This past week has seen a whole bunch of muso types seemingly picking a side when it comes to Record Store Day. Devolving into a digital vs physical argument as opposed to the celebration and much needed promotion of independent record stores across the UK has to me, been a suitably impassioned but overly distracting side-effect, missing the point of RSD entirely.

The NME article that kicked it all off has at least made up for its negative stance by evoking such a high volume of positive responses, not to mention a massive amount of well written – and well timed – attention from the rest of the music press. Rocksound’s almost immediate retort puts things simply and, in my opinion, most effectively, whilst Jonny Foreigners Blog takes things a little more personally.

For what it’s worth I have a longstanding relationship with the vinyl in my life; one far more reliable than the others I partake in, and often far more comforting at that. From the Elvis Top 40 my Dad used to play every Sunday when we were kids, to my Mother’s Tamla and Decca 45’s I found in the loft, and to my own collection starting with the very first 7inch I bought from Old Hitz in Newcastle – Buzzcocks ‘Ever Fallen In Love (with someone you shouldn’t’ve)’ with ‘Just Lust’ as the B-Side and the Marcel Duchamp artwork on the sleeve for those about to ask.

This cost me the change in my pocket which was approximately £2 and half a pack of cherry cough sweets as the lovely store owner had apparently never encountered a girl who could argue with him on the merits or otherwise of The E-Street Band. Winner. That’s just one example of why I find myself falling firmly on the side of John Doran’s article at The Quietus, and aim to add to my collection via my local Record Store come tomorrow morning, I would urge you to do the same.

So here it is; with a plethora of prose already being bandied about the Internet I thought I’d keep it simple and offer you up a top ten (ok, 12) of must have releases come tomorrow morning:

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Bad Brains
Pay To Cum
7″ Bad Brains’ debut re-pressed specially for RSD 2011. Also available in Gold vinyl – limited to 500 copies worldwide
Label: Roir

One of the most ground-breaking of the hardcore punk scene to come out via NYC, Bad Brains’ Pay To Cum is an absolute classic and this re-press of the 1980 single comes with ‘Stay Close To Me’ as a b-side. Being released on GOLD VINYL folks. Number one on my wishlist.

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Beach Boys
Good Vibrations
Qty: 500. The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations”/”Heroes and Villains” will be released as a limited edition double 78RPM vinyl single set with the songs’ original single release mixes on one disc and alternate versions of both songs on the other disc. Label: EMI
Who doesn’t love the Beach Boys? Again, limited to a 500 qty release this 10″ single pocket jacket with foil stamp and numbering – on black vinyl – will no doubt be a top priority for fans come the morning.

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Daft Punk
Tron Soundtrack
Format: Vinyl
Label: Walt Disney Records
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
Exclusive track ‘Castor’, Unique picture disc design of identity ring on clear vinyl disc with ring in 3 different colors: Blue, Yellow & Red, and overall first vinyl release, packaged in clear cellophane wrap see through sleeve to allow for visibility of picture disc, all disc information to be printed on sticker on sleeve.
OHMYGOD – NERD ALERT – Daft Punk’s soundtrack and Jeff Bridges basically being The Dude for the duration of the film were two major highlights for me. Good music AND vinyl that looks like their identity discs from the film. Excellent.

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Deftones
Covers

DETAILS
Format: Vinyl
Label: WBR
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
LP Exclusive to RSD. Tracks previously available digitally and on import CD singles.
Tracks:
The Cars’ “Drive”,
Drive Like Jehu’s “Caress”,
The Smiths’ “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”,
Sade, “No Ordinary Love”,
Jawbox “Savory”,
The Cardigans’ “Do You Believe”,
Lynyrd Skynyrds’s “Simple Man”,
Japan’s “Ghosts”,
Duran Duran’s “The Chauffeur”,
Santo and Johnny’s “Sleep Walk”
and a live cover of The Cure’s “If Only Tonight We Could Sleep”

Deftones ‘Diamond Eyes’ was quite possibly my favourite album of 2010 – a staggering return to form backed up by relentlessly energetic live shows. Their gig at Leeds Academy was one of the best I’ve been to in years. This LP of covers is no doubt for avid fans but a treat for all none the less.

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Jimi Hendrix
“Fire” b/w “Touch You”
DETAILS
Format: 7″ 45
Label: Legacy
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
The 45 will feature the alternate version of “Fire” from the West Coast Seattle Boy box set as well as “Touch You,” a previously unreleased 1967 studio recording made by the original Experience during sessions for what would later become Electric Ladyland.

Tracks: “Fire” b/w “Touch You”(previously unreleased)

Jimi Hendrix. Fire. On red vinyl. That’s all you need to know.

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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
I Love Rock & Roll (Limited Edition)

DETAILS
Format: Vinyl
Label: Blackheart Music
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of “I Love Rock N’ Roll,” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are releasing the certified platinum-selling album on 180 gram Clear Vinyl on Jett’s own Blackheart Records. This exclusive Record Store Day reissue will be a one-time pressing with only 1,000 copies available.

Everybody knows and no doubt loves – either secretly or otherwise – the title track from this album. Whether you remember it from first time around, or you paid particular attention to the Wayne’s World 2 soundtrack (which you should’ve) or even if you’re young enough for Ms. Britney Spears to be the only version on your radar, there’s no denying it’s a classic. Add to this the fact that it’s a reissue of the entire album and you’ll be pleased to note that the Limited Edition LP will also include a download card for an mp3 version, recorded at 320 bit rate for optimal sound quality.

