Support your local independent record shop in Record Store Day fun this Saturday

The event was started nine years ago in the US. In the UK it's co-ordinated by the Entertainment Retailers Association and involves an abundance of exclusive releases. This year they include David Bowie, Primal Scream, Florence and the Machine and even Alan Partridge.

Hundreds of recording and other artists all over the world participate in the day by making special appearances, performances and issuing of special vinyl and CD releases along with other promotional products to mark the occasion.

Many stores hold their own party for the day.

You can see a full list of releases at recordstoreday.co.uk

FIVES - Broadway, Leigh 

THE MIDDLE Age Spread DJ crew lead the party fun at Leigh Broadway's Fives record store.

Live music will be performed all day from the likes of Phillious Williams, T-Bitch, Owen Williams and Plantman. There will be an impressive string of DJs too, including the MAS set of course, (The Rev Daryl Easlea, Beardy Al Johnson and Curly Dan Newman) plus John Bloomfield (Birdyman Sound), Dave Collins (Podrophenia/ The Railway), Barney Hall (Camel Walk), Steven Hastings (Harbour Bazaar/ The Railway), Tim Larke (Radio Nova Lujon), Mark Lancaster (The Box of Delights), Grant Philpott (Sea Shanties), Ian Pile (Podrophenia/The Railway), Paul Siggins (Polyvinyl Craftsmen) and Jane Wilkes (Locomotion).

Daryl Easlea, organiser of the day's proceedings who will play the opening and closing 20 minute set, said: "Since we started in 2010, Middle Age Spread has always been about the love of a beautiful tune, whether it be super rare, or one that is topping the charts, just as long as it's great. We are all avid collectors, so it made perfect sense to join in with our favourite local store and celebrate the 45 on the Dansette, the way that many were meant to be heard. It is such a pleasure to gather together so many talented friends, whether DJs or performers and have fun doing what we love."

The MAS organised programme starts at 8am with the last set on at 3:20pm.

Manager of the store, Sandra Bennett, said: "Record Store Day is now the busiest single day of the year, even surpassing Christmas eve when lots of men used to panic and have a rush of blood to buy the wife or girlfriend a CD or Vinyl record.

"With vinyl records making such a comeback the shop is now split 50-50 with CDs. Many young people who have discovered vinyl are coming in to buy records with many of them dusting off their parents record player and then going off to buy their own set-up to play the modern heavy 180 gram vinyl albums.

"On RSD you get a lot of limited releases, and vinyl fans, especially if one of there favourite artists does a RSD album or single, love to get a copy and post pictures of their buys on social media. Some are luckier than others getting some very limited items.

"For us, it takes us back to halcyon days with music and vinyl fans milling about, all talking to each other about what artists they like, what they're buying, what gigs they've been to and suggesting artists they might like to see and where to go.

"We keep our fingers crossed for good weather as queues started at 2am for RSD 2015! We get to the shop at 5am and open the doors at 8am and run what we like to think is an efficient ticket system to be fair and to stop any rugby scrums over items."

She added: "We are very lucky to have good friends of the shop who arrange all the entertainment for the day including the bands, artists and DJs who go a long way to making it a really good day for all. For us it is all about our customers, so many of who are more like friends these days. We try to discourage dealers and in fact have refused some."

This year Fives also has Mark Punter from BBC Essex Radio appearing at the store.

Sandra said: "He has a Sunday show every week between 12-2pm called Vintage Vinyl and every month or so we go to to discuss new vinyl releases coming out on air."

SOUTH - Queens Road, Southend

SOUTH record store is making a full day of it, with a programme going on from opening until closing at the shop (8am until 6pm) and then an after party at the Railway Hotel until 1am.

It opens with a DJ set by renowned TV funnyman and music aficionado Phill Jupitus from 8am until 10am, followed by a set from Gary Boniface (The Vibes) from midday until 2pm.

Live music will follow by Plantman at the store at 5pm.

Then it's just time to drop all your treasured buys off home before getting to the nearby Railway Hotel in Clifftown Road, for a free after party, also courtesy of South. It starts at 8pm with live music from Dark Globes and Ghost Music plus DJ sets from Goldsoundz, Velvet Morning and South Records.

Richard Onslow, owner of South Records, gives us his personal five picks for Record Store Day.

Big Star - Complete Columbia: Live at University of Missouri 25/4/93 "I'm a huge Big Star fan, and a bit of completist, so this is essential for me. This is from their reunion in 1993, when they finally started getting the recognition they fully deserved."

Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life "I bought this the day it came out on cassette from Woolworths (and still have it), this limited edition reissue comes in a copper mirrored sleeve with artwork by Mark Farrow."

Plantman - Honeydew "Obviously the most essential release on the day is from Southend's own Plantman (who are playing in the shop at 5pm on the day), with vocals from Chantal Acda, who has worked with Stars Of The Lid, Nils Frahm, etc."

Run The Jewels - VRTJ Viewer "This is an odd (but good) one. Run The Jewels very own virtual reality viewer, so you can watch their new video in 360 degree virtual reality. Beat that Bastille."

Xiu Xiu - Plays The Music of Twin Peaks "Whilst the world waits for the vinyl release of the Twin Peaks soundtrack (about 6 years after it was announced...nothing), Xiu Xiu have recorded their interpretation of it, on coloured vinyl."

And the picks from Dark Globes and Ghost Music who will both be playing at South Records after party at the Railway Hotel:

Tom Burgess (Dark Globes) - Bert Jansch & Loren Auerbach - 'Colours Are Fading Fast': "My RSD must-have for this year is Colours Are Fading Fast by Loren Auerbach and her future husband Bert Jansch released on Earth Recordings. Earth are delving into Bert's back catalogue and releasing some real unheard gems and this is no exception. Bert was part of the Sixties folk scene and a huge influence on Neil Young, Nick Drake, Johnny Marr and Bernard Butler. His work can also be heard in a slightly less subtle manner via Jimmy Page who at one point was completely obsessed with his playing style."

Andrew Moore (Dark Globes/ The Tumbledryer Babies) RSD pick - The Shaggs - Sweet Marie: "We all love outsiders, and The Shaggs are as outside as they come. The reluctantly legendary Wiggin sisters' RSD16 7" features previously unreleased songs and appears ahead of a reissue of their sublime 1969 debut album Philosophy Of The World."

Roy Thirlwall (Ghost Music) RSD pick - Cavern Of Anti-Matter - 'Void Versions': "Tim Gane couldn't make a bad record if you held a gun to his head. McCarthy, Stereolab, and now Cavern of Anti-Matter, I'm really excited to hear these remixes."

Look out for other stores around the south Essex who are participating in the event, such as Adrian's Records in High Street, Wickford, who although isn't planning a party, says "the shop will be full of rare, collectible and limited edition records on the day." Also vintage record purveyor Anything That's Rock n Roll, in Southchurch Road, Southend, is joining in the celebrations in his own way. For one day he will be offering 30 per cent off of everything, including lots of rare records.

RAILWAY HOTEL - Clifftown Road, Southend

CANNY readers will have noted the Railway Hotel is not a record shop of course, but this highly respected music venue couldn't just let RSD go past without celebrating in their own typically cool way.

Landlord and musician Dave Dulake says they are going to "attempt to record and cut half a dozen one-off 78RPM discs, live in the bar, straight to disc, Third Man style".

He added: "If anyone would like to be in the audience (and therefore on the record) they should please turn up at around 1pm."