The following is a Friends Against Recorded Tyranny (FART) communique. All statements made within the body of this message reflect dissatisfaction with the norm.
From The Desk of Robert “Bobby” Conflict, Most Exalted Sound Merchant:
Hello loyal customers, friends, enemies, shadow people, and the associated press,
You may have noticed through my previous contact with you through the World Wide Web that Vinyl Conflict will not be participating in “Record Store Day” this year. This decision was not made easily for an independent record store simply trying to make it through the day to day trials of not being ground into obscurity and oblivion by shadowy corporate occultists or the boot heel of our ever present Reptilian overseers. Record Store Day is often seen as a chance for beleaguered stores to be able to get their trembling hands on limited releases (“X Gon’Preach it To Ya” a selection of Bible verses narrated by Mr. DMX) or hard to find re-pressings ( Molly Hatchet live at Three Mile Island ). It also seems to be the only time of year that mainstream music conglomerates remember that we exist outside of their attempts to banish us to the land of shadow and wails. Why would we not take the chance and join them?
The spirit and ideals of this once innocently conceived holiday have been shifted by the winds of greed and driven into a sea of treachery, rife with dolphins of deceit. This is no longer a celebration of the local shop where people can come together over their shared love of music. Instead it is the stock of titles, given out like communion wafers by power hungry priests, and the arcane rules to receive them that have become the center of this festival of avarice. The limited availability of these titles drives the guidelines and rules to increasing levels of complexity. Fans and disingenuous eBay flippers locked together in a death spiral by the chains of bureaucracy.
Almost all new punk, hardcore and metal releases are more limited than any of the titles that are offered on Record Store Day. Nearly every title, with the exception of some older classics, are limited to only a few thousand. We bid in on pre-orders which we have no promise of receiving,asking for larger numbers of stock than we want, knowing that orders will be cut partially or entirely. For the privilege of participating in this Kafka-esque process we shell out thousands of dollars for non-refundable stock that may or may not sell. Adrift and alone in psychic wasteland, cobbling together what shelter we can from discarded Dave Matthews Band B-sides.
This is no way to show my customers and friends, how dedicated we are to them and our community of extreme music enthusiasts.
This year we offer you something unique. A new path hacked from the choking weeds of stagnation with the glittering weed eater of enlightenment. The slip ‘n’ slide less travelled. A truer representation of what Vinyl Conflict is about.
I want to be that clear that we have no ill will towards any of our brothers and sisters in arms at other stores. Nor towards labels, distributor or other entities
participating in this event. We must walk our own road.
April 18th at Vinyl Conflict will be Customer Appreciation Day. If you only go to one insurrection this year, make it this one.
-END COMMUNIQUE-
