You guys say we never listen to you… well we listened. All 5 Pavement LPs plus Watery, Domestic are now available as special low-price vinyl reissues. (Premium-price audiophile versions of the first three LPs also remain in print.)
(Click on the image for a closer view.)
List prices are 11.98 for the single LPs, 9.98 for the Watery, Domestic 12″ EP, and 15.98 for the Wowee Zowee double. All LPs come with download coupons.
(Click on the L(ow) P(rice) logo for a more detailed view.)
Look for the new “L(ow) P(rice)” sticker on the LPs. There will be more in this series.
(Click on the image for a closer view.)
Buy the Pavement L(ow) P(rice) Pavement Vinyl Reissues at your favorite local store, or directly from us:
The no-less-coveted second prize, for most imaginative track listing, goes to Gwendael Gouriou of Plougastel-Daoulas in France. The sequence, as chosen by the band from over 1200 entries, is as follows:
1. Zurich Is Stained (SLANTED AND ENCHANTED)
2. Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At :17 (SLANTED AND ENCHANTED)
3. Grave Architecture (WOWEE ZOWEE)
4. Unfair (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
5. …And Carrot Rope (TERROR TWILIGHT)
6. Shady Lane / J Vs. S (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
7. Two States (SLANTED AND ENCHANTED)
8. Fame Throwa (SLANTED AND ENCHANTED)
9. Cut Your Hair (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
10. Here (SLANTED AND ENCHANTED)
11. Extradition (WOWEE ZOWEE)
12. Stereo (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
13. The Hexx (TERROR TWILIGHT)
14. Shoot The Singer (1 Sick Verse) (WATERY, DOMESTIC EP)
15. Kennel District (WOWEE ZOWEE)
16. Price Yeah! (SLAY TRACKS 1933-1969 EP)
17. No Life Singed Her (SLANTED AND ENCHANTED)
18. Stop Breathin’ (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
19. Type Slowly (Live) (TIBET FREEDOM CONCERT COMP)
20. Fin (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
21. Forklift (DEMOLITION PLOT J-7 EP)
22. Fight This Generation (WOWEE ZOWEE)
23. Box Elder (SLAY TRACKS 1933-1969 EP)
Gwen’s sequence will be pressed up as a limited-edition double vinyl LP only available on Record Store Day, April 17, at participating shops. The silkscreen cover art may have some resemblance to the image above – the band are customizing it later this week as they get together for their initial reunion tour rehearsals.
In addition to 5 copies of his sequence of the album, Gwen will be getting a complete Pavement 12″ vinyl catalog on Matador. Four runners-up will be receiving these as well – we’ll be announcing those shortly, so keep your eye on this space if you entered the contest.
Pavement’s tour dates in 2010 as announced so far are as follows:
Mar 01 Auckland, NZ Auckland Town Hall
Mar 04 Sydney, AU Enmore Theatre
Mar 05 Sydney, AU Enmore Theatre
Mar 06 Meredith, AU Golden Plains Festival
Mar 07 Adelaide, AU Thebarton Theatre
Mar 08 Northbridge, AU Metro City
Mar 10 Brisbane, AU The Tivoli
Mar 12 Melbourne, AU Palace Theatre
Mar 14 Melbourne, AU Palace Theatre
Apr 07 Tokyo, JP Studio Coast
Apr 08 Tokyo, JP Studio Coast
Apr 10 Osaka, JP Zepp
Apr 12 Nagoya, JP Zepp
Apr 18 Indio, CA Coachella Festival
May 04 Dublin, IE Tripod
May 05 Glasgow, UK Barrowland
May 07 Paris, FR Le Zenith
May 08 Amsterdam, NL Paradiso
May 10 London, UK Brixton Academy
May 11 London, UK Brixton Academy
May 12 London, UK Brixton Academy
May 13 London, UK Brixton Academy
May 15 Minehead, UK All Tomorrow’s Parties
May 18 Brussels, BE Ancienne Belgique
May 19 Berlin, DE Astra
May 20 Prague, CZ Palac Akropolis
May 21 Vienna, AT Arena
May 22 Munich, DE Muffathalle
May 24 Rome, IT Atlantico
May 25 Bologna, IT Estragon
May 28 Barcelona, ES Primavera Festival – Main Stage
Jun 19 Toronto, ON Olympic Island
Jun 25 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
Jul 04 Roskilde, DK Roskilde Festival
Aug 12 Oslo, NO Oya Festival
Aug 14 Gothenberg, SE Way Out West Festival
Sep 21 New York, NY Rumsey Playfield/Central Park
Sep 22 New York, NY Rumsey Playfield/Central Park
Sep 23 New York, NY Rumsey Playfield/Central Park
Sep 24 New York, NY Rumsey Playfield/Central Park
originally released as the B-side to the “Triumph Of Life” 7″ (Vice/Jade Tree, 2006)
Here is what the band has to say about the song in the extensive liner notes:
“Neat Parts contains an acoustic guitar. The only thing you can do with a guitar that’s more embarrassing than sitting in a studio with headphones on playing an acoustic guitar, is riding the subway with one strapped to your back so everyone knows you are going to band practice. Otherwise this is a snappy little bside. The title doesn’t mean anything, it just sounds cool. I think we might have seen it written on the wall at our practice space. The drum beat from this song and ‘Teenage Problems’ is taken from the Undertones song ‘My Perfect Cousin.’”
