Saturday Deluxe / 18 April 2015
Record Store Day
Happy Record Store Day! I hope some of you have managed to get out and snag some vinyl from your ‘wants’ list. Twitter is full of great photos of passionate music fans up with the birds, standing in a queue. Controversially, for the first time in four or five years I haven’t got up early this time around but will be heading down to Flashback in Islington a bit later on, in the knowledge that I will have exactly zero chance of picking up an a-ha picture disc or any of the David Bowie items. Can’t complain though, because I’ve been lucky enough to get some items to preview as you may have noticed during this week.
I know RSD can frustrating, and you never get everything (or anything?) you want, so next week SDE will try and ease the pain by running a series of competitions, giving away one Record Store Release every day, including some sought after items like the Simple Minds’ Waterfront picture disc and the Small Faces singles box. More information on this coming soon, so stay tuned!
Roger Waters
Roger Waters may have not made a new studio album in the last 24 years (his unending fascination with The Wall continues) but his last effort, 1992’s Amused To Death was a cracker, and so I was very pleased to hear the news that RCA/Legacy was not only reissuing the album but also packaging the remastered stereo mix with a blu-ray audio that contains a brand new 5.1 surround sound mix by James Guthrie.
Spare a thought though, for Analogue Productions who have spent the last two years trying to get their own reissue of the album off the ground. There have undoubtedly been some politics behind the scenes but there is no doubt that the major label reissue of the 5.1 mix does rather take the wind from sales of Analogue Production’s proposed SACD which was originally announced as a stereo-only disc in January 2013. Sixteen months later in April 2014 AP proudly informed everyone that the SACD would actually now include a brand new surround mix. That exciting news was dulled by another year of silence and now Sony are saying ‘thank you very much’ and putting out everything AP were going to do (including a double vinyl edition) and more (a double LP picture disc).
If you’re a fan of the SACD format, the good news is AP are still releasing a Super Audio CD and the are also working with Sony and pressing Sony’s own 200g double vinyl at their own highly rated Quality Record Pressings plant.
Incidentally, I’d normally have no truck with ‘revised artwork’ but I have to acknowledge that Sean Evans’ new treatment (or de-monkeying) of the album cover is excellent in every respect, including some superb typographical details.
Read more about this Amused To Death reissue.
The Only Star TIN Heaven
Union Square Music have created some great Frankie Goes To Hollywood releases over the years, including last year’s now out-of-print Inside The Pleasuredome box set, but this latest offering, Simply Frankie Goes to Hollywood, surely takes the biscuit (tin).
Don’t get me wrong, as an actual compilation it’s very good indeed, but there are two problems. Number one, Union Square are facing a ‘Mother Hubbard’ situation with the ZTT Frankie Catalogue, because you have to conclude that after more than half a decade of deluxe album releases, Art of the 12-inch sets, and compilations like SexMix THE CUPBOARD IS BARE when it comes to unreleased material, or alternate takes of interest, so they have to keep rehashing the same releases. Feeding Frankie fans with material they already own. Didn’t ‘mad cow’ disease start in a similar way? Number two issue with this new release is that it’s in a bloody tin box. I do not want my CDs in a tin box. It’s a silly idea, hard to store (segregation – or Frankie apartheid – is inevitable) and did I say it’s a silly idea? The only thing I want in a tin box is shortbread. Preferably with a tartan pattern on the outside along with a picture of a ‘Scottie’ dog.
Incredibly, this is actually part of a ‘Simply Tins’ series, so there are more. It feels like something off of ‘The Apprentice’. You know, team ‘Massive Dynamic’ (apologies to Fringe) go to focus group with CDs-in-tin idea. Focus group says “that’s shit” but team MD decide to do it anyway. They lose. You’re fired (without ‘regret’).
Anyway, it’s a crap idea, but I pre-ordered one anyway. Because I love buying physical music. Or as my mum used to say “you have a mental illness”.
Read more about Frankie in a tin.
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[…] promised last weekend, SDE is giving away some Record Store Day product from the 2015 releases. I’ve actually […]
I managed to pick-up the Suede album through Amazon in the US. Same price as UK retail with £4 shipping. The album was delayed in the States and wasn’t available on the actual day so its only been listed in the last couple of days. If you hunt around online you can still find some copies without being extorted.
I’m starting to think RSD should be renamed RLD…Record *Label* Day, as they seem to be the ones getting the most from overpriced collectibles, bought by eBayers who probably don’t regularly use their local indie shops the rest of the year.
No aspect of it seems to make sense.
