For those who haven't yet heard the rumors and rumblings -- or seen the small coming-soon sign in the shop's front the window -- Mad World Records is just days away from opening next door to Beth Marie's on Denton's historic downtown square.

Yes, just in time for a certain walkable music festival. And, in what may be the best news a few lucky folks will hear all day, Mad World Records is currently accepting applications for employment.

That's just one of the final steps owner Mark Burke is currently taking as he races to set up the T-shirt racks, the "button wall," and the CD and LP fixtures in his store, which aims to open just before throngs of music fans flock to downtown Denton for the four-day festival, starting March 10.

"I'm going to open a few days before 35 Conferette," Burke tells DC9. "I'll have to be open before then, just to make sure that everything's running smoothly."

And, this Saturday night, we dropped by the shop to hear all about his plans for Mad World Records, which our readers will be able to read about in next week's paper.

For now though: Yes, Burke says he's hiring. And, yes, the shop will host in-stores!

Those in-stores, as currently planned, are to be mostly acoustic affairs for now -- y'know, to test the waters.

But owner Burke, who up until very recently owned and operated the beloved CD Addict in Carrollton and is brothers with Marked Men co-frontman Jeff Burke, is no stranger to putting on DIY shows in Denton. And, according to Chris Welch of Pinebox Serenade, an in-store is already planned for 35 Conferette weekend, featuring acoustic sets by both Pinebox Serenade and a solo set by Slobberbone's Brent Best, as well as a not-so-acoustic performance by Dim Locator (the new project from Will Kapinos of jetscreamer, Spitfire Tumbleweeds and The Make Believers).



With less than two weeks until the 35C's kickoff, Burke's talking optimistically about the shop, future in-stores, his assortment of new and used merch, and the role that he's hoping an indie record shop like his could play in Denton's music community.

But, when it comes to talk of all the preparation that he's still working on, he's a bit less talkative.

"It's scary," he told us of the work he still has to do in the coming days. "I haven't really even hired employees yet."

Or trained them, for that matter.



"I want as many people as I can get to apply," he says, adding that he's planning to fill four to eight positions.

We don't think that'll be a problem. Something tells us he's about to be inundated with applications from well-intentioned Dentonites.

