With RECORD STORE DAY taking place in the UK on Saturday 13th April, we thought that we’d have a read through the list of 546 exclusive releases and hand pick 10 of our favourites, they’re not necessarily the best or the rarest but they’re ones that made us happy…..

Artist - 808 State

Title - Four Shades of 808 State

Label - ZTT

Format - 4 x 12” Box Set

Limited edition 4 x 12" box set exploring four very different sides of 808 State; Haçienda-inspired acid house classics, Thunderdome-inspired full-frontal aural assaults, renowned collaborations, and downtempo sonic baths. Featuring 27 tracks across four discs, including rare and previously unreleased mixes, hidden tracks, brand new artwork and liner notes. Includes three previously unreleased tracks and three previously unreleased on vinyl. The entire set is remastered from the original master tapes.

Artist - Acid Mothers Temple

Title - Does The Cosmic Shepherd Dream Of Electric Tapirs?

Label - Space Age Recordings

Format - Double LP

Mustard coloured heavyweight 180 gram audiophile vinyl double LP with new artwork layout. Re-mastered by John Rivers at Woodbine Street Studio especially for first time vinyl release.

Artist - The Alarm

Title - Live in 85’

Label - Twenty First Century Recording Company

Format - Double LP

Classic recording of The Alarm in concert from Boston Orpheum on November 9th 1985.

16 of the 21 songs have never been released before in any form whatsoever. Four of the tracks (Where Were You Hiding?, Deeside, Sixty Eight Guns & Knocking On Heaven's Door), were used as B-sides and extra tracks with the band's 'Spirit Of '76' UK single release of early 1986 which put the band into the UK Top 30, with 'Howling Wind' being issued in the USA only as part of the 'Live For Life' IRS Records cancer benefit compilation album.

Alarm fans have longed for the day when a full release of this classic Alarm concert would be made available. 

The audio was recorded by WBCN Radio Station in Boston, MA on November 9th 1985, and features all the classic Alarm material of the era. The show was then mixed a month later at Yamaha Studios, Los Angeles by the band's live sound engineer Nigel Luby (who had also recorded the 'Strength' album). It captures the band at the height of its success in that most Celtic of American cities - Boston, who's people immediately embraced the group as one their own, inspiring the band to some of the finest Alarm performances ever captured on tape.

Artist - Azymuth

Title - Demos 1973-75: Castelo (Version 1) / Juntos Mais Uma Vez

Label - Far Out Recordings

Format - 7”

Two previously unreleased and unheard demo recordings from Azymuth's formative years. Mastered from the original tapes for an exclusive RSD 7" on the label's 25th anniversairy year. Recorded between 1973-75 at the late great keyboard maestro José Roberto Bertrami's home studio in Rio, the tracks are a mesmerising document of the futuristic sound Bertrami, Ivan Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) were developing before going on to release their cult favourite, self-titled debut with Som Livre. With a huge opening 8-bar drum break, and Bertrami's keyboard set up including Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, and a Clavinet with Wah Wah, 'Castelo (Version 1)' captures Azymuth's alien space-funk sound in its rawest, most progressive form.'Juntos Mais Uma Vez' on the B side is an enormous instrumental soul ballad, which ebbs and flows with heart-wrenching Hammond organ melodies punctuated by the low-slung, deep groove of Brazil's most beloved rhythm section. Following this special limited edition 7" for Record Store Day will be a two volume LP release comprising a comprehensive archive of some of the samba-jazz-funk mavericks' wildest, unreleased early music. The best care has been taken in restoring and mastering these recordings from the original cassette tapes, given to Far Out founder Joe Davis by Bertrami at Azymuth's first studio sessions for the label back in 1995.

