News Record Store Day 2014: Vinyl Shopping With Sky Larkin’s Katie Harkin

Despite excitement for all things vinyl hitting a triumphant peak on April 19th, Record Store Day is “every day”, as wise, slightly irritating people might tell you. Vinyl purchases are a regular activity, even if they aren’t defined by the big-deal exclusives of RSD. Hence why the format continues to grow in popularity within the digital age.

On her last trip out to the States, Sky Larkin’s Katie Harkin took part in her own wax-centric shopping spree. Picking out oddities and personal favourites, she came back with a brilliant batch of records, giving proof to the fact that spontaneous purchase trips are just as fun as being the first to get your hands on a great big exclusive. Katie’s kindly provided us a guide to her purchases, plus a run through the stores she visited.

As a touring musician, I’m used to travelling in a pack, taking in cities as one head and four limbs of a much larger monster. I recently took a rare solo trip to the Pacific Northwest and got the chance to spend time in a few great record stores, the thrill of crate-digging accentuated by the sheer American scale of it all.

I brought home with me a mixture of old favourites, new releases and dollar bin gems - notably the Moog record; its ‘semi-conductor’ by-line pun made it irresistible:

- Killer Mike - R.A.P Music

- Blonde Redhead - 23

- Various - “Career Girls - dedicated to housewives secretaries teachers telephone girls nurses models sales girls waitresses actresses stewardesses dancers …and women everywhere!’

- Fly Girls Vol 2 - Soul Jazz

-“ Everything You Ever Wanted To Hear On The Moog (But Were Afraid To Ask For)’ Semi-conducted by Andrew Kazdin and Thomas Z Shepard

- St Vincent - S/T

- Broken Social Scene - Beehives

Jackpot, Portland

‘I stumbled into Jackpot in downtown Portland just as my jetlag began to drop its curtain, so its impressive wall of sound was pretty overwhelming. I almost immediately found the Killer Mike record I’d been searching for since it came out, though, and my brain rewarded me with the victory high I needed to push on up the hill to Powell’s (the world’s largest book store).’

Everyday Music, Portland

‘This is another Everyday Music, one of two in Portland alone. It’s an American sized portion. I couldn’t finish it all in one serving, but I did get some of it boxed to take home. I admired the freshness of Everyday Music’s produce. I noticed that, in each of their stores, they categorise their new-in used records by day - so you always know where to look for the deadliest catch.’

Everyday Music, Seattle

‘This was the first time I’d ever set foot in Everyday Music Seattle, despite having survived for three Sky Larkin records on $5 burritos from the late-opening place next door. We’d often peered through the windows late at night after a long day tracking. The outside is pretty unassuming, though, and I had no idea it was so huge!’