Record Store Day (last weekend) may well have past but I read a number of articles all about the subject. These made interesting reading especially after asking a favourite record shop in Hastings town about this 'Day', only to be told they didn't believe in it !

A long article I found entitled 'The Great Vinyl Buying Swindle' went some way to explaining what was conceived in 2007 as a good idea to boost interest in Vinyl records and to support stores again, has now turned into just another commercial merry-go-round !

This article* did deal with every aspect of the business from a lack of pressing plants to quality and costs of 'new' vinyl records. But the author had a a nice turn of phrase which I did enjoy. Like: 

- Record Store Day - RSD: festival/circus/ritual (delete as appropriate)

- New marketing terms for ‘Audiophiles’:

‘Half Speed Mastered From 1/4 Inch Master Tapes’! ‘Pressed On Virgin Heavyweight 180gsm Vinyl For Optimum Sound Fidelity’! Ob-Bla-Di-Ob-Blah-Blah-Bloody-Da!!!

- Crazy amounts of variations of special releases for RSD - re issues of classic LPs - ker-ching

- Greed-flation - Rip-Off Store Day ! more like...

I wont go on but the current cost of NEW vinyl is crazy and you won't find me paying such prices, that have more than doubled since 2008. Far better to hunt for 'old' discs at Record Fairs and shops that are selling second hand, at prices you can afford. 

Rant over - to this week's music. Which really has to be a new release I suppose. And I have another one of those amazing outrageously colourful videos from Escape Music. 

Soon to be released is an LP by Sign of the Wolf. A new supergroup featuring members from iconic bands such as Black Sabbath (Vinnie Appice), Whitesnake (Doug Aldrich) and Rainbow (Tony Carey). They aim to bring back melodic Hard Rock. "Evil has to fail so the spirit can prevail" - epic !

This is 'Rage of Angels' > 

*For those of you with time to spare here's the link to the article referred to. Link