MUSIC OUTLET – ENFIELD CONNECTICUT STORE HAS HEAVY METAL APLENTY!
MUSIC OUTLET – I journeyed back to Connecticut last week, the state where I was born and lived forty years of my life. Usually, the words: very expensive are always used to describe Connecticut on Metal Odyssey. Connecticut is very expensive, I should know. However, there is one store up in very expensive Connecticut that isn’t expensive at all. IT’S AN INDEPENDENT RECORD AND CD STORE! Located in the very friendly and cool city of Enfield, this store is called – Music Outlet. (See store contact info at bottom of post).
Scott Coverdale, our Metal Odyssey correspondent and Heavy Metal think tank, took me to Music Outlet on Friday, August 13th. Always bragging about just how incredible the selection of Metal is at this Music Outlet, Scott couldn’t wait to get me there. It felt like 1988 all over again… two Metal buddies, taking a long cruise to buy some Metal. Scott is a loyal customer at Music Outlet and has longed for the day, when I could finally browse through the vast selection that this store carries for Hard and Heavy Music.
Gary, the owner of Music Outlet, is very knowledgeable about Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Rock ‘N’ Roll. That is exactly how a record and CD store owner should be… knowledgeable about the product, the bands, the musicians and their music. I have to admit, it is always an unreal thrill to find an independent record and CD store, especially when we live during a transitional period of how Rock ‘N’ Roll is being listened to, bought and sold. This is the age of the mp3 and itunes. We can buy mp3’s on Amazon, Best Buy and countless other websites 24/7. Despite this unbeatable technology of digital downloading… I’m steadfast Old School and damn proud of it.
After one visit to Music Outlet, I have come to the realization that Gary is Old School too. There is a market out there that wants their Rock ‘N’ Roll on vinyl and/or CD still. I’m a part of that Old School market. Gary’s store has the goods… and there is Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Punk Rock and Rock ‘N’ Roll aplenty to be found at this Music Outlet. From vinyl to CD’s, from the obscure to posters, with band t’s and music DVD’s in-between, Gary’s store is bolstered with every sub-genre of Metal Music that is known! As an added bonus… Gary has all upcoming Metal and Hard Rock album release dates posted up for all customers to see.
There are the “little things” that an Old School Metalhead may need to buy at Music Outlet as well… blank cassettes, vinyl album sleeves and CD jewel cases are also available to purchase. You read that correctly… blank cassette tapes! Now… that’s Old School! Plenty of promo posters from various record companies are hung about Music Outlet and the Metal is played loud throughout the store.
The prices are very competitive to any online record/CD store, with both used and new albums & CD’s being sold at Music Outlet. There are many great CD titles being sold new for around $10, with used CD’s being around $6. I found the selection of new CD’s to be the best I’ve come across in years, at an actual physical location and not online! Whoa. Easily, I could have spent well over my budgeted limit… it took some very strong Metal will power to not go overboard! Admittedly, I was semi-shaking at the overall selection of Metal CD’s that Music Outlet had for sale.
Gary told me I can call him anytime to order by phone, he said he has no problem in shipping out the Metal! Mail order Metal! I’m more than happy to pay for shipping, especially when a hard to find or highly sought after Metal CD can be found at Music Outlet. Meeting Gary, perusing his abundant supply of Metal CD’s and taking in the Old School, independent Record & CD store experience at Music Outlet, was a fabulous way to spend some of my time while back in Connecticut.
* Here are the 3 CD’s I bought at Music Outlet:
Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier (Mission Edition)
Primal Fear – Metal Is Forever
Bonded By Blood – Exiled To Earth
Scott Coverdale’s 3 CD’s purchased at Music Outlet:
Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier
Holy Mother – Toxic Rain
Michael Schenker Group – Built To Destroy
* I without hesitation, recommend any Metalhead or fan of any Rock genre to stop by Music Outlet in Enfield, CT… or give Gary and his Metal crew a call and order your Metal fix by phone! Patronize Music Outlet… it will serve you right. Tell ’em Stone and Scott Coverdale sent you.
Music Outlet Contact Info:
Owner: Gary
Store Location/Address: 151 Hazard Avenue, Enfield, CT, 06082
Phone: 1-860-749-2050
ROCK STEADY MUSIC OUTLET!
Thanks Scott Coverdale for hooking me up with Music Outlet!
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
August 22, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Let’s not forget my Great Purchases as well…..Holy Mother “Toxic Rain”, MSG “Built to Destroy”, and of course my copy of “The Final Frontier”. Every Metal Head should have a Gary to go to!!
August 22, 2010 at 9:57 pm
That’s right best Metal buddy! I’ll add ’em to the post… cause they are cool Metal purchases indeed!
Stone
August 22, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Cool post and it’s nice to know that such a store STILL exists!
