Record Store Day Organisers Respond To Paul Weller

"We clearly cannot control the activities of members of the public..."

So that was Record Store Day.

Growing in size each year, the event takes a huge amount of organisation. Sadly, this year saw a number of fans complain that touts had snatched prime releases, and were re-selling them at inflated prices on eBay.

Paul Weller was enraged, and issued a frustrated statement claiming that he would never again take part in Record Store Day.

In response, Record Store Day organisers have issued that following statement:

We share Paul Weller's frustration at evidence that 'Brand New Toy' has been offered for sale on eBay, and we are disappointed that despite our best efforts to drive out the touts, once again some people are seeking to exploit the goodwill of artists and labels by selling RSD exclusives at vastly-inflated prices on eBay.

At just 500 copies Paul Weller’s ‘Brand New Toy’ was one of the most limited editions available on RSD and so some re-selling was expected. However, thanks to the measures we have taken on re-sales, overall the number of complaints about unauthorised sales this year is well down on previous years, though we continue to monitor eBay on an hour-by-hour basis.

We clearly cannot control the activities of members of the public, but the Record Store Day Code of Conduct makes it clear that any store found to be complicit in unauthorised sales on eBay faces being banned from future events.

Record Store Day would not exist without the support and commitment of artists and labels and we take our responsibility to them very seriously.

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"Any store" you say? Paul Weller's wife – Hannah Weller – went on a Twitter mission to uncover the touts, arguing that much of the Paul Weller re-sales were coming from one buyer. Check out her Twitter feed to find out who she thinks is behind this unethical selling…

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