This weekend, Record Store Day 2014 gets underway and with that comes a bevy of special releases, limited editions and unique band merch that all clamor for your hard-earned buck. While some releases are probably worth the extended effort, like Jack White's day-of-recording release of Lazaretto's title track, other prized possessions will likely turn up online in a more cost-effective form. Here's 8 examples of the high-highs and low-lows of Record Store Day releases over the years.
THE HIGHS
The Flaming Lips' "F--k You Frog"
Price sold for: $1600.00
Facts: For the 2013 Black Friday edition of Record Store Day, Wayne Coyne hatched just 13 limited edition "Frogs" that housed the band's second demo cassette. Also included: A special recorded message from Wayne himself and an edible piece of candy made of frog urine.
Jack White's Liquid-Filled 12" of "Sixteen Saltines"
Price sold for: $1300.00
Facts: It's not surprising that Jack White, Record Store Day lover, would release a piece of vinyl that fetched a lot of dough. This special release was an actual record filled with "blue, psychedelic liquid" and featured his single "Sixteen Saltines" and his beloved cover of U2's "Love Is Blindness" as the B-side.
The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love" 7"
Price sold for: $923.00
Facts: This rare single of the Cure's 1992 hit was limited to just 100 pressings and was a part of a 2012 series called "Secret 7" Project," which featured unique sleeve art done by important artists. The idea was that people would buy the records without knowing who the artist was or the song contained within. As the eBay auction described, "it's a must have for any obsessive Cure collector." There are a lot of those out there.
Dave Matthews Band's Live at Trax LP
Price sold for: $500.00
Facts: It may seem odd that a Dave Matthews Band live album went for this much, knowing that the band has sanctioned recordings of their shows from the early days. But DMB fans are an obsessive bunch and this four-LP set released last November for Black Friday's Record Store Day went for half a grand. The record was limited to just 500 copies.
...AND THE LOWS
But for every profitable resale, many record store days "exclusives" don't seem to be that exclusive at all. Here are four releases that you can currently get at a fraction of the original cost.
Feist/Mastodon Split 7"
Number of bids: 0
A Record Store Day tradition has become the practice of having two seemingly different artists cover each other songs for a split 7". This Feist/Mastodon record was much hyped but now you can score a sealed version for less than a cup of Feist-blend coffee.
Katy Perry's "Part of Me" vinyl remix 12"
Current auction price: $2.25
Number of bids: 3
Facts: Pop stars are usually thought of as commericial gold, but even a "rare" piece of Katy Perry vinyl can't fetch more cash than an extra-value meal costs. The record features Jacques Lu Cont's "Thin White Duke" remix of her hit song. The version was also released as a digital download, which pretty much cancels out any notion of "rare."
The Pharcyde's Bizarre Ride II Box-Set
Current auction price: $3.26
Number of bids: 8
Facts: You'd think box sets would fetch more, especially box sets based around early-'90s hip hop group the Pharcyde's widely-popular breakthrough Bizarre Ride II. Released for Record Store Day 2012, the set features seven 7"s, a slew of unreleased instrumentals and even a 120-piece puzzle. A Pharcyde puzzle! This seems like one of those great, under-appreciated deals eBay is famous for.
Insane Clown Posse's "A Leck Mich Im Arsch" 7"
Current auction price: $4.99
Number of bids: 0
Facts: Proof that not everything Jack White touches turns into Record Store Day gold. This single, which loosely translates to "lick me in the arse," is a Mozart composition that the ICP boys covered with Jeff the Brotherhood backing them and Jack White producing. A sealed version now costs less than a 12-pack of Faygo.
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