Pitchfork

First there was Record Store Day, the celebration of independently owned music shops that took place on April 19. Now there's Independents Day, an even broader celebration of general musical independence coming the weekend of July 4.

Like Record Store Day, Independents Day is a worldwide collection of events and releases, but the main attractions are these: a couple huge online charity auctions, a digital-only U.S. compilation, and a separate two-disc UK compilation that will come out on CD, vinyl, and digital files.

Of the compilations, only the first disc of the latter has a finalized tracklist at the moment. Appearing on it are Jarvis Cocker with the Gossip's Beth Ditto (doing this one, yep), Devendra Banhart, the Futureheads, Maxïmo Park, José González, Prodigy, Editors, and British Sea Power, offering covers of indie staples. The second disc of the UK comp "will showcase new bands who have been personally recommended by those artists featuring on the first [disc]," according to a press release.

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) curated the U.S. compilation, which will feature rare and previously unreleased tracks from Frank Black, Living Legends, Ani DiFranco, and Slipknot (!!), among others. Both compilations have limited releases around July 4; for specific release info, check the Independents Day site.

As for the eBay auctions, those will feature memorabilia, signed merchandise, and "once-in-a-lifetime opportunities" such as a search through New York City for rare records with DJ Spooky, a trumpet lesson from Ozomatli, and the chance to be an MTV VJ for a day. Other items come from Radiohead, Kim Deal, Thom Yorke, Cat Power, Interpol, the New Pornographers, Arctic Monkeys, Quasimoto, Vampire Weekend, Paul Weller, and Beirut's Zach Condon. The UK auction begins this Monday, June 9, while the U.S. one won't happen until our Independence Day, July 4. Details here.

Proceeds from the auctions and compilations will be split between a variety of organizations, including A2IM, the Worldwide Independent Network, MusiCares, the Musicians Benevolent Fund, and the Campaign Against Living Miserably.

Independents Day 08 [UK compilation]:

Disc one:

01 Editors: "Bonny"
02 Feeder: "Public Image"
03 Maxïmo Park: "Was There Anything I Can Do?"
04 Prodigy: "Ghost Town"
05 Cribs: "Bastards of Young"
06 José González: "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
07 The Futureheads: "With Every Heartbeat"
08 Jack Peñate: "Dub Be Good to Me"
09 Rodrigo y Gabriela: "Orion"
10 British Sea Power: "Tug Boat"
11 The Charlatans: "Murder"
12 Jarvis Cocker and Beth Ditto: "Temptation"
13 Devendra Banhart: "Don't Look Back in Anger"
14 Infadels: "Steady as She Goes"