Today was the big announcement day for Record Store Day 2015, scheduled for Saturday, April 15 at the finest independent retailers across the U.S. and beyond! A press conference was held at Brooklyn’s outpost of Rough Trade giving the details on the many titles to expect next month. We’re kicking off our coverage with a look at the releases due from Legacy Recordings; watch this space for more news as it comes!
Legacy’s eclectic line-up has some of the label’s heaviest hitters – Bruce Springsteen, Simon and Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash – alongside newly-signed jazz chanteuse Cassandra Wilson, rockers 311, Adam and the Ants, and the Manic Street Preachers, and a couple of fun media tie-ins from Citizen Dick (the fictional band from Cameron Crowe’s 1992 comedy Singles, featuring Eddie Vedder and members of Pearl Jam) and the WWF (yes, the WWF!) with contributions on the latter from Jim Steinman, Rick Derringer and Cyndi Lauper!
Read on for all of the details, courtesy of Legacy!
311 - "Grifter" c/w "Who's Got the Herb" - 7" White Vinyl
This 7" white vinyl single debuts two previously unreleased versions of songs much beloved by fans of 311. "Grifter" was originally recorded during the Omaha rock band's 1997 Transistor sessions. "Who's Got The Herb," 311's interpretation of a song first recorded by Bad Brains frontman H.R., comes from 2001's From Chaos sessions. Both tracks will appear on the forthcoming 311 Legacy box set, slated for release in summer 2015.
Adam and the Ants - "Kings of the Wild Frontier" c/w "Antmusic" - 7" Gold Vinyl
Legacy Recordings and RSD 2015 celebrate the 35th anniversary of the release of Adam and the Ants' blockbusting Kings of the Wild Frontier (the UK #1 album that introduced the Burundi beat drum sound to the world at large) with this double A-side single showcasing restored original artwork and audio.
Bruce Springsteen - The Album Collection Vol. 1 1973-1984 - seven individual 12" vinyl titles
Available individually for RSD 2015, newly remastered 12" vinyl editions of the first seven albums recorded and released by Bruce Springsteen for Columbia Records between 1973 and 1984. Recently transferred from the original analogue masters and remastered for release by Bob Ludwig, working with Springsteen and longtime engineer Toby Scott, these essential Springsteen album titles include: Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. (1973), The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle (1973), Born To Run (1975), Darkness On The Edge Of Town (1978), The River (1980), Nebraska (1982) and Born In The U.S.A. (1984).
Cassandra Wilson and Billie Holiday - "You Go To My Head" c/w "The Mood That I'm In" - 10" Vinyl
Recently signed with Legacy Recordings, Grammy-winning American jazz artist Cassandra Wilson honors the legendary Billie Holiday on the 100th anniversary of the singer's birth (April 7, 1915). Side A showcases Cassandra's sublime interpretations of these two songs closely associated with Lady Day while Side B features the beautiful originals performed by Billie Holiday. "You Got To My Head" appears on Coming Forth By Day, Wilson's debut Legacy album, a musical homage to Billie Holiday, produced by Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and others). Cassandra's version of "The Mood I'm In" is available exclusively on this RSD collectible 10".
Citizen Dick – "Touch Me I'm Dick" - 7" Vinyl with etched B-side
This 7" vinyl version of "Touch Me, I'm Dick" is the signature single from Citizen Dick - the fictional grunge-rock band featuring members of Pearl Jam - from the 1992 Seattle-centric Cameron Crowe film Singles. The collectible "Touch Me, I'm Dick" single includes, on its B-side, an etching of a quote regarding the meaning of the song's title from Citizen Dick frontman "Cliff Poncier," played by Matt Dillon in the film.
Jimi Hendrix – "Purple Haze" (Live) c/w "Freedom" (Live) – 7" Vinyl
This double A-side single--mixed by Jimi Hendrix's long-term sound engineer Eddie Kramer--features two electrifying tracks recorded live at the Atlanta Pop Festival at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia, on July 4, 1970 before the largest U.S. audience (estimated between 300,000 - 400,000) of the guitarist's career. This RSD 2015 release is an incredible sonic document from Hendrix's Cry of Love tour.
Johnny Cash - Koncert V Praze (In Prague- Live) – 12" Red Translucent 180-Gram Vinyl
Johnny Cash, America's legendary Man in Black, playing his greatest hits and personal favorite songs behind the Iron Curtain Czechoslovakia in 1978. This limited edition heavyweight 12" LP is pressed on 180 gram Soviet Red vinyl to commemorate this historic performance.
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible 20 – 12" Vinyl Picture Disc
Originally released on Epic Records in 1994, The Holy Bible has proved pivotal in the evolution of Manic Street Preachers and the alternative rock music landscape connecting the 20th and 21st centuries. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of this classic album, The Holy Bible 20 has been pressed on a 12" vinyl picture disc exclusively for Record Store Day and is being released to coincide with the eagerly-awaited Manic Street Preachers North American Tour, which kicks off on April 20 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.
Simon & Garfunkel - "Homeward Bound"/"Leaves That Are Green" - 7" Vinyl
This collectible 7" 45rpm vinyl releases recreates the original 1966 "Homeward Bound" single, pairing two essential Simon & Garfunkel cuts from that year: "Homeward Bound" (from Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme) and "Leaves That Are Green" (from Sounds of Silence). A Top 5 single in the US, "Homeward Bound" became a worldwide phenomenon reaching #4 in the Netherlands and #9 in the UK while going Top 20 in Australia and Sweden (where it hit #12). The cover for this RSD 2015 release is based on the German single artwork.
Various Artists - The Wrestling Album/Piledriver: The Wrestling Album 2 - 12" 2LP Red/Yellow Colored Vinyl
This RSD 2015 release brings The Wrestling Album and Piledriver: The Wrestling Album 2 together as a 2LP collection, in a handsome spiral-bound jacket, celebrating a golden era in American pro wrestling mania. Originally released by the World Wrestling Federation in 1985, The Wrestling Album features tracks produced by Rick Derringer, David Wolff, Jim Steinman (Bat Out of Hell) and "Mona Flambé" (Cyndi Lauper, who contributes backing vocals on "Real American"); the album is comprised of theme music for wrestlers on the WWF (now the WWE) roster at the time. The 1987 follow-up, Piledriver: The Wrestling Album 2 showcases vocal performances from the wrestlers themselves, including "Stand Back" by Vince McMahon and "If You Only Knew" by The WWF Superstars.
Steve Talia says
Let's hope that the Hendrix will be a sign that the rumored CD/DVD release of Atlanta '70 will be coming out soon. At this point, do you know if anything on the packaging of this single indicates that a full show release is forthcoming?
Kevin B. says
Nothing here to get me out on a Saturday morning to brave those insane crowds pushing, shoving and grabbing.
Kevin says
if they wanted to make sales, they'd make enough copies. This isn't about sales, it's only about advertising buzz. Most record collectors I know don't bother with this event.
Sean Anglum says
The S&G 7" release begs the question......Is it mono? Is Paul softening his "anti-mono" stance? If it's the remastered stereo, fergetabotit!
Robert says
Vinyl, vinyl and more vinyl! Still plenty of us out here that grew up in the CD era that buy music folks. How 'bout some CD exclusives as well?
Kevin B. says
AMEN!
Kevin says
Especially overpriced vinyl. Forget it.