Well, what a disappointing Record Store Day 2017 we had….
The plan was reasonably good on paper:
a) get up at 6.30am; b) drive straight into the city and go to Red Eye Records, one of the largest and most respected record stores in Sydney – we’ve spent a lot of money here over the years; c) buy a copy of The Beatles 7″ ‘Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever’; d) ask if they also have the Paul McCartney/Elvis Costello Cassette Demos from Flowers In The Dirt released specially for RSD; e) if so, buy that too; f) come home happy.
What really happened:
a) got up at 6.30am; b) drove into the city (first mistake – nowhere to park); c) eventually parked away across town and had a lengthy walk to Red Eye, arriving at 7.40am; d) big crowd already there waiting for the doors to open at 8.00am, long queue stretching down the block:
e) at about 9.00am we eventually get to the counter; f) at about 9.01am we’re told that the store only got two copies of the ‘Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever’ single and that these sold long ago; g) they didn’t get any of the Cassette Demos at all; h) at 9.02am come out of the store disheartened, race down to Utopia Records nearby; i) they don’t have any copies of either title; j) race back to the car; k) drive to Newtown just outside the city, to two other participating record stores (Egg Records and Hum on King); l) no luck there either; m) drive home empty-handed, disappointed, tired and by this stage a little angry….
Firstly, how can the biggest independent record store in Sydney be allocated just two copies of the only Beatle Record Store Day release?
Secondly, now we search eBay only to see a large number of sellers who have copies of the Beatles 7″, don’t want it for their own collections, and are offering multiple copies for sale online at exorbitant prices. They are the equivalent of concert ticket scalpers, preying on the true fans.
There’s something basically wrong with Record Store Day when this sort of thing happens, don’t you think?
Beatles Blog 
I’m from Liverpool UK and we always have the same problem – I was working yesterday and couldn’t get to store early enough
Wanted SFF and demo cassette but not available – a quick check on eBay shows multiple copies of both for resale at inflated prices – pathetic and I agree that RSD has completely lost its way when compared to original intentions
Have had to buy expensive copies for my collection because of my ‘addiction’ but once again true fans get ripped off
Regards to all Liverpool0561
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Yep, it’s a problem. Everyone knows they will be worth much more than the retail price, and my guess is that many copies of these and other releases don’t actually go over the counter. If I was a store owner with a pile of Penny Lanes I’d be tempted to sell them privately on Ebay and make much more money. I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s definitely it needs addressing.
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In Bruges (Belgium) I went to the local record shop, and they had 5 copies of the 7″ Beatles single. The one I bought was the last one, and by then it was 2p.m. Guess it depends on where you live. Some more info for you: the inside groove tells the single was done at the famous ‘1/2 speed’ mastering. I’ve listened, and yes, the new mix sounds different. A bit strange at first when you expect to hear things at a certain level, and it turns out to be changed. But nothing shocking. But, in my opinion it isn’t the best vinyl pressing I’ve heard. The quality of sound is average.
If I get my hands on another copy, I’ll inform you!
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I went to my local record store here in Miami arounfd 10am and they told me the single was gone too… They had people waiting in the street at 4am!
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Being a huge Beatles fan and with their 50th Anniversary edition of Sgt Peppers due this month the excitement is building, and to buy a rare single and to everyone’s shock and surprise we the fans usually get to a record store early a couple of hours before open time knowing there will be a huge crowd but the anticipation is enormous oh sorry we have only 2 copies of the single to me that’s a pretty poor effort on behalf of the label record Company and gee you feel very very let down, as these singles are quite rare & expensive no doubt some fans will pay a good price for a rarity. With Sgt Peppers massive edition due on the 26th-27th May it will be interesting to see how many copies the store will have
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Record Whore Day. Record store day is a double edge sword.
All kinds of new music, reissues of hard to
find material, and lots of vinyl specifically
taylored to prey on the sensibilities of
collectors and completists. The prices, in
many cases are ridiculous, but the record
companies know their market base and how
to exploit it. The concept of “rare”, and “limited
edition”, is just
what is needed to get us standing in long
lines like cattle, hoping we are not the ones
to leave disappointed because of poor
distribution, and/or greedy resellers. Not a lot of profit in the RSD
products as such, but great overall for
retailers. And that’s a good thing. But, never having been a big advocate for standing
in lines, I renamed it Record Whore Day a few
years ago. Guess that makes me a bit of a
vinyl slut!
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I had the same experience in Wolverhampton – no joy. Yet 24 hours later, I was alerted to a seller on Amazon in the UK who had 12 copies @£15 – how can that be right? There were other much more expensive copies on EBay too….
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Unfortunately this is happening all over the world(US,too), with the entertainment business. I wish sometimes the entertainers would back us(the fans)up.
We are the ones who pay for their success and keep their bank accounts up.
The only way to be heard is: Boycott that music store. They’re the number one stores because of you…Your money. Cut’em off for a wk.or two.
Concerts..Same thing.
Yes it is hard. But nothing gained is never easy
They depend on our weakness. If we don’t give them money.
I’m tired of being jerked around by these greedy people. I’ve worked hard for my money. I’m not giving it away to people who have not respect for others except to see how much money they can screw is out of
I have done without many times. Maybe the establishment didn’t suffer but I have my pride.
Remember people, they put the leg in their pants the same way we do.
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I agree . They advertise this special event & not have what we want . I also found out there were too much merchandise . We can’t but it all . My store I go to , Pats , in Phila . Didn’t get on the List . I even gave him a heads up on what I wanted . Nunber one .. The Beatles 7 in !
I’m very disappointed !
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I’ll see your tale of woe, and raise you a “I was in line at Redeye while you were in bed, and I still missed out”. Mine was a 5:15 get-up, with a very understanding partner who drove me into the city (and got pulled over by a motorcycle cop in Macquarie street for speeding). I was 12th in line at 6:15am(*), and was out of the store at 8:15am, with only a U2 single that I had not intended to buy had the Beatles single been available. Apparently the guy at the head of the line was there at 4:40am.
(*) 12th in line at 6:15, yet 16th in line at opening time. Over the course of the time I was waiting, there were four “chat-and-cuts” ahead of me, one of whom was showing off his mint-in-box Hot Wheels Yellow Submarine (not a good sign), and three others who arrived at 7:15 loaded down with bags from Utopia, which opened at 7am. I had envisaged about 5 copies being available, so I pretty much knew I was screwed at that point – but up until then I thought I had a chance, since most of the line ahead of me had a “Kings of Leon” look about them.
NEVER AGAIN.
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Man, that’s an amazing story. Thanks for sharing. Goes to show, even if I got up at 5am I’d still have missed out. Really sad that a shop like Red Eye, with such a reputation for supplying the true fans over many years is dealt with in this way by the local Universal Music suppliers. They obviously could care less and only made two copies available to them – both of which had effectively been sold out before I even got out of bed!
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