Record Store Day, April 18, 2015

Picked Up In Store on RSD:

• The Animals - The Animals No.2 (1965), 10" EP, LEx3900
• Charlie Feathers - Charlie Feathers (2015), 10" EP, LEx1500
• The Doors - Strange Days (1967), Mono LP, "LE"x12500
• The Flaming Lips - Bad Days (2015), Green EP, LEx5000
• The Flaming Lips - Brainville (2015), Yellow EP, LEx5000
• The Flaming Lips - This Here Giraffe (2015), Orange EP, LEx5000
• Foo Fighters - Songs From the Laundry Room (2015), 10", LEx4000
• Gov't Mule - ...Side of the Mule Vol. 2 (2015), EP, LEx4750
• Hawkwind - Hawkwind (1970), Orange LP, LEx3000
• Jaco Pastorius - Anthology The Warner Years (2015), LP, LEx3000
• Jerry Garcia - Garcia (Compliments) (1974), Green LP, LEx7000
• Johnny Winter - It's My Life, Baby (2015), LP, LEx2000
• Junior Wells - It's My Life. Baby (1966), LP, LEx2200
• Of Montreal - Snare Lustrous Doomings (2015), 2xColorLP, LEx3000
• Ramones/Husker Du - Sheena is a Punk Rocker (2015), Color 7" LEx4800
• Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Selections (2015), Green EP, LEx2500
• Various - Sun Records Curated by RSD (2015), LP, LEx4000

Picked Up After RSD (Store/Online):

• Alvin Lee - Still on the Road to Freedom (2012), LP, LEx750
• Bee Gees - Extended (2015), 12" EP, LEx?
• Blue Mountain Eagle - Blue Mountain Eagle (1970), LP, LEx4500
• Camilla's Little Secret - Tantalizing Eyes (1993), 12", LEx?
• Chet Atkins - My Brother Sings (1959), LP, LEx2000
• Clutch - From Beale Street to Oblivion (2007), Purple 2xLP, LEx1300
• Doc and Merle Watson - Ballads From Deep Gap (1967), LP, LEx1800
• Dolly Parton - The Grass is Blue (1999), LP, LEx1700
• Elvis Presley - My Happiness.. (1953), 78rpm 10", LEx500?
• ESG - The Moody EP (2015), Color Splatter 45rpm EP, LEx1000
• The Everly Brothers - 15 Everly Hits (1962), LP, LEx2000
• Frank Sinatra - Songs For Young Lovers (1954), 10", LEx2900
• The Gods - Genesis (1968), Multicolor LP, LEx5400
• George Thorogood - GT & The Delaware Destroyers (2015), Blue LP
• Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000), White LP, LEx4000
• Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze/Freedom 7" Single, LEx4000
• Johnny Cash - Konzert v Prague (2014), LP, LEx4525
• Lord Sitar - Lord Sitar (1968), Green LP, LEx2000
• Neko Case - Fox Confessor... (2006), Red LP, LE2500
• Rainbow Ffolly - Sallies Fforth (1968), Splatter Lp, LEx2500
• Ride - 0X4_The Best of Ride (2001), Red 2xLP, LEx5000
• Robert Earl Keen - Gringo Honeymoon (1994), LP, LEx1500
• Robert Plant - More Roar (2015), 10", LEx5000
• Shocking Blue - Love Buzz/Boll Weevil (2015), 7", LEx1500
• Shoes - Primal Vinyl (2015), Green/Yellow Starburst LP, LEx800
• Tamikrest - Taksera (2015), LP, LEx1500
• Tomorrow - Tomorrow (1968), Splatter Mono LP, LEx5300
• Violent Femmes - Happy New Year (2015), LP, LEx2500

Would Like to add if I can find affordably:

• Placebo - Placebo (1996), Red LP, LEx2500 (Europe RSD)
• Various Artists - Guitar Safari (2015), LP, LEx500

For this year's RSD event my son and I opted to sleep in and avoid the long lines. We arrived around 11am, two hours after the doors opened, and all of our priority wishlist items were long gone. We won't make that mistake again! Fortunately, we checked out two other smaller music stores nearby and had some success. As you can see by this list, and due to our not waiting in line, many of this year's titles were picked up from a handful of online stores the in the days (sometimes weeks) following RSD. I refuse to pay flipper prices on eBay, so I will stay patient and hopefully pick up a few of the elusive titles at a later date. This is especially true for the Elvis 78 put out by Jack White.[Update 5-03: found a copy at Zia for $20 while out in Phoenix!]

Admittedly, there were several impulse buys this RSD, but most are welcomed finds. My want list was relatively short in the days leading up to the event, but my stack of records has steadily grown in the weeks following RSD. In fact, this is a 'record' RSD day for me, and I'm not sure why. Just got carried away I guess. I realize it may seem silly to spend hard-earned money on limited edition vinyl, many of them reissues, but as both a collector and lover of music, it's all good. I enjoy frequent trips to the record store all year long, but RSD is a special event that I share with my teenage son and I wouldn't miss it.

