Dust off your wallets and polish your turntables: Record Store Day is upon us once more.
The now-annual event marks its 18th occurrence on Saturday, April 12, and as always, record retailers across North Texas will be participating in the annual celebration.
This year’s Record Store Day feels especially poignant in North Texas, as beloved Good Records owner Chris Penn continues to recover from his recent accident, which has left him paralyzed. The Dallas Morning News’s Robert Wilonsky recently visited Penn in the ICU, and the resulting story is well worth your time.
“He’s been a good friend since he was running Marooned Records in College Station,” singer-songwriter Will Johnson told me about Penn during our recent conversation. “I’m heartbroken for my friend, but I know his positivity and the light that he’s brought into this world forever, and the force of nature that he is — I don’t think that’s going anywhere. He is just a freaking force of nature, a beautiful soul. My heart’s really with him.”
Befitting that “force of nature,” Good Records will be open for its 25th anniversary year — more on that below.
Here’s a peek at what several area vinyl shops are doing for the big day, as well as RSD-exclusive titles they’re excited about.
Good Records, Dallas
“I’m so happy Good Records turned 25 this year,” Penn wrote on Facebook. “I would like to thank everybody for all of your support over the years and especially now. Please visit us for Record Store Day this Saturday and buy at least three records. I will be there in spirit. … Have fun and be safe.”
On-site activities: The store will open at 7 a.m. Starting at 10 a.m. past and present store employees will be playing DJ sets from the Astroturf stage, including Rubberman, Black Taffy, Alex Montenegro, Carlos & Rachel and C.J. Davis.
Saint Marie Records, Fort Worth
Most anticipated RSD title(s): “I’m especially excited about Belly’s KING,” said Wyatt Parkins, owner of Saint Marie Records, via email. “I’ve loved Belly since I was a teenager, and it’s really special to see this album getting a vinyl release again. Tanya Donnelly’s voice just screams [the] 1990s to me — it takes me right back to driving around during those formative years.
“One title that’s generating a ton of buzz already is the Oasis release [Time Flies … 1994-2009] — with only 1,000 [copies] pressed, it’s become the talk of our regulars. We were lucky enough to get one, so I’m expecting an early line outside the store this year!”
On-site activities: “Every customer who shops with us … will receive a Saint Marie stadium cup, a Saint Marie car air freshener and a Saint Marie tote bag, while supplies last,” Parkins said via email. “We wanted to give folks a little something extra to say thanks for supporting indie shops like ours.”
Spinster Records, Dallas
Most anticipated RSD title(s): “The few releases I’m personally excited for is The Dare’s Sex EP — it was the first thing I found of his and fell in love, so I’m so stoked they made it a release for this year’s drop,” said Miranda Evans, Spinster Records employee, via email. “The Virgin Suicides soundtrack: It’s a 25th anniversary edition, which is wild to think it’s 25 years old … Charli XCX also has an exclusive single of ‘Guess’ featuring Billie Eilish, and Charli’s album Number 1 Angel, which has never been pressed before, so those are really exciting!
“One that I haven’t heard before but am super curious about is Post Malone — he is dropping a tribute album for Nirvana. Gorillaz has one that is a live album of Demon Dayz at the Apollo Theatre. I love everything they do, and to get a live album of theirs, especially Demon Dayz, is going to be so cool!”
On-site activities: “We will have exclusive merch and later in the afternoon, we will have DJ Sober, Willie Dutch, Riti and Triico,” Evans said via email. “It’s going to be a really fun day celebrating all the new drops and hanging out!”
Panther City Vinyl, Fort Worth
Most anticipated RSD title(s): “Probably the most anticipated … release is the seven-inch white vinyl pressing of Taylor Swift’s ‘Fortnight’ with Post Malone,” said Dan Lightner, co-owner of Panther City Vinyl, via email. “The release I’m most excited about is The Replacements’ Tim, a two-LP set with the original ’85 mix and the Ed Stasium remix on limited purple vinyl.”
On-site activities: “No special events planned,” Lightner said via email.
