Shady scams and other silly business ideas to take advantage of earnest new vinyl collectors

Has anyone heard of http://vnyl.org/?

I think it was mentioned in a "terrible ideas" thread but it turns out that it is actually a great idea if you want to find a way to trick people into buying $1.50 worth of records for $25.00 (which I believe is the subscription cost).

http://www.stereogum.com/1801049/vnyl-sliding-why-the-netflix-for-vinyl-service-is-such-a-mess/franchises/essay/

Apparently no matter who you indicate as your favorite artists, they'll just send you a random three common 70s thrift shop records and then play dumb if that upsets you.
They don't accept returns.

http://www.recordstoreday.com/

https://twitter.com/themattbates/status/594284588257579008/photo/1

good lord

http://www.shugarecords.com/

http://www.better-records.com/dept.asp?dept_id=14-015-034

http://www.artvinyl.com/

the second hand rack in the one Urban Outfitters store I've browsed was 98% dogshit and sold everything for £6 but I was happy enough with the Heavy Metal Kids LP I got for that price

http://www.artvinyl.com/

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Thursday, May 14, 2015 2:56 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the branch of (UK odds'n'ends austerity store) Home Bargains near my house sells 12" frames for £1.99 if anyone fancies displaying some LPs on their wall but isn't a profligate moron who thinks that £39 is good value for such a thing

Seriously, how is this a thing?

Which one?

On my twittefeed I keep getting a "Get xx number of indie singles from new acts each month, pre-chosen for youx" subscription service.

I mean, why would I?

(I'd post the link, but it's not there at the mo)

I dare-say a bunch of you music writers would pay a monthly fee to not receive etc, but.

the second hand rack in the one Urban Outfitters store I've browsed was 98% dogshit and sold everything for £6 but I was happy enough with the Heavy Metal Kids LP I got for that price

― pull blart, maul cops (DJ Mencap), Thursday, May 14, 2015 2:57 PM (32 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

If that's the one at Marble Arch, all the second-hand stuff has gone, leaving only the 180g represses..

nah it was in Cardiff and yeah it's just moderately overpriced new stuff now so presumably such is the case with all their stores

This is more silly than scam, I guess, but ...

http://vinylmeplease.com/how-it-works/

"Custom cocktail pairing recipes"

It's...pretty exclusive. Request your invite today.

Wow. This is so depressing.

need that custom youth lagoon record for $27

lol these are all pretty great

the VNYL scam is amazing, the robotic 500 days of summer tone of their con artistry is brilliant

http://www.homebargains.co.uk/products/10407-rock-it-records-12-album-sleeve-frame-case-of-12.aspx

"Our price: £23.88"

(for 12!)

we have those expensive frames in the office, filled with U2 and Bob Marley sleeves.

That girl on the front page of VNYL. So excited! So naive! Such a perfectly sad thing! Ugh

Not to mention the really poorly executed record-face meme thing with the fka twigs. Just.. no.

https://twitter.com/ajakober/status/598701455080431616

wasn't there a thread on ILM started by someone looking into setting up something like this a few months ago ?

had a revival a little after, but to little avail.

yes, there was

What are your thoughts on a new project I'm working on: Wax & Stamp - a vinyl subscription club (UK)

WTF

https://twitter.com/gotvnyl/status/598911277952557057

That is NOT Doug Martsch...

Am I crazy here? Are they trying to trick people into thinking that's Doug Martsch, or did this dude trick them?

maybe that guy's name is also doug martsch

Parody account.

Real one's GETvinyl not got. Still sux.

any evidence that VNYL is actually a successful rip-off, or just a would-be rip-off?

it seems sort of tone-deaf to me.

Maybe it will inadvertently lead to a lounge/easy listening revival in a couple years.

Is there any evidence that anyone's gotten something besides thrift store garbage from VYNL?

Nope. Even with the happy customers.

Which one?

I was replying quickly on my phone earlier, so my initial response was to the first one, but it truly is disheartening to see so many.

