Local Spin

Celebrate Record Store Day in The 570

There’s nothing in the world that compares to the warm sound of vinyl pushing its way through the air to reach the awaiting ears of a music lover.
Though we live in a society chock full of compressed music, instant downloads and computer speaker symphonies, there are still many purists out there who prefer to slow down their days, visit an independent music haven and embark on a treasure hunt.
Record Store Day is April 21, which means you’ll have the opportunity to purchase gems from a new selection of rare edition releases, including many LPs, EPs, CDs and 7” vinyl discs.
The original idea for Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding more than 700 independently-owned record stores in the United States, as well as in international shops. Celebrated on the third Saturday of every April, it’s a day that all independently- owned record stores unite with artists to celebrate music. Special vinyl, CD releases and various promotional products are exclusively released and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances.
It’s all about supporting small record stores still fighting the good fight, and offering their customers some seriously rare releases during the battle. These stores are all independent, have absolute say in what they stock and are not owned by corporations.
According to www.recordstoreday.com, a participating store is defined as “a stand alone brick and mortar retailer whose main primary business focuses on a physical store location, whose product line consists of at least 50 percent music retail, whose company is not publicly traded and whose ownership is at least 70 percent located in the state of operation.”

The following local stores will celebrate Record Store Day:

Joe Nardone’s Gallery of Sound (Mundy St. and Downtown Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton/Dickson City, open at 9 a.m.) will have free giveaways and exclusive limited edition vinyl and CDs. There will also be live music at the 180 Mundy St. location featuring K8, Bret Alexander, Ed Randazzo, Joe Nardone Jr Record-ology, Bob Lewis with AJ Jump and guest DJs spinning vinyl.

Embassy Vinyl (352 Adams Ave., Scranton) will have live performances by Cherokee Red, Dirt Vultures, These Elks Forever and more. They will give away a new turntable, free 45 record adapters, samplers from Saddle Creek Records, buttons, stickers, posters and a special surprise from The Menzingers.

Musical Energi (59 North Main St., Wilkes-Barre) will offer sales, free promotional giveaways and live performances by Astorian Stigmata and Mock Sun.

Wayne’s World Music (Dallas) and Wayne’s World of Used Cd’s & More (Pittston) are also celebrating Record Store Day.

Please contact the individual stores for specific information regarding special releases for Record Store Day as each store will be offering a different selection of limited edition material.

Here are some Record Store Day (very) exclusive releases. Find them if you can.

Buck Owens Coloring Book w/flexidisc
Intended for release and commissioned by Buck Owens in 1970, these original, uncirculated coloring books include a new 4-track flexidisc and download card. Songs include “I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail” and “Crying Time.”

Devo Live in Seattle 1981 Double LP
This double LP show was rescued from an audio cassette recording of Devo’s show in Seattle in November 1981.

Leonard Cohen Live in Fredericton EP
Originally released as a free one-day download, the EP will now see life on vinyl. Tracks include “Dance Me to the End of Love” and “Bird on the Wire,” and “Who By Fire.”
Little Richard Here’s Little Richard LP
The red vinyl reissue of Little Richard’s 1957 classic album, the remastered LP features the rock classics “Rip It Up,” “Jenny Jenny,” and “Tutti Frutti.”

Public Image Ltd One Drop EP LP
Johnny Lydon and company are back recording new material after a 20 year break. The One Drop EP includes “I Must Be Dreaming” and “Lollipop Opera.”

Mastodon/Feist Commotion/Black Tongue 7” 45
Mastodon covers Feist’s “Commotion” and Feist covers Mastodon’s “Black Tongue.” Based on the artwork alone, this one is going to interesting.

The Civil Wars Live at Amoeba CD
The EP by Grammy Award Winners The Civil Wars was recorded live in Hollywood last summer. A portion of the proceeds goes directly to support Record Store Day.

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends 2x LP
The double record features Ke$ha, Biz Markie, Bon Iver, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Jim James, Nick Cave, Erykah Badu, Chris Martin and Yoko Ono. Lips’ frontman Wayne Coyne has collected blood samples from these featured collaborators and infused them into the vinyl of some very limited copies.

Also be on the lookout for rare music from The Cure, The Smiths, The Velvet Underground, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, David Bowie, Eddie Vedder and Florence + the Machine.