Record Store Day 2021

If anyone was on the fence for getting the Slightly Stoopid, get it. I almost skipped it but last minute decided to grab it in support of my local. Listening now and it sounds like a dream. Everything seems to be high quality on this release, except no poly lined inners, but the printed inners are pretty.
 
yukbon said:
What's special about this hot rocks? I have the 2016 clear one....I think was 30 at best buy? Something like that
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Supposedly it was remastered but there was 1750 worldwide and people seem to go fucking nuts for limited stones. I bought it in store for 30 something because it’s a great comp that I didn’t own but yeah that’s fucking insane!
 
I love that I can completely do Record Store Day from home and help out locals in other areas who put their stuff up online after the normal crowd has gone through. I was able to get Czar Noir and KMD without having to fight the crowds/FOMO.
 
Anyone get the Fear record? Is it worth it? It’s been a bit difficult to find for a reasonable price online so far. I’ve picked up the Barney Wilen and Bobbie Gentry releases and Fear was my possible other one I’d like to pick up.
 
Hemotep said:
If anyone was on the fence for getting the Slightly Stoopid, get it. I almost skipped it but last minute decided to grab it in support of my local. Listening now and it sounds like a dream. Everything seems to be high quality on this release, except no poly lined inners, but the printed inners are pretty.
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Excited to spin mine soon. Might wait until my mofi inners show up in a few days though
 
Hemotep said:
If anyone was on the fence for getting the Slightly Stoopid, get it. I almost skipped it but last minute decided to grab it in support of my local. Listening now and it sounds like a dream. Everything seems to be high quality on this release, except no poly lined inners, but the printed inners are pretty.
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Definitely the RSD release I was/am most pumped for.
 
Lee Newman said:
It’s a RSD first, FYI.
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Thanks for pointing that out! For some reason I didn't even check that as this was one I completely missed as well and am loving it after a first listen. If I don't get lucky by catching it in the next day or two i'll just wait until more are released without the RSD sticker.
 
JohnnyCashFan said:
When I mentioned prices going up the other day my local dealer told me on the phone they are getting killed on pricing by middle men distributors and that the big name distributors have seemed to just stop caring about anything. The store is as busy as ever but there is always a breaking point. I hope @RHANDMJ might see this and comment as he seems to have some good in's and perspective out there.
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Wholesale pricing from MAJOR labels (led by Universal) were bumped 30% three years ago. Many stores ate a fair bit of that, but that could not last forever. The main reason for that huge price increase wasn't capacity, it wasn't cost of vinyl pellets, it wasn't anything other than - RETURNS. And the major cause was (is) Amazon.

Amazon has so much monopoly power that they can chargeback labels for returns (stores can't do that). Amazon doesn't care why or how often you return, as they just chargeback the label. So people are now in the very entitled habit of sending back records they don't like, or have a bent corner, or don't look pretty, or have a very pops that they don't have enough brains to deal with - or simply aren't as quiet as the CDs they were brought up on. And believe me, the vast majority of returns are of records that are pefectly fine but maybe have some cosmetic flaw. They won't hesitate to go through 3 copies via Amazon before settling on one. That means, the record should have been priced at 3x the selling price for those customers. Someone has to pay.

There is really only one major distributor in the United States that handles Universal and Warners. Sony does their own distribution. There are a couple of large distributors that handle indie product. That's it!! The distribution network was broken long ago, and the majors just dumped it on one, thorougly incompetent, one-stop because they do not give two shits about vinyl and want CD to die off asap. It's all about streaming now.

Here in Canada, you can have a vinyl release by a major Canadian artist - Rush, say - and call up Universal on release day to order the vinyl and they won't even have a listing, let alone stock. They don't care. Why would they? With vinyl, it's usually a few hundred copies in Canada, and they can make that kind of money from streaming in a day. CD they just go through Amazon.

RSD wholesale prices are inflated at the label stage. The distributors have no option there, they have to price it at what the list price is. Part of the RSD pledge.

So what we have is a convergence of forces. Labels really never wanted a vinyl resurgence and can't wait for it to end. They bumped up the prices both to help it along it's way and to account for the slaughterhouse Amazon is. Helping out is all those consumers who avail themselves of exceptionally lax return policies on Amazon and cause the prices to rise further.

Caught in the middle of this are the few distributors who remain, and ultimately the stores trying to carve out a living - and with RSD, they end up sitting on a TON of product at the end of the day, while the Dee Gees record they sold for $35 goes on Discogs for $200 and they put the dogs of RSD in the sale bin.
 
Damn, slept on Slightly Stoopid for just a few seconds at Plaidroom and it sold out.. Only $70 with no tax too, gonna be hard to find that price again.

I was able to grab the last Willie Live Show from Roughtrade at least so i'll live with that and hope for a 70ish shipped copy of SS on Discogs over the next couple of days.

Anyone listen to the Willie yet and can comment on the pressing quality?
 
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