What happened to vinyl fans being diggers? I remember when I first got into vinyl, it was just instinctual to hit second hand stores. Has common sense gone out the window in order to make room for this renewed interest in vinyl?

lol crut

Hey, jefferson airplane is not garbage u dummies

What happened to vinyl fans being diggers? I remember when I first got into vinyl, it was just instinctual to hit second hand stores. Has common sense gone out the window in order to make room for this renewed interest in vinyl?

as a new vinyl buyer i will say that i have been to many second-hand shops over the last 5 years and the selections - esp re what i'm looking for - tend to be really really bad. otoh if yr in the market for a jefferson airplane album this is a golden time to be alive.

most of the good vinyl i've gotten have been donations from relatives, finding stuff on ebay, and -- eek - paying full price for some new reissue

Airplane may not suck, but it is an easy, 25¢ thrift store find.

And yeah, genuinely *GREAT* stuff is not going to be found in thrift stores. But when everything's a quarter, you have to expect Cat Stevens, not Velvet Underground.

I guess burning n00bs will never get old.

dying at the stereogum VNYL story, had not heard of this amazing scam. i'm imagining someone having some kind of account difficulty, they can't turn it off, lost password, and every month three more England Dan & John Ford Coley LPs show up, with "#LazySunday" stickers on the front, because of their interest in Sleater-Kinney, Meat Beat Manifesto and Sun Ra. they run out of places to put them, local stores have them on the blacklist, city sanitation crews rip them out of the trash and hurl them back under their doors. and yet they keep coming. endless England Dan & John Ford Coley. eventually a fire starts and they die of poisonous vinyl fumes. all for only $25 a month --- thanks, kickstarter and #VYNL!

i've always wanted to buy a dog eared copies of Sesame Street's The Muppet Musicians of Bremen and a Perry Como compilation for 25 bucks

the best part of the kickstarter economy part of the story is that nobody bothered to see if pay-for-records is legal, so it's now technically pay-for-whatever

the fact that they have no actual curation and it's just backstock and secondhand garbage is icing

Quoting the owner:

“It fucking sucks when we disappoint our members. We honestly feel incredibly sad when a member doesn’t like what we sent. That sucks for them and also for us. It’s like you just spent all this time planning out what you think is an awesome surprise gift idea for someone and then they can’t mask the look of disappointment when they open it up right in front of you. It’s completely deflating. Unfortunately, this comes with the territory of being a human curated service."

I imagine in the back of his mind he's thinking: "Nailed it! Just got to stay in character, then nobody can call us out! It's all subjective, I'll say. As long as enough r/vinyl or Urban Outfitters type kids keep subscribing we should be just fine."

If this was mine I'd just buy the contents of a record store that is going out of business with the kickstarter money and pay someone to put four random records that aren't too beat up in an envelope monthly

that'd be like a half-dozen kids working minimum wage for a couple days per month maximum right?

https://media.wnyc.org/media/photologue/images/a7/yourfavoritexmas3_firestone722.jpg

My #XmasVibes arrived! Nice clean copy. No flood damage!

^
Might be U.S.-centric

I'm genuinely at a loss for words after reading the whole Stereogum story.

And a long, disappointed sigh at "kickstarter economy."

guys, the people getting burned are college kids and their moms. it'll be ok

haha, my grandparents had that Firestone record.

Ah, the days when major corporations had their own orchestras.

i think gotvnyl retweeted a couple of zings they took at face value

https://twitter.com/aalupului/status/598895797841895424

psst if you're actually looking for #XmasVibes this is my family's go-to thrift-store-level christmas record and it rules:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91dwOvGB6TL._SX355_.jpg

if people are happy with the vinyl unearthed by vnyl's dig squad, well then i'm happy for them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moEhGU3m3Ok

Each box comes with an exclusive 7” vinyl, digital mixtape, three seasonal recipes, ingredients, and tasting notes. One past Pairing Box included recipes for simple tomato pizza with fennel pollen and clam, pancetta and arugula pizza paired with music by Local Natives.

pizza delivered to your door, what will they think of next

wow thnx Vnyl!

http://eil.com/images/main/Jane-Olivor-Chasing-Rainbows-507207.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81qqA4Z0UUL._SX355_.jpg

http://cdn.discogs.com/osmx-dv2q_8kkEG9xTuIP5JwBf0=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-3524427-1334069248.gif.jpg

why are all these twitter people bragging about how they got suckered

i think gotvnyl retweeted a couple of zings they took at face value

Again, Gotvnyl is the parody account. They probably did that purposefully.

