Record Store Day 2019 Wish List

Record Store Day is coming up again. Have you made your wish list? There are plenty of releases to be excited about. I figured I’d point out a few worth checking out.

• Culture: “The Nighthawk Recordings” – This record contains several unreleased tracks from 1983, with Culture backed by The Wailers. That is sufficient reason to own it. But apparently it is also going to be on color vinyl, which makes it even more attractive. By the way, the other three tracks are from a 1982 compilation, where the band is backed by Roots Radics. This release will also be available on CD the day before Record Store Day. I posted a review of the CD on this blog.
• The Dream Syndicate: “The Days Of Wine And Roses” – This new vinyl edition is apparently expanded, with previously unreleased material, and also includes a bonus 7-inch. Very cool. This record is limited to only 500 copies, which is fucking crazy.
• Grateful Dead: “Sage And Spirit” – I am a big Grateful Dead fan, so I want to own everything. Sage And Spirit is interesting primarily for the cool cover, for the music itself has all been previously released on other albums. Mostly we get studio tracks, including “High Time,” “Unbroken Chain” and “If I Had The World To Give.” The two live tracks are apparently from Europe ’72. I couldn’t find information on how many copies of this LP will be available. 
• Grateful Dead: “The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 10/9/80 & 10/10/80” – In 1980, the Grateful Dead performed a series of concerts at the Warfield where they did three sets instead of the usual two. The first set each night was an acoustic set. This Record Store Day release includes two of those acoustic sets. My favorite song of all time is “Ripple,” and the Dead concluded both sets with that song, which is more than enough reason for me to need to own this release. It is going to be available on both CD and vinyl. I want both.
• Woody Guthrie: “I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me” – Apparently, this release marks the first time Woody Guthrie’s home recording of “I Don’t Like The Way This World’s A-Treatin’ Me” is being released on vinyl. This EP also includes another version of the song, with Jeff Tweedy playing on it. That’s totally cool, but the reason I want this record is that it also contains two new versions of a protest song about Fred Trump (Donald’s scummy daddy). This 10-inch EP is limited to 1,500 copies. 
• John Lennon: “Imagine: Raw Studio Mixes” – Well, there is really no explanation needed. What is needed is a copy of this record in my collection. It’s a double album, and is limited to 5,500 copies.
• The Minus 5: “Stroke Manor” – The story behind the release is incredible. The album was begun by Scott McCaughey after he suffered a stroke and while still in the ICU. A doctor told him he’d never play music again. He was like, fuck that, and made this record. It will be available on both vinyl and CD. The vinyl is limited to either 1,000 or 2,000 copies, depending on which website you’re looking at. The CD will have either 1,000 or 2,500 copies.
• Monty Python: “Life Of Brian” – When I was in high school, I started a Monty Python club, where we just watched Monty Python. This was during school hours, mind you. Anyway, while a lot of folks hold The Holy Grail as their favorite Python film, my favorite is Life Of Brian. It’s bloody brilliant. This Record Store Day release is a double album picture disc. Picture discs are more for looking at than playing, but I feel a deep desire to own this. And apparently there is some archival material included.
• The Police: “Message In A Bottle” – This is a re-issue of the band’s single, but in a special double-single release, if that makes any sense. Basically, there are two 7-inch records, the first of which is the original single and flip side. The second record features two versions of “Message In A Bottle” – the classic rock mix and an instrumental version. Both records are colored vinyl, and I am a sucker for colored vinyl. The colors, by the way, are green and blue, the bottle and the ocean.

Again, these are just a few of the records that will be available on Record Store Day. I’m sure that as I look at the list again, I will find more records that I’d like to add to my collection.