RSD 2014 what did you get? How was your experience?

It goes on one of these thing-a-ma-jigs:

 

I don't assume there are many Medicine fans here, but did anyone even see, never mind buy, the Part Time Punks LP? That's the main RSD 2014 item I really want but couldn't get today.

 

I bought a **** load of stuff but the oddest I thought were low numbered copies of Aerosmith's Draw The Line (#0049) and Night In the Ruts (#0051). I don't think the numbers mean much - I just thought it was cool that they are so low. The Minus 5 Scoot The Hoople is really cool and apparently sounds great too! Line ups at the 2 big stores that I went to in Toronto - Sunrise and Sonic Boom - were nuts.

 

Overall, it was a fantastic RSD for me. My first stop was at the Sunrise Records at 336 Yonge. I got there only an hour before the store opened, but wasn't too far back in the line. I tend to like starting at Sunrise because they open earlier than any of the other stores. If I can find a lot of what I'm after there, I can just relax and enjoy any other shopping I do.

I ended up picking up the following there:

Veruca Salt 10"
Garbage 10"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts LP
Pixies LP
Joy Division EP
Kylie Minogue 7"
Mazzy Star 7"
The Velvet Underground LP

I managed to get through checkout quickly this year, as they had designated one till as cash only. I was definitely grateful for that after waiting 45 minutes to pay last year.

I then stopped for a coffee before heading over to Rotate This, where the line was much longer by the time the store opened. My purchases there included:

Husker Du LP
Nina Persson 7"
Spoon EP
Sunny Day Real Estate/Circa Survive split 7"

I also picked up one non-RSD release there (Divine Fits - Live at Third Man).

The only things I wanted but hadn't found at that point where the Julie Ruin 7" and the Dinosaur Jr. box set. After hearing the latter may not have shipped in time, I decided to call it a day. I was extremely happy to have found as many of the releases on my list as I did, especially ones that I figured I'd have no hope of getting (namely, Veruca Salt and Spoon).

I didn't take as much time as I'd wanted to look for non-RSD releases, so I may go to Sonic Boom and one or two other stores tomorrow.

 

We got ther at about 7:45 and were back at the corner of the block. The checkout line at Sonic Boom at around 10 (I think) was about twice as long as that!

 

I couldn't get in early, plus my wallet isn't a fan of RSD prices. So I didn't really count on getting any exclusives and just went through some local stores for bin perusals and the yearly experience.
I was surprised that a good number of releases didn't have many copies reach the stores. One of the guys at the Great Escape told me that the R.E.M. box (near $100, no way could I afford that!) only had one copy arrive out of the 80 they were allowed to order. No Joy Division or Animals EPs for me either anywhere.

Here's my haul from the usual thread:
Did my usual RSD perusal of the bins in some locals, I love the storewide sales:
Movies:
Manhattan-Blu-ray sealed $5
The Man From Laramie/The Desperadoes Double Feature WS DVD-$1.5. MFL is one of the outstanding Stewart-Mann Westerns.
Shaft in Africa-WS DVD, out of print, the only in print copy is pan n' scan. Never seen this second sequel, but the trailer is hilariously exploitative. $1
El Cid-WS Criterion Laserdisc with Dolby Surround and 5.1-NM-$2
Slaughterhouse Five-WS LD-$1

Assassin's Creed III-PS3-$8

LP:
Byran Adams-Cuts Like a Knife, double Masterdisk RL, NM $2
Don Henley-Can't Stand Still, TML, VG++, $3
--Building the Perfect Beast, Promo, TML-X, looks VG but plays VG+, $1
Al Stewart-Year of the Cat, Janus, VG++, $2
Robert Palmer-Heavy Nova, DMM, NM, $2
--Addicted to Love 12" 45rpm, $1
Cyndi Lauper-She's So Unusual, NM, $3. Couldn't resist this!

 

Sonic Boom does tend to have the longest lines every year, both to get in the store and to pay, which is part of why I avoided stopping there this morning. I'd rather try to go later in the day after things have died down or the following day to see what's left over. That said, their smaller vinyl-only store on Augusta may not get the same amount of traffic; I may make that my first post-Sunrise stop next year to see if it's any different.

 

This post is a perfect example of wishing forum members had in their profile where they lived, or at least the name/location of the store that was gouging. As it is it's not useful to anyone else, really. Just sayin', not trying to be an a**.

 

Yeah the line up to get to the corner were they had the RSD stuff was nut s too! Didn't bother with any of it. We left and went over to Kops - much more civilized.

 

I actually went to a vinyl record show earlier today that one of our local not for profit organizations was having to raise funds. I didn't get to the local record store for Record Store Day until close to 6 p.m. They said the lines were bad this morning, and there were still a few customers there when I got there. Bought the very last copy they had of Springsteen, looked long and hard at Tears for Fears, but passed it up. It may still be there later. A few years ago at this same store, I walked in over a month after Black Friday RSD and found the Dylan "Duquesne Whistle" single.

 

I did! It was the main thing I wanted (but I ended up also buying about 13 other RSD releases).
When I first heard about the Medicine release, I thought it was going to be a live recording of the first reunion show that Medicine played last year (at The Echo, in LA), as Part Time Punks promoted that show. Turns out it's an in-studio 'live' recording. Sounds fantastic. There are a few overdubs (tambourine on "Aruca", guitars, and probably vocals/harmonies), but it still very-much has a 'live' sound and feel to it.
"Something Goes Wrong" is pure excellence!

 

Thank you! How'd I miss it...?

