Happy Record Store Day

Saw Steve Earle play in Twist and Shout Records here in Denver. I didnt even know in advance. Just happened to get there and they told me he would be starting in 6 minutes.

Was in NYC yesterday and passed a record store uptown...must have been over 200 people lined up before they opened their doors at 11:00. Yes, vinyl is doing well there.

Agreed - lots of live music in the local record stores I had a chance to visit. It has really turned in to quite the event. Was able to score the Sigur Ros 24 of a 1000 for my son's birthday (luckily he doesn't read this blog :), and some other great finds to boot. As always - thanks for keeping it about the music Mofi!
Enjoy spinning some wax today!

As much as I rejoice at the very sound of this phrase, I am embarrassed to admit I have no clear idea what RSD actually is. I went to my local record store to take advantage of the 20% off of used records this weekend and there was about 1.5 hr wait for the register so I left shaking my head. I doubt people were waiting that long to get a buck or two off a record, and I saw nothing that extraordinary to explain the line so I'm confused. I don't quite understand why people would wait for one day in the year to get something or release something. What am I missing?

Nice piece here http://www.rocksquare.com/community/musicnews/2392

This is the official Record Store Day Website. It has all the information you could ever ask for about RSD.

http://recordstoreday.com/Home

Vinyl...it's not a compound...it's a culture!

I agree with Actusreus. This is my 3rd record store day I've been to. Long lines, the only record store day items, were the early releases, not the exclusive stuff. A 45 minute wait to get in, browsed for 15 minutes, 45 minute wait in check out line. Only one cashier. Couldn't put on an extra cashier when you know you are going to be swamped? Now I was at this same store two years ago, there was a band in back room, no lines, but crowded. I was going to visit two other stores, but this store wasted so much time, I had to skip the other stores. So this kind of exclusive crap turns me off. Reminds me of waiting in line at some uber popular club, hoping the bouncer will let me in.
I don't think this is how you run a business. Sure you're taking advantage of a popular trend now, but who will be your loyal customer when the popularity of lps fades out like trends do?

I'm sorry but I'm going to speak my mind about the above
negative comments. After rereading the posts several times
it comes off as "sour grapes". If you had arrived
earlier and were closer to the front of the line and got
what you wanted, you'd be singing the praises of RSD.

Boo-hoo, you got there late, crowds were large, items were
already sold out, lines were long to check out, blah, blah,
blah..."woe is me".

This is just like going to a "general admission
only" concert and getting there late and complaining
about the bad seats. Your fault dude.

Most of these stores are mom and pop shops. Most only have
one register and one credit card machine. I agree that if
they did have access to more registers, they should have
opened them, but these are not Best Buys or Walmarts.

As far as loyal customers go, the store I went to, I've been
going to for over 20 years. Seems pretty loyal to me.

I do have one gripe and agree with one aspect. I think they
should limit the amount of different titles to a maximum of
150 and have more copies. Instead of 1250 have 2500,
instead of 5000 make 10,000 and so on. If they get too
crazy, the limitlessness of the releases have little
meaning. This year they released over 300.

For me, I can't wait for Black Friday RSD and for RSD 2014.

I was not able to go this year because of trying to cut my expenses in today's uncertain economic climate. Didn't get the same bonus I have gotten over the past few years, and have more household expenses I am trying to deal with. We cut our Direct TV last week. Buying less at the grocery. And so on. I will say having gone the past two years, I saw a lot of guys up front first in line who were probably running out to FleaBay to put the limited release LPs up for sale, like the scalpers who buy up all the good tickets to live shows. That turns me off. I think it is good for the industry to get the buzz out about vinyl, but let's all be honest, this is a marketing effort designed to sell product at much higher list prices. Limited supply creates demand. Econ 101.

Swanny...I agree with everything you said, except the assumption that the guys in the front of the line were flipping the items on Ebay. You don't know that for a fact.

While I don't approve of that either and really don't like Ebay that well, I was able to find the four titles that my store didn't get on Ebay for exactly the same amount as in the store and a couple were even less money, (even with shipping) because I didn't have to pay sales tax. So not all sellers on Ebay are jackholes.