I hadn't realized that regarding Doug Martsch earlier. They got me.

ok. wax and stamp : last blog post : 18th dec 2014.

guess there was no kickstarter funding behind it then.

personally, i find this whole idea weird, but i am not target audience.
i dig in the bins (cd, not scratchy vinyl !), and so, i don't need anyone else to help, but for those that do not have the time nor patience, then this sounds rather fun.
that said, £30 a month is proper bonkers.
if i was wanting a "digging in the vinyl bins" service, then it would have to be a tenner a month, max.

and yes, i know that would mean a constant supply of ray coniff/james last records, but hey ..

Howard the Duck soundtrack fucking rules.

If they sent me the GOOD James Last record (Voodoo-Party) I'd be pretty stoked. But it wouldn't be that one.

"What happened to vinyl fans being diggers?"

most young/new vinyl buyers do NOT want to dig. they just want that old Smiths record right where they can see it as soon as they walk into a store.

Some enjoy targeted ads. It's nuts out there.

Looks like they're not even hiding where they're getting their records from:
http://t.co/7y4ONBMhaW

xxp In that case I'm going to start a new subscription service where, for a £45 fee per month (non-refundable), we not only select for our customers three random LPs a month, but we also don't send them out and instead listen to them for you as well!

If they sent me the GOOD James Last record (Voodoo-Party) I'd be pretty stoked

recently released :

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71FQHV19zeL._SL1200_.jpg

highly recommended.

Howard the Duck soundtrack fucking rules

yeah, I honestly think that someone who sent me a copy of that record really would have nailed my #vibe exactly

not that cheap on discogs tbh

Whoa whoa whoa, there's a good James Last album?!

yup.

tis very balaeric ..

in an easy kind of groove of course .. not scanda-electronica ..

a lazy saturday kinda of groove?

shady saturdays are the best.

Those folks at VNYL really should have considered throwing a #Balaeric vibe in there.

the james last album that andrew mentioned is great! it's called voodoo party and has this awesome song on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTH4aIqhunI

^^^^
soo good.
why the crappy compilations/boxsets when there are such wonderful albums as this !

I can't imagine what it must be like to work for VNYL. I feel like I couldn't physically bring myself to send out one of those packages, let alone handwrite a note about how I much I hope you, valued subscriber and fellow Beach House fan, appreciate these Lionel Richie and Michael Quatro albums.

I do have to wonder, though--what kinds of records did people think they'd be getting three of for $25 a month? Do people not realize that records tend to shoot up in price really fast as soon as they're (a) halfway decent and (b) not ubiquitous? And that halfway-decent, non-ubiquitous records are sufficiently scarce that sending three of them out to hundreds if not thousands of subscribers for a modest price every month is basically impossible?

Not that that justifies sending out crummy dollar-bin staples, which is really impressively shameless.

That's what the kickstarter economy calls for, I suppose.

LMAO

http://i.imgur.com/YwPGHL6.png

LOOOOOOOL

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CE7XG6LWgAAjWAn.jpg

Ugh. They're not even trying.

Too funny.

When you click on #danceparty on the site, it takes you to a Spotify playlist that contains no Glenn Miller, no Henry Mancini and no Peter Paul and Mary.

Nor anything even remotely similar.

I mentioned this elsewhere but I am not surprised that these people start a special vinyl curation service and the only woman they can find to curate, based on the article, is linda ronstadt (maybe jefferson airplane counts, plus whatever that 70s comp was perhaps)

I guess it all goes back to: if it sounds too good to be true, then it is.

"let alone handwrite a note about how I much I hope you, valued subscriber and fellow Beach House fan, appreciate these Lionel Richie and Michael Quatro albums."

i don't really know beach house music, but i really do like that michael quatro album! i even wrote about it for the Pitchfork Review. but, yeah, it's a total dollar album. which is why i wrote about it for my dollar bin column.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7Iu6xDUvCY

That's awesome that you dig it, scott.

But come on. Can you imagine any band described as 'dream pop' having anything remotely in common with Michael Quatro?

just the site itself is so dumb. beware of the whole "minimal" web design thing with minimal info. they don't want to have to explain anything to anyone. half-baked kickstarter dumbness.

if they were gonna be cool or hip they would have genres or moods or VIBEZ you could click on and they could have rotating stock of good records and you could just choose 3 albums based on covers or clips or whatever. and pay 20 bucks for three records actually worth 20 bucks. and 40 bucks for some better stuff and so on. people do like to browse online. but a site like that would have to be curated by people who knew what they were doing. and then the guest curator thing would actually make sense. (some hip DJ or band-person could pick 20 or 30 albums that they like from the site's stock and they could highlight those once a week. first come first served. could be a mess, but at least it would be some sorta interesting use of the web. and if they had the money they could highlight indie labels, etc.)

the "surprise" thing is totally dumb unless you are some sort of genius.

