RECORD STORE DAY INTERVIEW: GORDY BOY RECORDS
In the lead up to Record Store Day, we chatted with Gordy Boy Records owner Ed Rooney about the store’s first foray into RSD.
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The new kid on the block, Gordy Boy Records is the latest record store to open in the heart of Adelaide. Owned and operated by lifelong music fan Ed Rooney, Gordy Boy stocks a fantastic collection of vinyl from all genres in its Adelaide Arcade locale.
Along with stocking all the big new releases and a great selection of secondhand vinyl, Gordy Boy is all about supporting local artists and has a special stand where local acts can sell their wares on no consignment.
Participating in Record Store Day (RSD) for the first time, Gordy Boy is opening from 9am this Saturday and trading until 6pm. Along with a selection of special RSD releases, there will be discounts on both new and secondhand vinyl, an in-store quiz with a $100 Gordy Boy voucher as the main prize and the chance to meet the Gordy, the four-legged inspiration behind Gordy Boy Records.
To get the lowdown on everything that’s happening at Gordy Boy this Saturday, we chatted with owner Ed Rooney.
How excited are you to be involved in your first RSD?
Exited is one word for it… to be honest it’s been an absolute blast just preparing for the day. We are super pumped to be involved.
What do you have planned for RSD this year?
We will have selected 2024 RSD titles available alongside some sealed copies of RSD titles from yesteryear. There will be special one-day discounts on new and pre-loved LPs, cupcakes to keep your sugar levels high, and a funky little in-store quiz that puts you in the running for a GBR $100 voucher. But the best part of the day is a chance to meet ‘Gordy’ of Gordy Boy Records.
Can you reveal any exclusives you might be slinging on the day?
We are keeping the titles coming into the store close to our chest for a couple of reasons. The most important is we do not want to set expectations too high for our customers in promising titles we are not allocated.
I will follow this by saying that the RSD 2024 titles we have ordered have been based on the artists and titles our existing customers have enjoyed purchasing since we opened, so cheers GBR fam, this day is for you!
How important is RSD for both the industry and music fans?
Personally, I don’t think we can take anything for granted that brings together like-minded people and allows them a chance to share their passions.
Record stores are a hub for this shared experience and as an industry, we are lucky to have a day in the year to celebrate this with our customers. Having said this, the awesome limited releases, fantastic music and cupcakes would all be nothing without those who appreciate physical media and its place in connecting them to the artist and communities as a whole.
I’d say a fair question to ask is… how important are the fans to RSD? For us, it will be a thank you to them, as they are everything.
What does RSD mean to you?
Can I be lazy and say see above? Kidding… for me, it has been a whirlwind of fun getting prepared. We are such a young store compared to those awesome stores around us so we just hope we can add to the magnificent atmosphere that already surrounds the day.
What are five records everyone should have in their collection and why?
Let’s be a little cryptic with this one, I have my five records that help me through the following times highlighted below. Music is so personal, so no matter what their favourite artist, genre, tempo, etc. one should always have at least one record in their set that:
1. Can make them dance
2. Can make them cry
3. Brings their closest friends closer
4. Inspires one to cook up a storm and
5. One record to… well this is a family mag!
You can find all the details about Gordy Boy Records’ RSD event here.
