Wax Poetic--Vinyl Fanatics Unite!

Record Store Day 2013/RSD #6—April 20, 2013 #RSD13 Release List..~310 TITLES AND GROWING

2013-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!!

Once again, it is time to compile the various releases coming out for Record Store Day 2013. This year, we’ve seen a lot of releases already pre-announced, as artists have been tweeting or posting images of what they are working on. Things that we know thus far about #RSD13:

Look for the official release list to be posted around March 21^st
Look for more CDs this year, than in previous years.
Look for more items than the record set last year, with more items being released worldwide. That however, will still mean that both the US and UK/EU will have exclusive items….so try and find a trading partner that lives overseas and coordinate which releases you want. That has worked out great for me the past 2 years!!
I’ll continue to keep this page updated and relevant…..Remember that not all releases that come out on Record Store Day are “approved” by the RSD folks, and will not show up on their list. That does not mean they are any less important, or that the label/artist should not be recognized for their release. I pointed out several “missing” items the last 2 years and will continue to do so.
Please note: If you wish to copy this for a forum/blog or reference this site in an article, please provide a LINK and give credit! This is time consuming work and it is nice when it is validated.
PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS. IF YOU ARE GOING TO JUST RIP OFF AND COPY THIS LIST FOR YOUR BLOG/ARTICLE/FORUM POST AND CLAIM IT AS YOUR OWN...STOP AND PROVIDE ACCURATE CREDIT OR I WILL START POSTING THE FOLLOWING ON EVERY ITEM!!!!!!! COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com
I WILL START CALLING OUT ALL OF THE SOURCES THAT COPY THIS LIST AND DON'T GIVE CREDIT....DON'T CREDIT A THIRD PARTY SITE THAT COPIED THIS....

UPDATED: Wednesday, MARCH 6th at 9:15PM ET with new releases by RYAN ADAMS, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, TITLE FIGHT, TOUCHE AMORE, SAMIAM, JIMMY EAT WORLD and more! We're at around 310 Releases and still going!!! WE BROKE THE NEWS ON THE DYLAN 7", Phish, Trey, Factory Records Sampler, and many many more!--we have more surprises coming!

CASSETTE SINGLE RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 *NEW* MGMT Alien Days (limited cassette single with download card)

CD RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 Codeine What About the Lonely CD (1000 copies only--CONFIRMED)
 Grateful Dead are Cuts & Oddities 1966
 Half Japanese Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts 3xCD box with 32 page booklet and new tracks (2000 copies)
 Mumford & Sons Live at Bull Moose
 Scanner Hypertrace (1000 copies only--remastered with bonus track)
 Scanner Terminal Earth CD (1000 copies only---remastered with bonus track)
 **NEW** Ani DiFranco Buffalo 4/22/12 OFFICIAL BOOTLEG 2CD with 3 new tracks (3000 copies only)
 **NEW** King Crimson Going Schizoid with King Crimson Set (features CD, Graphic Novel, T-Shirt, sticker and poster)
 *NEW* Built to Spill LIVE CD
 *NEW* R.E.M. Live in Greensboro CD (5 track EP, limited to 2500 copies)

7” RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 Adrian Lloyd Lorna b/w Got a Little Woman Gold Vinyl (Sundazed)
 Alfred Hitchcock Presents b/w The Munsters (TV Theme Songs Death Waltz 7"--coming to U.S.)
 Best Coast Fear of My Identity b/w Who Have I Become 7”
 Billy Bragg No One Knows Anything Anymore b/w Song of the Iceburg 7"
 Bob Dylan Wigwam b/w Thirsty Boots from the forthcoming Bootleg Series Volume 10, features the demo version of Wigwam and the unreleased track from the Self Portrait sessions)
 Boy Sets Fire Bled Dry 7" (1000 copies only, clear/colored vinyl)
 Brendon Benson Diamond b/w Good to Me (1997 Demo) 7"
 Chet Atkins Black Jack EP (Midnight, Boo Boo Stick Beat, Blackjack, Blue Moon of Kentucky) Red Vinyl (Sundazed)
 David Bowie Drive-In Saturday b/w Drive-In Saturday (Russel Harty Plus Pop Version) Picture Disc 7"
 David Bowie The Stars Are Out Tonight b/w Where Are We Now? First vinyl single off new album!
 Doors / X Soul Kitchen (Side by Side Release) Split milky clear colored 7"
 Duran Duran Is There Something I Should Know? b/w Faith In this Colour Blue Vinyl 7"
 Earth Crisis Firestorm 7" 900 copies on red vinyl
 Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention I'm the Slime b/w Montana remastered from original analog source, Montana is a 2013 single edit with an additional 25 seconds of music)
 FUR, FAWN, The Hounds Below and Lightning Love split single
 Husker Du 2x7" (featuring Amusement, Statues, Writer's Cramp and Let's Go Die (Blackberry Way Studio tracks) 4000 copies
 Ides of Gemini Hexagram 7" (450 copies on clear vinyl)
 Ilsa The IVth Crusade/Seven Sisters of Sleep Messiah split 7" (Limited to 666 copies on blood red vinyl with 24x36" "horror movie" style poster)
 Jason Isbell Pancho & Lefty b/w Elizabeth Cook Tecumseh Valley split 7"
 Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe b/w Stone Free numbered 7" with mono mixes
 Josh Rouse Julie (Come Out of the Rain) 7” - First 7” of career; B-side is new unreleased song
 Like Rats Like Rats 7" colored vinyl
 Low & Dirty Three In the Fishtank Volume 7 Gold vinyl 7" limited to 500 copies
 Luther How Can We Rest? b/w Astronomy in Color (Limited edition colored 7")
 Neal Casal Mountains of the Moon b/w Grimes' Surf Story 7"
 Phoenix Bankrupt Grey vinyl 7" with patch
 Pretty & Nice Q _Q b/w On & On
 Public Image Ltd Public Image b/w The Cowboy Song (4000 copies, each hand-numbered)
 Rifle Diet Abuse Begets Abuse b/w Inebriated 7" (Part 4 of the Profane Existence Single Series on limited colored vinyl (either black, bruise violet, golden brew or opaque yellow))
 Ringworm 1991 Demos 7" (black vinyl and colored vinyl versions)
 Roky Erickson Mine Mine Mind b/w Bloody Hammer (4000 copies, each hand-numbered on psychedelic swirl colored vinyl)
 Say Anything/Eisley Try To Remember, Forget (Acoustic) b/w Lost and Found (acoustic) 7" clear vinyl (CANCELLED--will now only be available on TOUR)
 Sean Rowe To Leave Something Behind 7"
 Section 25 My Outrage Limited 7" with exclusive b-side, 500 copies only (may be UK only...but did show up on one US distribution list I was sent)
 Sir Douglas Quintent Interpreta En Espanol 2x7" (Sundazed)
 Snapcase Steps 900 copies on white vinyl
 Sonny & The Sunsets Imagine (John Lennon cover) b/w Surfer Girl (Beach Boys cover)
 Star Trek b/w Lost in Space (TV Theme Songs Death Waltz 7"--coming to U.S.)
 Supersuckers 7" on Bloodshot Records--Thanks to Jon Harlson for the tip
 T.S.O.L. You Don't Have to Die (1980 Demo--Previously Unreleased) b/w Property is Theft and Dance With Me (both b-sides are Live tracks from the Cuckoo's Nest from 1981!) 7" 1000 copies only
 Testament Animal Magnetism (Scorpions cover) b/w Powerslave (Iron Maiden cover) 7" 1000 copies only Picture Disc
 The Atlas Moth Black Trees /Wolvhammer Burn split 7” (500 copies only, colored vinyl)
 The Seeds Bad Part of Town & Wish Me Up b/w Love in a Summer Basket & Did He Die 2x7" (Sundazed)
 The Trashmen Mean Woman Blues b/w Big Boss Man Gold Vinyl (Sundazed)
 Toadies Down by the Water (PJ Harvey cover featuring Sarah Jaffe) b/w Rattler's Revivial 7"
 Trey Anastasio Blue Ash & Other Suburbs 7" Picture Disc (features 3 unreleased tracks from the Traveler Sessions---tracklisting: Blue Ash & Other Suburbs and Gone b/w Tree and Can You See It?)
 Twilight Zone b/w Outer Limits (TV Theme Songs Death Waltz 7"--coming to U.S.)
 Whirr Part Time Punks Sessions 500 copies only on "Black on Electric Blue" colored vinyl (originally released digitally to help fix the band's van, features 4 tracks: Blue, Flashback, Junebouvier and Twist)
 Willie Nelson Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die 7" (features Snoop Dogg, Jamey Johnson and Kris Kristofferson) on numbered green vinyl.
 *NEW* Golden Void Rise To The Out of Reach b/w Smiling Raven 7" limited to 700 copies worldwide (500 for U.S.A.)
 *NEW* Cooper I Wanna Love You b/w Baby I Love You
 *NEW* Los Straitjackets and Freddy Cannon The Sox Are Rockin' b/w Red Sox Nation Limited 7"
 *NEW* Free Energy Girls Want Rock b/w Wild Life 7"
 *NEW* Small Faces Green Circles 7" (Green vinyl 7" with Mono and Stereo versions of title track)
 *NEW* Small Faces Here Comes the Nice b/w Talk to You (7" reissue of 1967 debut US single)
 *NEW* Gil Scott Heron & Brian Jackson The Bottle b/w Your Daddy Loves You Green Vinyl 7"
 *NEW* The Shangri-Las EP features Remember (Walkin' in the Sand) and Out in the Streets b/w I Can Never Go Home Anymore and Past, Present and Future
 *NEW* Katatonia Buildings Limited Edition transparent colored 7"
 *NEW* Sophia Knapp Times Square b/w Sweet May 7"
 *NEW* Trouble In Mind 4 Way Split featuring Jacco Gardner--(Always on My Mind: Billy Nicholls), The Resonars (It's Alright Ma, It's Only Witchcraft: Fairpoint Convention), MMOSS (Cathy's Clown: Everly Brothers) and Maston (I Go to Sleep: The Kinks)
 *NEW* Rolling Stones 5x5 EP...reissue of the 1964 Decca release.
 *NEW* Pink Floyd See Emily Play (Pink VInyl) 7"
 *NEW* Jethro Tull Living in the Past EP
 *NEW* The Strokes All The Time 7” (might be UK only)
 *NEW* Non Phixion I shot Reagan b/w Refuse to Lose
 *NEW* Sharon Van Etten We are Fine 7"
 *NEW* Ringo Starr Singles Box (3x7" box featuring Photograph b/w Down and Out; It Don't Come Easy b/w Early 1970; and (It's All Down To) Goodnight Vienna b/w Oo-wee)
 *NEW* Biffy Clyro Black Chandelier (LIVE from Switzerland--1/19/13 b/w City of Dreadful Night 7" (2000 copies)
 *NEW* Black Keys / Iggy & The Stooges No Fun Side by Side Split colored vinyl 7" (7500 copies)
 *NEW* Eli Paperboy Reed WooHoo b/w Call Your Boyfriend 7" (3000 copies)
 *NEW* Iron & Wine Next to Paradise b/w Dirty Ocean 7" (3300 copies)
 *NEW* Surfer Blood Demon Dance b/w Slow Six Tri-colored vinyl release (5000 copies)
 *NEW* Avett Brothers and Randy Travis Music from CMT Crossroads--February Seven (featuring Randy Travis) b/w Three Wooden Crosses (Featuring Avett Brothers)

 *NEW* Deep Purple/Type O Negative Highway Star Side By Side 7" on purple/clear vinyl.
 *NEW* Dio/Killswitch Engage Holy Diver Side by Side 7" on oxblood red vinyl.
 *NEW* Donny Hathaway Never My Love b/w Memories of My Love 2500 copies
 *NEW* Misfits/Lemonheads Skulls Side by Side 7" Picture Disc of various skulls.
 *NEW* MYSTERY SIDE BY SIDE RELEASE---7" SIDE BY SIDE sealed 7" with artists kept a mystery to be a surprise to the buyer/listener....7" is on Blue & Red splatter vinyl.
 *NEW* SOUTH PARK San Diego b/w Gay Fish 7' picture disc featuring 2 songs from the TV show (2000 copies)
 *NEW* Dan Deacon Konono Ripoff No 1 individually numbered 7" (500 copies only)
 *NEW* Cheech & Chong Earache My Eye b/w Turn that Thing Down (limited Green vinyl LP)
 *NEW* Superchunk Void b/w Faith Hand numbered 7", limited to 1000 copies
 *NEW* Shearwater & Sharon Van Etten Stop Draggin My Heart Around b/w A Wake for the Minotaur 7" 3000 copies only
 *NEW* O&S Flowers Turn to Fire colored vinyl 7"--1000 copies only
 *NEW* Pujol Deep Cuts colored vinyl 7"--1000 copies only
 *NEW* Thermals Desperate Ground Demos 7" EP 1000 copies only
 *NEW* Black Lips/Icky Blossoms split---Black Lips Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys (Willie Nelson/Waylon Jennings cover) b/w Icky Blossoms Arabian Knights (Siouxsie & The Banshees cover) 7"--1000 copies only
 *NEW* Mike Watt & The Black Gang Rebel Girl b/w 30 Days in the Hole (2000 only)
 *NEW* Patty Griffin Ohio
 *NEW* Richard Thompson Salford Sunday
 *NEW* Songs for Slim Volume 3--featuring the Minus 5 with Curtiss A performing "Rockin Here Tonight" and Tim O'Reagan & Jim Boquist performing "Cozy"
 *NEW* Svarte Greiner/Lakes of Grass and Gold Landscape of Open Eyes 7"
 *NEW* The Hold Steady The Bear and the Maiden Fair b/w Criminal Fingers 7" (1500 copies only)
 *NEW* Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Animal X 7" Picture Disc
 *NEW* Cake Sheep Go to Heaven (live) b/w Jesus Wrote A Blank Check (Live) 7" Colored Vinyl (2000 copies only)
 *NEW* Blu Thelonius King 7"
 *NEW* Mike Cooley To Pretty to Work 7"
 *NEW* Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors Live at Eddie's Attic 7"
 *NEW* JIMMY EAT WORLD Damage b/w Stop Whispering (Radiohead cover) 7" featuring new track off their forthcoming album (1500 copies in US, 300 overseas)
 *NEW* Pornography 7 Minutes in Heaven 7" featuring RYAN ADAMS, LEAH HENNESSEY and JOHNNY T YERINGTON (1500 copies in US, 300 overseas)--Remember this pic of them in the studio?? (http://instagram.com/p/SPk-5DzhIl/)
 *NEW* Touche Amore and Title Fight split 7" Crescent Shaped Depression b/w Faceghost  7" single (1000 copies)

10” RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 Marshall Crenshaw Stranger and Stranger EP2 (1st was released on Black Friday 2012)
 Ghoul Intermediate Level Hard-Core - A Clearview Records Music Primer Featuring Ghoul (Contains covers of GWAR, Dayglo Abortions, N.O.T.A., Willful Neglect, etc) Red Vinyl 10" on 190g vinyl
 Josephine Foster Little Life (1st time on vinyl, originally released as a CD-R in 2001, comes with CD inside) 500 copies
 Lee Scratch Perry & The Upsetters Chapter 1 (3x10" on Red, Green and Gold colored vinyl)
 Mumford & Sons Live at Bull Moose
 Scientist Scientific Dub 3x10" box, limited to 2000 copies on Red, Green and Gold colored vinyl.
 *NEW* Justin Townes Earle Yuma 10" EP (debut EP, previously only available on CD, Opaque Gold vinyl--1000 copies only)
 *NEW* Alejandro Escovedo It's A Sin (Eddy Arnold Cover) b/wChris Scruggs Just A Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way) (Eddy Arnold Cover) 78RPM 10"
 *NEW* Little John's Clark Booty 10" Picture Disc featuring Little John and Scorcher
 *NEW* Face to Face The Other Half 10" (500 copies only colored vinyl)
 *NEW* Soundgarden King Animal Demos 10”
 *NEW* Sly & The Family Stone I Want to Take You Higher 10” (features EXCLUSIVE b-side that will NOT be available in the upcoming boxset, only on this 10")
 *NEW* Bombino Azamane Tiliade/Si Chilan 10" single (3000 copies)
 *NEW* Punch Brothers Ahoy EP (features tracks by Josh Ritter, Mclusky, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings and more)
 *NEW* Rob Zombie Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown b/w Teenage Nosferatu Pussy 10" 45RPM single
 *NEW* GARBAGE Because the Night (featuring Screaming Females) b/w Love Like Suicide and Automatic Systematic Habit Costa Cadeu Remix
 *NEW* Joe Bussard Guitar Rag b/w Screwdriver Slide 78RPM 10"

12” RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 Bardo Pond Rise Above It All (features covers of Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain" and Pharoah Sanders "the Creator has a Master Plan") 500 copies
 Fela & Africa 70 Sorrow, Tears & Blood (original extended version--previously unreleased) b/w Perambulator
 G Love & Special Sauce Bloodshot & Blue Acoustic EP (produced by Jack Johnson)
 Giant Giant Sand Return to Tucson (revised versions of 2012's Tucson) 1000 copies, with 100 having a screenprinted sleeve
 Goat Run to Your Mama Remixes Volume 2 12" (Blue Vinyl, limited to 2000 copies)
 Owen Seaside EP 700 copies on Blue vinyl
 OWLSA Various Artists 12” (Skrillex, etc.)
 Paul McCartney & Wings Maybe I'm Amazed (live 12")
 R15 Yep Roc Heresy/They Call It Rock 12” and DVD - First 300 include screen printed cover; All hand-numbered; DVD documentary of Yep Roc 15 artist recording session; Digital download of two additional bonus remixes
 Robyn Hitchcock There Goes the Ice 12”-- 8 songs from his popular Digital Phantom 45 series, previously only available online; 2 new unreleased songs
 Smoke Fairies Upstairs At United Volume 6 (recorded at URP on 10/17/11).
 Their/They're/There Debut EP (featuring Evan Weiss, Mike Kinsella and Matthew Frank) 1000 copies on clear seafoam colored vinyl
 Tift Merritt 12” - Acoustic version of title track from new album Traveling Alone, along with three unreleased songs; Handmade and numbered covers
 *NEW* Pussy Galore Groovy Hate Fuck EP reissue of the 1986 2nd release by Pussy Galore.
 *NEW* Chica Libre Quatra Tigres EP 4 track 12" featuring the theme the band did for the Simpsons features a jacket designed by a famous South American artist.
 *NEW* Steven Wilson Luminol (Demo Version) b/w The Watchmaker (Demo Version) 12" featuring 2 unreleased demo tracks from the "Raven that Refused to Sing" sessions.
 *NEW* Tour only split EP featuring Kadavar, Blckwvs, The Tidal Sleep and Messer on colored vinyl limited to only 300 copies (previously only available in Europe before shows or through This Charming Man's webstore afterwards, first time available in US)
 *NEW* Beta Band Champion Versions 12"
 *NEW* Beta Band The Patty Patty Sound 12"
 *NEW* Beta Band Los Amigos Del Beta Bandados 12"
 *NEW* Gary Clark Jr. Presents HWUL Raw Cuts Volume 2 colored vinyl 12” (1000 copies)
 *NEW* Titus Andronicus Record Store Day EP 12” (3 song EP, featuring the album track "Still Life with Hot Deuce and Silver Platter" and features 2 unreleased tracks--"(I've Got a) Date Tonight" and "The Dog"...limited to 2500 copies)
 *NEW* Pulp After You 12” (4000 copies)
 *NEW* The XX Jamie XX Edits 12” (4000 copies)
 *NEW* Avenged Sevenfold Carry On Call of Duty Picture Disc limited to 5000 copies
 *NEW* Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Patterns 12" limited to 3000 copies
 *NEW* Tegan & Sara Closer Remixes LP (5000 copies)
 *NEW* Grouplove/Frightened Rabbit/Manchester Orchestra Make It To Me (Grouplove & Manchester Orchestra) b/w Architect (Frightened Rabbit & Manchester Orchestra) limited 12" with TWO DIFFERENT COVERS
 *NEW* Joy Formidable A Minute's Silence b/w Badlands (Live from Sirius Radio)
 *NEW* Austra + Gina X Mayan Drums 12" (500 copies only)
 *NEW* Junior Boys Even Truer Remix EP (500 copies only)
 *NEW* Turning Shrines Face of Another 12' EP w/bonus 7" (600 copies only)
 *NEW* Refused Everlasting EP (3000 copies with new artwork)
 *NEW* Fitz & The Tantrums Out of My League 12"
 *NEW* Walk the Moon Tightrope EP features 6 tracks including an acoustic version of Tightrope and a cover of the Talking Heads 'Burning Down the House'
 *NEW* Bon Jovi Live EP 12" Picture Disc single (1000 copies)
 *NEW* A Place to Bury Strangers Strange Moon EP 12" featuring covers of Portland's Dead Moon's songs
 *NEW* El Michels Affair Enter the 37th Chamber 12" Picture Disc single
 *NEW* Moon Duo Circles Remixes 12" single (1100 copies)

LP RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 A. Vuolo / E. Grande Desert
 Across Tundras / Lark's Tongue Split LP
 Akimbo Live to Crush
 All That Remains Fall of Ideals LP (1st time on vinyl)
 Aloha Here Comes Everyone limited Green vinyl LP
 Antonio Maiovvi Yellow--Music from the Short Film(Death Waltz LP on Yellow/Blood splatter vinyl)
 Arawak Accadde A
 At the Drive-In Relationship of Command (Limited Colored RSD version)
 Bayside Live at the Bayside Social Club 2LP reissue 900 copies on white vinyl (1st time on vinyl, also includes acoustic tracks recorded at Looney Tunes Record Store)
 Between the Buried and Me Anatomy Of 2LP 900 copies on orange vinyl (1st time on vinyl)
 Big Mamma Thornton Jail
 Braid Frame and Canvas Limited, Numbered LP on colored vinyl with poster and download card.
 Buddy Guy Hold That Plane
 Calexico Spirtoso (LP + CD, Live tracks, previously only available on tour on vinyl)
 Codeine 1993 Live LP—What About the Lonely 150g LP (2000 copies)
 Corn on Macabre Discographic Violence LP (400 copies)
 Country Joe & the Fish I Feel Like I"m Fixin to Die Remastered LP from the original tapes.
 Daniel Johnston Space Ducks Soundtrack LP (originally only available digitally)
 Daniel Johnston Fun (2000 copies only--originally supposed to be released for Black Friday RSD and cancelled, it will now officially come out!)
 Dio Magika Limited Picture Disc LP 500 copies only (features Japanese Bonus Track "Annica")
 Durutti Column A Paean to Wilson 2LP Deluxe (may be UK/EU only)
 EmptyMansions (Interpol's Sam Fogarino's band) Snakes/Vultures/Sulfate (1st 500 LPs on Gold colored 160g vinyl)
 Eric Church Caught in the Act: Live (RSD version with 4 extra tracks and bonus 7")
 Flaming Lips Zaireeka 4LP (random colored vinyl--7500 copies)
 Ghoul Maniaxe (1st time on vinyl, this Colored LP features a 16 page comic book detailing the story of the album)
 Giant Henry Big Baby (Pre-Unwound Members in High School) Limited Edition hand-screened LP with 3 different covers.
 Grateful Dead Rare Cuts & Oddities 1966 180g 2LP, individually numbered.
 Grey Area Fanbelt Algebra 900 copies on white vinyl
 Grizzly Bear Horn of Plenty (vinyl reissue on Kanine Records)
 Headless Dogs 1-5 (Various Colors, 450 copies only)
 Ilsa The Maggots Are Hungry (remastered) LP (250 copies only)
 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts s/t 180g LP with CD featuring live footage and bonus tracks, individually numbered
 Lamb of God New American Gospel (500 copies only)
 Linkin Park Hybrid Theory Colored Vinyl LP with poster and bonus 10" of the "One Step Closer" single---3000 copies)
 LP Into the Wild--Live at EastWest Studios (2000 copies)
 Mad Season Above Deluxe 2LP
 Marco Benevento Invisible Baby Blue vinyl LP (1st time on vinyl)
 Mercury Rev Deserted Songs (White/Clear Colored LP featuring outtakes from the 1998 Deserter's Song sessions)
 OST--The Girl From UNCLE (Music from the TV Series The Girl From UNCLE) Remastered LP.
 Porno for Pyros S/T 20th Anniversary 180g Tie-Dye Colored Vinyl (1000 copies)
 Public Enemy Planet Earth-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Greatest Rap Hits (Picture Disc LP)
 R. Kelly Trapped in the Closet Gatefold with bonus 7"
 Rainer Ptackek Barefoot Rock (with Das Combo) (Originally released only in Germany, now remastered with bonus tracks) 1000 copies
 Replikas Biz Burada Yok Iken LP (1st time available in US)
 Small Faces There Are But Four Small Faces Remastered LP
 Sonny & The Sunsets Tomorrow is Alright Colored Vinyl LP with new silk-screened cover.
 Spacemen 3 Perfect Prescription 180g Baby Blue Vinyl LP (2000 copies)
 Spacemen 3 Performance 180g Orange Vinyl LP (2000 copies)
 Spacemen 3 Sound of Confusion 180g White Vinyl LP (2000 copies)
 Stephen Malkmus & Friends Ege Bamyasi (Covering the classic CAN LP) Limited to 3500 copies, with Green vinyl in the US and Red Vinyl for the UK/EU.
 Steve Moore Horror Business (Death Waltz LP on colored vinyl)
 Straylight Run Prepare to be Wrong LP reissue 900 copies on red vinyl (1st time on vinyl)
 The Band The Last Waltz 3LP 180g deluxe version with 12 page booklet, individually numbered.
 Van Dyke Parks Song Cycle 180g Mono LP, individually numbered
 Velvet Underground & Nico (non-bootleg acetate version on Green Vinyl, plays at 33RPM)
 Von Grey Live & Criminal Records LP
 Wake A Light Far Out 500 copies only, New LP. (may be UK only...but did show up on one US distribution list I was sent)
 White Mystery Telepathic Colored vinyl LP.
 Willie Nelson Crazy: The Demo Sessions
 *NEW* Elvis Costello & The Roots LP
 *NEW* Phosphorescent Aw Come Aw Wry LP reissue with tweaked cover and bonus download card that includes never before released live tracks
 *NEW* Black Swans Occasion for Song Deluxe Gatefold 2LP reissue limited to 500 copies
 *NEW* Brendon Benson & Willy Mason Upstairs at United Volume 7 LP
 *NEW* ISAN Beautronics 2LP remastered (1st time on vinyl)
 *NEW* Liquid Tension Experiment 2 180g Colored Vinyl 2LP in Gatefold sleeve (1st time on vinyl)
 *NEW* Barrington Levy's Reggae Anthology: Sweet Reggae Music (1979-84) LP
 *NEW* Winston Edwards' Natty Locks Dub Reissue LP
 *NEW* King Tubby Meets the Upsetter at the Grass Roots of Dub (features Lee Scratch Perry) LP
 *NEW* Damon & Naomi The Wonderous World of Damon & Naomi (Bootleg Edition) LP
 *NEW* Nick Drake Nick Drake Limited Edition gatefold LP w/poster.
 *NEW* Neil Young Old Ways
 *NEW* Rufus Wainwright Want One LP
 *NEW* Sting Ten Summoner's Tales LP
 *NEW* Elliott Smith Figure 8 LP
 *NEW* Mamas & The Papas if You can Believe Your Eyes and Ears LP
 *NEW* Counting Crows August and Everything After LP
 *NEW* Dust S/T and Hard Attack Remastered Gatefold 2LP, individually numbered (both albums are packaged together and will *NOT* be sold separately)
 *NEW* Golden Gunn LP (Collaboration between Hiss Golden Messenger and Steve Gunn—140g LP with 900 copies only)
 *NEW* Shuggie Otis Introducing Shuggie Otis 180g LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Rockabye Baby songs of the White Stripes LP
 *NEW* Casket Girls The Casket Girls (Beer & Mustard colored vinyl LP)
 *NEW* Genius/GZA Liquid Swords—the Chess Vinyl Edition (Contains the entire Liquid Swords album and complete instrumentals as well as a in-depth, full color linear notes with contributions from GZA himself and a full-sized chess set)
 *NEW* Blind Melon Blind Melon + Sippin Time Sessions EP 2LP
 *NEW* Sigur Ros Agaetis Byrjun
 *NEW* Ben Harper By My Side LP
 *NEW* Cure Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me Individually Numbered, Red Vinyl LP
 *NEW* Glove Blue Sunshine Individually Numbered, Blue colored LP
 *NEW* Big Star Nothing Can Hurt Me (Special Pressing 2LP)
 *NEW* Orange Juice Rip It Up LP
 *NEW* Orange Juice You Can't Hide Your Love Forever LP
 *NEW* Orange Texas Fever LP
 *NEW* Orange Juice Self-Titled LP
 *NEW* Avenged Sevenfold Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough (LP w/DVD--limited to 3500 copies)
 *NEW* Built to Spill LIVE 2LP w/CD (2500 copies)
 *NEW* Cream Live at the Royal Albert Hall 3LP Deluxe Set on "Cream" colored vinyl
 *NEW* Deftones Live Volume 1--Selections from Adrenaline LP (tracks are Minus Blindfold and Teething b/w Nosebleed and Engine No.9 all live from Buffalo, NY on 10/13/96)
 *NEW* Foals Holy Fire LP w/bonus 7" (5000 copies)
 *NEW* The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die Individually Numbered LP on White Vinyl
 *NEW* Page McConnell (Phish Keyboardist) Unsung Cities and Movies Never Made (1000 copies, each numbered on 180g Red vinyl)
 *NEW* PHISH LAWN BOY (Individually numbered pressing, out of 7500 copies, with 2 180g LPs with an etched D side....includes download card)
 *NEW* Destroyer This Night (Remastered LP, 1st time available in US, limited to 2000 copies)
 *NEW* White Stripes Elephant re-issue on colored vinyl
 *NEW* Double Dagger 333 LP + "If We Shoult Loud Enough DVD (1000 copies worldwide)
 *NEW* Oval Systemisch Clear Vinyl 2LP (1500 copies worldwide)
 *NEW* Oval 94diskont Orange Vinyl 2LP (1500 copies worldwide)
 *NEW* Aerosmith Aerosmith 180g LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Aerosmith Get Your Wings 180g LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Aerosmith Toys in the Attic 180g LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Cypress Hill Black Sunday 180g 2LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Miles Davis Milestones 180g Mono LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Miles Davis 'Round about Midnight 180g Mono LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Miles Davis Someday My Prince Will Come 180g Mono LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Taj Mahal Hidden Treasures 180g 2LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Taj Mahal Natch'l Blues 180g LP, individually numbered
 *NEW* Dead Can Dance Anastasis: Live in Concert (Best of 2012) 3LP Set (2000 copies)
 *NEW* Now Now Neighbors (Deluxe)  Pink Vinyl LP with bonus Remixes album included (500 copies)
 *NEW* Black Milk Synth or Soul LP
 *NEW* Blitzen Trapper Blitzen Trapper 180g LP with digital download and 5 unreleased tracks
 *NEW* Coupler Sunless LP
 *NEW* CSC Funk Band Funkincense LP
 *NEW* Davenport Cabinet Our Machine LP (solo project from Travis Stever of Coheed and Cambria) (500 copies only)
 *NEW* Evian Christ Duga-3 LP
 *NEW* Samiam Clumsy Red Vinyl LP, each individually numbered (First time with US pressing..original was released in Germany) (1500 copies)
 *NEW* The Prize Fighter Inferno Half Measures Glow in the Dark LP (solo project from Claudio Sanchez from Coheed and Cambria) (500 copies only)

VARIOUS ARTIST RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 Blues at Newport 1963
 Newport Folk Festival 1965
 Sub Pop 1000 (V/A LP) 5000 copies
 Windup Records 15th Anniversary 10" (Redvinyl 10" featuring acoustic/rare tracks from Seether, Creed, Finger Eleven, The Darkness, the VirginMarys and more)
 *NEW* Reason to Believe--The Songs of Tim Hardin
 *NEW* ASTRALWERKS 20/20 (20th Anniversary 7x7" box set with 20 Flexi discs featuring rare/unreleased tracks by Kraftwerk, Air, Chemical Bros. and more!)
 *NEW* ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK--DAZED AND CONFUSED (1st time on vinyl--features artists such as Black Sabbath, Kiss, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Foghat and more) LP is individually numbered on GREEN vinyl
 *NEW* Various Artists Factory Records: Communications 1978-1992 (Limited Edition 10", limited to 3000 copies worldwide featuring She's Lost Control by Joy Division, 1963 (12" Remastered Version) by New Order, Otis by the Durutti Column and Loose Fit (12" version by Happy Mondays)
 *NEW* Various Artists No Alternative 180g 2LP, individually numbered (1st time on VINYL featuring tracks by Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Beastie Boys and more!!)

BOX SET RELEASES (COPIED FROM http://new-vinyl.blogspot.com):
 Between the Buried and Me Parallax I & II Colored vinyl box set (Blue/Pink/White Splatter vinyl) 1000 copies only
 Doctor Ross The Sensational Harmonica Boss (3 x 7" box set)
 Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) The First Five--Picture Disc Collection--The first 5 ELP albums, as Picture Discs, in a individually numbered box (1250 copies total)
 Half Japanese Half Gentlemen / Not Beasts 4LP Box with 32 page booklet, fold out poster, download card and badge, featuring new exclusive tracks (1000 copies)
 Paul Weller Sonic Kicks 5x7” Box Set. Colored Vinyl Box with autographed poster features 2 unreleased tracks (600 copies)
 *NEW* Cotillion Records (1968-1970) 10x7" BOX SET (limited to 2500 copies worldwide, box features artists such as The Dynamics, Otis Clay, Lou Johnson, Walter Jackson and more!)
 *NEW* DAVE MATTHEWS BAND LIVE TRAX VOLUME 1: 12/8/98 VINYL BOX SET 180g 4LP BLUE VINYL BOX SET LIMITED TO 500 COPIES ONLY!!!

RUMORED RELEASES/AWAITING MORE DETAILS:

New Found Glory will be releasing something, just don’t know if it will be a 7” or 12”
Might be seeing a release from Brian Jonestown Massacre

Thanks & Introduction

2013-03-04T07:00:00.001-08:00

For those that have recently been linked here or have never been here before, welcome!!