From Germany: I was able to get the Long awaited A-ha 7″ picture disc for 22 EUR !!!!!!!!! That’s to be honest really a crazy price. I really had to make a compromise with myself but bought it at the end as this is One of my favourite tunes of all Time.
I’m really Ready to Support all the Independent Music Stores and the Vinyl Production, but honestly These prices are really unfair for all honest Music lovers. My Impression is that Most of the Record companies are pulling the Money now with such exaggerated prices. In my eyes pricing single Album LP’s at 15 to 18 EUR will be the right approach to generate Even more Sales. I also Need to rethink the Record Store days fo the Future.
Adam – We must have been posting at the same time…
Yes, the first store I went to in Dallas had 2 of the Ministry box sets. They had it priced at $175!!!
To my point above about the prices being different, I’m fairly certain I paid $24 for the JAMC LP, while you mentioned you paid $44.
I’m in the southern U.S. and my RSD experience was generally a good one. I managed to pick up 5 of the 6 items I was interested in (only missing out on the Suede LP) and made a few impulse buys, as well. However, it seemed to me that the prices were higher this year than the last few years. I went to a few different shops and also saw a noticeable discrepancy in prices for the same item. For example, the Section 25 7″ was $15 in the first shop I went to (pricey to begin with…) and was $20 in the second shop I visited. I was a little surprised by this.
From the US: I got almost everything I wanted from RSD in the store. I agree that the a-ha pic disc was overpriced at $17, but it’s frankly gorgeous, so I can live with that. The Erasure 12″ cost me the same. The only other severely overpriced thing I paid for was the Psychocandy Live record ($44), but hey, sometimes that happens.
I have gone to most RSDs (or had someone buy some things for me when I couldn’t go), and I’ve never sold any of it on eBay, but I have purchased a couple of RSD items there. I always wait for the prices to come back down, though, and somehow they almost always do.
Did anyone find a Ministry Trax Box out there? The store I go to is a local independent chain (Newbury Comics) and they said the entire chain got 0 of them. That’s the only thing I feel like I’m “missing.”
Protip: Don’t listen to the Swans record right before you go to bed. :-)
talking about high prices
in denmark the prices was vgery high this year
the a-ha Picture disc going for 32pund
the 12″ with Blancmange was 22 pund
Jesus and marychain 32 pund (and it was not even in red vinyl)
suede 32 pund
omd 8
erasure 15 pund
and the releases i wanted like james and camouflage they were not
released cfor the Danish part of rsd
and then one of Danish releases a 12″ with only 1 track (3min 28 sec)
on the other side record etched a Picture of the artists 13pund for less than 4 min of music
so unless they going to re-think record store day 2015 was my last one
I must say that for non UK buyers (like me) prices are extremely high for some stuff i’d like to buy… more that 50€ for a James 12″(or a garbage 10″) seems a little bit out of range… so i’ll sit and pray for the prices to decrease… there is also a Camouflage 12″ only released in Germany … This is all great for records shops but in the end we’ll have to pay a high rate for too rare editions…
I have to agree with that last comment. With an awful lot of to-ing & fro-ing online between online shops, have been surprised that some places had been selling a few days before at face value. Still, some items will always been in high demand and expensive, especially some of the box sets, but better than last year.
Ebay scalpers will always be there, but some EU sellers have been a fair price. Certainly beats queuing up and a handful people at the front walking away with the lot. So, i have found it a bit better this year too. I know it’s not going to be the same for everyone as we are all looking for different things.
Also, just by waiting the prices have fallen. There has been alot of 2014 stuff still available and very reasonable too from major outlets as well. Good luck everyone.
I was on a 24 hour flight while Record Store Day was on, yet I have managed to get several items I was after off eBlight for LESS than RRP from reputable sellers. What’s going on..?
I got 4 of the 7 things on my A list by turning up at Piccadilly Records after all the queues had gone down, so that was pretty good, and picked up one other thing as a result. I know a middle aged Bowie completist who hardly ever goes to the shops never mind queues, so expect he’ll be buying over the odds on eBay, but the seller will be happy and so will he, so I don’t really care that much. This year some of the “runs” are so large that I cant imagine anyone making any money. I suspect the big prices in shop are for US release 12″ and 7″. Would have liked the Our Daughters Wedding 7″ but not for 12.99!
Re RSD, there are 27 listings of the Erasure 12″ red vinyl RSD release on eBay , ranging in price from bids of £21.00 to buy now at £200.00.
It’s all about the money for some people , what they can profit from the day and not about the music.
People do put stuff on eBay, but there seems to be an assumption that *most* people do that. I’m sure it’s just a minority. Most people go in to a record shop and buy want they want from what is available at that point.