Most people don't know that the dealers do not know what they will receive for RSD. They put in their orders and don't know what they get until they open the boxes. I know quite a few record store owners and most say that they only get a 50%-60% fill for RSD.

This is no different than wine collectors or art collectors or rare car collectors or really most any other type of collector. Limited supply DOES create demand.

I much looked to score a copy of Dave Matthews live lp set, but.....
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Rsd&_ipg=200&_sop=16&_osacat=176985&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Rsd&_sacat=176985
And several of these very limited pressings emerged on eBay days prior to Saturday's RSD.
The local vendor did restrict purchases of limited release lps to one per customer. Yet, with the low number of pressings the resaleable value may be turning the event into a scalper's treasure trove.

MoFi, Sour Grapes? I am sorry but standing in line is preferable to you than roaming freely and listening to local bands play? (what they had done in previous years) A business knowing that their biggest business day of the year and doing nothing about their single check out point? How do you know what I was miffed about? Your diatribe about me not getting there early for my personal gratification is pure crap. I had no specific purchase in mind, just wanted to browse around and if a release interested me, I would pick one up. You and I are concerned about totally different experiences. No "woe is me".

Surprise, Surprise! MoFi, you are not the only loyal record store buyer on this site. I imagine many are loyal customers to one shop or another on this site besides you and I. Yes, I regularly go to local record shops and some are better than others.

Stores in my area may be different than the stores in your area. Oh, but I am sure you know every store in existence.

I was not able to attend the other local stores because of the time I spent there was much more than I had anticipated. According to some of my buddies, the other stores handled the crowds well. I know most of these establishments are small business, but shouldn't they be more attuned to their customers's needs?
The point is that for a once a year event you need to put your best foot forward.

I support a number of stores here in So Cal/OC and they were very happy to pre-order and set aside my requests. I got 10 out of 11 albums that day. I spend ALL my music money with small independent stores and the staff know me by name. Best of all, I am constantly being exposed to new music. Record Store Day is a perfect way to bring focus to this class of merchant, who are not robot recommendation engines of the death star from Seattle.They provide a true service and are a joy to visit and buy from. I pity the collectors who resell on the secondary market. The items are truly cool, one of the kind stuff and worthy of a place in my portfolio.

RSD is changing for the worst IMHO. All RSD is about now is the MONEY not the people, like it was when it first started. How many copies does one person need. Greed messes up everything.
Same as seeing your favorite artist or taking your family to a sports event, you are broke for weeks after. Is it worth it? Maybe.
Glad I have been doing this for over 35 years.

I support 3 different record stores in NJ all year round. I go to them usually once a month and always walk away purchasing about $100.00 at each store. Record store day is about promoting the store so they can make a profit, and if in doing so they happen to be nice to you as a customer, great, but they dont stay in business to lose money. I went to one RSD last year and had a nice time, live music (folk singer playing guitar), and spent over $100.00 there, received 3 CD's, two no-name bands and one Dylan tribute CD free. So yes, by all means get out and go to RSD, but also going there at other times will do far more to support brick and mortar vinyl/CD stores.

Mrmitch
I support 3 different record stores in NJ all year round... So yes, by all means get out and go to RSD, but also going there at other times will do far more to support brick and mortar vinyl/CD stores.

Exactly. I buy used vinyl exclusively at my local record store that I frequent about twice a week. Of course I like the idea of RSD just because it has the word "record" in it, but let's be realistic here who and how local record stores are supported and kept in business. I still don't get the idea of RSD even after visiting its website. So once a year there is an effort to do something worth hauling your ass to your local record store? Wow. What about the other 364 days? Where are those people who line up for some one-off release the week after and the next? I guess it's back to us, those who actually care about records in general, not a super duper exclusive release. There is so much more that could be done to promote vinyl, starting with artists insisting on their work being released on flat, high quality vinyl with sound that is not destroyed by compression or over-production. Throw in an exclusive vinyl track, and you have a true vinyl celebration I'll stand in line for.