I have to say, I can’t help but be a *TAD* cynical about Record Store Day. I’m in two minds…if it helps independent record stores stay afloat, that’s great. But I can’t help but feel all these “collectors items” offerings to promote the day does…seem…rather more about the shifting of goods than anything else. Given how much of a revival vinyl sales are achieving – I’m not sure a one day a year event does much in the grand scheme of things, other than make a HUGE spike in sales for one day a year!
I love limited edition things, yes. Who doesn’t? They feel like extra prized possessions…but they don’t, generally, enhance the listening pleasure of a record. I can never hear any discernible difference between different coloured vinyl copies (white v red v blue v yellow v clear, etc) as compared to a straight black lacquer. Actually, if anything, coloured vinyl is usually slightly inferior to the usual black lacquer. I have a white vinyl copy of Sparkle In The Rain and to my ears it doesn’t sound as good as the straight black lacquer. Picture discs look really pretty…but that’s all they offer, a visual enhancement…not a aural one. Limited editions seemed hooked on being either coloured vinyl or picture discs these days. The picture discs I like…but the coloured vinyl just seems a gimmic to me. You can make limited editions special in other ways, surely?
Record Store Day is leaving me a bit cold this year. The thing I am looking most forward to is the arrival of the half-speed master of New Gold Dream. To me, that seems far more worthy of an investment…but I will get off my soap box for now and discuss the wares.
The Minds themselves are offering up a limited edition red vinyl print of Big Music Live for RSD. A nice package.
Catherine Anne Davies aka The Anchorness (who toured with Simple Minds during 2015) will be making an appearance at the Rough Trade store in Nottingham and signing copies of her RSD offering of her single Popular.
Now, that’s a bit more special! An instore appearance is nice (and yes, Sir Kerr and Charlie have done so in the past).