I'M certainly no genius either, but there are fun ways to sell things to people that aren't totally obnoxious.

the big problem is even if they were honest, what can they possibly get someone after they've taken their profit cut and paid for shipping and handling? they really should charge $75-$100 per month and send out more expensive records and honestly it should be limited to new releases or reissues. "oh you like these bands, well here are four new releases from June that you'll dig." of course that would require them knowing something about music and beyond the dollar bin scam part they obviously aren't even trying, as Austin said.

now thanks to clicking on their dumb site my facebook is wall to wall vnyl ads.

at least now they are wasting a little bit of their ill gotten gains advertising to a bunch of people who will never buy the product.

Howard the Duck soundtrack fucking rules.

― turlte party (how's life), Thursday, May 14, 2015 5:15 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yes it does! I listened to it twice tonight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekofx7dR4AY

I somehow appreciate the boldness of not even giving their charter subscribers at least one good record to get them to come back the next month.

fell down a rabbit hole last night researching vnyl and looking up irate customers. it's all very entertaining. apparently this nick alt guy doesn't even half-heartedly apologize to misled customers anymore, blocks anyone who voices polite criticism, and has 4x the fake followers ott does.

also amusing that he chooses the "we decided we don't give a fuck" defense over something like "we didn't know about that law and therefore can't deliver our originally planned service now." can't someone complain to the kickstarter cops?

They're prob p under-resourced

if that's possible after they raised almost 4x their kickstarter goal to provide a service less than half as involved/cost-intensive as the one customers thought they were buying...well...

I meant the Kickstarter cops

oh true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCnouXJ2rl4

"This Glenn Miller album should kick off the mood and we think Peter, Paul and Mary will go great in your stash!"

Love the curator notes.

I mentioned this elsewhere but I am not surprised that these people start a special vinyl curation service and the only woman they can find to curate, based on the article, is linda ronstadt (maybe jefferson airplane counts, plus whatever that 70s comp was perhaps)

― katherine, Thursday, May 14, 2015 9:54 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, not to worry. I'm sure that as long as it's a dollar record (at most) they don't discriminate. In fact, there appears to be no logic at all in their "curation" beyond that one rule.

Not vinyl, but got twitter spam this morning on the "lifestyle products for guys" version of this silliness. Bespoke Post will send you, each month, a "Box of Awesome." A curated box of crap. Hell, maybe there will be vinyl in it one month. Never know! Sign up!

https://www.bespokepost.com/land/sem-bespoke/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand&utm_content=bespoke-post&utm_term=bespoke%20post&gclid=CJjt3dyDxMUCFc4kgQodKDAAPA

And, xp, gotta thank WFMU's Fabio for driving "Mr. Giant Man" into my brain and inspiring me to find that record.

think it was said but I love that these guys think that 'curate' means 'tell you what vinyl we included in your package and vaguely tell you we love some album'.

"Just dug through your Discogs, saw you like many of the same musical performance acts as I currently like! Hope you enjoy the Peter Frampton, Santana, and Ambrosia records! That Ambrosia albums is one of my personal favorites!"

Bespoke Post will send you, each month, a "Box of Awesome."

At least you can skip a box if you don't like the contents.

fell down a rabbit hole last night researching vnyl and looking up irate customers. it's all very entertaining. apparently this nick alt guy doesn't even half-heartedly apologize to misled customers anymore, blocks anyone who voices polite criticism, and has 4x the fake followers ott does.

― soyrev, Friday, 15 May 2015 05:58 (10 hours ago) Permalink

Dude has a brick & mortar store on Abbot Kinney now what does he care

wow, i signed up for VYNL's sister service, FUD, and here was my first shipment!:

http://downtrend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ctofis2.jpg

amazing! they really nailed my taste.

@a-lo have a feeling he will speak up about exactly how much he cares (and how sorry he feels) sometime early next week. but i might be wrong: live recordings

Quoting the owner:

“It fucking sucks when we disappoint our members. We honestly feel incredibly sad when a member doesn’t like what we sent. That sucks for them and also for us. It’s like you just spent all this time planning out what you think is an awesome surprise gift idea for someone and then they can’t mask the look of disappointment when they open it up right in front of you. It’s completely deflating. Unfortunately, this comes with the territory of being a human curated service."

