With the fifth-anniversary or Record Store Day now less than a month away — it falls on Saturday, April 21 this year — and both the full U.S. and U.K. product lists now published, we’ve gone ahead and whittled down the avalanche of releases to highlight those coming from veterans of the ’80s alternative universe.
As you can see below, depending on which side of the pond you’ll be shopping on, there are limited and exclusive titles from the likes of Morrissey, Kate Bush, The Clash, Dinosaur Jr, Social Distortion, The Fall and many, many more. Highlights include the first new music from Public Image Ltd. in 20 years, as well as a host of early album reissues from The Cure as well as one of those most limited items: a pressing of 100 of a new “Friday I’m In Love” 7-inch single.
Check out the full U.S. list and full U.K. list, or browse our highlights posted below:
U.S. RECORD STORE DAY RELEASES
RYAN ADAMS
Release: “Heartbreak a Stranger”/”Black Sheets Of Rain”
Format: 7-inch colored vinyl
Label: PAXAM
Details: Two Bob Mould covers recorded at November’s “See A Little Light” Bob Mould Tribute Show at Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, California.
THE BASEBALL PROJECT
Release: “El Hombre”/”Harey Haddix”
Format: 7-inch with 3-D sleeve
Label: Euclid Records
Details: The Baseball Project, made up of Steve Wynn, Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck and Linda Pitmon, perform “El Hombre” a rockin’ little number that should become a major hit in Los Angeles this summer. The B-side is “Harvey Haddix” a virtual who’s who from that small fraternity of pitchers that have pitched perfect games in the big leagues and the man who was left off said list.
DAVID BOWIE
Release: “Starman”
Format: 7-inch picture disc; numbered, with clear plastic sleeve
Label: Virgin Records
Details: Tracks: “Starman (Original),” Top of Pops performance of “Starman”
DAVID BOWIE
Release: Mick Rock Tins
Format: 7-inch colored vinyl
Label: Virgin
Details: Tracklist: “Starman,” “Suffragette City.” Comes with 128 page Mick Rock photo book in a collectors’ tin.
THE CLASH
Release: “London Calling 2012”
Format: 7-inch
Label: Epic
Details: Tracklist: “London Calling 2012 Remix,” “London Calling Instrumental 2012″
THE CULT
Release “For The Animals”
Format: 7-inch picture disc
Label: Megaforce
Details: The first tracks coming from the new album, in stores on 5/22.
DEVO
Release: Live in Seattle 1981
Format: 2xLP
Label: Booji Boy Records
Details: This 2LP set was cut from a cassette recording of Devo’s show in Seattle in November ‘81. Devo archivist Michael Pilmer (aka Devo-Obsesso) found the tape in a shoebox full of cassettes in Bob No 2’s home 15 years ago, which he immediately transferred it to DAT. Afterward it promptly disappeared in the flotsam of Devo history.
THE ELECTRONIC ANTHOLOGY PROJECT OF DINOSAUR JR.
Release: The Electronic Anthology Project of Dinosaur Jr.
Format: CD and LP
Label: Self-Released
Tracklist: “Sludgefeast,” “Pond Song,” “Raisans,” “In A Jar,” “The Lung,” “Kracked,” “Tarpit,” “Little Fury Things,” “Feel The Pain.” Nine classic Dinosaur Jr songs re-imagined, replayed, re-recorded by Brett Nelson (Built to Spill) and re-sung by J Mascis.
THE FLAMING LIPS
Release: The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
Format: 2xLP with custom jackets
Label: Warner Bros.
