Real Gone’s picks for Record Store Day 2020

Love it or hate it, Record Store Day has become an important fixture on the music-related calendar. From humble beginnings with a few bits and bobs to entice people into independent record shops, it’s now become a huge business tool, giving major labels an excuse to reissue all kinds of stuff. While it now seems more about a money making venture than to highlight small business, there’s still some cool stuff to be found. Never more so than for the 2020 event, where there are a truckload of artificially created rarities that look like lovely items for the keener fan.

Here are Real Gone’s top picks for the year. As always, we can’t tell you where they’ll be appearing – the treasure hunt aspect is all part of the “fun”. Also, obviously, quoted prices are intended as a very loose ball-park estimate. Real Gone is not responsible in case of financial disappointment!

Record Store Day 2020 is taking place on June 20th. If you’re going shopping, we wish you all the best with finding your chosen treasure.

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FRANK ZAPPA – YOU CAN’T DO THAT SAMPLER

In 1988, Frank Zappa issued a 2LP sampler, bringing together highlights from ‘You Can’t Do That On Stage Any More’, his extensive series of archive recordings. The original twelve track compilation has become hard to find over the years, having been unavailable since not long long after release. A heavyweight vinyl reissue for RSD will feature the original tracks remastered by Bernie Grundman presented on a pair of translucent red/blue discs. [Expect to pay £35]

ELTON JOHN – ELTON JOHN

Elton’s second album is one of those albums that no decent record collection should be without. Although not Elt’s most upbeat record, the combination of his distinctive piano balladry and Paul Buckmaster’s orchestration have created a disc that never seems to date. For RSD20, the album is being reissued as a heavyweight 2LP set on translucent purple vinyl. The second disc will include selected highlights from the 2008 deluxe edition 2CD, on vinyl for the first time. For the EJ fan who has to have everything, the release also features previously unreleased demos of ‘Bad Side of The Moon’ and ‘Border Song’. [Expect to pay £30-£34]

THE FALL – CEREBRAL CAUSTIC

The Fall’s catalogue is a minefield. For every piece of brilliance, there’s something ugly and devastating-ah. 1995’s ‘Cerebral Caustic’ isn’t an all round classic, but it finds Mark E. Smith & co in a constantly entertaining mood on a solid album. The RSD20 vinyl will come on limited splatter coloured discs. Cherry Red Records will also have an exclusive coloured vinyl pressing of ‘Rekjavik 1983, so that’s a double whammy for Fall completists this year! [Expect to pay £27+]

LOU REED/JOHN CALE – SONGS FOR DRELLA

It’s no coincidence that one of Lou Reed’s best albums was a collaboration with his infinitely more talented Velvets bandmate John Cale. Their 1990 tribute to Andy Warhol is both lyrically and musically sharp – one of those discs that never gets old. It will be reissued on 180g double vinyl with a laser etched side 4. [Expect to pay £35]

NICK MASON – SEE EMILY PLAY/VEGETABLE MAN 12”

One of the most celebrated events of 2019 was a performance by Nick Mason and friends at London’s legendary Roundhouse. The Saucerful of Secrets show included tracks that had never been performed by Pink Floyd. With a full album/blu ray release of the show due in April 2020, fans can also pick up this strictly limited laser etched two track 12” on RSD. [Expect to pay £20-£25]

GUIDED BY VOICES – VAMPIRE ON TITUS

The GBV catalogue is vast. In the time it’s taken you to read this, Robert Pollard has probably recorded another album. An early work celebrating the band’s most lo-fi aspects, ‘Vampire On Titus’ isn’t the easiest of listens, but will look fantastic on opaque yellow vinyl. [Expect to pay £30]

OPERATION IVY – ENERGY

In a time before Rancid, Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman were members of Operation Ivy, one of the world’s finest ska-punk acts. The band only recorded one album and a couple of EPs, but their influence can be felt decades later. On RSD20, their ‘Energy’ full length will receive a deluxe reissue on black & white vinyl. An essential collection filler! [Expect to pay £30+]

BOYS NEXT DOOR – DOOR, DOOR

Before The Birthday Party became The Birthday Party, they recorded an impossible-to-find LP under the name Boys Next Door. Reports suggest Nick Cave isn’t fond of it, but that won’t stop fans placing this limited reissue somewhere near the top of their wants list. [Expect to pay £35]

