Real fucking sad news to hear that Brisbane independent punk/hardcore record store KILL THE MUSIC will be closing its doors forever on Janurary 5th next year. Having first opened in 2006, Kill The Music has been the number one source of anything punk and hardcore related in the Brisbane area from live instore performances and signings to an ever impressive display of stock to choose from. If you are around Brisbane tomorrow as in Thursday at 4pm, drop in and say hello to New Found Glory and buy something!

The store has not had an easy run, not only surviving the floods of 2011 that engulfed the city and surrounding areas, but having also endured two break ins and robberies during its existence.

The closure of Kill The Music is yet another, in what seems like a never ending list of independent record stores who are closing down. Sadly the new generation of punk and hardcore enthusiasts don't seem to comprehend the whole 'support your scene" idealism. Like most independent record store owners Paul Voge is a huge music fan with a wide variety of tastes, much like the stock the store carries. Paul is an active member of the Brisbane music scene, having formerly been in the Paper and the Plane and currently playing in We Set Sail and a longtime supporter of local music. Think about that next time you're shopping in a JB Hifi chain store, remarking how great it is to be saving a couple of bucks, but not thinking about who is benefitting from your bucks.

Personally I was last in Kill The Music in July of this year on the Youth Of Today tour. I knew Paul was a huge fan of Battery and seeing as though Ken Olden from Battery was playing bass in Youth Of Today, I dragged them all into the shop so Paul could meet them. Sadly it just happened to be Paul's day off, so I made Ken pose with a poster that is the shot above. Having not been in the store in 5 years (as I live in Sydney), I was blown away with how much it had grown and the array of stock on hand.

Paul was always a big supporter of what we do here at Rest Assured and has been from day dot and for that we are very grateful. But now Brisbane, it is your turn to show some gratitude. Paul still has debts to clear so get down to the shop before it closes on Jan 5th and buy up big!

Below is a statement from Kill the Music store owner, marriage celebrant, all round legend and very proud father Paul Voge...

"So, I'm not a big talker about my personal shit when it comes to the shop. But the crazy amount of "love" we have received over the past 12 hours is nuts.

I can't thank you all enough for giving a shit about this store that has been a HUGE part of my life over the last 7 years. But working the 3 jobs to keep the shop going is just too much for me too handle financially and mentally...keep in mind I'm an old man now. I would love to keep going for another 70 years but we can not afford to make this a reality and this makes me sad and I am sorry.

But this shop made it for 7 years! 7 fucking years!! We had no help from anyone but the "punk rock" community. When we opened record labels in Australia wouldn't deal with us, ticket companies wouldn't deal with us, hell even QMusic sent emails to people saying not to support our store...for real!!. (I should post that email one day haha)

But we changed our whole plan and just dealt with people like us, people who gave a shit about the music they were dealing with and the people that they dealt with. Whether that be local Brisbane bands, venues or labels or places all around Australia. Even the distro's we have been working with in Europe in America that help us get the records or shirts or whatever in your hands.

And "your hands" are pretty much the main part of any store surviving, whether it be for 7 days or 7 years. As cliche as it sounds, it's true..."without customers who care you are fucked". And we happened to have some of the best ever and I can not thank you enough. Some of you have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars here...I am forever thankful to you, a lot more than you know. Thank you.

So we all need to be happy that we made it this far. On paper a punk rock store in Brisbane city should last a year and then become a statistic, but with the help of a million awesome people we lasted for what feels a lifetime. So be stoked that we were around, I know I am. As much as the last 6 months have been very stressful for me and my family we are so thankful for the opportunity that Brisbane gave us to be a store. I know my daughter will miss Kill The Music the most, she thinks it a great place for "hide n seek"

So we are going to go out on a happy note, we have some new shirts coming in, some new records...we have New Found Glory doing a signing here tomorrow from 4pm (their 3rd one here). Come in, say hi, buy a sticker a poster, a record..whatever...it all helps us work at getting all the debts we owe closer to one day being gone.

-Paul"

A limited run of shirts are being printed in memorium to the shop's closing. Drop in to grab yours or get in touch with Paul via Facebook here.