Record Store Day '14

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unclebengi
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Record Store Day '14

Post by unclebengi »

Anybody doing this this year?

http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases

I've visited stores in the past, but never was able/wanted to wait in line for a particular release. I've started to collect more vinyl the last few years though and don't have to work on Saturday, so I think I might give it a shot.

Mainly because Built To Spill's debut Ultimate Alternative Wavers is being issued for the first time EVER on vinyl (only 5000 copies though). I also hope to get the Life After Death vinyl, the Tame Impala Live Versions vinyl, and a few other singles. I usually don't like lines and don't know how early I have to get there to have a chance at the releases I want, but wouldn't be surprised if I come away empty handed with the limited # of some of them. There's a few local stores I have to choose from, I just wish I knew what each individual store gets. Does anyone know if stores ever give the individual #'s of each item they are getting?

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Philaflava
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Philaflava »

I went last year and the prices were outrageous on the special releases.

LilLeftBrain
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by LilLeftBrain »

can't say i buy much anything physical anymore but quickly perusing the list of records on the website going to at least d/l that DBT ep, and i'm sure more
moved by duck muscles

Homer Simpson
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Homer Simpson »

nothing on the list that i really want this year. kinda bummed because it doesnt usally take alot to covince myself to make a trip to the record store...

Homer Simpson
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Homer Simpson »

http://www.decibelmagazine.com/diary/lo ... store-day/


Record Store Day, celebrated this Saturday, is supposed to be a yearly “holiday” that promotes the brick and mortar indie record store, with exclusive in-store releases. Some shops hold performances, listening parties and probably mustache and fancy hat contests. Every year since 2008 it’s grown into a nearly uncontrollable monster. This year’s RSD list looks like a fucking college science class and has somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 releases. It’s built to be the day for us, the mom and pops of the music industry, to make people aware that we exist and you just got your tax return so come spend it.
RSD was formed off the hump of Free Comic Book Day. Both “holidays” have the same goal and both have exclusive releases to draw new people into old stores. There are rules: namely one copy per person and don’t throw this shit online to sell at inflated prices to people who had to work, go to a funeral, or were just too fucking lazy to leave the house and come grab whatever tickles their fancy.
Rules are made to be broken, right? This whole shebang is getting corrupted by people who line up the night before to grab the most wanted items, only to put them on eBay two hours later for the price of a down payment on a pony. We know who they are, too: always the asshole you’ve never seen before except for the week or two before the event who asks detailed questions about what you’re getting and can you break the rules and hold it for them? It’s the “my friend won’t be able to make it, can I have two copies?” sort of thing.
This brings us to the big problem, which is quantity. I’ve been told every year by distributors that I don’t understand allocation, numbers or how not to curse in emails asking why we only got two copies when we preordered 20. How can this, the greatest tragedy affecting this nation, be allowed? I know, it’s a national shame, probably the president’s fault. If this reaction seems like farfetched tunnel vision nonsense then you’re a rational person. Congratulations, your card is in the mail.
Record stores only get a certain amount of titles regardless of how we preordered or what back alley deal we made to make sure you got that fucking Grateful Dead live DLP with a piece of Garcia’s hair. We don’t have any kind of idea what we’re getting until the box gets to us days before. This can actually turn away customers because if they waited in line, especially at stores with a massive customer base, looking around the store for other records doesn’t seem as special anymore. That’s counterproductive to the whole idea.
Of course, not everyone is a sore loser and some people just come out to see the spectacle, like watching people beat the shit out of each other to save twenty bucks on a television on Black Friday.
Last year, I was out of town for RSD so I missed the fun here but I did my duty as a music fan and observer of humanity and shopped around in Columbus, Ohio, which has a plethora of indie record stores. Stores looked like bombs had detonated. The staff would tell me about the initial rush and then how the day progressed. Some of these places had bands performing, including one small upstairs space that was ill-equipped (but they had free beer and it seemed like a good idea even while hung-over at 11 a.m.) Others were having special giveaways, raffles, even sales.
Stores like Amoeba, Vintage Vinyl, Reckless etc. all have performances but even many of the more modestly sized stores like Sit and Spin in Philly have special listening parties and giveaways. It’s a day where stores do their best to give you a reason to wander into the big and scary world and check out their wares, an act showing how much their store means to them.
RSD should be used to say thanks to our regular customers, the ones who keep our lights on all year, and not those looking to make a buck on the back of someone’s passion. RSD has had a lot of criticism leveled against it, especially once the majors started throwing releases into the mix, and a lot is justified. It has turned into a spectacle where greed is good and money is king, where a record will sell out in a few hours and go online for eight times the prices only to deflate back to ten dollars days later. It’s a shame that it takes the promise of exclusivity to bring people in, but that’s the culture of the collector and that’s where it seems records are ending up.

Y@k Bollocks
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Y@k Bollocks »

Find it all a bit annoying. Massive queues, people flipping stuff the day after, reissues of records from decades ago - whats the point??

unclebengi
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by unclebengi »

There are definitely some ugly elements and I'm not a big proponent or anything, but it does seem that the vinyl industry has taken off since they started doing these. I'll always be a sucker for physical product and I like supporting local shops. That said, I've only been to it a couple times and have only bought one CD on those trips. Having the day off this year and seeing a limited reissue from my favorite band makes it worth a trip, getting some limited B.I.G. and Tame Impala vinyl would just be a bonus. But I wouldn't be surprised if the store I go to only has a handful of the releases I want and I can't get anything. In that case I'll have no problem going home empty handed and no desire to buy anything I don't want in order to flip it.

I'm a little scared to see the prices, but if I can get one or two of the limited releases I really want, I'll be satisfied.

Panama
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Panama »

I really don't want to go, but I gotta cop that Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. While I'm there I might get that Gil Scott and Tame Impala live joint.

unclebengi
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by unclebengi »

I'd like to cop Southernplaylistic... too, but it's on the 1st release list, so it will be at other retailers in 4-6 weeks. The RSD version is numbered and limited to 4000. If I strike out on my primary ones I might cop it as well as the first 2 MGMT albums which are also on the 1st release list.

Panama
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Panama »

unclebengi wrote:I'd like to cop Southernplaylistic... too, but it's on the 1st release list, so it will be at other retailers in 4-6 weeks. The RSD version is numbered and limited to 4000. If I strike out on my primary ones I might cop it as well as the first 2 MGMT albums which are also on the 1st release list.
Oh shit! I didn't even notice that. I still want the other two records, but not sure if I want to wait in line for several hours.

Well see

pestilence
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by pestilence »

I went once for the tame impala flaming lips record.

After I saw the price.. I realized that I could probably go to three of their shows instead.

Shit is out of hand.

pestilence
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by pestilence »

Panama wrote:While I'm there I might get that Gil Scott and Tame Impala live joint.
... say what?

unclebengi
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by unclebengi »

Killed it, got the limited to 5000 Built to Spill - Ultimate Alternative Wavers vinyl, limited to 5000 Tame Impala - Live Versions vinyl, and the limited to 3000 Velvet Underground - Loaded vinyl.

Only one I really wanted that I missed out on was Life After Death, but that was selling for $45 so it's probably a good thing it was gone. I got the other 3 for less than $70, a lot less than I expected to spend. You weren't allowed to get more than one of any individual item the first pass through which was a great idea to limit the ebay flipping.

Mo Cheeks
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Re: Record Store Day '14

Post by Mo Cheeks »

anyone get that Tame album and want to hook a brotha up, those prices are ebay are out of control

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