Record Store Day 2024

  

 Well it's been a week since Record Store Day already, it's about time I talk about my RSD experience this year. As always it starts with checking what is being released and this year there were a few albums that I really wanted to get. Which meant I was going to have to line up early at the local record shop here in Edmonton which is Blackbyrd Myoozik for me as it is just down the street from me. Now I usually line up a couple of hours before it opens, which is 10am. Because there was one album that I really really had to have (Tragically Hip - Live At CBGB's), with a limited pressing of 2500, i was going to have to line up earlier then usual. So there I was at 7am lined up at Blackbyrd. Much to my surprise though was that there were already probably about 75 people in front of me. Well fuck! I wasn't about to line up for three hours until doors opened and then at least another hour before I got in the store. Four hours lined up only to leave disappointed, I said fuck it and went home, trying to decide what I was going to do. Ireally needed to get that Hip album.

Luckily for me, my buddy Nazz was first in line at a different record shop (Freecloud Records) in downtown Edmonton which opened at 9am, an hour earlier then most shops. He had been there since 4am, he too really wanted that Hip album. I shot him a text and told him about my dilemma. Because he is always first in line at Freecloud for RSD, he knew some of the other people lined up. And because you can only buy one copy of each release, I had another dilemma, how the hell am I gonna get this record. But Nazz being the awesome guy that he is, he managed to talk to someone in line that wasn't there for that album and got him to pick up a copy of the much needed album. Thanks Nazz! Not only did he get me the Hip album, he also picked up a copy of the Neil Young with Crazy Horse release Fuckin' Up, as he wasn't getting himself a copy. I can't thank you enough Nazz for what you did for me. So I now had two of the three releases I wanted.

 After sitting at home for a while stewing wondering if I was going to get any of the albums, this was before I knew Nazz had got what I was looking for. I decided I would go to Bonnie Doon Mall and see what the line up was like at Sunrise Records. By the time I got there it was 8:30am and much to my surprise there was only one person lined up. Excellent, maybe I will get what I am looking for. Standing there for an hour and a half and looking through the window, I couldn't see a single RSD release on display, what the hell! Well about five minutes before the store opened the staff showed up and put out there RSD releases. Which was next to nothing, maybe ten different records in all. They did have one copy of the Hip album and one copy of the Pearl Jam's new album Dark Matter a special RSD variant. By this time I heard from Nazz and knew he had the Hip and Neil Young albums for me. So all I needed was the Pearl Jam album. Talking to the lady in front of me for the last hour, I knew she wasn't there for the album I wanted. I was in luck, I was going to get everything that I was after. Yay me!!! By the time Sunrise opened there were maybe ten people in line. I was very surprised by how little RSD releases this store got. But, I got what I wanted and could have got the Hip album too, but thanks to my buddy I didn`t have to pick it up. My buddy Nazz ended up meeting me at Bonnie Doon and bringing me the two album he picked up for me, and I got a ride home.

Here are the albums I got.

Tragically Hip - Live at CBGB`s January 14th 1993 on pink vinyl and with a slip mat for your turntable. Limited pressing of 2500. An awesome sounding live record.

Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Fuckin`Up on clear vinyl with a limited pressing of 5000. This is a live recording from the Rivoli in November 2023 where the band played the album ragged Glory in full. The recording is great though the band sounds rough at the start with Neil`s vocals rough as well with him missing some lyrics but the band gets better as does Neil`s vocals as the set goes on. Exactly what I would expect from Neil and Crazy Horse. I love it!

And the final pick up I got was the new Pearl Jam album Dark Matter an exclusive yellow and black ghostly RSD variant. Limited pressing of 15,000, so I am sure you can probably still find this kicking around the shops as that`s a not a very limited pressing in this day and age. The album itself is really good from these grunge veterans.

