This year’s RSD list for the UK was a shocker. At least a part of my antipathy towards the event was down to how, inevitably, all of the releases that I wanted most on Record Store Day, were available only in England. Not shocking, considering my tastes. Which were very Anglophilic during the ’78-’83 period we focus on here at PPM. In recent years I had noticed that core collection bands like Ultravox were actually getting their records, which were at the top of my RSD want lists, issued in America. The one major world market where they never even had a near-miss, much less a hit. How would it play out in this year’s list?
RSD UK
Associates: Covers EP
Now we’re talking. My “obsession magnificent” with Associates means that I have all of these tracks on the silver disc, but I would also need to have them on the clear PVC as well! A rather nice conceptual EP with an unusual cover photo.
purchase factor: I must get this, but am not looking forward to the costs.
David M. David M. Allen: The D.N.A. of D.M.A. LP
This sounds interesting. Dave. M. Allen was hired to help set up Martin Rushent’s Genetidc studios with the latest tech gear after watching Visage record their first single and getting an eyeful. Dave had to set up and learn all of the new synths and gear and in the act of doing so made recordings for practical experience. These are the “test rides” that allowed “Dare” to take place soon afterward.
Purchase factor: I’m very interested in hearing this, but after digging around, discovered this 2013 album below in my want list already! Skip it.
I can now see that both releases feature the exact same music. Of course, I’m now interested in the CD that I’d forgotten was in my want list, dating back to over three years ago. My want list is over 3800 titles, so cut me some slack! But I will say this, the new cover art and even title to the LP version out next month look and sound about 5000 times better than the CD edition. But I don’t play cover art.
Dieter Meier/The Young Gods” Split Dub 7″
I really loved Dieter Meier’s solo album of 2014, and would love to hear more from him on his own. But this split 7″ [with Switzerland’s The Young Gods” on the flip side] offered only a dub mix of “Schüüfele” from the “Out Of Chaos” album I already have.
purchase factor: admire from afar and wait for new Dieter Meier solo music
Wire: Not About To Die LP
This was originally a bootleg of the demos for “Pink Flag” + “154” that came out ages ago so Wire have decided to “beat the boots” at their own game.
purchase factor: There’s so many Wire albums that I don’t have that it feels odd to think of buying demos before actual CDs of Pink Flag” or “Chairs Missing.”
So this was a revelation! Apart from that Associates record, the things from RSD that I’d be the most interested in buying were generally available in both the US and UK lists. The trend toward purchasing less is still burning within me, with almost imperceptibly small levels of purchasing for me in 2022. I’ve only bought three titles so far this year, and the first quarter is almost over. And…I’m fine with that.
And now that I look at it, the one “must have” title, the Ultravox “Live At The Rainbow” LP is only a RSD first” title. I should be able to get that easily enough if I don’t immediately source one. But a nagging voice in the back of my skull tells me that no sooner than do I buy a copy, then UMG will green-light the CD/DVD combo [all of the concert is available for purchase in the iTunes Store one song at a time as music videos] that’s what I would really prefer for this vintage Foxx show. Come back in nine months when we’ll see if I’m right or not.
-30-
Post-Punk Monk 
My current A List selection from the UK RSD selection:
Altered Images – The Return of The Teenage Popstar (12″ )
Associates – Covers (LP )
Blondie – Sunday Girl EP (2 x 7″ )
Dalis Car – The Waking Hour (LP )
David Bowie – Brilliant Adventure (EP )
David Bowie – Brilliant Adventure (CD )
David Bowie – Toy E.P. (EP )
David Bowie – Toy E.P. (CD )
Dusty Springfield – See All Her Faces 50th Anniversary (2LP )
Electronic – Remix Mini album (LP )
Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Altered Reels (LP )
Fun Boy Three – The Best of (LP )
Human League, The – The League Unlimited Orchestra (LP )
Human League, The – Don’t You Want Me (Purple Disco Machine Extended Remix) (12″ )
Primal Scream – Shine Like Stars (Weatherall mix) (12″ )
Prince – The Gold Experience Deluxe (2xLP )
Scott Walker – Boy Child (2xLP )
Thomas Dolby – Hyperactive (12″ )
U2 – A Celebration’ (12″ )
Ultravox! – Live at The Rainbow 1977 (LP )
There are a few on the B List that I may end up grabbing in a moment of panic but the A List will cost enough as it is.
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alonewithstrangers – ¡Mamacita! That’s a lot of dinero for all of those records and… [CENSORED] ME RAGGED!!! How in Billy’s Name did I miss that Associates “Covers” EP?!! Associates are the rare act where I can “go redundant.” I want it ALL. Right up there with Foxx. Now I’m going to have to seriously edit the last post!
