TORONTO RECORD STORE STAFF TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECORD STORE DAY
Story by Laura Cappe
Remember the days before digital streaming and downloading? When you would cut school early to pick up the latest copy of (insert favourite band here). Whether it would be hard-pressed vinyl, a cassette tape, or a CD – the rush of finally holding that album in your hands was something special. Today the Internet has overpowered the record store; making purchasing (or stealing) music more accessible, though eliminating the little joys of finding that physical copy and walking home with it bag in hand. Record Store Day however, keeps those memories alive.
Record Store Day is a once a year celebration of the art and culture of music and the long running tradition of buying vinyl. Honouring its roots with releases of limited edition and exclusive vinyl from artists of the past and present, live music, and community events. This year over 700 independently owned stores across the globe will share their love of music with fellow fans on Saturday April 21st. Check out RSD’s main page for a list of participating stores: http://www.recordstoreday.com.
Plaid spoke with Rob Butcher of Sonic Boom Records, Craig Dunsmuir of Soundscapes and John Bowker of She Said Boom! – some of the best record stores in Toronto – to get a glimpse of what’s to come this weekend.
Sonic Boom Records
Interview With: Rob Butcher
Address: 782 Bathurst Street
City: Toronto, ON
Twitter: @sonicboommusic
Website: sonicboommusic.com
Plaid: What are your top picks for RSD 2012?
I’m looking forward to a slew of cool releases, including a split 7″ from Toronto locals Metz and Fresh Snow, which will be the first release on our new Sonic Boom Records imprint! I’ll likely be picking up some other neat 7″ releases from the likes of JEFF The Brotherhood, Jimmy Fallon, Lana Del Rey, & St. Vincent. A couple of cool 12″ re-issues that also caught my eye include a pink vinyl re-issue of the Pretty in Pink Soundtrack (John Hughes had the best taste in music) and the beautiful “At My Window” LP from Townes Van Zant.
Plaid: Are you doing anything special for RSD?
As usual we’ll be hosting in-store performances all day (from the likes of Bloodshot Bill, Plants & Animals, Fresh Snow, Born Ruffians & others). We’ll also have guest DJs and giveaways. Last year was a huge success and a ton of fun. I’m really looking forward to this years event!
Plaid: Why is RSD important?
I think it’s only important if you’re a fan of music, especially vinyl, and like having a good time in a welcoming local community. It’s also cool to see so many artists (indie and more specifically mainstream) putting more focus on vinyl releases. With so many great record stores in Toronto, I feel like we’re in great company. So make sure you also visit Kops, Rotate This, Soundscapes, Hits & Misses, and our own vinyl only Sonic Boom Kensington location on Saturday April 21st! See you then!
Soundscapes
Interview With: Craig Dunsmuir
Address: 572 College Street
City: Toronto, ON
Twitter: @soundscapesTO
Website: www.soundscapesmusic.com
Plaid: What are your top picks for RSD 2012?
We’re still waiting for this one to arrive (due to the limited nature of these items, not all stores will be able to stock all RSD exclusive items), but my top pick for this year’s Record Store Day would have to be Lee “Scratch” Perry’s “Blackboard Jungle Dub”, one of the very earliest dub reggae full-length releases originally issued in 1973, reissued as a triple-10” vinyl set.
Other highlights for us include a Beatles 4×7” boxset, an Arcade Fire remix 12”, LP reissues of Paul Simon’s “Graceland”, Iggy & The Stooges’ “Raw Power” and Lou Reed’s “Transformer”, Janis Joplin’s “Pearl Sessions”, a pair of Uncle Tupelo vinyl reissues, and exclusive 7” singles by David Bowie, Clarence Carter, Gene Clark and Dillard & Clark.
Plaid: Are you doing anything special for RSD?
For this year’s Record Store Day, we’ll be hosting an in-store performance by The Elwins (a great young local group who just released their debut full-length, “And I Thank You”), as well as offering a 10% discount on all merchandise (CDs/LPs/DVDs/books), with an additional sale on selected vinyl titles.
Plaid: Why is RSD important?
Record Store Day is important to us because it emphasizes the social aspect of buying, collecting, listening to and talking about music—interactions between staff and customers are a two-way street, and we learn a lot from our customers every day; likewise, I’ve also learned a lot over the years as a customer myself in many of the other great shops here in Toronto; each store has its own strengths, specialties, and ‘counter culture’, and I hope that an event such as RSD encourages people to take the time to make an afternoon out of it, do the rounds and enjoy flipping through the bins both here and elsewhere this coming Saturday, April 21st.
She Said Boom!
Interview With: John Bowker
Address: 393 Roncesvalles Ave.
City: Toronto, ON
Twitter: @shesaidboom
Website: www.shesaidboom.ca
Plaid: What are your top picks for RSD 2012?
We’re excited by the new Flaming Lips LP “The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends” and the Lee Hazlewood LP, “The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes, & Backsides (1968-71)”. We’re also flipping out over the new Cookie Duster 7”, “Two Feet Stand Up”, featuring Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning.
Plaid: Why is RSD important?
Record Store Day reminds people of the importance of the record, a work of art that you can hold in your hand, the music physically imprinted onto the surface of the object. A compressed digital file on a flash drive or in a data cloud is not the same thing; it is not a “thing” at all, really. If you truly want to possess the authoritative work of an artist you love, the vinyl LP is what you need.
Plaid’s Top Picks:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: “We Almost Lost Detroit” LP
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: “One Love To Another”
Gary Clark Jr.: “Presents HWUL Raw Cuts Vol 1”
Janis Joplin: “Highlights From The Pearl Sessions” LP
Lana Del Rey: “Born To Die/Blue Jeans Remixes” 7” 45
Mastodon/Feist: “Commotion/Black Tongue” 7” 45
Ryan Adams: “Heartbreak a Stranger/Black Sheets of Rain” 7” 45
St. Vincent: “Krokodil” 7”45
Battles: “Dross Glop 4” LP
Tallest Man On Earth: “King of Spain” LP
Happy listening!