Posted this in two places, think I was on the wrong link before; my first time posting!
Paul, love the website! I’m here a few times a week checking out what is new and coming up; love the new wave 80s! I was down at my local store today and saw the a-ha 30th Anniversary Picture Disc – one copy was left. I saw this post just a bit ago and went back down there and the a-ha disc was still there. I picked it up for you, all you have to do is let me know if you are interested (and pay the shipping from Idaho!). It will be my small ‘thanks’ for putting together and sharing such a great site!
As a Sandy Denny completist of sorts, I decided to get the Fotheringay “Bruton Town” 7″. A whapping great £13! Four years ago the 7″ from the box set was only £8. I think this will be the last time I willingly get ripped off. No more RSD for me, thank you.
Wow! Very kind indeed. Thank you. Surprisingly, as I posted late yesterday afternoon on Facebook (facebook.com/superdeluxeedition) I did actually manage to pick up a-ha, so I do actually have one of these now. But will still happily pay for you to ship to me in the UK and I can give it away on SDE. Or of course you can keep for yourself or sell locally etc if you don’t want it. Anyway, touched at you going to the effort. Many thanks!
There was nothing of particular interest for me this year, but picked up a couple of items for a friend – at 4.30 pm (18th April is my daughters birthday, and at 8, they apparently don’t want to go record shopping when they could be at home opening presents!)
The James 4 remixes 12″ was only £8.00 at Action Records in Preston which I thought was a great price, but the a-ha picture disc was £15 if I remember rightly. The Brian Wilson 7″ was almost £10,f or 2 tracks in a plain black sleeve. I did manage to pick up the Small Faces box set for my mate, which came in at £55.
The Dog Man Star LP was there too (£28) but as I don’t have a turntable, and would not want to have to turn a record every 3 tracks, will wait for the inevitable CD release (or the wanted 5 live CD box set).
I for myself can’t complain about RSD. I was looking for Amon Tobin “Dark Jovian” and for The Jesus and Mary Chain “Psychocandy Live”. Got Booth of them.
The question that rises with the Frankie tin is ….. Why, Who is it aimed at.
But I do hope there’s going to be one done for Stephen Duffy and call it the Tin Tin tin
Nice! :-)
Please ask your mum to write a guest column for your blog!
Haha, I’m glad it’s not only my mum who’s said that about my “habits” in the past….
Re: Roger Waters. Spare a thought for Analogue Productions? Why? When their release was first announced my heart sank because I don’t have the equipment to play 5.1 mixes on SACD. I thought it was a ridiculous idea to limit the release of an album so beloved of Waters/Floyd fans to a chosen few. Now, with RCA/Legacy taking the reins back, everyone wins – I, and others, get to enjoy the 5.1 mix on, arguably, the more universal format and SACD advocates are still catered for by the AP release. Honestly, I can’t see how AP will be effected – as an example, I was never going to buy their release as I was never going to purchase a load of new gear just to play one album! I predict they’ll sell neither more nor less of their version than were going to in the first place.
Also, Paul, loving these weekly summaries. You seem to add a touch of honesty and irreverence missing from your daily updates. Very entertaining.
Fair point re Analogue Productions. Glad you’re enjoying ‘Saturday Deluxe’! :)
The AP release of Wish You Were Here was very well packaged so it may be worth seeing if this SACD release adds anything art wise. Otherwise it’s hard to justify spending double on the SACD compared with to the CD/Blu Ray.
And I do feel sorry for a niche label with presumably higher per unit overheads having their product devalued like this before release.
The Dog Man Star live LP is another pointless release from the Suede/Demon monster we learned to know in the past few years.
Please stop it.
The cupboard isn’t completely bare. The 12″ version of The World Is My Oyster hasn’t appeared on CD yet and there were 3 different length versions of Get It On, not all of which have appeared on CD.
This has also not made a CD appearance: http://www.discogs.com/Frankie-Goes-To-Hollywood-Welcome-To-The-Pleasure-Dome-KZAP-Edit/release/1878829
Yeah there are a handful of things left. I guess they’re not going to ‘waste’ them on this budget compilation.
Yet again eBay has been flooded with items from record store day at inflated prices. The music industry has acknowedged that vinyl hasn’t been killed off and is very much a loved and preferred medium for people who ‘listen’ to music. There is a small increase in record shops but again prices are too high. Why would I pay £25 each for a couple of Depeche mode albums when I could get them for £11 a piece on the Internet? Why was a-ha’s picture disc so expensive, did Mortens hand come through the middle of it when you played it?