Happy Record Store Day!
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| Photo Credit, sonicgloo |
Can you believe it? The fifth annual Record Store Day has arrived! This annual celebration has become an increasingly popular tradition, if not a full bore holiday, by and for music fans, the musicians who create the songs we love and especially for the venerable brick & mortar palaces where knowledgeable music nerds recommend recorded sounds. If you haven't made plans yet for Record Store Day, here are some suggestions of how you can celebrate it!
While the super-hardcore Record Store Day fans are likely already in line/in stores and not reading this, there is a chance that those of you who are here may have had no idea such a holiday existed. Now don't let the picture above freak you out. Record Store Day does not require you build and decorate an awesome vinyl tree to celebrate. What you should do is hit up Record Store Day's list of stores which are participating this year.
If you are lucky enough to have an independent record store(s) near you, drop what you are doing and go to one! Or three! Even if you don't pick up one of the dozens of RSD exclusive releases, go for the numerous sales, contests and live concerts taking place at the purveyors of licorice pizza. When was the last time you were in a record store? If its been too long, go. Seriously. You don't have to drop major coin either. During the first Record Store Day, one of the best things I found was a fifty cent used copy of David Holmes' This Film's Crap Let's Slash The Seats.
There is nothing quite like the energy to be found in record stores. The vibes you get from being around fellow music fans, flipping through the stacks and maybe hearing something you've never heard before over the PA system.
Of course the big attractions of Record Store Day are the limited edition exclusives that are being offered at some stores. Here are my picks for some of the coolest pieces of these hot slices of vinyl.
11. Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra "Polly" 7" - The utterly unique chanteuse covers Nirvana's chilling song about abduction, with a B-side of Radiohead's "Idioteque"
10. David Bowie "Starman" - A 7" picture disc with the original and a Top of the Pops live performance and Bowie in all his Ziggy Stardust glory.
9. Flogging Molly "Drunken Lullabies" 7" - Featuring "A Prayer for Me in Silence" on the B-side.
8. Nightwish Tales of Imaginearum - A big 10" record/pic disc with demo versions of songs from Nightwish's new album, plus a pair of unreleased tracks.
7. Rainbow Long Live Rock 'n' Roll Picture Disc - The first-ever picture disc release from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. The artwork alone, featuring the late Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell, is worth the price of admission.
6. Abba "Voulez-Vouz" Extended Dance Remix - Because a 12" single pressed on transparent blue glitter vinyl is nothing short of amazing
5. Larry Coryell Spaces - A vinyl remastering of a legend of the jazz-fusion world.
4. Aretha Franklin/Otis Redding "Respect" - A gold vinyl 7' featuring Otis' original and Aretha's legendary version on the flip side.
3. Empire Records Original Soundtrack - the first ever vinyl release of the soundtrack to the cult classic film.
2. Phish Junta - The debut studio album from the band that can take the jam to unfathomable places gets an analog-to-analog vinyl mastering treatment.
1. Devo Live in Seattle 1981 - Even if they were through being cool at this point in their history, this previously unreleased live show from the Spuds, put together by uber-fan, Devo-Obsesso, is hands down the coolest of the Record Store Day exclusives.
No matter how you choose to observe it, if you are a music fan get out there today and celebrate Record Store Day. Your music-loving soul will thank you.
Thanks and props go out to @MusicLoverChick for a bit of written inspiration within this post!
"This music is the glue of the world Mark. It's what holds it all together. Without this, life would be meaningless." - Words of wisdom from Eddie the pizza guy from Empire Records
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