There were probably 10 (probably more ) stores like that here in Chicago that went out in the last decade.
I know of only ONE left and I heard they are possibly closing in the near future and are slowly selling off their inventory.
*So where are your “Classic 80’s Metal” purchases pal?!!!!
Kinger
August 22, 2010 at 10:17 pm
As I stated in the post… “I was semi-shaking” at the Metal inventory at Music Outlet! I did have the following in my hands, yet did not buy due to “budget constrictions”: Gary Moore “Victims Of The Future” and Alkatrazz “Live 1983”. Whoa, was it difficult to put down these two CD’s. I should have just bought ’em… It’s not like I would have gone bankrupt by getting ’em.
I guess my Metal CD purchases are done “in moderation”… gee Metal whiz that’s just the way I am.
Stone – In – Moderation
August 25, 2010 at 6:48 pm
I have victims of the future but with a different cover and boy you should have bought it, it is an awesome album, I went to a samll music store this summer in Northern California and it was this small strip mall place and it had tons of vinyls and cds and cassetes and a bunch of old heavy metal advertising like a stand up ozzy made from cardboard advertising for Black Rain and a poster for a metallica concert from the justice tour and other stuff, I wanted to buy a bunch of cds like Live After death – Iron Maiden, Garage Inc. – Metallica, and Kingdom Come’s first album, but I only walked out with Forty Licks – The Rolling Stones. By me there is none locally.
August 25, 2010 at 8:40 pm
I know that scenario… it’s like you feel your overspending or something. It’s not like we are wasting our $$$ on scratch-off lottery tickets either!
I actually found that Metallica “Garage Inc.” at a thrift store… for $1.97! The jewel case, liner notes and of course… both CD’s are MINT!
Still… that Rolling Stones purchase isn’t too shabby.
August 23, 2010 at 8:48 am
I know what you mean, back in the 90’s, here in Tampa, Florida we had tons of independant music stores, even had one called Ace’s that sold only heavy metal/hard rock, as 2000’s dawned slowly they all closed up shop with the exceptation of ‘Sound Exchange’ a great store that I do not frequent mostly due to budget concerns and I cannot afford a divorce if I buy $900 worth of CD’s!!!!
Great experience you had and it is cool to find this type of stores, and like you I am old school and want a physical copy of my music, no desire to own (how do you own a digital file anyway) or have mp3.
August 23, 2010 at 11:41 am
I hear your budget cry! When I do buy off of itunes, it’s usually one or a few songs from an album that I just “need”. Still, no liner notes. 😦
I guess once the digital file is on an ipod, it exists… only in it’s digital form. I agree with you, I need to “hold” and “see” a physical vinyl album or CD to know it’s there and everything is o.k.! Call it “Metal OCD”! 😉
That is why when I stumble on the CD singles of bands/songs I like, I’ll grab ’em for they do have a jewel case and “some” type of CD artwork/liner notes. Eventually, there will probably be just 2 or 3 stores like these per state… “if”, I might be stretching it there. Still, where there is a “market” a store like Music Outlet will exist and sell their goods. At least that is what my Metal economic theory is!
August 23, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Luckily for me, there are still many CD stores in Tokyo (even Tower Records is still here)…many are closing these days, but plenty are still around.
There are even many “heavy metal” CD shops.
The best is probably “Disc Union“.
Their website:
http://diskunion.net/used/ct/ulist/0/01/
There’s even a “KISS Store” in Japan：
http://shop.b-dia.com/eshopdo/refer/cid1s0m0.html
August 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Thanks for those links! I remember your mentioning this KISS Store once before… YOU LUCKY! It’s unreal, how Tokyo will have “plenty” of CD stores… yet over here in America you have to “rely” on the “big chain” retailers or go online to get CD’s. (Unless you live near Music Outlet or a similar independent of course).
I spread out looking for my CD’s and (sometimes vinyl)… f.y.e., online, flea markets and thrift stores.
In my neck of the woods, it really is f.y.e. that is “the CD store” to buy at. My neighborhood f.y.e. does have knowledgeable and cool sales people too… I will readily admit that.
August 24, 2010 at 1:55 am
You can also “rent” CDs at video-rental shops in Japan.
Check out a Japanese band of demons I just wrote about:
August 24, 2010 at 9:56 pm
That is darn cool, that you can rent CD’s over there. I know my local library has CD’s to take out and borrow. Obviously, Metal is not a popular selection at my library though… it’s not there. I just have never run across any business in my parts, that rent CD’s. I’m sure that the “big scare” is that people will (gulp) copy the CD’s.
I’m gonna check out your link… I’ll leave a message your way!
