Record Store Day 2014 Part 1: Learn To Obey

Somewhere along the way, I stopped caring about Record Store Day releases. It used to be that I would pour over the list each year, memorizing all those new records that I had to have. Then at some point it hit me...a lot of this was just part of the RSD hype machine, and at the end of the day, I didn't need another armful of vinyl repressings that I probably wouldn't care about if it wasn't Record Store Day.

For this year, I gave a passing glance at the list of RSD releases, and decided that there were only a couple of releases that I really wanted to get my hands on. This was the first year that I didn't bother with the lines, and showed up an hour after the doors opened. It was a pretty laid back affair, but as I started flipping through the vinyl, I ended up walking out of the store with much more than I had anticipated.

At the top of my Record Store Day list was the new OFF! 7 inch. Two exclusive songs that aren't on the new LP...it was one of the few things that I would have been bummed if I didn't get it. I let out a sigh of relief when I found a copy.

The one other piece of vinyl that I was on the hunt for was the Clutch/Lionize split 7 inch. I couldn't have cared less about the Lionize side, but a new Clutch song for their side of the record? Fuck yes.

Truth be told, I had completely forgotten that there was going to be a new pressing of Up Front's Spirit LP for Record Store Day. I was happily surprised when I saw it in the vinyl bin. Probably the best thing released on this day. This record completes the trifecta of vinyl that I NEEDED to have. Every new release beyond this point was a bonus, and was something that wouldn't have broken my heart if I didn't buy one.

Let start off the remainder of my RSD haul with the Revelation stuff. I love Farside, and someday I'd like to make a run at building a decent collection. Until then, I'll grab this copy of the band's first 7 inch on blue vinyl.

I skipped REV's RSD pressing of the first Sense Field LP last year. I've always though of it as a bit of a turd, but I do really enjoy Killed For Less and Building. I'm not out to collect multiple copies, but since I didn't already own Building on vinyl, I figured that this was a good opportunity to finally buy one...plus that red vinyl looks great!

Another band that I'd like to get around to collecting someday is Battery. I think that the only piece of vinyl I had for them was the copy of the 7 inch I got a couple years ago. Embarrassing. I happily took this opportunity to grab my first piece of vinyl for Whatever It Takes.

Quick story...I remember sitting outside a show talking to Lacroix from Ten Yard Fight, and he was telling me that Ken Olden was bragging about how easy it was to write a Youth Crew Hardcore record. Apparently, Ken said he could crank one out in 5 minutes. When I first heard Whatever It Takes, I was disappointed with how uninspired it sounded...kind of like the band rushed through it in 5 minutes. The record is okay, and I probably enjoy it more today than when it was released, but let's not kid ourselves...Until The End crushes this one.

At one point, I was a huge fan of Strife. I saw them a few times in Boston back in the day, and they always were great live. In This Defiance hasn't aged that well, and I rarely even bother with it these days, but I never owned it on vinyl, so I figured "what the Hell", and bought one on Record Store Day.

Scott Vogel has done a lot of bands. I liked Despair, and while it has been many years since I've bothered with Terror, I remember digging those first two records. I've never really spent a lot of time with Buried Alive, and figured that the Record Store Day provided a good opportunity to dig into them beyond a casual listen.

Once I had all the Hardcore vinyl that I wanted, it was time to decide what else I wanted to pick up. It seems that each year, there is some "limited" release from Jimi Hendrix. Typically it is some throw away 7 inch that I can't imagine anyone really needs, but this year we got a vinyl pressing of Live At Monterey. I love most of the Hendrix stuff and this is a solid live set. I was in the mood for spending money...plus that cover is too bad ass to resist...so I grabbed myself a copy.

Speaking of spending money...I had an internal debate over purchasing the reissue of The Doors compilation, Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine. While not really a Greatest Hits record, there is nothing new here, but it does have a couple of B-sides that I don't own on vinyl. These songs, in addition with how great the vinyl looks, convinced me to spend the money and buy a copy.