Let me introduce myself to you all. My name is Shawn and I am extraordinary passionate about vinyl records. I started this blog as way for people to get excited about Record Store Day and their numerous releases. I got to talk to one of the founders of Record Store Day and have leaked numerous releases by Bob Dylan, Phish, Ryan Adams and more. I’ve also posted releases that were “official” Record Store Day releases, but for whatever reason were never listed on their site on the “official” list. I try to recognize the smaller labels and newer bands, who may only have a 7” single released locally/regionally in an area. Record Store Day is a day to celebrate the music store, as a cultural center in a neighborhood or city. In fact in France, you are given tax breaks to open up a Record Store, because they see them as cultural centers that spur conversation and foot traffic to business areas.

I’ve had the honor to visit some of the greatest music stores across the US in cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Washington, DC, Boston, New York City, Atlanta, and more. Any personal or professional trip I make, I try to set aside time to search for vinyl. I still love the awe of walking into a new music store and seeing the rare items up on the wall, etc. Reminds me of when I was a kid and would walk into various toy stores to see what GI Joe stuff they had. This site is not my day job, but it is rather time consuming and I do not earn ONE CENT from the pageviews, etc. on this site. It is a public service in my opinion, which at times, can be a somewhat thankless job. To those who have linked to this site and provided proper credit, I thank you. To those of you who have not done so (93XRT through CBS Local and Potholes in My Blog, among others), then I feel sorry for you.

I feel sorry that you feel a need to steal, plagiarize and copy the work that I spend countless hours trying to reward fans of music and Record Store Day. I feel sorry that your greed to drive traffic/revenue to your own site, compromises your ethics and moral code. Regardless, I will still continue to provide this service, as I have done so since 2011 (and every Black Friday and Record Store Day since). Just know that I am one of you…..someone who just loves music and vinyl and those of you who share my passion like:

www.consequenceofsound.net

www.collectingvinylrecords.blogspot.com

www.modern-vinyl.com

www.craigjparker.blogspot.com

www.slicingupeyeballs.com

www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack

www.absolutepunk.net

www.blurt-online.com

And numerous others, thank you. Please continue sharing your passion for music and I’ll do the same.

The Best Vinyl LP Box Sets of 2012

2013-01-11T10:47:00.004-08:00

TOP 10 BOX SET RELEASES FOR 2012

Hello and Happy New Year! We survived the apocalypse and can still collect vinyl records!! After another great year of vinyl sales, we also saw some great box sets come out on vinyl. Here are my Top 10 releases from 2012:

10) Into It. Over It. 52 Weeks 4LP Box Set

Released on No Sleep Records, this was originally put out as a Double CD in 2009. But this project demanded a release on vinyl and it couldn’t have turned out better. If you didn’t know, Evan Weiss decided to write, record and release a new song every week back in 2007. By the end of the project, over 300,000 downloads allowed various people to be introduced to his style of music. This high quality release features 52 tracks spread out over 4LPs with a 52 page book that captures the journey Weiss took 4 years ago.

Pressing Info:

1000 total copies (500 180g Black, 300 White and 200 Clear Red)

Note: An additional 99 copies were made for their 2012 tour on Clear Vinyl and personalized to each person who purchased it.

I have the Clear and Red Versions.

9) Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness 4LP Deluxe Reissue.

For those who jumped on the Smashing Pumpkins bandwagon late and were never able to get one of the 3LP Numbered copies released in the UK on Hut Records (nor wish to pay $500 for it on Ebay), then this release is for you. Finally available in the US, this 4LP set comes on 180g vinyl, was remastered and housed in a 12x12 rigid slipcase with 2 books containing personal notes, new collage artwork, lyrics and more.

8) Codeine When I See The Sun 3LP Box Set

Chicago’s Numero Group is well known for their attention to detail and great packaging. So it was a surprise when this set was announced in 2012. As a fan of the band when they were on Sub Pop, I was excited to see this release happen and it didn’t disappoint. This set included new essays by Sub Pop’s Jonathan Poneman, Love Child’s Alan LIcht and the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd. The albums were each restored from their original masters and are accompanied by a plethora of singles, demos, live records and Peel Sessions. The Box was limited to 1000 copies and if you were one of the early pre-orders (first 500), you got a bonus 7” single in a “Sub Pop” style singles club sleeve and Numero also re-made the classic Sub Pop loser shirt as a Winner edition (100 only).

7) Elbow Definitive Collection 7LP Box Set

Apparently now sold out on both Universal UK’s site and Amazon’s UK site, this box set was limited to just 2000 copies. Each LP was placed on heavyweight vinyl and features the following:

Asleep In the Back - featuring the track 'Asleep In The Back' for the first time on vinyl
Cast of Thousands - currently out of press on vinyl, and first time it will be available as a double gatefold
Leaders of the Free World - currently out of press on vinyl, and first time it will be available as a double gatefold
The Seldom Seen Kid
Build A Rocket Boys!
Dead In The Boot
Live at Abbey Road - previously only available as a CD release and not available outside of this box set.
USB of all tracks in high resolution .Wav files (Note: USB stick is in its own gatefold sleeve and inside it states that this spot is reserved for the next Elbow album)

6) CAN The Lost Tapes 5LP Box Set

This limited Vinyl Box Set, includes 5 x 180g vinyl LP's, a 28 page 12" booklet and a 24" poster - includes 30 previously unreleased tracks. The Lost Tapes was curated by Irmin Schmidt and Daniel Miller, compiled by Irmin Schmidt and Jono Podmore, and edited by Jono Podmore. When the legendary Can studio in Weilerswist was sold to the German Rock N Pop Museum, they bought everything, including the army mattresses that covered the walls for sound protection, and relocated it to Gronau. Whilst dismantling the studio, master tapes were found and stored in the Spoon archive. With barely legible labelling, no one was sure what was on these until Irmin Schmidt and long time collaborator Jono Podmore started to go through over 30 hours of music. What they found was years of archived material, not outtakes, but rather tracks which had been shelved for a variety of reasons - soundtracks to films that were never released and tracks that didn't make it onto the final versions of albums due to space. Let’s hope 2013 sees the release of the rumored deluxe vinyl box of all of Can’s albums.

5) William Basinski’s The Disintegration Loops 9LP Box Set

I could go on and on how great this release is and how wonderful a job Temporary Residence did in producing it, but I’ll let their own words due the set justice:

For a collection of music built around the poignant inevitability of decay, there has been a great many hopeful and inspired words devoted to William Basinski's The Disintegration Loops: stunning, ethereal, majestic, transfixing, life-affirming... and for good reason. From its 20-year gestation period to its infamously fateful completion, The Disintegration Loops is one of the most powerful manifestations of the inevitable cycle of life ever committed to tape, even as it documents the inevitable decay of all that is committed to tape. The very passage of time is its most effective instrument. To mark the 10-year anniversary of its original release -- and its forthcoming induction into the 9/11 Memorial Museum this year -- Temporary Residence Ltd. is honored to collaborate with William Basinski in presenting The Disintegration Loops in a fashion truly befitting a library of music with such a lasting legacy. This massive limited-edition box set contains all four historic volumes, plus a pair of stunning live orchestral performances from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the 54th Venice Biennale, both previously unreleased. Remastered from the original recordings and pressed onto 100% virgin vinyl for the first and only time, this exquisite box set also includes all of the remastered recordings on 5 CDs, the extremely rare 63-minute The Disintegration Loops film on DVD, and a 144-page full-color coffee table book featuring rare photos taken during the making of The Disintegration Loops, and liner notes by Basinski, Antony, David Tibet of Current 93, Ronen Givony of the Wordless Music Series, and Michael Shulan, Creative Director of the National September 11 Memorial Museum.

The Disintegration Loops has never appeared on vinyl, and will never appear so again outside of this sincerely special, breathtakingly beautiful collection.

4) Various Artists—Music That Changes the World 4LP Box Set

Originally released on Record Store Day (in limited quantities due to production issues), this box got lost in the shuffle in my opinion, yet was one of the nicest sets released in 2012. This 4LP box set features 34 EXCLUSIVE tracks, most of which have never been released on vinyl until now. 2500 copies of this box were produced and it features a gorgeous 42 page color book with an introduction by David Lynch. The book is illustrated by Romio Shrestha and artist Davel Hamue. This Box features tracks from artists such as Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Moby, Neon Trees, Maroon 5, Jakob Dylan, Donovan, Charlatans, Ben Folds, Dave Stewart, Amanda Palmer, Alanis Morissette, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Andy Summers and more.

Do yourself a favor and seek out this box set and add it to your collection. You’ll help the David Lynch foundation and get a great release at the same time!

3) Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Soundtrack 6LP Boxset

A truly stunning piece of art, since ice and winter were a major theme in the tone of the music, it became the inspiration for the look and feel of the box set.

An acrylic “ice” slipcase houses a book of six vinyl records, an exclusive fold-out poster by Neil Kellerhouse, and an 8gb USB razor blade pendant inspired by Lisbeth’s necklace in the film. The USB drive contains the album in high definition 96k FLAC. Each package is numbered in an edition of 3000, and each is personally signed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

See some great pics here: http://www.topdesignmag.com/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-soundtrack-packaging/

2) Incubus HQ Live Box Set

Limited to just 1000 copies, this massive box set was a huge surprise with great design, a great price (based on what you get) and a must for any live music fan. This set included:

An autographed, 48 page coffee table photo book embedded with a unique piece of art from the actual canvases created by the band and fans at HQ Live.
(4) 180 Gram LP Vinyl Set, including live versions of the albums: Morning View, Make Yourself and If Not Now, When?. Vinyl set will also include The Best Of Nights 3-5.
DVD/Blu Ray (2) Disc Set with 5.1 Surround Sound featuring live performances from the HQ Live Sessions, interviews with the band & fans, Behind The Scenes footage, clips from the musicians clinics and much more.
(6) CD set of each night's performance
Commemorative collector's laminate

1) Ryan Adams Live After Deaf 15LP Box Set

When this box went on sale in June, there was a lot of mystery around it….how many copies were made? Where were the live shows from? Went it went on sale it crashed the website so badly that several fans were shutout and cursed the Ryan and PaxAm Records on Facebook, Twitter and Message Boards. Supposedly limited to around 300 copies, this mega box set contains 144 Live Tracks from Ryan’s European Tour from 2011. The bonus? The box contained a download card that gave you an additional 74 bonus tracks too!!

This will be one of the most highly collectible and sought after box sets in many years.

Honorable Mentions (In no particular order):

Rolling Stones GRRR 5LP Box Set
NOFX 126 Inches 7” Box Set
Thrice Anthology 4LP Box Set
Blur 21 13LP Box
Black Sabbath Vinyl Collection 1970-78 9LP Box
The Who—Studio Albums 14LP Box
Beatles Stereo 14LP Box Set

What Box Sets did you enjoy in 2012?

Also--be on the look out for my Record Store Day 2013 post soon. We've already had a few releases by Flaming Lips, Codeine, Mad Season and Best Coast announced.

RSD Black Friday 2012 or...Record Store Day (RSD) Presents Back To Black Friday 2012 or...#RSDBlackFriday or #RSDBF2012

2012-11-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Ahh....here were are again. Another great time of year.....cooler temperatures, football on TV and Thanksgiving. Amid the chaos of Black Friday, the fine folks over at Record Store Day have again, for the 3rd year in a row, decided to release a few, select items that you can give yourself or friends/family for the Holidays. This year Black Friday is November 23rd, 2012. Here is an advance look at some of the items coming out:

UPDATE ON 10/16/2012 with 1st CANCELLED RELEASE--YOU HEARD IT HEAR FIRST!
UPDATE ON 10/17/12 with 2 more releases from A389 records (ILSA and NOTHING)!
UPDATE ON 11/1/12 with a couple of more releases (Beck and Gary Clark Jr.)

CANCELLED RELEASE:

Daniel Johnston FUN LP (2000 copies only) WILL NO LONGER BE RELEASED AT ALL.

CD Releases:

Joey Ramone Ya Know? DELUXE EDITION (This deluxe package includes the 15 song CD, a brand new DVD (Featuring never before seen footage of Joey and candid interviews with Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello and more, a brand new music video directed by Greg Jardin and a Short Film by Joey Ramone, edited by George Seminara), a "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" PLAYABLE 5" GREEN VINYL holiday ornament and a 24 page booklet with extensive photos. (500 copies only for Black Friday, additional copies will be released afterwards)
Bettye LaVette More Thankful, More Thoughtful EP (5 unreleased tracks including cover of Julie Miller's "Long Time")
*NEW* Jellyfish Stack-A-Tracks 2CD set (numbered and limited to 2500 copies)
*NEW* Imaginational Anthem 6CD box set of acoustic guitar players (see the press release here: http://www.imaginationalanthem.com/)

7" Releases:

Captian Beefheart & His Magic Band--Abba Zaba b/w Yellow Brick Road
Captian Beefheart & His Magic Band--Plastic Factory b/w Where There's a Woman
Captian Beefheart & His Magic Band--Upon the My-O-My b/w I Got Love on My Mind
Gene Clark--Echoes b/w I Found You
Link Wray--Big City After Dark / Hold It b/w Dance Party Pts. 1 & 2 (2x7")
*UPDATE* Tomahawk--"Stone Letter" b/w Etched b-side (2,500 copies)
White Stripes--Dead Leaves b/w Stop Breaking Down (RED VINYL)
White Stripes--Fell in Love With A Girl b/w I Just Don't Know What to Do (RED VINYL)
White Stripes--Hotel Yorba b/w Rated X (RED VINYL)
My Chemical Romance 2nd Single for the Conventional Weapons Box Set featuring Ambulance b/w Gun (Red 7" single)
Bert Jansch Blackwater Side b/w Heartbreak Hotel (1000 copies only)
*CONFIRMED* David Bowie Jean Genie Picture Disc (originally supposed to be out on 11/20 in the US, appears to have been moved to take advantage of Black Friday, since Starman came out for RSD in April)
Malhombre (Frederic Blasco) double A sided 7" featuring Musique Rock b/w Fini. 7" features duets with April March and Melissa Auf Der Mar with cover art & photography by Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Frederic is a touring member of Interpol and has also played with Wilco and Swervedriver
CeeLo Green/Donny Hathaway This Christmas (Side by Side 7" release on split red and green colored vinyl)
Toro y Moi So Many Details limited 7" (b-side features title track remix featuring Hodgy Beats)
Jeff the Brotherhood Dark Energy 7"
*NEW* Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Aaron Embry split 7" featuring Give Me A Sign b/w Moon of the Daylit Sky (limited to 1000 copies)
*NEW* The Rolling Stones Rolling Stones EP (EP from '64 re-released and limited to 5000 copies..features tracks Bye Bye Johnny, Money, You Better Move On and Poison Ivy (version 2))
*NEW* Frank Zappa Why Don'cha Do Me Right b/w Big Leg Emma (individually numbered and limited to 4000 copies)
*NEW* Bob Dylan Duquesne Whistle b/w Meet Me in the Morning (Blood in the Tracks unreleased version) (5000 copies only)
*NEW* Band of Horses Sonic Ranch Sessions (2000 copies only)
*NEW* Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley Hallelujah Split 7" with each singing the song (4000 copies, each numbered)
*NEW* Lee Hazelwood You Turned My Head (11x7" boxset, each numbered and limited to 3000 copies)
*NEW* The Shins No Way Down b/w Fall of '82. Both tracks produced by Richard Swift (aka Swift Sessions) and 7" is limited to 2500 copies
*NEW* Lucero 7" Live at Sun Studios (1500 copies)
*NEW* Ethan Johns Whip Poor Will (1000 copies)
*NEW* Boris / Asobi Seksu Split 7"

10" Releases:

My Morning Jacket w/Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) "It Makes No Difference" (LIVE Colored Vinyl 10").......Recorded live at the Newport Folk Festival on 7/28/12. B-side is "Grab A Body" (Previously Unreleased) and the download card includes a bonus live recording of "Honest Man". Limited to 2000 copies
Primus Eyes of the Squirrel BW/Jilly's On Smack (LIVE GREEN VINYL 10"). 2 tracks from the bands Denver show in the fall of 2011 on special Green vinyl which will be wrapped in a sleeve made from real green naugahyde. 750 copies ONLY!
Lumineers Winter EP (4 track 10" featuring all-new, unreleased tracks)
*NEW* Moonrise Kingdom (Original Score) Soundtrack (4000 copies)
*NEW* Mayer Hawthorne KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic! LIVE CLEAR VINYL 10" limited to 3000 copies. Features 6 tracks (Love in Motion, No Strings, and Dreaming b/w Shiny & News, I Wish it Would Rain and The Walk)
*NEW* The Gaslight Anthem Hold You Up RED VINYL 10" featuring 3 unreleased acoustic tracks limited to 3,000 copies. (Tracks--Hold You Up, Misery and Skinny Love)
*NEW* Beach Boys Gatefold 2x10" featuring That's Why God Made the Radio, Surfin and more.
*NEW* Lucinda Williams/Michael Chapman That Time of Night Split 10" of each artist performing title track limited to 1000 copies.
*NEW* Norah Jones Little Broken Hearts Remix EP (1500 copies)
*NEW* Buck Owens Sings the Eagles
*NEW* Wanda Jackson Capital Rarities
*NEW* Merle Haggard Capital Rarities
*NEW* George Jones United Artists Rarities
*NEW* Marshall Crenshaw I don't see you laughing now
*NEW* MAD SEASON River of Deceit b/w I Don't Know Anything (LIVE) Colored vinyl 10" (2000 copies)

78 RPM Releases

*NEW* Tyler Ramsey (Band of Horses) Raven Shadow b/w Black Pines

12" Releases

King Diamond No Presents for Christmas 12" Limited Picture Disc (B-side features "Charon")
Skrillex Bangarang EP (featuring guests such as Ellie Goulding and Ray Manzarek of the Doors) (180g Black Vinyl w/download card)
Skrillex More Monsters and Sprites EP (remixes by Kaskade and others) (180g Black Vinyl w/download card)
Skrillex Scary Monsters and Sprites EP (180g Black Vinyl w/download card that features 3 bonus tracks)
Dr. Dog Wild Race 5 track limited 12" with b-side etching
*NEW* M83 Reunion Remixes (limited to 2800 copies)
*NEW* John Mayer Complete 2012 Performance Collection 4 live acoustic tracks (2800 copies)
*NEW* Eric Burden & The Greenhornes 180g 4 track EP (2000 copies)
*NEW* Tenacious D "Simply Jazz" Features an 11 minute 43 second jazz song with download card giving you access to a video of them recording the song. Limited to 1000 copies
*NEW* NOTHING "Downward Years to Come"

LP Releases

Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale "Buddy & Jim" BOOTLEG VINYL EDITION (hand stamped and numbered out of 1000 copies, just like releases by The Stars, Alabama Shakes and Primus)
Volbeat "The Strength/Sound/The Songs" (Picture Disc LP, 1000 copies)
Volbeat "Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood" (Picture Disc LP, 1000 copies)
Volbeat "Rock The Rebel/Metal The Devil' (Picture Disc LP, 1000 copies)
Mayhem "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" (180g 2LP w/Poster, 750 copies)
Borknager "The Olden Domain" (180g LP w/ Poster, 750 copies)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Psychodelic Pill (3LP)
Big Boys Wreck Collection (2LP on Green & Purple Swirled Vinyl)....Comprehensive, remastered collection of 34 tracks including original demos, outtakes and live tracks that span the band's entire career (79-84)
Grateful Dead Live at Winterland (5/30/1971) 2LP 180g Release limited to 7500 copies worldwide with linear notes by Blair Jackson
Love Forever Changes (180g LP w/bonus 7" featuring unreleased track "Alone Again Or") 1500 copies only
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros Live at Acton 2002 (16 track live LP with encore tracks featuring Mick Jones, each LP is hand numbered)
Daniel Johnston FUN (Remastered LP limited to just 2000 copies)
Mogwai A Wrenched Virile Lore (2LP colored remix album, limited to 2500 copies, featuring remixes by Soft Moon, Zombi, Xander Harris and more!)
*NEW* Coheed & Cambria The Afterman---Ascension (Big Beige Demos) 8 track Demo LP, 1000 copies only on CLEAR VINYL
*NEW* Nirvana Incesticide 25th Anniversary 180g 45RPM 2LP edition. Remastered 2LP by Bernie Grundman in deluxe gatefold sleeve. Ltd to 4000 individually numbered copies.
*NEW* Reservoir Dogs Soundtrack LP 20th Anniversary LP on Blonde, Blue, Brown, Orange, White or Pink colored vinyl (Randomly inserted)...Ltd to 4000 individually numbered copies.
*NEW* Velvet Underground & Nico Scepter Studios Acetate 180g LP. On vinyl for the 1st time, limited to 5000 individually numbered copies.
*NEW* Rage Against the Machine S/T Picture Disc LP
*NEW* Johnny Cash Fabulous Johnny Cash 180g MONO LP (3000 copies, each numbered)
*NEW* Miles Davis Miles Ahead 180g MONO LP (3000 copies, each numbered)
*NEW* Miles Davis Porgy & Bess 180g MONO LP (3000 copies, each numbered)
*NEW* Miles Davis Sketches of Spain 180g MONO LP (3000 copies, each numbered)
*NEW* Incubus Crow Left of Murder Numbered, Ltd Gatefold 180g LP 3000 copies only
*NEW* Incubus Light Grenades Numbered, Ltd Gatefold 180g LP 3000 copies only
*NEW* Incubus Morning View Numbered, Ltd Gatefold 180g LP 3000 copies only
*NEW* Incubus Make Yourself Numbered, Ltd Gatefold 180g LP 3000 copies only
*NEW* Incubus S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Numbered, Ltd Gatefold 180g LP 3000 copies only
*NEW* Joan Jett Bad Reputation Clear LP w/bonus CD 2500 copies only
*NEW* Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance Picture Disc (3000 copies only)
*NEW* Flaming Lips Rockabye Baby--12 track LP of Lullabys of Lips songs (1000 copies only)
*NEW* Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin Cheap Thrills 180g MONO LP.
*NEW* Biz Markie Biz Never Sleeps Picture Disc LP
*NEW* Fat Boys Fat Boys Pizza Box Picture Disc LP
*NEW* Various Artists Death Might be Your Santa Claus (Blues focused holiday songs from the 20s to 50s)
*NEW* ILSA Intoxicantations Gatefold LP on colored vinyl
*NEW* Beck Sea Change MoFi PINK VINYL LP limited to 1000 copies only
*NEW* Gary Clark Jr. Blak and Blu 2LP set, with 1 black LP and 1 blue LP (this is the only way to get this on colored vinyl is through Black Friday apparently)

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND MORE EXCLUSIVE RELEASE NEWS!!

Why I love Record Store Day

2012-09-17T21:01:00.002-07:00

Don't forget....Back to Black Friday RSD is *still* happening this November. Look to see more info about releases starting to hit in October. Releases we know about include a Tomahawk 7" and a rumored Kiss 40+ 7" box set. I'd hate to see the price on that!! Hopefully we'll get some cool items as several bands have Fall/Winter releases.

Here was my past April RSD haul...how many items can you name and find? CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO SEE A LARGER SIZE

1) BOX SETS:

2) LP/12" BATCH #1:

3) LP/12" BATCH #2:

4) LP/12" BATCH #4:

5) LP/12" BATCH #5

6) LP/12" BATCH #6:

7) 10" Releases:

8) RSD 7" BATCH #1:

9) RSD 7" BATCH #2:

10) RSD 7"/CD BATCH:

Really enjoy having these items in my collection......sadly they are *not* for sale, so please don't ask. As always, if you need help locating items or getting items not available in your area, let me know and I will gladly help you out!!

LONG LIVE VINYL!!

Exclusive Company in Wisconsin sweet Display

2012-04-11T14:23:00.003-07:00

(CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE FULL-SIZE) On the right, you have the 5th Anniversary Poster for Record Store Day. On the left, you have what Exclusive Company employee Ethan created for their Record Store Day celebration using *real* records. Very nice job!!

My UK RSD WISHLIST

2012-04-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, if anyone from the UK/EU can help me acquire any of these items, please let me know ASAP. I'd like to try to work out a trade for US RSD items, or cash, for COST (I refuse to pay Ebay prices, so if you plan to rip me off, don't even bother responding).

Tier 1 (MUST HAVE ITEMS):

Kinks LP set (Arthur, Face to Face and Something Else)
Cure LP set (Sixteen Seconds, Faith, The Top, Pornography, Three Imaginary Boys)
Refused LP set (Rather Be Dead, Songs to Fan the Flames, New Noise Theology and Shape of Punk to Come)
Gorillaz Do Ya Thing 10"
Sigur Ros Ekla Mukk 10"
Soulsavers Longest Day 7" (not on UK list, but supposed to be out on RSD)

Tier 2 (WANTED ITEMS):

Danny Brown XXX (delayed in US)
Andrew Bird 10"
Bob Marley 3LP
Edwyn Collins Tape Box 7" set
Frank Turner 7"
Guided by Voices 7"
Morrissey 10" Picture Disc
Pains at Being Pure at Heart Remix 12"
Ramones 7"
Sex Pistols 7"
Sugar 7"
T. Rex Telegram Sam 7"
Velvet Underground Loaded LP
Velvet Underground Sweet Jane 7"

If you can help me out, please e-mail me at: shawncturner @ gmail dot com with the following:

a) Your US want list (please prioritize it, so I know which items are your must have items, versus items that you wouldn't mind having, but are indifferent about.
b) If you use Paypal (Yes/No)
c) Ability to obtain multiple items and which items you think you can get extras of (e.g. "I can get 3 copies of the Sigur Ros 10"). This would be to trade for other items I am looking for and/or missed out on.

I ship fast (Priority Mail with tracking number) overseas and pack items well in secure cardboard mailers surrounded by cardboard/bubble wrap to ensure no damage. I have a 100% positive feedback on Ebay as well, when I do sell extra items from my collection.

Thanks!

The #RSD12 Record Store Day 2012 "Missing" Items list

2012-03-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

So I've been meaning to write this for a week now, but work and exhaustion have held it up, so I apologize. But for those of you in the UK/Europe, you have an *awesome* list of items heading your way that many in North America would love to have. Speaking of, if anyone in the UK would WANT TO TRADE for any items, please let me know. I will pretty much have my pick of every US release available, so I can nearly guarantee any item you want.

So with that said, let's look at the items that did *not* make the Record Store Day "official" list. Remember, to be considered an official RSD release, you basically have to have the sticker/logo on the item and it has to meet their approval. Know that there are some *great* items coming out on Record Store Day, that your store may get (if you want it, be sure and ask if they ordered it!) that still should be recognized. If you know of an item that I missed, please LET ME KNOW by leaving a comment and I'll be sure and get it added!!

COMPACT DISCS:

Alice Donut Freaks in Love 2CD/1DVD set.

Label: Alternative Tentacle Records
Description: Limited to 500 copies, it's 25 of their best songs, remastered by the band, plus the excellent long-form documentary of this unique, legendary band, "Freaks In Love"- only available in your local record store on Record Store Day April 21, 2012
Link: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=291963087537705&id=10370191153

Willie Nelson Just Breathe CD Single.

Label: Sony/Legacy Music
Description: Single includes 3 brand new recordings with Lukas Nelson. Featuring Willie's rendition of Pearl Jam's 'Just Breathe' and new song 'Come on Back Jesus, from Willie's upcoming album "Hereos" available May 15th. Also includes the previously unreleased track 'Can I Sleep In Your Arms'. Single comes with a $2 off coupon for new album and is suppsoed to be given to select RSD stores for FREE to give away on Record Store Day.
Link: N/A from the Sony Music Solicitation to music stores

Tedeshi Trucks Band LIVE 4 Song EP

Label: Sony Masterworks
Description: Features 4 live tracks, all previously unreleased: 'Don't Let Me Slide', 'Midnight in Harlem', 'Rollin and Tumblin' and 'Bound for Glory'. Single comes with a $2 off coupon for new live album due June 2nd and is suppsoed to be given to select RSD stores for FREE to give away on Record Store Day.
Link: N/A from the Sony Music Solicitation to music stores

Gruntruck 3 Song EP

Label: Betty
Description: Originally released in 1996, this out of print CD is being reissued for Record Store Day in a one time pressing of only 500 copies. Features the tracks Shot, Illusion and New God.
Link 1: www.strictlydiscs.com/page/about/us/intheknow?id=105
Link 2: www.twistandshout.com/Category.cfm?CategoryID=325

WTNG 89.9FM Solid Bronze CD

Label: Numero Group
Description: WTNG 89.9FM: Solid Bronze is an ode to radio station compilation albums of yore, back in the days of when FM jocks stoked the flames of stage acts in their broadcast area with hyped-up talent shows, invaluable airplay, and homegrown LPs stacked with the best efforts of bands not more than a few counties away. Limited to 1000 copies on CD.
Link: http://numerogroup.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/wtng-89-9fm-solid-bronze-revealed-8/

7" Singles:

Poison Idea Pick Your King EP

Label: TKO Records
Description: Re-release of classic 7" on clear vinyl, limited to 1000 copies.
Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TKO-Records/79676529537

Kid Liberty Give Up. Give In. 7"

Label: Bullet Tooth Records
Description: Yellow vinyl 7" limited to just 500 copies
Link: http://bullettoothhq.tumblr.com/post/19243255398/were-psyched-to-announce-limited-edition-vinyl

Memphis May Fire Between the Lies 7"

Label: Bullet Tooth Records
Description: Red vinyl 7" limited to just 500 copies.
Link: http://bullettoothhq.tumblr.com/post/19243255398/were-psyched-to-announce-limited-edition-vinyl

My Brightest Diamond 7"

Label: Nowhere Fast Records
Description: I have Never Loved Someone b/w Bird on a Wire (Leonard Cohen cover). 1000 hand-numbered copies.
Link: http://www.nowherefastrecords.com/slow04.php

Various Artists: From the Vaults of Ric and Ron Records Rare and Unreleased 1958-1962 10x7" Box Set

Label: Numero Group/Rounder Records?
Description: Between 1958 and 1962, Ric and Ron Records captured the sound of a unique period in New Orleans music, when the first era of classic R&B was waning, and before the sounds of funk and soul music became the city’s new signature. It was an exciting time, when talents such as Johnny Adams, Eddie Bo, Al Johnson, Irma Thomas and many others made their debuts on Ric and Ron singles. Here are ultra- rare recordings from the vaults, presented on ten 45 RPM records, with booklet and notes. Limited to 1000 copies.
LINK 1: http://www.strictlydiscs.com/page/about/us/intheknow?id=105
LINK 2: http://blog.horizonrecords.net/2012/02/06/record-store-day-is-saturday-april-21-2012-free-concerts-all-day-music-yard-sale-exclusive-releases-massive-store-wide-sale/

Doomriders / Sweet Cobra Split 7"

Label: Hawthorne Street Records
Description: Girl U Want b/w Gates of Steel. Devo Covers! Limited to 500 red vinyl, 500 gold vinyl and 500 black vinyl
Link: http://www.cobraside.com/b2b/i.php?id=813793

Pelican / Playing Enemy Split 7"

Label: Hawthorne Street Records
Description: Colored Vinyl reissue of out of print single. Comes on several different colors of vinyl.
Link: http://www.cobraside.com/b2b/i.php?id=440632

James Yancey & Jay Dee/ J Dilla and Common Think Twice b/w E=MC2 7"

Label: BBE
Description: Jay Dee’s “Welcome to Detroit” was the album that kicked off BBE’s Beat Generation series. This seminal album (it even has its own Wikipedia entry) cemented Dilla’s reputation as a virtuoso beat maker with a remarkable range of talents. For the first time, (from that album) “Think Twice” appears on a very limited 7” single.
Link: http://www.bbemusic.com/data.pl?release=BBE208SLP

Testors Together/Time is Mine 7"

Label: Windian Records
Description: This classic slab was recorded in 1979 and released in 1980 on the Drive-In label. The Testors soon broke up after this releases, leaving this record in the vast hole of NYC punk lore. The single was the bands first and only, and extremely hard to find. This reissue includes 'Together' and 'Time Is Mine', and a never released studio recording '[This] Time Is Mine' which was an early version of 'Time Is Mine', although very different. Packaged exactly how it was 30 years ago using hi res scans of the orignal. Limited to 1000 copies. Includes MP3 card.
Link: http://www.windianrecords.com/store.html

Monster Truck / DZ Deathrays Split 7"

Label: Dine Alone Records
Description: Runnin' b/w Two Lungs. Black vinyl 7" limited to just 300 copies. Will be available in Canadian Stores only. Will be available online on Record Store Day through the Dine Alone website.
Link: http://www.dinealonerecords.com/2011/index.php/releases/view/152

10" Singles:

Alexisonfire Math Sheets (Demo) 10"

Label: Dine Alone Records
Description: Will be available in Canadian Stores only. Will be available online on Record Store Day through the Dine Alone website. Limited to 1000 copies on white vinyl.
Link: http://www.dinealonerecords.com/2011/index.php/releases/view/164

12" Singles:

Endpoint In a Time of Hate

Label: Simba Records
Description: Reissue of classic 12" on red vinyl. Limited to 500 copies, each hand-numbered.
Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Endpoint/290073594346028

LCD Soundsystem Losing My Edge 12"

Label: DFA
Description: The debut release from DFA founder and eclectic producer James Murphy, Losing My Edge is a wild blend of electro-disco madness that touches on Murphy’s roots in the punk and performance arenas. Back in print as a Record Store Day special, the 12-inch single is available for the first time ever in a picture sleeve.
Link 1: http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/03/lcd-soundsystem-reissuing-losing-my-edge-for-record-store-day/
Link 2: http://www.prefixmag.com/news/lcd-soundsystem-animal-collective-announce-record-/63074/

LP/EP Albums:

Isis The Red Sea EP (w/bonus demos)

Label: Second Nature
Description: Comes complete with the 1999 RED SEA ep tracks on side one and 4 tracks from a 1998 demo as the B-side. LIMITED Record Store Day REPRESS ON translucent RED or White/Black VINYL
Link: http://www.cobraside.com/b2b/details.php?id=451583

