Record Store Day is an annual celebration of independent record stores that started in the USA in 2007 and took place in the UK for the first time in 2008. The event is marked by bands playing in record shops and artists issuing special (and often limited) releases chiefly on vinyl.
I attended for the first time last year, when I went to Brighton and visited record stores there. I was struck by the enthusiasm and excitement that the event generated, and decided that it was a 'must do' for my calendar this year. Last year I didn't see any of the live music related to the event, so decided that I would make sure that I did this year.
Therefore, I ditched my original plan to go to Brighton as there was only one gig taking place (Big Deal, who I would actually have liked to see) at Resident Records, but it was at 8am, and I wasn't convinced that I would have been able to fully appreciate them at such an hour! So London it was then.
I arrived at Sister Ray in Berwick Street to find a queue stretching halfway around the block. This did not inspire me with confidence. There was another shorter queue snaking the other way out of the door. This was for a signing session for Simple Minds, but as I've always found them at best intensely annoying I didn't join it.
As I was aware that live music at Rough Trade West commenced at 12.00, and I had arranged to meet a friend there at 11.30, I hot-footed it over there. When I arrived I found another queue with my friend already in it, but it was nowhere near as fearsome as the one at Sister Ray. However, it still took over half an hour before we made it through the door.
My partner Carole had decided that she wanted the Bat For Lashes one-sided 7", and the Kate Bush 10". Sadly both had sold out. I had opted for the double 10" of Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia demos, provided that it wasn't too expensive. There was one copy left, but I didn't think that I could justify the £39.99 asking price. Eventually Carole settled for a heart-shaped 12" of The Supremes' "Baby Love", and I bought Richard Hawley's "Leave Your Body Behind You" 10", and 7"s of The Bevis Frond "Hard Meat At The Midnight Court" and Elbow "McGreggor".
It was then time to track down some lunch, and also attempt to also track down Carole's vinyl requirements. We tried Intoxica and Honest Jon's on the Portobello Road, but to no avail, so we decided to head back to Rough Trade West for some live music. When we arrived Cate Le Bon was in the basement playing songs from her new album "CYRK". Cate has a wonderful voice which seemed to swoop and soar around the room. She only had her acoustic guitar for accompaniment, but you could hear a pin drop in the audience as she played.
It was decided to take the live music outside as the basement was uncomfortably hot, so we went outside to await 'Allo Darlin', who were due to play at 2.15pm. 'Allo Darlin's appointed hour came and went with no sign of the band, but Smoke Fairies who were due to follow them had already arrived, so they played first. By this time the sun had come out and it was quite warm, so Smoke Fairies performance felt for all the world like a sunny afternoon festival slot. Their music is rather ethereal with gorgeous harmonies and intricate finger-picking and slide guitar. Their delivery is very serious and nothing if not professional. It was a surprise to hear that most of the songs that they were playing were from their new EP and hadn't been played live before. It sounded as if they'd been playing them to audiences for years! Their final song was the most interesting, as at times it slipped into a riff that apart from the fact that it wasn't distorted and was finger-picked could have easily been a heavy rock riff. A very good band worthy of further investigation.
'Allo Darlin' had arrived just before Smoke Fairies commenced their set, and I overheard Elizabeth Morris commenting, I thought rather gloomily, that they would have to "play after them" (Smoke Fairies). She needn't have worried. What they may have lacked in comparison to the Smoke Fairies' finesse, they more than made up for in fun and spontaneity. They were minus their drummer and by Elizabeth's own admission were "busking". Paul Rains' unamplified acoustic guitar was all but inaudible, but other than that say sounded fine. We got "Dreaming", "The Polaroid Song", "Woody Allen" and the title song of the new album "Europe" amongst others. Elizabeth's promise that the band would play until we all went home didn't quite come to pass, but it was a reasonably lengthy set.
That was the end of the live music at Rough Trade West, but a band that I had never heard of called the Fair Ohs were playing at a shop in Islington called Flashback (of which I was also unaware) at 7pm. Well, it would be rude not to go and have a look wouldn't it? After a brief stop-off at the Old Queens Head on Essex Road for a little refreshment, we arrived at Flashback. The band were sound-checking behind the counter where there was a tiny stage with the drum kit and the bass player on it. The vocalist/guitarist was tucked behind the counter near a till. As it got nearer to 7pm the front door was closed and the shop staff passed amongst the audience handing out beers. What a great shop!!!
The band themselves had a distinctly lo-fi sound but with great musicianship. There was none of the thrashing that may have been expected. The bass playing was both fluid and powerful, whilst the guitar had some pretty impressive lead lines. Fair Ohs have a new album coming out next month which will certainly be well worth a listen. With the music over there was time to have a look around the shop (and drink another beer which was thrust into my hand!) and what a place it is! Loads of good quality second-hand vinyl but without the ludicrously inflated prices of some establishments. I bought the first Icicle Works single ("Nirvana" on the Troll Kitchen label from 1982) and vowed to return when I had more money to spend. We then headed for the Mucky Pup for a too short visit to the Flashback after party before we returned to deepest Sussex, and so ended a great Record Store Day.
Record Store Day is a great idea as it raises awareness of the existence of independent record shops. However, you don't need to wait until Record Store Day 2013 to enjoy these establishments. In these days of HMV, Amazon and Downloads they need as much support as they can get. Use them or lose them.
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