Record Store Day RSD 2019

[privateuniverse]

So did anyone else venture out for Record Store Day today?

All the titles I wanted (Pink Floyd, Elton John, ELP, Peter Gabriel) were all gone by the time I got there. Yet somehow I still managed to blow $100.

An interesting comparison on two pieces I bought:

1) A double 7" single from The Police on colored vinyl released by a major label (A&M/Universal) was priced at $29.99.

2) A triple LP from The Bevis Frond on colored vinyl on an indie label priced at $34.99.

Hard not to feel like the major labels are price-gouging. If I was smart, I would have held off on buying the Police single. There were a lot of copies left. I'm sure it'll be marked down soon.

The woman behind the counter told me people were lining up the night before. I'm sure lots of those people are already selling heir haul on eBay or Discogs.

The Record Store Day website implores music lovers to support record stores and not pay the inflated prices that flippers charge online. How am I supposed to support the record stores when they press these things in such limited quantities that by the time I get there, everything I want is gone?

And one last rant before I step off my soapbox..... This year they are pushing mini turntables that play 3" records. Seriously? The industry can get behind this but they can't be bothered with hi-res surround sound? This is bizarro-world.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

So did anyone else venture out for Record Store Day today?

All the titles I wanted (Pink Floyd, Elton John, ELP, Peter Gabriel) were all gone by the time I got there. Yet somehow I still managed to blow $100.

An interesting comparison on two pieces I bought:

1) A double 7" single from The Police on colored vinyl released by a major label (A&M/Universal) was priced at $29.99.

2) A triple LP from The Bevis Frond on colored vinyl on an indie label priced at $34.99.

Hard not to feel like the major labels are price-gouging. If I was smart, I would have held off on buying the Police single. There were a lot of copies left. I'm sure it'll be marked down soon.

The woman behind the counter told me people were lining up the night before. I'm sure lots of those people are already selling heir haul on eBay or Discogs.

The Record Store Day website implores music lovers to support record stores and not pay the inflated prices that flippers charge online. How am I supposed to support the record stores when they press these things in such limited quantities that by the time I get there, everything I want is gone?

And one last rant before I step off my soapbox..... This year they are pushing mini turntables that play 3" records. Seriously? The industry can get behind this but they can't be bothered with hi-res surround sound? This is bizarro-world.

As a non-vinyl observer...it appears the colored viny is a big seller...is this true?

 

[Circular Vibes]

I got to my local LRS at 6:30 am and there was already 5 people ahead of me for the 8 am opening. I had to call my partner to come and bring me coffee and a breakfast sandwich to tide me over and so that I wouldn't lose my place in line. I blew through over 500 bux on my VISA and my partner didn't say too much. I got the main things on my list of wants except the two blues 78's. There was probably 20+ people in line at opening with more piling in within the first 15 minutes. If I had been rich and could have bought all that I liked from the RSD list, I would have spent over 1200 bux. I like supporting my LRS. While I have bought new records online, I try to get them locally and support the guys who make sure my listening needs are attended to. I would have liked to find one of the little record players but methinks they was a US thing only.

I like going to RSD and don't mind the line ups twice a year. It's nice to still be able to get excited about going to the LRS. I do not care much for the current music, but the reissues can be killer sounding and on cool coloured vinyl or picture discs. I realise that a lot of the titles are "Regional Focus" and limited runs, though it would be nice if RSD would let us know if that area was mine or not. A lot of the better oldies reissues are US only, KWAP! I wouldn't mind being able to give my dealer a list so they could get it for me, but that apparently isn't allowed or they aren't allowed to pick and choose here in Canada or so they say. Yes, I said it, I have a dealer.

As to 3 inch singles versus surround, I would have liked the 3" machine and a few discs for it, but it wasn't here. I wish they would consider surround titles too, and maybe at least one quad reissue? They are releasing the Sun Ra stuff every year lately...

