Hello friends,

Since I announced my end of year retirement from CIMS a few months back, we have been very busy on a reorganization plan. The board and the membership have taken this opportunity to re-evaluate the organization and re-structure the internal office and how it operates.

The membership approved, after a healthy debate, one of several proposed plans that draws on the existing staff and a few of our owners. CIMS will no longer have one "face and voice" of the organization. The goal here is to broaden the depth of involvement by the owners and to capitalize on the abilities of the current staff.

We are very pleased with end result and are extremely confident that this reorganization will strengthen CIMS and keep independent retail a force in recorded music for many years to come.

Here is how the reorganization works along with contact information:

Michael Bunnell - Executive Director
Record Exchange
Boise, ID
208-343-0107 x3
michael@therecordexchange.com

Michael is a long serving board member and has been board chair for a few years. His responsibility is overseeing the nuts and bolts of the three businesses under the CIMS umbrella - CIMS, Junketboy Distribution, and Thinkindie.com digital store. Michael will make multiple trips each year to Birmingham to visit with the staff there. He will sign any contracts, oversee legal and financial, and keep tabs on employees.

Andrea Paschal - General Manager
CIMS
Birmingham, AL
205-595-1932 x208
andrea@cimsmusic.com

Andrea will be coordinating and running things on the ground in Birmingham. She sets the schedule and agenda for each of our companies and is the problem fixer. Her main responsibility outside of fixing things is to up the game on Junketboy Distribution marketing. Andrea brought 138 releases to market in the past year so she knows a thing or two about organization!

Sandy Bitman - Board Chair
Park Ave CD
Orlando, FL
407-770-0313
sandy@parkavecds.com

Sandy has been a very active member since day one and will now run the Board agenda. We have expanded the role of board chair now to include the oversight of three really important committees made up of various CIMS store personnel. These committees will be responsible for driving the business of CIMS programs, Junketboy physical and digital exclusives, and the digital store.

Scott Register - Junketboy A&R
CIMS
Birmingham, AL
205-595-1932 x203
reg@cimsmusic.com

Reg has worked along side me for 9 years now. He has sold the majority of our programs like a champ all of those years. What Reg is really good at is spotting new music that matters. So, we are stoked to let him devote his time to finding new and interesting things for indie retail to sell. These items will run the dial from instore recordings, vinyl exclusives, remix albums from well known artists, and straight distribution deals with artists who are tired of the regular way of doing business. Reg will be working both in the physical world and on our digital offerings.

Liz Reeves - Program Sales
CIMS
Birmingham, AL
205-595-1932 x202
liz@cimsmusic.com

Liz started at CIMS a few years back as my assistant. She created our promo mailing division and got that very organized and then took over as our book keeper and money person and got that very organized. She has worked closely with Reg and Jim over the past year to get our program and promotional billing in great shape. She will now take over all of Reg's prior responsibilities which include selling our Recommends, Listening Booth, and P&P programs. Additionally, she will coordinate festival promotions, value adds and all of the weekly correspondence to the stores, keeping everyone on the same page.

Jim Fahy - Program Sales and digital promotions
CIMS
Birmingham, AL
205-595-1932 x205
jim@cimsmusic.com

Jim will continue in his role of selling all of our genre programs including New To You (catalog), Indie Hip Hop, Americana, Metal and DVD. Additionally Jim custom writes all of our reviews each month that appear on our instore promotional materials. He will also be working with all of his label contacts for promotions for our digital store.

Tony Davis - General Manager of ThinkIndie.com
San Diego, CA
760-277-3791
junketboydigital@gmail.com

Tony worked at Lou's Records for 22 years. He bought most everything and talked to customers all day long. He has been one of our most forward thinking digital folks for quite a while. CIMS hired Tony away from Lou's this year to run our digital store project. Launching in January of 09, this store will be a serious contender. We are working with everyone to get digital deals done and the store will launch with a good selection. The store will feature super high quality files and art work. It is a great shopping experience and should appeal to real music fans. It's goal is to also be the digital solution for all of indie retail.

