it isn’t as rewarding when you finally get it.” Chris X, Founder of Reptilian Records.
Looking at the faces of everyone in attendance there was a noticeable lack of anyone under the age of 25, putting the unrepresented generations right on par for being the first set of those who had regular access to the internet. The overwhelming availability of free music on the internet has led people to believe that they’re getting a better deal by finding all of their music online for free when in reality, they’re forfeiting the experience that you get from searching through countless bins of bands you otherwise would have never discovered. I can’t remember the first album I ever downloaded online. That’s because the band probably wasn’t that profound in my life, but to this day I have yet to forget my first 7” Reptilian released Blank, or that the first CD I ever bought from a record store with my own money was Punk-o-Rama 2 from Reptilian Records when I was 13.
Photo and story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Matt Kelley
Tony Pence graciously posed for a photo to showcase some of the tangible and physical music that was on sale that night. More notably a Daybreak 7” with his more youthful face front and center printed on the record itself. Tony Pence has been connected with RR since the 90’s and now can still be found, along with Noel Conrad and others, debating music with customers or playing recently released independent EPs at one of the last bastions for record store patrons Celebrated Summer located at Atomic Books in Hampden.
Photo and story by Matt Kelley.
Photo by Matt Kelley
When asked how he became involved with Reptilian Records, Noel Conrad had this to say,
“In 1999 Chris asked me if I wanted to work the summer for $5 an hour and he’d buy me lunch. I was 18. Previous to that our mom would drop me and my brother Anthony off at the store and we’d hang out and read comic books and listen to crazy music and have our minds blown.” -Noel
Music is more than just something that goes on in the background while you live your life. It’s inspiration, a safe haven, a thought provoker and an integral component of humanity. When homes and lives sucked Reptilian was a place where countless kids could go and feel like they belonged to something.
Even if you were never able to experience RR in its glory days, it’s likely that its existence affected you in some way. I know that if I had never found Reptilian I wouldn’t be the person I am today and would most likely not even be here writing for WW and for that I am forever grateful for people like Chris, Noel, and Tony.
Photo and story by Matt Kelley.
