Saturday Deluxe / 2 April 2016
April Fools!
I’m sad to report that our ‘news story’ about the Wham! Make It Bigger reissue was SDE having a bit of fun on April Fools’ Day. But I think you probably knew that…
Perhaps surprisingly, in five years this is the first time SDE has ‘risked’ running an April Fools’ story (let’s face it, they can fall flat) but I very much got the feeling that you enjoyed the joke – although sorry if you had that ‘spike’ of excitement for a moment when you thought that this might be real. Like most pop fans who grew up in the 1980s, I’d love to see a Make It Big reissue, myself.
I goes to show just how weird of some of the items that have made it into super deluxe edition box sets are (marbles etc.) when what I thought were ludicrous inclusions (shuttlecock, teeth whitening kit) weren’t enough to give the game away for some!
Pet Shop Boys Superstore
I was in West London yesterday morning having a little chat with the team at Warner Music, but just after lunch headed east to Shoreditch to check out the Pet Shop Boys‘ ‘pop-up’ shop which will be open for just three days to promote their new album (out yesterday) SUPER.
Called, appropriately enough, SUPERstore, the shop is a tiny unit in the Boxpark complex, which specialises in pop-up fashion and lifestyle shops. There was no actual stock on show, and inside it was more like a gallery, with all the items for sale, including signed vinyl, signed CDs, T-shirts, badges etc hanging on frames on the wall. You basically gave your order to one of the members of staff who went ‘out the back’ to get your items. The shop opened at 11am but by the time I got there the signed prints which were limited to 150 were all gone. It was fairly busy, but the big crowds had dispersed early on, but the sounds of things.
As you can see from the photo above, there were also listening stations along the wall where fans could have a listen to SUPER, although I kind of doubt anyone made the effort to turn up at the shop, had a listen and thought “nah!”.
I picked up a signed white vinyl (£24) and a signed CD (£15) but didn’t bother with a T-shirt. With every order you get a free ‘Tote’ bag.
You can read more about SUPER here. The SUPERSTORE is open for two more days – today and tomorrow.
Spin CDs
British online music retailer Spin CDs think it’s okay to steal content from other websites. As pointed out to me by an SDE reader, on their pre-order listing (under ‘product details’) for the Pure McCartney deluxe they have simply copied and pasted everything I wrote on SDE yesterday!
I have to say this has happened before, on their blog a few years back. They eventually apologised and took the content down, but the fact that it has happened again shows there must be a culture in their organisation where staff are encouraged to take content from other sites.
I’d ask you to support SDE and complain to Spin CDs about this behaviour, by emailing them or better still tweet your message to them, tagging @spincds and @sdedition. I will then retweet. Remember, in terms of content, SDE is largely a team of one. It’s Goliath stealing from David as far as I’m concerned.
It really is outrageous behaviour and a very stupid thing for them to do since if I served them with a “DMCA takedown” Google could unlist them which could have a very serious impact on their website/business. I haven’t done that yet, but they were alerted last night and the content is still up and I’ve had no response…
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I would be much more up for a “Fantastic” re-issue with all the official remixes, 7″ versions (UK vs US for Wham Rap), maybe some service remixes or other DJ remixes (Liebrand Megamix anyone?).
Funny story – saw Make it Big tour in Los Angeles in 1985 – worst show ever. It was a joke.
Saw George Michael on Faith tour in 1987 and it was unbelievable.
Just an aside.
Sadly lots of Superstore product up on eBay at inflated prices. As expected, I guess.
Thanks for visiting the Super store and posting pics. Glad you got two signed items. Agree with comment about why couldn’t some signed product be available via PSB website for initial orders.
I really want the full 37-minute version of Wake Me Up
Little miffed at what the PSB have done with the SUPERstore. Firstly, nice idea and I get that London is centre of the universe and they couldn’t do this idea in other major UK cities but the stick they were selling should have been available to pre-order via their website. How much extra work would it have been to have some signed CDs available ? Or packaged with Tote bags etc ? I ordered mine via Amazon and oddly no auto-rip. Delivered today so probably listen tomorrow.
Hmmm trying to decide whether to pop to the ‘Super’ pop-up store tomorrow.
I live at London Bridge so it’s about a 30 -40 minute walk for me.
What do you think Paul? Would it be worth the effort?
If that Michael Jackson Off The Wall reissue had been announced yesterday I’d have thought that was an April Fools joke. I still can’t get over that blumin’ chalk!
Paul, can’t you turn this to your advantage? If they want to use your articles, then let them provided they give you an appropriate credit. Also, perhaps you could negotiate an exclusive SDE Spin discount?
Your blog psl, don’t post comments.If peopke fon’t visit it, you don’t get the income mate. Bad hair day pal..?