 After hanging at home and listening to all my new albums, I decided I would wander down to Blackbyrd around 4 in the afternoon and see what they still had kicking around for RSD releases. I sure didn`t expect that there would still be people lined up for the store. When I got there, there were still a line of about ten people, unreal, have never seen that before. I was gonna say fuck it and just head home, but the staff member working the door told me they had a surprise for me behind the counter. Hmmm, ok, I guess I`ll line up for a bit and have browse and see what they had for me. I was surprised that they still had a copy of the Neil Young there. Which meant I could have actually got all the records myself. Sunrise having the Pearl Jam and Hip album and Blackbyrd having the Neil album. But thankfully I didn`t have to worry about that.

 Much to my surprise what Blackbyrd did have for me was a test pressing of Corb Lund`s newest album El Viejo. Holy fucking cool. I guess they got this test pressing from the Corb`s record label and decided that I was the deserving person to get it. As the staff there know I am a huge Corb Lund fan. I can`t thank the staff at Blackbyrd enough for thinking of me. It pays to support your local independent record shops. Thanks again Blackbyrd!

Corb Lund - El Viejo test pressing.

Record Store Day has lost some of its luster over the years at least here in Edmonton it has. There used to be five record shops within walking distance of me, now there is just the one. And the shops used to have live bands playing the shops during the day or an after party once the shops closed, they also used to have concert ticket give-aways. None of that has happened over the past few years. I miss the days when RSD was an all day affair.

Black Friday Record Store Day Nov.27th 2020

Well it's been a month since the Black Friday Record Store Day, I guess it's about time to wrote about what I managed to get. I was impressed with the list for BFRSD, so I booked the day off from work and lined up at my local record shop Blackbyrd Myoozik here in Edmonton. I was surprised to see how few were lined up a half hour before opening. I was fourth in line, so I was pretty sure I was going to get what I was looking for, and I did well. Here is what I got.

* Drive-By Truckers - Plan 9 Records July 13th 2006. A triple live set from 2006 recorded at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, Virginia. I great set list, recorded well and I like how the album cover is an old school take on the classic bootleg album. A limited numbered release of 3800. Mine is number 2107.

* James McMurtry - Childish Things This is an artist I just recently got in to thanks to my friends Mike and Chris Plume. Originaly released in 2005, rereleased for the first time on vinyl this year. If you're a fan of singer/songwriter Amricana this is a good one. A limited release of 3000 on transparent blue.

* Lou Reed - Live At Alice Tully Hall - January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show This recording is from Lou Reed's live debut of being a solo artist. This was a must have for me. A limited release of 5000 on burgundy coloured vinyl.

* Lou Reed - Magic And Loss A re-issue of Lou's 1992 album. I have this on CD but had to have it on vinyl for my collection. Have always liked this album, so it was another must have. Limited pressing of 3300.

* Motorhead - Ace Of Spades 12 inch single. I wasn't necessarily going to pick this up, but being caught up in the moment of buying records, I bought it. And with Xmas around the corner, you have to have an album cover of Motorhead in Santa outfits. The single which is on red vinyl and a pressing of 2500 has three songs. Ace Of Spades of course, and a instrumental version of said song and the song Dirty Love which is a song from their rehearsals from the Ace Of Spades album. The single also came with a Xmas ornament which is just a cheap Warpig Santa Christmas ornament. Still cool nonetheless.

* Motorhead - On Parole (Expanded and Remastered) I've never owned a copy of this album that originally came out in 1979, so I was happy to get the reissue. On Parole was supposed to be their debut album as it was recorded in 1976-76, but never saw the light of day until 1979. It is the only Motorhead album to feature the band's original line-up of Lemmy on vocals and bass, Larry Wallis on guitar and vocals, and Lucas Fox on drums. A limited release of 3000 pressings.

* Uncle Tupelo - Live at Lounge Ax - March 24, 1994 A double live album recoded in Chicago originally broadcast live on WXRT. This album was a must have for me as well. Limited pressing of 2500.

* Willie Nelson - Live at Austin City Limits 1976 This album wasn't on my radar when I went to the record shop, but ended up picking it up. Willie and his band perform his classic album Red Headed Stranger front to back. An excellent recording released on audio for the first time. Limited pressing of 4000. And the last record from Black Friday Record Store Day is an album that no shops here in Edmonton got. I had my brother look for it for me in Vancouver. And lucky me, he found a copy for me. Thanks Citrus!!!