Melanie Nipper - junketboy product management
CIMS
Birmingham, AL
205-595-1932 x 207
melanie@cimsmusic.com

Affectionately known as junketgirl, Melanie is a six year CIMS employee. She helped me start Junketboy out of my own office and has been there every day helping it grow. Through her efforts, this division of our company has seen four straight years of sales increases, including 2008. Melanie will oversee all of the customer issues, solicitations, reorders, and will help gather the details needed to bring new things to market.

Mike Kitchens - Junketboy Warehouse Manager
CIMS
Birmingham, AL
205-595-1932 x206
mike@cimsmusic.com

Mike will be responsible for all of the pick, pack and ship functions of Junketboy. He is one of the main reasons that Junketboy does not miss street dates and our vinyl arrives undamaged. Mike will also make sales calls to customers.

Blake Wimberly - promotional mailing
CIMS
205-595-1932 x209
blake@cimsmusic.com

Did you know that CIMS mails 60 - 80 CD promos to targeted stores each month for a fraction of the price that labels can do it? Blake is the man that makes that happen. This area of our business grew out of the frustration of program materials not arriving at our stores on time for the stores to be compliant. This department really does a great job of cutting tons of labor out of the labels and the stores. If we are not mailing promos for you, you are losing money!

Well that is it. We hope you get it. The bottom line is that this organization is made up of many great people who work very hard for the indie record store cause. I hope to be missed, but, feel very confident that we have redesigned CIMS to fully take advantage of all of the great talent in our fold. Let us know if you have questions.

TW LW Title Artist
1 5 ADAMS,RYAN CARDINOLOGY
2 6 AC/DC BLACK ICE
3 14 RADIOHEAD BENDS
4 17 KINGS OF LEON ONLY BY THE NIGHT
5 D HENDRIX,JIMI ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
6 D METALLICA METALLICA
7 3 FLEET FOXES FLEET FOXES
8 2 DEERHUNTER MICROCASTLE
9 8 RADIOHEAD IN RAINBOWS
10 9 BELLE & SEBASTIAN BBC SESSIONS
11 D YOUNG,NEIL LIVE AT MASSEY HALL
12 48 YOUNG,NEIL & CRAZY HORSE LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST
13 29 OF MONTREAL SKELETAL LAMPING
14 1 KILLERS DAY & AGE
15 13 RADIOHEAD OK COMPUTER
16 60 BON IVER FOR EMMA FOREVER AGO
17 D OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW TENESSEE PUSHER
18 4 COLDPLAY PROSPEKT'S MARCH EP
19 10 RADIOHEAD KID A
20 11 EARTH BEES MADE HONEY IN THE LIONS
21 38 CURE 4: 13 DREAM
22 37 TV ON THE RADIO DEAR SCIENCE
23 62 VAMPIRE WEEKEND VAMPIRE WEEKEND
24 57 BAND MUSIC FROM BIG PINK
25 43 BAND BAND   
26 95 LED ZEPPELIN MOTHERSHIP
27 D LAMONTAGNE,RAY GOSSIP IN THE GRAIN
28 D IGGY & THE STOOGES RAW POWER
29 D FENNESZ BLACK SEA
30 26 HENDRIX,JIMI AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE
31 31 BLOC PARTY INTIMACY
32 46 METALLICA MASTER OF PUPPETS
33 73 METALLICA DEATH MAGNETIC
34 54 WILCO YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT
35 50 PIXIES BOSSANOVA
36 D RADIOHEAD HAIL TO THE THIEF
37 89 GLASVEGAS GLASVEGAS
38 D DEERHOOF OFFEND MAGGIE
39 D MOTLEY CRUE SHOUT AT THE DEVIL
40 D ECCENTRIC SOUL: TWINIGHT'S LUN ECCENTRIC SOUL: TWINIGHT'S LUN
41 7 KILLERS HUMAN/CRIPPLING BLOW
42 12 MUDCRUTCH MUDCRUTCH EXTENDED PLAY LIVE E
43 21 SHE & HIM VOLUME ONE
44 23 SUBLIME SUBLIME
45 27 METALLICA AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
46 25 NINE INCH NAILS DOWNWARD SPIRAL
47 40 BECK GAMMA RAY
48 44 HENDRIX,JIMI BAND OF GYPSYS
49 36 SUNN O))) DOMKIRKE
50 41 SMITH,ELLIOTT FIGURE 8