To confuse matters slightly, Fucked Up will be releasing a 7″ entitled “Couple Tracks” / “Holden” on the same day as the comp. These are two brand-new songs. Although the cover image will be identical to the album, the packaging is going to be a little bit unusual – we’ll get into that closer to release day.
There will be special ways to get the 7″ both from us (including if you’ve preordered already) and from select indie retailers, to be announced shortly. We’ll also have something to announce about getting your hands on some rare original 7″es collected on the comp. For now, your best bet is to preorder the album, currently with a 15% discount – more details coming soon: UPDATE – YOU CAN NOW PREORDER THE SINGLE AS A PREORDER BUNDLE WITH THE ALBUM, CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
Preorder the album (with full details on track listing).
Tons of shows coming up in Europe starting this week, and North America in February:
Wed 25 Nov 2009 – London, UK – Barfly
Thu 26 Nov 2009 – London, UK – Barfly
Fri 27 Nov 2009 – Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique
Sat 28 Nov 2009 – Urecht, Holland – Ekko ‘Le Guess Who Festival’
Sun 29 Nov 2009 – Leipzig, Germany – Conne Island
Mon 30 Nov 2009 – Krakow, Poland – Drukarnia
Tue 01 Dec 2009 – Vienna, Austria – Arena
Wed 02 Dec 2009 – Graz, Austria – PPC
Thu 03 Dec 2009 – Dusseldorf, Germany – Rotkompot
Sat 05 Dec 2009 – Minehead, UK – All Tomorrows Parties
Tue 23 Feb 2010 – St. Catherines, ON – L3 Nightclub w/ Leatherface
(ADDENDUM : the following February dates with Kurt Vile have just been confirmed)
Fri-Feb-12 Oberlin, OH The ‘Sco (Dionysus Disco) / Oberlin College
Sat-Feb-13 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sun-Feb-14 Bloomington, IN Video Saloon
Mon-Feb-15 Newport, KY Southgate House
Tue-Feb-16 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
Wed-Feb-17 Philadelphia, PA Barbary
Thu-Feb-18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
Fri-Feb-19 Brooklyn, NY Europa
Sat-Feb-20 Boston, MA Middle East Downstairs)
On January 26 we will be releasing a double-CD and double-LP compilation of Fucked Up’s many, many hard-to-find uncollected 7″ and 12″ tracks. Entitled Couple Tracks, it contains 25 songs. (There are rumors that there may be a simultaneous 7″ single of the same name). Designed as a sequel to their earlier compilation, Epics In Minutes (Deranged, 2004), the cover photographs riff on the Beatles red and blue albums thang. Comes with complete illustrated discography of the contents, with extensive liner notes about each song. Double CD is only $11 $12 direct from us. Double Vinyl will be gatefold 120-gram with MP3 coupon, priced at only $18 direct from us. PREORDER here.
Couple Tracks spans an extraordinarily varied (and extraordinarily collectible) musical career that has mainly been documented on 7-inch vinyl singles released around the world on many labels in many countries. Chronologically, it ranges from the A-side of their first single, No Pasarán, a commentary on the Spanish Civil War released on Deranged in 2002, to the fast alternate take of No Epiphany, their latest 7″ on Matador from earlier this year.