Details: Tracklist: Side 1 “2012 (feat. Ke$ha and Biz Markie),” “Ashes In The Air (feat. Bon Iver),” “Helping The Retarded To Know God (feat. Edward Sharge and the Magnetic Zeros),” Side 2 “Supermom Made Me Want To Pee (feat. Prefuse 73),” “Children Of The Moon (feat. Tame Impala),” “That Ain’t My Trip (feat. Jim James),” “You, Man? Human? (feat. Nick Cave),” Side 3 “I’m Working At NASA On Acid (feat. Lightning Bolt),” “Do It! (feat. Yoko Ono),” “Is David Bowie Dying? (feat. Neon Indian),” Side 4 “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (feat. Erykah Badu),” “Thunder Drops (feat. New Fumes),” “I Don’t Want You To Die (feat. Chris Martin)”
PATTERSON HOOD & THE DOWNTOWN 13 (FEATURING MIKE MILLS)
Release: “After It’s Gone”
Format: 7-inch
Label: ATO
Details: A group of legendary Georgia musicians (including members of Drive-By Truckers, R.E.M., Widespread Panic, and more) brought together by Patterson Hood to protest and call attention to a proposed development, including a Walmart, in downtown Athens, Ga.
IGGY POP
Release: Mick Rock Tins
Format: 7-inch colored vinyl
Label: Virgin
Details: Tracklist: “Success,” “The Passenger.” Comes with 128 page Mick Rock photo book in a collectors’ tin.
IGGY AND THE STOOGES
Release: Raw Power
Details: 2xLP
Label: RCA
Details: Contains both the 1973 David Bowie mix and the 1997 Iggy Pop mix, along with a 16 page book.
IGGY AND THE STOOGES
Release: Live at All Tomorrows Parties
Format: 12-inch picture disc
Label: MVD
Details: Tracklist: “1970,” “Night Theme/Beyond the Law,” “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Open Up And Bleed,” “Funhouse/No Fun,” “Iggy Interview.” Comes with a download card offering the complete Raw Power performance.
LUNA
Release: Rendezvous
Format: 180-gram LP
Label: Double Feature Records
Details: Luna’s seventh and final studio album, originally released in 2004. Available for the first time on vinyl. This is a limited edition of 1,000 copies.
LUNA
Release: Romantica
Format: 180-gram LP
Label: Double Feature Records
Details: Luna’s sixth album, produced by the band with Gene Holder (dB’s) and Dave Fridmann (MGMT, Flaming Lips). Originally released in 2002, this was Luna’s first album with new addition Britta Phillips. First time ever on vinyl, this is a limited edition of 1,000 copies. 12 tracks on vinyl, plus free download of the entire album with 3 bonus tracks.
MASTODON/THE FLAMING LIPS
Release: “A Spoonful Weighs A Ton”
Format: 7-inch baby pink vinyl
Label: Warner Bros.
Details: The Flaming Lips’ “A Spoonful Weighs A Ton” and a cover of the same song by Mastodon (the Mastodon track is brand new).
SINEAD O’CONNOR
Release: How About I Be Me (And You Be You)
Format: LP
Label: One Little Indian
Details: Vinyl version of latest album
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
Release: One Drop EP
Format: 12-inch
Label: PiL Official
Details: First new Public Image Ltd. material in 20 years.
JOEY RAMONE
Release: “Rock ‘n’ Roll is the Answer”
Format: 7-inch
Label: BMG Rights Management
Details: Tracklist: “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is the Answer (featuring Lemmy, Joan Jett, and Bun E. Carlos),” “There’s Got To Be More To Life”
LOU REED
Release: Rock N Roll Animal
Format: LP
Label: RCA
Details: Reissue of original release.
LOU REED
Release: Transformer
Format: LP
Label: RCA
Details: Reissue of original release.
ROCKABYE BABY!
Release: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Smiths
Format: 12-inch colored vinyl
Label: Rockabye Baby! Music
Details: Tracklist: “This Charming Man,” “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” “Girlfriend in a Coma,” “There is a Light that Never Goes Out,” “Panic,” “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,” “William It was Really Nothing,” “Hand in Glove,” “How Soon is Now?,” “Shoplifters of the World Unite,” “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me,” “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want”
SOCIAL DISTORTION
Release: Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes
Details 12-inch lime green vinyl
Label: Epitaph
Details: Limited edition (750), includes CD of album and 18″ x 24″ Poster. Randomly selected pieces will have an autographed poster inside.
