Pandemic Improved My RSD Experience

I'm a hypocrite. I have criticized the entire Record Store Day model on these pages, from the atmosphere straight out of Lord of the Flies to the inflated secondary-market prices when it's all over... and just about everything in-between. I stayed away for many years, but just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in a couple of years ago. You can read about that here.

Like everything in 2020, RSD has been a different experience this year. The usual April event was delayed and delayed again. Finally, it was decided there would be three Saturdays for RSD, one in August, September and October, to spread things out a bit and, hopefully, benefit the shops. I decided to attend the first outing. First and foremost, I wanted to support a store that was hurting even more than usual, but I also felt this overwhelming desire to be the part of the record-buying community. That's not like me at all, but I had not been in a record store since the pandemic began. Participating stores made up their own rules on how to handle customers during these unprecedented times, but I commend the way it worked out at the shop I visited. In previous years, I would not know whether the store received the records I wanted. This time, since the records had been produced and dispatched so far ahead of time, the shop was able to list on their Web site what they had received. This proved to be vital because this particular store is part of a three-store chain, and the one closest to me did not get everything I wanted. I could move my business to another location and avoid disappointment.

I arrived at 8AM. There was quite a line, perhaps 60 people, and that surprised me a little. I would not say they were practicing social distancing very well, and I wondered why they were lined up at all because the plan was to pass out a hard-copy list of their RSD inventory to each customer. The sheets of paper would have a handwritten number in the upper right-hand corner. That was your number to enter the store. No need for a line at all. You put a checkmark next to the records you wanted and pick up to 15 titles. I could see the papers had already been passed out to those in line. I went to the door and received my inventory list. My number was 68. The maximum number of customers let in the store at once was three. They had just let in the first three. With time to kill, I went to my car, opened up the hatchback and ate breakfast. Then I moved on to my book. After a while, I struck up a conversation with another would-be customer sitting in a lawn chair about 20 feet away. We talked about our lists and our thoughts about whether we would get what we wanted.

Time flew by. When it got close to my number, I locked up the car, put on my mask and got closer to the door. When my number was called, I entered and gave my list to a worker. I just stood there while he thumbed through a couple of boxes behind a counter. I took a look around and realized the store was nearly empty. Usually, on RSD, it would be pandemonium as a mass of humanity pushed their way to those boxes. "Here you go," he said with a smile. I was directed to the cash register, That was it. I was in the store for about two minutes. That was my experience, but I realize it didn't work that way for everyone there. The guy who came in a few seconds after me went home empty-handed. My wants are usually off the beaten path, and that makes me luckier than some. Here's what I picked up. That's a live show by Pretenders from 1980 I have wanted for years. It came out originally as a promo on 'The Warner Bros. Music Show,' a series you may know from decades ago. The reissue of 'Longshot For Your Love' by the Pale Fountains is a collection of radio sessions and early releases. If you already have an original copy, keep it. The packaging of this reissue is superior, but the quality of the vinyl has been a huge letdown.

My goal was to be home by 10AM because that's when part two of my RSD would begin. In all other years, record stores are not allowed to sell new RSD merchandise online for one week. In another move to help the shops, these records could be sold on store Web sites at 6PM that day. Well, 10AM where I live is 6PM in the UK and, as always, the RSD listings across the pond are more catered to my tastes. I immediately logged on and ordered these two. They arrived in the post a week later. That one from Kirsty MacColl is a B-sides collection from the four singles during the 'Kite' era. The album from BMX Bandits needs no introduction, and I got it to replace a lousy CD issue I got in 2011.

RSD is still rife with the same problems it has had for years, but in some respects, I think it was a little better this year. If you didn't get what you wanted, at least you could try again online later that day and get your wants from actual shops and not resellers out to make big profits. At the shop I visited, there was no need to line up, and there was no pushing and fighting as the mob devoured a few boxes of stock. Tomorrow is the second installment of RSD 2020. I won't be participating this time because I don't need anything on the list, but there are a few things worthy of attention, including 40th anniversay editions of 2 Tone favorites and a bevy of reissues from the early days of the Jazz Butcher. Check out the full UK and U.S.A. lists, and make each day Record Store Day.