Record Store Day 2011 – Saturday 16th April: Interview with Organiser Spencer Hickman
Monday, 04 April 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
We’re still a couple of weeks away from Record Store Day and it already looks set to be a major event for 2011. After last year’s annual festivities, which marked the third and most successful Record Store Day yet and saw special edition releases from the likes of Blur, it seems that they might be difficult to top. However, with Foo Fighters, Gorillaz and Arctic Monkeys among the artists getting involved this year, expectations are high for another massive event. Last year, Stereoboard spoke to Record Store Day UK organiser Spencer Hickman, the manager of Rough Trade East in London, about the history of the event and the future of record shops. In the run-up to Record Store Day 2011, we caught up with Spencer again to find out more about this year’s celebrations.
How are preparations going for Record Store Day this year?
Pretty hectic. We’ve just reached 244 releases. There’s loads going on and, because it’s getting closer to the day, I’m doing loads more interviews, etcetera etcetera. There’s a huge amount of stores that have got in-stores lined up and parties after they close. The stores are really behind it this year.
What have you got planned at Rough Trade?
We’ve got acoustic performances at our smaller store, Rough Trade West, including Pete and the Pirates and a few more to be confirmed. Here, we’ve got Wild Beasts, Soundtrack of Our Lives, Chilly Gonzales and a new band that have just signed to Transgressive called Gaggle, who are a 20-piece female choir that sound like MIA. They’re pretty nuts. Then we’re throwing a party at 93 Feet East in the evening.
What about elsewhere in the country? Have many other shops got big things planned?
Yeah, there are some really nice things. Crash and Jumbo in Leeds are having a joint party after the stores close. Badlands [in Cheltenham] have got an event on in the evening. They’re re-launching their record label after twelve years or something. There’s a ton of stuff. At the moment, there’s like 60 or 70 stores that have got events going on.
We’ve been hearing loads of news about bands that are releasing stuff specially. Do you have any particular favourites?
The Franz Ferdinand 12” is particularly nice. They asked their favourite bands to cover songs off of the last album. It’s an EP with tracks by Debbie Harry, LCD Soundsystem, ESG… Pretty special. The new Wild Beasts single is really great. Metronomy. There’s just so much stuff, it’s crazy.
When we spoke with you last year, you expressed some concern that, because of the publicity surrounding some of the limited edition releases, people might be missing the point of Record Store Day as a celebration of the shops. How do you feel about that now?
There’s always going to be people who want to buy stuff to sell on eBay. It’s something you can’t work around when you’re releasing limited editions. But, as I say, if you look at the number of stores that are having bands play all day or are having an event afterwards, the stores are definitely behind it as a celebration and a party. Hopefully, that translates all the way through to the customers. It just seems to be growing, which is great.
Talking of last year, that was probably the biggest Record Store Day yet. Has it had a big impact on this year’s event?
Yeah, I guess so. When you get people like Blur ringing you up and saying “we’re going to record a new track for you”, that’s pretty big. This year, Queen are releasing two unreleased tracks and Radiohead are putting out two unreleased songs. The Beastie Boys are releasing their first single in I don’t know how many years. The really great thing is that the artists are really behind it. They really understand it.
Have there been more shops signing up for this year’s event?
Yeah, we’ve got more again this year. I think it’s up to 191 now. We had a few that signed up really late. One of the other great things is that there were eleven new store openings last year.
What about the rest of the world? Is it becoming more of a worldwide event?
Yeah, definitely. We had meetings in December with all the labels and Michael [Kurtz, co-founder of Record Store Day] flew over from the States. Then we met representatives from the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France… Where licences allow, we’re trying to get things released worldwide, but you’re always going to have things that are country-specific. To me, that’s part of the fun. You don’t want things to get too homogenized. If every single release was made available to every single country, it would be a bit like [a well-known clothing retailer] having a clothing day. [Laughs]
Over the past twelve months, do you think people’s relationships with record shops have changed at all?
The more stores that throw parties means that customers are going to have a greater experience. Even if a customer is only going in to pick up, for instance, the limited Arctic Monkeys 7”, they will have such a great time in the store that they will go back. The record then becomes a reminder of that day and a really good experience. As convenient as the internet is, it isn’t the same as standing in a shop full of like-minded people. I’m looking at the shop floor now and we’re full. There are lots of people asking questions and listening to things on the listening posts. It’s that interaction in a store that you don’t really get online.
Do you think more younger listeners are buying vinyl these days?
Yeah, definitely. MP3s are great, but people realise that, although it sounds corny, music is an art form. It’s about going into a store, chatting to people, making a connection, taking a record home and listening to it. That’s where we’re making headway, especially with Record Store Day.
Are you hoping that Record Store Day will continue for years to come?
Yeah, I don’t see why it wouldn’t. Like I say, artists love it, labels love it, shops love it and customers love it. There’s no reason why it should finish, really. When those four key elements are into it, it seems to me that it’s going to carry on for a good long while yet. As will record shops.
Will you continue to play a big role in it?
I don’t see why not. It’s my little baby over here, I suppose. It’s a lot of work and I’m already pretty knackered, but it’s good and it keeps me motivated. I might hand little bits over, but I can’t see me giving it up, to be honest.
What reason would you give to people to get them to head down to their local record shop for this year’s Record Store Day?
Because it will absolutely blow your mind. The amount of people in the stores, the buzz. That’s the thing with the day, the buzz is pretty incredible. There really is nothing like it.
Record Store Day 2011 will take place across the country on Saturday 16th April. To find out more information, go to www.recordstoreday.co.uk and click here to find your nearest participating shop.
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Talking of last year, that was probably the biggest Record Store Day yet. Has it had a big impact on this year’s event?