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Mastodon / ZZ Top
Just Got Paid

DETAILS
Label: WBR
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
7″ Side By Side Series Exclusive to RSD. One in a series of original artist and cover artist doing a track.

Mastodon = Rule. ZZ Top = Rule(d) One of the far better split 7inches.

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Nirvana
Hormoaning
DETAILS
Format: Vinyl
Label: UMe
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
This EP was originally released in Australia, this is the first time it has been released in the U.S.and U.K. Tracks: Hoarmoning / Record Store Day Indie Exclusive

No matter how many art school records get released under the ‘lo-fi grunger’ banner this year, or how much you think you love Dave Grohl and his success with The Foos, or for that matter how much you think you hate Courtney Love and all she’s allegedly done – the fact remains that beneath all of that Nirvana were in a class of their own. Any ‘new’ material, albeit new in the sense of a U.K and U.S release is going to have music fans everywhere clamouring to get their hands on it. I’ll be the one in the SUBPOP shirt distracting the rest of the queue until it’s mine.

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Rival Schools
Wring It Out/Choose Your Adventure
DETAILS
Format: 7″ 45
Label: Atlantic
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
Tracks: “Wring It Out”/”Choose Your Adventure”

Rival Schools streamed their new album online earlier this year to pleasant surprise and a massive amount of relief for fans of theirs from the first time around. Used For Glue is timeless and will always be a gateway into their output. The above is a RSD exclusive. Side A is an album track and the B Side is a remix by Glassjaw’s very own genius Daryl Palumbo. It’s also on Clear Vinyl for those who care. Like me.

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Of Montreal
The Past is a Grotesque Animal

DETAILS
Format: Vinyl
Label: Polyvinyl Record Co.
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
The A-side features the album version of “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal” from 2007′s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? at 45 RPM.

I’m very new to ‘Of Montreal’ but had heard this song and was in awe, I must have listened to it a hundred times since and wasn’t surprised to find that it was placed at #168 on Pitchfork’s Top 500 Tracks of the decade. The B-side is a new take of “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal” recorded for the Spike Jonze short film “I’m Here,” in which a fake robot band called The Lost Trees perform it. The song was then re-worked by Of Montreal leader Kevin Barnes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner, plus members of the Moonrats. Contains an MP3 download card as a cheeky bonus.
Tracks:
1.The Past Is a Grotesque Animal
2.The Past is a Grotesque Animal (with the Lost Trees)
Note that they’re also releasing a split with CasioKids with the tracks Expecting to Fly/London Zoo on a 7″ limited edition. 1000 copies worldwide via Splendour.

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Grinderman
Evil

DETAILS
Format: Vinyl
Label: ANTI-
Release type: RSD Commercial Release
Side A: 1. Evil – Album version;
2. Evil – Jim Sclavunos/Matt Berninger (The National) mix.

Side B: 1. Evil – Factory Floor mix;
2. Evil – Live Version.

Who doesn’t want to hear Nick Cave in his Grinderman guise shouting EVIL at you every thirty seconds. No one I’m friends with, that’s who.

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Sound It Out
A documentary by Jeanie Finlay (75 minutes)
The official film of Record Store Day.
The DVD comes in 7″ gatefold sleeve with illustrated artwork. SOUND IT OUT is a documentary portrait of the very last surviving vinyl record shop in Teesside, North East England. Qty: 400 www.sounditoutdoc.com
Label: Glimmer Films

Last but by no means least – the official film of Record Store Day and a documentary already garnering praise from its showings at SXSW, amongst others. Everybody with even a passing interest in independent record shops needs to see this film. Featuring one of the many amazingtunes.com artists involved in RSD, Sound It Out has Saint Saviour on the soundtrack as an added bonus.

So, I’ve already gone two releases over my intended Top Ten and that’s nowhere near exhaustive. Just room for a couple of sneaky mentions for the likes of The Clash re-release of The Magnificent Seven on numbered red vinyl and The Wave Pictures early release of Beer In The Breakers via Moshi Moshi – music to fall in love with if ever I’d heard it. (A video of one of the new tracks is on youtube already, have a listen and then BUY THE ALBUM.)

Another amazingtunes.com, and soon to be massively popular, artist The Heartbreaks have a 7inch of latest record ‘Jealous Don’t You Know’ coming out and limited to 300 copies. Plus the likes of a Dan Sartain single via One Little Indian records, Explosions in the Sky via Bella Union and of course the U.K exclusive of the brand new Beastie Boys single Make Some Noise are all reasons enough to get out of bed early, head to your local town/village/nearest city centre and spend your money on something worthwhile of a weekend.
Many of the stores across the country are having all kinds of extra celebrations ranging from free giveaways, competitions, all day DJs and many many bands to provide the soundtrack to your shopping. It’s only once a year, and for such a good cause. For the uninitiated I can guarantee it will be a pleasurable experience, one far more engaging than clicking on a ‘You May Also Like’ button on your iTunes checkout page. For a full list of participating stores just go here: http://www.recordstoreday.co.uk/participating-stores.aspx
Happy hunting.