Record Store Day - 17th April

Record Store Day comes but once a year and you’d be a fool not to pencil this one in. Begun back in 2007 in the US, it’s now a global phenomenon, a day when all the independent record stores and artists join forces to celebrate the art of music. There's in-stores and events (e.g. see www.puregroove.co.uk and www.roughtrade.com) as well as special vinyl and CD releases and promo materials put together especially for the day.

In the UK RSD will give you access to a whole heap of limited edition treasures from favourites old and new including: a limited repress of Hot Chip 'Coming On Strong', Pet Shop Boys 'Love Life' dinked vinyl with retro sleeve, Jonsi 'Go Do' dinked vinyl with retro sleeve, Goldfrapp 'Head First' on CASSETTE (remember those?), Yeasayer O.N.E with limited edition print, remix and demos, Them Crooked Vultures "Mind Eraser, No Chaser/Hwy/Vulture Speak" with an interview with the band and 10" picture disc and a limited 500 copies of Pavement "Cut Your Hair." For a comprehensive list of participating indie stores and all the Record Store Day specials see here www.indierecordshop.org/?p=316

In the words of Billy Bob Thornton: “independent record stores are really the only places left with the actual spirit of music as I knew it growing up, and hopefully those will be around for 50 years from now because that's where it feels magical - you don't feel like you're buying a tire iron, tube of shampoo, a 12 pack, a bag of Cheetos and a record." Exactly.