Paul Weller – Brand New Toy

Legendary British rocker Paul Weller is very pissed about this week’s Record Store Day, the annual event to promote the nation’s few remaining independent music shops.

This is a message to all the fans who couldn’t get the new vinyl single on Record Store Day and/or paid a lot of money for a copy on eBay. I agree with all of you who have sent messages expressing your anger and disappointment at the exploitation of these “limited editions” by touts.

Apart from making the record, the rest has very little to do with me but I am disheartened by the whole thing and unfortunately I won’t be taking part in Record Store Day again. It’s such a shame because as you know I am a big supporter of independent record stores but the greedy touts making a fast buck off genuine fans is disgusting and goes against the whole philosophy of RSD.

There were copies of my single on eBay the day before Record Store Day and I’ve heard stories of people queuing outside their local record shop only to be told there were none left at opening time! It only takes a few to spoil a wonderful concept for everyone else. Shame on those touts. Don’t support their trade and don’t let them use Record Store Day to ruin the very thing it’s designed to support.

Weller’s new single is from the coming More Modern Classics.