Friday Flashback

Temptation awaits on Record Store Day

April 17, 2009 0 Comments

Tomorrow is the second annual Record Store Day, celebrating music at independent retailers across this great land of ours.

A slew of special releases have been pressed specifically for the occasion, like Black Kids’ Wizard Of Ahhhs EP on 10″ vinyl and a 12″ of Oasis’ “Falling Down” (featuring a 22-minute mix from Amorphous Androgynous, a Future Sound Of London alias). Sony covers the mainstream with new 7″ singles from Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Costello (each with previously unreleased B-sides), while Rhino unlocks the vault to reissue hard-to-find retro singles from The Smiths, The Stooges, and New Order.

The last one, New Order’s “Temptation,” has never been available as a 7-inch here in the U.S. The single version differs from the original Factory Records 12″, using separate recordings and different mixes. Haven’t read whether the reissue will spin at 33 1/3 rpm like the original UK 7″ did.

The 12″ version of “Temptation” reached a sad #68 on the Billboard Dance chart when it was first released in 1982 (#29 in the UK), though it’s since become the song New Order has played live more than any other. In concert, the band often fuses both the 7″ and 12″ versions for an extended 10-minute take. Here’s one of those times, live at New York City’s Ukranian Hall:

In addition to the treasure trove of limited-edition releases (check out the complete list), Record Store Day features in-store performances from artists and DJs. See which mom-and-pop retailers are participating near you, and if you’re out and about in the Chicago area maybe we’ll cross paths. Just l’eggo that Black Kids’ 10-inch if there’s only one left.

[Update via Pitchfork: Some of the special Record Store Day releases might not be ready in time for Saturday’s celebration.]