* Masters Of Reality - Sunrise on the Sufferbus Masters Of Reality was a band I have always been a big fan of, so when I saw this was going to be released on vinyl for the first time, I had to have it. And like I say, no luck here but thanks to my Bro. I now own a copy. The hype sticker on it says debut album, but it actually there second album. Limited release of 1500 copies and pressed on clear vinyl. So I did very well on Black Friday Record Store Day. The only album that I didn't get and really wanted was the Beat Farmers - Live at Spring Valley Inn 1983 album. Oh well, I guess you can't everything, unless of course someone can help me out here. If so please get in touch with me.

Record Store Day Drop #2 Pick Ups 2020

Well with another Record Store Day coming up on Saturday October 24th, which will be drop number 3 for 2020. I figured it was time to write about what I got on RSD drop #2. There wasn't a whole lot that I HAD to have on this drop other then the Roger Waters - The Wall Live In Berlin. The record store I frequent here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada sadly didn't get any copies. But lucky for me, i have a great buddy Nazz Nomad who went to a different record shop managed to find a copy for me, which really made my day. So without further a due, here is what I did pick up. * Roger Waters - The Wall Live In Berlin Nice to finally have this on vinyl. I remember watching this on Much Music back in 1990. An incredible line up of musicians playing The Wall in Berlin to commemorate the fall of the wall. Pressed on clear vinyl and limited to 8000 copies. This helps with my The Wall vinyl collection.

My The Wall vinyl collection.

* The Allman Brothers Band - Fillmore West 1-31-71 This was another record I was looking for and really didn't think I would get a copy considering I didn't get into the record shop until a half hour after it opened. But lucky for me I managed to get the last copy. And what a great live album this is. Not to be confused with the Live at the Fillmore East that came out many years ago. This is a live recording from the Fillmore West in San Francisco. First time on vinyl and limited to 6000 pressings. The sound is amazing and there is a wicked version of "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed". Very surprised this wasn't already put out. The album came with a glow in the dark insert which is numbered and looks awesome. Mine is number 2451/6000. Looks great in the dark!

* Wilcovered - Various Artists Being a big fan of Wilco I figured this would be an intersing listen, and it is. Originaly this came as a free CD with an issue of Uncut Magazine out of the UK, now pressed to vinyl for the first time. Limited to 2500 pressings. A lot of interesting artists all covering Wilco songs, artists such as Courtney Barnett, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Kurt Vile, Yo La Tengo, Kacy & Clayton and a lot of other bands and artists I had never heard before. A pretty decent record.

* The Replacements - The Complete Inconcerated Live A triple album of a live recording from 1989 at the University of Wisconsin. Holy fuckin' shit is this ever good. Such a great live band when they wanted to be. Loving this album. Limited to 8500 copies.

* Corb Lund - Cover Your Tracks This album sees Corb Lund whom used to make Edmonton home covering a bunch of artists such as AC/DC "Ride On" which features Ian Tyson, a really cool version I have to say as well as covers of Dr. Hook "Cover Of The Rolling Stone", Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock N' Roll To Me", and Bob Dylan "I Shall Be Released" plus a few others. This was limited to 1000 copies.

A good haul of records considering I didn't think there was much that I wanted. Now for next Saturday's Record Store Day dop #3. get out and support your local record shop. Good times!!!

Record Store Day August 29th Drop One

So another Record Store Day coming up this Saturday September 26th. This will be the second installment of Record Store Day with one more to come on October 24th. This special day is usually held on the third Saturday of every April, but because of the pandemic it was cancelled this spring. Luckily they have resurrected it and spread it out over three Saturdays. The first RSD of this year was held August 29th and though I didn't line up for it in August as there was really nothing I really had to have, instead I went about an hour after the local record shop here in Edmonton Blackbyrd Myoozik opened. I did manage to spend a few dollars with these purchases.

