Everything That is Right (and Wrong) with Record Store Day in 2014

Those that know me know my love (Read: obsession with/) for music. This love also extends to my favorite local record shops. I even was exploring the option of taking a job with one of the shops that I'm a regular at recently.

So suffice it to say, a few years back when Record Store Day began and in the years that followed when it began to pick up some steam, I was all about it. The idea was simple: A day to celebrate the local, independent record shops that we love and thank them for what they do. A lovely idea. This idea gained some serious traction over the years that have followed and it has become, in the words of someone on 89.3 The Current (memory fails me), "A sort-of second Christmas, for music fans." Bands began to support the idea of RSD and to do showcase their support (and perhaps to make a little money as well) they would play in store performances and release RSD limited releases. These aspects of RSD have grown and grown over the years. From the the first RSD having about 10 exclusive releases to this last weekend's incarnation of the event involving some 700+ [I don't recall the exact number and some are regional releases]. Hymie's Records on Lake Street in Minneapolis is one of my favorite shops, due to the ambiance, wide variety and sheer amount of vinyl available and their RSD block party has become and annual staple to me and to many others. It is sponsored (officially or unofficially I'll never know) by PBR. More than a dozen bands played this year, indoors and out and the stacks of records outside were FREE overstock.

To use them as the example for this discussion: Record Store Day has become HUGE.

Photo Credit: Hymie's Records

In the days leading up to Record Store Day 2014, THIS article by Phil Hebblethwaite of The Quietus was brought to my attention. It was entitled Is Record Store Day in Crisis? A Quietus Investigation.

The timing of this article was rather perfect for me, as it allowed me read and digest the article and then attend RSD as I do every year, and experience theory in action. At this point I would recommend checking out the article. Though understanding my thoughts on RSD does not require it, it is a well done article voicing legitimate concerns, some of which I will address here.

The central argument, or rather concern, of the piece is whether Record Store Day has become too big and is lining itself up for ex/implosion.

I get what Hebblethwaite is getting at and I think its most valid point is that RSD has become about the releases, which it really shouldn't be. If it were, it would be record label (of large size) day. [As I mentioned previously the number of limited releases has become unreal]

The idea of course was to support independent record shops and while the current set up of RSD can sometimes screw some of the smaller, lower traffic ones, they really don't have a choice to opt out of it. I've seen the numbers for some of these shops and they'll do a month's worth of sales inside of a day on RSD. Also, of equal concern, the quality of these limited releases has gone down dramatically. Sure, sometimes its something new, or something issued on vinyl that had not been previously, but it is increasingly becoming re-issues or remix EPs or anything that can turn a buck as an exclusive release. Rob Sevier of The Numero Group, a Chicago-based archival label is quoted in the Quietus piece as saying that many of the releases have become, "products, for the most part, that no human needs to own, ever. The economy of Record Store Day is, 'What can we shit into the form of a record and shove into the hands of the wanton masses?'"

This is where the economic problem for the stores arises. They need to carry these releases or find themselves shunned, but if it doesn't sell on RSD, then it isn't going to. At this year's RSD I saw copies of a four LP Flaming Lips reissue, which came out on record store day last year - according the shop, it has been marked down repeatedly (from the original 75$) and just won't go.

Despite the (largely theoretical at this point) goals of the day, the releases, the ridiculous number of them and the shift towards their prominence in the day is quite clear. I missed out on getting a copy of an EP I was interested in this year - not the end of the world, but I was excited about it. Out of curiosity yesterday, the day after RSD, I pulled up ebay looking for that EP. There were all sorts of them, even though it was only a limited release (Treehouse Records received 4 copies), all for sale to the highest bidder - All my concerns about what RSD had become justified - People were, presumably, lining up and buying whatever limited releases they could get their hands on, only to resell them and gouge fans some 24 hours later. How many of these people were buying, just to resell, at the expense of fans just trying to buy the new thing from their favorite band? This is a problem.

A much smaller line - RSD 2011, Photo Credit to Treehouse

 
The Quietus article also touches upon smaller labels and how this day is troublesome for them. Yeah, I can see it, but while I'm sympathetic, I'm not surprised, nor should anyone else be. Record Store Day and the Vinyl Resurgence have not changed the way that the music industry works and that is the real complaint here: Small label releases, unrelated to RSD, were being pushed back to make space for major label RSD releases. 

Not fun, but not newsworthy either. And the labels complaining are right, there are not enough vinyl pressing plants to meet the demand, but allow me to tell you, that will change. 

The Vinyl resurgence is not forever...I don't think it could be. Eventually, one of two things will happen:
 
1. More plants will be built or 
2. Demand will slowly drop and then stabilize.

Record Store day was not created in hopes of a revolution. It was created in hopes of celebrating and helping to keep alive the local shops that we love, that are a hub for good music and interesting (if occasionally elitist) conversation. This goal has been largely achieved, but like anything else, the music industry tries to find ways to capitalize upon it. So don't bother boycotting RSD or anything silly like that. If there is a worthwhile limited release you want, try to get it (and don't support the scalpers), if there isn't, enjoy the fact that your favorite shop is being supported and is having a party in the process. The rest, we can only hope, will self regulate. Oh and after you go and celebrate RSD at your favorite shop, be sure to stop in next weekend to pick up the new album you want, rather than turning to Amazon or Itunes.

-Erik

Soundtrack of the Moment: The Plastic Constellations - "We Will Be Smiling Forever"

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