RECORD STORE DAY 2024

As we go through the month of April, another Record Store Day is almost upon us allowing music enthusiasts the opportunity to snap up some exclusive releases.

The tradition of Record Store Day dates back to 2007 when a gathering of record shop owners came together in the US to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture of record stores. The first official event took place on 19th April 2008, and today it is celebrated by thousands of record shops all over the globe. In the UK, over 270 shops participate in every corner of the country. This year, RSD is teaming up with War Child UK, the only specialist charity for children affected by conflict.

Record Store Day is not without some criticism. Some disgruntled fans have expressed issues with getting access to the records they want, plus the very collectability of the records tends to attract scalpers. Post-RSD, many of these releases skyrocket in value due to their limited numbers.

Regardless of the ongoing debate, here’s a brief Blitzed guide to some of the choice releases appearing at Record Store Day, which takes place on 20th April 2024.

SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES – NOCTURNE
As part of Record Store Day 2024 Siouxsie And The Banshees 1983 Live album Nocturne is being reissued for the first time on 140g black vinyl.

This limited edition release of their Royal Albert Hall performance features new artwork and has been re-mastered from the original source tapes and cut at half speed at Abbey Road Studios all overseen by Siouxsie and Severin.

THE CURE – THE TOP
The 40th anniversary version of The Top album from The Cure has been remastered by Robert Smith and is available on picture disc for the first time for this year’s Record Store Day. Issued in partnership with the Warchild initiative.

SOFT CELL – NON STOP EXTENDED CABARET
For Record Store Day 2024 Soft Cell will be releasing ‘Non-Stop Extended Cabaret’, a double-vinyl album release featuring extended mixes of each of the tracks from ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ including a new rework of ‘A Man Can Get Lost’ and new remixes of ‘Memorabilia’ from The Hacker and Daniel Miller.

TRACKLISTING
A – Frustration (2023 Extended Version) / Tainted Love (Dave Ball 2021 Extended Mix) / Seedy Films (2023 Extended Version). B – Youth (Dave Ball 2018 ‘Wasted On The Young’ Mix) / Sex Dwarf (2023 Extended Version) / Entertain Me (2023 Extended Version) / Chips On My Shoulder (2018 Extended Mix). C – Bedsitter (1981 Extended Version) / Secret Life (2018 Extended Version) / Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (2018 Dave Ball Lateral Mix). D – A Man Could Get Lost (2023 Extended Version) / Memorabilia (Daniel Miller 2023 Remix) / Memorabilia (The Hacker 2023 Remix).

ULTRAVOX – LAMENT (STEVEN WILSON REMIXES)
For Record Store Day, Ultravox have the Steven Wilson 12″ Re-mixes. Two tracks Remixed by Steven Wilson from the forthcoming Lament box set, along with two previously unreleased 12” remixes, exclusive to this release.

PETE WYLIE THE MIGHTHY WAH! – HEART AS BIG AS LIVERPOOL
Pete Wylie of The Mighty Wah! has something special lined up for Record Store Day – a heart-shaped vinyl release of ‘Heart As Big As Liverpool’. The 1998 song has an important connection with Pete Wylie due to its association with Liverpool football club and especially the Hillsborough Justice Campaign (reflected in the many hearts that adorn the sleeve artwork).

OMD – JUNK CULTURE: DEMOS & RARITIES
OMD are taking part in Record Store Day this year with two special releases.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of OMD’s 5th album Junk Culture with a limited edition 2LP on blue and purple vinyl consisting of the 15 bonus tracks featured on disc 2 of the 2015 deluxe edition, previously only made available on CD. Featuring the B-sides: ‘The Avenue’, ‘Wrappup’, the re-recorded version of ‘Julia’s Song’, as well as 12” versions of original album tracks ‘Locomotion’, ‘Tesla Girls’ and ‘Talking Loud And Clear’. Also includes three of the Highland Studios Demos which are new to vinyl. Cut at half speed on 180g vinyl by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.

OMD – BAUHAUS STAIRCASE INSTRUMENTALS
Following the success and acclaim of their 14th studio album Bauhaus Staircase, OMD present a special pressing of the instrumental version of the album, limited to 3000 copies worldwide on classic pitch black vinyl. As frontman Andy McCluskey puts it: “Old school black vinyl just looks better with a red label out of a black sleeve. Love the art!”

LADYTRON – LIGHT & MAGIC
Ladytron’s classic 2002 album Light & Magic is being issued on blood red vinyl for Record Store Day this year. The band’s second studio album, it featured tracks such as ‘Seventeen’, ‘Blue Jeans’ and ‘Evil’.

MORRISSEY AND SIOUXSIE SIOUX – INTERLUDE
‘Interlude’, a duet by Morrissey and Siouxsie Sioux, was originally released as a single in 1994. The single is now being reissued as part of Record Store Day. The song was originally a 1968 composition by Georges Delerue and Hal Shaper and originally performed by American soul singer Timi Yuro. It formed the title track for the 1968 film of the same name.

MIDGE URE – THE GIFT

A new collection of ‘early versions’ of tracks that became Midge Ure’s debut solo album from 1985, The Gift. Originally released while Ultravox were taking a break, the album reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart, partly due to the large attention drawn to it by the hit single ‘If I Was’ which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.

This vinyl exclusive of The Gift includes a previously unreleased track only available on this release. This will be a one time pressing on The Vinyl Factory’s ‘Eco-Jazz Recycled Vinyl’.

LORA LOGIC – PEDIGREE CHARM
X-Ray Spex co-founder and saxophonist, Lora Logic’s 1982 debut Rough Trade Records solo album Pedigree Charm is being reissued as a deluxe edition, including bonus tracks and exclusive BBC John Peel Session tracks. Florescent Green & Pink Splatter Vinyl (500 only).

X-RAY SPEX – GERMFREE ADOLESCENTS
X-Ray Spex’ 1978 debut album Germfree Adolescents featured the UK hit singles ‘The Day the World Turned Dayglo’, ‘Identity’ and ‘Germ Free Adolescents’. RSD Exclusive Limited Edition 180-gram Picture Disc with 12” insert with album poster and sleeve notes by Stephanie Phillips.

DAVID BOWIE – WAITING IN THE SKY (BEFORE THE STARMAN CAME TO EARTH)
For Record Store Day, a very special David Bowie limited vinyl LP, Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth) which will be released . The album is taken from the Trident Studios 1/4” stereo tapes dated 15th December, 1971, which were created for the then provisional tracklisting for what would become The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars album.

The tracklisting for Waiting In The Sky (Before The Starman Came To Earth) runs differently from the Ziggy Stardust album and features four songs that didn’t make the final album. See our previous Blitzed feature on this release here.

FUN BOY THREE – EXTENDED
A new compilation collecting all of the bands Extended 12″ Remixes. This will be a one time pressing on The Vinyl Factory’s ‘Eco-Jazz Recycled Vinyl’

PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED – CASSETTE RELEASES
The last three critically-acclaimed PiL albums will be released on cassette for the first time. This includes This Is PIL, End Of World and What The World Needs Now.

The cassettes were the last project that legendary PiL manager John Rambo Stevens worked on before his sad passing in December 2023.

Record Store Day takes place on 20th April. Releases for Record Store Day will only be available via independent record shops.

https://recordstoreday.co.uk/