The Cure Entreat Plus 2LP

Label: Warner/Elektra
Description: Originally released as a promo disc in 1990, the eight-track Entreat - recorded at London's Wembley Arena in July 1989 -was later released commercially in Europe. The expanded edition included with this year's reissue fleshes out the album to replicate a full live performance of 1989's epic Disintegration, with tracks remixed by Robert Smith - a sonic makeover that some fans have complained dampens Boris Williams' drumming. Limited pressing of 5000 copies for RSD.
Link: https://docs.google.com/file/d/1M47MJy4FU1REpu59O0kmeNwcBxHZdVuwqxK_geflE_Xr2lMrmWhi8UgC_cUC/edit?pli=1

Death from Above 1979 "You're A Woman, I'm a Machine" LP

Label: Last Gang Records
Description: Reissue of classic LP on Pink Vinyl and limited to 1000 copies. Only available in Canada, but a few will be put online to purchase on Record Store Day.
Link: http://lastgangentertainment.com/blog/records/2012/death-from-above-1979-re-release-for-record-store-day/

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Howl 2LP

Label: Cobraside
Description: Vinyl reissue of their 2005 third album, originally released on Echo Records, cut as a double LP, embossed gatefold sleeve!
Link: http://www.cobraside.com/b2b/details.php?id=774811

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Howl Sessions LP

Label: Cobraside
Description: The collection of B-sides from the Howl period, originally released in a limited run in 2006 as an "add-on" to Howl, and then later released on iTunes. With double sided insert.
Link: http://www.cobraside.com/b2b/details.php?id=774815

WTNG 89.9FM Solid Bronze LP

Label: Numero Group
Description: WTNG 89.9FM: Solid Bronze is an ode to radio station compilation albums of yore, back in the days of when FM jocks stoked the flames of stage acts in their broadcast area with hyped-up talent shows, invaluable airplay, and homegrown LPs stacked with the best efforts of bands not more than a few counties away. Limited to 1000 copies on LP (500 on pink, 500 on black).
Link: http://numerogroup.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/wtng-89-9fm-solid-bronze-revealed-8/

Attack in Black Marriage LP + 10"

Label: Dine Alone Records
Description: Will be available in Canadian Stores only. Will be available online on Record Store Day through the Dine Alone website. Features bonus 10" with 5 extra songs. Limited to 500 copies on black vinyl.
Link: http://www.dinealonerecords.com/2011/index.php/releases/view/147

Moneen The Red Tree 2LP + 7"

Label: Dine Alone Records
Description: Will be available in Canadian Stores only. Will be available online on Record Store Day through the Dine Alone website. Limited to 500 copies on red & white colored vinyl.
Link: http://www.dinealonerecords.com/2011/index.php/releases/view/150

Wool Lunar Momento: Lost Rancho Session 1

Label: Dine Alone Records
Description: Recently discovered recording sessions from the band Wool at the legendary Rancho De La Luna Studios featuring Pete Stahl (Scream, Goatsnake, earthlings?), Franz Stahl (Scream, Foo Fighters, DYS), Al Bloch (Concrete Blonde, My Favorite Martian), Chris Bratton (Chain of Strength, Inside Out, Drive Like Jehu). Includes 180g Black Vinyl, Bonus 7" Featuring 2 Extra tracks, Extensive liner notes and coupon for high quality digital download. Limited to 500. Should be in some US Stores (I'd ask first) and will also be available online at Dine Alone's website on RSD.
Link: http://www.dinealonerecords.com/2011/index.php/releases/view/149

Revelation Records Releases:

Ignite Call on My Brothers LP

Label: Revelation Records
Description: The album, which was originally released on Conversion Records and later re-released as a remastered version via Revelation Records, will be pressed on purple vinyl limited to 500 copies and marks the first time the full length has been in print on vinyl since 1998.
Link: http://gluehc.com/revelation-recs-to-reissue-ignite-lp-for-record-store-day/

Into Another S/T LP

Label: Revelation Records
Description: Reissue of this LP on Green vinyl and limited to 500 copies.
Link: http://gluehc.com/endpoint-poison-idea-into-another-releases-for-rsd/

Sense Field Killed for Less LP

Label: Revelation Records
Description: Reissue of this LP on Orange vinyl and limited to 500 copies.
Link: http://gluehc.com/endpoint-poison-idea-into-another-releases-for-rsd/

Farside Rigged LP

Label: Revelation Records
Description: Reissue of this LP on Brown vinyl and limited to 500 copies.
Link: http://gluehc.com/endpoint-poison-idea-into-another-releases-for-rsd/

Coachella Releases

Ximena Sariana Maps/Llorona 7"

Label: Warner
Description: “Maps” is a Yeah Yeah Yeah’s cover from Rolling Stone Live and “La Llorona” is a Latin America folk song from KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic.” This special release is in celebration of her Coachella 2012 appearance and will be sold both weekends.
Link: http://www.ximenamusic.com/news/exclusive-record-store-day-7-v

At The Drive In Vaya 10"

Label: Fearless Records
Description: Reissue of this 10" on yellow vinyl and limited to 500 copies. Note that a new colored vinyl version will be available in stores on June 5th.
Link 1: http://www.coachella.com/festival-info/record-store-day
Link 2: http://www.ampmagazine.com/29922/fearless-records-announces-at-the-drive-in-exclusive-coachella-edition-vinyl/

DELAYED/POSTPONED RELEASES:

From the Record Store Day Facebook page:

Manufacturing issues have taken another bite out of our Record Store Day list. Releases from these folks will not be ready for April 21, but we'll keep you posted when these are released later:
GOGOL BORDELLO 12", DANNY BROWN XXX LP, SONNYMOON 7", QUANTIC & ALICE RUSSELL WITH THE COMBO BARBARO 7"

Music Blogs Believe Everything WB PR says and doesn't FACT CHECK!, A commentary

2012-03-24T21:44:00.006-07:00

For those that know me, I live on the East Coast. I just spent the past 3 days out in California. So maybe it is the time difference, maybe it is the jet lag, but do the "journalists" that write for music blogs have any credibility any more? Because I am going to call a lot of them to the carpet. Which is sad, because these are a lot of blogs that I like to read, so this disappoints me. And all it would have taken would have been a quick phone call/e-mail to get an answer.
What I am talking about is the Flaming Lips Heady Fwends 2LP release for Record Store Day. On March 20th, Warner Brothers issued the following press release (bold text highlighted for a reason):

March 20, 2012 - (Burbank, CA) -- In between one-off shows scattered around the world in the past several months THE FLAMING LIPS have still found time to record a series of unique and experimental sessions for an album featuring a diverse cross-section of heavy friends from every corner of the musical cosmos. THE FLAMING LIPS AND HEADY
FWENDS includes vocal and musical assistance from such disparate playmates as Yoko Ono, Nick Cave, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bon Iver, Ke$ha and many more.

Some of these tracks have already appeared on previously released, extremely limited edition color vinyl 12" EPs released in past months, which sold out as soon as they became available. Most of the tracks on the album are being released here for the first time and will surprise even the most ardent LIPS fans.

THE FLAMING LIPS AND HEADY FWENDS will be pressed on two high-quality, multi-color vinyl discs housed in separate custom art jackets and poly bagged together. No two discs will look exactly alike. This double album will be very limited and released exclusively for RECORD STORE DAY. Once it's gone, it will not be repressed again making THE FLAMING LIPS AND HEADY FWENDS the most anticipated RSD release this year.

The rest of the press release discussed the tracklisting. Now what is FUNNY, is that this release is the LARGEST RSD RELEASE IN 2012. Meaning, that there will be more copies of this available than ANY OTHER RSD ITEM released. With over 300 items being released on April 21st, that is IMPORTANT. 10,000 copies of this will be made and what is the number 2 release? The Bruce Springsteen 7", with 8,000 copies. Yet you didn't see Columbia make a press release about how limited that 7" was, did you??

So let's look at how the blogs handled this press release and what insightful commentary they either cut and pasted from the release, or added themselves. BECAUSE IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT NOT *ONE* "JOURNALIST" EVER ASKED ANYBODY AT WB PR WHAT THE PRESSING AMOUNT WAS!

No big deal, you may think. But it creates a false sense of rarity and exclusivity, by copying and pasting that (not to mention, it is just flat out MISINFORMATION). Plus, if they had done their homework, they would have found out that the set WAS GOING TO BE RELEASED ON Compact Disc (CD) LATER THIS YEAR (without the Chris Martin track!).

Let's see what TOM at STEREOGUM had to say:

"For a while, we’ve been hearing bits and pieces about a forthcoming album of collaborations that the Flaming Lips plan to release on Record Store Day, April 21. Well, they actually did it, cobbling together two LPs’ worth of big-name collabs in time for the big day. The album is an extremely limited Record Store Day exclusive which apparently won’t be repressed, and it’s being pressed on high-quality, multi-color discs, with no two looking exactly alike, so show up really, really early if you want this thing."

LINK: http://stereogum.com/980452/the-flaming-lips-and-heady-fwends-details/news/

COMMENT: Gee Tom, I guess I'll run right over, since I need to get to the store *really, really early*.

Let's see what Rolling Stone wrote, since apparently their entire "staff" contributed to this:

"The set, which will only be issued as a double multi-colored vinyl set, includes previously released tracks that have appeared on the band's recent EPs. The band claims there will only be one pressing of the set, so hardcore Lips fans ought to get to their local shop early unless they're ready to spend big bucks landing a copy on eBay."

LINK: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/flaming-lips-collaborate-with-famous-fwends-on-record-store-day-exclusive-20120320#ixzz1q69CgXWY

COMMENT: Really? I'm going to have to resort to Ebay for an item whose suggested retail price is nearly $40 and 10K copies are available? Amazing.

Let's see what Jenn Pelly at Pitchfork said:

"The recordings document "a series of unique and experimental sessions," according to a press release, and will be released in a very limited edition and never pressed again. The album comes as a 2xLP on multicolored vinyl, each disc with a unique design."

LINK: http://pitchfork.com/news/45850-flaming-lips-detail-record-store-day-release-with-bon-iver-nick-cave-keha-erykah-badu-more/

COMMENT: Nice job doing the old cut and paste. I guess at least you didn't over dramatize the release, but does your wrist hurt from hitting the right click button?

How about Hilary Saunders over at PASTE MAGAZINE:

"Though some tracks have already appeared on other limited releases, most of the music on The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends is being pressed for the first time on extremely limited hand-thrown colored vinyl."

LINK: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/03/the-flaming-lips-ready-exclusive-record-store-day.html

COMMENT: Awesome, so vinyl is now being put together like a Domino's Pizza. Good to know. It's obvious that you'll be on Dateline NBC in no time, on "How to Catch a Fact". Again, extremely limited....uh-oh.

But my favorite article, was the one by Maggie Pannacione from ARTISTDIRECT, who turned the limited nature of the release into a whole other animal:

Title of article: "The Flaming Lips Announce Uber Exclusive Record Store Day Release"

Body: "This double album will be very limited and released exclusively for Record Store Day. Once it's gone, it will not be repressed again making this one of the most anticipated RSD release this year."
LINK: http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/the-flaming-lips-announce-uber-exclusive-record-store-day-release/9967309

COMMENT: So now the release has gone from very limited to UBER LIMITED based on a press release from a LABEL.

Other blogs that also failed in this include Exclaim, JamBase, Fuse and many others. Basically you bought into the PR Hype and hyperbole and floated marketing speil as FACT. Not one person reached out to any contact at WB PR (the contact info is at the bottom of the press release) to ask how limited it was or even if the item would ever see a release on CD (yes, towards the end of the year, without the Chris Martin track). I am not a journalist, I am passionate music fan and I just scooped all of you on information that would have taken you less than 5 minutes to obtain. But instead, I guess this counts as journalism these days.

But wait!! There is more!!! Fool me once, shame on me; Fool me twice, shame on you. Let's flash back to the Warner Brothers original Record Store Day press release this year, from MARCH 5th. On that release, it mentions the following two items:

"Eric Clapton: Blues (Deluxe Vinyl Album Box Set) Released to critical acclaim leading up to RSD's Back To Black Friday 2011, this limited edition box set is close to selling out. The set includes all three of Eric Clapton's seminal blues albums, From The Cradle, Riding With The King (with B.B. King) and Me And Mr. Johnson, remastered from original source material for vinyl. First time vinyl versions of these albums afford the listener an absolutely stellar new audio experience. With little more than 1,000 box sets left it's time to get your hands on this audiophile treasure. "

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium (Deluxe 180 Gram vinyl Box Set) On April 14, 2012, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and to commemorate this historic event, this classic Deluxe box set of the band's first number one album will be specially priced for Record Store Day. The Deluxe package was mastered for vinyl by Steve Hoffman and includes two 16-page booklets -- "Jupiter" and "Mars." The Red Hot Chili Peppers won four Grammy(R) Awards for Stadium Arcadium including: Best Rock Album, Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package in addition to Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for their chart-topping, record-breaking single "Dani California."

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/warner-bros-records-and-affiliated-labels-announce-exclusive-releases-for-record-store-day-on-april-21st-2012-03-05

COMMENT: Not ONE blog, did any fact checking or research about these 2 items. These 2 items are NOT on the official RSD release list and for good reason.

1) The Eric Clapton Blues boxset is still available on his website here: http://www.ericclapton.com/product/blues-box-set-5lp-180-gram-vinylwlitho

It has been available there for several months. But as the Press Release says, only 1000 copies or so remain, so stores better order them fast!

2) The Red Hot Chili Peppers Box Set is the SAME EXACT BOX THAT WAS RELEASED IN 2007. That is 5 YEARS AGO. This is INVENTORY DUMPING. Why? Warner made 2 versions of this box. A standard and deluxe one. The standard one was $40 and the deluxe was $100. Now, since the deluxe has been sitting in a warehouse for a few years, collecting dust, they have generously lowered the price to $40 (which is good), but duped fans into thinking that something "new" was being released. This set is not remastered, nor is it a "re-release". It has the exact same UPC code that it had in 2007.

So ask yourself this MUSIC BLOGS---

a) Does Warner Bros. advertise a lot on my website?
b) Do I get a lot of promo/free adverstising from Warner?

If the answer is NO, then why are you continously buying their BULLSHIT PR? If the answer is YES, then ask yourself if you have any journalistic ethics/integrity.

Because I'd love to see someone hack into the WB PR e-mail account, send out a Press Release saying "Tom Petty prepares to release a Shit Sandwhich on vinyl" and see how many of you would just blindly follow along. Get some balls, do some FACT CHECKING, and do you JOB! Otherwise, go write obituaries for the local paper and get someone who is PASSIONATE about music to write about this stuff

What will be the Rarest/Most Sought After RSD 2012 items??

2012-03-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

With over 300 items coming out this April for Record Store Day, which items will be the most sought after? Which items will be most difficult to find? This is my opinion at which items will be fetching top dollar on Ebay soon. Let's look:

a) Gorillaz Do Ya Thing 10". Limited to just 500 copies, this 10" features the unreleased 13 minute full version of the track that also features Andre 3000 and LCD Soundsystem. Fans of Blur, Outkast, Gorillaz and LCD Soundsystem should want to add this to their collection. Plus, with Universal buying Capital/EMI, and the confusion of distribution and you get an item that will be a nightmare to find, but will be highly collectible.

b) The Pearl Jam side project set of releases. Pearl Jam is already a highly collectible band. This year for Record Store Day, sees 4 separate releases each more limited than the next. Getting a complete set will take effort and luck. These items are:

Eddie Vedder Love Boat Captian (LIVE) b/w Wishlist (LIVE) 7" (1500 copies only)
Brad Waters Deep b/w Pressure is On (2 new tracks on transparent 7"--1000 copies only)
Po & The 4 Fathers Kingdom Come (vocals by Eddie Vedder) b/w Do Da (guitar by Stone Gossard) (600 copies only)
Mike McCready & Star Anna Keep On b/w Call Your Girlfriend (300 copies only!)

c) Horrible Crowes I Witnessed a Crime b/w Blood Loss 7" RED VINYL (300 copies only, exclusively sold only at Fingerprints Record Store in California). Thank you Side One Dummy, if you want to make it up to me, please send me one of these!! Otherwise, chance are slim and none that you'll be able to get this. Horrible Crowes features Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem and they released one of the better albums last year in Elise.

d) Sigur Ros Hvarf/Heim (150g colored vinyl, 1200 copies only). First time on vinyl for this release from this highly collectible band. Not being released overseas means a majority of their fans will have to resort to Ebay to add this to their collection.

e) Death Cab for Cutie Codes and Keyes Remix LP (400 copies only, each numbered). For fans who liked either the new album or the remixed album. Regardless, this will move up to become one of the rarest Death Cab items released in their discography.

f) Wilco The Whole Love Deluxe Box (300 copies only). Originally available through Wilco's website, this deluxe version includes the Whole Love LP, the Speak Into the Rose 10", the 7" (blue or clear vinyl--random) and a slipmat housed in a nice, slide-out box. Wilco fans are crazy and those that missed out on this online, now have another chance to grab it, provided your store is lucky enough to get it.

g) Coldplay Up With the Birds b/w UFO 7" (1000 copies only) See the Gorillaz example above. A lot of stores will have problems getting this. Plus, this is the first participation in Record Store Day for a band with a worldwide following (think how crazy U2's Live release was for Black Friday 2010 and you can get an idea).

Other items that I think will also be in demand:

Phish Junta (Pollack Edition)
Electronic Anthology Project featuring J Masic on PURPLE VINYL (500 copies)
Hey Mercedes EP
Minus the Bear 7"
Anything by Revelation or Victory Records
Misfits Walk Among Us LP on Clear Vinyl (500 copies)
Social Distortion Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes LP w/autographed poster (750 copies)

Anything I miss? Do you think something else will be very rare? What are you hoping your store gets for Record Store Day? Let me know!!

Record Store Day 2012/Record Store Day #5--April 21, 2012 #rsd12 Release List

2012-03-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hello again friends!!

Time again to compile the list of releases for Record Store Day in April. Most of the releases are in their final production stages and have to get to the vinyl pressing plants by mid-February in order to make the April date. So we should start getting a steady stream of information about upcoming releases.

ANY LABELS/ARTISTS/PR/MARKETING/ETC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SHARE INFORMATION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!

*****Hey, if you want to steal this list for your website/blog/magazine/facebook, at least have the common courtesy to link back here and give credit!!*****

Here is the list as of Friday, March 16th at 3:35pm EST with 299 ITEMS AND COUNTING (WILL WE HIT 300?????)!!

****EXCLUSIVE UPDATE ON ITEMS BY THE CULT, TAKING BACK SUNDAY, 311, BRENDAN BENSON, BRAD, NEON INDIAN, JOEY RAMONE, TORTOISE, VICTORY RECORDS and more!!****
***NEW UPDATE: MARCH 1st GIVES US EXCLUSIVE INFORMATION ON RYAN ADAMS, CIVIL WARS, GOGOL BORDELLO, CROSSES, AND MORE!!***
***SATURDAY UPDATE WITH DEVO, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND MORE!***
***Monday/Early Tuesday AM Update with WARNER BROTHERS and MERGE releases as well as news of EXCLUSIVE releases by---Justin Townes Earle, The Fall, Go Kart Mozart, Tangerine Dream (LP) and Jacuzzi Boys/King Khan split 7" !***
***Tuesday update with Foster the People, Uncle Tupelo, Paul Simon, Lou Reed, MILES DAVIS, LEONARD COHEN, Ozzy Osbourne and all of the POLYVINYL Releases (Deerhoof, Of Montreal, Matt Pond PA, Dirty Beaches, Mates of State, etc.***
***TUESDAY NIGHT EXCLUSIVE MEGA UPDATE with Animal Collective, Wilco, FUN, GRATEFUL DEAD, Refused, Firehose, Cursive, Burno Mars, MISFITS, Nightwish, Sub Pop, Saddle Creek Records, and MORE!!***
***SUNDAY 3/11 UPDATE--COLDPLAY, GORILLAZ, MAE, ANBERLIN, JOAN BAEZ, REVELATION releases and MORE!
***MONDAY 3/12 UPDATE--Minus the Bear, Florence & The Machine, Paul McCartney, Garbage, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Jay Farrar/Jim James/etc., and MORE!

****TUESDAY EXCLUSIVE UPDATE WITH EDDIE VEDDER 7" SINGLE AND 2 OTHER PEARL JAM RELATED SINGLES!!!****

Compact Discs:

• Switchfoot Vice Re-Verses Remix EP
• WTNG 89.9FM Solid Bronze (Numero Group, 1000 copies)
• Wilco/Billy Bragg Mermaid Avenue the Complete Sessions (3CD/DVD...can already be pre-ordered on Nonesuch website)
• CIVIL WARS LIVE AT AMOEBA 8 song EP
• Electronic Anthology Project of Dinosaur Jr. (1000 copies)
• Kimbra Settle Down (CD EP)
• Willie Nelson Just Breathe (Pearl Jam cover), Come On Back Jesus, Can I Sleep in Your Arms 3 track CD-EP that also features Lukas Nelson.
• Tedeschi Trucks Band Live EP (4 live tracks, all previously unreleased)
• Grace Potter & The Nocturnals Live from Sun Studio CD
• Grunttruck 3 Song EP (500 copies only)
• Alice Donut Freaks in Love (2CD + DVD)

7” RECORDS

Warner Bros Side by Side 2012 Series:

1) The Flaming Lips/Mastodon: "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton" (7" baby pink vinyl single)The mighty Mastodon faithfully covers the Lips classic "Spoonful Weighs a Ton," from The Soft Bulletin album. Ferociously beautiful!
2) Sara Watkins(Featuring Fiona Apple) / The Everly Brothers: "You're The One I Love" (7" olive green with blue/black splatter vinyl single) Sara Watkins covers The Everly Brothers classic "You're The One I Love" and features co-vocals from a very special guest, Fiona Apple. From Sara's new full-length album, Sun Midnight Sun, available later this spring.
3) Michael Bublé/Ray Charles: Georgia On My Mind (7" Georgia Peach vinyl single) Michael Bublé's first ever 7" vinyl release featuring a cover of Ray Charles' classic "Georgia On My Mind" on "Georgia Peach" colored vinyl.
4) Carolina Chocolate Drops/Run-DMC: "You Be Illin'(7" Coke-bottle green vinyl single) The Run-DMC classic rendered in an entirely new way by old-time string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The Drops' version was recorded at the same sessions as their February 2012 release Leaving Eden, which was produced by Nashville legend Buddy Miller.
5) MC5/Afrika Bambaataa: "Kick Out the Jams"(7" White with red splatter vinyl single) The incendiary original coupled with a cover version from the pioneer of The Electro Funk Sound.
6) Otis Redding/Aretha Franklin: "Respect (7" gold vinyl single)

• Memphis May Fire Between the Lies EP (features Action/Adventure, Be Careful What You Wish For and Dueces Las Cruces). 500 copies on RED vinyl.
• KID LIBERTY Give Up, Give In EP (features Give Me Alan or Give Me Death, Fuck You! (Cee Lo cover) and The Situation) 500 copies on YELLOW vinyl
• Jimmy Fallon Tebowie b/w Reading Rainbow
• My Brightest Diamond I Have Never Loved Someone b/w Bird On a Wire (1000 copies, hand numbered)
• Pussy Galore Feel Good About Your Body EP (reissue 7" of first Jon Spencer release)
• Beach House Lazuli b/w Equal Mind 7" (Sub Pop)
• EDDIE VEDDER LOVE BOAT CAPTIAN b/w WISHLIST (RSD EXCLUSIVE 7"--1500 copies only!   Both tracks are LIVE from July 2, 2011 at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis)
• Mike McCready & Star Anna Keep On b/w Call Your Girlfriend (RSD EXCLUSIVE--300 copies only!)
• Po & The 4 Fathers Kingdom Come (vocals by Eddie Vedder) b/w Do Da (guitar by Stone Gossard) (RSD Exclusive--600 copies)
• Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros One Love to Another 7"
• School of Seven Bells Kiss Them for Me 7"
• Lana Del Ray Born to Die (remix) b/w Blue Jeans (remix) 7"
• Paul McCartney Another Day b/w Oh Woman Oh Why 7"
• Florence and the Machine Shake it Out 7" (b-side features remix)
• Garbage Blood for Poppies 7" (b-side features remix)
• Minus the Bear new 7" (1000 only)
• From the Vaults of Rick and Ron Records 58-62 (10x7" box, 1000 copies) NUMERO GROUP!
• Smoke Fairies The Three of Us EP (2x7")
• COLDPLAY Up With The Birds b/w UFO (1000 copies only)
• Monster Truck/DZ Deathrays split 7"
• White Stripes Hand Springs b/w Red Death at 6:14 (Red/Black swirl colored 7")
• Karen Elson Milk and Honey b/w Winter's Going (Milk and Honey colored 7")
• Black Angels Watch Out Boy b/w I'd Rather be Lonely Orange colored 7" w/bonus download track.
• Grouplove Don't Fly To Close to the Sun b/w Tongue Tied (live) 7"
• Blitzen Trapper Hey Joe b/w Skirts on Fire 7" (1800 copies, yellow vinyl)
• Icky Blossoms Babes b/w Chicas 7" (1000 copies, colored vinyl)
• Pujol Reverse Vampire b/w Psychic Pain (Home Demo) (1000 copies, colored vinyl)
• The Mynabirds Generals b/w Fallen Doves 7" (1000 copies, each numbered)
• The Receiving End of Sirens "Songs // 2003" Bell, Book and Candle b/w The Race (2 unreleased songs from 2003) 7"
• The Hives Go Right Ahead b/w 1000 Answers 7"
• Laura Marling Flicker and Fail b/w To Be A Woman 7"
• Catlin Rose Piledriver Waltz b/w Love is a Laserquest (Arctic Monkeys covers) 7" (500 copies?)
• Deerhoof/Of Montreal Stygian x} Bisection split clear gold vinyl 7" (2000 copies)
• Uncle Tupelo The Seven Inch Singles (4x7" black vinyl numbered box set with new, unreleased 4th single and 14x7" poster)
    * I Got Drunk b/w Sin City
    * Gun b/w I Wanna Destroy You
    * Uncle Tupelo Sauget Wind b/w Looking For A Way Out (Acoustic), Take My Word
    * That Year b/w Pickle River
• Walk the Moon Anna Sun b/w Anyway I Can 7"
• Shuggie Otis Inspiration Information b/w Magic (numbered, colored vinyl 7")
• Ozzy Osbourne Believer (LIVE) b/w Goodbye to Romance (Polka Dot colored 7")
• Foster the People Broken Jaw b/w Ruby 7"
• The Clash London Calling 2012 (2012 mix b/w instrumental version--exclusive to RSD stores for only 4 weeks)
• Sara Bareilles Stay b/w Beautiful Girl 7"
• Mike Watt + The Missingmen "Sweet Honey Pie" b/w Chuck Dukowski Sextet "My War" split 7" on ORG Music
• Justin Townes Earle Nothing's Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now 7"
• The Fall Night of the Humerons 7"
• Go Kart Mozart New World in the Morning 7"
• Jacuzzi Boys/King Khan split 7"
• Ximena Sarinana "Maps" (a Yeah Yeah Yeah's cover) from Rolling Stone Live and "La Llorona" (a Latin American folk song) from KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic
• Arctic Monkeys R U Mine 7"
• M. Ward Primitive Girl b/w Roll Over Beethoven and The Twist 7" (2000 copies)
• Richard Buckner Willow b/w Lost (download includes bonus track of Cars Candy-O cover)
• Bruce Springsteen Rocky Ground b/w The Promise (Live at the Carousel, Asbury Park, NJ)
• Amanda Palmer Polly (Nirvana Cover) 7"
• ESG/Las Kellies Erase You 7"
• GG Allin & Antiseen Violence Now b/w Cook on the Loose
• Ra Ra Riot and Delicate Steve Valerie b/w The Big Ship
• Now Now/The Lonely Forest    Shifting b/w Woe is Me split 7"
• Jukebox the Ghost I Love You Always Forever 7"
• Paul Weller That Dangerous Age 7"
• Black Prarier Singers--Volume 1: Portland (Featuring James Mercer and Sallie Ford) 7"
• Sam Means Nona 7" (I will follow (that's all)) b/w Something In The Air -- download card features 2 extra tracks and each jacket is AUTOGRAPHED
• Dave House The River (Audra Mae cover) b/w Whistles the Wind (Flogging Molly cover)
• Horrible Crowes I Witnessed a Crime b/w Blood Loss 7" (recorded live at Fingerprints music--300 copies on Red Vinyl available only at Fingerprints and 1000 copies on black vinyl)
• RYAN ADAMS Heartbreak a Stranger b/w Black Sheets Of Rain (Both tracks recorded LIVE in November at Bob Mould tribute show). 2500 copies on COLORED vinyl.
• CIVIL WARS Billie Jean (LIVE) b/w Sour Times (Live) 7" (1000 copies only)
• RICHARD THOMPSON Haul Me Up (LIVE) b/w 1952 Vincent Black Lightening (LIVE) with 3rd bonus LIVE track as digital download! (3000 copies only)
• SUFJAN STEVENS/Rosie Thomas Hit & Run Volume 1 split 7" (Where Were You b/w Here I Am)
• Bowerbirds In The Yard b/w Always an Ear to Bend (1000 copies)
• Priscilla Ahn John Denver The Music is You Series (features Take Me Home, Country Roads b/w Leaving On A Jet Plane) 7" (1500 copies total)
• Slightly Stoopid/The Expendables John Denver The Music is You Series (Features Leaving On A Jet Plane b/w Back Home Again) (1500 copies total)
• Hiss Golden Messenger Jesus Shot Me in the Head b/w Dub Version of title track (500 copies)
• Sonnymoon Wild Rumpus b/w Wild Rumpus Remix (1000 copies)
• Winter Boys (Jesse Tabich of Other Lives and Tyson Meade of Chainsaw Kittens) Winter Boys Cutting a Rug b/w Daffodils (700 copies, screenprinted sleeve, each numbered)
• CROSSES Option b/w Telepathy 7" (1000 copies only)
• CSC Funk Band A Little Weight b/w A Little Planet (500 copies)
• The Right Now     He Used to Be b/w Good Man (400 copies)
• Black Twig Pickers Yellow Cat b/w You'll Never Miss Your Mama (800 copies only, from Thrill Jockey)
• Tortoise Lonesome Sound and Mosquito 2x7" remastered (Thrill Jockey)
• Juicehead/Osaka Popstar "Waiting Room" (Fugazi cover) 7" with etched b-side and sleeve design by Shepard Fairey
• Brendon Benson What Kind of World b/w Go Decco (unreleased b-side) 7"
• Blood for Blood Enemy 7" (900 copies total--600 on Grey, 300 on white) from Victory Records
• CAUSE FOR ALARM Red vinyl 7", 450 copies only from Victory Records
• BRAD WATERS DEEP b/w PRESSURE IS ON (UNRELEASED b-sides from new album on Transparent 7" 1000 copies only)
• Patterson Hood (Drive By Truckers) & The Downtown 13 "After Its Gone" 7" features members from REM, Widespread Panic and more focusing on Athens, GA music.
• Oberhofer Away from U b/w Runaway (Kanye West cover)
• Dry the River New Ceremony b/w Deadheads
• The Cult For the Animals PICTURE DISC
• Buck Owens Coloring Book with flexi disc with 4 live tracks (flexi is either red, white or blue and book is limited to 2500 copies total)
• Regina Spektor “The Prayer Of François Villon” b/w “Old Jacket" colored vinyl 7"
• Xiu Xiu Always (Erasure cover) / Dirty Beaches "Tu Ne Dis Rein" (Francoise Hardy cover) split 7"
• M83 Mirror 7" (2000 copies)
• Chris Robinson Brotherhood New Suede Shoes b/w Girl I Love you BLUE VINYL 7"
• Toro Y Moi June 2009 5x7" box set
• Pharcyde Bizarre Ride II: The Singles Collection (7x7" colored vinyl box set, each 7" a different color, 2CD, poster and puzzle. BOX PLAYES SNIPPET OF "OH SHIT" when opened!!)
• James Brown Live at the Apollo
• Doomriders/Sweet Cobra split 7" featuring Girl U Want b/w Gates of Steel (Devo covers)
• Pelican/Playing Enemy split 7"
• The Mynah Birds It's My Time b/w Go On and Cry
• St. Vincent Krokodil b/w Grot (RED colored vinyl--both tracks unreleased--2500 copies)
• Joey Ramone Rock N Roll is the Answer b/w There's Got to be more to Life
• Poison Idea Pick Your King EP (remastered tracks, clear vinyl, 1000 copies only...released by TKO records)
• Squackett (Chris Squire of Yes and Steve Hackett of Genesis) Sea of Smiles (single edit) b/w Perfect Love Song 7" (Numbered, 2000 copies)
• Andrew Bird The Crown Salesman (Alpha Consumer cover) b/w So Much Wine (Handsome Family cover) 7”
• Mastodon/Feist Split A Commotion b/w Black Tongue 7”
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy 7"  Hummingbird (Leon Russell cover) b/w Tribulations (Estil Ball cover) and Becuase of Your Eyes (Exclusive solo version of this Merle Haggard song)
• Tangerine Dream Ultima Thule 7” (1000 copies, each numbered)
• Flogging Molly Drunken Lullabies (new mix) b/w A Prayer for Me in Silence (Acoustic) RED VINYL 7" (2000 copies)
• David Bowie Starman Picture Disc 7” (featuring unreleased b-side with Top of Pops performance)
• J. Dilla featuring Common (E=MC2)
• Lydia Loveless Alison b/w Bad Way to Go
• Pinback Information Retrieved Part C. 7”
• Lemuria 2 track 7”
• Unrest Perfect Teeth 6x7” box set (Colored Vinyl w/24 page booklet)
• Gruesome Flowers 7" Part Two (Wake Covers)
• Craft Spells/Blouse split 7”
• Trouble in Mind 4 way split: TIM035: 2012 Record Store Day 4-way covers split 7-inch featuring: MIKAL CRONIN (I Enjoy Being A Boy ~ Banana Splits), APACHE DROPOUT (Cuddly Toy ~ Harry Nilsson), The PAPERHEAD (Stacey Grove ~ Tyrannosaurus Rex), & The LIMIÑANAS (Come Now ~ Troggs)
• Testors Together/Time is Mine
• Never To Be Forgotten – The Flipside Of Stax Records 1968-1974 (10 x 7" box w/100 page book, 4000 copies only, each individually numbered)

