Good points all around- especially the reminder that we need all parts of the ecosystem to survive.
I have to admit that last year, a couple of scalpers really soured me on it all. It’s silly, and it shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. It felt like a real “this is why we can’t have nice things” moment, and it took a while to shake off my annoyance.
More importantly: a huge +1 to sellers like Kadrian! Whatever scalpers are, sellers like him are the polar opposite. I’ve now picked up two records from him, and the customer service was top notch. He’s one of us, so I expected the usual things- fast shipping, well packed, etc. But he added a few extra flourishes that made it all the difference.
Imagine my surprise as I did my regular Sunday ritual of reading your newsletter while drinking coffee and listening to my latest vinyl purchase (now spinning: Love Special Delivery by Thee Midniters - highly recommend if you want some great oldies from Whittier, CA) and I see my name and Latin Gold Records!
Andres, first I’m truly humbled by your kind words and shout-out. Thank you so much for the support.
Secondly, I fully agree with everything you’ve said. The factory machine that has become Record Store Day has gotten a little too trend-wagoning here. A few RSDs ago, I was in a record store that is best known for its punk selection, and multiple people came in asking if they had the Taylor swift album. They had run out so they left instead of doing what record store day calls for - digging!
There is a lot of value to online sellers and there’s of course to the sacred third place that we call the record store. Record Store Day in my opinion is every day but diversifying where and from whom you purchase is essential. Even buying from diverse owners. Last RSD i wrote an article about supporting BIPOC owned stores as their curated selection is more expansive than your typical shop. I don’t support the waiting in the long line but there are a ton of stores at least in LA that celebrate the day with great deals, in-store shows, and more and don’t carry the RSD exclusives. Those are the more fun ones in my opinion because we go out to show love for the community with the community. I make it a whole day for myself to say hi to all my friends at various establishments.
My plan this year is to host an online sale on Latin Gold Records in the morning and then go visit some of my favorite shops around town. Your line that for vinyl to survive, everyone needs to succeed is the key to keeping our passion growing.
This is the longest comment I’ve ever written so I’ll stop now. Thank you again for the shout-out!!!
I love vinyl, and have never done RSD! I almost did it last year (do they do it twice a year? I seem to remember it was cold and rainy and maybe November?) A friend, who doesn’t drive, asked me to take her to get a Cure album for her boyfriend. So, I checked out the releases and there was a couple I wanted. But, when we drove by, it was cold and rainy and the line was blocks long with an hour till open! We went and got coffee from a nearby drive-thru and drove past the line a couple more times before deciding against waiting 😂
I'm with you on RSD, Andres, but perhaps for different reasons. I know it is probably good for shops, but I have talked to some owners who like it while others avoid it completely. I remember the original excitement when RSD first happened. Since then, however, it seems watered down by over-saturation of product, greedy capitalism of the industry & the flippers, no longer a "day" it is now a couple of days a year, and more and more labels with questionable product quality control. I also don't need multiple versions of various titles on "Limited Edition confetti-sprinkled colored vinyl." I just want a record that sounds really good. Black is more often than not, my go to. And, I definitely don't need to stand in line for hours to grab that Ltd. Ed. confetti-sprinkled colored vinyl reissue of "Rumours."
With Record Store Day, I tend to go later in the day as my tolerance for long lines has greatly diminished as I’ve gotten older. My take is, if they still have the album I’m looking for by the time I get there, Great! If not, no big deal.
As far as supporting the vinyl ecosystem, I would also suggest going to record shows when they come up in your area. They’re a great way of supporting multiple music stores and discovering others you might not have been aware of.
I’ve unearthed a lot of great titles (new and used) at record shows. Vendors are usually pretty friendly and can even be flexible on price - particularly if you’re buying multiple records from them.
If have social anxieties or ‘people hives’ as I call them, the rooms are usually large enough to where you can move to less frequented areas of the show if that ‘icky’ feeling starts creeping in.
