RSD event at Amoeba

ROOTING FOR THE UNDERDOGS: Record Store Day hosted a press conference today at Amoeba Records in Hollywood featuring this year’s RSD Ambassador Chuck D and The Doors’ John Densmore to announce the 450 titles that will be featured during the worldwide 4/19 event. Also on the panel were Amoeba’s Marc Weinstein, Origami Vinyl’s Neil Schield, Vacation Vinyl’s Mark Thompson, Julie Edward of Deap Vally and Samuel Lopez of Tapioca & the Flea; RSD co-founder Michael Kurtz moderated. In true RSD fashion, it was a feel-good get-together, with lots of references to the “community” of indie retail and, of course, the vinyl renaissance that’s centered in the indie sector. Schield credited RSD with saving his operation during its first year of existence; Check D likened the indie retail experience to the new throwback intimate baseball parks; and Weinstein described the indie experience as a shared treasure hunt. The cornucopia of dedicated RSD 2014 releases, mostly vinyl but also a few cassettes (talk about throwback), easily tops the previous high mark of 350 set last year. You can review the entire list on the RSD site. (3/20p)