PATTI SMITH
Release: Horses
Format: LP
Label: Columbia
Details: Reissue of original release.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Release: Pretty In Pink Soundtrack
Format: 12-inch pink vinyl
Label: UMe
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Release: The Breakfast Club Soundtrack
Format: 12-inch white vinyl
Label: UMe
MIKE WATT & THE MISSINGMEN/THE CHUCK DUKOWSKI SEXTET
Release: “Sweet Honey Pie” b/w “My War”
Format: 7-inch
Label: ORG Music
Details: New versions of previously released tracks.
PAUL WELLER
Release: “That Dangerous Age”
Format: 7-inch red vinyl
Label: Yep Roc Records
Details: “That Dangerous Age” is the first single off Paul Weller’s new album, Sonik Kicks. The b-side, “The Piper,” is a new, previously unreleased song.
U.K. RECORD STORE DAY RELEASES
RYAN ADAMS
Release: “Heartbreak A Stranger”/”Black Sheets Of Rain” (Bob Mould covers)
Format: 7-inch
Quantity: 500
Label: Sony
BAT FOR LASHES
Release “Strangelove” (Depeche Mode cover)
Format: One-sided etched 7-inch
Quantity: 750
Label: Parlophone
THE BEAT
Release: “Mirror In The Bathroom,” “Too Nice To Talk To”
Format: 7-inch single picture sleeve, colored vinyl
Quantity: 750
Label: Edsel Records
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
Release: “Crash” (The Primitives cover)
Format: 7-inch
Quantity: 1,000
Label: Late Night Tales
JHEREK BISCHOFF AND DAVID BYRNE, ZAC PENNINGTON & SOKO
Release: “Eyes”/”Young & Lovely”
Format: Limited edition numbered 7-inch single
Label: The Leaf Label
BLONDIE
Release: Panic of Girls
Format: Double CD/DVD
Quantity: 1,000
Label: EMI
DAVID BOWIE
Release: “Starman”
Format: 7-inch picture disc
Label: EMI
KATE BUSH
Release: “Lake Tahoe”
Format: 10-inch picture disc
Quantity: 1,000
Label: Fish People
CANDY FLIP
Release: “Strawberry Fields Forever”/”Love Is Life”
Format: Strawberry red 10-inch
Quantity: 500
Label: Finyl Vinyl
THE CLASH
Release: “London Calling” (digitally remastered by Mick Jones and Bill Price)
Format: 7-inch
Quantity: 1,000
Label: Sony
EDWYN COLLINS
Release: Tape Box
Format: 6×7-inch box set
Quantity: 500
Label: AED
THE CULT
Release: “Lucifer”/”For The Animals”
Format: 7-inch exclusive picture disc vinyl press
Quantity: 200
Label: Cooking Vinyl
THE CURE
Release: Three Imaginary Boys
Format: LP
Label: Universal
THE CURE
Release: Seventeen Seconds
Format: LP
Label: Universal
THE CURE
Release: Faith
Format: LP
Label: Universal
THE CURE
Release: Faith
Format: 180-gram, numbered colored vinyl
Label: Universal
THE CURE
Release: Pornography
Format: LP
Label: Universal
THE CURE
Release: The Top
Format: LP
Label: Universal
THE CURE
Release: “Friday I’m In Love”
Format: 7-inch single
Quantity: 100
DEAD BOYS
Release: “Sonic Reducer,” “Hey Little Girl,” “Down In Flames”
Format: 7-inch Sire house bag
Quantity: 800
Label: Sire/Rhino
DEVO
Release: Live in Seattle 1981
Format: 2xLP with 2 12-inch posters
Label: Booji Boy Records
THE ELECTRONIC ANTHOLOGY PROJECT OF DINOSAUR JR
Release: The Electronic Anthology Project of Dinosaur Jr
Format: CD and black or purple vinyl
Quantity: 1,000 CDs, 500 of each color vinyl
Label: Cargo
THE FALL
Release: “Night Of The Humerons”
Format: 7-inch with exclusive tracks
Quantity: 1,000
Label: Cherry Red Records
THE FLAMING LIPS/MASTODON
Release: “A Spoonful Weighs A Ton”
Format: 7-inch pink vinyl
Quantity: 800
Label: Warner Bros
RICHARD HELL & THE VOIDOIDS
Release: “Blank Generation,” “Liars Beware,” “Who Says?”
