NewsUMC to correct vinyl pressing error in Cat Stevens box set
Yusuf and the label apologise for the error
The newly issued Cat Stevens Teaser and the Firecat super deluxe edition contains a mis-pressed vinyl record, admits Universal Music. As well as the CDs and blu-ray, this package contains two vinyl LPs, one of which is supposed to be a record of ‘alternate’ versions of all the tracks from the album. Despite being labelled as such on all elements of the packaging, it turns out that this record mistakenly features the new remaster of the 1971 album.
In a statement, team Yusuf/Cat Stevens have assured fans that “the issue [will be] corrected, at no cost to you”. And it sounds like no one will be required to return the ‘wrong’ vinyl record since they also say: “Hopefully the fact that you will end up with an extra vinyl of the remastered album will provide some small compensation for the trouble this causes”.
No detail, as yet, as to what purchaser’s need to do, but here’s Universal Music Catalogue’s statement on the problem:
“With great regret, we have to report that there has been an error in the production of the Teaser and the Firecat Super Deluxe Edition box set, wherein LP1 (Teaser and the Firecat: Alternate Versions), which comes in a blue sleeve, mistakenly contains the 50th anniversary remastered audio of the original 1971 album (and not the Alternate Versions).
We would like to offer our sincere apologies to everyone who has purchased the Super Deluxe Edition set, and for the inconvenience caused. We are having LP1 reprinted urgently, and will ensure that everyone who purchased the box set will be eligible to receive a replacement LP free of charge. More information for this process will be shared ASAP. Universal Music Group”
Universal Music Catalogue
It seems unlikely that any super deluxe box sets out in retailers will be recalled, so if you are thinking of making a purchaser, best advice is to go ahead and then make your claim for a replacement vinyl when the process has been publicised.
Watch the SDEtv unboxing video of the Teaser and the Firecat super deluxe edition (note: SDE had not played the vinyl when this was filmed, hence the issue wasn’t spotted and mentioned in commentary).
SuperDeluxeEdition.com helps fans around the world discover physical music and discuss releases. To keep the site free, SDE participates in various affiliate programs, including Amazon and earns from qualifying purchases.
Related Content
20 Comments
20 thoughts on “UMC to correct vinyl pressing error in Cat Stevens box set”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Has anyone heard yet how to get the replacement vinyl? I just received my box set (from Germany) and it had two of the OBI sheets with unique serial numbers! Does this mean they made only 4,999 copies of the set, or there is one floating around with no OBI sheet?
So if I wait 6 months to get the box set for half-price (which I did for the previous two sets), will Universal still have the re-pressed (corrected) vinyl to hand ready to send me?
If not – can they just be good sports and send me one now? ;)
They may impose some kind of time limit (as Warners did with Heroes-gate)
That is not the ONLY thing Universal has to do. This is an edited version of an e-mail I sent them last night…
To: [email protected]
I was informed to contact John at Universal customer service in the UK by [name redacted] in Belgium.
Quite a while ago, I ordered the Cat Stevens “Teaser and the Firecat” box set WITH the limited two-sided print from The Sound of Vinyl UK. I waited and waited, and to my surprise my copy was sent to a woman in Belguim with whom I am told has been in touch with you. We had some communications about this and last I had heard she was going to try to get a return label from Universal UK so that she could send it back to you and then you would send it on to me.
I was out of town for a bit and a couple of days after I got back, I contacted her, and got this response…
“Oh my, this is a little strange. I have contacted Yusuf’s Team and Universal. Universal told me that they would contact you. I assumed this had happened in the meantime, but apparently it didn’t. ”
Well, I double-checked the e-mails that I got when I was out of town and found NOTHING that was about “Teaser and the Firecat”, and none of the e-mails I got were from any company that has antything to do with Universal at all. And I KNOW all the various names that Universal operates under in various countries.
So first of all, whay have I NOT been notified at all???
I communicted further with [her] and found out this…
“On December 1st, Yusuf posted this notice from Universal on his page. There seem to be a lot of issues with Universal:
[the next paragraphs from them mentions the pressing problem]
So now, not only have I not gotten my box set, you also made a mistake with the production of one of the discs. Really?
