Legendary Heavy Metal Record Store SLIPPED DISC RECORDS Closes Its Doors Today

Legendary independent record store Slipped Disc Records of Valley Stream, New York officially closed its doors today after 25 years in business.

Slipped Disc Records has been the top independent record store for heavy metal, hardcore, rock and alternative music in the New York area since 1982. The store was featured in the documentary "Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal" and "Headbanger's Ball".

The makers of "Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal" last year posted a gallery of Slipped Disc Records "in-store" archives, featuring photos of such artists as MEGADETH, SLAYER, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL holding signing sessions at the record store. Check it out at this location.

DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy recently stated about Slipped Disc, "Growing up a rock and metal fan on Long Island in the '70s and '80s was very different than it is today. There were no chain stores like Virgin and Tower and, of course, no Internet mailorder services like Amazon. The only way to pick up albums was to shop at your local 'mom and pop' record stores...

"In the late 70s, it was always easy to find the latest releases from my favorite bands LED ZEPPELIN, THE WHO, KISS, PINK FLOYD, QUEEN, etc were all readily available at any record store. But in the early '80s, as I discovered more 'underground' metal bands like IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, MOTRHEAD, ACCEPT, MERCYFUL FATE, LOUDNESS and RAVEN (from reading my imported copies of Kerrang!),there was no place in small town Long Beach, Long Island to find the latest records from these bands I was reading about. Then I discovered Slipped Disc Records in Valley Stream, Long Island. They not only carried the albums from these bands, but also the 12" singles with bonus tracks, the t-shirts, the imported live videos and anything else that existed! When the American thrash scene was beginning to erupt around 1983, I could always count on Slipped Disc to carry anythings I was looking for from bands like METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, DEATH ANGEL and NUCLEAR ASSAULT. Taking the train there every Saturday was the highlight of my week! And on the day I received my driver's license, the very first place I drove to was Slipped Disc to pick up METALLICA's 'Ride The Lightning' album which was released that VERY day! (The imported version, of course!) Now in 2008, the world is a very different place...the aforementioned chains and online stores have made it very difficult for the mom and pop stores to compete. In fact, my beloved Slipped Disc just announced it will be closing its doors for good. So let's hear it for people like Mike from Slipped Disc and all of the independant store owners that have helped shape the metal scene for the past 25 years. Without them, a lot of us may not have existed... (Or at least have been as metal as we are!)"

Watch an eight-minute documentary on Slipped Disc below.

(Thanks: Charles Florio)