Valentine’s Day is a manufactured holiday created by the Hallmark Corporation. The “Christmas Season” pushes further into November every year. Arbor Day exists solely at the behest of a mysterious multinational pine tree conglomerate. Jesus rose again on the third day for Cadbury.
We have all heard the cynical among us decry the commercialization of holidays. They argue that unabashed capitalist vigor detracts from the meaning of the celebration. But what if the holiday exists solely to celebrate capitalism and consumer culture? That just may be the case this Saturday, as April 17 marks the third-annual Record Store Day.
Conceived in 2007, the idea behind Record Store Day was to celebrate local, independent, brick-and-mortar record stores, which are increasingly rare in the age of chain stores, online retailers, and file sharing. The first Record Store Day caught the eye of a few artists and labels, which put together 10 special releases that could only be bought in the participating mom-and-pop shops. Then, the holiday blew up. More major labels jumped on board, and the next year saw more than 80 exclusive releases from artists like Bob Dylan, The Stooges, and Talib Kweli.
Josh Harkavy, owner of Red Onion Records & Books, remembers last year’s remarkable turnout.
“It was the busiest day of the year,” Harkavy said. “People were lined up down the block.”
With more than 150 exclusive releases offered for this year’s Record Store Day, the event is shaping up to be even bigger and better than previous years.
Despite the promise of big business, some storeowners are not too excited. Matt Moffatt, owner of the punk and alternative music store Smash! Records, is among the unenthused.
“When I sell somebody a record,” said Moffatt, “I hope it’s because they’re into it and it becomes a part of their collection.”
Moffant claims that some Record Store Day customers’ motives are questionable. Because all of the exclusive releases are pressed in very limited quantities, patrons come in and often buy as many copies as possible.
“And it’s not because they love those records, it’s simply because they think they can flip it for more,” Moffant said.
Harkavy saw the same thing last year, spotting a number of exclusive Record Store Days titles up for sale on eBay the next day—a trend that, as he notes, completely goes against the idea of the holiday.
Bill Daly, owner of Crooked Beat records, recalled an even more extreme example.
“People last year were buying stuff from us and walking outside and selling to people on the line,” he said. “There’s just nothing I can do about it. They’d buy Jesus Lizard in here for 35 bucks and go outside and sell it for 70.”
Owners are also frustrated with the way the labels distribute the goods. The size of each Record Store Day pressing is decided in advance. But, record stores receive no guarantees of how much merchandise they will receive. When I first met Daly, in fact, he brushed me aside—he said he didn’t have time to talk to reporters because he was too busy battling with record labels. Of the twenty Of Montreal seven inches Daly ordered for Crooked Beat, the store was only getting two. What about Wilco? Zip. And The Flaming Lips? Nada.
Not only does this policy limit what stores can stock, but it also makes it impossible for customers to plan their shopping.
“I have no fucking idea what we’re getting,” Moffatt said, when asked about his Record Store Day merchandise. Leaning back in his chair, sighing, he admitted that he was at a loss for what to tell potential customers.
But for all the frustration with organizing and the suspicion over motives, last year’s Record Store Day was far and away the busiest day of the year for many stores, meaning that owners act accordingly. Crooked Beat will offer gift bags to the store’s first seventy-five customers. Smash! will roll Record Store Day together with the store’s anniversary, offering PBR for the 21+ crowd and good tunes for patrons of any age. And Harkavy said that Red Onion will may to bring in some live music.
Maybe the biggest problem is that, for the most part, record store owners tend to be the biggest music fans. They want to share and encourage that kind of enthusiasm with their customers. So while an event like Record Store Day may have started with its heart in the right place, once it got co-opted by big labels and marred by exclusivity, it became easy to condemn.
But in the end, even Moffatt—who was among the most skeptical of owners—looks forward to Saturday’s event. Last year, Dischord Records discounted its entire catalogue for Record Store Day, and this year the store will host a benefit concert for Fort Reno at St. Stephen’s Church.
“I think there are good points to the whole deal,” Moffat said. “I mean, if people love the music you can take the cause and do whatever the hell you want with it.”