Needless to say I am quite annoyed at all this and want some answers. But first, I have some vaild demands to make of you…
1. I want the original box set meant for me WITH THE LIMITED PRINT and the mistaken disc sent to me and NOT ANYWHERE ELSE. There can be NO exception to this.
2. When it is available, I want the corrected disc and cover sent to ME as soon as it comes out.
3. In addition, when I get my box set, if it is physically damaged in ANY WAY, including the outer box, I will insist upon another box sent to me at no charge. Is is NOT MY FAULT if your incompetence has had my box set bouncing aroung Europe, the UK, and heaven knows where else it might go before (or if) it ever get to me in the US.
There is really no excuse for the lack of help you seem to be not giving to people, and in addition have caused a third-party – [the woman] in Belguim – having to deal with your inablity in what should’ve been a simple delivery to my house in the US.
I expect to hear back from you as soon as possible, and with NO MORE EXCUSES.
I will end by saying the I have had problems with the various Universal businesses and know others that have had them too.
Perhaps it is time for you to stop treating your cutomers like shite and stop this nonsense NOW. We should not have to do any of the work thay you should be doing NOW.
[my name and address]
United States of America (NOT BELGUIM)
So, will they solve my problme or just fob it off?
Maybe they’ll issue a corrected version of the mislabelled orange vinyl Simple Minds – Sparkle In The Rain. Every copy has the labels wrong way round.
Well done to Universal for a) admitting that there was a mistake, b) resolving the problem, and c) doing it quickly. And for once, the error has brought a “bonus” to the vinyl collectors. We’ve had so many problems over the last few years that the companies have tried to justify the error (Heroes) or argued the toss before finally climbing down usually as a result of fans and SDE subscribers taking to social media to air their complaints. Mistakes do happen (and have happened for over 55 years – Rubber Soul), but we should be supportive of their actions, and hope that other companies will take note.
It doesn’t surprise me that these things happen. The labels are primarily rights holders these days from what I can tell. They outsource everything. It’s cheaper for them that way—not like the old days when they used to own the pressing plants, distribution network, etc…Also, some of these sets have so many “parts” — meaning discs, vinyl, books, marbles, postcards, that they are a tough collation job for anyone except the most detail-oriented person. If you’re a bored or over stressed worker in a factory that is pushing out too many of these boxes too quickly, something is very likely to get overlooked, I would guess. (Even the wrong LP in the wrong sleeve!)
It would be good if XL Recording would acknowledge the horrendous press of Kid A Mnesia too.
My Red Copy I got from Germany is a shambles.
What does “shambles” mean?
Shambles means – A disgrace, a terrible copy that does not play without horrendous surface noise.
That’s what I’ve read – the terrible reviews have kept me from purchasing on vinyl.
Think of the upside – Discogs sellers charging big bucks for the ‘deleted, mis-pressed vinyl version’….
Spectacular. That error is so basic it *really* shouldn’t happen. I know cottage industry artists who have had up to three rounds of test pressings of vinyl items before pressing ‘go’. Clearly, UMC is so big/impersonal that nobody in this case has taken ownership of the project to the extent of either asking for or listening to a single text pressing. And now there’ll be months of a wait (even for UMC) before the disc can be pressed.
So, vinyls and these collections have become the thing that makes labels the most money, purely judging from the prices they charge for them. But even if that wasn’t the case, can’t any one person in each label sit down for the amount of hours it takes to play the release at least ONCE to pay attention to what’s been pressed? I just can’t understand how one can justify these screw-ups.
Cough.. you would think that with the 50 to100 test pressings a lot of releases seem to have these days at least one of them would serve their intended purpose.
Aren’t those being sold online anyway, sometimes as autographed items? They get pressed alone to be sold at higher price LOL
That was my point Shane. My comment began with “cough”.
“Test” pressings these days are just normal production blank vinyl pressings with plain white labels sold via artists’ online stores at £100 to £200 each. Cheaper to produce than normal pressings as they don’t include the album sleeve. I’ve seen editions advertised with a run of 200 copies LOL. Not like back in the day when a very small number were produced to actually TEST how a pressing sounds.
Very good point!
That is a truly amazing screw up.
Did no one working on the project at the label actually listen to the test pressing of the LP?
cough…a lesson DGM/King-Crimson can learn from on QC solutions…cough