Someone in my office recently was at a show (non Connells - I think more
of a folk type artist) in Philadelphia where he met some record company
people (not sure if they were important people or not).  They were
talking about record company and record store practices.  Something that
I found interesting was that he was told that some record stores have to
be paid by the record company before they will put a record on their
shelves, and often make more money from these payments than from sales
of the record itself.  This makes it hard for independent labels.  The
only way some independent labels get their records on the shelves is to
go through one particular vendor who has alot of clout with the record
stores.  Sounds like a 90's version of Payolla.
Also interesting was the statement by the record company folks that
sometimes internet lists, such as this one, can create the "buzz"
necessary to get a record noticed, bypassing the usual big money
avenues.  Wasn't someone on the list once mentioning getting a radio
station list together?
Anyway, this is all hearsay, and I don't know if the record company
people he spoke to have any authority, but I found it interesting.

Evan