The coloured vinyl can be a lure, but it isn't the first thing I look for. It just happens to look like candy to the kids I guess. I didn't hear anyone in line talking about the coloured stuff. They were occupied with the titles they wanted. It seems that most were after current titles, which is better for me, I got the only Little Walter copy and a few other good reissues. My Duran Duran Live at the Forum boot is now worthless due to the current legitimate reissue.

 

[markshan]

I went for three items and got all of them. Matthew Sweet and Blasters live albums and Frank Black Teenager of the Year. All excellent (still playing Black though, last year Sheryl Crow was excellent until side four).

 

[privateuniverse]

I went for three items and got all of them. Matthew Sweet and Blasters live albums and Frank Black Teenager of the Year. All excellent (still playing Black though, last year Sheryl Crow was excellent until side four).

I forgot about the Matthew Sweet. I wanted that one too! Alas, my store didn't have that either. :-(

I think one of the problems that I have is where I live. I'm in Hartford, the capitol of Connecticut, yet there isn't a single record store in the city. I have to head out to the suburbs. There are only two record stores withing 25 miles of Hartford that get any RSD stock. One of them is a small ma & pa shop that typically only gets one copy of each title (and there are a lot of titles that they don't get at all.) The other is our local Newbury Comics, so everyone in the Hartford area ends up there and stock is depleted almost instantly.

I'd love to support my local music store, the problem is that I don't really have one. In recent years, Newbury Comics has shifted their focus away from music and more towards t-shirts, collectibles, posters, etc.... Their music selection has dwindled significantly since their heyday. If I had a place like Amoeba or Bull Moose, I'd be in there all the time.

 

[Circular Vibes]

I think one of the problems that I have is where I live. I'm in Hartford, the capitol of Connecticut, yet there isn't a single record store in the city. I have to head out to the suburbs. There are only two record stores withing 25 miles of Hartford that get any RSD stock. One of them is a small ma & pa shop that typically only gets one copy of each title (and there are a lot of titles that they don't get at all.) The other is our local Newbury Comics, so everyone in the Hartford area ends up there and stock is depleted almost instantly.

I'd love to support my local music store, the problem is that I don't really have one. In recent years, Newbury Comics has shifted their focus away from music and more towards t-shirts, collectibles, posters, etc.... Their music selection has dwindled significantly since their heyday. If I had a place like Amoeba or Bull Moose, I'd be in there all the time.

No LRS nearby sucks big time. I like the little shops too. I wonder if the size of the shop affects how much stock they are allowed to buy. The store I go to is a chain of two local shops. Shout out to Compact Music! There is a couple bigger shops but the crowd is too much for me, stock is pricier at one and I'd have to camp out overnight in the area where the young scary violent street people hang out. It isnt worth my time when I get better chances of getting at least a few I want and get served by staff who actually care that I am their customer. I like shooping at an LRS that can make suggestions based on what I listen to and will order for me as well. Other shops in my area are unwilling to order or don't have the time of day for me, so I go once a year just to see if anything has changed.

 

[blue.monk]

All the titles I wanted (Pink Floyd, Elton John, ELP, Peter Gabriel) were all gone by the time I got there.

That is a drag. I was lucky to find almost all on my list including the first three you listed as well as Rundgren Singles box, Procol Harum, Gong, Zappa, Beefheart, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Steve Gadd Band and more. Quite a haul!

 

[Clint Eastwood]

That is a drag. I was lucky to find almost all on my list including the first three you listed as well as Rundgren Singles box, Procol Harum, Gong, Zappa, Beefheart, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Steve Gadd Band and more. Quite a haul!

What Wes Montgomery did you get(I love Wes)?

 

[GOS]

All this talk about vinyl...while I didn't go out and buy vinyl.....I have a lot I don't listen to often...so I'm going to go look for one to spin.

 

[JonUrban]

I forgot about the Matthew Sweet. I wanted that one too! Alas, my store didn't have that either. :-(

I think one of the problems that I have is where I live. I'm in Hartford, the capitol of Connecticut, yet there isn't a single record store in the city. I have to head out to the suburbs. There are only two record stores withing 25 miles of Hartford that get any RSD stock. One of them is a small ma & pa shop that typically only gets one copy of each title (and there are a lot of titles that they don't get at all.) The other is our local Newbury Comics, so everyone in the Hartford area ends up there and stock is depleted almost instantly.