CIMS Top 50 vinyl sales chart by StreetPulse, Inc All Rights Reserved

TOP 200 FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 7, 2008

TW LW Title Artist
1 D YOUNG,NEIL SUGAR MOUNTAIN-LIVE AT CANTERB
2 D SPEARS,BRITNEY CIRCUS
3 1 WEST,KANYE 808S & HEARTBREAK
4 2 KILLERS DAY & AGE
5 3 BYRNE/ENO EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WILL H
6 6 GUNS N'ROSES CHINESE DEMOCRACY
7 8 KINGS OF LEON ONLY BY THE NIGHT
8 15 AC/DC BLACK ICE
9 7 WILLIAMS,LUCINDA LITTLE HONEY
10 10 LAMONTAGNE,RAY GOSSIP IN THE GRAIN
11 5 LUDACRIS THEATER OF THE MIND
12 13 BEYONCE I AM SASHA FIERCE
13 11 MCCARTNEY,PAUL (THE FIREMAN) ELECTRIC ARGUMENTS
14 4 COLDPLAY PROSPEKT'S MARCH EP
15 20 FLEET FOXES FLEET FOXES
16 35 ADELE 19  
17 23 NICKELBACK DARK HORSE
18 16 MGMT ORACULAR SPECTACULAR
19 12 BELLE & SEBASTIAN BBC SESSIONS
20 64 FLECK,BELA & THE FLECKTONES JINGLE ALL THE WAY
21 14 ADAMS,RYAN CARDINOLOGY
22 19 COLDPLAY VIVA LA VIDA-PROSPEKT'S MARCH
23 32 ENYA WINTER CAME
24 26 T.I. PAPER TRAIL
25 D AKON FREEDOM 
26 D SCARFACE EMERITUS
27 21 TEDESCHI,SUSAN BACK TO THE RIVER
28 34 TV ON THE RADIO DEAR SCIENCE
29 28 PINK FUNHOUSE
30 37 METALLICA DEATH MAGNETIC
31 66 PLANT/KRAUSS RAISING SAND
32 18 DIDO SAFE TRIP HOME
33 22 Q-TIP RENAISSANCE
34 67 SEAL SOUL   
35 17 DEERHUNTER MICROCASTLE
36 50 TWILIGHT SOUNDTRACK
37 31 BLOC PARTY INTIMACY
38 38 CURE 4: 13 DREAM
39 104 THIS WARM DECEMBER: BRUSHFIRE VOL. 1-THIS WARM DECEMBER: BRU
40 25 BECK,JEFF PERFORMING THIS WEEK...LIVE AT
41 58 FRANTI,MICHAEL & SPEARHEAD ALL REBEL ROCKERS
42 54 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA LIVE IN JAPAN
43 30 DYLAN,BOB VOL. 8-TELL TALE SIGNS: THE BO
44 36 LOS CAMPESINOS! WE ARE BEAUTIFUL WE ARE
45 70 DUFFY ROCKFERRY
46 75 DENNEN,BRETT HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS
47 29 T-PAIN THR33 RINGZ
48 53 OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW TENNESSEE PUSHER
49 73 PRETENDERS BREAK UP THE CONCRETE
50 127 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE NARROW STAIRS
51 24 E-40 BALL STREET JOURNAL
52 33 OF MONTREAL SKELETAL LAMPING
53 40 SHE & HIM VOLUME ONE
54 46 TING TINGS WE STARTED NOTHING
55 95 RADIOHEAD IN RAINBOWS
56 42 MA,YO-YO SONGS OF JOY & PEACE
57 56 SWIFT,TAYLOR FEARLESS
58 83 LIL WAYNE THA CARTER III
59 84 SIGUR ROS MED SUD I EYRUM VID SPILUM END
60 133 CONNICK,HARRY JR. WHAT A NIGHT! A CHRISTMAS ALBU
61 48 CHAPMAN,TRACY OUR BRIGHT FUTURE
62 51 BLITZEN TRAPPER FURR
63 98 MY MORNING JACKET EVIL URGES
64 102 BENNETT,TONY SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS
65 D HADEN,CHARLIE FAMILY & FRIENDS-RAMBLING BOY
66 65 SMITHS SOUND OF THE SMITHS: THE VERY
67 68 IL DIVO PROMISE
68 92 PRESLEY,ELVIS ELVIS PRESLEY CHRISTMAS DUETS
69 D ECHO BLISS SHED MY SKIN
