Record store day was first started to help support and celebrate the independent record stores back in 2008. The vinyl resurgence wasn't fully alive back then as it is now, but some might say that events such as Record store day have definitely helped the indie record stores and vinyl culture reach the status it is in today.
The exclusive titles that come along with every RSD since then have almost been the main focus on what everyone looks forward to every year and while it may be something very exciting to look forward to, some have recently been pointing out the negative effect that can come along with it. In broader terms, these exclusives increase every year and the big labels have taken notice and are actively participating in them by putting out their major artists live version or their previously unreleased remixes. In an already strained supply chain with limited pressing plants globally and the effects of Covid-19 still being felt, many of these plants have been clogged up with busy production schedules and a lot of the indie labels and artists are struggling to get their orders in for their album or single released because the RSD exclusives are taking up most of the schedules.
The indie stores do benefit from RSD of course with many enthusiasts and music fans lining up to get their hands on whatever is left from the sweet exclusives. That isn't the case for stores like ours however. The main regions these RSD titles are distributed to of course are the US and Europe, so we are usually not a priority to the label and music distributors as an international store which means we barely get a few titles each year and not always what we want to provide for our customers.
Nevertheless we do our absolute best to get as many titles as we can for all you lovely people and it brings me to something i realized over the last 3 RSD's that we actively participated in, the community that have been established in the store and who always turn up when we celebrate such occasions are definitely what makes us most happy. People bringing in their own precious records to show to their friends and other community members, endless talking about the most unheard of musicians, enjoying all of it with good music playing and good cup of coffee from Noor, Joseph or Raqib (AKA Mamo).
Below is a list of all the titles that will be dropping this Saturday for Record store day, we will put them out at 9pm so come along join us as we celebrate vinyl and music culture!
Alice In Chains - We Die Young
Originally released in 1990 as promotional-only, Alice In Chains’ first studio EP We Die Young will see a limited edition commercial release on Record Store Day. With remastered audio by Bob Ludwig, the three-track EP includes two songs that later ended up on the band’s debut album, Facelift, along with “Killing Yourself,” exclusive to this EP.
Blur - Bustin' + Dronin'
For Record Store Day 2022, Blur will release a special, double heavyweight coloured vinyl edition of their 1998, Japan-only remix compilation Bustin’ + Dronin’ featuring mixes of tracks from their 1997 eponymously titled, number one album. Originally only available as a 2-CD set including a Radio 1 John Peel session, only a handful of copies made their way over to the UK on import. Bustin’ + Dronin’ has never been available on vinyl before now, and this release features the nine remixes (note: no Peel Session) by William Orbit (tracks 1, 6, 7 & 9), Adrian Sherwood (2 & 8), Moby (4), Thurston Moore (5) and John McEntire (7). Released on two x heavyweight coloured vinyl LPs - 1 x transparent blue, 1 x transparent green, the sleeve comes with an adapted version of the original Japanese OBI strip and replica insert.
David Bowie - Brilliant Adventure EP
The Brilliant Adventure EP contains four unheard songs from the Outside era, and two tracks performed by Bowie and pianist Mike Garson at a fundraiser for the New York Public Theater at the Shakespeare Festival in New York on 18th September, 1995.
David Bowie - Toy EP (‘You’ve got it made with all the toys’)
The TOY EP You’ve Got It Made With All The Toys) features the previously unheard “Shadow Man (Vocal and Piano Mix)”, an alternative, stripped-back mix of the TOY album track, along with the unreleased live versions of “I Dig Everything” and “The London Boys” recorded at the final Glastonbury warm-up show at the Roseland Ballroom, New York on 19th June, 2000.
The EP also contains three tracks, “You’ve Got A Habit of Leaving (Radio Edit)”, “Silly Boy Blue (Alternative Ending Mix)’ and “Can’t Help Thinking About Me (Live Mark Radcliffe Show BBD Radio 1 Session), previously only available as streaming singles and which are making their physical debut.
Dave Brubeck Trio - Live From Vienna 1967
Dave Brubeck Trio - Live from Vienna 1967 is an extremely rare, red-hot performance by Dave and his famous rhythm section -- Joe Morello, on drums, and Gene Wright on bass. Alto saxophonist, Paul Desmond, missed the plane to Vienna and the remaining trio took the stage with a mission; show the packed hall that the three of them could play up a storm despite being one man down. Each musician in the trio was at the top of their game and each player was forced to stretch out their solos which landed them in new creative territories.
Childish Gambino - Kauai
Childish Gambino’s 2014 EP, Kauai, is a paradise-found exploration of nostalgia and the complex anxieties of romance, decadence and passion. From the pure pop brilliance of “Sober” to the cool closer “Late Night in Kauai”, Kauai is an essential postcard from the world of Childish Gambino. Available for the first time ever on vinyl, this limited edition Record Store Day release has been pressed on three surprise color vinyl variants randomly distributed through the global pressing.
Czarface - Czarmageddon!
Hot off their two smashes for Marvel’s blockbuster film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Czarface is back, triumphantly swinging into your universe with their new LP Czarmegeddon! Expect many twists and turns as Wu-Tang’s Inspectah Deck and Esoteric go to war with an all-new, all-different soundscape from Czarface producers the Czar Keys. Alt-rap icon Kool Keith shatters the lyrical glass and the enigmatic Frankie Pulitzer, who first appeared on the Venom soundtrack on Czarface’s Today’s Special, is back with guns blazing. Collectors will crash the gates for this all new chapter of the Czarface sage. Includes exclusive trading cards illustrated by Czarface chief artist Lamour Supreme!
