Celebrate Divine Vinyl on Record Store Day
Since its US inception in 2007 Record Store Day has gone from strength to strength becoming one of the most enjoyable fixtures of the musical calendar. It celebrates the joy of record shops by hosting exclusive gigs and events as well as a raft of special edition releases, mainly on the connoisseur’s choice format, beautiful vinyl.
All these festivities help the ailing state of second hand music haunts around the country and give stalwarts like Rough Trade a chance to shine amidst the haze of digital dominance.
Rough Trade in Portobello Road has gigs from Cate Le Bon and ‘Allo Darlin’ while its east end establishment on Brick Lane has Johnny Flynn and Little Boots - among others - playing live.
Available within these hallowed walls are limited edition releases from Arcade Fire, with a 12” remix of 'Sprawl', a new EP from Animal Collective and 'R U Mine?' by the Artic Monkeys on purple 7”.
Elsewhere New Order share sides with their former masters Joy Division, and Zomby asks 'Where Were You In ’92' on exclusive vivid vinyl.
Other highlights include a Bowie picture disc of 'Starman', 'I’m Bored' by Iggy Pop on lime coloured vinyl, Noel Gallagher’s 'Songs From The Great White North', the first ever 7” release of Gil Scott Heron’s 'It's Your World' and a massive double LP by Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, which includes collaborations with Bon Iver, Chris Martin and Nick Cave.
There are also special cuts by Bibio and Clark in a classic Warp sleeve, a very rare White Stripes single and the physical release of Radiohead’s recent download-only double A-side.
So on April 21 get down to your nearest vinyl provider and revive the lost art of hanging around listening to tunes in a market made for music. You can pledge your sonic support by paying a visit to Rat Records in Camberwell, a fantastic vinyl emporium that is a pleasure to peruse while enjoying a live set from the legendary DJ Food.
At Sister Ray, the Soho shop named after the seminal Velvet Underground song, Billy Bragg is performing at midday and some of St Etienne will be working behind the counter! If that’s not enough check out Flashback Records in Islington for garage rock from The Fair Ohs, and last but not least, the vintage vinyl Valhalla known as Intoxica has crate digger Johnny Trunk’s musical raffle.
To truly enjoy the sounds of now and then, put your hand in your pocket and help keep these places alive in a future failed by file sharing.
Record Store Day takes place on April 21