I imagine in the back of his mind he's thinking: "Nailed it! Just got to stay in character, then nobody can call us out! It's all subjective, I'll say. As long as enough r/vinyl or Urban Outfitters type kids keep subscribing we should be just fine."

― Evan, Thursday, May 14, 2015 4:27 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah read that, though that was before the article hit and social media blowback really picked up -

https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=vnyl&src=typd

if it continues i think he's gonna crack under all the jeering. or at least when he realizes having a brick and mortar vinyl shop with a name that's mud is maybe not the best life preserver in 2015

of the competing parody accounts, this one shows the most promise imo

https://twitter.com/Vnylz

"Like Amazon Prime for Vinyls!"

I await the next move from VNYL with high expectations.

PRYMLS

TPES

still no mention of the hot stamper dude on here...maybe we've talked about him enough already.

http://www.better-records.com/dept.asp?dept_id=14-015-034

― sleeve, Thursday, May 14, 2015 7:45 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

oops, okay!

i have less of a problem with the hot stamper dude though. the people who buy his 400 dollar eagles records seem to be really happy with what he gives them. so, he is providing some sort of crazy service to crazy people. the vnyl people on the other hand, man, i don't even know what's going through their heads.

agreed

https://twitter.com/Vnylz

Just had a look here. Golden.

I think all companies should answer their consumer complaints with a form letter that begins with "It fucking sucks when we disappoint our customers"

"...and that's why i'm going to ritually disembowel myself right now."

Like Fripp & Eno? We think you'll LOVE Loggins & Messina!

It just occurred to me, after reading this satirical tweet, that VNYL is an elaborate operation in IRL trolling.

Twitter Vnylz some good zingers going on. That's one of you, right? C'mon speak up.

I think all companies should answer their consumer complaints with a form letter that begins with "It fucking sucks when we disappoint our customers"

Imagining the letter McDonald's would write about the infamous too-hot coffee.

saw a pro-VNYL dude getting aggro on instagram, saying they were great and fuck the hipsters and he'd never seen foghat in a dollar bin.

Celebrate the life and music of BB King with some gently used Barbara Streisand records! Sign up today using code "BB" and get 3% off! #vibe

Why go from yard sale to yard sale searching for that perfect water-damaged Neil Diamond record? For only $15 a month we'll ship you three!

saw a pro-VNYL dude getting aggro on instagram, saying they were great and fuck the hipsters and he'd never seen foghat in a dollar bin.

― ceres, Friday, May 15, 2015 4:03 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

please lynk

have the VNYL fans ever been in a record store other than urban outfitters?

I think all companies should answer their consumer complaints with a form letter that begins with "It fucking sucks when we disappoint our customers"

In a way, bad customer service can be of benefit to a company. It can provide an easy scapegoat in the form of a low-paid phone worker who takes the brunt of the anger and can often use that opportunity to sell the customer on additional services.

Have the VNYL fans been in a record store?

saw a pro-VNYL dude getting aggro on instagram, saying they were great and fuck the hipsters and he'd never seen foghat in a dollar bin.

Hipsters ruin everything. Even things that are doomed from the get-go: Hipsters ruined it.

http://instagram.com/p/2mMCPnDIo3/

happy customer right here:

https://instagram.com/p/2pX5a1vDZq/?tagged=vnyl

what is up with the linda ronstadt and mary travers? good for any occasion, i guess...

https://instagram.com/p/2kECKouMlw/?tagged=vnyl

level with me, scott, do you have any foghat in a discount bin?

pretty sweet looking store...

https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11150840_1570216133258817_9016011502914235091_n.jpg?oh=222012ac6a830bf7b6ab1a50a0983199&oe=55D1D6EEp

oops...

i'd have to check. i have a two dollar bin near my door. inflation and all that...