Other notable tracks include:
the definitive version of Generation and its two B-sides, Ban Violins and Magic Kingdom, released on Slasher – the introduction to the A-side comes from a Hamas recruitment CDR
covers of songs by British twee -pop legends The Shop Assistants, Another Sunny Day and Dolly Mixture, from two 7″es self-released by the band and only given away at a single show in Toronto in 2006, plus the B-side of a Matador 7″ from mid-2008
original, heavier versions of songs that later ended up on Hidden World, such as Triumph Of Life and Neat Parts, both from the 7″ originally released by Peter Bower Records in the UK
Fixed Race, from the Spanish version of Dangerous Fumes, aka Humos Peligrosos, released in Spain on La Vida Es Un Mus in 2006
Toronto FC, from the Hard Skin split 7″, only given away at a show in London in 2007
the 12″ version of Last Man Standing, only available if you selected the correct set of interlocked grooves on the B-side of the Year Of The Dog 12″ released in 2006
5 unreleased tracks
Plus much more – all beautifully remastered for your listening pleasure:
DISC ONE – THE HARD STUFF
1. No Pasarán (A-side of first 7″, Deranged, 2002)
2. Neat Parts (7″ Version) (B-side of Triumph Of Life 7″, Peter Bower, 2006)
3. Generation (7″ Version) (A-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
4. Ban Violins (B-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
5. Dangerous Fumes (A-side of Dangerous Fumes 7″, self-released, 2005)
6. Triumph Of Life (7″ Version) (A-side of Triumph Of Life 7″, Peter Bower, 2006)
7. Fixed Race (B-side of Humos Peligrosos 7″, La Vida Es Un Mus, 2006)
8. Toronto FC (from Hard Skin split 7″, No Future, 2007)
9. Black Hats (B-side of Year Of The Pig 12″, What’s Your Rupture?, 2006)
10. David Christmas (A-side of David Christmas 7″, Hidden World, 2007)
11. No Epiphany (Fast Version) (unreleased Chemistry Of Common Life outtake, intended for No Epiphany 7″, Matador, 2009)
12. Crooked Head (Video Version) (unreleased edit of track from Chemistry Of Common Life, 2008)
DISC TWO – THE FUN STUFF
1. I Hate Summer (B-side of Crooked Head 7″, Matador, 2008)
2. Teenage Problems (B-side of Dangerous Fumes 7″, self-released, 2005)
3. Carried Out To Sea (unreleased demo version of song from Hidden World, 2006)
4. Looking Back (B-side of Shop Assistants 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
5. Anorak City (Another Sunny Day cover, B-side of Year Of The Pig UK edit 7″, Matador, 2008)
6. I Don’t Want To Be Friends With You (A-side of Shop Assistants 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
7. Mustaa Lunta (B-side of Year Of The Pig Japanese edit 7″, Matdaor, 2008)
8. Dream Come True (B-side of Dolly Mixture 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
9. Magic Kingdom (B-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
10. Magic Word (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Chemistry Of Common Life song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)
11. Last Man Standing (Year Of The Dog Version) (from Year Of The Dog 12″, Blocks Recording Club, 2006)
12. He’s So Frisky (A-side of Dolly Mixture 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
13. David Comes To Life (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Hidden World song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)
If you get Couple Tracks together with Epics In Minutes, then you will still have only a portion of the incredible Fucked Up singles output, but definitely the cream of the crop.
Then they come down to Brooklyn for a very special event – they will play the entirety of The Chemistry Of Common Life at the Masonic Temple in Fort Greene, with all the supporting instruments and parts from the album. Andrew W.K., The Vivian Girls and Katie Stelmanis will join them onstage, along with other performers to be announced. Katie Stelmanis and Titus Andronicus will be opening. Get your tickets HERE.
This special version features exclusive artwork by Fernow is hand-assembled, stamped and editioned. Limited to one-hundred (100) copies, these records will make it into select stores and we’ll have it available for purchase at the Matador Store on Tuesday October 20 at 3:00 PM EST - They’re bound to go fast so mark your calendars and set your alarms.