70 80 CALEXICO CARRIED TO DUST
71 107 JONES,TOM 24 HOURS
72 142 CARPENTER,MARY-CHAPIN COME DARKNESS COME LIGHT TWELV
73 61 SNIDER,TODD PEACE QUEER
74 62 DOORS LIVE AT THE MATRIX
75 72 SNOW PATROL HUNDRED MILLION SUNS
76 39 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE SOMETHING ABOUT AIRPLANES
77 45 ESCOVEDO,ALEJANDRO REAL ANIMAL
78 71 FLAMING LIPS CHRISTMAS ON MARS
79 131 JURASSIC 5 J5-11TH ANNIVERSARY RE-ISSUE
80 44 LEWIS,JENNY ACID TONGUE
81 47 BON IVER FOR EMMA FOREVER AGO
82 49 LEGEND,JOHN EVOLVER
83 69 VAMPIRE WEEKEND VAMPIRE WEEKEND
84 77 MRAZ,JASON WE SING WE DANCE WE STEAL THIN
85 86 MUDVAYNE NEW GAME
86 126 TAYLOR,JAMES COVERS
87 160 BOCELLI,ANDREA INCANTO
88 166 FENNESZ BLACK SEA
89 41 EAGLES OF DEATH METAL HEART ON
90 43 THIEVERY CORPORATION RADIO RETALIATION
91 94 KID ROCK ROCK N ROLL JESUS
92 52 WILLIAMS,HANK III DAMN RIGHT REBEL PROUD
93 78 SUPERSUCKERS GET IT TOGETHER
94 88 MUDCRUTCH MUDCRUTCH EXTENDED PLAY LIVE E
95 118 MICHAELSON,INGRID BE OK
96 132 YOUNG JEEZY RECESSION
97 55 WEILAND,SCOTT HAPPY IN GALOSHES
98 74 MCLACHLAN,SARAH CLOSER: THE BEST OF SARAH MCLA
99 99 KEANE PERFECT SYMMETRY
100 108 BROWNE,JACKSON TIME THE CONQUEROR
101 109 TRAMPLED BY TURTLES DULUTH
102 117 M.I.A. KALA
103 138 GROBAN,JOSH NOEL
104 63 BECK MODERN GUILT
105 97 SAADIQ,RAPHAEL WAY I SEE IT
106 148 COLD WAR KIDS LOYALTY TO LOYALTY
107 156 SLIPKNOT ALL HOPE IS GONE
108 D HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD SWAN SONGS
109 D HOTEL CAFE PRESENTS...WINTER S HOTEL CAFE PRESENTS...WINTER S
110 D WE WISH YOU A METAL XMAS & A H WE WISH YOU A METAL XMAS & A H
111 81 SCAGGS,BOZ SPEAK LOW
112 101 LOS LONELY BOYS CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
113 D ALVIN,DAVE DAVE ALVIN: THE BEST OF THE HI
114 9 CUOMO,RIVERS ALONE 2-THE HOME RECORDINGS OF
115 57 KAISER CHIEFS OFF WITH THEIR HEADS
116 100 MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA LET MY PRIDE BE WHAT'S LEFT BE
117 114 CLASH LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM
118 153 CHRISTMAS A GO-GO CHRISTMAS A GO-GO
119 D JEDI MIND TRICKS HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
120 D HARRIS,EMMYLOU ALL I INTENDED TO BE
121 85 WEEN AT THE CAT'S CRADLE 1992
122 D PRIESTS PRIESTS
123 60 EVIDENCE LAYOVER EP
124 124 LED ZEPPELIN MOTHERSHIP
125 159 FEIST REMINDER
126 167 PETTY,TOM & THE HEARTBREAKERS GREATEST HITS
127 193 MCKENNITT,LOREENA MIDWINTER NIGHT'S DREAM
128 D ONCE SOUNDTRACK
129 D ETHERIDGE,MELISSA NEW THOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS
130 79 LINKIN PARK ROAD TO REVOLUTION LIVE AT MIL
131 154 PORTISHEAD THIRD
132 150 NELSON/MARSALIS TWO MEN WITH THE BLUES
133 151 CHAMBERS/NICHOLSON RATTLIN' BONES
134 172 WONDERLAND,CAROLYN MISS UNDERSTOOD