Good luck. I've never seen one in there in all my years.

https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11150840_1570216133258817_9016011502914235091_n.jpg

anyway, their facebook has pictures...

https://www.facebook.com/getvnyl

https://twitter.com/DaleNibbe/status/598811707562065920/photo/1

some of those positive instagram people seem like street teamers...wouldn't doubt it...

for sure

really hard to distinguish between earnest kickstarter supporters and street teamers

i wound up on their 'director of product's instagram last night; she is like, 19, and they are all awful. how does this shit happen

https://scontent-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/11174899_670693216391539_4597169060904868997_n.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tJpElgD.jpg

between this kind of thing and the major labels churning out crappy digital-sourced $30 reissues vinyl is due for its 2nd death any day now. people are so good at ruining fun things.

putting Love Beach in my mailbox is like sending someone anthrax

that big KEEP EM just looks more and more like FUCK YOU to me.

that reminds me, I kinda want a copy of the J. Geils record, I should check my local thrift store

it's a good album

You actually don't need to leave the house to get one now

#keepem sounds an awful lot like "eh, keep 'em, i certainly don't want 'em"

the 2nd death of vinyl cannot come soon enough

i even hate that word "vinyl" and all the fetishism it implies

they're just records, man. in whatever format.

saw a pro-VNYL dude getting aggro on instagram, saying they were great and fuck the hipsters and he'd never seen foghat in a dollar bin.

Hipsters ruin everything. Even things that are doomed from the get-go: Hipsters ruined it.

― austinato (Austin), Friday, May 15, 2015 1:15 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"I've never seen Andres Segovia or Foghat in a bargain bin in all my years, TBH."
I've never seen them in free boxes, my grandma's attic, a church flea market or in a goddamn dumpster either. But those are all very likely places to encounter these records.

someone needs to start working on a way to turn old linda ronstadt records into fuel.

i think that's what neil young's been working on all these years.

a glimpse into one of my two dollar rock sections. to be fair, when people buy stuff i tell them to take a couple of two dollar records on the way out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMC94VXDla0

(having said that, i sell a LOT of two dollar records...)

Scott what are some of the shitty digital-sourced reissues? I wasn't aware of this trend but I'm not surprised either I guess

lots of new vinyl is sourced from CD or digital files! probably most of it.

I guess unless it makes some claim otherwise assume it's digitally sourced

presuming good playability, the Graham Parker, Polecats & Laura Nyro jumped out as good bargains.

#vibes

i'm still loling at the #danceparty peter paul and mary jamz

"If I Had a Hammer (Dubstep RMX)"

it's amusing but also a little sad that some people are still reacting to this as though VNYL attempted to match subscribers' "taste profiles" and failed -- or even trying to imagine some arcane rubric used to decide the contents of the packages they sent out.

they clearly didn't try at all. it is exactly what it seems to be: a randomized assortment of junk-shop records.

if they were actually trying, this might be more interesting.

i'd definitely pick up a copy of that teardrop explodes record

presuming good playability, the Graham Parker, Polecats & Laura Nyro jumped out as good bargains.

And Romeo Void! Hooray!

regarding digital sourcing, from this thread:

S&D: vinyl reissues

I've heard more lately (maybe bc people are more aware) of how lots of cd reissues are nothing more than CD versions copied to wax, basically. like someone said that about the stereolab LPs that just came out in new reissued versions. maybe the recent aphex twin SAW II reissue as well? I was never really aware of that sort of thing. Never really considered it as a possibility.

― christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, April 16, 2014 8:53 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah it is a real bummer and hard to get good info about what's what

I think the only thing you can do abt it is look for "remastered from the original tapes" in the promo hype.

― sleeve, Wednesday, April 16, 2014 9:14 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the fact of the matter is that almost any reissue done by a 3rd party label (i.e. light in the attic, sundazed, etc.) is going to be digitally sourced. the major labels who own most of these records a) may not have the original tapes (we are talking about poorly run bureaucracies managing gigantic catalogs of which they only really care about a small percentage) or b) will absolutely not let them out of their sight. this means having to pay their outrageous in-house engineering and lacquer cutting fees in order to keep the process completely analog. this is the difference between a $18.98 LP on light in the attic and a $40.98 LP on whatever high end audiophile reissue labels still exist...

international titles will throw a whole 'nother wrinkle into this shit, there is no way EMI brazil is sending the original tapes up to the US so that LITA can do marcos valle LP reissues that are 100% analog.

also - and i'm sorry if i sound like a dick but as a dude who has spent 10 years in the reissue game i am kinda tired of having this conversation - there are a LOT of things that can make a LP reissue sound like shit and, yes, a poorly done digitally sourcing job can be one of those things, BUT i would put a LOT of money down that every dude out there that has ever complained on the internet about a digitally sourced reissue would not be able to identify a digital sourcing job vs. an all analog job any better than a coin toss.

