Record Store Day 2024?


 

I don’t know what percentage of AG members participate in RSD, but I figure the topic warrants a thread.

The RSD titles offered this time (April 20th) seemed pretty strong to me, and I was apparently not alone in that opinion: when I arrived at Music Millennium at 6:00 A.M. the line went down Burnside Blvd. from 32nd Avenue to 29th, over one block, and then up the street behind the store all the way back to 32nd, all in attendance waiting for the 8:00 A.M. opening of the store. Over a thousand people I reckon, more than the 6:00 A.M. line at last year’s Black Friday RSD. And when I exited the store at 11:00, the line still stretched from 32nd down to 29th.

This years titles as always included offerings in many genres, my list below merely reflecting my musical tastes. Here are the albums I decided I didn’t want to live without:

 

- The Bottle Rockets: The Brooklyn Side. Expanded 2-LP set, lacquers cut from analogue master tapes at Masterdisk by Scott Hull. 1500 copies worldwide.

- Gene Clark: The Lost Studio Sessions 1964-1982. 2-LP set containing unreleased studio and live recordings. 1500 copies.

- Lowell George: Thanks I’ll Eat It Here. Expanded 2-LP set, lacquers cut from analogue master tapes by Bernie Grundman. 3500 copies.

- Chris Isaak: Beyond The Sun. Expanded 2-LP set containing every song Chris and his band recorded at Sun Studios. 2000 copies.

- Tommy McLain: Moving To Heaven. Recorded in 2003 and pressed as 500 CD’s, Elvis Costello discovered this album in a used record store down in Louisiana. 1000 copies.

- The Ramones: The 1975 Sire Demos. These recordings led to the boys getting a deal with Sire Records. 6000 copies.

- Mavis Staples: Have A Little Faith. 20th anniversary reissue of the Alligator Records original. 2500 copies.

- Television: Live At the Academy NYC 12.4.92. 2500 copies.

- Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Live In France/The 1966 Concert In Limoges. Just Rosetta and her white Gibson SG, tearin’ up the joint! 1800 copies.

 

And my pick-of-the-litter:

- Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman with Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives: Celebrate The 50th Anniversary Of Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. The two living Byrds perform the entire album and other songs live, aided by the best band in the world. Unfortunately also the most expensive of the lot: $79.99 for a 2-LP set?! 2500 copies.

 

 

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The sad reality for many music fans is that, in my opinion, these very limited pressings are less about celebrating the music and more so about driving up the price. And I'm sure many of these will end up on secondary markets like Discogs at even higher prices. Considering the fact that 50% of the people buying the vinyl don't even own a turntable to listen to their purchase indicates to me that much of the hype driving RSD sales & asking prices is caused by the vinyl flippers. 

I'm at the point in my life, where I'm making vinyl or CD purchases of particular artists because I'm interested in having their complete catalog. I still buy one-offs of certain artists. If I'm seeking older LPs I prefer the used, originals to overpriced re-mastered re-releases that might have questionable dynamic range and listenability.

I also buy music that I enjoy listening to and want to own forever, so if I commit to purchasing a recording I'm going to listen to the damned thing as well, not keep it sealed in hopes of flipping it for profit years from now. 

I purchase all my records online. Great buys for mint and new records on eBay too. I’ve purchased 50 or more there. Just got a 180 gram version of a 1971 tower of power lp reproduced in 2022 brand new for $25. So yeah online. 

@bipod72 - that is true, but here are any number of good titles that are still available days, weeks, months, and/or years after the RSD they were released on. Of course, some titles are guaranteed to sell out right away.... 

A big plus for the mentioned Yo Yo collaboration s… both fantastic…. ANYTHING Jerry Douglas !!!!!!!