135 200 GASLIGHT ANTHEM 59 SOUND
136 D ZZ TOP LIVE FROM TEXAS
137 D KNUX REMIND ME IN 3 DAYS...
138 D PINK MARTINI HEY EUGENE!
139 D CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAT PACK CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAT PACK
140 27 R.E.M. MURMUR
141 105 CROWELL,RODNEY SEX & GASOLINE
142 111 SHINY TOY GUNS SEASON OF POISON
143 175 MCMURTRY,JAMES JUST US KIDS
144 D MUDCRUTCH MUDCRUTCH
145 D FLOBOTS FIGHT WITH TOOLS
146 82 CAMPBELL,ISOBEL & LANEGAN SUNDAY AT DEVIL DIRT
147 89 OKKERVIL RIVER STAND INS
148 120 ACE HOOD DJ KHALED PRESENTS ACE HOOD GU
149 137 SANTOGOLD SANTOGOLD
150 141 FOLDS,BEN WAY TO NORMAL
151 174 CARLL,HAYES TROUBLE IN MIND
152 D JONES,SHARON & THE DAP-KINGS 100 DAYS 100 NIGHTS
153 D 88-KEYS DEATH OF ADAM
154 D ONE DAY AS A LION ONE DAY AS A LION
155 D BEHEMOTH EZKATON
156 103 RISE AGAINST APPEAL TO REASON
157 121 SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS ALPINISMS
158 D LYKKE LI YOUTH NOVELS
159 D SETZER,BRIAN ORCHESTRA CHRISTMAS ROCKS: THE BEST OF C
160 D SPM LAST CHAIR VIOLINIST
161 D MEDESKI/MARTIN/WOOD RADIOLARIANS1
162 D AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT
163 D JOHNSON,JACK SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC
164 D HINDER TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT
165 59 MATISYAHU SHATTERED
166 87 COOK,DAVID DAVID COOK
167 93 MURS MURS FOR PRESIDENT
168 113 BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB AT CAR
169 123 BLACK KEYS ATTACK & RELEASE
170 181 BROWN,ZAC BAND FOUNDATION
171 176 MAHAL,TAJ MAESTRO: CELEBRATING
172 191 DIFRANCO,ANI RED LETTER YEAR
173 D RADIOHEAD BEST OF RADIOHEAD
174 D KEYS,ALICIA AS I AM
175 D RADIOHEAD BENDS
176 D SIX FEET UNDER DEATH RITUALS
177 D COSTA,NIKKA PEBBLE TO A PEARL
178 D DEEP VIBRATION VERA CRUZ EP
179 90 MOGWAI HAWK IS HOWLING
180 91 OBERST,CONOR CONOR OBERST
181 139 BAND OF HORSES CEASE TO BEGIN
182 158 IRON & WINE SHEPHERD'S DOG
183 169 DEERHOOF OFFEND MAGGIE
184 183 GUY,BUDDY SKIN DEEP
185 D THOMAS,ROSIE A VERY ROSIE CHRISTMAS
186 D WEEZER WEEZER (RED ALBUM)
187 D PERRY,KATY ONE OF THE BOYS
188 D PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS FUN DMC
189 D LOS LONELY BOYS FORGIVEN
190 D PUTUMAYO PRESENTS JAZZ & BLUES CHRISTMAS
191 D VERVE REMIXED CHRISTMAS VERVE REMIXED CHRISTMAS
192 D KOTTONMOUTH KINGS GREEN ALBUM
193 D NEWMAN,RANDY HARPS & ANGELS
194 D HENDRIX,JIMI ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
195 D METALLICA METALLICA
196 D DEARLY DEPARTED: TRUE LIES IN DEARLY DEPARTED: TRUE LIES IN
197 D COMMON MARKET TOBACCO ROAD
198 D PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT
199 76 DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES IN EAR PARK
200 119 STAPLES,MAVIS LIVE: HOPE AT THE HIDEOUT