― moe handy, Thursday, April 17, 2014 10:50 PM (1 year ago)

hear hear

true story: make one comment on a #vnyl hashtagged IG post where a guy complains about the service and the VNYL head honcho might suddenly follow you

"CD versions copied to wax" sounds like the lamest, but i probably would never be able to tell the difference. worst thing i've experienced about new vinyl is warped records, which has made me generally go back to CDs. CDs don't warp!

my problems have mostly been surface noise related, but I am coming to the same conclusion.

yeah i've had a few probs with that too... just makes you feel silly. i like old records if they're cheap. i've been buying a bunch of old, cheap, 70s jazz comps and that is satisfying any vinyl fetishism that remains.

i can't do new vinyl anymore, too many bad experiences. if i do buy any, it's only at a store that accepts full returns. out of the new pressings i've bought in the past year, i want to say about ten percent had problems bad enough where i traded them for other copies (if they had them.) there's another store near me that won't take returns because of the how common such problems are. which seems like a bullshit policy to me tbh.

true story: make one comment on a #vnyl hashtagged IG post where a guy complains about the service and the VNYL head honcho might suddenly follow you

Because it's all the same person? Is that what you're getting at?

What a weird #vibe it must be to work around that guy.

i don't know why he followed me. did i say something constructive? is he trying to creep me out? probably no on both counts but still...

sleeve thanks for that post from the vinyl not (vnyl) thread

My biggest problem with new vinyl has been off-center pressings. I don't even buy much new vinyl, I probably have at least five records, including an ostensibly high-quality reissue of Joy Division's Closer, where the needle sways side-to-side in the groove so much that it affects the pitch.

I've read on record nerd forums that you can correct this by carefully filing away at the center hole and then manually adjusting where the record is set on the platter, but I haven't tried that.

Yeah I've had a few where the hole was too small and I essentially had to force the platter onto the deck. Then getting it off felt like I was going to break it. Surface noise has been the biggest problem though

presuming good playability, the Graham Parker, Polecats & Laura Nyro jumped out as good bargains.

― Vic Perry, Friday, May 15, 2015 3:26 PM

And Live Stiffs! A classic.

yeah i've had a few probs with that too... just makes you feel silly. i like old records if they're cheap. i've been buying a bunch of old, cheap, 70s jazz comps and that is satisfying any vinyl fetishism that remains.

Yeah! Those 2LP Impulse and 2LP Blue Note comps are great, and always cheap. Lots of 2LP Arista/Freedom stuff around, too.

Also, you can't go wrong with Sam Rivers. For some reason, a bunch of his old records are plentiful and cheap (and uniformly great).

Yes! anything on Tomato

Too bad vnyl isn't sending some of these dollar bin LPs that people actually like!

i'm always amazed by how many of those anthony braxton arista LPs are out there, usually in good condition. i wonder if arista really pressed a lot of them thinking hyper-intellectual third-stream stuff was going to be the next rock 'n' roll.

"CD versions copied to wax" sounds like the lamest, but i probably would never be able to tell the difference"

the issue for me is simply the price! CDs are gonna be cheaper and a lot of new vinyl is also just not made that well. or its made in a rush because the poor bastards can't keep up with all the rainbow-colored crap they have to press. soooo many warped new records. makes me not want to buy any of it.

If you want to fix an undersized spindle hole just wiggle a pen in it xp

^^^ OTM

i'm always amazed by how many of those anthony braxton arista LPs are out there, usually in good condition. i wonder if arista really pressed a lot of them thinking hyper-intellectual third-stream stuff was going to be the next rock 'n' roll.

Haha...it's true, though-- I've even seen lots of NM copies of For Four Orchestras for cheap. I imagine Arista probably had a deal with their pressing plants where the minimum run was around 100,000. Even the Freedom series -- Cecil, Andrew Hill, Roswell Rudd, the 2LP Savoy comp -- is everywhere.

yeah, and that's the kind of stuff that by all rights should be hard to find and pricey. and it is--for most other labels. but the arista stuff is everywhere! man, they must've lost a ton of money back in the '70s.

some of the qualities of listening to vinyl is still present regardless of the mastering source, of course; you can have a digital master and the vinyl versoin is still going to sound warmer if you have a good turntable and a tube preamp. So discounting something because it has a digital source isn't necessarily fair; sometimes that's all that's left; mastering directly off tape to vinyl is expensive and not worth it for smaller runs of records that aren't going to make a shit load of money.