In a gatefold jacket, with Czarface trading cards!
The Doors - L.A Woman
A breakout standalone 4LP set, curated by Bruce Botnick, made up of over 2 ½ hours of outtakes from the bonus content from the 50th anniversary set.
A five track Maxi EP celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Madonna’s soundtrack for her film Who’s That Girl. This red vinyl 12” EP features the remixes of “Who’s That Girl “ and “Causing a Commotion”.
In the mid-2000s, as Prodigy began to map out the follow-up to his solo release H.N.I.C., he worked up some new material with long-time collaborator The Alchemist. It was material that was meant to be a mixtape, just a little something to keep the fans interested until H.N.I.C. Part 2. The resulting recordings were so high caliber, so tapped into the very essence of Prodigy’s Mobb Deep pedigree, just so damn good - that a commercial release of the material was inevitable – as Return Of The Mac. Backed by classic Blaxploitation style samples from The Alchemist, Prodigy paints a picture with his words. A picture of the rough and tumble New York of his up-bringing. When issued in 2007, many considered it his best effort in at least a decade. In their review of the then new release, even Pitchfork had to admit “Prodigy's made the comeback no one saw coming.” Fans agreed with that assessment, their whole-hearted embrace of Return Of The Mac placed the title at #32 on the Billboard Top 200.
Now released on vinyl for the first time ever, the opaque red pressing is housed in a gatefold jacket, and is exclusive to RSD 2022.
Lou Reed - I'm So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos
On October 27th 1971, Lou Reed walked into the first recording session of his solo career. I’m So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos is a collection of those rare recordings. This is Reed as few have ever heard him: the songwriter at work, pure and alone, before the noise, swagger and legend. Released on vinyl for the first time, the 13 tracks on this LP are an unprecedented addition to Reed's rock ‘n’ roll life on record.
His next four decades – more than thirty studio and concert albums of lyric challenge, incendiary guitar and iron-willed vision until his death in October 2013 – start here. The final iteration of these demos can be found across Reed’s discography including the albums Lou Reed, Transformer, Berlin, and Sally Can't Dance.
Santana - Splendiferous
Splendiferous is a new 2LP compilation, personally curated by Carlos Santana, showcasing highlights drawn from Santana's musical output spanning 2003-2019. It focuses on the too-often-underappreciated yet creatively fertile period following Santana's 1998 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the massive success of the 1999 album Supernatural. In its wake, Santana released a series of remarkable recordings, among them 2003's Shaman, 2005's All That I Am and 2014's Corazón, that stand with the best that Carlos, or his band, have ever made. Many of these songs and performances were overlooked at the time of their release and are being presented anew on Splendiferous, as essential musical elements in the Santana canon.
The Sound - Counting The Days
Formed in south London in 1979, The Sound were an English post-punk band fronted by singer-songwriter Adrian Borland. Whilst The Sound may never have matched the commercial success of their peers, the group are frequently hailed as one of the greatest bands of the 1980s and have a cult following to this day. Issued in 1986, Counting The Days was the sole compilation released during the band’s years together and gathers tracks from their acclaimed releases Shock Of Daylight, Heads And Hearts and In The Hothouse. The complete collection is now issued on vinyl for the very first time, pressed on two 180g clear viny discs.
Wallows - Singles Collection 2017-2020
A first-time gathering of all Wallows’ key singles, on one sky blue vinyl release for Record Store Day. And some of these tracks are on vinyl for the first time!
V.A - The Best Of Chi-Sounds Records 1976-1982
Chi-Sound Records was launched in 1976, by US music industry executive and soul producer Carl Davis, and one of the label’s first singles, which has endured the test of time and had a 21st Century resurgence by being the theme tune to the UK Broadcaster/Presenter/DJ, Norman Jay MBE, to open his national BBC Radio show.
The Chicago label produced some of the great soul Artists of the late ‘70s and became a new home for the legendary ‘Duke of Earl’, Gene Chandler, whose disco-era classic, “Get Down”, tore-up the dancefloors around the world. Other notable signings for the Chicago label included The Chi-Lites, Manchild (featuring a young Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds), The Impressions, Sydney Joe Qualls, The Dells and Magnum Force.
This is the first Chi-Sounds Records collection in more than 20 years and is pressed as a 180g blue vinyl 2LP set.
V.A - Brazil 45 Boxset Vol.3
The third volume in the "Brazil 45 Boxset Curated by” series comes courtesy of Master At Work and legendary producer/DJ Kenny Dope. It features ten knockout tracks and exclusive edits from Kenny and is a selection of some of his favorites from the golden era of Brazilian music. A 5 x 45 set, it comes packaged in a limited edition and highly collectible BRZ45 box. All previous boxsets in the series sold out fast. Kenny Dope is a globally renowned DJ and producer, a well-respected curator of Brazilian music, as well as funk, hip-hop, boogie, soul and house. The Mr Bongo name is a further seal of quality when it comes to these genres. Kenny's selection and many of his edits are exclusive to this release.
V.A - Breakin': Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The 1984 film Breakin' is, for many, a reference point for the explosion of hip-hop in the United States and across the world. With its colorful cast of characters and dazzling array of dance moves, the movie became an international hit and the soundtrack captures the sounds that inspired an entire generation of breakers and b-boys to push their craft to new heights. Anchored by the Billboard Top 10 hit single “Breakin'...There's No Stopping Us Now” by Ollie & Jerry, Breakin' pulses with the electric funk beats and early hip-hop flavors.
Out of print on vinyl for nearly a decade, Get On Down presents this pivotal soundtrack in a never-to-be-repeated clear vinyl pressing.