Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 24, 2016

DEAR JERRY: Earlier this year I attended my first Record Store Day (RSD) event, and it was great fun.

I was amazed to see how the prices have skyrocketed on some RSD items from just last year.

Can you provide recent examples of RSD releases selling for $500 or more?
—Mitch Sylvester, Boston

DEAR MITCH: Relative to nearly 70 years of vinyl production, anything made for Record Store Day, founded in 2012, is recent.

Over its first four years, RSD releases have been astonishingly profitable, especially those I've selected in the $500 and up category.

It is important to know that sales reflected here are likely the highest price paid, and not an average. Other sales of the same item probably realized significantly less.

$5,700: Boards of Canada "------/------/------/XXXXXX/------/------" (2013)
Single-sided 12-inch disc, with custom cover (Warp 37367). Reportedly, between five and 10 made.
Boards of Canada are really two Scotsmen: Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin, both from Edinburgh.

$2,315: Rolling Stones "Dead Flowers" (2015)
Single-sided seven-inch disc, made in the UK (Secret 7, #26). An edition of 100, with each picture sleeve having unique artwork.

$1,760: Jack White "Sixteen Saltines" and "Love Is Blindness" (2012)
Playable 12-inch single, filled with translucent blue liquid (Third Man 137). Some buyers have complained about the liquid seeping out.

$1,560: Various Artists "The First Three Years of Blue Series Singles (On One LP at 3 rpm)" (2012)
Given to each guest at Third Man Records' 3rd Anniversary Party. Package includes blue vinyl disc, bumper stickers, and tote bag. Contains the music of every Third Man Blue Series single during their first three years.

$1,425: Brand New "Deja Entendu" (2015)
Record Store Day reissue of their 2003 two-disc album (Triple Crown 646920140626), with a print run of 1,400.
This package also includes these items: Lyric Sheet; Pogolith special edition "Deja Entendu" lyrics book; "Die Young and Save Yourself" astronaut patch; digital download of album; and Pogolith stickers.

$1,235: Paul McCartney "Sweet Thrash"
100 12-inch singles made exclusively for Record Store Day. No label name, number, or custom cover. Title is handwritten on label.

$1,125: Dead Weather "Blue Blood Blues"/"No Hassle Night"/"I Just Wanna Make Love to You" (2010)
Third Man Records "Triple Decker," meaning a seven-inch single sandwiched between two 12-inch clear vinyl discs (TMR-056).

$915 Cure "Friday I'm in Love" (2012)
Single-sided seven-inch disc, made in the UK (Secret 7, #74). An edition of 100, with each picture sleeve having unique artwork.

$910: De La Soul & J Dilla "Smell the Da.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul Of Yancy)" (2014)
100 LPs made exclusively for Record Store Day. No label name or number.

$850: Alexisonfire "First Edition" (2014)
Dine Alone Records boxed set, a numbered edition of 1,000.
Includes 13 180-gram LPs, four singles, and a 28-page booklet.
Two-disc LPs: "Alexisonfire"; "Watch Out!"; "Crisis"; and "Old Crows/Young Cardinals."
Single-disc LPs: "The Switcheroo Series"; "Death Letter"; "Live at BBC Radio 1"; "Dogs Blood"; and "Math Sheets Demo."
Seven-inch singles: "Aussie Tour 7inch"; "The Insulation Tapes"; "Crisis"; and "Death Letter."

$810: Cake "Vinyl Box Set" (2014)
Eight 175-gram colored vinyl LPs. Numbered edition of 900 boxes.
Contains: "Motorcade of Generosity" (yellow vinyl); "Fashion Nugget" (green vinyl); "Prolonging the Magic" (cream vinyl); "Comfort Eagle" (blue swirled vinyl); "Pressure Chief" (pink/clear vinyl); "Showroom of Compassion" (translucent red vinyl); "B-Sides and Rarities" (opaque red vinyl); and "Live From the Crystal Palace" (clear/black swirled vinyl).

$800: U2 "Songs of Innocence" (2015)
Two-disc repackage of their 2014 LP (Interscope B0022855-01).
Numbered edition of 5,000.

$800: Dave Matthews Band (DMB) "Live Trax" (2013)
Boxed four-LP set, Volumes 1-4, 180-gram red or blue vinyl (Bama Rags CV-13). Numbered editions of either 500 or 2,000.

$635: Various Artists "Ed Banger - The Bee Sides" (2011)
French boxed set of five, exclusive, seven-inch, single-sided tracks from Ed Banger Records.
Includes: Breakbot Featuring Ruckazoid ("Fantasy"); Busy P "Procrastinator (Hey Today! Remix)"; Carte Blanche & Busy P ("Jack on the Moon"); Justice ("Civilization [Demo])"; and Sebastian ("Total").

$525: Jack White "Blunderbuss" (2012)
Third Man LP. Plain white label has no printing, but does have "Jack White Blunderbuss" applied with a rubber stamp.

$510: Elvis Presley "Showroom Internationale (Live at the International Hotel)" (2014)
Two-disc album, a numbered edition of 3,000 (RCA-Legacy 88875014761).
This sale was for No. 0001, and, though all 3,000 were made at the same time, most collectors covet lower numbers.

$500: Elton John "Bennie & the Jets 7" (2015)
Single-sided seven-inch disc, made in the UK (Secret 7, #78). An edition of 100, with each picture sleeve having unique artwork.

IZ ZAT SO? Did I write earlier that an LP actually played at 3 rpm? I did indeed, and it's one of the most bizarre albums ever: Third Man Jack White's "First Three Years of Blue Series Singles (On One LP at 3 rpm)."

Loading so much music on one disc required slowing the playback speed from 33 1/3 to somewhere between three and four revolutions per minute — a music history first.

Since hardly anyone has a home variable speed turntable, the thrill of owning this LP is knowing you have a valuable novelty.

The 29 Blue Series artists crammed onto this platter are:
Becky & John
Black Belles
Black Milk
Stephen Colbert & the Black Belles
Dex Romweber Duo
Drakkar Sauna
Duane
Dungen
First Aid Kit
5.6.7.8's
Rachell Garniez
Insane Clown Posse
Wanda Jackson
Jeff the Brotherhood
John & Tom
Tom Jones
Pokey Lafarge & South City
Lanie Lane
Laura Marling
Mildred & the Mice
Pujol
Dan Sartain
Seasick Steve
Secret Sisters
Smoke Faries
Chris Thile & Michael Daves
Thornbills
Transit
We Are Hex


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