***
If you’re in New York City next week for the CMJ festivities, you can catch Cold Cave at the following venues:
Just got back from a trip to London and am happy to report that it is still one of the record shopping capitals of the world. I’ve had many memorable visits there before, especially to the great Beano’s in Croydon when it was still three stories of original UK ’60s and ’70s pressings at reasonable prices, and of course rummaging around in the back room of Minus Zero for folk private pressings, and a memorably expensive (but totally worth it) trawl through the boxes at Intoxica that netted me original 7″es by the Poets and the Mockingbirds as well a mint Parlophone 1st/2nd matrix original mono Rubber Soul.
But this trip was mostly about shopping for new records. I visited the (relatively) new Rough Trade East in Brick Lane, which is London’s answer to Amoeba. Totally great experience – nice people, huge selection (esp of dubstep and funky 12″es), interesting books, lots of space. I bought several singles by the great Ramadanman (thanks Dean) as well as a super-cavernous 12″ from Aardvarck (recommended by staff), and a £5.99 CD of Richard & Linda Thompson in concert in 1975 that I somehow missed when it came out last year. Also scored double vinyl of the latest Benin comp from Samy Ben Redjeb’s Analog Africa label.
The original Rough Trade shop in Talbot Road off Portobello Market is also still great, though I remain stymied by the cramped upstairs. Downstairs is a different matter though – the vinyl is extremely well chosen and guaranteed to appeal to American buyers who are used to paying through the nose on eBay for decent copies of UK original rock and folk. I decided to spend £10 on Genesis’s Selling England By The Pound, and also picked up a dead mint Scott 3 in its gorgeous laminated Philips gatefold. Unfortunately the £30 original UK (with insert!) of The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter was not mint.
On to Stand Out / Minus Zero, which remains as mindblowing as ever. I didn’t have a chance to talk to the ever friendly Bill Forsyth, but on the Stand Out side of the shop, Bill Allerton still presides over the greatest collection of UK freakbeat and psych still being offered in a physical location. I spotted a copy of The Hush 7″ Grey on the wall, one of my longest-term wants, and correctly guessed its price as being £500. Oh well – pass. Bill immediately remarked, “I have boxes and boxes of that sort of thing under the counter.”
On for a quick visit to Intoxica, where they were playing some insanely over the top British humor record that could have been a Vivian Stanshall solo album – I wasn’t sure. Crazy Latin records I’d never seen before, plus the Turkish alternate sleeve for Led Zep II on the wall – also for £500, in VG. Pass. Didn’t go behind the counter here… the stock is incredible, but I don’t have that kind of money to spend at the moment.
Finally up to the top of Portobello Road to Honest Jon’s, the best world / dub / ethnic store on earth. The genial Alan Scholefield was behind the counter spinning unbelievable deep reggae cuts and coming out to discuss Trikont comps of Vietnamese street music (“total Bo Diddley”). We grabbed a bunch of the latest Honest Jon’s comps – including one compiling ’70s bands from Upper Volta – and I scored a Tabu Ley Rochereau record from 1969 and a clean original Fela Ikoyi Blindness Nigerian pressing for £25.
And it looks and sounds incredible. Heavy-duty gatefold sleeve printed at Stoughton. Two HQ-180 gram LPs pressed at RTI. Four custom Matador labels based on classic record labels of the distant past.
The album artwork is built around sculptures by Dario Robleto. On the front, At War With the Entropy of Nature / Ghosts Don’t Always Want to Come Back (2002) depicts a cassette made out of carved bone and bone dust from every bone in the body, trinitite (glass produced during the first atomic test explotion, from the Trinity test site in 1945, when heat from the blast melted surrounding sand), metal screws, rusty and typeset. Two other works appear on the interior gatefold and the back cover.
The album comes with an MP3 download coupon for all 12 songs – 74 minutes of music.
Click on the images for full-size shots.
If you preorder the album as part of Buy Early Get Now, you’ll get an additional vinyl LP of gorgeous, wonderful instrumental score composed and performed by Yo La Tengo for the motion picture Adventureland. This LP is exclusive to this promotion and has not been released in any form before. You’ll also get two bonus MP3s, a free poster, and other surprise extras.
You can also choose to preorder the record separately, without participating in Buy Early Get Now.
Preorder from Other Music (Buy Early Get Now version)
As previously announced, we are releasing über-talented Philly singer-songwriter Kurt Vile’s second album Childish Prodigy this fall. Release date is October 6, and you can see the artwork above. This absorbing, addictive and richly detailed album covers an immense amount of ground compared to its predecessor, from the pounding stomp of “Hunchback” and the hypnotic beat of “Freak Train” to the unexpected, soaring trumpet in “Amplifier.”