* The Kinks - The Kink Kronikles This compilation album was originally released in 1972. It has 28 tracks featuring some of their biggest hits and some B-sides too. A double album on red vinyl. Limited pressing of 2500.

* The Pogues - BBC Sessions 1984-1985 An album made up from four different sessions from BBC, recorded from the John Peel Show, The Auld Triangle Broadcast and The Janice Long Show. A great album. Limited pressing of 5000.

* Cradle - The History This was one of the albums I was looking for and much to my surprise they still had a copy when I got to the store, so I was quick to scoop this one up. Cradle was a band from 1969 that featured the Quatro Sisters, this was pre Suzi Quatro solo fame. A double album pressed on purple vinyl and limited to 1400 copies.

* Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways I also came across this version of Bob Dylan's new album. Though I had bought the album when it came out in July, I hadn't seen the indie version which is on gold marble vinyl. So ya, I had to have another copy of this awesome album. Bob's first album of all original songs in eight years. This wasn't a RSD release. Get out and support your local record shop. They could use the help in these trying times.

Albums that matter to me

Well it’s been a couple of fucked up months with this stupid Covid shit. Which means I haven’t written a thing on my blog since early February when I went to my last concert of the year. So, I thought it was about time I write about something.
In the past few weeks, I have seen posts on Facebook challenging people to name ten albums that have influenced their music taste and upbringing. One album cover a day with no explanation or anything. Not sure why I was never challenged, or wait, maybe I was and just ignored it. Oops, sorry if you challenged me and I didn’t take on the challenge. But now, I am up for it but I am playing by my own rules. I might do more then one a day and then it might take me months to do it. Time will tell. But I also want to talk about why the album was an influence on me. So here we go!

I have to go with the album by the Canadian icon Stompin’ Tom Connors, and that album being Stompin’ Tom And The Hockey Song. An album that was released in 1972, but caught my attention in probably 1976-77. As a young kid my dream in life was to be the next Guy Lafleur, and any Canadian who grew up in the 70’s knows that he was one of the best hockey players of the 70’s, winning scoring titles and Stanley Cups by the handful with the Montreal Canadians, my favourite team as a child.
Well because I was such a hockey fan, I used to and still do (how I miss watching hockey) watch Saturday night Hockey Night in Canada. While watching the games as a youngster, and back in them days it was always either Montreal or Toronto on the tube, and lots of times both teams playing each other. And you were either a Habs fan or Leafs fan, I was a Canadians fan (Habs) because of Lafleur and they always won, as a kid how could you not cheer for a team that always wins. Well it was while watching these games that I first heard the song “The Hockey Song”, well fuck me, that was the coolest thing I had heard, being an aspiring hockey player and fan of the game, someone sing about the game of hockey. The first song I could actually relate too. I had to ask my dad who sang that song, well Tommy,” that is Stompin’ Tom Connors”. I had to have that song, so off it was to probably Woolworth’s, K-Mart or something like that to get the album. SO, that would be my first album I ever owned, and it is still the same copy I have to this day. That was bought when I was 6 or 7 years old. And ya it has seen better days, it’s rough looking. But man, I played that album as a little kid with no regards to condition or knowing how to look after vinyl. And, for the longest time, the main song I ever wanted to listen to was the last song on side one. So, you can imagine what the vinyl looks like with someone so young trying to line up to that last song. Though I did really like the first song too “The Consumer”. So, the record got abused with a young kid trying to listen to just a few select songs. Pick up the needle, drop the needle, oh the abuse. Of course, as I got older, I learned to appreciate the full album. Then of course there are the teenage years, when you had to pull out this album and relive the old days. Now, you’re a teenage drunk and still playing the album at parties and such, turntable is getting bumped while dancing in the living room and who knows what else is going on. I think I used to drive my friends nuts by putting this on, but then there were always those few friends that would sing ol’ Stompin’ Tom along with me. Think we cleared out the room a few times singing to Stompin’ Tom.

Having just given’ this album a spin again, it sure brings back some great memories. And I should also get myself another copy of this album that is in a little better condition.

Black Friday Record Store Day 2019 purchases.