August 25, 2010 at 6:50 pm
TOWER RECORDS!?!?!? I thought they went bankrupt, the one in San Jose is gone, but luckily another cd store replaced it called Rasputin Records which is big in Northern California, they need to expand to Southern california so I can get my dirty hands on some mroe cds, luckily whenever I go to San Jose I stop by and buy a couple cds and it is usually pretty busy so it will be there hopefully every year I go
August 25, 2010 at 8:42 pm
With a name like “Rasputin” Records… that store has to be kinda cool.
August 24, 2010 at 1:10 am
Blank cassette tapes! That’s awesome! Sounds like a great place to shop.
There’s only one similar sounding store I know of here in town, they’re called CD Replay. Whoever owns it is a big KISS fan too: there are busts, figures, photos and posters of KISS scattered about the place.
August 24, 2010 at 2:10 pm
That CD Replay store sounds like HOME to me!
August 24, 2010 at 5:31 am
I love indie record stores, but the last one in my county closed it’s doors around Christmas so it’s all online buying for me these days.
I used to go a great one called Music Machine in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Another store I loved was when I lived in Kentucky called Recordsmith. They had these warped albums painted in bright colors attched to the out wall of the store. However the Record and tape traders that just closed it’s doors was my favorite.
August 24, 2010 at 2:14 pm
I’m sorry to hear that your favorite record shop just recently closed. Around where I live in PA it’s again… f.y.e. or roll the dice with the aisles at Super Walmart, Best Buy and Target. Kmart actually still sells a few CD’s. It’s sad commentary though… when all I can mention are the Corporate-Giants that carry CD’s.
If Music Outlet was a “quicker” drive for me, you can bet your last copper penny I would be goin’ there at least biweekly.
August 24, 2010 at 8:57 am
It really sucks this places are closing one of the joys of visiting a store was you never knew what random treasures would show up, I picked up lots of CD’s that were not on my list such as Graham Bonnet’s solo album etc that I would never search for when I buy on line since I tend to not stray off my shopping list too much
August 24, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Fabulous Metal point there Manny! When you “wander around” an independent CD/Record shop, it’s like being on a Metal hiking trail… you just never know what your gonna kick up. With online shopping, usually the “recommendations” that “pop up” (what other people bought who “bought this CD”) are so lame that you want to turn off the computer and call it a day.
Or… usually those “cool” online “recommendations” I usually own anyways. Very good point again.
August 24, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Come on guys – there are far too many online resources to purchase from VS the corporate idiots like Walmart or K-Mart!
Just do a Google search for it!
*I am sure there are several places that are willing to order ANYTHING that is still in print. Remember stores get product from distributors still.
A lot of these older bands have ordering info on their web sites too or fan sites even.
Kinger
August 24, 2010 at 3:44 pm
I would say, that at least 75% of my purchases are at f.y.e., which is a sensational CD store, even if it is a “national chain”. I do order from CM Distro, (Century Media Records) and Best Buy online.
The “point of purchase” or “impulse buy” that I do occasionally run into at Super Walmart/Target/Kmart are normal for me… it is still a “fun” experience to be finding a CD that I REALLY want at these stores, to go along with the groceries or other necessities I needed from that particular huge department store.
Trust me, after years of buying diapers, baby formula and now back to school clothes and items for the girls… my finding a CD for myself at one of the department stores is like receiving a reward!
Getting “lost” in what remains of the CD aisles at Target/Super Walmart/Kmart is often times a required therapy for me… especially when I am out with my wife and girls and they are buying “girlie” things! Whoa… believe me! 😉
Stone – “CD Aisle Therapy Is A Good Thing”
August 25, 2010 at 6:53 pm
My Target hasd a horrile music section, all it really has from what I like is three different versions of Dark Side of the Moon, and a bunch of U2 albums, all the rest is moderns stuff or the various Michael Jackson albums released in the last year, and I don’t go to Wal Mart that much but when I do it usually has a couple cds on my wishlist, I usually get stuff online or at my yearly visit to San Jose.
August 25, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Borders closed their music section and Barnes and Noble seems to phasing out their 70s-90s stuff which is annoying, and they have at least one of each of Metallica’s studio albums, garage Inc. and S&M which I have all but Garage Inc.
August 25, 2010 at 8:47 pm
I’m fortunate that the Target near me gets in the RoadRunner, Metal Blade and “some” Century Media titles. Usually the “good” new releases linger around this Target for about 2 weeks… then forget it. It’s all Celine Dion and a crap-load of Disney Channel kids stuff that is overstocked.
Still though, when the timing is right, I’ve landed both Airbourne CD’s, Rancid, Iron Maiden and Amon Amarth. Believe it or not! It’s weird how I remember this stuff.