(photo by Shawn Brackbill)
The first MP3 from Childish Prodigy is the lovely, haunting “Overnite Religion”:
It’s becoming a habit for us to release a 7″ before an album, and Kurt is no exception. “He’s All Right” will be in stores on September 8. The A-side comes from the album, and it contains two non-LP B-sides.
You will have multiple opportunities to see Kurt Vile this summer, both solo and with his backing band the Violators (those dates are marked *). There will also be a national tour starting shortly after the album release date.
Fri, July 17 – Brooklyn NY – Bruar Falls * – with Blues Control, Coconuts
Sat, July 18 – Boston MA – Homegrown Fest at Church * – with Blues Control, Titan, Sunburned Hand of the Man, and more
Sun, July 19 – Montague MA – Montague Bookmill * – with Blues Control
Fri, July 23 – Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s – with Tyvek, Coconut Coolouts
Fri, July 31 – Brooklyn NY – Rooftop Film Sessions
Tue, Aug 11 – Baltimore MD – Talking Head Club – with Espers
Wed, Aug 12 – Wilmington NC – Soapbox – with Espers
Thu, Aug 13 – Asheville NC * – Transfigurations: Harvest Records Fest
Fri, Aug 14 – New York NY – Cakeshop – with Blues Control, Mad Scene, Hans Chew
Sat, Aug 15 – Ridgewood NY – Silent Barn – with Blues Control
Sun, Aug 16 – Philadelphia PA – Vox Populi – with Blues Control
Tue, Aug 18 – Jersey City NJ – WFMU – Live on Brian Turner’s Show *
Wed, Aug 19 – Philadelphia PA – Rittenhouse Square (Concert In The Park) *
Tue, Aug 25 – Santa Ana CA – Galaxy Theatre – with Built To Spill, Woods
Wed, Aug 26 – Los Angeles CA – Troubadour – with Dungen, Woods
Thu, Aug 27 – Los Angeles CA – Echoplex
Fri, Aug 28- Santa Barbara CA – Muddy Waters – with Woods
Sat, Aug 29 – Big Sur CA – Mexican Summer / Folk Yeah Outdoor Fest
Sun, Aug 30 – San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill – with Dungen, Woods
Tue, Sep 1 – Portland OR – Berbati’s Pan – with Dungen, Woods
On October 6, Matador will be releasing Mission Of Burma’s fourth studio LP, The Sound The Speed The Light. Recorded in Boston with Bob Weston at the controls, the record is a departure from the pinned-needles roar of 2006’s The Obliterati. The new album sounds far more spacious and dynamic. It is more or less divided into 4 sets or suites of 3 songs. Each suite explores a set of moods or colors, across the usual dizzying array of lyrical topics, from alcoholism to fleshly concerns. The anthemic, catchy opener, our first MP3, is a classic Burma rocker on a level with “This Is Not A Photograph” or “That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate.” Other tracks, such as “Feed,” “Forget Yourself,” and “Slow Faucet,” the latter a live favorite for some time, are slow, hypnotic builders. “Good Cheer” is a burst of almost uncontainable joy and fun that literally explodes from the speakers.
Of course, all the Burma trademarks are also present: the military snare drum, the melodic basslines high up on the neck, and the furiously experimental guitarwork, refracted and changed back into the songs via tape loops – all punctuated by the hoarse shouts of drummer Peter Prescott. This controlled chaos, this disciplined letting go, is the heart of what they do and it remains as exhilarating and fulfilling as ever.
6 weeks before the album, on August 18, we will be releasing a pre-album 7″ containing two non-LP tracks: “Innermost” and “Here It Comes.”
On June 23 we will finally be releasing one of the deluxe Pavement reissues on vinyl. Originally slated to come out at the same time as the double CD last fall, endless production issues held up the package.
The set contains 4 HQ-120 gram LPs pressed at RTI in a heavy-duty matte-stock folding cardboard gatefold set, as depicted above. It also contains a 16-page 12″ by 12″ full-color matte-stock booklet, plus a download card for all 48 tracks.
