Record Store Day carries the right tune

METRO DETROIT — Cue those turntables: It’s time to kick out the jams.

On April 22, local independent record stores will open up shop for Record Store Day 2023.

Record Store Day, held internationally, was launched in 2007 to give employees and customers the chance to gather and celebrate the independent record store culture. In addition, record companies release new music or re-release albums on vinyl not available elsewhere. That could include picture discs and LPs from bands no longer together.

“Record Store Day started out when vinyl was making a comeback,” said Davey Taylor, who with wife Lisa Taylor owns Weirdsville Records at 61 Macomb Place in Mount Clemens. “It’s about helping the mom-and-pop shops. Sometimes you get a lot of new customers that have never been to the store or new people who just got a record player.”

Back in February, a compilation of the music to be released April 22 — along with a list of participating stores — was posted at www.recordstoreday.com. Recordings from various artists — including John Lennon, P.M. Dawn, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, the Black Keys and Van Halen — will be available in vinyl format.

“It’s stuff from the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s that has never been on vinyl before. It’s the only day you’ll be able to get specific titles,” Taylor said. “It’s music only available to independent record stores, not the big box stores.”

On April 22, Weirdsville Records will have 20% off used merchandise. Taking it one beat further, patrons can groove to the vibe of Record Store Day with live music beginning at 1 p.m. from two bands: the Slot Rods and the Fabulous Hen House Boys.

 

‘It generates business and lets people know that record stores still exist.’

Several local record store owners predict this year’s big seller will be Taylor Swift’s “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.”

“Anything Taylor Swift does will be popular,” said Henry Pardike, who manages UHF Records at 512 S. Washington Ave., in downtown Royal Oak.

Pardike also predicts “Live With The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra” by The 1975 will be popular.

“That’s one of the biggest pop bands right now,’ Pardike said. “A new Beach House EP is coming out and the Mars Volta has a reissue of an EP of theirs.”

According to Pardike, Record Store Day was scaled down in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it came back “to a normal session” in 2022.

“It’s an extremely busy day, but it’s also a fun day,” Pardike said. “Many people are looking for very specific things. A lot of (titles) are limited releases. To cut down on flippers, people can’t buy multiple copies of anything.”

Some music fans travel for hours to shop.

“There are people that come down from Traverse City, Alpena and Sault Ste. Marie,” Pardike said. “Most people make a day of it.”

Pardike believes vinyl LPs made a resurgence because “everyone loves music.”

“People want the artifact,” he said. “They’re not just listening to the music on their phones. They look at the linear notes.”

Some take the event so seriously, they line up hours before the stores open. That has been the case at Village Vinyl, located at 5972 Chicago Road in Warren. The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 22 with lots of giveaways throughout the day.

“We’re running 20% off selected items and 10% off everything in the store excluding the Record Store Day items. It’s a very exciting time. It generates interest. It generates business and lets people know that record stores still exist,” said Village Vinyl owner John Lehl, who expects to receive titles from the Ramones, Motörhead, The Cure and others for Saturday.

“We’ve ordered from different vendors and different distributors. The big one this year is Taylor Swift,” Lehl said. “Every generation is buying records now, even little kids. Listening to a record is an experience. Rather than hitting a button, a lot of people that like vinyl and music can look at pictures and read linear notes.”

Lehl has witnessed many performers become fashionable again based on how the music is getting out there. The 2018 film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, is a prime example.

“When they put the Queen movie out, there was a lot of interest,” Lehl said. “With ‘Stranger Things,’ Kate Bush is selling again.”

People also stock up on music when an artist dies, as was the case when fans mourned the death of guitar icon Jeff Beck in January.

Vinyl Village, celebrating its six-year anniversary this month, has become a staple for rock ‘n’ rollers.

“A lot of people come to this store for metal and punk,” said staff member Daniel Loines, but other genres of music have been a hit, too. “Lana Del Rey is doing really well, and the Gorillaz.” 

Village Vinyl staff members include Adam Davey, Molly O’Brien and Lehl’s daughter, Miranda Lehl.

 

On the record

The long-standing Melodies and Memories, located at 23013 Gratiot Ave., in Eastpointe, is getting ready for Record Store Day 2023. According to the store’s Facebook page, Melodies and Memories will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 22. Giveaway bags will be passed out to the first 25 customers.

Found Sound, located at 234 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, is another great spot to take in Record Store Day. Staff will open one hour earlier at 10 a.m. to meet the crowd.

Ripe Records Detroit, at 15212 Charlevoix St. in Grosse Pointe Park, has created a page on its website listing everything scheduled for this year’s Record Store Day. Visit www.riperecordsdetroit.com for details.

Record Store Day is held twice a year, in April and every November on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.