Backtracking Forward: Record Store Day

posted in: Features

Jesus has Christmas and Easter. The Great Pumpkin has Halloween. Even pancakes have their own dedicated day of celebration”so why not record stores? A group of like-minded vinyl enthusiasts felt the same way so they organized National Record Store Day to recognize the importance of the independent music retail shop. Every third Saturday of April, musicians, store proprietors and the customers who keep the brick and mortar shops alive, come together for a day of live music and limited vinyl releases. This year, artists like Bruce Springsteen, Citizen Cope, Tom Waits, Sharon Jones and hundreds more have contributed rare and exclusive recordings, pressed on wax, to be sold only on Record Store Day at participating retailers. So fire up the turntable, break out the rainy day vinyl fund and support your favorite record shop on April 17th!

People’s love and admiration for record stores goes back decades but Record Store Day is a very new tradition. Established in 2007 and launched in 2008, it’s incredible to see how much this day has gained momentum and popularity in only two years. But when one looks back at the past 10-15 years, independent record stores’ struggle to survive in this cutthroat economy is all the more noticeable. As digital music and file sharing roared into the mainstream public, millions of customers who formerly satisfied their musical appetites at music shops turned to the Internet for their fix. CD sales plummeted, vinyl’s contemporary resurgence was not even a blip on the radar and local record stores closed down faster than today’s high speed Internet capabilities. The true zealots held on though and kept the flame burning even when giant chain locations closed their doors. National Record Store Day not only pays tribute to vinyl records, it also recognizes the independent hawkers of said platters for their ongoing commitment. In fact, the official Web site specifically states:

A Record Store Day participating store is defined as a physical retailer whose product line consists of at least 50% music retail, whose company is not publicly traded and whose ownership is at least 70% located in the state of operation. (In other words, we’re dealing with real, live, physical, indie record stores”not online retailers or corporate behemoths).

Favoring these independent bastions of music freedom, the organizers made deals with both major and indie labels to press and sell exclusive vinyl for the day’s festivities. Some of the highlights from the lengthy list are:

Beastie Boys Secret Super Surprise 12
Julian Casablancas 7 single of unreleased tracks
Wilco Kicking Televsion 4LP boxset vinyl reissue
Modest Mouse The Moon and Antarctica 10th Anniversary LP
Flaming Lips Dark Side of the Moon LP with Stardeath and White Dwarfs

Besides the uber-limited vinyl releases and the incredible performances scheduled all over the country, the most important aspect of this day is a celebration of the culture found in record stores. Where else can someone discover new music, meet like-minded people, flip through decades worth of recorded material and lose track of time in a place that resembles an adult version of a candy store?

Everyone’s personal history with vinyl shops is unique and that’s what makes them so important in our society. For me, the local record shop in my hometown is where I discovered Paul Westerberg’s The Replacements. Based on an employee’s unyielding recommendation, I picked up a copy of The Replacements Stink EP on Twin-Tone Records and have never looked back. Every time I take that vinyl out to play, I am immediately whisked back to that night where the tingling sensation of anticipation washed over me as I paid for my record and ran home to hear what sounds would leap off the grooves. Millions of other people harbor similar stories to varying degrees”a trip over to the Record Store Day homepage offers a plethora of quotes and videos from both musicians and customers praising their love of vinyl and the shops that sell it.

Drop everything on Saturday April 17th and take the time to go record shopping. Whether punk, ska, metal, reggae, blues, jazz, classical, hip-hop, rock, soul, funk, new wave, dubstep, psych, house, trip-hop or musicians playing on toys instruments is your thing, the independent record store fulfills everyone’s musical needs under one roof. And hey, while digging through the stacks of vinyl, looking for that rare soundtrack of that esoteric French film, you might just bump into a member of the opposite sex seeking a copy of the Replacements Stink EP and naturally, a conversation ensues (and perhaps more!)

Check out the comprehensive list of all the vinyl releases being made available for the event, including a directory of participating stores and cool merch to buy ahead of time. And remember, as long as people continue to support the indie way of business, vinyl will never die!

Keep Digging!
-Gregorious-