Limited Edition Sidewalk Vinyl Reissue May Be Worth Hundreds

News

By RC Staff

12 July 2023

Have you heard of the band Sidewalk? We’d be impressed if you had. While most people have likely never listened to any songs from the band, vinyl nerds know about them. Just 100 copies of Sidewalk’s only record were pressed into vinyl back in the 70s, and they have sold in the past for $10,000 or more. Now, Sidewalk has authorized a new pressing of this album. While this won’t be quite as limited, there is also a special version of this vinyl, and it has collectors talking.

What is the Sidewalk Vinyl?

Alright, fair warning: we need to go over some fairly obscure history for this to make sense. If you’re allergic to words, skip down a few paragraphs.

Sidewalk was/is an American band from the 70s. They existed and played alongside acts like YES, Steely Dan, and Boston, but not to the same level of fame. Whereas their contemporaries would go on to have legendary careers, Sidewalk disbanded early, only recording a single album before breaking up.

This self-titled album was recorded and mastered in 1976, but would not go on to have a widespread release. Instead, just 100 copies of the vinyl were pressed. These were sold privately to a number of sellers at the time, and added to their collections.

The record was well-regarded, but because of its extremely limited production, it obviously never achieved widespread recognition. Even in the era of digital media the album was never re-released, and is not available on streaming services. It’s essentially become lost media, with the only existing copies locked away in collectors’ cupboards.

Speaking of collectors, they’re the reason we’re writing about this record to begin with. Following the release of the record in 1976, vinyl collectors began trading this record around. It started out as sort of a neat gimmick, “Hey, I’ve got this obscure record from the 70s” and gradually became more and more of a holy grail.

As its notoriety increased, so did the price. Initially, the record would change hands for a few hundred dollars at a time. Eventually that number would creep into the thousands, and at least one sale at $10,000 according to the new distributor, although we’ve been unable to find a source for that claim. Discogs only shows a single record for sale at $1,700, in imperfect condition.

Now, Sidewalk is back. What does that mean for the band, for collectors, and for resellers?

2023 Sidewalk Vinyl Repressing

Collectors and vinyl enthusiasts received an opportunity to add this record to their collection without paying thousands. A new repressing of the Sidewalk vinyl was produced in 2023, and this one would not be as limited in numbers. Jackpot Records has taken ownership of the original masters used to produce the record in 1976, and produced an entirely new vinyl with the permission of the band.

Two versions of the 2023 Sidewalk vinyl repress are being produced. The first is a standard edition pressing in an unlimited quantity. Ideal for collectors or folks curious about the sound, this pressing will finally bring the album into the mainstream, or at least allow people to listen to it without forking over thousands of dollars. These are available for $25.

The second version is quite limited. Like the first pressing from 1976, just 100 copies of this second limited edition are being produced for $35 each. These are hand-poured vinyl records with silk-screen covers, all of them numbered by hand, and signed by Kip Kaplan from Sidewalk.

Naturally, this is an incredibly opportunity for Sidewalk fans, all ten of them. It’s also a huge win for media preservation, as it’s saved the record from sliding into obscurity. The question now is what these new limited edition Sidewalk records will be worth in the long run. As this is a reselling blog that tends to be the main thing we care about.

While it’s unlikely the repress will ever reach the same heights as the first, it may still be quite a collectable piece in the future. Sidewalk was a legendary record within collectors circles but virtually unheard of outside of them; it was the ultimate sign of being in the know.

As such, these 100 new records are sort of a secondary collectible. We’ll have to see what kind of value collectors assign to it in the future, but it could end up being substantial. It could take years for that value to manifest, but that’s how it goes sometimes. There may be a handful of sales in the next few weeks, but probably for not much.

This record is a gamble, make no mistake. It’s something to put away for months, years even, while keeping an eye on the market for them. At only $35, it’s not a terribly risky investment, and you still get a cool piece of rock history if things don’t pan out. For now, we’ll just need to wait and see.

Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter for more updates on items to resell. Vinyl has become one of our favorite topics lately, with articles on the new Fall Out Boy “Crynyl”, upcoming Greta Van Fleet Starcatcher Vinyl, and Dopesmoker Weedian Hi-Fi Vinyl.