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Record Store Day 2018


NancyJohnson
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So it's Record Store Day and I'm here reporting from the front line.

It's a beautiful morning here in Crowthorne and here I am at 7.15am at a tiny little place queuing for something I don't even have the hardware to play.  

Frankly, I'm knackered.  My cold woke me from my slumber at 4.00am, a fit of coughing breaking the silence in the house. I am currently surrounded by about 50 equally grey (or balding), dishevelled and tired looking middle-aged men, a few, who I've been told, have actually slept in their cars overnight in their possibly vain attempt to secure a limited piece of vinyl .  I suspect many punters will be leaving here empty handed.

This is an unearthly hour to be up.  The cafe on site probably can't believe the number of cappuccinos they're going to be selling in the next hour.  The smell of bacon lingers in the air.

On arrival I'm given a raffle ticket to secure my place in the queue.  It's number 73.  I fear I will be here for some time after the 8.00am opening time.

This is Paul Anthony, for Basschat, in Crowthorne.

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Edited by NancyJohnson
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I'm already losing the will to live.  The ticketing system isn't working and people are getting restless.

I honestly thought people would come knowing what they wanted, in and out, but no.  People are browsing.  It's been 20 minutes since opening and we're up to about #10.

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Well, raffle ticket in hand for four hours and with scant whiff of whether my desired purchase was still available (as it happened, not), it was heartening to check eBay once in a while and see the album I wanted being sold in copious quantities at increasingly expensive values.  It really does make the whole RSD experience somewhat farcical, seeing individuals leaving the store with carrier bags full of stuff; there are always people out there looking to turn a fast profit, be it today's stuff, concert tickets or Tower Of London poppies.  It just depresses me.

As my purchase wasn't available and as I'd met up with some friends by chance, I got their stuff for them (Carter USM and The Cure) to save them waiting another two hours before they could gain entry to the shop, so I did feel a little positive.

I'll stay in bed next year.

 

 

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I've skipped it every year since abut 2008, but thanks to my wife leaving her computer power cable at work, I was able to volunteer to collect it (so generous), take our daughter out for a couple of hours (more dad points) and just maybe pop into Rough Trade on the way back. It was very busy but the ticketing seemed to work. There was the usual DJ / Coffee bar set up upstairs and they let us into the store in batches of 20. The awesome weather sure helped the mood. The major backup was the queue to pay, which was almost out the door. No sign of a high street recession or a lack of interest in music. Decent age spread too. I picked up the mono Piper at the Gates of Dawn and the Kevin Shields/Eno 12" and I look forward to blasting them this evening. There's band from 12 but I have recording session.

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Record Store Day is perhaps not the best day to look for a disc to compliment your music collection.

The purpose of having it is to celebrate vinyl.  It gives those who have no idea what it is about a chance to see it first hand.  There are 364 other days in the year and lots of outlets for the medium even with the loss of the big players on the High Street.

Derby still has a good shop where you can browse the second hand bins- BPM Records.  They're friendly and will spin a disc for you to sample the goods.  They do bulk discounts as well.

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