I saw the Altered Images disc, but I’m happy just to have all of the music and I already have lots of vinyl I don’t really “need.” No sense in getting more. Better to put the money towards that new album. I didn’t even mention electronic since I have all of those CD singles. Nice cover, though. If they’re going to get you to pony up £15 it had better look worth it! Do I still have my “League Unlimited Orchestra” LP or did I trade it in back in the 80s when I got the CD? Probably the latter. I saw the post-modern remix of “DYWM,” but have read iffy things about it. Better to just mix my own mashup of the LP/12″ dub. Which I did in 1982 on a cassette edit I sent to a friend.
I’ve had “Boychild” on CD for ages – it was my entree to Walker obsession thanks to a helpful friend of a friend. But by that point I was primed by the Scott Walker event horizon which had been building throughout the 90s. I think my wife bought me the US “Hyperactive” 12″ though it’s never been a Dolby fave, to put it mildly. And don’t you get comped on all ‘Vox releases? Though I see that’s under the aegis of UMG, so I get it. But I don’t have to like it.
Prince I only want on CD, though I now see it’s a replica of a cripplingly expensive 90s promo release. Sort of like that “Versace Experience” cassette RSD hooked me with a few years back. That original was at the time the highest priced tape on Discogs. $4k easily. So I bit. Even for a tape. Then they put out a CD of that within the year that I still need to buy!
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How I wish it was only £15 here….
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alonewithstrangers – That’s another bad side effect of RSD. Before then I was used to paying $5-7 for a 7” single. Not $15!
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It’s not RSD that does that – at least not directly: it’s the labels charging more and the distributors not allowing returns which means that the stores charge more to cover their risk. This is happening everywhere now: look at how much Warners is charging for new Bowie stock now.
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alionewithstrangers – That’s true. No returns for as long as there’s been no cutouts! But the nature of RSD is that it’s like a big gamble for the stores that participate. I’ve read stories where stores get a RSD selection that they have no say in and that’s that. Where does the bubble end? Collecting music used to be something affordable to all, but it’s pricing out of my comfort zone after a lifetime of it being quite modest in price. I’m really annoyed at how basically everything is a limited edition now. Only a handful of the Adele-class megasellers get their work pressed in what used to be common numbers. And the labels are shareholders in Spotify!
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Ultravox did have a near-miss in the US. “Reap The Wild Wind” charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Big Mark – “Reap The Wild Wind” got as high as 71 on the Billboard chart. A near-miss is more like number 48 in my book.
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Bypass the Wire bootleg LP and buy the first 3 Releases available on CD. They all have 3 CDs and almost all of the the songs on the bootleg. The format is really special. CDs with a small book format that are really worth the price. I have the Wire bootleg on LP and the sound is terrible. I do not know about the bootleg reissue but the CDs are in Monk Bait territory.
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Mel Creighton – Good policy that I’m in total agreement with!
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You’re missing the first two Wire albums? Scandalous! How can the Post Punk Monk not own the record widely regarded as the first-ever post-punk album (Pink Flag)? The holy archives in thine record cell are missing their genesis.
…but I gotta say, Wire’s initial three records were each better than the last, so I’d be in more of a hurry to fill in the gap with Chairs Missing.
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JT – I am all too aware of my fallibility, but at least I’ve owned “154” for seven years now! Which is a huge improvement on all the years prior!
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Chairs Missing was Bowie’s favorite LP by them. ‘Nuff said.
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Mel Creighton – That’s a very vivid thing to say which speaks volumes!
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Not even a mention of Sun’s Signature with Elizabeth Fraser? Nor the Virgin Prunes. Or Folly by The Engineers These seem like ones you would have at least considered?
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GothicGuru – Welcome to the comments! I have plenty of Virgin Prunes so that title didn’t raise a black flag with me. Curse me for the novice, I should have not been so self-centered! As for the Liz Fraser release, I completely missed seeing her name in the list. You remind me that I never heard “Moses” from a decade ago!
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hi mr monk.
looks like some of the titles will be delayed until june in the uk.
a couple are:
human league – dont you want me
go west – bangs and crashes
i’m looking forward to:
blondie – sunday girl 2×7
frankie goes to hollywood – altered reels
thomas dolby – hyperactive 12
echo and the bunnymen – b sides and live
electronic – mini remix EP
human league – league unlimited orchestra
simple minds – 5×5 live
u2 – a celebration
pricey, but a lot of groups i like, and collect.
later
-1
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