Green Day, Devo, Springsteen to issue rarities for Record Store Day
Some of the biggest names in music are showing their support for Record Store Day this April 19 with special release plans.
Green Day, who are currently in the country with Soundwave festival, will put out 18 demos, along with an unreleased track from the band’s triptych ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! and ¡Tré! album series. The release is titled Demolicious and was recorded in 2012 at Jingletown Studios in Oakland, CA.
Bruce Springsteen, still in the country touring with his E Street Band, plans to release four previously unreleased recordings as part of a 12″ vinyl EP called American Beauty. Three of the tracks (American Beauty, Mary Mary and Hey Blue Eyes) were recorded during his High Hopes sessions, however the origin of the fourth song (Hurry Up Sundown) hasn’t been revealed. Springsteen recorded two tracks of High Hopes at Sydney’s 301 Studios, you can read about it in our feature, Recording The Boss.
Devo were added to the mix last week; the ‘70s new wave rockers will release a live performance LP titled Live at Max’s Kansas City 11/15/77. The show, limited to just 2,000 copies, has never been pressed to vinyl. Devo lost original member and guitarist Bob Casale this month. The 61-year-old died of heart failure.
Sydney band the Hard-Ons will reissue a coloured 7” of Girl in the Sweater; Kylie Minogue will release an Unknown 7″ and Festival Records has delved into the vault for a 600-copy compilation vinyl release. Record Store Day Australia are expecting the edition to feature Rose Tattoo, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Chain, Russell Morris, Richard Clapton, The Dingoes and Cold Chisel.
Other compilations include Kanine Records’ Non Violent Femmes release, which includes 11 tracks from female-fronted bands from the UK, US and NZ. Ten of the 11 songs are exclusive to the release, and an In Utero tribute album. Pressed to maroon vinyl and limited to 1,000 copies, In Utero, in Tribute, in Entirety, will honour Nirvana with covers from Thursday, Jay Reatard, Ceremony and Circa Survive, among others.
Sales figures from the 2013 event in the UK showed an increase of 60% from the 2012 Record Store Day. Music Week reported an average customer spend of £45. Nielsen SoundScan statistics for the US in the week ending April 21st, 2013 showed 224,000 LPs were sold. The week marked the largest one-week sales hike for vinyl since the data system began tracking sales in 1991. RSD 2013 was touted as the music retail event’s most successful yet.
Earlier this month it was revealed Chuck D from Public Enemy will take the baton from Third Man proprietor and vinyl hound Jack White as the 2014 Record Store Day ambassador. You can read his acceptance statement in full below. It’s yet to be revealed who will take over from last year’s Australian ambassador Russell Morris.
Over 27 years and 93 countries visited, as a professional lead vocalist of the RAP group Public Enemy, I don’t go one single day without emphasizing that the genre of hip-hop is spawned from DJ culture. The founding members of Public Enemy were, and still are, DJs. The tool and fuel for DJs has forever been recordings. And where these recordings have long connected, with pros and fans alike, has simply been The Record Store, the connection point of listener and the recording.
The introduction of the available recording to the public had opened and webbed the sounds of the world across the planet long before the www. It has been influential to the creators of so many of the greatest recordings as well, sort of a second rite of passage after the live radio or TV performance. Motown’s Berry Gordy had a record store, Elektra founder Jac Holzman had a record store, the STAX label had their Satellite Record Shop right next to their studio. Keith Richards opens a conversation with Mick Jagger as teenagers on a UK train platform because he had a stack of hot blues records in his arms after leaving a shop. Well you should have an idea of what I’m saying here.
The record store made musicians listen beyond themselves. It both complemented and supplemented the radio, in fact the best radio stations in the past followed the vibe of the record stores of their regions, thus growing and nurturing each other. The fans and listener had everything to gain, and if they wanted to get into making music, the Record Store turned into their first school and sonic passport out.
Do not get me wrong, I am a fan of technology, but I am a bigger fan of the music. I used to be a big fan of the industry of music when it, like sport, at least offered a seemingly fair field of play, no matter where one came from. Upon the growth of Hip Hop through vinyl-cassette-Cd-MP3 I long wanted, and advised, many Record Stores ways to adapt to surviving the ICE AGE. Like last year’s Record Day Ambassador, the great Jack White, I concur with his view that people want to gather, share thoughts, and suggest music. There’s few musical events more exciting than Record Store performances, whether it’s Grimey’s In Nashville, Criminal Records in ATL or Rough Trade in London. I’ve long thought The Record Store tour circuit is so necessary and rewarding.
In this age where industry has threaded the music sound with virtual sight and story I am honored to be called upon to be Record Store Day Ambassador of 2014. With the masses, neck bent into their smartphones, let all of us music lovers GPS our way into a reality that is the Record Store. It’s worth a great try, let’s do this…
Chuck D
Co Founder of Public Enemy
Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 2013
Head to Modern-Vinyl.com to view the full list of Record Store Day 2014 releases.