Slow Boat Records

Hey, everybody!
Just wanted to say a huge thankyou to everybody who has made the last month or so one of the most memorable in Slow Boat’s long history – a fantastic Record Store Day with extraordinary instore performances from Eb & Sparrow, Watermelon Slim and genuine NZ rock’n'roll royalty in the form of Mr David Kilgour, an incredible turnout, a slew of rare and limited RSD releases. We also had visits from, oh, you know, Robert Plant(!!!), Jello Biafra and Michael Kiwanuka - mad music fans one and all; it’s important to remember that it is the music that binds it all together.
And then, last Friday, an instore show from The Phoenix Foundation by way of a release gig for their superb new album, “Fandango” – probably the most people we’ve ever had in the store.
Might I just remind you then, that we still have copies of the album on CD and amazing double gatefold vinyl – still with a free poster, while stocks last.
We actually still have some of the RSD titles available too - The Cure “Kiss Me”, Shihad “Churn”, The Velvet Underground “Scepter Studio Sessions”, Nick Drake S/T…
Furthermore, we have some other amazing new music instore - David Bowie‘s superb comeback LP “The Next Day”, the debut album from all-female UK quartet Savages “Silence Yourself”, and, most excitingly for moi, an LP reissue (finally!) of Bill Fay‘s phenomenal “Time Of The Last Persecution”, originals of which were selling for over a thousand quid – grab a copy of the reissue, go out for a fancy lunch – you’re still winning…
So cheers, again, everyone for helping make such a memorable month or so - The Phoenix Foundation are in the UK and Europe over the next month, and if you are in that neck o’ the woods, I strongly urge you to get along and see them – they are on fire right now.
STOP PRESS: Vampire Weekend “Modern Vampires Of The City” in now on CD and LP, plus limited white vinyl…

ps – a couple of new Slow Boat Inquisitions for your perusal at right – one of our all-time favourite songwriters, Mark Eitzel of American Music Club, and the delightful Ms Julia Deans (ex-Fur Patrol) – hoo hah!

See y’all soon!
The Slow Boat Crew X

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RSD was, as confidently predicted, an absolute stormer. Heaps of people, heaps of smiling faces, amazing instore performances from David Kilgour, Watermelon Slim and Eb & Sparrow.
A HUGE thanks go out to everyone who helped out - Paul Johnson for the poster design, Phantom Billstickers for printing ‘em & putting ‘em up, Simon Sweetman for the kind words, Lee Prebble for the PA, Cuba Fruit for the “stage”… plus, of course to you, the punters who made it so special. Hell, even TV1 News got in on it!

Anyway, the winners of our prize draws are:  M. Sawyers of Khandallah, and Barry of Whitby – we’ll be in touch, congratulations!!!

And now – we’re having yet another knees-up! Crikey!

Our favourite local band, The Phoenix Foundation have decided to throw a little leaving party ahead of heading off back to conquer the UK. And, with no time to schedule a ‘regular’ gig, they are going to play for you lucky, lucky people here at Slow Boat Records on Friday the 3rd of May, at 6pm.

For free – nada, nuthin’. Oh, you lucky, lucky people!

TPF have actually played at the ‘Boat twice before – way back in 2003 upon the release of their debut, “Horsepower”, and again in 2009 for the release of the “Merry Kriskmass” EP, and we are thrilled to announce that they are joining us again – their only NZ performance since the album’s release, and the only show they will be doing in Wellington before heading off for their UK tour – they will also be playing at Golden Dawn in Auckland on Sunday the 5th on their way out.

Space is limited instore, so you would be well advised to get here early to ensure you get to see the show. We will have CDs and limited double vinyl of “Fandango” (at a special Slow Boat price!), which the band will be happy to sign!
CAN’T BLOODY WAIT!!!
See you all again soon,
” Jason” & The Slow Boat Crew X

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Yup, unless you have been living under a rock, you oughtta be aware that tomorrow is Record Store Day 2013!!!
And that we here at Slow Boat are celebrating in style – here’s the skinny;

-live music between 2 and 4, with Eb & Sparrow at 2, Watermelon Slim at around 2.40, then Mr David Kilgour concluding things from some time after 3 until around 4 (which still leaves you an hour to peruse our wares!)

-Slow Boat tee shirts at the special, never to be repeated, one day only price of $20!!! Madness!!!

-two prize draws – a Blues/ roots package comprising a tee shirt, bottle of Slow Boat wine and some music, and another of NZ/ indie type stuff – free entry with every purchase!!!

