The London Riots Burn Music to the Ground (via Pitchfork)
A Sony distribution warehouse in North London was burned to the ground around 4:00 a.m. GMT this morning during the third straight night of riots in the UK, as the BBC reports. The 200,000 square-foot center housed the entire inventory of PIAS UK, the primary distribution hub for more than 150 independent labels.
No injuries were reported in the blaze, but all inventory is feared lost. XL/Beggars, Warp, Rough Trade, Domino, 4AD, Sub Pop, Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Drag City, Thrill Jockey, FatCat, Kompakt, Mute, Ninja Tune, Vice, and Soul Jazz are among those affected.
Prior to the blaze, the manager of Rough Trade East Tweeted that Trumans Brewery, the arts and media quarter that houses the store, was on lockdown and that the store had to be closed “as a precaution to ensure staff and customers can get home safe tonight.” Today, Rough Trade is encouraging customers to assist in cleanup around the city.