My Black Friday Record Store Day pick ups. The Black Friday RSD isn't near as interesting or as good as the real RSD in April but there is always something I want. Sadly this time I missed out on the one album I really wanted, which was the Pearl Jam Unplugged album. The record shop I frequent didn't even get it in. So I was shit out of luck on that one. I did manage to pick up the following albums though.

John Lee Hooker - Black Night Is Falling
A great live album recorded in Montreal, Quebec at the Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club on May 5th 1977. Some old school boogie rock n' roll. Limited edition of 2000.

Gov't Mule - Bring On The Music, Live At The Capitol Theatre Vol.3
Another live album, this one by jam band Gov't Mule recorded on April 27th and 28th 2018 in Port Chester, New York. This is on Purple/Yellow Striped vinyl and is a limited run of 2000 as well.

Lou Reed - The Raven
This album is Lou's 19th solo album from 2003 and the first time it has been released on vinyl. It is triple album of short stories and poems of Edgar Allan Poe. This is a really tough listen and is pretty much for completists only. I paid too much for this and highly doubt it will get another spin. Limited to 5000 copies.

Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies Live
Yet another live album. Recorded in Houston,Texas in April of 1973. This is my favourite pick up for RSD. The sound is great and the performance is amazing. This record also came with a seven inch single featuring "School's Out" and "Under My Wheels". What I thought was cool about this album is that the cover art is sharp and the inside of the jacket is printed green snake like pattern of the album Billion Dollar Babies. A limited release of 6000.

Willie Nelson - Seven inch single with "Sometimes Even I Can Get Too High" on the A side and "It's All Going To Pot" on the B side. A limited edition of 4000.

Record Store Day Pick Ups Apr.2019

Well I just realized I didn't post this after Record Store Day months ago. Between being lazy and shit going on in my life, I totally forgot I didn't post this. And with Black Friday Record Store Day coming up, I best post this now.

So it's been two weeks already since my favourite day of the year, I'm talking Record Store Day. A day I always save up money for and have a ball buying exclusive releases and making a day of it. This was the 13th annual Record Store Day a day to celebrate and support independent record shops. Not that it's the only day as I support and celebrate record stores every day!

This year my day started early as it always does on RSD day (the second Saturday of every April). I started by heading out to my local record shop at 8am to line up with all the other (about 50th in line this year) for the 10am opening of Blackybyrd Myoozik here in Edmonton. This shop is the one closest to me, so it is my GOTO store. And the staff there always treat me good and are great people and most that work there are also musicians.

Anyways the day started by emptying half a bottle of Cola and filling it up with some whiskey to keep me warm while in line up, and hey, it's a long wait, why not have a drink. And as usual, there is always a few hoots making the rounds as well. Still, that two hours in line always feels like forever. But by 10am opening all is forgotten and it's time to make the mad dash for all those special releases that have been listed on the RSD site for the past month. And hoping like hell that they got everything in that I wanted and would still be available by the time I stepped foot in the shop.

The main album I really wanted and had to have was the Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks (The Original New York Test Pressing) a replica of course. This early 1975 test pressing consisted of songs that were recorded at the A&R Recording Studios on New York. The original test pressing circulated as bootlegs back in the day. Bob went on to re-record five of the songs in Minneapolis for the final album. So this pressing has some different versions then what ended up on the final release. As I got closer to getting in the store I could see a few copies still in the stands. Well by the time I got in, I got the final copy available at Blackbyrd. So I was a happy camper to be able to grab the album I most wanted. This was a limited pressing of 7500.

My second most wanted album of RSD was the Thrush Hermit album Clayton Park. This was Joel Plaskett's old band. I'm a huge Plaskett fan and have always really liked this album. It was twnety years ago that this album came out. So in celebration of it's 20th anniversary, Joel released this on double vinyl for the first time, and on his own label New Scotland Records. The album still sounds amazing even 20 years later. Thanks for releasing this on vinyl finally Joel.