Now that I had plenty of new RSD vinyl, it was time to hit the used bins...to be continued...

Rebirth Of Strife

Back in the 90's, I loved Strife. As the decade went on, they moved in a more Metal direction but still held on to that Hardcore foundation. From those first two 7 inches to Truth Through Defiance...I loved it. As we moved into the 2000's, members of the band broke edge and released a turd of an album with Anger Means. Over time, I cared less and less for this band. Occassionally, I'd spin the early stuff, but for the most part, the more metallic stuff was ignored and forgotten.

When I heard that Strife was releasing a new album last year, I really didn't give a shit. There was a ton of hype, and it seemed like kids everywhere were losing thier minds over this new record, but I still had zero interest in checking it out. What changed my mind was a review over at SWNK.

"The tuning is all wrong, it sounds like the fucking First Step or something."

"It sounds too much like a straight up hardcore band."

"I’m sure someone out there will try and quote the first xStrifex record flame still burns about now, but we all know it sucked."

Okay...fuck him. My knee jerk reaction was a sudden interest to check out this record.

The album itself is better than I expected, but in the end it is just okay. It does tend to lean more towards One Truth than In This Defiance, but no one is really going to confuse this with the greatness that was The First Step. It isn't terrible, but it also isn't something that I'm going to be reaching for very often. Oh, and the guest vocals from Biohazard, Ill Nino, and Terror is a big bucket of "who gives a fuck".

77 Pressings

New Age mailorder sucks. The label hasn't released anything new that is worth buying in over 10 years. Yet, I still have no problem laying down the cash for their recent repressings. With the exception of the Unbroken record that I've never collected, this is the last of the limited "77 pressing" series.

There is really nothing special about the 77 pressing for Outspoken's Light In The Dark LP. No new cover...just the Walk Proud labels. The truth is that I passed on this when I ordered from New Age 6 months ago. I didn't see the point. Once I got my order for the other Light In The Dark represses, I knew I had to have one. I'm a sucker.

I had heard that New Age had cleaned up it's mailorder process, and they were more efficient, so I soon placed another order with the label. Not much had changed. Emails went unanswered until Mike Hartsfield let me know three months later that my order was shipping. Same shitty packaging though. Bubble envelope? Seriously? Should not come as a surprise that the post office mangled it and the spine of the record cover tore.

The one "77 pressing" that I really wanted was for the first Strife 7 inch. The trouble was, I couldn't find it in the webstore. It seemed that the availability of records all depended on what link you clicked on when you were in the webstore. Some of the Outspoken records weren't available on the Vinyl link, but if they showed up in the Featured Release section, you could order them there. I took a chance and tracked down the original link to the Strife "77 pressing" from and old Facebook post on the New Age Records page. Got it! Seems like all navigation issues are now sorted out, as the webstore has all Strife and Outspoken pressings available.

The sleeve on this record is really cheap. Too bad, because I love the layout on this thing. That front cover shot reminds me of how intense Strife shows were back in the mid-90's. The "77 pressing" neck tattoo for the dude on the back cover is hilarious.

Revelation of a Strife

I'm either a trusting individual, or I'm desperate for limited colored vinyl. Even though it took New Age Records about 4 months to ship the new pressing for the Survival 7 inch from Outspoken, when news went out that new pressings for the Light in the Dark LP, I couldn't resist and I placed another order. As soon as I fired off another $50 paypal payment to New Age I saw that there was also a couple of new pressings of Strife's first 7 inch, My Fire Burns On. I immediately sent an email to Mike Hartsfield, asking if he could add the Strife records to my order...weeks went by with no response. Shit. Not a good sign. While cruisin' around the REVHQ webstore, I notice that they have the Strife record for sale. I sent them an email and got an email the next day, saying that they had both colors of the record in stock. Order placed and received before I heard from Hartsfield that my New Age order was shipping. 175 on pink/red marble and 350 on grey/yellow marble.