Paul Weller refuses to be involved in Record Store Day in future because of ‘touts’

Singer outraged by inflated prices for his 2014 release 'Flame Out'

Paul Weller has said that he won’t be taking part in Record Store Day in the future after seeing his 2014 release sold online at vastly inflated prices.

Weller put out a one-off 7-inch, ‘Brand New Toy’, for this year’s Record Store Day, which took place on Saturday (April 19). As with a majority of other releases this year, copies of the record appeared on eBay later that same day while other fans complained of the release being sold out as soon as record shops opened their doors.

Addressing the issue on his official website, Weller attacks the “touts” selling the limited edition Record Store Day releases and states that the online sale of records “goes against the whole philosophy” behind the annual event.

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“I agree with all of you who have sent messages expressing your anger and disappointment at the exploitation of these “limited editions” by touts,” Weller writes. “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.”

He continues: “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. It only takes a few to spoil a wonderful concept for everyone else. Shame on those touts.”

It was not just Paul Weller who saw limited edition Record Store Day releases being sold online on Saturday. Stereogum reports that bids on copies of Jack White’s record breaking 7-inch release of ‘Lazaretto’ had reached over $600 (£350) while releases by LCD Soundsystem, REM and Pixies were also being traded for hundreds of pounds.

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