After those finds it was a matter of getting what I could that I was interested in. So I also got the Lou Reed - Ecstasy album. Originally released in 2000 and was Lou's final solo album. I've always loved this album, so was happy to get this double album version with a limited pressing of 7500.

Another cool pick up was the Pearl Jam album Live At Easy Street. This is a great live recording from a record store Easy Street Records in Seattle, Washington on April 29th, 2005 in support of Indie Record Stores. Limited pressing of 6000.

As usual Grateful Dead had a RSD release, actually a couple, but the one I managed to find was the Sage & Spirit album. This is a compilation album of eight studio recordings and two live. Another limited edition release of 4000.

Another band that always releases something special for RSD is the Flaming Lips. This time around is an album called King's Mouth Music And Songs. An album inspired by lead singer Wayne Coyne's art exhibit. Limited pressing of 3600 copies on gold vinyl.

I was pretty happy to snag a copy of Jeff Tweedy's solo album Warmer which is a follow up to his album released in November of 2018. This album is an RSD exclusive with a release of only 5000 copies. A damn good album too.

And finally at checkout I got a free copy of the Rolling Stones - Early Tracks album. This is a compilation album of early Stones tunes all recorded in 1964. This vinyl was a RSD Canadian only release given away at certain independent record stores. I was pretty happy that Blackbyrd Myoozik was one of them shops and I was there early enough to get a copy.

After hanging at home and listening to some of my new purchases and having a few drinks, I decided to head back to the record shop and see what else was still kicking around. It's hard to remember everything you were interested in the first time around. The place is super busy, you're grabbing what you can and your trying to watch how much you spend and whether you really need it or not. So the second time around and was a little more relaxed as it wasn't near as busy, still busy but not shoulder to shoulder. And hell, I still had some money left from the first go around. This time I picked up a couple of albums that weren't RSD releases, but a couple albums I had been eyeing for a while. And with 20 percent off on all records I took advantage of picking them said albums up.

So the second round of buys include.

Hawkwind - The 1999 Party (Live at the Chicago Auditorium, March 21st 1974. I've been on a Hawkwind kick in the past couple of years thanks to my buddy RCD. This is a double album limited to 5500 copies.

The first time through I totally forgot about the Ace Frehley - Space Man picture disc that was released for RSD. I saw it this time and picked up a copy. Well, it's really not very good. Nonetheless I now own a copy. A limited release of 2100 copies. The album also came with an 18"X24" poster.

Also got a copy of the Tedeschi Trucks Band EP - High And Mighty. This is a four song EP with three songs from the Signs recording sessions that weren't on the album and one song live called "Shame" recorded in Chicago in January of 2018. Limited edition of 2000 pressings.

The last RSD release I picked up was a Steve Earle seven inch single featuring two unreleased solo songs recorded especially for RSD. The cover art is painted by Steve Earle. Limited to 900 copies.

Then I also picked up a few that weren't RSD releases. The first being the Wilco - Kicking Television Live In Chicago box set on vinyl. I had been eyeing this at the store for a month or so. It was still there, and for 20% off I picked it up. This is a fucking great live recording of Wilco. As well I picked up the Matt Andersen album Half Way Home By Morning. A great record as well.

The final album I got that was a RSD release was this Grateful Dead album The Legendary Grateful Dead Acoustic Sets recorded on October 9th and 10th 1980 at the Warfield in San Francisco, California. I missed this on my travels through Blackbyrd, but lucky for me my buddy RCD found a copy for me and picked it up. Not only did he pick it up for me but he gave it to me as a gift. A friend indeed. Thanks so much!!! This is a great album and is a limited pressing of 10,000 on vinyl.

Then of course there are still the albums I was hoping to find. Can anyone help?

RSD Wants

* Allman Bros. - Bear's Sonic
* Canned Heat - Remember Woodstock
* Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Dice Game Picture Disc
* Alice Cooper - Dirty Diamonds
* Jerry Garcia - Electric on the Eel
* Green Day - Woodstock 1994
* Billy Joel - Live at Carnegie Hall 1977
* Robert Plant - Fate Of Nations
* Matthew Sweet - Pleasure Island - Live