Monday 6th April 2021, London: Record Store Day UK are delighted to announce War Child as their Official Charity Partner of 2021.
To celebrate the collaboration, four unique and highly collectible vinyl records from a series of superstar artists will be released across this year’s Record Store Day Drops. The releases will only be available on the shelves of participating independent record shops and £1 from every unit sold will be donated to the charity.
War Child will also be giving the original 1995 ‘HELP’ EP and ‘Come Together’ single a very special re-release on 12” vinyl including remastered tracks from the likes of Radiohead, PJ Harvey and Portishead.
Due to COVID-19, Record Store Day will now take place across two Drop events on Saturday 12th June and Saturday 17th July.
Record Store Day UK are thrilled to reveal the special titles available on 17th July as part of Drop 2 are:
□ The Clash – If Music Could Talk
If Music Could Talk was a promo album released by The Clash in 1981, featuring interviews with all four members (Paul, Mick, Joe & Topper) and conducted by long time band associate, Kosmo Vinyl. The release is interspersed with music from the (as then) recently released Sandinista triple album and until now, the album has never had a full release. Released across 2LPs, and pressed on 180g vinyl, the 2021 Record Store Day limited edition reproduces the original interview audio, as well as the full length tracks from the album, including brand new artwork and liner notes.
□ The Cranberries - Stars: the best of 92-02 - UK stores only
Following on from the reissues of ‘Everybody Else is Doing it… ‘ and ‘No Need to Argue’ – and 30 years after their debut release – UMC are proud to issue for the first time on vinyl a special transparent edition of the band’s greatest-hits collection ‘Stars: The Best of 1992–2002’. The Cranberries rose to international fame in the 1990s with global smashes such as ‘Zombie’, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Linger’ – collected here alongside tracks from their five albums for Island – plus two tracks unavailable on other albums ‘New New York’ and ‘Stars’.
□ Miles Davis – Miles Davis Champions From The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
Miles Davis had a deep love and respect for boxing, seeing deep parallels between “the sweet science” and his own relationship with music. One of Miles’ favourites of his own recordings was the 1971 soundtrack to the Bill Cayton documentary about Jack Johnson and he was inspired by the political and racial subtext of the legendary boxer’s saga. Culled from the celebrated expanded project The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions released in 2003, and name-checking a number of pugilistic legends (“Ali,” “Sugar Ray,” “Duran,” “Johnny Bratton”), these funk-infused recordings rock harder than anything that Miles put to tape. Featuring a sterling line-up of musicians (Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Dave Holland, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Billy Cobham) and a legendary cover photo of Miles in the ring captured by Jim Marshall, the release finds this music issued on vinyl (in brilliant yellow) for general release for the first time ever.
With the original 'HELP ELP' landing in stores on the first Drop on the 12th June:
□ Various Artists – HELP EPs
These special EPs was originally released around the iconic HELP album which helped raise funds to chaise the lives of children affected by the Yugoslavian civil war. This remastered version puts the original HELP EP and ‘Come Together’ single on 12” for the first time. The release features tracks by Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Guru, Portishead, The Smokin' Mojo Filters (Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller), Beautiful South, Dodgy and Black Grape. The original cover art by 3D (Massive Attack) which featured on the 1995 CD has also been updated by the artist for this very special release.
War Child UK is the only specialist charity for children affected by conflict. They work to support children through their recovery – keeping them safe, helping them learn and cope with their experiences, as well as equipping them with skills for the future. They also campaign for changes to policies and practices to support children in conflict, working with children and young people themselves to demand their rights.
Last year’s partnership with Record Store Day raised more than £12,000 for the charity. Richard Clarke Head of War Child Records said:“We were delighted to be the charity partner for RSD last year and raise over £12,000 to help change the lives of children affected by conflict. It was a really difficult year for everyone and we’re really proud to have worked with RSD, the independent record store community and make a difference. The music industry has always been so important to his charity and we’re really excited to return as charity partner for 2021 as well as marking the partnership with our first release on War Child Records”
Speaking on their involvement in the campaign, Fergal Lawler of The Cranberries said “We are very honoured that Universal have chosen Stars as a special Vinyl release for Record Store Day. The proceeds from sales are going to the War Child foundation, a charity that do incredible work to help vulnerable children in war-torn countries.”
Record Store Day is the annual celebration of independent record shop culture. More than 240 record stores are expected to take part in the 2021 celebrations from all over the UK. Thousands more shops celebrate the day around the globe in what’s become one of the biggest annual events in the music calendar.
The full list of special Record Store Day titles is expected to drop very, very soon – so stay tuned to the RSD channels for the latest updates.