Note! the vinyl contains 8 tracks that would not fit on the CD version (some of which were only discovered after that set was released). They are:
Westie Can Drum (Elastica) – previously unreleased recording
Stereo (Remix) – remixed by Steve Fisk for the second pressing of the promotional single for radio
Agony Of The Stars – unreleased song recorded for the film ‘Sweethearts’
Birds in the Majic Industry – B-side to “Stereo” CD single (a second, unreleased version was on the double CD of the album, and is also included here)
Painted Soldiers – unreleased, live from KCRW 2/25/97
What Goes On – a Velvet Underground cover, unreleased, live from KCRW 2/25/97
Kris Kraft – unreleased, live from KRW 2/25/97
And Then (7″ version) – B-side to “Spit On A Stranger” 7″
That last track, the majestic, monumental 7″ version of “And Then” (a version of the song also known as “The Hexx”) was originally intended to be the opening track of the Brighten The Corners release. The band decided to remove it entirely and relegate it to a B-side at the very last minute.
We know that this is expensive… and we know that many of you have already spent your hard-earned dollars on the double CD version. Unfortunately the economics of producing deluxe sets like this one (in either format), combined with the timing problems that bedevil this kind of release, means that we are not in a position to offer people any discount or buy-back. Sorry. If this one proves successful, then we will move forward with vinyl releases on the previous three deluxe editions.
On a lighter note, some of you may remember our “Date w/ IKEA” contest to mark the CD release, which we called Brighten Your Corners. Home furnishings-challenged fans were encouraged to submit photographs of their sad apartments. The winner, Jenny Bergen of New York, got a date with Bob Nastanovich to the IKEA in Red Hook, courtesy of the free ferry across New York Harbor in the dead of February, along with money to spend on furniture. We filmed the “date” and you can watch it here:
This came out so beautifully that we decided to share a few pictures with you. (Click on the images for full-size versions.) The record comes out on June 9, and if you act fast, you can probably still score the live bonus LP as part of Buy Early Get Now.
Cover painting by John Fahey. Clock photo by Kim Gordon. Not Cool/Cool by John Moloney. Other artwork by Clarence Major, Gene Moore and Jutta Koether. Johnny Thunders photo by Danny Fields.
These pictures unfortunately can’t capture the heavy stock cover, or the special varnishes and finishes.
Click on the images for information, except for the last one about which there is very little online… killer afrobeat from NIgeria, great organ, I think about 1970 or 1971.
All of the above titles are available again on quality wax. All are pressed on RTI’s premium HQ-180 180-gram virgin vinyl. All contain MP3 coupons (except for cover songs) so that you can easily put the tracks on your computer and iPod if you wish.
If you order a Matador record bag plus any piece of long-play vinyl, you get FREE SHIPPING.
Coming soon (keep your eye on the Matastore and this space: more vinyl reissues from Cat Power, Guided By Voices, Pavement, The New Pornographers, Yo La Tengo and Mogwai.
List of currently available vinyl albums (CLICK ON THE TITLE TO BUY – we have only limited quantities on some titles so act quickly):
We have 7″es from Fucked Up, Shearwater, Jennifer O’Connor, Times New Viking, The New Pornographers and more.
We are also now selling non-Matador vinyl on the store, including releases from Blank Dogs, Nodzzz, Live At Rob’s House, the incredible African reissue Ofege, the Nobunny album, and more.
On March 10, Matador will be releasing the 7″ of “No Epiphany,” featuring No Age remixing the track on the B-side. It’s a rather astounding collaboration, and we recommend you buy it.
Just a quick note that after a little bit of a delay at the pressing plant, we now have Moon Pix, The Greatest, and You Are Free back in stock on wonderful, black vinyl. Now you can complete a couple of pieces you were missing from your collection, or maybe just discover a couple extra gems. Jukebox is still available as well.
On the subject of vinyl, now might be a good time to pick up one of our Matador Record Bags. Buy a Cat Power (or any other record), a record bag, and get free domestic shipping. Just write “lovevinyl” in the promotion bar during checkout.
(above : Empire Records‘ Anthonly La Paglia consoles a tearful Renee Z. after the cancellation of the Chain Gang in-store)
In honor the 2nd annual Record Store Day, we’ll be releasing the following limited edition vinyl titles, only available at independent retailers taking part in RSD.
