This weekend on April 19th marks the only day of the year where we pretend Pirate Bay doesn’t exist. Record Store Day was officially founded in 2007 and has since become a day celebrating a bygone era, where you found out what to listen to by asking a funny smelling dude with a beard behind a desk, rather than visiting super cool blogs like this one.
While this year sees the slimy villainy that is the Australian music industry pushing their mits further into our ye olde vinyl shoppes, there’s still a lot to look forward to on this holy day for hipsters everywhere. Here’s our guide to the best of Record Store Day 2014.
Releases
To be sold this weekend only, there are a number of pressings that all collectors should put on their shopping list. Note that not all stores will be carrying these releases, call your local record outlet (yes, with your phone) to see what they’ve got in this year.
Julia Holter
American baroque-pop songstress Julia Holter is releasing a 7″ featuring beautiful re-imaginings of Barbara Lewis’s Hello Stranger and Dionne Warwick’s Don’t Make Me Over, in an edition of 700.
Tame Impala
This will be one to show the kids. “I bought this way back in 2014, when everybody thought they lived in the 1960s, listening to psych bands on outdated technology”. This record features nine live versions of stuff from their first EP right up to Lonerism which, if you’ve ever caught them live, you know is absolutely awesome.
School of Seven Bells
A noisy, gazy indie band from The Big Apple, School of Seven Bells have put together a 12″ of five previously unreleased tracks, all proceeds going towards the foundation of bandleader Benjamin Curtis, who died in 2013 of T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.
Hendrix: Live At Monterey
While Hendrix is one of those acts that have been insanely influential in modern music, yet there isn’t really an appropriate time to put his record on. Regardless, The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s performance Live at Monterey is one of the most famous recordings of all time and you’d need a pretty big excuse not to pick this one up.
Ghostbusters 30 Year Anniversary
Printed on clear vinyl, this unique pressing of the seminal 1984 film’s soundtrack is an insanely valuable collectors item for all of you who still think the 80’s were cooler than the 90’s. If you haven’t already, check out Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band’s halloween cover of the amazing theme tune right here.
Gigs & Events
Tym Guitars (Bris)
Captives from Tasmania plus brizzy locals Columbia Buffet and central coast shoegazers Sounds Like Sunset hit up Fortitude Valley’s favourite six stringed weapons store. For fans of punk, spunk and Superchunk, make sure to rock up armed with some earbuds.
Readings (Melb)
I dunno anything about Dan Sultan other than he was on Rockwiz the other night. This girl I like really likes him though, and she’s pretty cool, so girls, head down to Readings in St. Kilda at 2pm to hear songs off his new album Blackbird.
Music Farmers (Gong)
Strangely, the Gong seems to have it going on this year, with the most cohesively awesome lineup for their RSD celebrations. Catch Step-Panther, Doc Holliday Takes the Shotgun, The Escarpment and The Pinheads. Check the FB event for more deets.
Folk, Roots and Country artists (everywhere else)
Yeah, for some reason there are a lot of acoustic, Gen X, beardy types playing at a fair few record stores this year. Make sure to check ahead with your local shop to make sure you don’t accidentally get a face full of folk this weekend.
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