My favorite new find is the self-titled Tomorrow LP, a late 60's psychedelic rock gem released on splatter-colored vinyl. Who says colored vinyl can't sound good? Although the dynamic range may not be the best, the SQ on this one is nice! Good luck finding an original, so this mono reissue is a gift from the vinyl gods as far as I'm concerned. A close second would be the Charlie Feathers 10" EP. I had not heard of this rockabilly great, but thanks to RSD his music is a wonderful discovery. The second installment of Gov't Mule's, "Stoned Side of the Mule" is as good if not better than the first volume released last RSD 2014. These Stones covers really rock. There seemed to be a larger selection of 7" singles this year, many on colored wax, but I resisted. For me they are just not enough bang for the overpriced buck, and I'm not a 45 guy. The exception was for an import 45 by Shocking Blue: "Love Buzz/Boll Weevil." I love the band and these two tracks are great so I caved and bought it!

I haven't listened to all of my RSD acquisitions yet, but these are the standouts so far.

See you on Black Friday! ~Chuck

Epilogue: Excuse the following rant...

Unfortunately, RSD detractors can spoil the fun, just visit any online forum discussing the event. Some offer worthy suggestions to the organizers, many of which I'd like to see implemented, but it seems many of the participants just enjoy complaining! I'm all for freedom of expression, but these misguided and opinionated trolls should cease their over-analysis, incessant griping and nonsensical rage. They take their criticism too far. They whine about the scalpers, the lines, the prices, the colored vinyl, the releases, the limited numbers, corporate involvement and so forth. Why the cynicism? Grow up! My son and I have attended RSD since 2010, and have met a lot of interesting, like-minded music lovers along the way. We've discovered many new artists and picked up some great vinyl! Sure, nothing is perfect in this life and there are a few event tweaks that would be welcomed, but for the most part RSD is a positive and FUN way to spend a spring Saturday. For those who don't like RSD for one reason or another, just stay home, spin a record and chill! No need to get upset over something you don't enjoy and aren't forced to participate in. Why waste your time voicing a negative opinion on an RSD thread to people who a) you've never met, and b) don't give a shit what your opinion is?

Some Observations...

Best RSD Release: Elvis Presley - My Happiness..

• as one guy said on Discogs, "this is what RSD is all about..." Agreed.

Best RSD Reissue (Overall): Tomorrow - Tomorrow

• An original of this great pysch album is expensive! Thanks RSD.

Best RSD Rock: The Doors - Strange Days

• This mono reissue is simply fantastic and "Strange Days" has never sounded better, in my opinion.

Best RSD Country: Robert Earl Keen - Gringo Honeymoon

• A very close tie with the Watson's, but this has to be my favorite Keen LP, probably because I love bluegrass.

Best RSD EP: The Animals - The Animals

• The 4th installment of an RSD EP release by The Animals, and it rocks!

Best RSD Surprise: Bee Gees - Extended

• I hesitated buying this one because, well, it's disco. After hearing about the SQ on forums, I relented. No regrets!

Best RSD Live Album: Johnny Cash - Koncert v Prague

• A close tie with of Gov't Mule's Vol. 2 release, which is great. "Koncert" gets the nod because its on red vinyl and I'm a big JC fan. of Montreal's release is fun too. This category was tough.

Best RSD Pressing/SQ: Chet Atkins - My Brother Sings

• Wow. Fantastic sound from this 1959 Living Stereo recording.

Best RSD Oddity: Rainbow Ffolly - Sallies Fforth

• A close tie with Lord Sitar. The jury is still out on both of these weird LP's, but I'm glad I got 'em.

Best RSD Discovery: Charlie Feathers - Charlie Feathers EP

• I'm just now exploring rockabilly, and this is a great start!

Best RSD Colored Wax: George Thorogood - GT & The Delaware Destroyers

• Although there were several splatter colored releases this year, my favorite goes to the opaque blue on this one. Beautiful!

Best RSD Cover: Jerry Garcia - Garcia (Compliments)

• Love the bright colors and textured clouds. Although I didn't enjoy this album as much as last year's RSD "Garcia," the cover made up for that a little.

RSD 2015 "Frank" Purchase: Dolly Parton - The Grass is Blue (1999)

• Picked this one up not because I'm a Dolly Parton fan, but because I love bluegrass and I understand this one rates highly.

Some negatives, unfortunately...

Most Disappointing RSD Release: Junior Wells - It's My Life, Baby!

• The SQ on this one isn't great, and other JW albums I have are much more engaging. Wish I had left his one on the shelves.

Worst RSD SQ: Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Selections

• Perhaps unlucky, but my copy is full of pops, clicks and tape hiss. Although I'm a big fan of this genre, this one was disappointing.

Not Sure RSD Purchase: The Everly Brothers - 15 Everly Hits

• Although I love the material, I was disappointed to find out (later) that some tracks were taken from stereo remasters. I was expecting full mono.

Why Did I Buy This? RSD Purchase: Flaming Lips EP's

• Not sure why I shelled out nearly $50 for these 3 EP's. I haven't even listened to them yet. The reviews aren't encouraging. I suppose I fell victim to the allure of more colored vinyl. In my experience most Flaming Lips RSD releases are a disappointment (eg "Heady Fwends" and "Zaireeka"), so why I bit again is a mystery.