OLE-864-7 Jay Reatard “Hang Them All” 7″ b/w Sonic Youth – “No Garage”
OLE-865-7 Sonic Youth – “Pay No Mind” (Beck cover) b/w Beck – “Green Light” (Sonic Youth cover) 7″
OLE-855-1 Pavement Live In Germany LP
We’re making 2500 each of the above. After they’re gone, as the Bard Of Hookset, NH might’ve said (if he collected records), tough fuckin’ shit.
Permanent Records is a new-ish record store in my neighborhood of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. When I started doing my record store visit posts on tour, I knew at some point I wanted to do one on Permanent. I visit this store at least once a week when I’m in town. They have an amazing selection of used cds and vinyl and the right selection of new titles so when I want to pick up a new release they usually have it.
I talked to Marjorie (owner) and Ron.
Marjorie, Ron, Me
JO’C: Permanent used to be in Long Island, right? Why the move to Greenpoint?
Marjorie: Well, I live in Brooklyn, so the commute is much easier now. Also, as much as I liked Northport, people are much more supportive of music here.
JO’C: So you like having the store here in Greenpoint? How long have you been here?
Marjorie: Yes, I can hardly remember what it was like before. We opened the store in Greenpoint in May of 2007. It’s actually more like being in a small town here in Greenpoint than it was in Northport. Which is pretty rare for being in an urban setting.
JO’C: Greenpoint does feel like a small town. I think its one of the things I like most about living here.
What are your favorite places to eat in Greenpoint. This is the one question I ask of all the stores….
Ron: Brooklyn Label – They have a good balance of veggie and meat selections. And the coffee is good.
JO’C : I go to Brooklyn Label all the time. I’ve never even heard of The Habitat – new place to go!
Ok, what do you sell the most of in the store?
Marjorie: I’d say we’d sell the most used LPs, then used cds, then new lps, then new cds.
JO’C: That makes sense to me – as someone who comes here frequently and buys like 20 used cds at a time. ****
Marjorie: I’ve always enjoyed letting the used collections that I buy dictate the inventory I stock. We definitely carry new titles, but our niche is more used items.
JO’C: What’s the first record(s) you remember buying as a kid?
Marjorie: Yes Fragile. Blondie Heart of Glass 45 and Parliament Flashlight 45
Ron: Kiss Love Gun 45 and Aimee Stewart Knock on Wood 45
JO’C: Marjorie, I think you are the first woman record store owner I’ve ever come across, in all my years going to record stores. Do you know any other women who own record stores?
Marjorie: Not currently…
JO’C: I’ve always wanted to have my own store. Maybe someday….
What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about owning a record store?
Marjorie: Well, being my own boss is my favorite. And being my own boss, is also probably my least favorite.
JO’C: I hear that.
And you do instores here at Permanent right?
Marjore: Yup. We’ve done close to 20 or so in the last year.
JO’C: As a matter of fact, I am doing an instore at Permanent on Saturday August 23 at 3pm – to celebrate the Aug 19 release of my new record Here With Me. It’s free! (the instore, not the record).
****I should not neglect to note that there is an awesome 99 cent cd section at Permanent and a 5 for $10 cd section. Also, dollar lps and really great prices on everything really – new and used. If you are a record store fanatic like me, and live in the NYC area, you should really come check this store out!!
The fourth single in Matador’s series of limited-editions by Jay Reatard is a split 7″ with Atlanta’s Deerhunter. The A-side is Jay covering Deerhunter’s “Flourescent Grey,” and the B-side is Deerhunter covering Jay’s “Oh, It’s Such A Shame.”
The cover photo, taken by our own The Judge at May’s All Tomorrow’s Parties in Camber Sands, can be seen above.
OLE-819 will be in stores on July 22.
Our webstore preorder time and date will be: BASTILLE DAY — Monday, July 14 at 3:00 PM EDT.
Remember, if you miss the preorder, check your local stores. You can also buy the single digitally (MP3 or FLAC) from the webstore. And all six 7″es will be compiled on an LP/CD to be released this fall.