• T. Rex Electric Sevens 7” Box Set:
o RECORD STORE DAY 2012 EXCLUSIVE: ELECTRIC SEVENS 7” SINGLES BOX SET

VINYL SINGLE ONE: HOT LOVE
A1: Hot Love - Single Version
B1: Unnamed Instrumental aka “A Lot Of Rubbish” (O/T) *
B2: Hot Love - no strings version

VINYL SINGLE TWO: GET IT ON
A1: Get It On single version
B1: Raw Ramp – London demo version *
B2: Get It On - acoustic demo*

VINYL SINGLE THREE: JEEPSTER
A1: Jeepster – single version
B1: Life's A Gas - electric demo (2.22) *
B2: Jeepster - electric demo (2.15)

VINYL SINGLE FOUR: BBC EP
A1:Sailors of the Highway (2:46) BBC Radio 1 Club – 3rd August 1971
B1:Girl (2:13) BBC Radio 1 Club –3rd August 1971
B2:Electric Boogie (1:47) BBC Radio 1 Club – 20th July 1971
Previously Unreleased *

SUNDAZED 7"s
• Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band~ “Double Single”
Record One: Diddy Wah Diddy b/w Who Do You Think You’re Fooling?
Record Two: Moonchild b/w Frying Pan
(uses the brown A&M records labels)

• Gene Clark~She’s The Kind of Girl b/w One In A Million
(uses the brown A&M labels)

• Dillard & Clark~Lying Down The Middle b/w Why Not?
(uses brown A&M labels)

• Blues Magoos E.P.~So I’m Wrong And You Are Right b/w People Had No Faces & Wild About My Lovin’
(uses brown Verve/Forecast labels)

• The Byrds~I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better b/w It’s No Use (alternate versions) on CLEAR BLUE VINYL
(uses a picture sleeve that mimics the “Mr. Tambourine Man” LP on White w/ Red Text “Columbia” Promo labels)

• Paul Revere & The Raiders~Ride Your Pony b/w (You’re A) Bad Girl on CLEAR RED VINYL
(uses White w/ Red Text ‘Columbia” Promo labels)

• The Blues Project~(Mose Allison’s) Parchman Farm b/w (Jimmy Reed’s) Bright Lights, Big City
(uses brown Verve/Forecast labels)

• The Chocolate Watch Band~Psychedelic Trip b/w In The Midnight Hour
(uses orange Tower Records labels)

10” RECORDS

• Gravenhurst The Prize 10" (200 copies only)
• GORILLAZ Do Ya Thing 10" (500 copies)
• Pete Townshend/Who Quadraphenia Demos Pt 2 Numbered 10” (follow-up to Black Friday 10”)• Morrisey Suedehead Picture Disc featuring Suedehead (Mael/Sparks Mix) b/w two previously unreleased BBC live tracks: 'We'll Let You Know' and 'Now My Heart Is Full', recorded at London's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in February 1995.
• Janis Joplin Highlights from the Pearl Sessions 2x10"
• Of Monsters and Men Into the Woods EP 10"
• Lee Scratch Perry Blackboard Jungle Dub 3x10" Box  (Red Vinyl, Yellow Vinyl and Green Vinyl--2000 copies worldwide)
• Peter Tosh Legalize It Echodelic Remixes (4 new remixes of this classic track on a 10" picture disc)
• Variety Lights (Mercury Rev's David Baker) Silent Too Long 10"
• The Knack Live in Los Angeles 1978 (1500 copies on red/yellow splatter vinyl)
• Neon Indian Hex Girlfriend Mixed "coke bottle green" and blue vinyl (500 copies only!)
• Rhymesayers 10" Picture Disc (Atmosphere "Someday Soon" b/w The Uncluded (Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson) "Bats") (2000 copies, each numbered)
• FUN The Ghost That You Are To Me (features 3 acoustic tracks on shaped vinyl, limited to 2000 copies)
• Bruno Mars The Grenade Sessions (4 different ver sions of Grenade, limited to 2500 copies)
• Alexisonfire Math Sheets Demo 10" (White vinyl, 1000 copies)
• Woody Guthrie Tribute featuring Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Jim James and Anders Parker Let's Multiply (features 2 demos and 2 tracks unavailable anywhere else)
• Dave Brubeck Quartet Fantasy 3-3--Distinctive Rhythm Instrumentals

12” RECORDS

• KATY PERRY Part of Me (Thin White Duke Remix) Pink Vinyl 12" (3000 copies)
• Battles Gloss Drop Remix 12” Part 4 (750 copies only)
• Abba Voulez-Vous (Extended Dance Remix) b/w If It Wasn't For The Nights (Glittler Blue Vinyl 180g 12", limited to 4000 copies, each numbered)
• Public Image Ltd. (PIL) "One Drop" 4 track EP (1st new music in 20 years!!)
• Pains of Being Pure at Heart Acid Reflex EP
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. We Almost Lost Detroit EP (Black vinyl, 2000 copies, features
• Moving Mountains Foreward EP (exclusive colored vinyl re-release)
• GENESIS Spot the Pigeon EP (dual speed (45/33) 12" on Blue Vinyl)
• Tallest Man on Earth King of Spain 12" (2000 copies, b-side features Paul Simon cover of Graceland)
• Childish Gambino Heartbeat Red Vinyl 12"
• The Bronx/Mariachi El Bronx LIVE splatter vinyl split 12"
• 311 REMIXES 12" (features 4 remixes from Universal Pulse)
• TAKING BACK SUNDAY LIVE (4 song 12" featuring 2 tracks from Fingerprints Record Store and 2 Tracks from Looney Tunes) 1400 copies only!
• Endpoint In a Time of Hate Remastered release on red vinyl with new silkscreened cover artwork.
• GOGOL BORDELLO Imigrinadiada Yellow vinyl 4 track 12", featuring 3 unreleased remixes (1000 copies only)
• Metallica Beyond Magnetic 4 Track EP (Silver/Metallic colored 12")
• Jonathan Wilson Pity Trials and Tomorrow's Child 12"
• Arcade Fire Suburbs Remixes 12" (Sprawl II b/w Ready to Start---3000 copies only)
• Gary Clark Jr. HWUL Cuts Volume One (2 Live tracks)
• Jeff The Brotherhood Upstairs at United Volume 3 12"
• Leonard Cohen LIVE IN FREDERICTON EP (5 live tracks from 2008, all previously commercially unavailable)
• Hey Mercedes   Hey Mercedes EP
• ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Transverse Temporal Gyrus 12" (features Part 1 and Part 2, limited to 5000 copies worldwide)
• Cursive Burst and Bloom EP (yellow, white and black marbled color vinyl--1500 copies)
• Shabazz Palaces Live at KEXP 12" (2000 copies on light purple vinyl)
• Nightwish Trials of Imaginaerum 10" Picture Disc (features 4 demo tracks)
• LCD Soundsystem Losing My Edge 12" (reissue with picture sleeve)
• Botch An Anthology of Dead Ends (750 copies)

78 RPM Record Releases:

• Luther Dickinson Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah and Beautiful Dreamer b/w Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen and Peace in the Valley (500 copies only)
• Ralph Stanley Single Girl b/w Little Birdie (500 copies only)

LP RECORDS:

• Flaming Lips Collaboration LP (Bon Iver, Ke$ha, Nick Cave, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Plastic Ono Band, Neon Indian, Erykah Badu, etc.)
• 311 Music 2LP Gatefold, numbered release (exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Smashing Pumpkins Pisces Iscariot (THIS WILL NOW BE RELEASED AFTER RSD)
• Dio Picture Disc
• Rainbow Long Live Rock N Roll—Picture Disc
• Dinosaur Jr. Electronic Anthology Project (500 Copies—Purple Vinyl, 500 copies--Black Vinyl)
• Dr. John “Locked Down” LP featuring Dan Auerbach
• Iggy & The Stooges (Live @ All Tomorrow Parties Sept 2010) Picture Disc (1000 copies, each numbered)
• Widespread Panic LIVE WOOD 7 track ACOUSTIC LIVE 12" on 180g Vinyl (Each numbered)
• Lee Hazelwood--The LHI years--Singles, Nudes & Backsides 2LP (4000 copies)
• Phish Junta 3LP 180g Deluxe Set (5000 copies, each numbered---2500 copies come with hand carved, hand printed poster by Jim Pollack.....1st TIME ON VINYL!)
• SIGUR ROS Hvarf/Heim 2LP (150g colored vinyl--1200 copies only)
• Luna Romantica (180g LP, 1000 copies only, 1st time on vinyl)
• Luna Rendezvous (180g LP, 1000 copies only, 1st time on vinyl)
• Mclusky Mclusky Do Dallas (White vinyl LP--1000 copies only)
• ISIS The Red Sea--REISSUE WITH 4 BONUS TRACKS FROM A 1998 DEMO ON THE B-SIDE (Red/Black colored vinyl)
• Social Distortion Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (2LP/CD/POSTER): This special Record Store Day vinyl edition of the best-selling Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes contains limited edition colored (opaque mint green) double vinyl, CD and full 18x24 movie poster. These limited edition movie posters were originally produced for the Los Angeles premiere of the full-length video of “Machine Gun Blues,” and have been in high demand since then. Half of these posters have been signed by the band, and signed copies will be indicated by a sticker on the outside of the package.
• Tinariwen Tassili (2LP w/CD and 4 bonus mixes not on original release by Animal Collective, Four Tet, Portugal the Man and Galatic)
• Death Grips The Money Store LP (excluisve to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Circle Manner (Hydra Head release)
• Pulse Emitter / Date Palms / Expo 70 / Faceplant split 2xLP (1,000 copies only)
• Odd Future The Odd Future Tape Volume 2 (Features Tyler the Creator, Hodgy Beats, Frank Ocean, Leftbrain, Mike G, Domo Genesis and more!)
• Straylight Run S/T LP (1st time on vinyl! 900 copies total--600 yellow and 300 brown) from Victory Records
• Snapcase Progression Through Unlearning LP (900 copies total, all yellow vinyl) from Victory Records
• All Out War Assassins in the House of God (1st time on vinyl! 400 copies on pink vinyl) from Victory Records
• Ringworm The Venemous Grand Design (1st time on vinyl!! 400 copies on yellow) from Victory Records
• Ringworm Justice Replaced by Revenge (1st time on vinyl!! 400 copies on white) from Victory Records
• Sinead O'Connor How About I Be Me (And You be You) New LP
• The Green Ways & Means Green Vinyl LP
• Freakwater Feels Like The Third Time (Remasterd LP from Thrill Jockey)
• Hush Arbors/Arbouretum Aureola LP (1000 copies only, from Thrill Jockey)
• Futurebirds Seney-Stovall (LIVE LP--hand numbered)
• Danny Brown XXX 2LP White Vinyl w/bonus 7" (1000 copies only)
• Preteen Zenith (new band from Tim DeLaughter of Tripping Daisy/Polyphonic Spree) LP with Handscreened covers, swirl colored 180g vinyl and CDR) (2000 copies only)
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Howl Gatefold 2LP (reissue of 2005 Echo release, this time being released by Cobraside)
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club The Howl Sessions LP (reissue of b-sides comp from 2006, from Cobraside)
• DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE CODES AND KEYS REMIX EP
• DEVO LIVE IN SEATTLE 1981 LP
• Branford Marsalis Quartet Four MF's Playin' Tunes (2LP)
• Ugly Custard S/T LP
• Horse Feathers Cynic's New Year LP
• Visioneers Hipology LP
• Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, etc.) Catalogue/Preserve/Amass (Live tracks from European leg of tour) 2000 copies only
• Destroyer Destroyer's Rubies (Ruby Red LP w/Bonus Track--2000 copies)
• Black Keys El Camino DELUXE (LP w/bonus CD, poster and live 7")
• Common The Dreamer/The Believer (limited edition with new artwork)
• Fleetwood Mac S/T release in standard (33rpm) and deluxe (45rpm) mastered versions (similar to last year's Rumors release)
• Tegan and Sara Get Along LIVE LP (White vinyl)
• Tangerine Dream Electronic Meditation LP
• MILES DAVIS Forever Miles (5 track LP with all unreleased material)
• Janis Joplin Pearl (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Ozzy Osbourne Live 2LP set (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Pistol Annies Hell on Heels 180g LP (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Iggy Pop and the Stooges Raw Power (2LP, 120g vinyl) (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Lou Reed Rock & Roll Animal LP (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Lou Reed Transformer LP (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Paul Simon Graceland 25th Anniversary LP (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Patti Smith Horses Lp (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Uncle Tupelo No Depression (180g LP) (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Uncle Tupelo Still Feel Gone (180g LP) (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Uncle Tupelo March 16-20, 1992 (180g LP) (Exclusive to RSD stores for 4 weeks only)
• Starfucker STRFKR Heaven's Youth (Reptilians Demos) 180g White Vinyl LP (1000 only)
• Saturday Looks Good to Me All Your Summer Songs 180g White Vinyl LP (1000 only)
• Mates of State Crushes (The Covers Mixtape) 180g Clear Vinyl LP (1500 only)
• Matt Pond PA Several Arrows Later 180g LP (1000 copies)
• Matt Pond PA Measure 180g LP (1000 copies)(
• Rainer Maria S/T 180g LP w/Screenprinted Jackets (300 copies only)
• REFUSED The Shape of Punk to Come DELUXE LP (Limited Edition Red Vinyl LP with CD, DVD and promo poster)
• FIREHOSE Flyin the Fannel Remastered LP (2000 copies)
• GRATEFUL DEAD Dark Star: Europe '72 Olympia Theater, Paris, France 5/4/72 (features 40+ minute version of Dark Star never released on vinyl before) 3000 copies
• MISFITS Walk Among Us (30th Anniversary Colored Vinyl LP) (1250 copies on Red Vinyl, 1250 copies on blue vinyl, 500 copies on clear vinyl)
• The Cure Entreat Plus Deluxe LP (5000 copies only)
• Jerry Lee Lewis Live at Third Man Records 4-17-11 (official release of what was originally only available to the people who attended last years show on black and blue vinyl)
• Attack in Black Marriage DELUXE 180g LP (includes bonus 10", 500 copies only)
• Moneen The Red Tree DELUXE 180g Colored LP (includes bonus 7", 500 copies only)
• Wool Lunar Momento--The Lost Rancho Session 1 180g LP (includes bonus 7", 500 only)
• ANBERLIN Blueprints for the Black Market (180g LP--1000 copies only)
• ANBERLIN Never Take Friendship Personal (180g LP--1000 copies only)
• JOAN BAEZ Farewell Angelina (Remastered LP, 1000 copies)
• Buddy Guy This is Buddy Guy (Remasterd LP, 1000 copies)
• Horse Feathers Cynic's New Year (180g LP, 400 copies)
• Mississippi John Hurt Last Sessions (Remastered LP, 1000 copies)
• Skip James Devil Got My Woman (Remastered LP, 1000 copies)
• MAE The Everglow (1000 copies)
• Pelician Australsia (2LP, 180g vinyl, 750 copies)
• Santigold Master of My Make Believe (Gold Vinyl, 3000 copies)
• Townes Van Zandt At My Window (500 copies)
• Graffiti 6 Colours LP (1000 copies)
• Into Another S/T LP (reissue on GREEN VINYL--500 copies only)
• SENSE FIELDS KILLED FOR LESS (reissue LP on ORANGE vinyl--500 copies only)
• Farside Rigged (reissue LP on BROWN vinyl--500 copies only)
• Little Richard Here's Little Richard (Red Vinyl LP)
• Grace Potter & The Nocturnals Live from Sun Studio LP
• Matt Chamberlin/Company 23   Company 23 LP (1000 copies only)
• Jeremy Spencer Bend in the Road 2LP (1000 copies only)

BOX SETS:

• David Lynch Foundation—Download for Good 4LP Box Set (2500 worldwide)
• Cleaners From Venus/Martin Newell 4xLP box (500 only)
• Medicine (Band) 5xLP +cassette box. (500 Only)
• The Wake "Here Comes Everybody+'83-87 Singles/EP's" 2xLP box. (500 only)
• Amon Tobin 6x10”/7xCD/2xDVD deluxe box
• Tomahawk From Epoynmous to Anonymous 3LP Box (with room for 4th LP out later this year)
• Disturbed "The Collection" 6LP box with new artwork, pressed on 140g vinyl and 1st run is limited to 2500 copies.
• Eric Clapton Blues 3LP Boxset (already released, not sure why this is being tagged as a RSD release)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium Deluxe 180g Box (Originally Released in 2007, it better have something new otherwise WB is DUMPING INVENTORY....LAME)
• Wilco The Whole Love Deluxe Vinyl Box (LP, 10", 7" and slipmat in custom box)

VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPLIATIONS:

• WTNG 89.9FM Solid Bronze (Numero Group, 1000 copies)
• Smugglers Way Magazine (features 5 flexi discs featuring Dirty Projectors, Real Estate, Villagers and more)
• Secret Handshakes V/A LP.  Features previously unreleased tracks by: Golden Sound Records Artists: Everyday/Everynight, The Caves, Millions Of Boys, The Empty Spaces, Fullbloods and Baby Teardrops and The Record Machine Artists: Soft Reeds, Max Justus, Spirit Is The Spirit, Ad Astra Arkestra, Akkiles and La Guerre.
• Original Soundtrack---Empire Records (2LP w/poster)
• Original Soundtrack--Pretty in Pink (w/poster)
• Original Soundtrack--Breakfast Club (w/poster)
• Eight Trails, One Path (This compilation presents a series of newly commissioned and previously unreleased tracks from some of the scene's essential and unique guitar voices: Alvarius B. (Alan Bishop of the Sun City Girls), Sir Richard Bishop, David Daniell (solo, San Agustin, Rhys Chatham ensembles), Danny Paul Grody (solo, Tarentel, The Drift), Steve Gunn (solo, Gunn-Truscinski Duo, GHQ), Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Six Organs of Admittance and William Tyler (solo, Lambchop, Silver Jews)---limited to just 1000 copies.
• Sacred Bones Presents: Todo Muere Volume 2 (Features Crystal Stilts, Slug Guts, War, The Men, Amen Dunes, Psychic Ills and more) (1500 copies total)

YET TO BE ANNOUNCED/SEARCHING FOR MORE INFO:
• Few last second items....

MUSIC STORES CLOSING--The Epidemic has got to STOP, but it's up to YOU

2011-10-25T20:26:00.001-07:00

In case you haven't been following any news articles lately, several key Independent Music Stores have announced that they will be forced to close.

This includes the following stores:

Slowtrain Records in Salt Lake City, Utah

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsburger/52781620-53/slowtrain-store-record-week.html.csp

Criminal Records in Atlanta, GA

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/09/co-founder-of-record-store-days-atlanta-store-expe.html

Schoolkids Records in Athens, GA

http://onlineathens.com/stories/082011/new_873732826.shtml

Vinyl Fever in Tampa, FL.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/media/content/tampas-vinyl-fever-close-months-after-rolling-stone-named-it-top-us-record-store

________________________________________________________________

We are coming to a crossroads of where and how we buy music. We can succumb to an environment where we have to settle for stores like Best Buy or Target to be our store of choice, or look at an online only retailer like Amazon.com.

The problem with all of the above are the following:

* No support of local artists

* Few Best Buy and Targets carry vinyl, vinyl record players and even keep up with releases. Have you gone to a Target or Best Buy on a new release Tuesday and expected to find the item out for sale, only to have to ask one of the employees to go to the back and pull it out of a box so you can buy it?

* Loss of independent voice as upcoming artists or new artists will have more obstacles to be discovered.

* More often, you'll have to settle for the "special order" scenario, whereby there is no guarantee that you'll even get your item and if it will be packed correctly and not get damaged during shipment ( a major issue buying vinyl online through most retailers, especially if they use Media Mail)

The fact of the matter is, the big Music labels don't give a shit about you as a fan. They don't give a shit about the small, independent music stores (no matter what verbal diarrhea their PR speak would have you believe). Despite the fact that vinyl sales have already surpassed their record from last year, labels would rather cater to a Best Buy or Amazon, because of volume. That is fine. It is understandable in this economy. 10,000 Best Buy stores has more buying power than 2 local music stores.

People want to pick and choose music now. People want to have the stream of the album before it's released to check it out. People want to pay .99c or $1.29 on ITUNES for just 1 song. I get that.

But for those that still prefer ANALOG to DIGITAL. Those that love the smell of vinyl. The pictures included in a Gatefold LP. The etching that can be found on a Picture Disc. The variations of colored vinyl available. The "Triple Decker Record". What about them. They are growing. Some have never gone away, but most are from a new generation.

The sound of vinyl is better than digital. It has been proven. But this is not an audiophile debate. This is a plea to do what we can from all angles to save music stores, so we can stop seeing articles like this. How do we do this. We do it twofold:

YOU AS THE MUSIC BUYER:

* You have to make an effort to shop at these stores. Yes, your new Coldplay CD will be $12.99 versus $9.99, but that extra $3.00 is keeping that roof above the owner's head. Do you think that same $9.99 at Best Buy is keeping the lights on??

* Try and discover new music and support events like Record Store Day's Black Friday and Record Store Day in April

* Buy some used CDs/Vinyl. It is where the stores make their most profit. Most stores usually have a buy 4 for $20 deal. Buy CDs to make a mixtape for your significant other. Rebuild your collection from high school to burn onto your various tablets/cellphones/mp3 players.

* Have you always wanted to buy XXX on vinyl, but think you can only get it on Ebay? Check with your local store, maybe that can find it. A lot of stores have a network of owners they can check with to find releases. You want them to special order something coming out overseas (e.g. Pearl Jam 20 3LP soundtrack), then order it through them. Don't go to Amazon.com.

* If they sell t-shirts, posters, concert tickets, DVDs, Blu-Ray's, etc......find something to give to friends and family for XMAS. Buy giftcards.

You can impact these stores bottom lines and keep them in business. Some stores are already doing pre-orders for the Black Friday releases. Was your Dad a big Beatles fan? Surprise him this Xmas with the Beatles 7" boxset, featuring the remastered versions of songs from next year's Beatles re-issues. These versions have not been on vinyl before and would be a nice surprise versus something from Home Depot or a tacky tie for a suit.

But it isn't just the fans that have to do something. It is the labels too. They are just as complicit in forcing these stores to go out of business. These are the same stores 20 years ago that they loved. But now their love has shifted to whomever can make them the most $$$$.

YOU AS THE MUSIC LABEL:

* Stop doing 6 different versions of albums. No more Itunes version, Best Buy version, etc. If you are forced to do different versions, at least do a "INDIE STORE EXCLUSIVE" version, that these stores can sell, that will have ALTERNATE/EXCLUSIVE tracks that will drive customers to these stores.

* Create an alternate pricing model for Independent Retailers (3 stores or less). Doing things Nonesuch did with the Black Keys, who raised the wholesale price of Brothers after the band took off HAS GOT TO STOP. Doing things like Warner Bros. did twice after Record Store Day, swearing that the Fleetwood Mac Rumors 2LP 45rpm vinyl and Flaming Lips Dark Side of the Moon LP wouldn't be repressed and then LYING and FLOODING THE MARKET due to unexpected sales HAS GOT TO STOP.

* Stop with the Direct to Consumer (D2C) "DELUXE" version online and give it to Indie Stores for 3 months and *THEN* go online D2C.

* Create limited runs (1000 to 2000 tops) of vinyl releases on LIMITED COLORED VINYL for Indie Stores. This was done with Primus and Blink 182's most recent release, but should be done for *ALL* artists that are popular on vinyl. Having exclusive releases, in limited quantities, WILL SELL. Record Store Day has proven that for the *popular* artist who has a numbered/limited release. Notice for Black Friday how many items are limited and/or numbered.....this is a good thing.

* Create a position at each label called "Indie Store Liaison"....this person would be the interface between the label and its artists and the stores. This person would help coordinate in-store signings/performances; send stores promo copies/posters/1 sheets to use as contest giveaways or listening parties; ensure that stores received items they ordered and make INTERNATIONAL RELEASES available (e.g. Japan SHM-CD releases, Music On Vinyl in Sweden, Australia tour edition releases, etc.) at AFFORDABLE PRICES to offer alternate import versions of CDs/Vinyl not available in the US.

Finally, Indie Stores need to create a partnership with Apple and Amazon to have exclusive "download kiosks" in each store. These kiosks would allow anyone to plug in their tablet or phone into the kiosk and download tracks. The cost can be billed to a credit card already tied to their ITUNES or Amazon account, or they can insert cash and have access to the songs. For every song downloaded, the store gets a percentage/fee (similar to an ATM fee), to justify having the kiosk in the store.

Again, we as the consumer have got to help these stores out. Having a choice on where to buy records, is a necessary and valuable option. But we can't do it alone. We have to get support from the major labels to finally show they care. If they can start creating alternate options for these stores, it will be a win-win situation for everyone. We'll buy more of their music, versus just downloading 1 or 2 tracks and stores will generate more sales due to added traffic.

This is not perfect and I am sure several people have other ideas on how to make this better. But we just can't wait until we see a future where Best Buy or Amazon is the "vinyl store" of choice in the United States. We will all lose in that scenario.

Record Store Day Presents Black Friday 2011

2011-10-14T12:12:00.001-07:00

UPDATED MONDAY 10/19/11 AT 10:55AM ET---WITH CONFIRMED PHISH AND CHRIS CORNELL RELEASES!

Ahhh...Thanksgiving. Time to be thankful for all we have in this economy. Once again, the folks behind Record Store Day have decided to a mini-RSD to add to our hectic holiday shopping season. From what I've heard, around 30 pieces will be released. The official press release is supposed to hit on the 20th, but here are some advance word on some of the items being released:

7" RELEASES

1) Doors L.A. Woman 7" Boxset. (5000 copies, each individually numbered). Features the singles--"Riders on the Storm", "The Changeling" and "Love Her Madly" Also features a special 7" of outtakes and studio chatter from the recording sessions. Also features an exact replication of the "Electric Woman" poster.

2) Janis Joplin Move Over! 7" Boxset. (5000 copies, each individually numbered). A limited-edition set of four 7" singles on virgin vinyl. Features "Call Me" b/w "Magic of Love" (unissued mono mix), "Piece of My Heart" b/w "Summertime" (stereo mix), "Raise Your Hand" b/w "Bo Diddley" (stereo mix) and "Move Over" b/w "My Baby" (unissued version, original mono mix prepared for cancelled single release). Includes reproductions of original picture sleeves, plus a temporary version of Janis' wrist tattoo.

3) Beatles Singles Collection 4x7" Boxset (5000 copies, each individually numbered).

Box set of 4 7" picture sleeves in metal tin, includes RSD branded adapter and poster, all tracks are newly remastered and appearing on vinyl for the 1st time.

1. “Ticket To Ride” / “Yes It Is”

2. “Hey Jude” / “Revolution”

3. “Something” / “Come Together”

4. “Yellow Submarine” / “Eleanor Rigby”

4) Pink Floyd The Wall 3x7" Singles Collection (5000 copies, each individually numbered)....Comes with poster.

A Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)
B One of My Turns

A Comfortably Numb
B Hey You

A Run Like Hell
B Don’t Leave Me Now

5) Bob Dylan Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window 4x7" Boxset (5000 copies, each individually numbered).
"SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES/SHE BELONGS TO ME"
"LIKE A ROLLING STONE/GATES OF EDEN"
"POSITIVELY 4TH STREET/ FROM A BUICK 6"
"CAN YOU PLEASE CRAWL OUT YOUR WINDOW/HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED"
Also comes with Bob Dylan sticker of some sort.

6) Byrds Eight Miles High (Mono) b/w Why (Mono) (Sundazed, 1000 copies??)

7) Byrds Times They Are A Changin b/w She Don't Care About Time (Sundazed, 1000 copies??)

8) Lovin Spoonful Alley Oop b/w Night Owl Blues (Unedited Version) (Sundazed, 1000 copies??)

9) Yardbirds Ha Ha Said The Clown b/w Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor (Sundazed, 1000 copies?)

10) Yardbirds Ten Little Indians b/w Drinking Muddy Water (Sundazed, 1000 copies?)

11) Youngbloods All My Dreams Blue b/w Sham (Sundazed, 1000 copies?)

12) Craig Finn (lead singer of The Hold Steady) Honolulu Blues b/w Rented Room (600 copies only)

13) Sea Wolf Song of the Magpie b/w Where the Wind Blows (Limited 7")

14) Dr. Dog Control Yourself 7"

15) Justin Townes Earle Slippin and Slidin b/w Louisiana 1927

16) V/A Wheele's Grrove--Seattle's Finest in Funk & Soul...7x10" boxset plus CD and booket

17) Fear Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Acoustic) b/w Another Christmas Beer 7"

18) Ingrid Michaelson Ghost (original version b/w demo version) 500 copies, comes with paint by number art w/paints

19) All That Remains and Jasta split 7" single with artwork by Mike D of Killswitch Engage...1000 copies only

20) Pinback True North Part 2 of a 3 part 7" series, each numbered and packaged the same.

21) RYAN ADAMS DO I WAIT b/w DARKNESS....2 Demo tracks from the Ashes & Fire sessions.

22) Syd Barrett---Mick Rock Photographs. Contains Images of Syd taken by Mick Rock and an exclusive YELLOW vinyl 7" featuring Octopus b/w Golden Hair in picture bag sleeve.

10" RELEASES

1) Nirvana Nevermind the Singles 4x10" Box.....(5000 Copies, each individually numbered). Features Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, Lithium and In Bloom with all original b-sides.

2) Pete Townshend/The Who Quadraphenia Demos 10" EP (Part 1 of 2...2nd 10" with remaining demos will come out next April for Record Store Day). Features 6 demos from the November 15th "Director's Cut" release....Only 4000 copies made and each is indvidually numbered.

Side One (all demo tracks):

The Real Me

Cut My Hair

Punk

Side Two (all demo tracks):

Dirty Jobs

Is It In My Head?

Anymore

3) Soundgarden Live on I-5 Before the Doors Soundcheck COLORED vinyl 10" EP (4000 copies, each numbered). Same as the bonus CD release from earlier this year, this 10" features 5 rare rehearsal performances:

No Attention (live from Oakland, 12/5/96)
Never the Machine Forever (Live from Oakland, 12/5/96)
Waiting For The Sun (Doors Cover, Live from Oakland, 12/5/96)
Room A Thousand Years Wide (Live from Vancouver, 12/7/96)
Somewhere (Live from Sacramento, 12/4/96)

4) Miles Davis Quartet Blue Vinyl 10"....Reissue of 1953 Prestige Recording release featuring such Jazz legends as Art Blakey, Max Roach, Percy Heath, Horace Silver and John Lewis. (1800 copies)

5) Silversun Pickups Seasick....features 3 demo tracks from the Swoon sessions. (2500 copies)

6) Wilco Speak Into the Rose (RED VINYL 10")

Features 4 tracks: Art of Almost (ALT Version), I Might (Demo), Speak Into the Rose and Message from Mid-Bar.

7) The Civil Wars Tracks in the Snow (WHITE VINYL 10") ...features 2 holiday tracks and 2 live tracks.

12" RELEASES

1) Warren Haynes Band River's Gonna Rise (1800 copies only) Features River's Gonna Rise b/w Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday (both tracks recorded LIVE in NYC Beacon Theater May 2011)

2) Jimmy Cliff Sacred Fire EP

3) Black Keys 12" (features 2 tracks from their forthcoming new LP)

LP RELEASES

1) Kings of Leon Early Years Boxset. 4LP Boxset features their 1st 3 albums with a bonus LP of rarities from 2003-2007 hand picked by the band. Boxset also comes with poster.

2) Janis Joplin Classic LP Collection 4LP 180g Boxset.

・THE BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY - SELF-TITLED
・THE BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY - CHEAP THRILLS
・JANIS JOPLIN - I GOT DEM OL' KOZMIC BLUES AGAIN MAMA
・JANIS JOPLIN - PEARL

3) Pearl Jam 20 3LP Soundtrack (NOW CONFIRMED (RSD UK/EU release)...WOO-HOO!!)

4) Misfits LP Devil's Rain (new material, with different variant covers)

5) Tom Petty Kiss My Amps LIVE LP---Features 7 live tracks from the Mojo tour

6) Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part 2---RSD Version with 60 page book and 5.1 audio of album with videos and more on both BLU-RAY and DVD!

7) Grateful Dead LIVE EUROPE '72 Volume 2. 4LP BOXSET featuring 1 extra track not on CD release.

8) John Lennon Imagine 40th Anniversary BOXSET. Features 2010 remastered LP with BONUS WHITE VINYL 12" (featuring 6 new tracks) and a poster.

9) Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik....RED VINYL repress of album (really? why?)

10) Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings---Soul Time! 12 track album featuring many unreleased or hard to find tracks for Daptone Gold and 45s

11) Iron and Wine Morning Becomes Eclectic (Live LP recorded from KCRW performance with bonus CD of same performance)

12) PHISH PARTY TIME 2LP

TRACK LISTING:
"Party Time"
"Alaska"
"Windy City"
"In A Misty Glade"
"Gone"
"Only A Dream"
"The Birdwatcher"
"Let Me Lie"
"If I Told You"
"Splinters of Hail"
"Can't Come Back"
"Shrine"
"Liquid Time"

13) Chris Cornell Songbook LP

Double 12” vinyl. Live acoustic solo performances from Cornell's songwriting history plus a few covers
TRACK LISTING:
"As Hope and Promise Fade"
"Scar on the Sky"
"Call Me A Dog"
"Ground Zero"
"Can't Change Me"
"I Am The Highway"
"Thank You" (Led Zeppelin)
"Cleaning My Gun"
"Wide Awake"
"Fell On Black Days"
"All Night Thing"
"Doesn't Remind Me"
"Like A Stone"
"Black Hole Sun"
"Imagine" (John Lennon)
The Keeper"

CD RELEASES

1) PHISH The White Tape

Created from four-track recordings which the band mixed, dubbed and circulated as demos. Trey has said The White Tape exemplifies, perhaps more than any other studio effort, the band's unbridled creative freedom of the day.

More releases are planned. As I hear about them or see them, I'll try and get them out.