-a whole heapin’ helpin’ of limited edition Record Store Day vinyl releases – so far, stuff from David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, Steven Wilson, The Cure, Snapper, Sports, The Rolling Stones, Pulp, Sex Pistols, Small Faces, a swag of Rough Guide LPs, Morrissey, Velvet Underground, Nick Drake, Shihad, Waves – and a whole lot more besides… NO laybys, NO holds, I’m afraid, people – first in, best fed!!!

Hope you can come celebrate with us, it has always been a terrific day in the past, and this year should be even better still!!!

Love on ya, Team Slow Boat XX

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After celebrating Record Store Day in 2012 at Slow Boat the only way we know how – bigger, better, brighter – there is only one way forward for the 2013 event; EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER AND BRIGHTER STILL!!!

We are absolutely chuffed to announce that our instore performances on the day – this year, the 20th of April –  will feature NZ music stalwart and legendary founder member of The Clean, Mr David Kilgour!!!

We will also have a performance from touring US bluesman Watermelon Slim (who has performed alongside John Lee Hooker, Champion Jack Dupree, Robert Cray and Bonnie Raitt!), and rounding out the lineup (fresh from their successful support slot with Rodriguez) will be local folksy trio Eb & Sparrow.

We have also done our darndest to ensure we get hold of a generous swag of precious, limited Record Store Day releases – a full list of releases here: http://download.recordstoreday.com/free/RSD_2013_RELEASES_WEBSITE.pdf (please note, not everything will be available on the day!)

We know that you love records and music as much as we do, so it means a great deal to us to be able to share with you a day of celebration for what independent record stores and Record Store Day stand for in this day and age – for freedom of thought and expression, and for the sheer unbridled power of rock’n’roll. Viva la independence!!! Viva la vinyl!!! And – please stay tuned to our website, Facebook page, and Twitter for times and further announcements.

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How do, everyone!
Trust everyone’s 2013 is off to a satisfactory start – certainly there is a whole bundle of new music to be getting on with.
Take, for instance, the new Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album, “Push The Sky Away” – it’s out this Friday, the 15th, and we’ll be getting the limited CD and LP versions, as well as the regular CD – please drop us a line if you’d like us to reserve you a copy, would imagine that they will fair sail out the door.
We also have new music from I Am Kloot, Richard Thompson, The Wedding Present (who are playing in Wellington on February 23rd, and about whom more, very soon…!), Yo La Tengo, Petra Haden, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion… honestly, it’d be like Christmas round here, were Xmas music not so uniformly lousy.
There is also a veritable smorgasbord of live entertainment visiting the capital over the next few months - Wilco, supported by Mavis Staples, Neil Young, Cat Power, Michael Kiwanuka, Cat Power… see what I mean? Too much, too good.
And – gearing up for Record Store Day 2013 - watch this space, huh?!
Anyhow, stop by, drop us a line – you know you want to.
Peace out,
Team Boat X

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Yup, “Searching For Sugarman” star Rodriguez is coming to play two NZ shows in March – Wellington Town Hall on the 16th, and Auckland’s Logan Campbell Centre the following night!

This will be a terrific opportunity for both the old fans (the “Cold Fact” LP was in fact a bit of a staple in many NZ homes throughout the seventies and eighties) and those who picked up on his music after last year’s film to see him perform – it’s a wonderful, heartwarming story, and this feels like a terrific continuation of the story – tickets will be on sale through Ticketek on Tuesday the 29th of January.

Meantime, we have vinyl and CD of both his classic albums, “Cold Fact” and “Coming From Reality” on LP and CD, plus the “Searching For Sugarman” soundtrack…

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Honestly, I’d swear that every year December rolls around another few weeks earlier. Which is, of course, not actually possible. But it’s how it feels, dammit…
Fortunately we are very prepared this year, so that you only have to be a little bit prepared. We have so much stuff that it would be great to give or receive this Xmas, it’s almost frightening.

For those feeling expansive (expensive?) we have The Beatles complete stereo LPs box set – a must for those with everything (ie, these are better sounding copies of things you already own), or nothing (ie a perfect foundation for a life spent loving music). If someone were to gift me one of these, I would, no doubt, weep with joy…

Something else that will be making people weep this Xmas (for very different reasons) is the new album from rock snob doyen/deity Scott Walker. Entitled “Bish Bosch”, and coming hot on the heels (well, 5 years later) of his last album “The Drift”, it is, as a friend of ours suggests, truly “cold sweat music”. It’s wilful. It’s arty. It’s long. And – we have it on double LP, with a bonus CD of the album, and a booklet of lyrics for just $38.50 – are we mad?! Possibly. But, you know, it’s a rock snob vinyl “must have” for Xmas this year.