 

Had an excellent day! Hit 7 stores by noonish, all were busy, some too hectic for good shopping. There's even two new record stores we stopped by, good to see places still popping up - Agharta in St. Paul was especially robust and I picked up an excellent Torche lp there. I missed out on the Songs:Ohia box which I'd have really loved to have picked up. Purchased:
Velvet Underground - Loaded (pink splatter), Nothing - Guilty Of Everything (2nd press w/ alternate cover), True Widow - Yellow-Cream press, Torche - S/T, swamp green tri-color, Broadcast - Berberian Sound Studio OST, A Minor Forest - Flemish Altruisism/InIndependence remaster/release, Dinosaur Jr. 7" box

 

Can't believe Groovin' High is open! It's been dark everytime I've driven by for the last 6 months!

 

I was wondering if anyone bought the Bob Wills LP.

 

I'm too lazy to list, so I took photos. We weren't able to get The Doors, Devo Live, or the REM box, which was disappointing. We found pretty much everything else we wanted and even bought a few impulse items. The Mystery Single turned out to be a nice surprise. I gave in and bought the Crosley Peanuts Cruiser because it was cute. I know, I know. I went totally girl on that one. It will likely never be used outside of record conventions, but what the heck.




Digging through the used bins also ended up resulting in more money being spent, but we got such a good deal on some of the stuff. The Leadbelly Library of Congress Elektra box set was only $10 and I paid $25 total for all 3 of The New Lost City Ramblers LPs. Thumbnail is below if anyone is really interested.

We had a great time. We went to Trax on Wax in Catonsville, MD. The owner marks things up over the RSD list, but the line is shorter and we are more likely to get what we want. Plus the owner is a super nice guy and we like to support him. We ran out for breakfast and then came back to see a local bluegrass band play and dig through the used bins. Later in the day we went to The Sound Garden in Fells Point, which is the big dog in town. If I'm not mistaken, the owner sits on the consortium. At 3:30pm there was still a long line and we waited an hour just to get to the records. We were really happy that we had gone to Trax on Wax first because we were able to get some things that SG had sold out of. Sound Garden gets hundreds of some releases, but they get very few of some other releases. Robert Trujillo, his wife (who designed the Jaco Pastorius poster), and Jaco Pastortius' sons were at Sound Garden for a meet and greet and there was a whole second line for that. We decided not to wait that out because we were so tired already. I'll probably regret not sticking around, but when I get tired I get grumpy so the boyfriend was more than happy to head home (haha).

All in all a good day. We spent a whole lot of money, which I probably will be cringing over for a few weeks. In the long run we got what we wanted and will have no regrets. Breaking the budget and being content with doing so is kind of an RSD tradition for me and the boyfriend.

 

Townes by Steve Earl was at the top of my list. I was kind of surprised that more people weren't snapping it up.

Unlikely. Maybe if we need something portable to take to a record show. If we ever have kids, it would be a good starter turntable. I bought it because its cute. My boyfriend is still teasing me over that. I'm so practical and yet I'm capable of spending $120 on something because its Peanuts and its cute.

We often find RSD releases months later. I wonder if some of the distributors let stores send stuff back and then send them on to other stores that are more likely to sell them. Its kind of interesting to see something that sells for a good amount on eBay at list price in the local record store. I've even found rare releases marked down in the bargain bin. Its bizarre.

 

I wasn't there for any of the special releases. I was there for the discount on used. With a personal limit of ~$50, I never made it past the recent arrivals cart. So far the prize was a $15 original issue Beggars Banquet that sounds superb. The copy of One Nation Under A Groove was missing the EP (anyone want to help a guy out?).

Jerry at Jerry's Records was nice enough to let me get the grab bag box a day early on Friday to avoid the 160-mile round trip a second time. I'm still going through to decide what goes straight into the main collection. A few personal gems. Some Alan Parsons, Terry Kath-era Chicago, Switched-On Bach, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ronstadt, Fogelberg, Neil Diamond, etc., etc. A crateful that will keep me busy for days as I get them all cleaned up and decide what to do with them next.

 

I went to Ameoba SF looking for several RSD releases for a friend. It was a zoo. I got there about 30 minutes after opening and everything on the list was gone except the Yardbirds. When I got to the end of line which snaked all around the outer walls and through many of the aisles the employee tending the line estimated it would take 90 minutes to make it to a cash register - no thanks.

I walked down to the Streetlight, which was almost empty and found the Yardbirds but nothing else.

 

I got Tokyo Quo album on vinyl by Status Quo. Quit fancied the Credence 10" but they didn't have it. Also looked at the Fleetwood Mac Dragonfly/Purple Dancer 7" but £13 was a bit pricey i thought.

Went to Davids in Letchworth, Herts early afternoon. Great shop. Not sure scheduling RSD on Easter weekend was the best idea though.

 

MGMT - Congratulations
Walter Rizzati - 1990: The Bronx Warriors
Michael Chapman - Playing The Guitar The Easy Way

I'd also have loved to have picked up the Drive-by Truckers' Dragon Pants EP, but it wasn't released in the UK. On the off chance someone has a spare copy, please send me a PM. Thanks.

 

For all of the Canadian RSD folks looking for the REM, I was told by my fave store that the shipment had been delayed. Has it been confirmed that this will be a "regular" release?

 

Getting up early in the morning and waiting in line is completely ridiculous. I don't understand how anybody does this. Are you buying a record or going to the mess hall?

 

My goofy experience - as witnessed in this video. I'm the only one the store owner calls out by name, since I'm a regular (don't know about the others in line):

 

The queue in Manchester @ Piccadilly started 1.30pm Friday