I don’t actually understand this comment Rob. But judging by your last few (unpublished) comments where you are positively trying to rile/provoke me and then in the end just resort to abuse/name calling, it’s probably best you found another blog where the person running it doesn’t annoy you so much. Weird behaviour…
You suckered me in there for a minute but it was a really good April fool. Keep doing what you, Paul, SDE is fantastic even if it does cost me a fortune….
Ironic that the title of that Wham! album was Make It Big when it only had 8 tracks on it! If we are making wish lists can we have Deluxe Re-Release of Fantastic first anyway please. Hee Hee!
I sent SPIN a nice email (“I would like to WARN you that it is ILLEGAL to use other websites content that is COPYRIGHT such as you have done with the recent write up of Paul McCartney’s up-and-coming release which you have simply ‘copy and pasted’ from the SDE/Super Deluxe Editions website! If this happens again I will be informing SDE of your theft of their copyrighted written material and passing your details on to higher authorities regarding this matter! In otherwords, write your own content and DO NOT STEAL other peoples hard work!”). I have had the same problem with other sellers on eBay stealing my written word to sell their items of the same product, including my photographs of the item!
Thanks
Paul, perhaps I’m being “devils advocate” here, but Spin might take your pre-release posts as coming from the record label? After all, you’re quick to point out how you’re “in” with the (mostly) major labels. Spin are (IMHO) quite decent to deal with, and aren’t the juggernaut of, say, Amazon, that you promote so readily on your site. Talk of legal take-downs seems rude and threatening over not a lot at the end of the day. If you’re so worried about it, copyright everything you post, I suppose! Anyway, just a thought…
Possibly, but two things make this unlikely.
1) It’s happened before and I’ve had to point this out.
2) That text they’ve copied with various criticisms is clearly not a press release. I even make reference to the ACTUAL press release in the text.
Regarding Spin CDs, I’ve just had a quick look at their website and the the McCartney story isn’t the only one they’ve taken; the information about the Pet Sounds box set is also from SDE….
I don’t think they are ‘Goliath’, though, but quite a small independent store, and they’ve always been friendly when I’ve popped in. Hopefully they’ll see sense, respond with an apology and take down the lifted info.
Who’s that on the door at the Superstore? Your Funny Uncle?
They’ve already had their chance to explain the first time they stole your material, as well as put into place practices that ensure it wouldn’t happen. It strikes me as willful ignorance, perhaps hoping you wouldn’t notice it again, and they’re not going to take it seriously without a serious, formal complaint.
Don’t feel bad, it won’t crush their site, and they deserve it. That’s what the law is designed for, and we support you!
I was so looking forward to a Wham shuttlecock. Not too much of a disappointment as I went to SuperStore. All I will say is that when they were preparing the shop on Friday morning, out came about 30 empty bottles of Moet. It must have been one hell of a party in there Thursday night.
I would give them a chance to explain. If that´s not to your satisfaction BAN them.
Thank you for re-tweeting my post. As pointed out, you are a one man band, they have the resources to write their own article. Not even acknowledging where the article came from is lousy and you might not be going down that road to formally make a complaint if they had.
Give them hell Paul.
It doesn’t even make sense to use what I wrote, they are supposed to be factually listing what the product is, not giving opinions about it.
Did their “article” include the comment that Jet wasn’t on the track list, which you corrected later on?
No, but it does have “inaccurately described as “curios for the superfans”” which I changed to “Optimistically described”
well, the Wham april’s fool was totally no-fun. from my point. I knew there was something in the making and I think it was pretty believable.
Cheer up! ;) There’s nothing in the making…
I would go and report them. If this is the 2nd time they have done it, Id spare no mercy. You work hard, this is a slap in the face to you.
I think you might be right…
In terms of content yes, you are a team of one but you get information from your readers eg last weeks PSB interview on the Graham Norton Show on Radio 2. There are numerous posts on your Get In Touch page confirming reader input.
Of course that’s true. I made that very point when I posted about the five year anniversary… what’s any of that got to do with Spin CDs?
Rob, it’s one thing getting general release info from other sources. it’s another to copy/paste/steal a WHOLE WRITTEN/RESEARCHED PIECE and pass it off as your own. i.e. someone at Spin was too lazy to write a piece themselves about this release. think that is what Paul meant.
Damn, for 24 pounds I would’ve loved a signed copy as well. Was expecting them to be more expensive, as the art print was on sale at the PSB store for (I believe) 80 euros.
I’ve sent an email to them , will wait and see if they reply
Thanks.
Spin also seem to sell a lot of rather dodgy CDs based on their emails to me. Pre-orders sometimes need a prompt too, they take payment up front and then occasionally forget!!!!
Perhaps SPIN will steal your ‘Make It Big(ger)’ post not realising it was a joke, that would make them look very foolish indeed!