We have also just received very limited copies of Bob Scott’s (Bats, Clean) Dunedin Sound Band chart. Hand-drawn, then copied and blown up to A0 size, and just $39.50, this is the perfect prezzie for the Flying Nun obsessive on your Xmas list – get in quick. Seriously – fair flying out the door.

Other things we think may be worthy of your consideration - Slow Boat tee shirts (lots of sizes and colours, extremely stylish), The Rolling Stones DVD chronicling an early Irish tour, entitled “Charlie Is My Darling” (it’s brilliant!), Tame Impala‘s excellent, psychedelic “Lonerism”…

Oh, and did I mention we have just landed a shipment of some 500 LPs from the US – loads of stone cold classics from the likes of The Velvet Underground, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Big Star etc etc, as well as lots of newer and less common titles from the likes of Tool, Mudcrutch, The Damned, Fugazi  – I am tweeting the contents each time I open a new box, so maybe you should follow us on Twitter…?

Seriously  - more great stuff instore than I can ever recall us having before, along with the usual dazzling array of rare and collectable second hand goodies – hell, you can even bring us your old, unwanted LPs or CDs (in excellent condition) to see if we want to take them for trade or cash – a buyer here any day bar Sundays.

So, Slow Boat - here to help this Xmas. Let us know, also if you need to order anything in – still every chance we can get it before the 25th…

In the meantime – have a wonderful and safe holiday period. We’ll be here for you every day barring Xmas and New Years, if quality time with the whanau becomes too much…

A blessing upon all of your heads – and thank you all for your support and patronage throughout the year – we really do appreciate it.

Love on y’all, The Slow Boat Crew XX

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Slow Boat is thrilled to announce that we will be hosting the launch of Simon Sweetman, of Blog On The Tracks renown’s new book on the greatest Kiwi songs, entitled “On Song”. It features thirty of our greatest songs described in loving detail, is beautifully illustrated, and is actually available as of now at the special price of $60 (recommended retail is $65)

The launch will be held here instore this Friday the 26th of October at 6pm til 7pm, and we will be playing the music of the book, and there will be drinks, some bites, schmoozing – that sort of thing.

Hope you can make it – worthwhile, I think, coming down to celebrate the first book by one of our favourite music writers – he’s never short of an opinion,and here at Slow Boat, we treasure that…

Congratulations, Simon – an accomplishment well worth celebrating!

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Howdy, everyone – hope you have all made it through the winter months relatively unscathed, and are looking forward to a spectacular summer!

We’re certainly going to try to do our bit, starting with some great new music from the likes of Bat For Lashes – “The Haunted Man”, Paul Simon’s remastered, reissued “Graceland” (with bonus DVD), Tame Impala‘s impressive, Dave Fridmann-produced “Lonerism”, Matthew Dear‘s “Beam”, Dinosaur Jr‘s “I Bet On Sky”, Amanda Palmer‘s “Theatre Is Evil”, The Mountain Goats “Transcendental Youth”, Maisey Rika‘s “Whitiora”, or the Nick Cave and Warren Ellis arranged “Lawless” soundtrack, with tracks from them as well as ‘Boat fave Mark Lanegan.

And, before the end of the year, there will be new music from Scott Walker, Soundgarden, The Strokes, Slayer, Tool and the Wu-Tang Clan.

Not to mention tours from Grizzly Bear, Radiohead, Morrissey and Weezer, PLUS Wilco confirmed for April next year – flippin’ heck!

We would also like to offer our congratulations to Blog On The Tracks’ Simon Sweetman on the publication of his “Greatest NZ songs” tome “On The Record” – it will be available from the 24th of October, and we will be getting some copies in then. It looks great, and has the inside story on some of the greatest NZ songs, from “Don’t Dream It’s Over” to “Slice Of Heaven”, “Chains” to “Not Many” – recommended.

All this and the usual array of tee shirts, posters, DVDs, boxed sets…

Christmas – it’s closer than you’d think…

Catch you - The Slow Boat Crew

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Lots of fresh new music instore at the moment: the new album from seasoned campaigner Mark Knopfler, the excellent “Privateering” (regular, deluxe, and super-deluxe packages); soon-come tourists Grizzly Bear‘s ”Shields” and Grimes “Visions”, the sophomore effort from The XX entitled “Coexist”, sensitive Scandinavian Jens Lekman‘s pithily titled “I Know What Love Isn’t”, Wild Nothing‘s dreamy, melancholic “Nocturne”, Mexicali troubadours Calexico with “Algiers”, the reissue (finally!) of “seminal” NZ dark indie rock band The Pin Group‘s “Ambivalence”… and, just now, today, the new album from Mumford & Sons, “Babel”.

Yikes! A veritable flood of to music with which to fill your ears! Swing by – we’re here to help…

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