UPDATE: read Euclid Records excellent post from last year by the owner Joe, “Record Store Day: What It Means To You and Me” for some insight into why you should care and participate in RSD If you’re like me, you can’t wait for Record Store Day 2009. If you were with me last year, you’ll recall that I blogged about it and gave my review of it afterward - I really enjoyed walking up to Euclid Records where I saw the same old staff I’ve seen for years, along with people from the neighbor hood, a local(ish) band play (which my kids said were too loud (win!)) and of course picked up some new music. This year’s event will be April 18th, and you know I’m saving my pennies for the day. I think this year I’ll surprise the staff with some donuts to kick the day off right! If not for local music shops, the music world would be even less human, here’s to them rallying a comeback around the world. As, looks like this year bands and artists are seeing the value of having a day devoted to the music merchants, and are chipping in a bunch of exclusive releases to celebrate.
The organizers of **Record Store Day **have been happily overwhelmed by a steady flurry of support and activity from artists, record labels and retailers wishing to participate in the annual event in salutation of the independent music store. This year Record Store Day is set to feature a number of exciting new products made especially for the event from such well-known artists as **Radiohead, Wilco, Tom Waits **and Lucinda Williams and the Flight of the Conchords, just to name a few.
Wilco plan to release their upcoming DVD as an exclusive release to indie stores and on the band’s website on Record Store Day. The group’s Jeff Tweedy told _Billboard Magazine _in a recent interview, “Even if I wasn’t in a band, I’d still support Record Store Day. It’s a great thing and I’m glad we could do something special with them for our DVD.”
**The Decemberists **will release a Record Store Day 7” as well. The band’s Colin Meloy adds, “I don’t know what I would do without indie record stores. Growing up in a town without them, I can tell you that it’s no fun to shop for indie records at chain box stores.”
You can also expect a slew of vinyl releases from Radiohead, My Morning Jacket who will release a CD as well as limited run double 10” vinyl recorded live in Louisville at record store Ear X-tacy.
Also expected are classic split 7” releases from Tom Waits and Lucinda Williams who will issue a double 7” of live tracks from Atlanta and Edinburgh, as well as Sonic Youth exclusive Record Store Day split singles with **Beck **and Jay Reatard.
Other indie rock elder statesmen the Jesus Lizard will release a special package to include nine 7” singles and Guided By Voices will re-release their Hold On Hope LP, with three bonus tracks.
And in the “legends” category, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, **Leonard Cohen **will all release RSD exclusive 7” singles. **Def Jam **also plans to release a 4 LP gatefold history of the label, the physical version of which will be for indies only.
Fans can expect more unique Record Store Day pieces from a diverse array of artists such as Metric, Slipknot, Jane’s Addiction, The Smiths, the Stooges, MC5, Modest Mouse, Slayer, Rivers Cuomo, the Black Kids, Brandi Carlile, Taking Back Sunday, among many others.
In addition, Coachella, the world-renowned annual music festival set to take place on April 17-19 in Indio, California, has chosen Record Store Day to run the event’s popular on-site record store, with management provided by popular Southwest-based indie retailer, Zia Record Exchange. The on-site Coachella store, previously operated by Virgin, is noted for its high profile foot traffic and good vibe.
Record Store Day, April 18, 2009, coincidentally falls smack in the middle of the dazzling desert-set festival. Promoted by GoldenVoice, Coachella 2009 boasts such an eclectic mix of big name headliners as Paul McCartney, Amy Winehouse, My Bloody Valentine, Public Enemy, TV On The Radio, The Cure, The Hold Steady, Leonard Cohen, Morrissey, Jenny Lewis, Franz Ferdinand as well as many others sure to be stopping by the Record Store Day site to peruse the shelves for records and memorabilia and hang with their fans between sets.
A number of artists performing at this year’s Coachella will release product expressly for Record Store Day. Among them, Mastodon who will release “Crack The Skye” on 180 gram vinyl to include an extra 7” single and lyric sheet,** Jenny Lewis** will issue a split 7” with none other than **Elvis Costello**, and **Black Keys** will release a special RSD split 7” with the **Flaming Lips**.