RSD Elite Record Store # 3--Shake It Records in Cincinnati, OH

2011-04-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

In the heart of where "the BIG RED Machine" once dominated Major League Baseball and where the "Icky Shuffle" became popular, lies Shake It Records....a store that grew from a record label releasing records into a mail-order company and finally a storefront that houses over 30,000 releases from vinyl, to CD, to DVD, to magazines to even toy figures, it is no wonder that Shake It has won BEST RECORD STORE for 9 straight years....now if only the Bengals or Reds could have that kind of success!

I got a chance to correspond with Darren Blase at Shake It Records regarding his store, Record Store Day and other items of interest. Here were his responses:

How long has your store been in business?

We opened in 1999, we just celebrated our 12th anniv. We just won Best Record Store in our local alt. rag, Citybeat, for the 9th straight year. That was exciting.

Why did you choose the city you are in to start your business versus another city?

I’m from Cincy. Lived in other places but, this is home & I knew the market & felt there was a need. There were other stores when we opened – they were good – but didn’t really stock stuff that I was looking for & knew there were other folks looking for the same things as me. So, I figured whey not give it a shot. It’s worked out pretty well.

Are you the sole owner, or do you have a partner(s)?

My brother, Jim, is my partner. I’m the face of Shake It, he’s the brains. We’ve had the same employees (Billy, Taryn & Joe) for about 10 years & the “new guy” (Travis) that joined about a year ago. We are pretty settled.

Where did you get your inventory to start the store with?

We sold a good chunk of our vinyl collections & reinvested it back & kept turning it over & over. We didn’t pay ourselves for 3 years & just kept building the inventory & once we knew it was gonna work we looked for a building to buy – which we did in 2001. We moved from 700 sq ft to what is now about 5,500 sq ft on 2 floors.

Why music? Why vinyl? Is this what you thought you’d do when you were in 6th grade?

Well, 6th grade I was probably still in firefighter or astronaut mode. But I would say in high school when I started REALLY buying records, I thought it would cool to do. I stared working in a few record shops, learning the ropes & then moved to NY to work for a distributor. I’ve always had a passion for music & maybe even more so the way music intertwines with history. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on King Records & the social history that surrounded it.

I’ve always preferred vinyl over CD & well over mp3’s. I started with that format & just kept with it. And, I’ve always loved 45’s. I can tell an obvious difference sometimes but my ears aren’t that picky to be honest. I like the size, the art, kinda like the large print readers digest for us older folks. Plus in the late 80’s thru early 90’s when folks were dumping their LP collections is was great picking & you could easily take chances on stuff that looked interesting. My tastes & horizons expanded tremendously.

Is your store part of the AIMS/CIMS group? If not, why? If so, what advantages does it afford you?

We are part of AIMS under the fearless direction of Commander Eric Levine. It brings ya into the “brotherhood”. It allows me to find answers to questions we are facing – whether it be where to find cheap mailers & cash reg tape to who is the best at stocking such & such…. I can’t really call up my competition & say, “Hey, where do you guys buy Munster stuff from …. ?Or whatever.” With AIMS, I can.

Does your store have an online webstore? Has it been successful (please provide link)?

The only thing we really sell online is our label stuff & a few Shake It related items from friends. We wanna focus on brick & mortar but not everyone has access to a shop that stocks our stuff so we offer it up. http://shakeitrecords.com/Shakeit-catalog.php

Do you sell on Ebay? If not, why? If so, do you feel it helps supplement your income?

We do. Probably about ½ of 1% of stuff that comes in the door. Mostly stuff that comes in that we don’t specialize in or stuff that is exceedingly rare. I would rather put it on the wall & sell it for $20 then go thru the hassle & sell it for $50 on ebay. It keeps people coming in looking for interesting, rare & off the wall items. That is the more important than selling a record to one person in Boise one time just to make an extra $15 before added in labor & materials.

Did your store sign the RSD pledge this year? If not, why? If so, why?

Yes, we signed because it helps protect the brand. Stores that undermine themselves with selling online right outta the gate undercut the importance of what there store is & can be. Its very short sighted & harmful to everyone.

Do you think that having nearly 300+ items for Record Store Day diminishes from the day somewhat? How was your store able to afford to get most of the items this year?

We bought everything on the list. Some we are hoping to get 50 of, other we ordered 1 or 2 just for coverage. I think eventually as it continues to grow RSD will have to negotiate the onslaught – maybe one in april – one in the fall ? or a weekend or a month with records staggered throughout that month like every Saturday a batch is released. I don’t know the answer but I’ve already heard customers respond with “I can’t NEARLY afford everything that I want – maybe ½.”

What are 1 or 2 things you would suggest to help make RSD even better?

All stores limit purchasing to 1 copy per title per customer to cut down on ebaying. I would also like to see more store manufacture their own RSD releases – like in the past we’ve done little limited edition items like our 7” last year with the Seedy Seeds & this year we are doing a live Wussy record. Bring it all back to local cos every band is a local band – somewhere.

What is the rarest item you have ever had in your store and sold? How much did it sell for?

We sold a copy of the first Contours 7” on Finch for a lot (A LOT) & some delta blues 78’s for even more. I honestly don’t like selling really expensive records (like well into the 1000’s) its too intense.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Record Stores in a “digital age”?

I think folks just need to realize that there is a “ leveling off” coming that will settle in where the folks that buy physical will continue to do so, those that buy digital will continue to do so & those for don’t pay for music will continue to do so. I think it would have been here if we hadn’t been hit with the recession. We continue to see the same amount of customers – or maybe even a few more – but folks are just buying less. Which is understandable. All the while it’s the job of the record shop to stay out infront of demand of their customers.

What are record labels doing, that could potentially hinder the rapid resurgence in vinyl records that we’ve seen the past few years?

High prices – some issues with quality although that’s getting better.

What is the “holy grail” in your personal collection, how did you acquire it, and how long did it take?

I’ve been blessed with coming across a lot of interesting stuff digging through basements, storage bins, collections, flea markets & have come across multiple high end delta blues Paramount 78’s , lots of interesting King Records related items – not only records but interesting paperwork, old promotional items & other interesting ephemera which tell the story of the company.

Finish this sentence…..If I didn’t own this Record Store, I’d be a primary research librarian.

A lot of press for RSD is about how stores have “had their best sales day ever!!”. But how do you try to make everyday RSD for your customers and keep them coming back to your store?

The key is to use RSD as a podium to preach the physical record store gospel & bring that customer who only buys online but cant get the Yeasayer 12” anywhere but a physical store back in & reintroduce them to the joy of flipping through the bins, chatting with other “flippers” . I see the attraction of being able to buy something with a click, but I also feel there’s an amazing element of being introduced to items in a physical place and seeing little handwritten notes on records by clerks, taking a chance on an interesting $4 used lp. I see the value of click & yer done… but for me, great moments in my life have happened when I’ve slowed down …. Whether that’s spending a couple hours in a great used bookstore, driving the backroads instead of the highway, sitting & drinking yer coffee instead of getting it to go & running out the door or flipping thru the used bins in store in Lawrence, KS & for some unknown reason picking up a used James Talley that I’ve seen a 100 times before & flipping it & seeing scrawled across the back “Call me God Damnit! Townes” and Townes Van Zandt’s home phone number written underneath. Why did I pick it up? Why did I flip it over? Cos I slowed down.

Honestly, more than anything I enjoy the conversations I have with people & that has been a key element to the success of our store. We don’t have a backroom or office. Everything is done at the 2 counters. We realize you can buy online for many times cheaper but ya can’t have a conversation about yer hope for the 2011 Red’s season, the public transporation debate or how great the Vietnamese Hoagie is at Take The Cake with the guy that’s packing yer Amazon order. All this leads to community and with that comes understanding of each other which – as corny as it sounds – make it a better world. And yer keeping your dollars local to boot and we all know the benefit of that.

If you could get one artist to do an in-store performance, who would you select?

Good question - maybe Mississippi John Hurt, Eddie Hinton, Dusty Springfield, Sun Ra, Hound Dog Taylor, Johnny Cash, The Delmore Brothers, Arthur Alexander, Joe Strummer …. But unfortunately they have all passed on So of those still with us … Tom Waits or Hazel Dickens.

If you could re-issue or re-release an album on vinyl, what album would you choose?

Afghan Whigs : Gentlemen but some beat us to it a few months ago. Probably Eddie Hinton’s “Hard Luck Guy” or “Very Extremely Dangerous” or some of the older Smithsonian Folkways Lps from guys like Mississippi Big Joe Williams or Snooks Eaglin.

Where do you see your store 3-5 years from now?

I see us as we are today – space wise – but more titles transferred to vinyl stock. Maybe expand our book selection abit more. Not really sure because we’ve always moved in the direction that our customers want so they dictate our future direction.

Finally, if you were to mentor someone who was wanting to open their own record store, what advice would you give them that you know now, that you didn’t know when you first started?

Are you Crazy!?!?!?! And if they are carzy enough to well then, God Bless ‘em! Just tell them to start small & keep it tight. Buy on COD , don’t extend yourself, communicate, communicate, communicate with your customers, be passionate about it & let it show.

Thanks again to Darren for taking the time to answer these questions. If you are in Cincy for Record Store Day, I think you know where to go!! If you do, BRING A CANNED GOOD ITEM or NON-PERISHABLE FOOD....because if you do, not only does it go to a good cause, but you also get 10% OFF YOUR PURCHASE. Hell, with 300 releases, I wish more stores would do this, because I *need* a discount badly if my estimate is accurate!! They will start festivities at 9AM and feature TALIB KWELI, FOXY SHAZAM, WUSSY and more!

Hope you Cincinnati residents appreciate how lucky you are!!

RSD Elite Record Store #2--Grimey's New & Preloved Music in Nashville, TN

2011-04-05T16:01:00.001-07:00

In the heart of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Country Music Television lies Grimey's. A Independent Record Store in Dollywood's neck of the woods? Blasphemy!! Yet any Record Store that looks like your Grandmother's old house is a *good* thing. I have not had the pleasure of going to Grimey's yet, but with Third Man Records being down the street, my appearance in Nashville will be soon. Hey, there are worse things than having a Record Store with a concert venue in the basement, that has featured many famous bands and have had a few released....most recently the CD/2x10" of Metallica's set there.

I had the pleasure to speak with Doyle Davis, co-owner of Grimey's. Here were his answers to my questions:

1) How long has your store been in business?

Grimey’s New & Preloved Music is 11 years old this year. We go to “11” in 2011!

2) Why did you choose the city you are in to start your business versus another city?

Well we’re from here. Nashville is where I went to high school and my business partner, Mike Grimes, moved here in the mid-‘80s. And Nashville is a fantastic city to have a record store in. One of the reasons we built Grimey’s was there wasn’t a full-service indie record store in the city. All the indies were strictly used product or tiny shops with very limited selections that the owner was passionate about and would try to turn you onto, which is cool, but if you wanted to just browse the new releases or get anything remotely above the underground you’d have to special order it. So Nashville needed this store. I was shocked when we started getting accounts with ADA and EMI and Warners that the sales reps were ecstatic and they all helped out in the store in the early days. My EMI rep helped me set up my office and a filing system! They told me they all talked at NARM every year and other industry gatherings about why Nashville didn’t have an indie record store and how strange that was. This is such a music town and we have been very warmly embraced here. I love my city.

3) Are you the sole owner, or do you have a partner(s)?

I guess I just answered that. 2 owners, equal partners.

4) Where did you get your inventory to start the store with?

My partner Mike started the store in 1999 with his own record collection to get going. Grimey’s was a strictly used record store those first 2 years. I managed a small mom-and-pop chain of used record stores and comic shops called The Great Escape. I’d known Mike for 15 years at this point and he asked me if I would consider quitting my job and going in with him to build the kind of indie record store we used to talk about when we’d drink beer and wonder why Nashville didn’t have one. I agreed and bought half the business in early 2002. I also contributed lots of my own records and we got accounts with a few distributors and started stocking new releases on vinyl and CD and, over time, adding more and more catalog to the mix.

5) Why music? Why vinyl? Is this what you thought you’d do when you were in 6^thgrade?

Actually, yes to some degree. I’ve been a record junkie my whole life. When I was a kid and my grandmother would come visit she would buy me a record anytime we went out shopping. I got cut-outs from Montgomery Wards and Sears and when my parents finally let me ride my bike to the local mall, I started going to my first indie record shop – Soundza Music – in Jackson, TN. I began my lifelong habit of hanging around record stores at the age of 10. I would go in every tuesday just to see the new releases and talk to the uber-cool and worldly (to me anyway) clerks who worked there to get suggestions on what to buy. And I worked in record stores throughout my life, mostly part-time, until I eventually realized that’s really what I wanted to be doing. I went for the promotion to manager at The Great Escape and eventually ended up as general manager of their whole organization and that quit being fun because I was setting policy and advising store managers more than getting my hands dirty on the vinyl. When Mike suggested we go in together and build the store of our dreams I was ready to take the leap.

6) Is your store part of the AIMS/CIMS group? If not, why? If so, what advantages does it afford you?

We are a proud member of AIMS. The number one advantage it affords is access to the brilliance and experience of my fellow store owners. Anything I’m not sure how to do or what to do or where to get some esoteric record or anything at all really from merchant services fees to where to get some LP browsers... I can ask the group and get that answer from someone who’s had experience with the situation I’m investigating. That’s invaluable. When AIMS first formed Grimey’s was the youngest store in the group and we’d only been in business in our current incarnation (new releases, catalog and new vinyl along with used, er... Preloved) for 6 months. I was overwhelmed with all that it would entail to handle the programs and doing the returns and tracking sales. We were “pen & paper” and didn’t have a POS system and didn’t report to soundscan. AIMS got me going with soundscan and I went up to Cincinnati to visit Darren, owner of AIMS store Shake-It, who also was pen-and-paper and was doing over a million in business annually. I assumed he had it figured out and he showed me everything he did, from ordering to inventory management and even lots of merchandising tips, over 8 hours. Where else could you go to what might even be considered a competitor and have him show you all his secrets? Being a member of AIMS taught me how to run my record store. I gained years of experience in a few short months and have been growing from there ever since.

7) Does your store have an online webstore? Has it been successful (please provide link)?

We only have a website with info and photos, updated weekly with all the upcoming events and reviews of new releases. No online commerce. www.grimeys.com Everything we do as far as marketing and promotion is designed to get the customer to walk into the store.

8) Do you sell on Ebay? If not, why? If so, do you feel it helps supplement your income?

We use ebay a little bit. We sell mostly new, unreturnable vinyl that has not sold in the store even after sale pricing. we usually at least get our money back and sometimes they go for lots more than we expected. It’s a supplement but we don’t depend on it for cash flow. I want to offer any great piece that comes to us to my regular customers who patronize this place week-in and week-out. If it doesn’t sell in the store, we’ll try to move it online.

9) Did your store sign the RSD pledge this year? If not, why? If so, why?

Of course we did! We want to be the good guys. We wear the white hats at Grimey’s. I believe in everything the pledge demands. We played by the rules even before there was a pledge.

10) Do you think that having nearly 300+ items for Record Store Day diminishes from the day somewhat? How was your store able to afford to get most of the items this year?

I think it does. I’d like to see cool, limited edition pieces – primarily vinyl – all year long. We can’t afford to stock everything in quantity but we try to cover it all to some degree. We buy in heavily on items where we see we have a sales history with that artist. If my customers have shown me they care about a band and we’ve sold that band well then I want to have a lot on hand for RSD of their special piece. Lots of the other stuff we just get 1-3 copies to cover it. And our customers can’t afford everything either so some impulse sales are lost. Last year the vast majority of it sold through so I guess that speaks well for us doing it right. This may be stupid but I didn’t even budget it this year. I just ordered what we thought we needed and I’m hoping it all works out! We have more years of experience under our belts now and I know I’m going to sell through everything that I ordered heavy on so the accounting should work where I can pay the bill.

11) What are 1 or 2 things you would suggest to help make RSD even better?

Fewer releases would help. I think 100 things is plenty to get excited about and much easier to handle from our end. And I wish there was more coordination between the UK and US releases. My customers are so bummed out that they won’t get a crack at the Radiohead 12” this year. We’ve had tons of calls about that. And personally, I would prefer if RSD were on a different day than the 3^rd Saturday in April. That’s always the same weekend as Coachella and that takes a whole lot of bands who could potentially play our RSD events out of the mix. It seems like every bigtime band we have a relationship with that we asked to play this year and last was committed to Coachella. I lost potential sets from The Black Keys and The National due to that.

12) What is the rarest item you have ever had in your store and sold? How much did it sell for?

Wow. That’s a tough one. I’ve sold a lot of very rare records in my years working in record stores but in the Grimey’s era it was probably the first-edition original pressing of the Supremes’ first Motown album. It’s very rare and has a different cover and even the Motown logo is different that what they changed it to. I’ve only seen a few in my life and one day there was one in a collection I was buying. It wasn’t even in good shape, maybe VG- at best but the cover and label were in good shape. It goes for thousands in mint so I figured I’d slap $500 on it and throw it up on the wall and it would be nice to see there every day. After it was up like 2 days some guy comes in and walks right to it, takes it down and brings it to the register. He didn’t even ask about it or discover it by browsing. Someone must have told him it was here or something. So I probably could have gotten more but who cares? He was very happy and I made a very nice profit on the sale.

13) What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Record Stores in a “digital age”?

To get potential customers in the door. They think they can do it all online and there’s no real reason to NEED to go to a record store. But a free live show? and they’re all ages? It’s one reason we do so many in-store events. Once a kid comes in and has a nice experience at Grimey’s or bonds with a staffer over a band or just has a good time I’ve got a shot at gaining a new regular customer. Some kids even “ooh” and “aah” when they come in for the first time. We had a performance from Cold War Kids this past Monday that drew 200 kids. I overheard a couple of them saying “I’ve never been to a record store before” in the crowd and it brought a big smile to my face. Also getting record labels to continue to make us compelling tangible releases but I see that’s your next question.

14) What are record labels doing, that could potentially hinder the rapid resurgence in vinyl records that we’ve seen the past few years?

They need to GET IT. They are starting to not even include the digital component (MP3 download) in vinyl releases. I’m looking at you, Sony! Mainly I’m talking about major labels. Sub Pop and Matador and Merge get it. Make a great record, press it on vinyl, include a download or CD, keep pressing it and keep it in print. We’ll keep selling it, thank you. The first question I get about a new vinyl release from a customer, the VERY FIRST QUESTION, is “does it include a download?” Every time. Not “is it 180 grams?” NO. It’s “does it have a download?” So there’s no sticker, we check the one-sheet, no mention there either. So I email my sales rep and the usual response is “that hasn’t come up, I’ll find out”. When the last Coldplay album came out, it included a CD! We had no idea. There was no sticker, no mention in the initial solicitation... If I had known that I would’ve ordered more and recommended them to Coldplay fans. It’s pretty easy to sell the vinyl + CD. Even if they don’t have a turntable they can enjoy the expanded art and the CD and most of them want a turntable anyway so now they’ll have a few records to play when they finally take the plunge. But unfortunately that outcome is rare. Usually there’s no download or CD when we ask that question. I realize that vinyl is niche to the big labels but it’s growing exponentially and it’s for real. It’s not just a fad. So I’m baffled that some labels seem to act like they have no interest in growing that business. It’s the only thing they’ve got that’s really increasing in sales annually. I’ve even had a label guy say to my face “hey don’t get me wrong, I love vinyl myself. I just hate having to make it.” WTF?!

15) What is the “holy grail” in your personal collection, how did you acquire it, and how long did it take?

Oh man, my collection is full of holy grails! It’s almost impossible to pick one record. Is it the original US pressing of Can’s “Ege Bamyasi”? The pristine UK pressing of Amon Duul II’s “Yeti”? an original UK pressing of Sgt Pepper? most likely it’s my original mint copies of all 3 Josie LPs by the Meters that I had to trade for. The guy wouldn’t “sell” them to me. He said he didn’t need the money. What he wanted was records! They were all sealed originals and super hard to find (and had never been reissued at the time). I did a trade for blues LPs with him and immediately tore off the shrink wrap and played all 3 while dancing around my living room. The pride and joy of my collection are all the rare funk, soul and soul jazz LPs and 45s I’ve amassed over a lifetime of crate digging and DJ’ing.

16) Finish this sentence…..If I didn’t own this Record Store, I’d be __doing something involving music in some capacity, maybe owning a record label__

17) A lot of press for RSD is about how stores have “had their best sales day ever!!”. But how do you try to make everyday RSD for your customers and keep them coming back to your store?

By keeping the passion alive. The day I wake up and don’t want to go in is the day I should think about hanging it up. But I don’t think that day is coming. Again, do the basics and do them well. Super-serve your customers. Help them grow their passion for music. Be nice. Recommend things you really love. Listen to them. Try to figure out what inspires them and try to find them their new favorite record. We ask people all the time what the last 3 records they bought were. What’s the last record that blew your mind? And go from there. Have TONS of events. There’s always something fun going on in the record store, you should come hang out. Give them free beer! If that works in your city or state. Use twitter and facebook to keep the conversation going when they’re not in the store. Give them valuable information they want to know. We tweet what we’re unpacking in the boxes we’re receiving. Just got in a big order of Afrobeat and Turkish psych! We tweet new releases each Tuesday. We tweet when we get in a fresh selection of used vinyl from buying a killer collection. We announce the latest in-store booking and it gets re-tweeted like crazy. I love the idea of using new digital media and social networking to get folks to come into our old-school brick and mortar emporium of tangible art forms.

18) If you could get one artist to do an in-store performance, who would you select?

Um... We already had Metallica, Brian Wilson, David Byrne, Elvis Costello and Robert Plant shops here so it’s already beyond my wildest dreams. Personally for me I’d love to have REM. They were a gateway band for me getting into indie music back in ’81-83. Peter Buck has shopped here many times and I’ve had some great conversations with him so maybe I’ll make that happen someday.

19) If you could re-issue or re-release an album on vinyl, what album would you choose?

It may not be the hippest choice but I would love to put out Los Lobos’ “Kiko” on vinyl. It never came out in the states, ever. And the UK import was a small pressing and is very hard to find and goes for hundreds of dollars when it does show up on ebay. It’s their best album and I’ve never heard it on vinyl. They are one of my favorite bands of all time and are responsible for some of my favorite live show memories so yeah, I’m going with that.

20) Where do you see your store 3-5 years from now?

I’d love to find a larger location but still maintain the relationship with a live music venue such as we have with the Basement now and a nice big parking lot for throwing the outdoor parties like we do on Record Store Day, with an all-day free live concert festival. Otherwise I’d like to see us doing what we do now only bigger and better. We might be all vinyl by then. I like the idea of only having one format to stock and the loyalty that vinyl breeds is incredible. I’m kind of jealous of some of the newer stores that have just opened in the last couple of years who are doing that. CDs are still too important in our product mix to abandon them and some music fans just aren’t vinyl people but still love tangible, physical formats.

21) Finally, if you were to mentor someone who was wanting to open their own record store, what advice would you give them that you know now, that you didn’t know when you first started?

Honestly I feel like I’ve already answered this in some of the questions above but I would add the advice to take baby steps in growing your business. Build it and they will come. Get to know them and find out what they want and anticipate their needs but don’t go hog wild stocking every cool thing under the sun. Experiment with new genres or artists by bringing in a small amount or covering with ones. If it sells, restock it. Don’t go into huge debt if you can help it. And own your own building. I still haven’t managed that and it’s on the agenda. It’s good to be in the real estate business too if you want to survive in the record store business. Most of the stores that have closed over the years have closed due to lease issues. It’s harder than ever to keep everything going and when an owner is looking at committing to 5-10 more years or the rent is going up, some of them decide to just stop. If you own the building you don’t have that problem and the value of your property will likely only increase over time.

Thanks again to Doyle for taking time to answer these questions. If you are in Nashville for Record Store Day, stop by and see them! They are having the guys from the United Record Pressing (probably the largest LP pressing plant that manufactured most of the RSD releases) cooking BBQ in their parking lot. So not only will URP make the records you'll be buying, they will be feeding you too!! Also, MATT & KIM will be in-store to sign their RSD 7" too!! All of it starts at 10:00am, so be sure to get there early!

RSD Elite Record Store # 1--Good Records in Dallas, TX

2011-04-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

If you ever happen to find yourself going down I-35 or attending a game at the Cotton Bowl or JerryWorld, and like vinyl, then please stop by Good Records. There is even a Taco Cabana close by, so you can get some real "fast food" Tex-Mex that makes Taco Bell taste like they really do serve Horse Meat. But I digress, my first trip to Good Records was at their original location, which was pretty small. But even then, you could see the potential. The prices were fair, they had a good inventory and stuff was well organized (a personal pet peeve of mine---if I can't browse through your selection because it is overstuffed, then how can I find items to buy?).

Good Records will be celebrating their 11th Anniversary on Record Store Day this year with over 12 bands and DJs playing music. Their RSD tote bag and T-shirts are pretty sweet and should be worn by anyone, not just in the Dallas area. Another awesome BONUS that I wish more stores would do....OPEN EARLY. Why make your customers suffer outside until 11am or noon? Why not start the festivities early? Good Records will kick it off at 8am...bring your Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuits!

But I asked Chris Penn some questions about Good Records and here were his responses:

How long has your store been in business?

Good Records opened February 7, 2000. We have been around for 11+ years now believe it or not.

Why did you choose the city you are in to start your business versus another city?

We decided to open the store in Dallas for two reasons. First, we lived here. Second, we saw a void other record stores weren't filling.

Are you the sole owner, or do you have a partner(s)?

Tim DeLaughter and Julie Doyle are also part of the "think tank" that goes into Good Records. They came up with the name and aesthetic and a vision for the store and I helped facilitate that with my previous record store experience. A real good melting pot is what makes up the stew that is Good Records.

Where did you get your inventory to start the store with?

We started out with used and a few key orders from distributors but have slowly grown the store since our inception.

Why music? Why vinyl? Is this what you thought you’d do when you were in 6^th grade?

I have always been a pop culture enthusiast. My dad and step-father in grained it in me. My first concert was Rod Stewart on the "Blondes Have More Fun" tour and there has been no looking back ever since. I just love the way a song or album provides a means of escape from the ho-hum of every day life. As for vinyl I love the artwork/tangibleness of it and the warmth of the sound. As far as my life's journey from 6th grade coming from a guy who wore a different concert t-shirt every day for a year it pretty much makes sense where I am at now.

Is your store part of the AIMS/CIMS group? If not, why? If so, what advantages does it afford you?

We were one of the first AIMS stores. We got a call from Eric from Criminal Records and we told him if he could get it together we would be on board with it. When we opened we tried to join CIMS but they were not accepting new members at that time. AIMS seems like a great fit for us as it seems all of the stores involved our very like minded with their zeal for the at time insurmountable task we are achieving. AIMS helps

Does your store have an online webstore? Has it been successful (please provide link)?

http://www.goodrecords.com helps us sell local releases and other hard to find stuff but quite frankly it is hard to compete with Amazon and some of the other mega conglomerate online powerhouses that give you the "high cost of low prices" scenario.

Do you sell on Ebay? If not, why? If so, do you feel it helps supplement your income?

Occasionally we do put a few things on eBay but we are too busy dealing with the people at our brick and mortar location and carrying on a musical conversation with them to dive too much into that.

Did your store sign the RSD pledge this year? If not, why? If so, why?

Yes of course we signed the RSD pledge. We love the spirit of what Record Store Day is trying to accomplish. Anything we can do to help keep it on the up and up and further the cause.

Do you think that having nearly 300+ items for Record Store Day diminishes from the day somewhat? How was your store able to afford to get most of the items this year?

Having so many items does make it difficult for us but have been pooling our resources to have as many as we can. The allocation of the items does help us as we probably couldn't afford all of what we would actually have in the store. I think as long as the releases are quality it gives people more of a variety. If they are just standard stuff or something a label is trying to market and ride on the coat tails of Record Store Day I do think that takes away from the event.

What are 1 or 2 things you would suggest to help make RSD even better?

We have rolled our anniversary into the event to make the event all our own. We have TONS of live music, deejays, food, drink, etc. Overall if it could be where the stores had a vote on the releases that were allowed to be Record Store Day items and cap it at say 200 and maybe make a little more so to spread it out the stores better would be great. I think a allocation system governed by RSD somehow and not by the individual distributors could help out too.

What is the rarest item you have ever had in your store and sold? How much did it sell for?

I think we have a Beatles butcher cover right now but haven't fully researched it and haven't sold it yet.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Record Stores in a “digital age”?

The biggest challenge I see is staying on your toes and sticking to your original vision of your store. If you do a good job at that and have the product people wish to purchase you will survive in this hard economy. You have to give people a "good" reason to frequent and support your store.

What are record labels doing, that could potentially hinder the rapid resurgence in vinyl records that we’ve seen the past few years?

It seems to be the classic mistake like getting "involved in a land war in Asia" The major labels especially see vinyl selling well and they are slowly rising the prices. You make it too high people will get turned off on it. It is much like when the labels raise the list price and cost on an item when it sells and breaks through...the most recent example is "Brothers" by the Black Keys.....it really stifles the momentum if you ask me.

What is the “holy grail” in your personal collection, how did you acquire it, and how long did it take?

The holy grail is any picture sleeve 7" from Alice Cooper I don't already have and the ones I do. I love the variation of sleeves from all the different countries.

Finish this sentence…..If I didn’t own this Record Store, I’d be ______________________

That is a real good question....something to do with music I'm sure. Let me know if figure it out for me :)

A lot of press for RSD is about how stores have “had their best sales day ever!!”. But how do you try to make everyday RSD for your customers and keep them coming back to your store?

We strive to stock releases people can't find elsewhere and turn people onto stuff they haven't heard yet. We also host a slew of in-store performances and other events such as movie nights to keep our store vibrant and happening.

If you could get one artist to do an in-store performance, who would you select?

Neil Young or Alice Cooper...with that being said we have had some great in-store performances by the likes of Grandaddy, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Queens of the Stone Age, et. al.

If you could re-issue or re-release an album on vinyl, what album would you choose?

"Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb" by Tripping Daisy

Where do you see your store 3-5 years from now?

Still giving our constituents "An Adventure In Listening..."

Finally, if you were to mentor someone who was wanting to open their own record store, what advice would you give them that you know now, that you didn’t know when you first started?

Don't....just kidding.....do your research and make sure you are truly filling a niche that doesn't already exist in your community.
For us the biggest selling year of the compact disc was 1999 and we opened in 2000. We would have thought it would continue to grow but the digital world came along and sucked some of that up. Thank god for vinyl and for people who like having a built in backup of their music with the CD and truly treasure the quality of the sound and artwork/packaging over inferior sounding mp3s. At the end of the day music is a work of art after all.

Again, thanks to Chris Penn @ Good Records....a must stop at store if you are in TX/OK/AR/LA region (road trip anyone?) or visiting. Be sure and head upstairs to their vinyl section. I love their "box set display" area. Be sure and party with them on April 16th and afterwards, because we need stores like this to keep being community leaders!

RSD Elite Record Stores

2011-03-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

As a vinyl collector and music fan, I have had the fortunate ability to live in a lot of major cities and travel to locations with some amazing music stores. What I am going to do leading up to Record Store Day, is highlight some of my favorite music stores and hopefully when you are in town you'll visit their store or at least shop their online web presence. These stores are the cream of the crop in my opinion and you are always welcome to disagree with me!

But I figure the more that people are aware about these stores, the more chances they get business, especially for anyone in Europe or overseas that are looking for any US releases, these are the stores you'll want to target.

Take care and enjoy learning about these stores!

WP

Is the Death of the Physical Single Near??

2011-03-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

So today, Mercury Records (UK division of Universal Music), the label that home to such artists as:

U2
Arcade Fire
The Killers
Metallica
Paul McCartney
Deep Purple
Ryan Adams
Elvis Costello
Elton John
and more

announced that they are no longer going to make physical CD or 7" singles unless there are "extraordinary circumstances". The main factor has been the loss of money by the label.

The 7" has been around since 1949. However, sales of the 7" in the UK have fallen 85% since 2006.

Many people I am sure spent a lot of time in the 90's/00's getting a UK CD single set (with a part 1 and a part 2) or a 7". Most stores even sold a bundle that would include the CD singles with the 7" as a set. The great thing about these items was that they featured b-sides that were normally unreleased or live.

For whatever reason, these started to not becoming as prevelant. You started to see bands make an ITUNES single rather than a CD single. Hell, I was shocked when U2's Magnificent Remixes CD was released in the US.

But here is the problem or point.....lables GOT LAZY. They overproduced singles with unattractive b-sides that didn't give the CONSUMER any value to purchase. How many times have you bought a single with the RADIO EDIT on it? That is garbage. I don't want a simplified version of the song. I don't want the INSTRUMENTAL version of the song. I don't want the ACAPELLA version of the song. I want a DEMO version, I want a REMIX version, I want a LIVE version. Those things ADD VALUE.

The other thing that needs to be done is MAKE A LIMITED PRESSING RUN. Labels are in this situation because they OVER SATURATE the market with these items. It is all about supply and demand.

Case in point, about a month ago, Queen of the Stone Age had a pre-order for a 7" single (How to Handle a Rope). This 7" was indvidually numbered and limited to just 1000 copies. It SOLD OUT in hours.

This is what needs to happen. If a label wants to gauge interest in a release, then make the release the following way:

* [vinyl] 1st run of 1000 copies, each individually numbered, on colored vinyl with relevant b-sides (not crappy, un-necessary b-sides).

* [cd] 1st run of 1000 copies in whatever format is cheapest (plastic, cardboard sleeve, etc.), each individually numbered with multiple tracks (at least 4, which does not include the title track) that are either live, unreleased, alternate/demo or remixed versions of the title track.

If the run sells out quickly and demand is high (based on Ebay values), then make a 2nd run. The 2nd run however will be as follows:

* [vinyl] 2nd run of 2000 copies, not numbered, on BLACK vinyl

* [cd] 2nd run of 2000 copies, not numbered, with generic artwork/sleeve.

That way, those who were early adopters are awarded and those that missed out or want to jump on the bandwagon can do so. It would be interesting to see if a label could make this work, but I'd at least try it out instead of just cancelling the 7"/CD single format altogether.

What I hope doesn't happen is that other major labels follow suit and the only time we get a 7" from our favorite artist is on Record Store Day or a unique event (e.g. anniversary 7" through the band's fanclub).