I'd love to support my local music store, the problem is that I don't really have one. In recent years, Newbury Comics has shifted their focus away from music and more towards t-shirts, collectibles, posters, etc.... Their music selection has dwindled significantly since their heyday. If I had a place like Amoeba or Bull Moose, I'd be in there all the time.

There used to be good record stores in the area (Belmonts, Capital Records, I think maybe Integrity n Music might still be there (their sign is), but you're right. The Newbury in Buckland Hills is basically it, and they are more of a gift store than a record store.

Sucks.

 

[blue.monk]

What Wes Montgomery did you get(I love Wes)?

Me too! It’s called Back On Indiana Avenue - The Carroll DeCamp Recordings. From mid to late 50s in Indianapolis. Beautiful packaging, limited edition and cut by the great Bernie Grundman. I have high hopes for it!

 

[markshan]

I forgot about the Matthew Sweet. I wanted that one too! Alas, my store didn't have that either. :-(

I think one of the problems that I have is where I live. I'm in Hartford, the capitol of Connecticut, yet there isn't a single record store in the city. I have to head out to the suburbs. There are only two record stores withing 25 miles of Hartford that get any RSD stock. One of them is a small ma & pa shop that typically only gets one copy of each title (and there are a lot of titles that they don't get at all.) The other is our local Newbury Comics, so everyone in the Hartford area ends up there and stock is depleted almost instantly.

I'd love to support my local music store, the problem is that I don't really have one. In recent years, Newbury Comics has shifted their focus away from music and more towards t-shirts, collectibles, posters, etc.... Their music selection has dwindled significantly since their heyday. If I had a place like Amoeba or Bull Moose, I'd be in there all the time.

Oh, your store gets a crowd. That's too bad.

 

[markshan]

That's where I was in the line at 7:30. That is the residential side street. The line extends past what you see for another half block to the right to the store. They opened at 8, I got in at about 8:30. Was thrilled they still had a copy of the Sweet left.

 

[markshan]

I went for three items and got all of them. Matthew Sweet and Blasters live albums and Frank Black Teenager of the Year. All excellent (still playing Black though, last year Sheryl Crow was excellent until side four).

Black was great the whole way through. I'll continue to just be mad at Uni and not at RSD.

 

[privateuniverse]

There used to be good record stores in the area (Belmonts, Capital Records, I think maybe Integrity n Music might still be there (their sign is), but you're right. The Newbury in Buckland Hills is basically it, and they are more of a gift store than a record store.

Sucks.

Capitol Records got all of my paper route money in the early 80's! What an amazing store they were. They made a fatal mistake around 1984 in investing a lot of money into stocking CDs. The market wasn't there yet and they had to close. If they could've held on another year or two when CDs took off, they probably would've been ok. One time in the 90's I was visiting my brother in San Francisco. He mentioned that there was a cool record store I might like to check out. I walked in and saw one of the guys from Capitol behind the counter! He remembered getting all my money.

Last I knew, Integrity Music is still open but the store is a pale shadow of its former self. Just a lot of beaten up old vinyl, and not good titles. I have no idea how he stays in business.

It's really sad about Newbury. When that Manchester store first opened they had a huge selection. (How many music stores in a big shopping mall would have fully stocked Mike Oldfield & Kate Bush sections?) The music in there is now more of an afterthought.

And of course there was Brass City Records in Waterbury. The owner, Walt, was a great guy who really knew his stuff. Sadly he lost a battle to cancer a few years ago. I miss him terribly. The family decided to close the store down after he passed. I miss the place so much, but I think it was the right call. What made the store so great had everything to do with Walt's encyclopedic knowledge of every genre of rock 'n' roll. There's no way the place could be what it was without him. :-(

 

[privateuniverse]

That's where I was in the line at 7:30. That is the residential side street. The line extends past what you see for another half block to the right to the store. They opened at 8, I got in at about 8:30. Was thrilled they still had a copy of the Sweet left.

