Record Store Day: Black Country shops prepared for vinyl celebration

When the 1980s saw the the rise of the CD the vinyl record appeared to be consigned to the scrap heap. The advent of the mp3 was another nail in the coffin.

But over the past few years, a record revolution has re-ignited the nation's underlying love for vinyl. Now more and more people are ditching the download for that sweet black wax.

From small independent stores in the backstreet's of towns to high street giants such as HMV, records are back on the shelves and they are selling in numbers thought impossible around a decade ago.

Fuelled by a desire to stay physical in the digital world - as well as a healthy dose of nostalgia - many of us have simply fallen in love with gatefold LPs and 180g blood-splattered virgin vinyl.

Back in 2008 Record Store Day was introduced as a celebration of the vinyl revival - a day dedicated to collecting vinyl and supporting local record stores across the world.

To many devoted music fans and vinyl collectors out there, April 16 is the most important date on the calender. It 's a time to strap on the record bag and descend on the local record shop to sample the myriad of limited editions and one-off releases that the day has become synonymous with.

From David Bowie to Alan Partridge, a host of limited edition vinyl releases will be distributed in the UK and beyond. The day has grown in popularity to the extent that last year saw some vinyl buffs queuing outside shops the night before.

There are a host of shops taking part in the big day across the Black Country tomorrow including Wolverhampton stores Vinyl and Vintage in Cleveland Street and Oldies Unlimited in Darlington Street, S T Records in Wolverhampton Street, Dudley and LP's Paradise in The Victorian Arcade in Walsall.

Owner of Vinyl and Vintage, Claire Howell, has spent the past week or so preparing for tomorrow and is expecting the store to have up to 650 new releases on sale.

She says preparations are well and truly in place to make it a Record Store Day to remember.

"I take part in Record Store Day because its something which has been designed for independent record shops, she said. "So if the industry is prepared help promote small businesses then I think we should all try and participate in it.

"And it does encourage people to come into your shop albeit on Record Store Day but after that hopefully people will realise that we stock new vinyl and come again.

"We create a really nice atmosphere for people here at Vinyl and Vintage and its nice to meet people when you're queuing outside and friendships have been made in the past.

"It's good to work on the day but it's there is an awful lot of preparation pricing everything up."

"The nature of Record Store Day is that stock is limited, we're only allowed to sell it from 8am on the Saturday.

"For each individual record we could order ten copies and only get one but we might ask for 20 and get them all but it depends.

"Our aim is getting people to come and it would be great if we could sell out on the day. We don't need stock, we're here to sell it at low prices and let it be gone. I look forward to seeing a nice big queue outside like there always is!"

In 2015 sales of vinyl went over the two million mark for the first time in 21 years.

And capitalising on the growing market, much to the dismay of Claire and record collectors alike, are supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury's. Both giants have recently started to stock vinyl on their shelves - a move that would have been considered incomprehensible not so long ago.

"Why would you go to a supermarket to buy a record?" Claire said. "It's just another way to just make money.

"It's not what it's about. You don't get any personal advice. Put your pound of spuds on the top and your record will be wrecked by the time you get to your car.

"It's the fastest selling sector in music. Hundreds of records shops have closed over the years as we know but people who have stuck with it will always stick with it.

"You sell records because you love records, we're not in it just for business it's because you love what you do.

"People come in here and chat to each other, making recommendations and friends. It's about being part of a community where you learn about what other music is out there.

"My message to people would be to still go out and support your local record shop wherever it is because they're the ones who will stay before the big guys will leave again."

Not only have vinyl records seen a resurgence over the years but the vast majority of collectors are younger people and teenagers.

Last year saw teenage heartthrobs One Direction release their Midnight Memories record on a 7" picture disc while this year Bieber has a similar release for his Purpose album.

Claire says a lot of young people visit Vinyl and Vintage but hopes Record Store Day will get even more involved.

She said: "It's nice for example when you had the One Direction picture disk last year, those people don't usually come to record stores.

"This time we've got Bieber. We need to encourage young people to come to the shops and people are getting more interesting in having a tactile piece of music.

"Some people have never seen this before and they don't get it but it's a form of becoming interested and starting to collect things.

"There a definitely a lot more young people coming in now with pocket money and birthday money and buying vinyl.

"And you'd be surprised how important original pressings are to people, while others will only care about new records and others old."

Releases from Ocean Colour Scene, Motorhead, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and The Fall are among this year's most sought after releases.

But a word of warning for those desperate to get their hands on the bounty. Record Store Day is also known for leaving many vinyl buffs disappointed as the most coveted releases don't tend to take up shelf space for too long.

You know how the old saying goes: The early bird catches the limited-to-200-hand-numbered-copies-only-green-vinyl-with-etched-b-side-and-cut-out-heavyweight-gatefold-sleeve.

For full details of participating stores and releases go to www.recordstoreday.co.uk