Artist - Bingo Hand Job

Title - Live at the Borderline 91’

Label - USM/Concord 

Format - Double LP

No witnesses of a Bingo Hand Job gig could be found.  No recordings existed.  Yet, when it was announced that the enigmatic band and some unusual friends would play London’s 200-capacity club, The Borderline, on March 14 and 15, 1991, tickets were quickly sold out, traded and re-sold at unreasonable prices.Who were these guys only known as The Doc, Raoul, Ophelia and Stinky (with friends Spanish Charlie, Conrad and Violet)? Legendary, colossal and now of mythical proportions, the second night – March 15, 1991 – is finally and officially released for the very first, and only time! Released for the first time, fully authorised.Michael Stipe as “Stinky”, Peter Buck as “Raoul”, Mike Mills as “Ophelia”, Bill Berry as “The Doc”.With friends Spanish Charlie (Peter Holsapple), Conrad (Billy Bragg) and Violet (Robyn Hitchcock). A blistering hits-packed set, from “a band at the terrifying height of its popularity, caught in the spotlight between college rock integrity and Unplugged stardom.”  —Record Collector

Artist - Chapterhouse

Title - Whirlpool The Original Recordings

Label - Space Age Recordings

Format - Single LP 

Re-mastered by John Rivers at Woodbine Street Studio especially for vinyl release for RSD 2019. First issue on vinyl. Sea blue coloured heavyweight 180 gram audiophile vinyl LP

Artist - Frits Wentink

Title - Frogs, Toads and Newts

Label - Wolf Music

Format - 12”

Previously unreleased gem from the vaults. Hand stamped centre label with signed photo postcard and sticker inserts

Artist - IDLES

Title - MEAT EP / META EP

Label - Balley Records

Format - 12”

This vinyl release of both MEAT EP & META EP is the first time it has been released on Vinyl. It is also the first time META EP has been released in any physical format. This will only be relased for RSD and will not be repressed. It will be on white coloured vinyl. No download code. Remixes are by David Pajo (SLINT, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's) Thom (Alt J), Pete Robertson (The Vaccines) & Sly One.

Artist - Motorhead

Title - Rockaway Beach

Label - Motörhead Music, c/o: Silver Lining Music

Format - 7”

Motörhead Record Store Day Exclusive 7” purple coloured Vinyl housed in a clear PVC wallet.

MOTÖRHEAD MUSIC / SILVER LINING MUSIC TO CELEBRATE RECORD STORE DAY WITH SPECIAL MOTÖRHEAD 7” “ROCKAWAY BEACH” RELEASE ON APRIL 13th

It’s that wonderful time of the year again where we celebrate the glory that are record stores, and in honour of Record Store Day on April 13th 2019, Motörhead Music / Silver Lining Music will release “Rockaway Beach”, a 7” single by Motörhead celebrating their appreciation of another legendary, pioneering bunch, the Ramones. Featuring their roaring take on “Rockway Beach”, plus a live recording from the 2006 Wacken Festival of their own studio-written tribute from 1991 “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”

The 7” single will be a purple coloured vinyl in a good ol’ fashioned standard 7” sleeve featuring exclusive artwork by Tokyo Hiro http://instagram/tokyohiro

This strictly limited edition 7” will be available in all outlets & countries which participate in Record Store Day.

Artist - Various - Brown Acid

Title - Brown Acid Volume 8

Label - Riding Easy

Format - LP

Brand new edition fo the Brown Acid series release this time out to coincide with RSD. All the first pressings of this series sell out on release day. Some super rare and fearsome private press heavy rock and psych from the underground rock scene of the 1970's. Essential for all stoner rock rans and heavy psych wig out enthusiasts. UK RSD pressing of 400 in Opaque yellow vinyl.

So there you have it folks, 10 of our favourite items from this year’s list of RECORD STORE DAY goodies.

We’ll be covering the event at PHOENIX SOUND in Newton Abbot this year, it was great last year, we chatted to people in the queue when we arrived at around 7:30am who had been there since 3am, I hope that someone will break the record this year!

You can see the entire list of items that are available on Record Store Day by clicking HERE