Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has joined the likes of Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Iggy Pop and Ozzy Osbourne as a Record Story Day ambassador. To mark his appointment, Grohl wrote a personal blogpost about how record-shopping and music discovery had left an indelible mark on his own life.
“Growing up in Springfield, Virginia in the 70s and 80s, my local independent record stores were magical, mysterious places that I spent all of my spare time (and money) in, finding what was to eventually become the soundtrack of my life,” Grohl wrote. “Every weekend I couldn’t wait to take my hard earned, lawn-mowing cash down for an afternoon full of discovery.”
Grohl, who drummed in Nirvana before fronting the Foo Fighters, also recorded a video message about his love for vinyl and his favourite early records. In it, he went through a series of songs that he said changed his life, recalling how his mother would bring a record player home from her job at a public school for his family to listen to their favourites.
Record Store Day was launched in 2008, to recognise the importance of both the independent record store and physical music releases in the wake of digital MP3 players and illegal downloads. On the third Saturday of every April, across the US and in other participating countries including the UK, record stores sell a variety of limited edition vinyl and CDs.
Last year, vinyl sales in the UK reached their highest figure for 18 years, shifting a record-breaking 1m units. This year’s Record Store Day takes place on 18 April.
