🌵 Sessions: Record Store Day 2022 (drop one 4/23/22)

I don’t set an alarm for Record Store Day (RSD), I wake up when I wake up. This RSD I woke up at 4:00 AM. Nope. Went back to sleep. Woke up again at 4:45. Okay. Up and at ‘em.

My wife and I became snowbirds and are wintering in Phoenix. Our idea of embracing the local culture has been to go to breweries. We have also sampled a few record stores: Zia on Thunderbird (a local chain with large selection and shit ambiance), a forgettable overpriced used shop, and Stinkweeds (small but well curated store with classic record store vibes). Guess where I am for RSD?

So far we love Phoenix with one notable exception: everything is at minimum thirty minutes away. I jumped into the car at 5:00 AM and arrived at Stinkweeds at 5:30 AM. There were about 40 people in line in front of me. Good, that will make it easier to keep to my budget.

I am not sure if I went to the first RSD fifteen years ago, but I remember going to the Electric Fetus on a Saturday afternoon to check out this RSD thing (assume it year one or two of RSD). There was nothing left, the next year I was an early bird and have been since – learned my lesson.

One of the best parts of RSD is making acquaintance with those in the queue with you. “What’s on your list?” is the conversation starter. It is always a pleasure to find out that there are people with weirder taste than you. Cheers to my new RSD friends: Kansas City Kent, Frisco the Swifty, the Montanas and San Diego Dad. Bonus this year there was a kind soul distributing donuts included my favorite: chocolate/custard filled.

This year’s RSD ambassador is T Swift. Her 7 inch single brought out some RSD newbies. I am all for that – keep the hobby alive.

Stinkweeds does a nice job with RSD. They set up tents in their parking lot and have an orderly process. They have coffee from Esso. I appreciate that the store opens early (8:00) for RSD. Thumbs up to what appears to be the premiere record shop in The Valley. Just before the store open a diminutive, but charismatic woman gave instructions on how the event would proceed and some introduction of the Stinkweeds’ staff. I did some googling and was pleased to learn that Stinkweeds is a woman owned business. Read more about Stinkweeds owner Kimber Lanning here.

I was able to score all four LPs on my list:

• The Bleeding Hearts – Riches to Rags: this is the long lost Bob Stinson (original Replacements’ guitarist) solo album
• Jazz Sabbath – Vol. 2: a clever schtick where a jazz band claims to be to have had their compositions stolen by a famous heavy metal band
• Joni Mitchell – Blue Highlights: extra material from the classic album Blue
• Golden Smog – On Golden Smog: first vinyl release of the Americana supergroup’s 1992 debut EP

Overall a great 🌵 RSD. Looking forward to many more in the 🌵. See you at RSD drop two June 18, 2022 at the Electric Fetus in the Bold North.