Here is the summary of the singles so far:
#1, See/Saw / Screaming Hand — April 8
#2, Painted Shut / An Ugly Death — May 20
#3, Always Wanting More / You Mean Nothing To Me — June 24
#4, Flourescent Grey (Jay Reatard) / Oh, It’s Such A Shame (Deerhunter) — July 22
July-August tour dates:
Sun 7/13 – Baltimore MD – Sonar
Mon 7/14 – Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Tue 7/15 – Brooklyn nY – Prospect Park (w/ Spoon)
Thu 7/17 – Providence RI – Lupo’s (w/ Spoon)
Sat 7/19 – Chicago IL – Pitchfork Late Night Show (w/ King Khan and the Shrines, Cheap Time)
Sat 7/19 – Chicago IL – Pitchfork Festival
Mon 7/21 – Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock
Tue 7/22 – Fargo ND – The Aquarium
Fri 7/25 – Seattle WA – Capitol Hill Block Party
Sat 7/26 – Vancouver BC – Commodore Ballroom
Tue 7/29 – San Francisco CA – The Independent
Wed 7/30 – Los Angeles CA – Echo
Thu 7/31 – San Diego CA – Casbah
Fri 8/1 – Mesa AZ – Hollywood Alley
Sun 8/3 – Austin TX – Red 7(w/ Cheap Time)
Mon 8/4 – Dallas TX – Club Dada
I’ve been quizzed a lot recently about the so-called vinyl revival. Sales of indie rock records, of rock records in general, are up on vinyl. I respond with the standard litany of answers: people want to connect with an artifact, something real and physical, and something that doesn’t feel as worthless and disposable as a CD… something that sounds better than an MP3. The inclusion of MP3 download coupons in vinyl LPs also caused a big spike in sales, since people no longer had to choose between CDs and LPs.
But in some ways the whole question misses the point, because it implies that people buy records only because they want to hear the music. The real question could be: why do people still buy CDs? And this gets into the reason why we’re still called Matador Records, not Matador Music or Matador Entertainment. We’re not a music company: we’re a record label.
I think that many people buy records not just to hear the music, and in some cases not to hear the music at all. There’s an employee here who actually pays money to buy secondhand CDs on eBay of his favorite ’80s artists like Annie Lennox. He has all the music already – he just wants to put the CD on a shelf. When I was 12 or 13 and first started haunting used record stores in Boston, I wanted to smell and feel and touch the vinyl, the cardboard jackets, the musty smell of the carpets. This wasn’t just nostalgia: I’ve always been a collector of things – stamps, coins, books. I like to amass stuff and display it. Of course I love to handle, read and listen them too. But owning and listening aren’t unconnected. The whole thing is interconnected and intertwined.
That some people like to pay for, collect and own records (and this includes downloads from iTunes as well as LPs and CDs) is not meant to suggest that the music business isn’t in trouble or that the sales of recorded music are not in decline. But the media have not gotten the whole story here, which is why I’m talking to puzzled journalists at Time, Wired, Rolling Stone and other publications every couple of weeks. It’s just that the focus on vinyl sales is only part of the picture.
I don’t believe that downloading and competition from other formats like games and DVDs are the only cause of the decline in record sales. It’s also simple availability. Tower Records was actually profitable on a store-by-store basis. The chain went under because their bank would no longer finance their revolving line of credit. Of course, Tower shouldn’t have accumulated as much debt as it did, but in other industries, in the economy as it existed 2 years ago, credit was not a problem. The problem was that Wall Street no longer believed that selling records had a future. In other words, Tower didn’t go under because its record sales were down: it went under because the banks, under the influence of the media and popular memes believed that record sales were going to go down.
Of course, this is a self-fulfilling prophecy to some extent. If Towers go under and there are fewer places to buy records, then record sales will go down. Ironically, this is one of the things that killed vinyl in the late ’80s. Everyone said: get vinyl out of there, convert your retail racks to CDs, or you’re going to get stuck with a dead format and dead inventory that you can’t sell. Now this same meme is killing record retail (or at least chain retail, and the indies who aren’t moving with the times).
This same meme affects people on an individual level. People who would go on buying records out of love of owning records, or even just out of habit, stop doing so because they are told that it’s stupid and a waste of money to buy records. And they can no longer do it easily anyway, because their favorite record store is out of business. Only the portion of the record buyers who really care about owning records will still go out there and do it… and of course, a good percentage of those are people who want to buy vinyl, not CDs or digital downloads. But even the latter two types of buyer (and there’s plenty of overlap) buy because they want to buy and own records in whatever format, and they will continue to buck popular perceptions. For a while anyway.
So my challenge to all the media outlets asking me about the vinyl revival is to say: are you really looking at the full complexity of the story? Why do people buy records, and to what extent are you, the media, complicit in making it difficult or uncool for them to do so?