Format: 7-inch Sire house bag
Quantity: 800
Label: Rhino
INSPIRAL CARPETS
Release: “You’re So Good For Me”
Format: Signed and numbered 7-inch
Label: 3rd Party
LUNA
Release: Rendezvous
Format: 2xLP
Label: Double Feature Records
Quantity: 1,000
LUNA
Release: Romantica
Format: 2xLP
Label: Double Feature Records
Quantity: 1,000
MORRISSEY
Release: “Suedehead” (remix), “We’ll Let You Know” (live), “Now My Heart Is Full” (live)
Format: 10-inch picture disc
Label: EMI
IGGY POP
Release: “I’m Bored”/”African Man”
Format: Numbered lime-green 7-inch
Quantity: 1,000
Label: Sony
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
Release: One Drop EP
Format: 12-inch
Label: Cargo
RAMONES
Release: “Blitzkrieg Bop”/”Havana Affair”
Format: 7-inch Sire house bag
Quantity: 800
Label: Sire/Rhino
ROCKABYE BABY!
Release: Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Smiths
Format: 12-inch colored vinyl with download card
Label: Cargo
SEX PISTOLS
Release: “Anarchy In the UK”
Format: 7-inch picture disc
Label: UMC
SIMPLE MINDS
Release: “Theme for Great Cities”
Format: 12-inch single unreleased mixes
Quantity: 1,000
Label: EMI
PATTI SMITH
Release: “Hey Joe,” “Piss Factory”
Format: 7-inch Sire house bag
Quantity: 800
Label: Sire/Rhino
SOCIAL DISTORTION
Release: Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes
Format: 2xLP red/orange vinyl and poster
Quantity: 300
Label: Epitah
THE SPECIALS
Release: The Specials Live
Format: 7-inch single
Quantity: 1,000
Label: EMI
SUGAR
Release: “If I Can’t Change Your Mind”
Format: 7-inch picture sleeve, colored vinyl
Quantity: 750
Label: Edsel Records
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Release: Pretty In Pink Soundtrack
Format: LP
Label: IMS UK
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Release: The Breakfast Club Soundtrack
Format: LP
Label: IMS UK
THE WEDDING PRESENT
Release: 4 Chansons EP
Format: 10-inch colored vinyl
Label: Scopitones
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Record Store Day 2011: R.E.M., The Smiths, Sonic Youth, Kate Bush, New Order
- Record Store Day 2010: R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Ramones, Factory Records
i live in the dc metro area. they built a road or a $tarbuck$ where every record store once stood. i will wear black on record store day…wait…i always wear black.
Finally, Wareham admits that nothing he’s released since disbanding Luna has been worth hearing.
Same here.
(sorry, that was meant to be its own comment, not a reply to the first poster)
Irony defined: An album full of lullibified (yeah, I make up words, file a lawsuit) Smiths songs. “Asleep”? Not one of em.
And why yes, I would like to hear Mastodon tackle “Spoonful.”
HOLY COW!! I can’t wait for RSD on 4/21 …so many good records!! …I’m getting Springsteen, Cohen, Foster the People, Dry the River, and many more!!
I can only say every single copy of The Cure 2012 Record Shop Day releases that I have is bad quality. I have never played brand new 180 gram vinyl with so much crackle and pop noises on it. They should be ashamed of the quality of these releases. Blue Sunshine, Three Imaginary Boys, Seventeen Seconds, Faith, Pornography, The Top, The Head On The Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me all suffer from this. If you can get another new pressing of these albums rather than the RSD releases on 180 gram vinyl get them, don’t go for these as the quality is highly disappointing.
I have a Pro-ject 1 record player with an Ortofon 2M Blue stylus, which is new. This problem is not related to my equipment, it’s related to the shocking quality of how these gramaphone records seem to have been pressed.