Surprised that some of the US music blogs don't have an opinion on this, because forcing everything to ITUNES or Rhapsody or whatever online music service you use, WILL TRULY force people to use illegal services like BitTorrent, etc. Because collectors are not shut out of the game, all it will take is 1 person to buy the online single and distribute it for the rest of the world to hear. This decision will hurt Mercury Records more than they think, too bad they don't have the balls and foresight to understand why keeping the physical product is important. If done right, it can be very lucrative and profitable.

The LIST of MISSING Record Store Day Items (So far)

2011-03-23T07:05:00.001-07:00

Ok, my goal here is to ensure that no release is left off.

So here are some releases that have been announced, but not showing up on the RSD site. Hopefully they will soon.

1) Earth Angels of Darkness. Southern Lord made 1000 for Europe for RSD and left 500 for the US.

Proof: http://porchlightcoffee.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/record-store-day-2011/
Proof: http://vinylcollective.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=60026&page=1
Proof: http://www.cargo-records.de/de/p3208/id/48594/lg/livegigs/cargo_katalog.html

2) Revelation Record Releases

REV:17 Youth Of Today "S/T" 7" (Red Vinyl) edition of 1,000
REV:18 Quicksand "S/T" (Blue Vinyl) edition of 1,000
REV:22 Burn "S/T" 7" (Yellow Vinyl) edition of 1,000
REV:68 Elliot "U.S. Songs" LP (Grey Vinyl) edition of 500

PROOF: http://www.revelationrecords.com/news/show/249

3) City and Colour Sometimes RSD LP

On April 16th, 2011, in honour of Record Store Day, we will be releasing a very special edition of the first City and Colour record, "Sometimes." We will be pressing 500 hand numbered copies of "Sometimes" on vinyl. You can pick your copy up at your local record store throughout Canada and the USA.

Here are all the details about the Record Store Day Exclusive:
- hand numbered of 500
- 2 x 180g black vinyl
- silk screened jacket
- includes bonus track "missing"

PROOF: http://www.cityandcolour.ca/news/5/

4) The Oh Sees Singles Collection 1 & 2 2LP

PROOF: http://piratespress.com/rotw/?p=507 (picture of 2LP set, proving it exists)
PROOF: www.facebook.com/orangerecordsfargo (listed on their RSD list)
PROOF: www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=206737512672980 (listed on their RSD list)

5) V/A Pressed at Boddie/Burned at Boddie/Dubbed at Boddie (Numero Group)

PROOF: http://numerogroup.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/record-store-day-2011/

6) Superchunk Here's Where the Strings Come In LP w/bonus unreleased download tracks

PROOF: http://www.mergerecords.com/blog/2011/03/wild-flag-premieres-glass-tambourine-and-merge-announces-record-store-day-exclusives/

7) Rosetta A Determination of Morality 2LP on Cavity Records

PROOF: http://rosettaband.com/page/2

8) Trouble in Mind Records 4 way split 7"

PROOF: http://troubleinmindrecs.blogspot.com/2011/02/sxsw-2011-upcoming-stuff-for-2011-holy.html

9) V/A Wuxtry Records (compliation that features REM, etc.)

PROOF: www.fab.ca (search 2011RSD in the "title" field to find it)
PROOF: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wuxtry-Records/88742854329

10) Frustrators Griller 7"

Listed as a CD on the list, but it is also being released as a RED VINYL 7"

PROOF: http://www.frustrators.co.cc/ (January 30th update)

_________________________________________________________

Thanks, that is what I've noticed so far. If you are a LABEL or a BAND that have a release that isn't listed, LET ME KNOW.

WP

Official RSD list is out...a comment

2011-03-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the official RSD list is now out at www.recordstoreday.com. You will notice that there are some releases MISSING. I will work on helping get those releases added, since I am guessing that this list is a work in progress (remember they are volunteers). So don't panic just yet...more items will be added and hopefully you'll be able to find what you're looking for in about 3 weeks (it's getting closer!!)

Also, some cool new items posted on the RSD UK website. A Smiths 10"? A Echo & The Bunnymen 12"? A 7" boxset from Ed Banger records featuring the new Justice single (demo version). Nice. Who in the UK wants to help me obtain some of these items?? heh. I'll return the favor for any US releases (e.g. Beady Eye boxset) you are looking for!

Thanks!

Did Your Store Sign the Record Store Day PLEDGE? Why the Pledge MATTERS--PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND LINK THIS POST EVERYWHERE!

2011-03-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

UPDATED 3/28/2011

You remember the Record Store Day "Pledge" right, from my interview with Eric Levin, which states the following:

STORES WHO WISH TO BE PLACED ON THE PRIORITY ALLOCATION LIST FOR COMMERCIAL RECORD STORE DAY PRODUCT SHOULD DOWNLOAD, SIGN AND RETURN THIS PLEDGE NO LATER THAN JANUARY 15, 2011. (US STORES ONLY)

**NOTE** Thanks to the comment left by Kevin, it should be noted that Canadian stores were not offered/given a chance to sign the pledge. I am guessing the pledge was a "test" this year and the RSD folks wanted to limit it to as few stores as possible. I am sure next year Canada and even the UK will likely be added (hopefully). So if you don't see a Canadian store on the list, it is OK, and they will hopefully let you know that they will sign the pledge next year if given a chance.***

Below are some things that Record Store Day requests that stores do or don’t do in order to be placed on the list of stores given Priority Allocation of Record Store Day releases. These are all things designed to keep customer and store disappointment at a minimum. Please read through them.

1. Product created for Record Store Day will be sold in physical retail stores.

2. Stores will not sell Record Store Day releases online, nor will orders be taken online for later shipping, prior to that year’s actual Record Store Day.

3. Product remaining after Record Store Day can be put up on a store’s website the day after Record Store Day, but stores will not hold product back from physical customers in order to post it online, nor will set prices online be markedly above in-store prices.

4. If a store uses an auction site (like Ebay or any other site where the seller can not list a firm sale price) to sell overstock Record Store Day pieces, they should wait at least one month from Record Store Day to do so.

5. Because of the limited quantity of some items and the necessity of allocating, stores are asked not to take pre-orders for Record Store Day product. In the past, this has resulted in customers not receiving items they have paid for.

If you would like to be on the list of those stores who have agreed to play by the rules and be given priority on the releases created for Record Store Day, please sign below and return to Record Store Day (See below). (Again, please understand that being on this list does not guarantee that all stores will get every piece they order. Allocations and sellouts will happen, and Record Store Day has no control over that. ) Any store on this list who doesn't follow the requests above will be taken off the list, and will no longer be listed on the Record Store Day website as a participating store.

According to Eric, 587 stores have signed that pledge. That means that if you go to your local store and can't find an item on RSD, if you search online the next day, you should be able to buy an item from a webstore at the exact same price it is listed in the store. Stores will not be able to sell any items on Ebay until 30 days after RSD. So you, as a customer, should be able to find most of the RSD items you want.

So which stores, signed the Pledge, and is there a store in your are that did not sign the Pledge? Let's see, as here is the list of stores to date (from here: http://www.recordstoreday.com/Page/1032):

STORE	ADDRESS	# OF STORES
1-2-3-4 Go! Records	423 40th St., Oakland CA 94609	1
360 Vinyl	214 SW 8th Avenue, Portland OR 97205	1
Absolute Records Vinyl and Stereo	4474 North Broadway, Boulder, CO	1
Ace in the Hole Music	1153 Kenny Centre, Columbus OH 43220	1
Affordable Music	104 Village Place, POB 18722, Dillon CO 80435	1
Amoeba	6400 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028	3
Angry Mom Records	115 The Commons, Ithaca NY 14850	1
Antone's Record Shop	2928 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78705	1
Aquarius Records	1055 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110	1
Arkansas Record-CD Exchange	4212 Macarthur Drive, North Little Rock, AR,	1
Atomic Records Denver	340 S. Broadway, Denver, CO 80209	1
Avalon Music	1330 Railroad Ave, Bellingham WA 98225	1
B-Side Records	436 State St, Madison WI 53703	1
Backdoor Records	737 W. Walnut St., Johnson City, TN 37604	1
Backside Records	139 N. San Fernando Blvd, Burbank CA 01502	1
Backspin Records	4031 Airport Blvd, Suite 110-A, Austin TX 78756	1
Backstreet Records	21 S. 7th St. Indiana, PA 15701	1
Backtrack Records	1549 N. Cotner Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68505	1
Bananas Music	2226 16th Avenue N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33713	2
Barney's Good Time Music	15 W. Main St, Woodland CA 95695	1
Bedrock Music & Video	226 4th St., San Rafael CA 94901	1
Beverly Records	11612 S. Western, Chicago, IL 60643	1
Black Dog Records	3816 S. Shepherd Dr, Houston TX 22098	1
BK Music	7106 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23225	1
Blue Arrow Records	16001 Waterloo Rd, Cleveland OH 44111	1
Boo Boo Records	978 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo CA 93401	1
Buffalo Records	92 S. Laurel St, Ventura, CA 93001	1
Bull Moose	19 Arbor St, Portland ME 04103	10
Cabin Floor Records	1 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 29609	1
Cactus Records and Gifts	29 W. Main St., Bozeman, MT 59715	1
CD Alley	405C W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516	1
CD Cellar, Inc	709-B West Broad St, Falls Church VA 22046	2
CD Central	377 S. Limestone St, Lexington, KY 40508	1
CD City	593 Elm Place, Highland Park IL 60035	1
CD Exchange	40 Jay Scutti Blvd, Rochester, NY 14623	1
CD Island	228 Merrick Rd, Rockville Centre NY 11570	1
CD or Not CD	343 E. Main, Ashland, OR 97520	1
CD Source	5500 Greenville Ave #201, Dallas TX 75206	1
CD Warehouse	3832 Union Deposit Rd, Harrisburg, PA 17105	1
CD Warehouse	1112 N. Collins, Suite A, Arlington TX 76011	1
CD Warehouse	499 Terry Fox Dr, Kanata ON K2T IH7	3
CD World	3215 W. 11th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402	1
CDs 4 Change	3305 Asbury Rd #2, Dubuque IA 52002	1
Central Square Records	89 Central Square/ PO Box 4694, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459	1
Cheap Thrills Records	1130 Stafford Dr, Princeton, WV 24740	2
Cheapo Discs	914 N. Lamar, Austin TX 78733	1
Checkered Records	1954 Whipple Avenue NW, Canton OH 44708	1
Chester County Book & Music Company	975 Paoli Pike, West Chester, PA 19380	1
Chester Records	185 N. Loudoun St, Winchester, VA 22601	1
Co-Op Records	516 S. 2nd St, Clinton IA 52732	1
Co-Op Records	3253 Court St, Pekin, IL 61554	1
Compact Disc Center	1365 Eastern Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18018	1
Creative Leisure	417 1st St, Havre, MT 59501	1
Criminal Records	1154 Euclid Avenue NE, Atlanta GA 30307	2
Crooked Beat Records	2116 18th St. NW, Washington DC 20009	1
Culture Clash Records	3020 Secor Road, Toledo, OH 43623	1
Culture Shock Records	2314 Charles St, Rockford, IL	1
Cyklopx	7511 Madison, Forest Park, IL 60130	1
Daddy Kool Records	666 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL 33701	1
Dave's Music Mine	1210 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15203	1
Dave's Records	2604 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614	1
Deadbeat Records	114 E. 3rd St, Moscow ID 83843	1
Dearborn Music	22000 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48124	1
dig! Music	362 N. State St., Ukiah, CA 95482	1
Dimple Records	2433 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825	8
Disc Exchange	2615 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37920	1
Discology	11 N. Sierra St. #100, Reno, NV 89501	1
Discorama Music World	44 W. 8th St, New York, NY 10011	1
Double Decker Records	808 Saint Johns St., Allentown PA 18103	1
Down in the Valley	8020 Olson Memorial Hwy, Golden Valley, MN 55427	3
Dr. Freecloud's Record Shop	18960 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708	1
Eagle Valley Music & Comics	2161 N. Frontage Rd W/W Vail Mall, Vail, CO 81657	1
Ear Candy Music	624 S. Higgins, Missoula MT 59801	1
Earshot	1418 Laurens Rd, Greenville, SC 29607	2
ear-x-tacy	2226 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205	1
East West Music and More	4895 S. Orange Ave, Orlando FL 32806	1
Easy Street Records	20 Mercer St., Seattle, WA	2
Edward McKay	3514 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604	1
Eide's Entertainment	1121 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222	1
Electric Fetus	2000 4th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404	3
Encore Records	1745 W. Anderson Lane, Austin TX 78757	1
End of an Ear	2209 S 1st St C, Austin, TX 78709	1
Endangered Species	24 N. Sandusky St, Delaware OH 43015	1
Ernie November	1918 W 41st St, Sioux Falls SD 57105	5
Euclid Records	601 E. Lockwood, St. Louis, MO 63119	1
Everyday Music	1313 W. Burnside, Portland OR 97209	5
Exile on Main St.	257 East Main St., Branford, CT 06405	1
Exile on Main St.	1 Main St, #108, Champaign IL 61820	1
Eyeconik Records & Apparel	116C Rt 23, Franklin NJ 07416	1
EZ2Collect	3540 Broadway, Fair Lawn NJ 07410	1
Fantasyland Records	360 Pharr Rd, NE, Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30305	1
Fat Cats Books, Music & Movies	965 Rivers St., Boone, NC 28607	1
Finders Records	128 N. Main St, Bowling Green OH 43402	1
Fingerprints	420 E. 4th St., Long Beach CA 90803	1
Freakbeat Records	13616 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423	1
Galaxy CDs	94 N. Bookwood Ave, Hamilton OH 45013	1
Gallery of Sound	180 Mundy St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702	5
Georgetown Records	1201 S. Vale St, Seattle WA 98108	1
Gold Million Records	851 Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr PA 19010	1
Goner Records	2152 Young Ave, Memphis, TN 38104	1
Good Records	1808 Greenville Ave, Dallas TX 75206	1
Gravity Records	125 S. Kerry Ave, Suite 1, Wilmington NC 28403	1
Graywhale	208 S. 1300 E, Salt lake City, UT 84102	7
Green Light Music	4717 W. K.L. Ave, Suite B, Kalamazoo MI 49006	1
Grimey's New and Preloved Music	1604 8th Avenue S., Nashville, TN 37203	1
Groovacious	173 N. 100 W, Cedar City, UT 84720	1
Guestroom Records	125 E. Main St, Norman OK 73069	2
Halcyon The Shop	57 Pearl St., Brooklyn, NY 11201	1
Harmony Records	1625 Union Port Rad, Bronx, NY 10462	1
Harvest Records	415 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806	1
Hear Again Music and Movies	201 SE 2nd Ave Suite 105, Gainesville, FL 32601	1
Heavenly Daze CDs and Records	565 N. Palore ave, Yuba City CA 95991	1
Hi Voltage Records	2612 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98406	1
Hideaway Music	8612 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia PA 19118	1
Homer's	1210 Howard St, Omaha, NE 68102	1
Hoodlums Music & Video	6434 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe, AZ	1
Horizon Records	2-A West Stone Ave, Greenville, SC 29609	1
Hot Poop	210 E. Main St, Walla Walla WA	1
Hungry Ear Records	418 Kuulei Rd, Kailua, HI 96734	1
Hymie's Vintage Records	3820 E. Lake St. Minneapolis, MN 55406	1
In the Moment Records	143 Main St, Brattleboro VT 05301	1
Independent Records	3020 East Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80909	6
Indiewax Records	6911 Market St, Suite 8, Youngstown OH 44512	1
Indy CD and Vinyl	806 Broad Ripple Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220	1
Inherent Records	2372 Blue Springs Rd, Cleveland TN 37311	1
J&R Music World	23 Park Row, New York, NY	1
Jack's Music Shoppe	30 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701	1
Jackpot Records	203 SW 9th Avenue, Portland OR 9725	1
Johnnys	45 Tokeneke Rd, Darien, CT 06820	1
Karma	21 N. Post Rd, Indianapolis IN 46219	3
Karma Records	2856 Miller Dr, Plymouth IN 46563	2
Kief's Music	2429 Iowa St, Lawrence KS 66046	1
Kim's Video & Music	124 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009	1
Kiss The Sky	301 W. State St, Geneva IL 60134	1
Lakeshore Record Exchange	370 Park Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607	1
Landlocked Records	202 N. Walnut St., Bloomington, IN 47404	1
Last Record Store	1899 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa CA 95401	1
Laurie's Planet of Sound	4639 N. Lincoln, Chicago, IL 60625	1
Listen Up!	One South Ave, Natick, MA 01760	1
Loco Record Shop	4060 Rivers Ave, Charleston, SC 29405	1
Lone Star Music	1243 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels TX 78130	1
Looney Tunes	31 Brookvale Ave, West Babylon NY 11704	1
Looney Tunes II	562 Kingstown Rd. Wakefield, RI 02879	1
Lou's Records	448 N. Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024	1
Love Garden Sounds	822 Mass St., Lawrence KS 66044	1
Lovell's Records	6719 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier CA 90601	1
Luna Music	5202 N. College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220	2
Lunchbox Records	1419-A Central Ave, Charlotte, NC	1
M-Theory Music	915 W. Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103	1
Mad City Music Exchange	600 Williamson St., Madison WI 53703	1
Magnolia Thunderpussy	1155 North High St, Columbus, OH 43201	1
Main St. Jukebox	606 Main St, Stroudsburg, PA 18360	1
Main Street Music	4444 Main St. Philadelphia, PA 19127	1
Melodies & Memories	23013 Gratiot Ave, Eastpointe MI 48021	1
Mojo Books & Music	2558 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612	1
Moles Records	111 Calhoun St., Cincinatti OH 45219	1
Monster Music	946 Orleans Rd, Charleston, SC	1
Moondog Music	806 Wacker, Suite 120 Dubuque IA 52002	1
Mother's	431 Main Ave, Moorhead, MN 56560	1
Movie Trading Company	2397 S. Semmons Fwy, Lewisville, TX 75067	36
Music City	3100 Vestal Parkway, Vestal NY 13850	1
Music Merchant	157 Westwood Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675	1
Music Millennium	3158 E Burnside, Portland OR	1
Music Saves	15801 Waterloo Rd, Cleveland OH 44110	1
Musicmania	3909 D North IH 35th, Austin TX 78722	1
My Mind's Eye	13723 Madison Ave, Lakewood OH 44107	1
NeatNeatNeat Records	1836 S. Calhoun St. Fort Wayne, IN 46805	1
Newbury Comics	5 Guest St, Brighton MA	29
Newtown Book & Record	102 S. State St, Newtown, PA 18940	1
North Georgia Compact Disc	509 Beaver Ruin Rd, Norcross, GA 30041	1
Off The Record	901 Summitview Suie 180, Yakima WA 98902	1
Origami Vinyl	1816 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026	1
Other Music	15 E. 4th St, New York, NY 10003	1
Oz Music	506 14th St, Tuscaloosa AL 35401	1
Park Ave CDs	2916 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL 32803	1
Peaches Records	408 N. Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70130	1
Penny Lane Records	1661 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena CA 91106	1
Pepperland Music	850 N. Tustin St., Orange, CA 92867	1
Phoenix Records	367 Bantam Road, Litchfield CT 06759	1
Phono Select Records	2312 K St, Sacramento CA 95816	1
Plan 9 Music	2410 Ownby Lane, Richmond, VA 23221	2
Platterpus Records	40 S. Addison Rd, Suite 200, Additon IL 60101	1
Porchlight Coffee and Records	1515 14th Ave, Seattle WA 98122	1
Positively Records	4153 Woerner Ave, Levittown PA 19057	1
Princeton Record Exchange	20 S. Tulane Ave, Princeton, NJ 08542	1
Pure Pop Records	115 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington VT 05402	1
Radio Kaos Records	968 Main St, Stevens Point, WI 54401	1
Radioactive Records	1930 B. East Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale FL 33304	1
Rainbow Music & Books	34 E. Main St, Newark DE 19711	1
Rainbow Records	421 N. Northwest Hwy, Barrington, IL 60012	1
Ranch Records	237 High St. NE Salem OR 97301	3
Rasputin Records	2401 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley CA 94704	9
Reckless Records	3126 N. Broadway, Chicago IL 60622	3
Record and Tape Exchange	9448 Main St, Fairfax, VA 22031	1
Record Archive	33 1/3 Rockwood St, Rochester NY 14310	1
Record Breakers	2105 S. State St., Chicago IL 60616	1
Record Cellar Audio Video	427 Main St, Vincennes, IN 47591	1
Record Collector Inc	116 S Linn St, Iowa City, IA 52240	1
Record Connection	550 N. Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522	1
Record Room	8 NE Killingsworth, Portland OR 97211	1
Record Theatre	1800 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14208	2
Recorded Memories	1902 N. Hamilton, Spokane, WA 99207	2
Records & Tapes Galore	1303 Court St, Saginaw MI 48602	1
Recycled Records	604 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey, CA 93940	1
Recycled Sounds	909 O St., Lincoln NE 68508	1
Red Onion Records and Books	1901 18th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009	1
Rediscover Records	207 E. Chicago St, Elgin IL 60120	1
Redscroll Records	24 N. Colony, Wallingford, CT 06492	1
Replay Records	2586 Whitney Ave, Hamden CT 06518	1
Repo Records	538 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147	1
Requests	10 N. Market St., Wailuku, HI 96793	1
Rhino Records/Mad Platter	235 Yale Ave, Claremont, CA 91711	2
Rock & Roll Heaven	1814 N. Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32804	1
Rock Candy Music and more	28124 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Saugus, CA 91350	1
Rockaway Records	2395 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90039	1
Rockin Rudys	237 Blaine, Missoula MT 59801	1
Saki	3716 W. Fullerton, Chicago IL 60647	1
Salzer's Records	5777 Valentine Rd, Ventura, CA 93003	1
Schoolkids	2114 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607	2
Scotti's Record Shop	351 Springfield Ave, Summit, NJ	2
Scratch N Spin	513 12th St, Wes Columbus, SC 29169	1
Serious Sounds, Etc.	6364 MLK Blvd, Houston, TX 77021	1
Shake It Records	4156 Hamilton Ave, Cincinatti, OH 45223	1
Sidetracks Music	216 W. Water St., Charlottesville, VA 22905	1
Sig's Lagoon	3622 Main St. Suite E, Houston TX 77001	1
Silver Platters	701 5th Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109	3
Sisters of Sound Music	1214 C. Moro, Manhattan, KS 66502	1
Skullyz Records	907 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116	1
Slackers	8628 Mexico Road, O'Fallon MO 63366	11
Slow Train Records	221 E. Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84111	1
Som Records	1843 14th St NW, Washington DC 20009	1
Sonic Boom Records	2209 NW Market St., Seattle, WA 98107	2
Sound Exchange	1846 Richmond Ave, Houston TX 77098	1
Sound Fix	44 Berry St, Brooklyn NY 11211	1
Sound It Out Records	418 S Union St, Traverse City MI 49684	1
Sound Spectrum	1264 S. Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach CA 92651	1
Soundcheck Records	23 Broadway, Jim Thorpe PA 18229	1
Sounds Good Music	1026 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd, Port St. Lucie FL, 34952	1
Soundwaves	3509 Montrose, Houston, TX 77006	1
Southwest Sound	922 Main Ave, Durango, CO 81301	1
Spazz Records	231 Trenton St., W. Monroe, LA 71291	1
Spoonful Records	116 E. Long St, Columbus OH 43215	1
Square Records	824 W. Market St, Akron OH 44303	1
Stinkweeds	12 W. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013	1
Stormy Records	13210 Michigan Ave, Dearborn MI 48126	1
Strawberry Alarm Clock	1626 MLK Jr. Way, Merced, CA 95340	1
Streetlight Records	980 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose CA 95128	3
Strictly Discs	1900 Monroe St, Madison WI 53711	1
Stylus Honolulu	2615 S. King #A-301, Honolulu HI 96826	1
Sweat Records	5505 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami Fl 33137	1
Sweet Melissa	146 South Park Square, Marietta GA 3060	1
That's Entertainment	244 Park Avenue, Worcester, MA 01609	1
The Exchange	761-R Beta Dr, Mayfield OH 44143	28
The Great Escape	5400 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37209	4
The Groove	1103 Calvin Ave, Nashville TN 37206	1
The Exclusive Company	1669 N. Farwell Ave, Milwaukee WI 53202	8
The Long Ear	2405 N. 4th St., Coeur D'Alene, ID 83814	1
The Mushroom	1037 Broadway, New Orleans LA 70118	1
The Old School Records	7446 W. Madison Ave, Forest Park, IL 60130	1
The Record Collector	358 Farnsworth Ave, Bordentown NJ 08505	1
The Record Exchange	105 W. Idaho St, Boise ID 83702	1
The Record King	303 Main St, Hackensack NJ 07601	1
The Record Lounge	503 E. Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823	1
The Record Rack	7767 E. Atlantic Blvd, Pompano Beach, FL 33062	1
The Record Store	6299 Rt 9 North, Howell NJ, 07731	1
The Sound Garden	1616 Thames St., Baltimore, MD 21231	2
The Telegraph	19 Golden St, New London CT 06320	1
Tom's Music Trade	57 N. Main St, Red Lion PA 17356	1
Top 5 Records	19 Sandalwood Ct	1
Toxic Beauty Records	220 Xenia Avenue, Yellow Springs OH 45387	1
Tracks Records	415 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington IN 47408	1
Trax on Wax	709 Frederick Rd, Catonsville, MD 21228	1
Tres Gatos	470 Centre St, Jamaica Plain MA 02130	1
Triple Play Records	530 Main St, Grand Junction, CO 81505	1
Tunes	910 Berlin Road Voorhees NJ 08043	5
Twist & Shout	2508 E. Colfax, Denver, CO 80206	1
UHF Music	512 South Washington, Royal Oak MI 43067	1
Uncle Sams Music	1141 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139	1
Vacation Records	3815 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026	1
Val's Halla Records	239 Harrison St, Oak Park, IL 60304	1
Vertigo Music	449 Penn Ave, West Reading PA 19611	1
Vertigo Music	129 S. Division, Grand Rapids MI 49503	1
Vinal Edge	13171 Veterans Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77014	1
Vintage Vinyl	6610 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63130	1
Vintage Vinyl	51 Lafayette Road, Fords NJ 08863	1
Vintage Vinyl Records	925 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201	1
Vinyl Renaissance & Audio	10922 Shawnee Mission Pkway, Shawnee KS 66203	1
Von's Records	319 W. State St, West Lafayette IN 47906	1
Waiting Room Records	113 W. North St, Normal IL 61761	1
Warbler Records and Goods	131 E. De La Guerra St., Santa Barbara CA 93101	1
Waterloo Records & Video	600 North Lamar, Austin TX 78703	1
Watts Music	1211 Grant Ave, Novato CA 94945	1
Wax N Facts	432 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307	1
Wax Trax Records	638 E. 13th Ave, Denver, CO 80203	1
Webster Records	117 W. Lockwood, Webster Groves, MO 63119	1
Wicked Discs	406 S. Craig St, Pittsburgh, PA 13213	1
Wooden Nickel Music	3627 N. Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46801	1
Woodstock Music Shop	6 Rock City Rd, Woodstock, NY 12498	1
Wuxtry Records	197 E. Clayton St, Athens GA 30601	2
Wyatt Earp Records	5204 Corunns Road, Flint MI 48532	1
Young Ones	59 Constitution Blvd, Kutztown PA 19530	1
Zia Records	21002 N 19th Ave, Suite 120, Phoenix AZ 85027	8
ZZZ Records	2200 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312	1

As you can see, a pretty extensive list and KUDOS to those stores for not having anything to hide and committing to the pledge. These are the stores ***YOU SHOULD SPEND YOUR MONEY AT ON RECORD STORE DAY FIRST***. If there are stores in your city that say that they "participate" in Record Store Day, but haven't signed the pledge, then they don't have your best interests in mind. Their goal is likely to sell product in stores/online/on Ebay and make as much money as they can. They also, may over price items, to make it not worthwhile for you to buy it (like the store in Atlanta that Eric Levin mentioned in his interview). Again, you have a choice to vote with your wallet. You don't have to support *any* stores for not signing the pledge, but if you are, at least go to stores that signed the pledge first.

Here are some stores that I know of, that aren't on this list (maybe their signed pledge is "on it's way")

Sound Exchange in Tampa, FL
Forever Young Records in Arlington, TX
Size Records in Oklahoma City, OK
Starship Records in Tulsa, OK
Hyde and Zeke's in Gainesville, FL
Wayward Records in Gainesville, FL
Rush Mor Records in Milwaukee, WI
Ear Wax Records in Madison, WI
Long in the Tooth in Philadelphia, PA
Used Kids Records in Columbus, OH
Lost Weekend Records in Columbus, OH
Singing Dog Records in Columbus, OH
Eclipse Records in St. Paul, MN
Extreme Noise in Minneapolis, MN
Mod Lang in El Cerrito, CA
Singles Going Steady in Seattle, WA
Green Noise in Portland, OR
2nd Ave Records in Portland, OR
Armageddon Records in Providence, RI
The Time Capsule in Cranston, RI or Seekonk, MA
Rebel Sound Records in Pittsfield, MA
Round Again in Providence, RI
Hogwild Records in San Antonio, TX
Retro Records in Orlando
Soundsations in LA, CA
Headline Records in LA, CA
Vinyl Solution in Huntington Beach, CA
Reactionary Records in Atlanta, GA
Full Moon Records in Atlanta, GA
Permanent Records in Chicago, IL
Beautiful World Syndicate in Philadelphia, PA
Noise Pollution in Philadelphia, PA
Champion Ship Records in Lemoyne, PA
Round Again Records in Providence, RI
Luke's Records in Pawtucket, RI
Generation Records in NYC, NY
Bleeker Street Records in NYC, NY
Bleeker Bob's in NYC, NY
Speakertree Records in Lynchburg, VA
Shangri-La Records in Memphis, TN
Hold Fast Records in Asbury Park, NJ
Rewound Sounds in Wichita, KS
Bullseye Records in Milwaukee, WI
Jerry's Record Exchange in Denver, CO
Treehouse Records in Minneapolis, MN
Everybody's Records in Cincinnati, OH
Smash Records in Washington, DC
Melody Record Shop in Washington, DC
Yesterday and Today Records in Jacksonville, FL

Do you see a local store you have done business with that *hasn't* signed the pledge? Post it in the comments and I'll update this list. As a CUSTOMER, you should ask them WHY they didn't sign the pledge. Why would they not want to get 'first dibs' on RSD product? Why would they not honor a 30 day window to not sell on Ebay? What excuse is there to not sign it?

Remember to reward your business and money with the stores who signed the pledge, you'll have a better time (better events/live acts/etc.), have access to better products (first dibs on RSD items) and feel safe knowing that going into the store, you won't overpay for any items.

The pledge is a GREAT IDEA and we should THANK THE STORES for SIGNING IT! Don't you agree?? If so, then please put this link on your BLOG/TWITTER! Spread the word and let's reward those stores with less than 30 days to go for Record Store Day with our business!

IF YOU ARE A STORE THAT SIGNED THE PLEDGE, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE A SIGN IN YOUR STORE STATING THE YOU SIGNED THE PLEDGE AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT, EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMERS! ALLOW THEM TO KNOW WHY THEY SHOULD SPEND MONEY AT YOUR STORE FIRST, VERSUS A NON-PLEDGE STORE IN THE SAME MARKET!

2nd & FINAL Interview with RSD Co-Founder and Criminal Records Owner, ERIC LEVIN

2011-03-10T16:35:00.001-08:00

I had a few people e-mail me some questions and I had some of my own questions I wanted to follow-up with based on his answers and things I forgot to ask. So again, I want to thank Eric Levin for taking the time out of his hectic schedule to answer these questions. Thanks to everyone who has read this interviews, posted them on your Facebook and Twitter and spread the word about Record Store Day!!!

1) When the finalized list of releases finally appears on www.recordstoreday.com, would it be possible to highlight which releases will be "exclusive" for the day and which releases will be widely available for months afterwards? This way, since over 300 items are being released, the customer can budget and know which items should be priority to obtain, versus an item they can pick up when they get their next paycheck.

Eric Levin: "Absolutely, I think everyone's going to be delighted with our final list, which we're designing to include all pertinent information----from quantities produced, showing the album cover, the track listing, the label, the UPC code, where it was replicated, the country of origin and where the artist might be doing an in-store on RSD. In a perfect world, it will be all fancy and coded and super handy, so you can print it out in advance and start your checklist.

It's going to be good (as good as we can make it) and I'm sure that we'll gather some feedback and build towards making a better list next year. But this year, the "windowed" releases (edit: Releases that are exclusive to RSD stores for a short period of time, such as 4 weeks), titles that are making it out in time for RSD, will be on a different list. The regional releases, e.g 300-500 unit special "local" releases (or the like) will be shown on a third list.

Of course, that speaks to the lateness of the official release list, as some of the decisions are still being made, some things are already in the warehouse. Every minute, I receive another e-mil that a title has been changed, dropped, didn't exist in the first place or are already sold out with no hope of being allocated to a store. There's mayhem at the store level right now, as stores are receiving good news and bad news. I know I sound like a broken record, but this is math. We have, as of today, 587 (edit: only 587? Shame if you are a store and didn't sign this!) stores that have signed our pledge, and those stores get first dibs on all of these items.

The My Morning Jacket (MMJ) titles, for example, are a great case. They are only making 500 each (with 100 copies going to the band for their collections and friends), so try doing the math. Only 400 copies available to 587 stores? Basically somebody isn't going to get the record they want, sadly.

I know already that my own store got totally hosed on the Secretly Canadian releases, I don't think we are getting any. Yeasayer, Superchunk, none of it. Luck of the draw and as I've pointed out, my store doesn't get any special love because I work for the RSD organization. Just like I didn't receive dozens of titles last year, it will still be the same thing this year. You can't always get what you want right? As I did last year, the customers would say "Let me have the Hold Steady, Surfer Blood, Drive by Truckers and Vanguard reissues" and we'd just smile and apologize and sympathize and explain that we didn't receive those items. Invariably, the customer will look down at their list and say "Okay, let me have the Soundgarden, the Tom Waits and one of those Rodriguez 7"s."

