RECORD STORE DAY 2011
Record Store Day’s fourth year has been set-up with a much deserved amount of hype as well as overloaded with exclusive and limited releases that have been put out across the globe. On Saturday the 16th I embarked on a trip across London that culminated in what was probably the most fun experience with purchasing music that I’ve ever had in my life. Serious. Here’s a little recollection of the day.
BANQUET RECORDS, KINGSTON
At my local record store, the venerable and genuinely brilliant Banquet Records, I found myself, at 9.30, as number 143 in the queue (as signified by my wristband). The amount of people waiting in line totally out-classed my expectations, and although frustrated by the time waiting around, the sense of occasion and general atmosphere actually hyped up actually getting into the store as some kind of pilgrimage. By the time I actually did step foot in the door I’d chatted to people in the queue as well as the incredibly helpful staff about what I was after and what was actually left and at around half 12 I was able to buy some records. I got pretty indulgent. I just couldn’t resist bulking up my record collection with some genuinely great and limited releases, listed, followed by some tracks to stream, below.
In Banquet, I picked up the following:
Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise 7″
Gold Panda – Marriages EP
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues/Battery Kinzie
Franz Ferdinand – Covers EP
Foals – Metropolis Session
Jimi Hendrix – Fire 7″
Joy Division/New Order – Ceremony/In A Lonely Place
Hello Pink Mist Compilation
Metronomy – The Look 7″
Radiohead – Supercollider/The Butcher
Vivian Girls – I Heard You Say 7″
Wild Beasts – Albatross 7″
STREAM:
LCD Soundsystem – “Live Alone” (Franz Ferdinand Cover)
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/13460799"]
Radiohead – “The Butcher/Supercollider”
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/718830" height="200"]
Gold Panda – “Marriage” (Halls Remix)
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/11107219"]
BROWNSWOOD POP-UP STORE @ CAMP, LONDON
After leaving with records in hand and catching a train to Waterloo and then Old Street Station I was set on the path to my next destination, as legendary Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson has set up his own Brownswood Records’ Pop-Up Store @ The City Arts and Music Project, I knew I couldn’t miss it. Entering the venue I was struck by the brilliant Rocketnumbernine playing under a gazebo, surrounded by many record hunters, sifting through the assorted boxes of second-hand records. It had a similar vibe, with the live music and following DJs making it pretty fun-filled.
At the Brownswood Store I picked up:
Notorious B.I.G. – Dead Wrong
Public Enemy – Night of the Living Baseheads
Recipes For Tasty Donuts Double Vinyl Compilation
STREAM: Rocketnumbernine – “Matthew And Toby”
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/4697473"]
To conclude, this year’s Record Store Day has been amazing. Despite not being able to get into Rough Trade East to see Wild Beasts perform, I still really enjoyed it and I’m already counting down until next year. A great day out that proves how great, as well as necessary, independent record stores are.
Photos of me flicking through Hip-Hop vinyl and Gilles Peterson, both at the Brownswood Pop-Up store appear courtesy of Hari Deakin.