Record Store Day 2012 Pick Ups

Record Store Day 2012 was my first ever Record Store Day participation. I am waiting the day where I can stop talking about it but yet again, since I have gotten a record player again I can now take part in fun things such as RSD. As where before, it was something I didn't feel appealed to me at the time.

So this year I went out and made a day of it. I hit numerous shops in my city of Providence Rhode Island(Olympic Records, Armageddon, Newbuy Comics Providence & Newbury Comics Warwick) as well as a shop in New London, CT called Telegraph which I have talked about recently. I spent a good 7 hours of the day traveling, shopping, seeing many different friends. The weather was awesome, I had a really good time!

Although I am sure it differs from person to person, RSD wasn't all that crazy for me. There were only 2 records that I was looking for and sadly, I found them both at a Newbury Comics and not at a small self owned record shop which I was looking to support rather than a corporation. Which isn't that the whole point of RSD to begin with!?


Here are my pickups for Record Store Day 2012:

Moving Mountains- Foreword- Topshelf Records- black/200/RSD exclusive(1000 pressed total, 3 variants)
Matt Pond PA- The Nature Of Maps- Polyvinyl Records- 180 gram black/1000
Matt Pond PA- Several Arrows Later- Polyvinyl Records- 180 gram black/1000 (2nd press RSD exclusive)
Kind Of Like Spitting- Old Moon In The Arms Of The New- Jealous Butcher Records- 180-gram opaque yellow vinyl/500

Matt Pond Sever Arrows was found at Newburys in Warwick, RI. Moving Mountains was found at Neburys in Providence, RI and both are a part of the RSD event. As far as the other two, They are not apart of RSD and just ordinary record purchases. Matt Pond Nature of Maps was an impulse buy, I saw it in the $10 bin at Telegraph and I just couldn't resist! The Kind Of Like Spitting LP I am SO pleased to have found. I saw it and my face lit up. Super stoked on that find! Also found at Telegraph.

The Telegraph

The Telegraph is a record store in New London, CT. Now if you are familiar with New London at all, I know you're probably saying "what? theres a record store there?". Trust me, I said the same thing, but yes, there is! New London to me has always been that sketchy port city an hour away from my home that I would drive to and go see sketchy hardcore shows at the sketchy venue called the El-N-Gee. It has always been that and nothing more. Time changes things, everything. After many years the El-N-Gee shut down and stopped hosting shows. To later re-open as a dance club that tried to reclaim some old fame and book hardcore shows once more. However the scene had changed. People and bands changed and it was a change for the worse. Didn't quite pan out. I attended a few of those shows while it was a dance club but nothing spectacular and it closed yet again. To then AGAIN re-open as El-N-Gee. I have no idea what goes on there now.

With new friends that I have made, I have come hip to this new place. From my understanding they have been there for the better part of a year or more. I have had the pleasure to visit once already and plan to visit more every few months or so. Very good atmosphere, nicely done and set up, great stock of all kinds of records new and old. Lost of stuff up my alley. Most of all, good people.

This picture is something they posted about 5 hours ago and to me it is extremely amazing. To me it captures someones dream come alive. The Before is an idea, an attempt, a blank canvas in which to make whatever you want possible. The after being just that. A barren shell. A white wasteland of boring and dull. Turned into something bright, full of life and sound. In argument something a record store should essentially be. I think the store came out excellent. Hard work and creativity can pay off!

From what I was told, even though I cannot speak for the owner(s) operator(s) of The Telegraph, I believe that they are trying to offer more to that "sketchy port city" and offer some sense of a community. Running a business is tough and in my opinion I think New London would be a hard place to do it but if things are happening, people are showing up, local businesses communicates with local businesses, things can take off. It seems to be working for the most part. Nothing too crazy but the beginning is just happening now. I'm sure there is only better things to come.

I wish the Telegraph many years of business, experiences and accomplishments to be conquered. I look forward to popping in again soon!

facebook.com/TelegraphNL