Yikes! That's crazy. The cashier at Newbury Comics told me the line started forming the night before! I'm too old to be doing that, LOL!

 

[JonUrban]

Capitol Records got all of my paper route money in the early 80's! What an amazing store they were. They made a fatal mistake around 1984 in investing a lot of money into stocking CDs. The market wasn't there yet and they had to close. If they could've held on another year or two when CDs took off, they probably would've been ok. One time in the 90's I was visiting my brother in San Francisco. He mentioned that there was a cool record store I might like to check out. I walked in and saw one of the guys from Capitol behind the counter! He remembered getting all my money.

Last I knew, Integrity Music is still open but the store is a pale shadow of its former self. Just a lot of beaten up old vinyl, and not good titles. I have no idea how he stays in business.

It's really sad about Newbury. When that Manchester store first opened they had a huge selection. (How many music stores in a big shopping mall would have fully stocked Mike Oldfield & Kate Bush sections?) The music in there is now more of an afterthought.

And of course there was Brass City Records in Waterbury. The owner, Walt, was a great guy who really knew his stuff. Sadly he lost a battle to cancer a few years ago. I miss him terribly. The family decided to close the store down after he passed. I miss the place so much, but I think it was the right call. What made the store so great had everything to do with Walt's encyclopedic knowledge of every genre of rock 'n' roll. There's no way the place could be what it was without him. :-(

Integrity was great in the early '80s. Got a LOT of quad cutouts there back in the day. "Ed" was the guy I always dealt with. Nice guy. Knew a LOT about jazz and stuff. I remember when CDs took over people were selling them hundreds of their used LPs in a single transaction. Those were the days.

Brass City was an awesome store. I remember buying a Badfinger "unofficial" CD with stuff from their first 3 Apple albums on one CD way before they actually came out with the real albums on CD. Back then, Badfinger was very hard to find at all. That store had a lot of the stuff that you could not find anywhere else.

There were so many places to look in the '80s besides the Musiclands, Strawberries, Record Worlds, Sam Goody's and other mall type list price chain stores. Al Franklin's in the Civic Center used to have cool stuff like CDV's and CX and dbx LPs. I also used to love going to Lechmere's. Great music department.

Today, it's basically Amazon or bust!

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Capitol Records got all of my paper route money in the early 80's! What an amazing store they were. They made a fatal mistake around 1984 in investing a lot of money into stocking CDs. The market wasn't there yet and they had to close. If they could've held on another year or two when CDs took off, they probably would've been ok. One time in the 90's I was visiting my brother in San Francisco. He mentioned that there was a cool record store I might like to check out. I walked in and saw one of the guys from Capitol behind the counter! He remembered getting all my money.

Last I knew, Integrity Music is still open but the store is a pale shadow of its former self. Just a lot of beaten up old vinyl, and not good titles. I have no idea how he stays in business.

It's really sad about Newbury. When that Manchester store first opened they had a huge selection. (How many music stores in a big shopping mall would have fully stocked Mike Oldfield & Kate Bush sections?) The music in there is now more of an afterthought.

And of course there was Brass City Records in Waterbury. The owner, Walt, was a great guy who really knew his stuff. Sadly he lost a battle to cancer a few years ago. I miss him terribly. The family decided to close the store down after he passed. I miss the place so much, but I think it was the right call. What made the store so great had everything to do with Walt's encyclopedic knowledge of every genre of rock 'n' roll. There's no way the place could be what it was without him. :-(

Awesome post

 

[4-earredwonder]

As a non-vinyl observer...it appears the colored viny is a big seller...is this true?

Unless the situation has improved immeasurably, I was under the impression that colored vinyl, although cool looking, adds unwanted inclusions to the pressings [read: ticks, pops, swishes, etc.]

 

[markshan]

Today, it's basically Amazon or bust!

That's what RSD is really all about. You can't get this stuff on Amazon, only at your local Indie.