It seems that the only people who are really upset are the Ebay scumbags who aren't going to be able to flip their purchases and take advantage of people. The true music fans always shrug and then pick their next treats."

2) One of the constant themes in your interview was that RSD was a volunteer organization run by a select, few individuals. If the general public wanted to help volunteer, would there be any opportunities to help? Or are you looking for more of your peers/fellow record store owners to help participate. I am sure you would be surprised at the number of people who'd want to help RSD continue and make it better (including myself)

EL: "Yeah, that was a call to arms, I suppose, and a lot of people responded, and I was caught off guard. I don't have a place for any volunteers nationally, but locally? At this point, every RSD fan should have their favorite indie store or stores. The person who shows up for a Bruce Springsteen 7" and some free beer and goes home, I don't expect that person to volunteer. If a customer has that special relationship with an indie store, tell them you're ready to help them. Offer to stand by the door and keep an eye out for shoplifters or other problems; bake a cake and bring it down to the store; offer to man the station service the cake; walk around cleaning up empty beer cans and plates; help make sure the bands are comfortable and have what they need; run to the store for more beer or help keep the line hydrated, educated and entertained.

There are so many opportunities to help out your grateful indie record store. Some labels and distributors have reached out to RSD with this very idea, like, Megaforce would adopt a store for the day and just try and help. Maybe they use office equipment at their work to help print signs, maybe they make those duratrans (backlit display) for the lightboxes (all of our logos are here: www.recordstoreday.com/Page/984). Design a celebratory t-shirt for your favorite store, print them up and let the stores sell them. Henry from Chunklet magazine did that for us last year, it was just a gift of 3 dozen t-shirts. He said, "Here's some shirts that are $15.00 each, you're the only store that has them, enjoy!"

The easiest thing to do to help? Use those banners at the above URL and spread the word."

3) Labels are cutting back on resources and manpower. They have turned fans into "Street Teams". EMI is up for sale right now. With the constant flux going on in the industry, do labels have a "dedicated" Record Store Day liaison to help you out, or is it just a random person that changes each month/year? If there is no liaison, do you think having one might help with the lack of communication and other issues you've addressed previously?

EL: "Every label is working as hard as they can with fewer staff members and smaller budgets. There's been a deleterious cause and effect from the current state of the music economy, be it the devaluation of music or just the wholesale outright stealing of music, the effect is prevalent.

Labels can't make money selling records these days, for the most part. Bands can't make money on tour, because gas is too high and high ticket prices mean less people attend shows and buy merchandise.

Do we have liaisons for RSD? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Often, I'm talking with the label and manager directly, who will tell their labels what to do. Sometimes I'm working with the President of a company, sometimes, well....I have to explain RSD from the ground up and talk people into participating.

If the world started buying more music, the labels would hire more people, bands would be better promoted and more bands would be signed; not dropped. The collapse of the music industry, right before our very eyes, is something we should all be ashamed of. Watch, as we head into the future without the economic support of the arts---the number of movies will shrink, novels will be abandoned or not published, journalism is a thing of the past. I don't think these are positive things.

One of the saddest things I heard recently, a record store owner friend of mine who has historically releases a lot of records, when asked about what records he has working on for this year said "What's the point????" This is a guy who has released a lot of local bands, some of whom have gone on to fame and fortune. He has released dozens of records, not one of them profitable, but all of them works of art. He's out of that business now because his main business (the record store) isn't profitable. This is sad, but its the same story for all labels, big and small. In the absence of profit potential or the hopes of breaking even, less records and art will be made. Bummer."

4) Do you think RSD releases should be driven by the band/management or the label itself?

EL: "Both and/or all. Like the recent Lady Gaga thing, where she backed out of her deal of a Target exclusive because of Target's history of divisive donations and disdain for GLBT concerns. Or U2 and their history of exclusive deal making, or hell, all of them who have sold their integrity for the almighty dollar. I've read lots of editorials/blogs that Lady Gaga didn't know who she was getting into bed with, that it was all her label and management. Same with U2, same with all of them, and I just cry total bullshit! Now, Lady Gaga may not have know that her label was putting out a Record Store Day 12" Picture Disc, that seems like a strictly label idea, but for those artists, to hide behind their labels and management, there's just no way.

When we really get something awesome happening, like the Foo Fighters mega-promotion, it has involved everyone from Dave himself, to his manager, to me, to my other RSD partners and we've come up with something crazy special. The White Limo tour, if you are familiar, is a cross-country limo ride with the Foo Fighters blasting the new album, culminating in a yet-to-be-announced in-store appearance on RSD and a yet to be announced LP component that is going to blow minds when completed.

On the opposite side, you have Sony, releasing a Jakob Dylan 7" in celebration of RSD last year. That Jakob ****** was on NPR on Record Store Day last year, joking with the DJ about how there aren't record stores any longer and this was on OUR DAY, when we're trying to sell his shitty RSD 7". This was obviously just a label project, some crap pushed through the system and shame on me for ordering it in the first place. Having the guy rub my nose in it, was a little harsh, I mean it is his business that supports his way of life and he just trashes it.

I can understand if a truck drive or waiter doesn't know that record stores are alive and well, but a touring and working musician? Someone who conceivably goes from city to city playing shows, but never looked up from the back of the tour bus and saw a record store?? Pity."

5) A little over a year ago, RSD came out with "Vinyl Saturday". Although it started promising with releases by Green Day, Wilco, Beastie Boys, etc.; it soon died. It appeared that the labels were unable to keep up with being able to produce new products every month. What happened and could it be resurrected?

EL: "Wow, tough one. Vinyl Saturday was a good idea, but it was just beyond us when we launched it. After a few years under our belts, we've learned some things and I think our Back to Black Friday was the outcome. Our goal is to have RSD services for indie record stores and our customers all year long, how that's going to take shape? We'll find out."

6) Some stores have "claimed" that labels have shifted releases to the Tuesday before RSD (April 12th) to ensure their products are in store prior to RSD. Allegedly, one problem is that the labels have raised prices on these items, almost making them seem like a "premium product" is being released, when any other day of the year it would not have the same price point. Is there anything you or the stores could do to stop this practice, other than vote with your wallets and not bring in product on that Tuesday?

EL: "Hmmm, there are issues, but I haven't seen any price gouging. That just sounds like somebody complaining without any actual facts. Like, traditionally, labels want to put their records out in the fourth quarter to take advantage of the increased visibility of Christmas shopping traffic and that's what we're seeing here. Also, with the success of RSD, folks are looking at the 3rd Saturday of April as a potential release date, or to be near it. Good idea or bad idea, I'm not sure yet.

For example, I'm working with the Smithereens, who have a record coming out the week before. Is this good timing or bad? Will the mom who was sent down to pick up the Green Day 7" (or whatever somebody wants), see the Smithereens while waiting in line and pick it up? I hope so.

I promise that nobody is ever going to force somebody to spend money on RSD."

7) Some major labels, will tend to list the "exclusive" RSD product on their own label webstore or band's webpage before Record Store Day happens. Doesn't this defeat the purpose of Record Store Day and supporting an Independent Record Store (and thus the tax revenue on the release which is lost and not spread to the community)?

EL: "Always a conundrum. D2C, they call that, direct to consumer. I think most record stores would prefer that the labels and bands didn't do that, but sometimes, that's the only way to get them done. Bands need road money too. Of course, not every release is the Yeasayer or Black Angels piece from LITA, not all are going to sell out, so sometimes, these labels and artists need the benefit of D2C sales, simply to be able to afford to make the product. If they're selling before RSD? We won't accept it as part of RSD, and if you know of any, please let me know immediately.

For instance, we don't want sloppy seconds. No ITUNES exclusive and thenyou get it. Fuck that. Though in cases like, the Flaming Lips (last year) or the Gorillaz (this year), sometimes the pieces are so compelling and fit so perfectly in the rest of the band's canon that there demands a release. As I've stated before, it's not like we can tell a label what to do.

Can you believe, in the early days, labels used to ask us if we wanted to give away digital download cards on RSD? The naivety and lack of real world knowledge in our industry is sometimes comical, but most times, just causes stomach aches. Try teaching a label president, who used to work at a cell phone company, or a bankrupt digital service how to market and sell a record. The inmates have truly taken over the asylum, but that's fine, in the long run these poorly managed companies will shed their rosters and the indie community will be able to pick up where they left off. Without the massive overheads of overseas companies, they can actually be profitable and for once, share the proceeds with the artists. We're approaching an entire music industry revolution, and it isn't all bad."

8) A band was trying to get their record pressed recently and the pressing plant was backed up still pressing records for RSD. Since there is such a huge lead time needed to get these releases to the public (deadline in January), the ability to create a "surprise" or last minute item is limited or nearly impossible, correct?

EL: "Interesting and I'd say unequivocally "NO!!" I'm still getting surprised on a daily basis, surprised by the announcements, questions and requests. The list is going out shortly, and you've been publishing your list and still there will be surprises leading up to the day.

Nobody has reported on the goodie bags, the value adds that will be given away to the first customers. We've got amazing stuff, from buttons and stickers (yeah, not too amazing), but lots of CD and stuff to give away. Awesome RSD bags from WB, even a free CD from our RSD counterparts in France, named "Le Disquaire Day". Three special edition magazines--Utne Reader, Decibel and a special Coachella piece that's really cool. There are gospel samplers going to the Christian stores and both Sony and UMG are doing "urban" samplers who are going to more urban stores.

Record pressing plants are busy, no doubt, but I haven't talked to one that is backed up. I think a lot of times people blame the replicators when they don't have their own shit together. Once, Gotta Groove out of Cleveland, OH, turned around a 7" for me in 6 days. It's not hard people, it's work."

9) The first year of Record Store Day, saw a vinyl 12" sampler called "Choice Cuts" and another sample called "Record Store Day' that featured Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, etc. Are there any plans to create these vinyl samplers in the future?

EL: "Those were cool, kind of. They were really fun to work on, but just too expensive to produce, ship and coordinate. As we all know, the labels don't have any extra money lying around. This year it was "shall we fire seven more people, or make this free record?". We urged and cautioned, please make CD samplers, because we need the quantity for the money. I want the first customer through the door to have as much free stuff and fun as the last customer, and with 587 official stores, you can imagine how many free CD samplers (or free "anything") the labels would have to produce.

Sadly, our industry is suffering too much from the current state of music thievery to produce much in the way of promotional material.

I say "cool, kind of", because they are neat. I have copies of all of them myself, they hearken back to a time when you could buy a label sampler as a subscription and you could really hear new music. Now? Music is so easy to hear right now, that I'm not sure an LP is the best delivery method for a Various Artists compilation. You listen to the two or three things you want to hear, and then you shelve it. For promotional purposes, I feel the CD does the trick fine."

10) You mentioned previously (in the last interview) that you were concerned about the vinyl renaissance based on what the labels are doing. What do you see as potential 'speed bumps' to the success of vinyl that has been publicized by USA Today, NPR, Billboard and others?

EL: "Price and quality. Some releases are some of the greatest records ever produced, some of the WB Pallas output, anything on Numero, Light in the Attic, MoFi, ORG, etc. When the right care is put into a release, from the re-mastering specifically for vinyl, to the choice of replicator and quality of vinyl (e.g. 180g), there is simply a right way and a wrong way.

The Indies all get it, they've never forgotten it, it is the majors that simply don't see the dollar value in a niche item, so they are pumping out some of the worst crap ever. You can just hear it on some of them, like, this is just an expensive CD on an LP. That will hurt us, because I fear someone is going to buy an expensive record, expecting to be blown away and it's just not going to deliver the results.

At Criminal, we sell a lot of turntables, from cheap ($74.99) to expensive ($899.99), from Crosley to Pro-Ject. I always talk customers out of those garbage cheap turntables, cool if you're putting in your dorm room or on your patio, but a real bad-ass turntable that you can leave for your kids, along with your records. Build and leave a legacy, as you aren't building anything of value in your hard drive. Fuck that new IPad which is going to be out of date in 6 months and stuck forever in a landfill in 12 months.

Thankfully, we still have record stores. Places were you can go for the advice, like which turntable to buy and how to set it up. Hell, I've left work and gone to dozens of my customers homes to balance their tone arms and get them setup. Customers come in daily for a little help and care, replacing a cartridge here, fixing a loose belt another day. Can you imagine buying a turntable at Best Buy? A record? What would they do if you opened it and it was scratched? I can't imagine."

END. Thanks again to Eric. And I hope EVERYONE enjoys and participates in RECORD STORE DAY. If you know someone who like music, listens to the radio, listens to mp3's, watches YouTube videos, goes to concerts, etc. ......they need to know. EDUCATE the glory of RECORD STORE DAY. Support and help your local store. Their future depends on your $$$$.

EXCLUSIVE Interview with RSD Co-founder Eric Levin of Criminal Records in Atlanta

2011-03-05T15:11:00.001-08:00

I want to thank Eric Levin for taking the time to answer some questions that anyone who is a fan of Record Store Day is curious about. Some questions I ask, there is no "perfect" answer for. A lot of things are in flux right now (remember RSD is run by *volunteers*), but the one thing that comes across is the passion behind Eric's answers and wanting to do the best for his customers and for fans of Record Store Day. I think that is really the "heart" of Record Store Day and why it is so successful. It is a time for fans of all ages to come together and share stories about their favorite records, why vinyl sounds better than CDs, talk about what releases they are most excited about and enjoy food/drinks with like-minded fans.

1) In your opinion, do you feel that Record Store Day has gotten too big, with the number of releases? If so, what are you and the other RSD figureheads doing to ensure that this doesn't happen next April?

Eric Levin: "I had personal fear last year that there was going to be a flood of releases for 2011, and I have loudly expressed my opinions at every opportunity. In every meeting, from the largest labels to the smallest, I've urged caution not to harm the golden goose of the vinyl resurgence by over producing. Not even considering RSD, I have concern for the vinyl movement.

That being said, and this is potentially in response to all haters, from a customer who thinks a Lady Gaga 12" is stupid, to a label who thinks their record is somehow more precious than another's, to a fan who just, for whatever reason missed out on getting exactly what they wanted, to our foreign counterparts who complain that they aren't being treated fairly, but have not volunteered one minute of volunteer time to effect a change....well, there are a lot of world-wide opinions and desires to be addressed.

The biggest point I can make is that RSD volunteers, can offer advice and even wisdom to all parties, artists, labels, distributors, stores, customers, et. al and only offer advice and suggestions. We have no say in what Sony or Universal chooses to do, we have no say in what Matador chooses to do. It would be arrogant and inappropriate for us to make demands ds on any producers, and frankly, after thirty plus years in this business, the only business that takes my personal advice to heart, is my personal business.

In our limited capacity, however, we're doing as much as we can. There are also lots of different players out there in this game, big stores (like your commenter from Canada mentioned, Sunrise Records, a chain (but an independently owned chain who has contributed man hours and cash to help RSD get off the ground and continue to run), I'm not sure what the anonymous Canadian complainer on your web site has done, but if he made a good record this year, I'd love to know about it and have the opportunity to buy it) to the littlest store that only sells used dubstep records on alternating weekends. Oh yeah, plus the rest of the world. Simultaneously trying to celebrate, please and profit. Remember, RSD is managed by about four to five volunteers..

Complaints and opinions are always great and listened to, but folks have to understand that, well, complaints and opinions are kind of universal. I have some, you have some, everyone

2) As a store owner yourself, how do you balance obtaining RSD product for your store and attempting to make the customer happy?

EL: "Wow, great question. It's hard, it's incredibly hard. Criminal Records is celebrating our twentieth anniversary next month, I say that, because, well to show that I'm down in it. I am taking out loans to purchase extra product for RSD. I've heard many stores say that they have to do the same, and some are complaining about it and some are excited about it. I totally over-ordered last year, trying to be all things to all comers. We ordered stuff we'd never have carried in our store, like Jakob Dylan and Dave Matthews. I wanted any customer to see Criminal Records and go, "Oh, awesome, I get it now, I'm invited to come in here and have fun, even though I like Ke$sha and that dude behind the counter looks like he might like Slayer." (Ultimately, that's the entire point of RSD.)

So, yeah, I ordered too much. I've got a ton of unsold Jakob Dylan and Charlotte Gainsbourg 7's that are in the racks at half-price, I still have product from the first RSD, priced to sell, or priced fairly (no gouging at my store, ever.).

We had our busiest day in twenty years, hot damn, but I had so much left over that I probably didn't profit any. I also released my own record, which was a Rodriguez 7" that included a ticket to get into an after hours show with Rodriguez, who I had personally flown down to Atlanta, put up and took care of. I hired a local pick up band, as his backing group, and I had the best party at my store that I've ever been to! The party was day long with free beer, local businesses bringing us BBQ/pizzas, customers bringing us baked goodies to share, other record dealers and customers setting up a mini-record fair outside, and bands playing all day long. That, in my opinion, is RSD. Throwing a bitchin' party and having fun.

For all this agita, drama, complaining, whining about all this product, it's like, "get over your damn self, whoever you are, and have some fun." That goes out to everyone.

But I digress, how does a record store handle all this purchasing and merchandising? How does a customer handle all of this?

Are these questions different then an average day? New release Tuesday, or a trip to the grocery store?

A store needs to purchase what they can afford, for their customers and hopefully the customers will budget and buy what they want. It seems kind of simple to me.

I'm doing what every other store is doing, paying down my bills with my suppliers, saving cash for COD orders, talking to everyone I can about terms, dating, return--everything I do on a daily business day, except there are around 300 pieces to choose from this year. I do that every day. Which records do we buy? Which comics do we buy? Which toys do we buy? Which magazines will sell?

This is what we call business, and I do sometimes want to say to the complainers, like, what do you do every other day of the year? Who do you bitch at?

As far as our attempts to make the customer happy, I have practices at my own store, I learn practices from other stores. I've learned from the prior three years, and as we'll talk about below, we've created a "pledge" to try and teach best business practices to our fellow record stores. We can't make anyone do anything, every record store is encouraged and entitled to celebrate in their own way on RSD (well, except corporate stores, of course), but the pledge that the "official" stores have signed on to go a long way to teaching best practices and rewarding those that do.

I hate to be all, Criminal Records this, Criminal Records that, because it's a level playing field. The work I do for RSD and for the coalitions includes everybody, yesterday I was lining up in-stores for a CIMS store, an unaffiliated store, my own store, all equal footing. I'm trying to get Ke$ha to stop by AKA in Philadelphia, but I don't know if Ke$ha wants to, and I don't know if AKA wants her to come, but I'm up on the Internet looking at tour dates and trying to make awesome happen. I'm trying to get the Smithereens to stop their tour van somewhere between New York and their next stop in Vermont. I have to find a store that's signed the pledge, is awesome, and wants the Smithereens to stop by and say hey. (Oh yeah, did I mention that this is the whole world now? Did I mention that we're volunteers?)

[EDIT: the below example is what *all* stores participating in RSD should do. It should never be a "free for all" once the door opens.]

So, at Criminal Records, we're there all night before RSD. We're checking in massive amounts of stuff (we ask that all stuff be shipped very late, so that stuff doesn't leak out early.), we're cleaning and merchandising, we're tweaking PA, backline, recording equipment, printing up signs and setting out parking cones and stanchions for crowd control. When the line starts forming around 5am, we start serving coffee and bottled water to the crowd, talking them up about what they're excited about, we're running back and forth trying to answer questions like: "What's on the b-side?", "Do you have the colored version?" and yes, a lot of the early dudes in line are the "collector's scum" that are racing home to eBay to rape folks.

This is when we start learning what we missed out on. "What do you mean there are no Drive by Truckers?" (This being Atlanta, this is a big deal.) Everyone's racing around trying to find out what's what with what's wrong and what's missing. These questions won't be solved until later in the week, or never, as boxes start showing up, "Oh, here are those Drive by Truckers."

To every complaining store that whines about not getting their precious item, well guess what, me too! I help run the fucking thing so shut the fuck up.

We start letting folks in ten at a time, to avoid stampedes. I have four cashiers and runners finding stuff for folks, while extra crew is warming up the PA and setting up the bands and the films we show in between. We have a limit of one item per customer, per item, no exceptions. First guy through grabs a Devo hat off the counter, we have four of them, we've been asked to take pictures of people wearing them and send back to the label and Devo, one of the hundreds of requests we receive for special quid pro quo's, i.e. we'll give you these cool hats if you post a picture. Fair deal, sure.

This dude, collector scum extraordinaire, asks a volunteer (many of our customers hung out all day, just helping where they could, so awesome) and she mistakenly told him he could have it. After he bought like, all his collector's stuff, he was walking out the door with the hat. I kindly explained, "Aw man, that hat is for us to take pictures of on people all day, may I take your pic?" He gave me an unreal rash of shit, like "she said I could have it and the customer is always right." I turned around to the rest of the watching customers who were like, "dude, what a dick" and said "guys, what do you think?"

Everybody just started screaming at the dude to be for real and share and to give me my hat back. What a way to start RSD, and we hadn't even cut the big cake yet.

For the rest of the day, for the most part, it was love, and food, and music...as customers opened up their purchases and asked us to DJ some of the hotness. At Criminal Records, my staff, myself included, aren't allowed to purchase anything until Sunday morning, when we're cleaning up. (I scored a Fela Kuti 10", yes!)

I found out the next day a record store in Atlanta, who chose not to participate in RSD ("Record Store Day is stupid, Eric.") somehow got a hold of some RSD releases and was celebrating by charging his few customers eBay pricing the day of RSD. Wow, right? $20.00 for records that I had at $5.99. I can only shake my head and hope that the customer, I don't know, I hope they had a good time. Or something.

I think, along with the pledge and what the pledge truly says, we're going to go a long way towards teaching record stores how to be better record stores."

3) Record Stores this year had to sign a "pledge" that provided them some rules about being able to participate in RSD. Can you talk about why the pledge was created and how you plan to enforce it, if at all?

EL: Oh, the pledge. Right. I think I just described it, but here it is. http://download.recordstoreday.com/free/2011_RECORD_STORE_DAY_PLEDGE.pdf

STORES WHO WISH TO BE PLACED ON THE PRIORITY ALLOCATION LIST FOR COMMERCIAL RECORD STORE DAY PRODUCT SHOULD DOWNLOAD, SIGN AND RETURN THIS PLEDGE NO LATER THAN JANUARY 15, 2011. (US STORES ONLY)

1. Product created for Record Store Day will be sold in physical retail stores.

2. Stores will not sell Record Store Day releases online, nor will orders be taken online for later shipping, prior to that year’s actual Record Store Day.

EL: "Okay, but what kind of teeth does it have? We do our best, we coordinate with the labels, distros and suppliers, that ARE dealing with us and participating "officially" and we ask them to honor the pledge themselves, selling only stuff to pledge stores.

This is the first year for it, and I think it will have some positive results, we'll discover what works and doesn't and continue to tweak.

But there are always participants (artists, labels, distributors, one-stops, stores) that will try and gank the system, take advantage of others' hard work and generally just give a fuck all except for themselves and their bottom line. Those stores? Well, it's up to the customer to reward them with their money or not. "

4) Has there been any talk about staggering Record Store Day or having more than one RSD? And as a follow up, will there be another Black Friday this year?

EL: "Oh wow, so interesting. My reaction to Black Friday and the AIMS stance/vote was "NO!". RSD should be one day a year, let's not ruin the good name. We were out-voted and Black Friday came and went, and you know, it was a great success. Shit, we were wrong. Okay, that can happen. Can you imagine that the labels got dollar signs in their eyes and are trying to make money? Shock.

My goal with RSD is to provide an umbrella organization for Record Stores, nationally and globally. All year long, I want to offer services to indie record stores and I want us to be able to speak as a loud unified voice. To our industry, to our government and to our customers, we want to say, "hey, party over here." (We also want to say lots of other things, like, "Don't make so many shitty expensive records," "Don't whore yourselves out to Target or Wal-Mart," "Don't shit where you eat, i.e. music specialty retailers.") Now that we have an apparatus to speak to a lot of stores, we might be able to, well....help.

For example, every single advertisement you see, in a print magazine, on-line, anywhere, will encourage the music consumer to shop at either Amazon or iTunes (where no tax revenue goes to where you live, btw) and now, we're begging our label partners to consider putting the RSD logo on those ads, too. Seems like a simple idea, right? Let's advertise music the way movie companies do, they don't say, "You must go to AMC theaters," they say "This movie is out, go see it at any theater."

If you take that notion further, it gets pretty exciting."

5) The "Record Store Day" logo/stamp/sticker that is put on releases, lets the consumer know that this item is OFFICIALLY tied to RSD. However, there are many labels that are releasing items on the same day without the logo/stamp/sticker. How do you feel about that and is there any way to try and curb that in the future?

EL: “Yeah, what a pain, right? Like last year, I had this regular customer in the store on RSD, and she had a great stack, but was having to pick and choose for budget reasons. She had the Modest Mouse Moon and Antarctica LP reissue, but she also had some stuff that was definitely not going to be available in the future and I ensured her that I'd have the MM for her and she should buy the rare stuff. She actually decided to go ahead and get the MM, because she wanted to go home and play it. Who am I to argue? I'm there to educate.

This is hard though.

As I've stated, the labels will not listen to our advice and we truly can't blame them for wanting to take advantage of the amazing increase in traffic on that one day. So, yeah, in some ways they're abusing the system, but they're businesses and you know, someone out there might want what they release.

An example from last year that has caused a lot of controversy, which you mentioned, was the Flaming Lips Dark Side of the Moon. For me, I was into it all the way and was bummed out when it came out on iTunes, because I don't use that method and figured I wouldn't get to hear it. So when I heard that there was a vinyl release coming in large quantities with a CD inside at a fair price, I was excited. We ordered and sold a shit - ton. We still have it in stock, and I like showing it and selling it to customers.

Other folks, I guess they're upset, since it was supposed to be limited and made just for RSD.

Multiply that notion times three hundred and you kind of can see the dilemma. We're trying our best? How's that?”

6) Why are labels so hesitant to let you guys announce releases on the website? I find it very odd that releases are already announced on the RSD UK and RSD NL websites and there are no updates on the US website. In addition, you constantly see labels offer press releases of their RSD items before you've announced anything. How can there be better communication between RSD, the labels, the stores and the fans on how items are announced?

EL: “Another huge issue, internally and externally and the never ending question: “What is the list?”

Wow, I can hardly begin to address this question because we're still struggling with it and trying to define it.

We want the RSD "Official" list to be the official list. Like, really solid, no rumors, no innuendo, no mistakes, no missed street dates. We want UPC codes, quantities produced, regional availability, artist availability and whereabouts, pricing and all of this has to collected, organized and programmed on the RSD website.

We also have every single release, every artist, manager, label, mom and dad demanding that their release be the most special and highlighted and shouted about first, before any others.

Every manager wants to release his own press release, so they can gain blog buzz.

Honestly, I kind of like the way the information trickles out, I use Google reader and get information off sites like yours. I get surprised constantly when I hear about a release, because a lot of labels haven't talked to us, either, didn't know they were supposed to talk to us, or they're just handling it on their own, DIY, which is totally cool.

AND, what is what, really? We're making this up as we go along. To the point of you question, should windowed releases be included on the "official" list. Should regional releases, and super limited releases be included, if the majority of folks reading the list can't have access? Take my own Rodriguez 7" that was only available at Criminal Records, day of release, should that have been included on an official list? What about the overseas stuff? (An entirely huge question in and of itself.)

Wow, so many questions. Frankly, I like the slow roll out of titles approach, it's a necessity, sure, but it's fun. It gets people excited, like your blog post listing releases and your commentary; yeah, the commentary bummed me out, but it was totally drowned out by the flood of awesome release news that came out yesterday. Not a dis, I really enjoyed your blog post, and that's why I'm answering these questions, but sometimes, I do realize that, "yeah, RSD has some problems, eBay jerks, some lame releases, the list comes out late," but the vast majority is excited about releases, e.g. ("Awesome, I want that Superchunk split 7"!"). So, I sleep at night, you know?”

7) Why did you start AIMS and how well do you and the CIMS group get along?

EL: “AIMS started because I wanted my own store to be in CIMS, so CIMS helped me start AIMS. It's as simple as that. In some territories, there are AIMS/CIMS stores that do territorial battle, but for the most part, we're all in love with each other, because we all love record stores. It isn't hard to find common ground and get along and do fun business with each other, like creating Record Store Day. Music Monitor Network belongs in that sentence, too.

And when I say CIMS helped me start AIMS, literally, the president at the time, Don Van Cleave, spent five days with me, teaching me everything and helped design and set up everything from our marketing programs to our legal operating document. That's record stores helping record stores.”

7a)How much influence do these groups have with the labels and driving RSD product?

EL: “I think I've answered this, but some labels listen to us and heed our valuable advice, some will do whatever they want, or whatever their bosses tell them to do regardless of logic or sense. Think: music industry.”

7b) Some stores I've talked to, frankly, seem to be scared to vocalize or complain about the fact the owner has to put out a 2nd mortgage on his house just to get the RSD releases, for fear of not being part of the "club"....? Do stores truly have an even/open voice to complain about how things have been decided?

EL: “My email and phone numbers are published and I talk to record stores all day long. They might want to talk to me, I'm scared too (Daily).

But not being part of the "club", that makes no sense at all. Shit, I'd love it if one store offered to volunteer some of their time and energy to help us run this thing, that'd be interesting and welcomed. Everybody has opinions, very few have desire to actually put words into action.”

8) Who determines how/when an item is going to be released? I mean this is like the XXth pressing of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. I know Warner Bros. has been there since day 1 (and provided most of the 10 releases the 1st year), but who fights back or pushes back to the label and ask "do we really need another version of this?" Why don't the labels understand that most fans want *unique* products and not re-hashed versions of existing ones?

EL: “Ha! That's all I do all day long and as I've said, some folks listen, some folks don't.

When WB met with my group, we just laughed and laughed about the Fleetwood Mac, just ripping them apart (in a funny way, because they are truly record people, and can take a joke).

We told them we'd send them all our dollar copies if they'd stop production, but you know? That thing's going to sell out. There's actually a lot of interest in the re-mastering job and the audiophile nerds are more excited about that release than, like, well...some lame Lady Gaga picture disc. Truth be told, and I'm not ashamed to say it, I kind of want that 45 RPM version. It was one of my old man's favorite demo discs, and I'd kind of like to hear "The Chain" on my big new speakers, that my old man never got to hear. Shit, I think he'd have liked the 45 RPM version, and I'm going to buy one just for him.

One man's trash being another man's treasure, after all. Caveat Emptor.

9) Who determines how much product is released in the US v. UK (e.g. a 7" where 900 copies are for the US and 100 are for the UK)? Is that why you are seeing more UK/EU exclusive releases for them, so labels don't have to break up shipments (plus I am sure the shipping costs for vinyl are high too)?

EL: “Oh wow, what another nightmare, but a fun nightmare. The first year, like, the first meeting when we sat down to cook RSD up, it didn't occur to any of us to even consider overseas.

It just didn't come up. When the first overseas stores started calling, it was so exciting, like, really the second year when cool products started to take off. Man, it was crazy.

The sense of entitlement, like, "how dare we make something somebody wants but they can't seem to find it" and I said at the time, as I was trying to identify our volunteer counterparts overseas, "You know, one day, there's going to be a bunch of UK and Japanese and French stuff that we're not going to be able to get and that's going to be awesome."

Last year, my counterpart in the UK, Spencer Hickman (of Rough Trade Records), secured me a copy of Paul Weller's limited 12", I traded him for a US Grinderman 12" that he couldn't get over there. That Weller thing is amazing and I just love it. Um, that's called record collecting.”

10) Where do you see Record Store Day 3 years from now and what do you hope to change, if anything about it?

EL: (As Charlie Sheen says now): Winning!

[NOTE: Are you a store or label that agrees or disagrees with what Eric has to say? Do you want to add your two cents to the debate/discussion? If so, let me know]

[NOTE: Are you a fan who has a question that you'd like me to get answered?? If so, please leave the question in the COMMENTS section and I will start to compile them and have a follow-up interview with your questions!]

RSD11 Number of Releases---A Commentary

2011-03-03T19:53:00.001-08:00

***NOTE: I am a huge fan of the Independent Record Store. In fact, I have spent money in over 45 Independent stores in markets such as San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Boston, Kansas City and more. I am not ANTI Record Store Day. I want to help make it better and more affordable for the average person. This isn't about "Well if he doesn't have the money he shouldn't buy it argument"....it is about with 300 items, you are likely going to want an item that you can't get (be it price or availability). That is all.***

The one thing that I am surprised about, that has remained silent thus far, is the proposed number of releases projected in the US for Record Store Day in 2011. This is the 4th year for Record Store Day and what began with humble origins, has now become a capitalist nightmare.

This year, several stores have stated to me *personally* that over 300 items will be released this year. Look at that number again---300. Even if you only wanted 10% of the items listed, you are still buying 30 items. Where is the outrage at this number? Where are Pitchfork, Rolling Stone or Consequence of Sound asking the RSD organizers to justify the *need* for 300 releases at a time when:

* Gas prices are rising and forecast to be near $5.00 a gallon by summer

* Harsh winter + Rising Gas prices = higher food costs

Plus more economic instability means that everyone will have less money in their pocket this year to spend on vinyl releases.

If you are a major chain, like Plan 9, Newbury Comics or Amoeba with multiple stores, how do you afford to pre-order all of the RSD items for you customers? How many stores have over $10K (the average price most stores will have to pay to get these products, trust me, I have asked several) just lying around handy? Multiply that by the number of stores and it will be a miracle if your local store will be able to obtain 150 items (some stores--like MUSICSAVES have stated as much on their FACEBOOK page!).

WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? WHY AREN'T THE STORES FIGHTING BACK? WHY AREN'T THE LABELS SLOWING DOWN THE NUMBER OF ITEMS THEY ARE PRODUCING? WHY ARE WE JUST SITTING BACK AND GETTING RAPED AS FANS AND ALLOWING IT TO HAPPEN?

Let's look at the target demographic...the vinyl buyer/collector. I don't know who the RSD folks have pegged as their target demographic, but most likely, I am going to guess it is a guy in his 40's who is middle class and makes around $125K/year with a family. When in reality, the average demographic is about 25 years old, makes about $50K/year (if lucky) and will have 5 friends in line with him, so they can buy extras to sell on Ebay, just to offset the money they had to spend buying the items they wanted in the first place (I've seen it with my own eyes each year).

