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Round Two
October 17, 2004
One thing about collecting music that really bugs me is when record companies "reissue" or "remaster" albums by an artist.
Typically, whenever a company decides to "reissue", they throw in a couple of tracks to entice fans who might already own an album to buy the record again. Buy it twice, that is. Full retail value times two. All for a couple of previously thrown-away or outtake tracks.
Can you sense my bitterness?
In 1993 Rykodisc reissued a number of Elvis Costello records. These reworkings did, in fact, have some extra tracks thrown in. In the case of his debut, My Aim Is True, there were nine additional tracks. Luckily for me, I hadn't purchased this album on CD yet, so I benefited by picking up the record, getting 22 tracks for roughly the same price as someone just a year earlier, who would have gotten only 13.
Elvis Costello's catalog is currently undergoing another major "reissue" and recently Columbia Records announced that fifteen Bob Dylan albums would be remastered and re-released.
Unlike the Costello situation, I already own every single one of these Dylan recordings in either Cassette or Compact Disc format. So, if I wanted to enjoy the music that I've already purchased (albeit "better sounding"), I'll have to shell out another $14-$15 a piece.
To put it bluntly, that's bullshit. What does being a loyal fan get you anymore? Nothing. Never mind the fact that there isn't a single god-damned additional track on any of the fifteen reissues. Just a new mastering, SACD format and SOME of them come with a 5.1 surround sound mix. Not all of them, mind you. Just some. Select albums. And not Nashville Skyline or Highway 61 or Freewheelin', either. But Slow Train Coming does, THANK GOD! {That's sarcasm, folks}
I wish that every time an album gets reissued fans who've already bought the records could trade in their existing copies for credit toward the new one. Will artists ever respect their fans enough to do this? I doubt it.
But guess what? Despite my frustration and utter distaste for the recording industry I bought them anyway. Well, eleven of them, actually. Not Slow Train, Oh Mercy, Love and Theft or Another Side of.
Yeah, I know, I'm a frickin' loser. I'm all talk and no walk. But WAIT! Lemme tell you this. I didn't pay $14-$15 like Columbia Records woulda liked me to. No, I only paid about $7 a piece for them by ordering them through Columbia House. You see, I already had to buy four more albums from them at "regular club prices" by November in order to complete my contractual obligation, so I waited until the usual "buy ONE get THREE free" promotional rounds and gobbled up the lot of them that way. Pretty clever, eh? No? Well, I thought so. I got all eleven for about $75. $75 bucks I was going to spend anyway, too.
So, why did I shell out for them? Well, the new versions of these records come in nice little digipaks full of great photographs. That and, well, because I'm a sucker. I didn't have a couple of them on CD, so that was sort of one reason. But the main reason is because I shell out for Bob like no other. Hell, I've got the man's Self Portrait framed and hanging in my living room, for chrissakes. What do you expect?
Other than that little episode all is well in the Huffman house. We're off this week to Charleston, SC to visit Sarah's friend. It's Sarah and my second trip to Charleston and the first for Ellie. We're looking forward to it.
Oh, and there's one other thing you should all know:
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This is my weblog - a place for me to write about whatever interests me. The topic is a wildcard, but is likely to be about UI Design, Usability, Web Standards, Photography, Music, Politics, etc. Every once in a while even a little politics. Expect anything.
Unless you have a $10,000 stereo, they're not going to sound any better.
I know, I know. But the packaging is nice and [insert another lame excuse here].
Congratulations to both of you (and big sister Ellie)! I hope Sarah is feeling well. Do you know the due date? We are expecting baby number 2 at the end of March :)
Kate
(and Charleston is one of my very favorite places...Have a great time!)
Thanks so much, Kate. The due date is June 4th, which is six days after my birthday, so it looks like I'm getting a special present next year. Pretty cool.
And yes, Charleston is a wonderful city. The last time we were there (October of 2001) our friend lived right downtown and it was wonderful to be able to get up in the morning and walk out the door into the beautiful cobblestone streets and down to the market, etc. So much rich history and beautiful architecture. Last time I got some great photos. Let's hope I actually post them this time!
Congrats to the Huffmans on baby #2. I think it's baby fever now! I'm not drinking ANY water!!
Thanks, Shari, it does seem that it's round #2, doesn't it? Seems like everyone we know with children has two now. It was bound to catch up with us.
By the way, Kate, I meant to say 'Congratulations' to you as well. End of March seems like a good time. Luckily, you won't have to be pregnant during the summer months. Let's hope that May is mild for Sarah's sake.
congratulations, chris and sarah!
on the music business flow, think of where you came into the system. people who owned elvis costello in vinyl (like me) had to buy them all over again to get those extra tracks. at least now we have online stores, where you might be able to get the extras without rebuying the whole thing. my guess is that the technological shift and reissue revenue flippers will continue forever.
Congratulations!
hurrah!!!!
Thanks, Chris :)
that's great news.... congratz!!
congrats from the lawrence's
Congrats!
Hooray! How exciting. If you have another girl, you can name her Sonya if you want. It's a surefire way to make sure she's cool as ice.
Ned Thomas Huffman has a nice ring to it. Boy, Chris, talking burying the lead. Congrats to the three of you on the expanding family (that mini-van is going to get a lot of use)! I can't believe how grown-up the Ellie-bean looks in that picture.
But back to nit-picking music.... "So, if I wanted to enjoy the music that I've already purchased (albeit "better sounding"), I'll have to shell out another $14-$15 a piece." I don't think there's anything keeping you from enjoying the music you've already purchased, although i do get a funny image in my head of you listening to your old copy of Blonde on Blonde thinking "damn it, I can't enjoy this anymore knowing there's a cleaner, warmer recording out there!"
(er, i guess i meant "bury the lede")
I definitely know what you're trying to say, Ned, but my point (however poorly communicated) is that if I want to buy an "upgrade" when it comes to music I have to pay the "full version" price. That's frustrating as a consumer.
Give me, as an exisiting, loyal consumer, a reason to buy this "upgrade" rather than just repackage what I (basically) already have and try to sell it to me again. If there is an incentive, fine, but give me credit for already having bought the product once.
What I want is for consumers to have more options, such as the ability to purchase just the additional "outtake" tracks all to themselves for a fair price. I want artists to have more control, too. If artists had more of a stake in selling their own goods, then I think you'd see fairer pricing models. But so long as these greedy, monopolistic corporations control the business, we're all bound to continue getting the shaft and the bill.
congratulations chris and sarah. lord, maybe it's cause i'm so queer (if ya know what i mena), but i didn't know what the hell that was in the picture.
market's aren't fair. i feel for ya, cause you're a fan and their oughta be a reward, but when it come's to collecting most anything - music, books, star wars figures, etc, the market's counting on the fan to pay whatever price he or she will bear to add the overpriced item to his or her collection. i say organize for your consumer rights. and i'm not trying to be facetious here.
boycott the RIAA