This Saturday marks the second annual Record Store Day. What is a record store you may ask? It's a small shop that sells round discs, sometimes even black vinyl ones, instead of small, shiny ones that look the same as DVDs. Ask your parents, they'll remember.
Seriously, Record Store Day was started a few years ago as a way to show appreciation for the dwindling number of independently-owned record stores that still sold physical CDs and/or vinyl. It's a way to salute the stores that either haven't been forced out of business since the big boxes like Best Buy, etc. started selling CDs as loss leaders or have managed to survive the digital age. There's still no better way to spend an afternoon to me than to go to Amoeba Records here in Los Angeles and comb the racks for goodies. It's a fast-fading pleasure.

This year, many artists have taken on Record Store Day as a cause célèbre.

Among the more than 100 offerings awaiting you on Record Store Day-and, no, you won't find any of these at the record department in Target, Best Buy or Wal Mart, include:

*Bob Dylan: "Dreaming From You" 7-inch single from last year's "Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series."

*Tom Waits: An exclusive, 7-inch single with live tracks recorded last summer. Tunes are "Lucinda/Ain't Goin' Down to the Well" and "Bottom of the World."

*Jane's Addiction: An exclusive, limited edition vinyl single of "Mountain Song," priced at $5.98. The same day, 180-gram vinyl versions of Jane's Addiction albums, "Nothing's Shocking" and "Ritual De Lo Habitual."

*Bad Religion: A re-release of the punk band's first release: its 1981's 6-song 7" EP.

*Derek Trucks Band: "Already Live," a 5-song EP consisting of live tunes recorded last Fall.

*Booker T. Jones: A two song 7-inch single with two new studio tracks his upcoming, first solo album in more than 20 years.
Additionally, a number of acts, like Queen's Brian May, have donated guitars fans can register to win.

For a complete listing of the exclusive vinyl releases and more details, go to www.recordstoreday.com.