24 Classic Rock Titles To Look For On Record Store Day 2021

Author Andre Gardner

June 10th, 2021 6:17 PM

by Andre Gardner (@andregardner)

For me, the re-opening of things means it’s back to one of my favorite hobbies… record collecting!  This weekend is no exception, as the first of two 2021 Record Store Days takes place Saturday (6/12).  

As usual, there is a vast selection of releases from a myriad of genres, and I thought I’d report on some of the more interesting Classic Rock titles you’ll be able to shop for this Saturday.  I’ve got my want list all ready to go and I’ll see you at the record store! Happy shopping! 

• AC/DC – “Through The Mists of Time” b/w Witch’s Spell”

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  Limited to 5,000 copies, this 12” picture disc vinyl contains two tracks from their new album, “Power Up.”

• Black Sabbath – “Heaven And Hell” and “Mob Rules”

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  These two Ronnie James Dio-fronted Sabbath albums will be re-released on a picture disc to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Strictly limited to 4,000 discs worldwide.

• Black Sabbath – “Heaven And Hell” and “Mob Rules”

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  These two Ronnie James Dio-fronted Sabbath albums will be re-released on a picture disc to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Strictly limited to 4,000 discs worldwide.
• Def Leppard – “Live In Oxford”

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  An early 1980 show at the New Theater in Oxford first appeared on the band’s “early Years” box, but will be making its vinyl debut as a double LP set. Just 4,000 sets will be made.

• The Doors – “The Morrison Hotel Sessions”

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  For the first time on vinyl, sessions from The Doors’ classic album have been gathered on a double LP set, with 7,500 copies being made available.

• Elton John – “Regimental Sgt. Zippo”

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  Elton John, then Reg Dwight, recorded an album at Dick James’ studio in late 1967-early 1968. It was intended to be his debut, but it was shelved and never released. Six songs from these sessions did come out on Elton’s recent “Jewel Box” collection, but this release contains, for the first time, the entire album of twelve songs. 7,000 are made - I just need one!
• Grateful Dead – “Olympia Theater, Paris, France, 5/3/72”

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  The entire show! This performance by The Dead is legendary and will make it’s vinyl debut in this form (four tracks were released on their “Europe ’72” live album.) This monster is six vinyl albums, and a healthy 10,000 copies have been made available.

• Genesis – “Live At Knebworth 1990” featuring “Mama” and “Turn It On Again”

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  These two songs from the group’s performance at the British music festival is coming out for the first time in 3 decades. It’s a rare piece - only 2,700 copies of this vinyl 12” are available. Genesis isn’t the only artist with a 1990 Knebworth show being released on RSD, as you’ll see below.

• Janis Joplin – “Pearl”

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  Janis’ 1971 album gets a picture disc release for Record Store Day, and the 50th anniversary of its release. Exactly 4,250 copies are going out there.
• Jefferson Airplane – “Acid, Incense and Balloons: RSD-Collected Gems From The Golden Era Of Flight”

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  This unique piece was actually compiled by the Record Store Day staff, and contains 10 songs from the peak Airplane years of 1966-71. It’s an interesting collections of familiar songs, rare tracks and live takes. They have pressed 3000 of these for sale.

• Keith Richards – “Wicked As It Seems Live”

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  Keith is putting out a few songs from a December 1995 show he did with his OTHER band, The X-Pensive Winos. It’s a 7” vinyl single, and there are 3,500 copies available.

• The Kinks – “Percy”

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  Ray and his band were commissioned to write the songs for this 1971 British comedy film, which co-starred Elke Sommer and Britt Ekland. The songs are great and it’s kind of weird hearing strings in Kinks songs! The soundtrack has never been released in the U.S. until now, and and ample 5,000 copies have been pressed for the occasion.
• Motley Crue – “40th Anniversary Cassette Box Set”

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  It’s interesting to see cassettes slowly make their way into collector’s hands, and the Crue have put together a set of five tapes, each with one of their bigger hits. Only 1,750 copies of this box will be made and will likely go quickly.

• Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – “Angel Dream (Songs And Music From The Motion Picture ‘She’s The One’)”

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  Maybe the beat of the bunch in this year’s batch of RSD releases. The songs from “She’s The One” were recorded during sessions for Tom’s solo “Wildflowers” album, and this LP covers both albums beautifully. There are a few songs left off of “Wildflowers” that ended up on the expanded version of that set, but the real treat are the four previously unreleased songs from the sessions included here. It’s being considered a Tom Petty & The Heartbreaks album rather than a solo work.

• Robert Plant – “Live At Knebworth 1990”

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  Like the Genesis RSD release, several songs from Robert Plant’s set at the 1990 festival are being released for the first time in thirty years on a 12” EP. One track, “Wearing And Tearing,” features Jimmy Page on guitar. There will be 4,700 of these out in the field.
• The Police – “Live Volume 1 Boston 1979” and “Live Volume 2 Atlanta 1983”

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  These two separate double LPs mark the first vinyl release of songs from two phases of this amazing trio’s live career. Might a bit tough to find, as only 3,000 copies are hitting the record stores.

• The Police – “Live Volume 1 Boston 1979” and “Live Volume 2 Atlanta 1983”

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  These two separate double LPs mark the first vinyl release of songs from two phases of this amazing trio’s live career. Might a bit tough to find, as only 3,000 copies are hitting the record stores.

• Robert Palmer – “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley”

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  Looks like a nice piece. Robert’s way cool 1974 debut album will be coming out on emerald green vinyl, with just 2,500 pressed.
• Steely Dan – “Two Against Nature” and “Everything Must Go”

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  I can’t believe Becker and Fagen’s final two studio albums were never released on vinyl. That changes with this double offering. “Two..” is on a single LP, while “Everything..” is a double. 4,000 of each are coming out on Saturday.

• Steely Dan – “Two Against Nature” and “Everything Must Go”

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  I can’t believe Becker and Fagen’s final two studio albums were never released on vinyl. That changes with this double offering. “Two..” is on a single LP, while “Everything..” is a double. 4,000 of each are coming out on Saturday.

• Rolling Stones – “A Bigger Bang”

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  Not to be outdone by Keith’s release, the group has a nice 10” clear vinyl single featuring two live tracks from the Bigger Bang tour. Limited to 4,000 copies. On next month’s RSD, they’ll drop the 50th anniversary release of “Hot Rocks” with a nice yellow vinyl set.
• U2 – “Fire”

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  A 40th Anniversary picture disc of the first single from their second album “October” is being made available, featuring the original a/b side of the single, plus two live recordings of “Fire" from 1982. There are a fairly attainable 7,500 copies of this 12” you can try and grab.

• The Who – “Face Dances – 40th”

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  This is a really nice set. It’s a double LP package, one is blue, the other yellow. It’s a remastered version and their very first album to feature Kenny Jones on drums, plus there are 5 rough mixes and four live tracks on the second bonus LP. Though there are 6,500 that have been pressed, this will be a hot seller.

• Warren Zevon – “Preludes”

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  An absolutely gorgeous set. This 2-disc vinyl set is a compilation of previously unreleased outtakes and demos was first released on CD in 2007, but making its first appearance on vinyl. The packaging is beautiful, and the vinyl is colored sky blue. Only 1,800 copies will be available and they will go fast!

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Author Andre Gardner

Category:

• WMGK Audio
• Classic Rock News

Tags:

Andre Gardner,Record Store Day