Spring is in the air, the Grand Prix is over, and the third Saturday in April is nearly upon us. One can almost feel a palpable sense of excitement as the anticipation of this year's Record Store Day grows.

It isn't an old tradition. It started, more or less, with a performance by Metallica at Rasputin Music in San Franscico. Still, every year, independent record stores around the world pull out all the stops, with special sales, offerings of limited edition merchandise, and presenting in-store appearances and performances.

Rand Foster, owner of our beloved Fingerprints Music, takes Record Store Day very seriously.

"We will have nearly 300 exclusive releases," Rand said, "including releases from Flaming Lips, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, The Pharcyde, David Bowie, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Animal Collective, Miles Davis, and so many more."

Not only does he open the store at 6 AM to allow rabid bargin hunters to scour the bins, he's also presenting three in-store performances. World Party is playing at 7, and access to that show is still available. The 5 PM performance of M. Ward is sold out. At 2 PM, the legendary and remarkable Beach Boy, Al Jardine, will perform songs from his new solo release, A Postcard from California, as well as songs from the Beach Boys. (He's an original member!)

I had the good fortune to see Jardine when he joined Brian Wilson on stage at the Terrace Theater a few years back. Jardine is probably best known for singing the lead on 'Help Me, Rhonda,' but he also wrote and produced music for the Beach Boys.

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to speak with him by phone about his album, the many celebrity collaborations it features, his love of the sea, and the new 50 city Beach Boys tour that's starting on the 24th.

If you're interested in getting into Fingerprints to catch World Party or Al Jardine, call the store at (562) 433-4996 and RSVP. No purchase is required but, if your name is not on the list, rest assured that you're not getting in. If you do buy something by the in-store artists, Rand will give you a poster made especially for the event and, if you ask, the artist may sign it for you.