The national holiday for vinyl collectors, part two. RSD is back on its pre-pandemic schedule – the big day in April and a slightly smaller version for Black Friday. The release of the list of titles for November just dropped a couple of days ago and has already launched a thousand YouTube videos. A second round of videos, with a whinier tone, will drop soon because the prices were just announced.
I don’t plan to participate this year. New records have gotten crazy expensive, and I don’t have enough room in my house to keep adding records. If I want more, I'll have to sell off some of what I have. And then there's the ever-increasing number of colored vinyl/picture disc novelty releases, which clearly aren't aimed at me. But of course, I perused the list and had a couple thoughts. If money and space were no object, I’d pick up the Harry Chapin Story of a Life – The Complete Hit Singles, I always enjoyed his singles more than his albums. The expanded versions of Todd Rundgren’s Something/Anything and Marshall Crenshaw look interesting. Steve Forbert’s Live at the Bottom Line would be a no-brainer, l love his long-time live band, The Rough Squirrels. I’d be tempted by The Watchmen Soundtrack only because they pressed the 2 LPs on big yellow smiley face vinyl. A rare non-vinyl release, I’d like the DVD/CD package of Nightclubbing, a documentary on the rise of the NYC punk scene. Here’s hoping it gets a streaming release.
I gotta say, the real fun for me is what I like to call the “WTF?” part of the list. The stuff that has me scratching my head and wondering why. Some of these releases are just…well, see for yourself. And let me know what you think.
• Beck, It’s All In Your Mind (price n/a)– The powers that be behind RSD tried to start a new category of collectibles a few years ago, the vinyl equivalent of Beanie Babies. In 2022, they need to admit failure. Tiny 3” records with suitably tiny record players were brought over from Japan, where they debuted about fifteen years ago. Jack White introduced them to America a few years back, for reasons known only to him. They’ve already become a failed vinyl footnote in Japan and would be the same here if RSD would just admit it. Nevertheless, Beck’s RSD release is a three-incher, and will sound like a transistor radio broadcast on the cheap little players currently for sale. Price n/a
• Cheech and Chong, Santa Claus and His Old Lady – A 7” 45rpm picture disc of an old Cheech and Chong stoner bit. Which means not only will it get stale and wear out its welcome in a hurry, it’ll sound crappy doing it. And since when are 45rpm singles thirteen bucks? $12.97
• The Cure, Wish - Most of the Cure’s in-demand and acclaimed albums came out during the CD era, meaning vinyl collectors today want high-quality reissues of their favorites. What they get every RSD is another one released as a picture disc only. The picture is always just the album cover, not even something new and cool. Which means fans who actually care about the music are still waiting for reissues that sound good, because picture discs don’t. $39.97
• My Little Pony New Generation, Soundtrack – I’ve never seen the revived cartoon series on Netflix. Honestly, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the original version, either, but we all know the Diminishing Returns of Cartoon Remakes rule. Who is this release for, I have to wonder? Are there families whose young children are crying out for Mom and Dad to play the cartoon’s music on expensive vinyl over the home stereo? Are there parents who’ve spent time watching the series with their young ones and thought “Hey, that music’s pretty awesome?” I’m baffled. $28.97
• Olivia Newton John, Physical - Well, this RSD would be the time for this to work. Fans would be lining up for a clean, great-sounding version of one of recently passed Ms. John’s most popular records. So, of course, the label releases it as a crappy sounding picture disc, aimed squarely at the same folks who hung posters of her on their bedroom walls as teens. Note to record label: if this was an actual audiophile remaster and reissue, you could charge double this price and sell a lot more. $27.97
• Rick Springfield, Jessie’s Girl – It’s the 40th anniversary of Rick’s only hit single. Yay! So, what do you get with this RSD exclusive release? 12” of vinyl with five versions of the same song. The original demo recording, a 2016 remastered version, a Spanish language version (not kidding), and two live versions. Maybe some Springfield hardcores will want to collect it, but who would want to play it? $19.97
• Eric Burdon & War, The Complete Vinyl Collection - To paraphrase Kurt Cobain, Smells Like Cash Grab. This fancy RSD boxed set contains 4 LPs and is advertised as everything Eric released after he left the Animals and hooked up with War, the funk/soul band from SoCal. The issue? Burdon and War only made two albums before splitting up. Three, if you absolutely have to include the posthumous one with inferior studio outtakes and poor-sounding live recordings. The promo material for the box does indeed state that it contains those three albums, so one of them has to be arbitrarily split into a double LP to make four discs. List price eighty bucks. Can you smell it, too? $79.97
• Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever – Same album she released last year, with a “rainbow foil” jacket, whatever that is, for fifteen bucks more. This is the kind of stuff that gives vinyl collecting a bad name. Looking at you, Taylor. $49.97
• Rockabye Baby! – Lullaby Renditions of Blink-182 – The title says it all. Not the first band in the series, so somebody must be buying this nonsense. Once again, does anybody actually play them? $25.97
• Ringo Starr, Old Wave – I admire Ringo a lot, and I’m amazed at his 82-year-old state of health. He’s become a fixture of RSD, always has a new EP or album reissue to offer. This time around, he’s offering three exclusive titles. Unfortunately, this seriously lame album from 1983 is one. It was never even released in the U.S. until now because it got terrible reviews and sold poorly in the U.K. back in the day. Ringo decided it would be a good idea to make a record with Joe Walsh, while they were both in the throes of substance abuse. It wasn’t. But, as has been proven time and again, Beatles fans will buy absolutely anything related to their heroes on RSD, so I expect the 500 copies the label is pressing will sell out quickly. $29.97
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