I admit to avoiding one of the two local record stores here, because the proprietor is so persistent in sharing his lack of knowledge with me 😎 and it grates on the nerves that every time I go in, I either have to bite my tongue or get into an argument, both of which ruin the fun of the experience for me. All of which is just to say that while I agree the ritual of the physical record store is important, sometimes it's nice to just being able to buy the damned record without a big production.
I definitely fall into the camp of, while not socially anxious, not wanting to queue for hours or be trapped in a store with a crowd of other people.
While I’m not into vinyl right now, I plan to be in the future. As I’ve said before, this Substack and your clear and meaningful advice and recommendations will be a huge resource for me.
While a complete vinyl outsider, I’ve been aware of RSD for what feels like forever. Again, this comes from a place of ignorance, but the feeling I get is that RSD has been somewhat co-opted over the last decade by corporate and other interests and has lost some of its authenticity. It feels like it’s just become another extension of corporate capitalism. But I stand to be corrected and would love to hear your thoughts.
Great article, Andres - and you're right about supporting all sorts of sellers - online, physical, record fairs, the people selling out of their spare rooms or garages etc... Ultimately, RSD should be about sharing our love of great music and the joy of listening to it on an incredible, beautiful analogue format–not about standing in lines or scalping.
I have mixed feelings about RSD - it probably works better for the stores than it does for the punters. And I want great indies to have a big payday. But for me it's a bit like Valentine's Day - it shouldn't be about making an effort on one day of the year. Show your love for your favourite record shops all year round (and your partner, obviously!).
Great piece, Andres. I have always avoided physical record stores on RSD and instead bought online, kind of like first Fridays on Bandcamp. But to be honest, I often forget about the "day" and just buy stuff when I can. I had never thought about all the extra work record stores must have to do to prepare for the day, and I would bet not especially lucrative; I might ask the folks at my local stores their thoughts on it.
On a side note -- I'm always impressed at how many different stock photos you find for your posts!😀
Good points all around- especially the reminder that we need all parts of the ecosystem to survive.
I have to admit that last year, a couple of scalpers really soured me on it all. It’s silly, and it shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. It felt like a real “this is why we can’t have nice things” moment, and it took a while to shake off my annoyance.
More importantly: a huge +1 to sellers like Kadrian! Whatever scalpers are, sellers like him are the polar opposite. I’ve now picked up two records from him, and the customer service was top notch. He’s one of us, so I expected the usual things- fast shipping, well packed, etc. But he added a few extra flourishes that made it all the difference.
Imagine my surprise as I did my regular Sunday ritual of reading your newsletter while drinking coffee and listening to my latest vinyl purchase (now spinning: Love Special Delivery by Thee Midniters - highly recommend if you want some great oldies from Whittier, CA) and I see my name and Latin Gold Records!
Andres, first I’m truly humbled by your kind words and shout-out. Thank you so much for the support.
Secondly, I fully agree with everything you’ve said. The factory machine that has become Record Store Day has gotten a little too trend-wagoning here. A few RSDs ago, I was in a record store that is best known for its punk selection, and multiple people came in asking if they had the Taylor swift album. They had run out so they left instead of doing what record store day calls for - digging!
There is a lot of value to online sellers and there’s of course to the sacred third place that we call the record store. Record Store Day in my opinion is every day but diversifying where and from whom you purchase is essential. Even buying from diverse owners. Last RSD i wrote an article about supporting BIPOC owned stores as their curated selection is more expansive than your typical shop. I don’t support the waiting in the long line but there are a ton of stores at least in LA that celebrate the day with great deals, in-store shows, and more and don’t carry the RSD exclusives. Those are the more fun ones in my opinion because we go out to show love for the community with the community. I make it a whole day for myself to say hi to all my friends at various establishments.
My plan this year is to host an online sale on Latin Gold Records in the morning and then go visit some of my favorite shops around town. Your line that for vinyl to survive, everyone needs to succeed is the key to keeping our passion growing.
This is the longest comment I’ve ever written so I’ll stop now. Thank you again for the shout-out!!!
