Record Store Day

"If you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends"

Record shops are my favourite places ever. Where ever I may find myself, stumbling upon an independent record shop, full of unknown promise, is geekily joyful. But times are tough, and a lot of our beloved and trusted indie's are biting the dust hard, leaving only the corporate bigwigs to provide us with some physical musical indulgence. I've never really enjoyed MP3s, with their lack of album artwork, liner notes and speedy, throwaway deliverance. It's a really impersonal way of listening to music, just plugging in and watching files stream across the screen. The more creative aspects are lost amongst technical jargon and the clicking of buttons.

Which is why I'm pleased to announce that on April 18th, Record Store Day is celebrating the modest indie record shop, and all the joy it can bring. Started in the US in 2007, the day often involves special vinyl and CD releases made exclusively for the day, and hundreds of artists making special appearances and performances in shops across the world. Festivities include live performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades and djs spinning records.

But why only make a day of it? Pop by your local store today, show support and let's hope the independent record shop will remain an exciting visit for years and years to come.

For more info and listings of the day's events, visit Record Store Day Official Site