Josey Records, Dallas (with additional locations in Plano and Garland)
Most anticipated RSD title(s): Via email, Andrew Torres, director of operations, cites releases from Francoise Hardy, BadBadNotGood, the Meters, De La Soul and Gorillaz as what he’s most looking forward to.
“Here are some releases that our customers are excited about,” said Waric Cameron, co-founder of Josey Records, via email. Cameron namechecks Charli XCX’s Number 1 Angel (“This release is highly anticipated, as it’s the cult favorite mixtape’s first standalone vinyl pressing,” Cameron said. “The inclusion of her recent collaboration ‘Guess’ adds to its appeal.”); The Cure’s The Head on the Door (“Celebrating the album’s 40th anniversary, this release is sure to be popular with fans of the iconic band,” Cameron said); Chvrches’ Every Open Eye (“This album is very well-loved, and this 10th anniversary edition is sure to be a hit,” Cameron said); Spillage Village’s Bears Like This Too Much (“This is the first-ever vinyl pressing of this celebrated project, so it is generating a lot of excitement,” Cameron said.)
On-site activities: The Dallas flagship of Josey Records will feature a mix of live performances and DJ sets, including appearances by Peter Holsapple, Travis Parker, Chloe Jobin, Mandolin, Joan Westwood, Greb Watton and Grooveline. Additionally, “we’ve got some of the best tacos in Dallas, Jazzy Tacos, setting up,” Cameron said via email. “We also have a special drink called ‘Josey Juice’ that is a big hit.” (Said juice will only be available for those 21 and up.)
Forever Young Records, Grand Prairie
Most anticipated RSD title(s): “Personally, I’m most excited for the Rage Against the Machine Live on Tour 1993 release, just because it’s an untouched and unmixed collection of songs from their first-ever tour in 1993,” said Jose Brito, Forever Young Records manager, via email. “It’s still a bit shocking how their music and message is just as relevant today as it was over 30 years ago. Either that, or Selections from ‘It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown,’ because it’s randomly colored as well as shaped like an Easter egg, and Vince Guaraldi never misses.”
On-site activities: “As far as anything special we have planned, there’s really nothing out of the ordinary other than opening earlier at 8 a.m.,” Brito said via email. “As cool as it would be to have a little stage in here for performances, we have so much product (roughly 250,000 CDs, records and tapes) that we have no room for a stage anywhere. Who knows? Maybe next year we can set up a small stage in the parking lot and have some live music at 4 a.m. while people are waiting.”
Dead Wax Records, Garland
Most anticipated RSD title(s): “I’m an ‘80s [and] New Wave guy, so for me, it’s the Thompson Twins’ Into the Gap Live!, a 1984 VHS-only release getting a two-LP reissue on color vinyl and only limited to 1,300 copies,” said Brad Sigler, manager of Dead Wax Records, via email.
On-site activities: “Unfortunately, because we had to move all operations to Garland temporarily, we just didn’t have time to put together bands/DJs/food/beer for this one,” Sigler said via email. “But we will definitely do all of that for RSD Black Friday! We will have limited edition RSD swag to give away to the first people in the doors that day.”
Record Town, Fort Worth
Most anticipated RSD title(s): “While new releases from Post Malone, Taylor Swift and Charli XCX are grabbing the most requests from our customers, I’m really excited this year’s list includes a bit of local Fort Worth history in Return to the Wide Open Spaces by David ‘Fathead’ Newman with Ellis Marsalis and Cornell Dupree,” said Zack Quiroz, social media manager for Record Town, via email. “This session was recorded live at the Caravan of Dreams in downtown Fort Worth back in 1990, and features a bunch of Texas blues and jazz musicians. It’s great the big names help get people to visit an independent record store for the first time, but I think the true spirit of RSD lies in giving reissues like this a second life.”
On-site activities: “We are opening at 9 a.m. on Saturday,” Quiroz said via email. “Hao’s next door will be selling breakfast for those waiting in line.”
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky (@prestonjones.bsky.social).Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