August 25, 2010 at 10:31 pm
I remeber seing Airbourne’s new album there but it was misplaced in the section with all the compilations of different types of songs like 80s metal ballads, 80s arena rock, 90s dance tracks, etc. those types of things, I thought about picking it up but I decided I wasn’t goign to because I wasn’t familiar enough with them, I should be a bit more adventurous because that is what is so fun about buying cds rather than buying specific mp3s
December 15, 2013 at 8:39 pm
If you live in the Mass. area try Newbury Comics they have a huge selection of new and used cd’s and vinyl. They have metal , hardcore , rock n roll a little bit of everything.
August 26, 2010 at 2:19 pm
The FYE I frequent for awhile there was selling all CD’s (expect for boxsets, doubles etc) for 9.99, and they kept this going for months, the store manager even informed me how success the venture had been. I bought alot of CD’s there for the 6 or so months they had this going. Last Saturday I go in and promo posters adversting these prices are gone and most CD’s are now selling for 19.99, come on!!!!!!!
If the record industry wonder why their business are dying, they should take a look at how much they are selling thier music for and also they do not foster artist for long term careers, if AC/DC, Rush, and KISS came out now instead of 1974 their career would not have made it past album 2.
Walmart in my area as shrunk their CD stock from an entire aisle to one small shelf off to the side, the industry does not cater to music lovers and this is why they are dying among many many many reasons
August 26, 2010 at 5:23 pm
I hear and experience your CD shopping pain. I have two f.y.e. stores near me. One f.y.e. store, as told to me by a store associate, is a “test store” by selling the “single disc” CD’s for $9.99. I have not been to this f.y.e. that had this $9.99 pricing in a couple of weeks… so I hope it is not the same scenario as your f.y.e. near you.
The other f.y.e. that is much closer to my home does sell a good percentage of CD’s at $9.99 still. A great majority of the newer Metal releases have been priced at $9.99. Then, I do see the $15, $17 CD’s mixed in… I just wait those out until they are marked down to $9.99.
I agree with you, the record industry has nickel and dimed us fans/consumers for decades. When the CD first came out, it was put into either a ton of cardboard packaging or a mind-blowing plastic encasement. Then, the record industry said they were going “green” and doing away with all of the nonsensical “over-packaging”… promising lower prices on the CD due to the packaging being decreased. I NEVER saw a dramatic or near dramatic price decrease in CD prices until f.y.e. started their $9.99 pricing… and that was just this past winter of 2010!
I guess we could go on for days about this… it is very frustrating. Heck, look at the “album pricing” on itunes! We are all buying “digital files” here and itunes still sells an entire album for over $10 still! There are some “albums” on itunes that are priced below $10, yet I don’t understand the mindset in how pricing is done in the music industry at all.
From talking to “real-life” musicians, I come to the understanding they are not making $$ on CD sales… it is the touring and merch $$ that keeps them alive. So, where does all of the $$ go from a CD sale? Unreal topic this is!
Stone
January 16, 2011 at 5:33 pm
I am a huge metal-head who grew up in Enfield. I’ve been shopping at Music Outlet since high school. I am now 38 and still shop there often. Actually I worked in Carvel in high school when it was next to the Outlet. I would go on my break and spend my money there. Best music store I’ve ever found and Gary is great! I consider myself lucky to live near such a cool independent music store.
January 16, 2011 at 5:46 pm
I have two words for you Jason… YOU LUCKY! Where I live, it’s flea markets, antique stores and the (gulp) department stores where I can actually shop/look for CD’s. My local f.y.e. is closing by the end of the month too. I can travel a “bit” farther to another f.y.e., however, nothing beats having that Music Outlet in your backyard!
The one and only time I met Gary, he was a very cool dude who KNOWS about the bands and music we are talking about. Thanks for dropping a Metal line! 🙂
– Stone
January 16, 2011 at 6:34 pm
I actually stumbled upon your website doing a search for Music Outlet. I knew he didn’t have a website for the store but I was looking for the phone number. Manowar is playing at the Worcester Palladium March 5th. Gary actually sells concert tickets there also for the Palladium and a few other little theaters and clubs in the area. Cool website you have here.
January 16, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Thanks Jason. It’s great when you can also purchase tickets “right there” for local theaters/clubs. The Palladium books great shows… that Webster Theater in Hartford has great shows I see advertised as well. The only time I was ever at the Palladium was to see the Christian Metal Band – Bloodgood. That was back around 1985/86.
May 9, 2011 at 12:10 am
im looking for Rammstein: Volkerball – DVD
where can i find
October 1, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Do you buy vinyl records from people to sell in your store? I have some that I have that I found that I would like to sell. I haven’t tried them to see if they work or not, some of the vinyls look like they are in good shape but the cover don’t look to good
December 5, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Great Place. Also hit up the musicexpos.com for Enfield for metal too