I love vinyl, and have never done RSD! I almost did it last year (do they do it twice a year? I seem to remember it was cold and rainy and maybe November?) A friend, who doesn’t drive, asked me to take her to get a Cure album for her boyfriend. So, I checked out the releases and there was a couple I wanted. But, when we drove by, it was cold and rainy and the line was blocks long with an hour till open! We went and got coffee from a nearby drive-thru and drove past the line a couple more times before deciding against waiting 😂
I'm with you on RSD, Andres, but perhaps for different reasons. I know it is probably good for shops, but I have talked to some owners who like it while others avoid it completely. I remember the original excitement when RSD first happened. Since then, however, it seems watered down by over-saturation of product, greedy capitalism of the industry & the flippers, no longer a "day" it is now a couple of days a year, and more and more labels with questionable product quality control. I also don't need multiple versions of various titles on "Limited Edition confetti-sprinkled colored vinyl." I just want a record that sounds really good. Black is more often than not, my go to. And, I definitely don't need to stand in line for hours to grab that Ltd. Ed. confetti-sprinkled colored vinyl reissue of "Rumours."
With Record Store Day, I tend to go later in the day as my tolerance for long lines has greatly diminished as I’ve gotten older. My take is, if they still have the album I’m looking for by the time I get there, Great! If not, no big deal.
As far as supporting the vinyl ecosystem, I would also suggest going to record shows when they come up in your area. They’re a great way of supporting multiple music stores and discovering others you might not have been aware of.
I’ve unearthed a lot of great titles (new and used) at record shows. Vendors are usually pretty friendly and can even be flexible on price - particularly if you’re buying multiple records from them.
If have social anxieties or ‘people hives’ as I call them, the rooms are usually large enough to where you can move to less frequented areas of the show if that ‘icky’ feeling starts creeping in.
Thank you for this.
I admit to avoiding one of the two local record stores here, because the proprietor is so persistent in sharing his lack of knowledge with me 😎 and it grates on the nerves that every time I go in, I either have to bite my tongue or get into an argument, both of which ruin the fun of the experience for me. All of which is just to say that while I agree the ritual of the physical record store is important, sometimes it's nice to just being able to buy the damned record without a big production.
I definitely fall into the camp of, while not socially anxious, not wanting to queue for hours or be trapped in a store with a crowd of other people.
While I’m not into vinyl right now, I plan to be in the future. As I’ve said before, this Substack and your clear and meaningful advice and recommendations will be a huge resource for me.
While a complete vinyl outsider, I’ve been aware of RSD for what feels like forever. Again, this comes from a place of ignorance, but the feeling I get is that RSD has been somewhat co-opted over the last decade by corporate and other interests and has lost some of its authenticity. It feels like it’s just become another extension of corporate capitalism. But I stand to be corrected and would love to hear your thoughts.
I patronize my local record store regularly. Record Store Day feels like having your favorite local spot taken over by tourists.
If its effective at expanding the market of record store customers then I can live with it. 😜
This was my first RSD where I queued to get in at 8am. I managed to get the Blur Parklife and Lemonheads Hotel Sessions just before they sold out :)
Great article, Andres - and you're right about supporting all sorts of sellers - online, physical, record fairs, the people selling out of their spare rooms or garages etc... Ultimately, RSD should be about sharing our love of great music and the joy of listening to it on an incredible, beautiful analogue format–not about standing in lines or scalping.
I have mixed feelings about RSD - it probably works better for the stores than it does for the punters. And I want great indies to have a big payday. But for me it's a bit like Valentine's Day - it shouldn't be about making an effort on one day of the year. Show your love for your favourite record shops all year round (and your partner, obviously!).
Great piece, Andres. I have always avoided physical record stores on RSD and instead bought online, kind of like first Fridays on Bandcamp. But to be honest, I often forget about the "day" and just buy stuff when I can. I had never thought about all the extra work record stores must have to do to prepare for the day, and I would bet not especially lucrative; I might ask the folks at my local stores their thoughts on it.
On a side note -- I'm always impressed at how many different stock photos you find for your posts!😀
I hate the RSD chaos, but if it's helping to keep the independents afloat, I'm all for it. I'm especially all for the other non-RSDs of the year...