If you don't believe me, let's look at the official PRESS RELEASE that Warner Brothers came out with, listing all of their RSD releases (Warner Bros. Records and Affiliated Labels Announce Exclusive Vinyl Releases for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 16th, 2011).

So let's say you are a fan of 3 main bands. You happen to collect Flaming Lips, Mastodon and Jimmy Eat World. So as a fan/collector of the Flaming Lips. Well, not only will you want to buy the Black Vinyl Heady Nuggs boxset on Record Store Day (5000 copies), you will also probably want to buy the colored vinyl version (1000 copies) only available through their website. Remember, that you will have to pay for shipping costs to get it as well.

Next, since you are a fan of Mastodon, you'll want to get their Live at Aragon vinyl package (which if the last 2--Crack the Skye and Blood Mountain similar 2500 copy deluxe sets are any indication, should be priced at $45). As a collector of Mastodon, you'll also want their Side by Side single featuring ZZTop on Yellow Vinyl. Now the Yellow Vinyl version will be cheap at around $8, but Warner Bros had to get creative and make only 100 copies on clear ("randomly distributed across the US"). Well if you are a completest or variant collector, then you probably have no chance to find that in your local store, so that leaves Ebay. So now, after last minute bid sniping from Mastodon and ZZTop fans around the world, you win the Clear Vinyl copy for $125 (laugh now, but come back and see how bad it will be).

Since you are also a fan/collector of ORG Music and Jimmy Eat World. Just so happens, they are doing a deluxe 3LP version of Bleed American (2000 copies only, each hand numbered) for RSD. This will probably be around $45. But then those cash cow vinyl executives at Warner Bros. records decided to have some COLORED copies pressed up for Coachella to have the band sign at the Zia Records RSD pop-up store. Well fan-fucking-tastic! You are not going to be at Coachella. So now you have to rely on EBAY (AGAIN!) to get another item. Since the version you'll be bidding on will likely be autographed and allegedly less than 200 of these will be made, I'm going to speculate that the price will be $300

So here are *ONLY* your Warner Bros. RSD PURCHASES SO FAR:

1) Heady Nuggs Black Vinyl Box: $125 (doesn't include tax)

2) Heady Nuggs Colored Vinyl Box plus shipping: $140

3) Mastodon Live at Aragon 2LP $45 (doesn't include tax)

4) Mastodon/ZZTop Just Got Paid Yellow Vinyl $8 (doesn't include tax)

5) Mastodon/ZZTop Just Got Paid CLEAR Vinyl $125 [Ebay, doesn't include shipping]

6) Jimmy Eat World Bleed American 3LP Black Vinyl $45 (doesn't include tax)

7) Jimmy Eat World Bleed American 3LP Colored Vinyl $300 [Ebay, doesn't include shipping]

TOTAL: $788 (not even counting tax and Ebay shipping costs) For 7 items, you have nearly spent $800????? OH SHIT, hope you get a great Tax Refund. Even if you don't get the Ebay items, you are still out approximately $382 including tax and that is just for *5* items.

Then, take into consideration that you haven't even purchased the other items you would likely want on RSD that may include the Of Montreal 12", Panda Bear LP, Nirvana Hoarmoaning EP, Pearl Jam 7", Foo Fighters, Deftones Covers LP, Superchunk Split 7", Pinback 7", My Morning Jacket Picture Discs, etc. So by the end of the day, you could well spend over $1000 easy.

I am going to guess that next year, RSD is going to be sponsored by Visa, because to buy everything next year you'll see a commercial stating "And if you want that new Radiohead vinyl, you better bring your Visa card, because we're the official sponsor of Record Store Day, don't leave home without it"

My point is this:

A) The Day has gotten out of hand. At no one time does any store/label/day need to release 300 items at one time. It would be one thing if the releases were staggered over a few months (e.g. Black Friday was a start), but to have everything at once bankrupts the stores and fans!! The average consumer does *NOT* have over $500 to spend on Vinyl every April just so a Record Store can have a "banner" day and be featured in their local newspaper talking about how they had their best day EVER!! What about the other 364 days? Where are the newspapers then?

B) Too many items are too scarce. 300 items total? For a US Population that has seen vinyl sales increase each year? For a Day in which over 700 stores (just in the US) participate?? Really? Why doesn't the label just go ahead and throw the 300 copies up on Ebay and make some real money then, instead of throwing out this garbage about how they are making these releases "for the fans"

C) RSD is now global. Items are now exclusive to the UK/EU, which makes the day even more of a clusterfuck for fans, because unless you know somebody over there who you can trade with, your only option is Ebay.

D) Stores, whether they want to admit it or not, horde certain items that they know are limited or rare to have either friends/family sell on Ebay immediately or they themselves will sell on Ebay after the "RSD Mandated" 30 day window is up. Well great, I am so glad that the store busted their ass to get an item in that I wanted, only to keep it behind the counter because they feel cheated if they don't capitalize on the rarity of some of these items and make at least the "market going rate".

So HOW CAN WE FIX IT?

A) Make Record Store Day a TRI-ANNUAL EVENT (3rd Saturday in APRIL, 3rd Saturday in July and Black Friday), putting a cap on releases at 100.

B) Make each label limit the number of items they can release on RSD and make each item NUMBERED. So that way, labels like WARNER BROTHERS don't make 10,000 more Flaming Lips Dark Side of the Moon LPs because they didn't anticipate "demand" after the initial batch from RSD sold out like they did last year. That way it will always be---1st press is NUMBERED, 2nd press is UN-NUMBERED

C) If a label can't make at least 1000 copies of an item, they don't participate. Period. If every store can't get at least 1 of every item, then your item doesn't get made or distributed.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents on why having 300 releases for 2011 is a MISTAKE that a lot of people are IGNORING. Because if we *DON'T* say anything now, next year, we will have 425 releases. Seriously.

PASS THIS ALONG! FORWARD THIS OUT TO THE WORLD TO HEAR!

Record Store Day (RSD) 2011 #RSD11 Releases...OVER 263!!

2011-02-16T07:26:00.001-08:00

Updated Thursday 3/31/11 at 8:15am (EST) with A NEW ARTIC MONKEYS 7" and the list of UK Exclusive Releases from Parlophone (500 copies each) and new RADIOHEAD, BOB DYLAN and THIRD MAN RECORD RELEASES:

Taking over your stereo from April 11th is 'Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair', the first single taken from The Arctic Monkeys forthcoming 'Suck it and See' album. It's coming on a white label 7", with album track ‘Brick By Brick’ on the flip... only through indie stores in support of Record Store Day on Saturday the 16th of April. It'll also be available digitally at midnight on the 11th.

Parlophone's Record Store Day releases are as follows:
Artist: Beastie Boys
Title: 'Make Some Noise' 7" Tracklisting:
A: 'Make Some Noise'
B: 'Make Some Noise' (Passion Pit Remix)

Artist: Beck & Bat For Lashes 7"
Title: 'Let's Get Lost' Tracklisting:
A: 'Let's Get Lost' (Beck & Bat For Lashes)
B: 'Dark Time' (Bat For Lashes unreleased demo)

Artist: Baxter Dury 7"
Title: 'Claire' Tracklisting:
A: 'Claire'
B: 'The Sun'

Artist: Morning Parade 7"
Title: 'On Your Shoulders' Tracklisting:
A: 'On Your Shoulders'
B: 'Under The Stars' (Wilkinson Remix)

Artist: Tinie Tempah 7"
Title: 'Wonderman' Tracklisting:
A: 'Wonderman'
B: 'Simply Unstoppable'

Artist: Gorillaz LP
Title: 'The Fall' TracklListing:
A01. 'Phoner To Arizona'
A02. 'Revolving Doors'
A03. 'HillBilly Man'
A04. 'Detroit'
A05. 'Shy-town'
A06. 'Little Pink Plastic Bags'
A07. 'The Joplin Spider'
B01. 'The Parish of Space Dust'
B02. 'The Snake In Dallas'
B03. 'Amarillo'
B04. 'The Speak It Mountains'
B05. 'Aspen Forest'
B06. 'Bobby In Phoenix' (feat. Bobby Womack)
B07. 'California And The Slipping Of The Sun'
B08. 'Seattle Yodel'

Artist: Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi 7"
Title: 'Two Against One'/'Black' Tracklisting:
A: 'Two Against One' (feat. Jack White)
B: 'Black' (feat. Norah Jones)

Artist: Jonsi 12"
Title: 'Go Out' EP Tracklisting:
A01. 'Go Do' (klive Remix) - Jónsi
A02. 'Tornado' (Fuck Buttons Remix)
B01. 'Around Us' (WLD PTCH Remix)
B02. 'Go Do' (Bogdan Raczynski Remix)

Artist: DOM
Title: 'Things Change'/'Jesus' (MINKS Remix) Tracklisting:
A: 'Things Change'
A: 'Jesus' (MINKS Remix)
B: 'Jesus'

THIRD MAN RECORD RELEASES!!

Karen Elson Vicious / In Trouble With The Lord 7″ – This single featuring unreleased tracks from Karen Elson will have rose petals INSIDE THE VINYL! Limited to 1000 copies, these will go fast.

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi present ROME starring Jack White & Norah Jones
Two Against One b/w Black 7″ – Two tracks from the upcoming ROME project, this is a US only release (Same as the UK Parlophone release above)!

The White Stripes
Let’s Shake Hands / Look Me Over Closely 7″ AND Lafayette Blues / Sugar Never Tasted So Good 7″
- The first two White Stripes singles from 1998! On swirled vinyl! What else do we have to say about these?

Also, just a note to make sure that the local store you will be visiting on Record Store Day has SIGNED THE PLEDGE. What this means to you, is that those stores will be given 'first dibs' to have their orders fulfilled with exclusive items versus some bookstore or online only store skimming the system to rip you off. Vote with your wallet and spend money at PLEDGE STORES FIRST!! See my most recent post to see if your store signed the pledge or not and WHY IT MATTERS. If you know of a store that hasn't signed the pledge in your area, let me know!! Let's expose as many as we can!

Now that the "official" RSD list is out, I just wanted to thank everyone for stopping by and checking out the releases. It was a fun "treasure hunt" to try and track all of this information down.

As my final "gift" to the fans, if you happen to be a fan of Jimmy Eat World, here is a nice tidbit for you. ORG Music is making 500 *colored* vinyl copies of the Bleed American 3LP set. Only 100 of those will be at Coachella, so what about the other 400 you ask?? If you aren't registered on their website, now may be a good time to sign up, along with www.becausesoundmatters.com, because look for those 400 colored copies to go on sale to the General Public......

****Also---thanks to all of the stores across the US who have linked to this site via their website, Twitter or Facebook, I do appreciate it. If you have the capacity to sell me any RSD items, please let me know, as I'd love to give your stores some business. ;)****

263+ RELEASES IDENTIFIED (3 CANCELLED)....PHEW! I will keep updating this, even after the "OFFICIAL" list is released. As you know, Record Store Day has become a pretty big deal. Why we need to have over 300 items get released on one day, I'll never know, but it is fun trying to track down all of the items. So if you are one of those vinyl collectors who like to know what will be released for Record Store Day this year, then keep tuned here, as I'll be constantly updating and editing this post. So, to date, here have been the items that I have been able to locate for 2011. Most of these have been through blogs/press releases and information from a band's Facebook and/or Twitter account.

7" SINGLES

1) REM Three 3x7" (Featuring 3 Live tracks--5000 copies)

Mine Smell Like Honey/Supernatural Superserious (live in Walnut Creek, NC) 7" single

Oh My Heart/Harborcoat (live in Riga, Latvia) 7" single

überlin/What's the Frequency, Kenneth? (live in Oslo, Norway) 7" single

2) Built to Spill Ripple 7" Picture Disc (3000 copies)
3) Soundgarden 7" (CANCELLED)
4) Superchunk/Coliseum split--1500 copies (Yellow w/Black Splatter; Magenta w/Black Splatter and Black Vinyl)
5) John Mayall/Eric Clapton--Lonely Years b/w Bernard Jenkins (MONO, unreleased tracks)
6) Velvet Underground--Foggy Notion b/w I Can't Stand It (Studio versions in MONO)
7) Yardbirds--Goodnight Sweet Josephine b/w Think About It (Studio versions in MONO)
8) Freddy King--Wash Out b/w Butterscotch (MONO, both tracks from "Let's Hide Away LP)
9) Transit Promise Nothing 7" 1000 copies (300 on Green/Grey vinyl and 700 on Clear/Blue)
10) Mastodon/ZZTop "Just Got Paid" Mastodon version b/w ZZTop's original version (5000 copies on Yellow Vinyl *WITH ONLY 100 COPIES ON CLEAR VINYL*)
11) Strokes Under Cover of Darkness b/w You're So Right 7" (UK ONLY)
12) Queen [Stormtroopers in Stilettos] featuring Keep Yourself Alive (Long Lost Retake) b/w Stone Cold Crazy(2011 remastered version) (2000 copies only)
13) Rolling Stones Brown Sugar b/w Bitch and Let It Rock
14) Trouble in Mind Records 4 way split 7" featuring Mean Jeans (covering Sparks' 'Forever Young'), Eddy Current Suppression Ring (covering The Go-Go's 'We Got The Beat'), The Wrong Words (covering a PF Sloan song "Here's Where You Belong"), & also Jack Oblivian (covering Tommy James & the Shondells' "Moses & Me")
15) Growlers Gay Thoughts b/w Good Feelings
16) Quicksand 7" (Blue Vinyl)
17) Republic Tigers Merrymake It WIth Me b/w Whale Fight (2,000 copies)
18) Wild Flag Future Crimes 7" (ex Sleater-Kenney members)
19) Phish Two Soundchecks 2000 hand numbered copies
20) Dan Sartain "Fuck" 7"
21) Mike Gordon Moss Remixes 7" (1000 copies)
22) The Entrance Band 7" (500 copies)
23) William Elliott Whitmore/P.O.S split 7" on Init Records (1500 on black vinyl for RSD, 500 color vinyl for tour)
24) AC/DC Shoot To Thrill/War Machine
25) Blitzen Trapper Maybe Baby b/w Soul Singer (1500 copies)
26) Deerhoof/XIU XIU split 7" (Orange Vinyl, 2000 copies)
27) Derek & The Dominoes-Got to Get Better In A Little While/Layla
28) Green Day/Husker Du--Don't Know if You are Lonely Split 7" (6500 copies on Orange Vinyl *WITH ONLY 100 COPIES ON CLEAR VINYL*)
29) Jenny & Johnny/Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris Split 7" (5000 copies on Light-Blue Vinyl * WITH ONLY 100 COPIES ON CLEAR VINYL*)
30) Jimi Hendrix Fire Red Vinyl 7"
31) Lower Dens Deer Knives b/w Tangiers 7" on SubPop (1000 copies)
32) Ozzy Osbourne Flying High Again b/w I Don't Know (live)--(UK and US)
33) Pearl Jam Immortality b/w Rearviewmirror
34) Red Hot Chili Peppers/The Ramones Havana Affair Split 7" (6500 copies on Red Vinyl *WITH ONLY 100 COPIES ON CLEAR VINYL*)
35) Regina Spektor Four From Far 7" (4500 copies)
36) Rush Caravan b/w BU2B 7" (3,000 copies on either red or white vinyl, randomly distributed)
37) Clash Magnificent Seven Red Vinyl 7" (May be UK Only)
38) Vivian Girls I Heard You Say colored 7" (May be UK Only)
39) Deep Purple Hush b/w Speed Kings (UK ONLY--1400 copies)
40) New Pornographers 7"
41) Wet Paint featuring Matt Tong (Bloc Party) 7" (UK ONLY--250 copies)
42) Black Market Baby 7" (GOLD VINYL-200 COPIES ONLY)
43) Frustrators Griller 7" (RED VINYL--200 COPIES ONLY)\
44) ROXY MUSIC Virginia Plain b/w Pyjamarama 7"
45) OFF! Compared to What/Rotten Apple 7" (different picture sleeve version available on tour. 7" released by SOUTHERN LORD!)
46) Wombats Anti-D b/w Valentine 7" (probably UK only)
47) Manchester Orchestra Simple Math 7"
48) Peter Bjorn and John Dig a Litter Deeper 7"
49) Yeasayer End Blood 7" featuring 2 unreleased tracks
50)Badly Drawn Boy 4track 7" EP (200 copies UK only
51) DEERHUNTER Memory Boy b/w Nosebleed (new track) 7" (800 copies
52) Bad Brains Pay to Cum 7" (Gold Vinyl and Black Vinyl) [1500 copies
53) Zeus Permanent Scar b/w The Darkness
54) A Day to Remember All I Want 7"
55) The Scientists Frantic Romantic b/w Shake (Together Tonight
56) Van Der Graaf Generator Highly Strung b/w Elsewhere
57) Cars Sad Songs 7"
58) Ting Tings Subteranean Blues Remix 7" (UK Only)
59) Pinback Information Received A 7" 1500 copies
60) Luyas/Twin Sister When I Am A Woman/Meet the Frownies Split 7" 1500 copies
61) 13th Floor Elevators Wait for My Love b/w May the Circle Remain Unbroken (Yellow Vinyl 1000 copies)
62) Red Krayola Hurricane Fighter Plane b/w Pink Stainless Tail (Green Vinyl 1000 copies only
63) My Chemical Romance Na Na Na Na Na Na 7" Picture Disc b/w Zero Percent (unreleased
64) Flogging Molly Don't Shut Em Down b/w Saints & Sinners (acoustic)--2000 copies
65) Steve Earle I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive b/w song from Treme (HBO series)--colored vinyl 7" limited to 2000 copies
66) Matt & Kim Block After Block b/w Cameras (remix) 1000 copies
67) Rise Against! Join The Ranks b/w Gethsemane and Generation Lost
68) Urge Overkill Effigy b/w Kids Are Alright (1000 copies, first new music since 1995)
69) Nada Surf The Moon is Calling 7" (850 Copies)
70) Javelin Coleridge/Colleagues Double A-sided 7" on CLEAR VINYL (400 copies
71) Prurient Many Jewels Surround the Crown (300 copies--HydraHead release
72) Fela Kuti & The Africa '70 Monday Morning in Lagos Parts 1 & 2 (1500 copies
73) Skysaw (Jimmy Chamberlain--ex Smashing Pumpkins new band) 7" on Dangerbird Records
74) Howie Gelb (Giant Sand) Sno Angels b/w Melted Wires
75) Cults Abducted b/w Go Outside (Remix) etched 7" (UK ONLY)
76) Roy Orbinson Only the Lonely (MONO) b/w Pretty Woman (Live)
77) Rival Schools Wring it Out 7" (1500 copies)
78) Spark Revolving (Streets Mix b/w Ramadaman Mix) 7" (UK ONLY)
79) The Joy Formidable Whirring (UK ONLY)
80) The Milk All I Wanted Was Danger b/w Dynamite 7" (UK ONLY)
81) Toro Y Moi/Cloud Nothings I Will Talk To You b/w No Reason (UK ONLY)
82) Suede Drowners/To The Birds (double A sided single--may be UK only)
83) Waaves/Trash Talk Split 7" Thorns b/w TV Luv Song (500 copies)
84) The Wake On Our Honeymoon b/w Give Up (Reissue)
85) The Wake Crush the Flowers b/w Carbrain (Reissue)
86) Beach Fossils "Plastic Flowers" b/w Wild Nothing "Gruesome Castle" White Vinyl Tribute to The Wake
87) Justin Townes Earle Move Over Mama b/w Racing in the Streets
88) Sandy Denny 7" (with tracks voted on by Facebook fans, yet to be determined)
89) British Sea Power 2x7"
90) The Civil Wars Dance Me To the End of Love (1000 copies)
91) Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Class Mythology EP (2x7" 1 yellow, 1 orange) (2500 copies with poster and sticker, features 4 unreleased outtakes from the Cardinology era)
92) Duran Duran Girl Panic b/w Girl Panic remix by David Lynch (yes, the Director)
93) New York Dolls Fool For You Baby 7"
94) OFF! "Live at Generation Records" 7"
95) Toadies No Deliverance b/w Someone Great (LCD Soundsystem cover) (both songs acoustic
96) Villagers/Charlotte Gainsbourg Memoir b/w Set the Tigers Free 7"
97) DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE Home is a Fire b/w You are a Tourist (~4200 copies)
98) The Doors Riders on the Storm 7" (2500 copies, 7" in 1 of 3 randomly distributed sleeves)
99) Opeth The Throat of Winter 7" with etched b-side (1000 copies)
100) Jack's Mannequin 7" (TBD---should feature fan submitted artwork)
101) Nick Cave Where the Wild Roses Grow (features Kylie Minogue)
102) Of Montreal/Casiokids split---Of Montreal "Expecting to Fly" (Buffalo Springfield Cover) b/w Casiokids "London Zoo" (1000 copies---may be a UK only release103) Michael Jackson Hollywood Tonight b/w Behind the Mask (Unreleased Remixes
104) Dirty Beaches "True Blue" 7"
105) Fistful of Mercy "Pale Blue Eyes" 7"
106) Youth of Today 7"
107) Burn Burn 7"
108) Warpaint Undertow 7" (may be UK only)
109) Moon Duo Scars 7" (may be UK only)
110) Rammstein Waidmann's Heil 7" (300 only) 111) Five Finger Death Punch Falling in Hate (300 only)
112) Children of Bodom/Killing Joke split 7" (300 only)
113) Hellyeah/Jettblack split 7" (300 only)
114) Helloween/Apocalyptica split 7" (300 only)
115) The Answer Rock N Roll Outlaw b/w Fooled Me 7" (300 only)
116) Bob Dylan Subterranean Blues Ting Tings Remix (UK Only)
117) ARTIC MONKEYS Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair b/w Suck It and See
118) Karen Ellison 7" (see above)
119) White Stripes 7" (see above)
120) White Stripes 7" (see above)

10" SINGLES
1) Tracey Thorn You are a Lover 10"
2) Beach Boys 2x10" Single Good Vibrations b/w Heroes and Villians (78RPM--with b-side being alternate/early takes)
3) Kills Satellite 10" (500 copies)
4) Kings of Leon Holy Roller Novocaine (red vinyl)
5) Raphael Saddiq Radio/Perfect Storm
6) Machine Head The Black Procession 10" (1000 copies)
7) Antony & The Johnsons Swanlights EP (900 copies)
8) Kate Bush Hounds of Love 10" (1000 copies, pink 120 gram vinyl)
9) Mumford & Sons w/Laura Marling EP from India tour (3500 copies)
10) Javelin Canyon Candy 10" (750 Copies--hand numbered)
11) Clinic Ladies Night EP (UK ONLY)
12) Foster the People Houdini, Pumped Up Kicks, Helena Beat (remix) 10" (UK ONLY) 13) Rekords Rekords Record 10" PICTURE DISC featuring Queens of the Stone Age, Desert Sessions and more)--
14) Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Gotta Get the Feeling b/w Racing in the Street 10"
15) Job For a Cowboy Runiation (1 of 3 different colored 10"s sold separately. Basically the 3x10" set that came out on Black Friday (go to www.metalclub.com for details), they have apparently broken the release up into individual pieces....STUPID)
16) Daft Punk Transluence EP (Tron Soundtrack and Remixes in a glow in the dark Tron DISC shaped vinyl).
17) Adele Rolling in the Deep 10"
18) Black Angels Phosgene Nightmare White Vinyl 10" (5000 copies)

12" SINGLES
1) Bear in Heaven/Lindstrom split 12" (850 Copies)
2) Dio Killing the Dragon Picture Disc (2500 copies)
3) Mugstar 12" (doing a cover of ZZTop)
4) Crystal Castles 12" (still happening?? Maybe UK only?)
5) Nirvana Hormoaning EP (reissue of Australia only release, colored vinyl 6000 copies)
6) Gold Panda Marriage 12"
7) Of Montreal--The Past is a Grotesque Animal
8) Oval/Liturgy Split 12" from THRILL JOCKEY
9) Grinderman Evil 12" featuring Matt Berninger (from the National)--(750 copies)
10) Ray LaMontagne LIVE 12"
11) Sonic Youth Whore's Moaning EP (1st time on vinyl since 93--colored vinyl, 6000 copies)
12) Caribou Swim Remixes 12" (1000 copies)
13) Damien Jurado Live at Landlocked 12" (900 Copies)
14) Interpol Try It On Remixes 12"
15) The Go! Team Apollo Throwdown 12" (UK ONLY)
16) Franz Ferdinand Covers 12" EP
17) Toddla T Cherry Picking Red Vinyl 12" (UK ONLY)
18) Treefight for Sunlight Wuthering Heights Cover 12" (UK ONLY)
19) Josh T. Pearson Sweetheart I Aint Your Christ/Country Dumb 12" (UK ONLY)
20) Bibio/Clark split 12" on WARP Records (UK ONLY)
21) Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues b/w Grown Ocean
22) Lady Gaga Born This Way 12" PICTURE DISC (5000 only)
23) Grinderman Palaces of Montezuma Colored vinyl 12"
24) CIRCA SURVIVE APPENDAGE 12" EP (3000 copies on Oxblood colored vinyl)
25) RADIOHEAD The Butcher/Supercollider (UK Only--2000 copies...booooo!)

LP Records
1) Jimmy Eat World Bleed American 3LP Deluxe (2000 numbered copies--NOTE IF YOU ARE GOING TO COACHELLA, the ZIA STORE THERE WILL HAVE COLORED COPIES!)
2) Bouncing Souls--Live at Generation Records (1500 copies)
3) Mighty Clouds S/T LP
4) Mastodon: Live at the Aragon 180g Audiophile LP w/DVD (2500 copies)
5) Omar Rodriguez Lopez--Telesterion 4LP Box (Greatest Hits) (350 copies)
6) Panda Bear--Tomboy (1st 1000 copies on clear vinyl)
7) Head in the Heart LP
8) Touche Amore LP (250 copies only, 180g white vinyl with special letterpress cover)
9) Kill Rock Stars LP (Nirvana/Melvins/etc.) 2000 copies, each hand numbered)
10) Pearl Jam Vs. (New commemorative vinyl edition)
11) Pearl Jam Vitalogy (New commemorative vinyl edition)
12) Menzingers' Chamberlain Waits LP (BLUE VINYL--300 COPIES ONLY)
13) Nickel Creek S/T Audiophile 2LP
14) Nickel Creek This Side Audiophile 2LP
15) Nickel Creek Why Should the Fire Die Audiophile 2LP
16) Skip James Today! (1000 copies)
17) John Hammond So Many Roads (1000 copies)
18) Mississippi John Hurt The Immortal (1000 copies)
19) John Fahey Requia (1000 copies)
20) Country Joe & The Fish Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1000 copies)
21) Syd Barrett (2LP Anthology--featuring PINK FLOYD tracks and several new mixes)
22) Gorillaz The Fall (IPAD album--CONFIRMED and OFFICIAL--2000 copies)
23) Mike Gordon Inside Out (2LP on Orange Vinyl w/new outtakes)
24) Deftones Covers LP (5000 copies only)
25) Glassjaw Worship & Tribute (1st time on vinyl)
26) Eric Clapton Unplugged (2LP 180g set)
27) Tom Petty S/T (white vinyl)
28) Tom Petty You're Gonna Get It (blue vinyl)
29) Emerson, Lake and Palmer 4LP set
30) Fleetwood Mac Rumours (2 versions--2LP 180g at 45RPM, 2LP 180g at 33 1/3 RPM)
31) Pressed at Boddie (16 track LP w/poster by Numero Group--1000 copies)
32) Sing For Your Meat--Guided by Voices TRIBUTE 2LP (colored vinyl) featuring Flaming Lips, Thurston Moore, Lou Barlow, Blitzen Trapper and more! Also comes with download of bonus 5 track EP.
33) BORIS Attention Please RSD Exclusive LP w/gatefold packaging and 1 of 3 limited edition posters
34) V/A MUTE Record Compilation VORWARTS (w/CD) features tracks by Yeasayer, Can, Moby, Liars, Grinderman, Mick Harvey, S.C.U.M, Big Deal and more (hand numbered out of 1000 copies on ORANGE vinyl)
35) Earth--Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light (GREEN VINYL RSD COLOR with 1000 for Europe and 500 for US)
36) Pink Floyd London 66/67 (LIVE) (1500 copies on 180g WHITE VINYL)
37) Akron/Family 2LP (2000 copies)
38) Bad Brains God of Love w/Bonus Demos 7" (2000 copies)
39) My Morning Jacket "Evil Urges" 2x12" PICTURE DISC re-release limited to just 500 copies
40) My Morning Jacket "It Still Moves" 2x12" PICTURE DISC re-release limited to just 500 copies
41) My Morning Jacket "Z" 2x12" PICTURE DISC re-release limited to just 500 copies
42) Between the Buried and Me "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogs" 1000 copies only on 4 different colors of vinyl (Colors will *not* be indicated on package)
43) Explosions in the Sky Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place --Colored Vinyl LP [CANCELLED]
44) Explosions in the Sky--All of A Sudden I Miss Everyone--Colored Vinyl LP [CANCELLED]
45) Flying Lotus Cosmogramma Alternate Takes LP (750 Copies)
46) Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl (500 copies only)
47) Neurosis Sovereign LP (Limited to 600 copies---1st time on vinyl since 2001)
48) Discordance Axis The Inalienable Dreamless LP (300 copies--1st time on vinyl since 2000)
49) Oxbow King of the Jews LP (w/Bonus Tracks) 300 Copies
50) Deerhoof Friend Opportunity LP (Clear Green 180g LP w/Bonus Track--1000 copies) 51) Jimi Hendrix South Saturn Delta 2LP (180g Vinyl)
52) Mates of State Team Boo (Dark Red 180g Vinyl w/5 bonus tracks---500 copies)
53) Lone Pigeons LP (UK ONLY)
54) Primal Scream Screamadelica 3LP set (UK ONLY)
55) Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin LP
56) Villagers Live at Workman's Club Dublin LP (UK ONLY)
57) Polvo Celebrate the New Dark Age (400 AUTOGRAPHED)
58) Superchunk Here's Where the Strings Come In (re-issue of 1995 release on 180g Vinyl --bonus tracks download card)
59) Television--Live at the Old Waldorf 180g White Vinyl numbered LP (3000 copies)
60) Black Angels Another Nice Pair Red Vinyl LP (3000 copies, 100 have autographed inserts)
61) Fucked Up LP (V/A LP called "Town Comp")
62) Joan Jett & The Blackhearts "I love Rock N Roll" 180g Clear Vinyl LP (1000 copies)
63) City and Colour Sometimes 2x180g LP (500 copies, individually numbered with bonus track)
64) FOO FIGHTERS "Medium Rare" COVERS LP (13 track album of covers)
65) James Blake Selftitled Release w/2 bonus tracks
66) New York Dolls Dancing Backwards in High Heels LP
67) Silverstein Support Your Local Record Store LP
68) Big Star Third (Test Press Edition)--2000 copies (see here: http://omnivorerecordings.com/artists/big-star/)
69) Grateful Dead--S/T LP re-issued on MONO and limited to 3000 copies (1st time available in over 40 years!)
70) HANK III Risin' Outlaw LP (700 copies, colored wax)
71) HANK III Lovesick, Broke & Driftin' LP (700 copies, colored wax)
72) HANK III Straight to Hell 2LP (700 copies, colored wax)
73) HANK III Rebel Within LP (700 copies, colored wax)
74) HANK III Damn Right Rebel Proud LP (700 copies, colored wax)
75) Paul Simon So Beautiful So What LP
76) Anberlin Cities 2LP (1st time on vinyl)
77) Arthur Russell World of Echo (300 copies)
78) Hollywood Undead American Tragedy (LP Picture Disc)
79) The Oh Sees Singles Collection 1 & 2
80) V/A Wuxtry Records LP (features REM)

BOXSETS
1) Flaming Lips Heady Nuggs: First 5 Warner Bros. Records 1992-2002 (Black Vinyl, 6500 numbered copies---note that a colored vinyl version will be sold prior to RSD via Flaming Lips online store. Only 1000 of those will be made)
2) Piebald 3LP Release (OFFICIAL, now on Rise Records website, 1000 copies on COLORED VINYL--1st 3 Piebald albums)
3) SAINT ETIENNE 6x7" BOXSET (UK ONLY) 7" One Avenue (radio edit) Stranger In Paradise 7" Two He's On The Phone How I Learned To Love The Bomb 7" Three Lose That Girl Swim Swan Swim 7" Four How We Used To Live Pt 1 How We Used To Live Pt 2 7" Five Boy Is Crying Northwestern 7" Six Shower Scene Aqualad Strictly limited edition box containing six 7" singles. Each of these singles has never been on 7" before and the b-side tracks have not been on vinyl beforet
4) Beady Eye 3x7" Boxset (2000 copies) Track listing: 1) A. BRING THE LIGHT B. SONS OF THE STAGE* 2) A. FOUR LETTER WORD B. WORLD OUTSIDE MY ROOM* 3) A. THE ROLLER B. TWO OF A KIND* *EXCLUSIVE UK B-SIDES NOT AVAILABLE ON ALBUM
5) Rancid "Let the Dominoes Fall" COLLECTORS EDITION BOXSET 2xCD and 3LP and Poster and Book and Guitar Picks (previously only available online)

CD RELEASES
1) Republic Tigers No Land's Man EP (1500 copies)
2) Burned at Boddie (Numero Group CD--1000 copies)
3) Sing For Your Meat--Guided by Voices Tribute CD--see above 2LP set for artists.
4) Terminal Sales Volume 4 (SUB POP VARIOUS ARTIST COMPILATION)
5) John Doe and Jill Sobule A Day at the Pass CD (2000 copies)
6) No One Got Hurt--Bloodshot Records 15th Anniversary
7) Crowded House--North America Travelogue 3CD LIVE set (2000 copies)
8) Circa Survive Appendage CD (3000 copies)
9) Decemberists Live at Bullmoose CD

Cassette Releases:
1) Dubbed at Boddie (Number Group release--300 copies)
2) Frightened Rabbit/The Twilight Sad Demos (777 Copies)

UNKNOWN RELEASES (YET):
1) Horrible Crowes (Gaslight Anthem Side Project--unknown format)
2) Third Man Records RSD release(s)

Hope you found this list helpful.