RECORD STORE DAY 2024

4/20/2024

RECORD STORE DAY 2024

APRIL 20, 2024 D
R. DISC
WÏNDSOR ONTARIO

[Ed. Note – We discovered to our dismay that the email with this post sent early yesterday was circling in my outbox as I went to send a 2/3 posting today. Sorry for that – we try again.]

Saturday, April 20, 2024

[Ed. Note- gwilliamrexunderground365 is reporting live from the streets of Windsor, Ontario this morning as it appears there has been an infestation of crazies. Take it away rex-]

I am here in front of Windsor’s most established indie record store where there is odd activity occurring.

People have been lining up as early as 3 am outside this record store! Those 7 or so hearty souls sitting and standing here tell me they are lined up waiting for Dr. Disc to open at 9 am for something called Record Store Day…? Wait- I am #8!!

I was intrigued so I did some research. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s the recorded music business was overtaken by more than Flock Of Seagulls and Vanilla Ice. Digitization had taken over the business. Vinyl records became relics of the past- think of the Oscar Peterson, Everly Brothers, Dave Clark Five and Supremes Records you tried to sell when your parents passed away and you cleaned out their attic and you will get the picture.

Vinyl was dead.

But then something almost counter- intuitive happened. In an era where technology advances were accelerating, music fans began moving contra.

A group of indie record store persons got together and created Record Store Day to celebrate – you got it- independent record stores.

And so it started. The first such event was held on the 3rd Saturday in April of 2007. Artists were encouraged to release records limited in quantity. Of course, limiting supply increased demand…

There is now an entire organization that oversees Record Store Day in April and a lesser event in Black Friday.

Honorees are named each year. For 2024 weeks we have Tragically Hip in Canada, Paramore in the U.S. and Kate Bush in the UK.

Today, record sales globally have surpassed CDs

So here is my perch as I sit patiently waiting for another Record Store Day.

Time for a song. The choice is predictable. Here is the former maestro of 80’s indie English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 legends FELT, the ubiquitous LAWRENCE and his outfit MOZART ESTATE, with “Record Store Day” off their 2023 LP entitled “Pop-Up! Ker- Ching And The Possibilities Of Modern Shopping”