MELLOW CANDLE – SWADDLING SONGS

In the seventies there were many folk rock bands that went unheralded. With vaguely acid drenched arrangements and fantastic harmonies Ireland’s Mellow Candle were the best. Their sole album is worth a small fortune in its original pressing, but it’s the kind of record that should be heard by everyone. The new edition for RSD20 claims to be “pure analogue, remastered from the original tapes.” [Expect to pay £30]

SANDIE SHAW – REVIEWING THE SITUATION

Sandie’s 1969 LP was drastically under purchased at the time of release. The original album is her best ever work, featuring covers of artists as diverse as Dr. John, Bee Gees and Lionel Bart. The album is also home to the world’s first ever Led Zeppelin cover – and Shaw’s version of ‘Your Time Is Gonna Come’ is superb. ‘Reviewing The Situation’ is a classic sixties gem in every sense. A double vinyl reissue for RSD pairs the original album with various singles, b-sides and associated recordings from the era. [Expect to pay £35]

THIN LIZZY – CHINATOWN

For RSD2019, Thin Lizzy’s ‘Black Rose’ was released as a 2LP set with unreleased demo recordings. This reissue follows the same set up, pairing the 1980 album with a set of unreleased demos of the original nine songs. Nothing flashy, but with a heavyweight vinyl pressing and embossed sleeve, most of Lizzy’s hardcore fans will want to track it down for the collection. [Expect to pay £35-£40]

DEF LEPPARD – ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME

A nice curio, this 12” release brings together all five tracks performed by Def Leppard at their Hall of Fame induction, including a rendition of Mott The Hoople’s ‘Golden Age of Rock N Roll’ featuring the legendary Ian Hunter. An expensive time for Leps fans, this RSD disc comes at a similar time as two massive box sets of archive and live material… [Expect to pay £25]

GENE – RISING FOR SUNSET

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Gene’s live album is issued on deluxe vinyl for the first time this RSD. A 2LP set in blue and orange, it would already be a beautiful item, but an etched fourth side makes it the Britpop fans’ most fetishist collectors’ piece this year. [Expect to pay £28-£34]

MY LIFE STORY – VERSIONS

Another much loved band from Britpop’s glory days, My Life Story gave 2019 one of its best albums with their ‘World Citizen‘ comeback disc. Showing how the band were still capable of the most sophisticated pop, it was great to have them back. This RSD 12” features two exclusive remixes. Nice for the fan who must have everything. [Expect to pay £23-£25]

VARIOUS – 2-TONE DANCE CRAZE

This 1981 album collects various live recordings from the soundtrack of the same-named film. Various tracks by The Selecter, The Beat, Madness and Bad Manners are still exclusive to this disc, which has never been given a vinyl reissue. For those without an original copy, this “half speed master” edition is issued as part of 2-Tone’s 40th anniversary celebrations and will make its debut on RSD. While this reissue is very welcome, here at REAL GONE, we’d love to see ‘Dance Craze’ get a full, decent deluxe reissue [more on that here.] [Expect to pay £30]

DAVID BOWIE – I’M ONLY DANCING 

Towards the end of the Diamond Dogs tour, David rejigged everything and gave his shows more of a soul oriented vibe.  This was to premier some of the material that would feature on his next album ‘Young Americans’.  The show featured on ‘I’m Only Dancing’ has been widely circulated on bootlegs, but RSD20 marks its first official release on vinyl and CD.  If you’re a Bowie fan, you know you already want this.  [Expect to pay £35-£40 for the vinyl and £22+ for the CD.]

NEIL YOUNG – Homegrown

Neil’s acoustic album ‘Homegrown’ was scheduled to follow 1974’s ‘On The Beach’, but got shelved in favour of the equally downbeat and electric ‘Tonight’s The Night’.  Some of the songs were re-recorded for later albums, but this is the first time the original album has seen a proper release.  As any NY fan knows, the mighty sideburned one is prone to changing his mind and unreleased albums such as this aren’t exactly an unknown quantity.  It’s great that this will be finally let out into the wild…but we won’t entirely believe it until we have it in our hands!  [Expect to pay £30-£35]

March 2020