Just wanted to inform you if you didn't know and remind you if it slipped your mind that this Saturday, April 17th, is Record Store Day. In this age of digital downloads and throwaway music, the idea is simple: get out and support your local record store. Buy some real music with cover art, liner notes and hardware you actually have to place into or on a player to hear. Talk with fellow music lovers or pick the brain of those special employees who are the curators of our musical past and present. As our friend Mr. Waits says, "Folks who work here are professors. Don't replace all the knowers with guessors. Keep 'em open, they're the ears of the town." You don't have to have a turntable to participate (though it helps). Go out an pick up that new CD you've been curious about and forget about iTunes for the weekend.
The link below will tell you all you need to know. There's a huge list of participating artists releasing limited edition, one-day-only stuff. If you're in a city, there are festivities happening all day at your local record stores involving giveaways, refreshments and in-store appearances and performances by your favorite bands (folks in the Twin Cities should venture out to the Electric Fetus to catch Dr. Dog).
I've decided that this will be a holiday in our house henceforth. I'll be buying my daughter a selected LP for her first RSD and every RSD to come. Let's all show our support so she can find out what's so special about our record stores first-hand someday, rather than hearing me tell her about how it used to be.
Great post! That is a holiday I will be celebrating from now on out. I can't imagine life with only electronic music. Question; is Record Store Day every April 17th or is it every third Saturday in April? It needs to go up on my calendar. I would have loved to have seen your post before Monday as I missed Dr. Dog at the Fetus. That would have been cool and the Electric Fetus is a legendary record store. Happy Belated Record Store Day!
ReplyDeleteWhat record/vinyl did you end up buying for your daughter?
ReplyDeleteThe reissue of Mule Variations. Might as well start her off right.
ReplyDeleteGot some other good stuff for myself too. Best buy of the day: The Black Keys' new single. Awesome song and great B-side. But with a secret surprise too. They had an email address etched into the vinyl. When I sent a message to the address they told me they were sending me a Black Keys/Devo split single, of which only 200 were made!