There are a few represses that are like cds of the late 80s though, with bad mastering, weird volume, just stamped and sold

Which is weird because vinyl pressing people still generally have higher standards

i'm fine with a good needle drop of an old rare record. get a really clean original copy and record it to tape. then use that for a reissue pressing. honestly, though, i'm fine with well-made CDs too. they sound good. if something was cCD-era to begin with and originally came out on cd, i have no need to own it on vinyl.

i have a friend in town who likes to dabble with audio and he does cd transfers. i would give him an old reel to reel tape - pre-recorded record label tapes - and he'd transfer them to cd for me and i swear they are some of the best CDs i've ever heard. and he's just a guy in his house. they sound beautiful! he doesn't really do anything fancy to them. maybe some noise reduction or whatever. which is one of the reasons why it bums me out when i hear some modern CDs and vinyl. it's often less than great. (still plenty of greatness, but you have to search for it. great sound isn't common. i do feel like it was more common once upon a time.)

yep, I have a CD reissue of Nurse With Wound's Insect And Individual Silenced that was done from vinyl but it is imperceptible and sounds far better the original due to digital tweaking

On the other end of things, the same holds true for the vinyl-only Sema/Robert Haigh reissues that Vinyl On Demand put out. They were digitally tweaked from the original LPs, then re-pressed to vinyl and they sound far better than the originals (which were bad pressings to begin with, worth noting that those have always been around)

unfortunately these are rare exceptions in the current reissue market

NWW seem like they would care!!

There is a nerdo New Order/JD blog linked elsewhere on ilx where dudes have sourced the best releases/formats and done better remastering than a couple lazy label releases and it's sad

oh yes I am familiar with those, they did The Smiths as well and those AAC files sound better than any CD I have ever heard

I swear the DRI LPs I just ripped to digital using an MMF-5 turntable and a Cambridge preamp straight into a TEAC CD burner and leveled up in Amadeus sound better than any CD reissue to date

it's easy, but somehow still gets fucked up

I guess we're a little off topic here, but hey it's Friday

Cannot wait for the collapse of the trend, mainly for the same reasons that it was awesome to buy records in the 90s: good stuff dirt cheap.

^so otm

Looking forward to a similar scam to VNYL in 10 years time, but involving CDs this time, when they're getting the future hipster kisses.

Nah, it'll be cassettes.

Hipsters have been moving from vinyl to cassettes for a while now. Apparently it's fairly easy to release like 50-100 copies of a cassette release but for vinyl most labels abd pressing plants won't do less than 500 copies

http://cassettestoreday.com

Just a couple of years ago, United in Nashville would do runs of as little as 100. Now their minimum is 300, and supposedly it's backlog city. I've heard stories of small indie labels having to scrub an entire year's worth of releases due to delays at United.

And anyway, the next trend will be reel-to-reel tapes:
http://tapeproject.com/

I mean, if the goal is to get as close to the original analog master as possible, wouldn't this be closer than vinyl by definition?

yes, yes it would.

wow, they really have their work cut out for them, releasing 10" open reels in 15ips - a format not playable on all but a handful of reel-to-reel decks, mostly pro studio models and a few high-end consumer machines, none of which have been made for years to my knowledge.

i do dig their tape reel design:
http://tapeproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/catalog.png

i'm gonna start releasing albums on laserdisc. i always loved how they sounded.

listening to/watching suspiria on laserdisc with huge speakers still one of my top audiophile experiences. massive!

the whispers!

I tried cutting some songs on a laserdisc w a record lathe and it didn't really work. Seems like you could pull it off w the right needle though!

Hopefully these will make a comeback someday -- video played with a needle!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance_Electronic_Disc

best headline ever, by the way:

Sony Goes to Battle for Its Favorite Child

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/SonyHistory/2-02.html

What's the next thing, minidisc revival?

CD will be the next big headlines revival. Hipster revivals are meaningless. Actual normal people are buying vinyl not just hipsters.

Gonna be sweet when all this vinyl goes back to the thrift stores a second time. They're still a dollar or less at Value Village.

i'm not looking forward to people dumping their 200 gram mumford and bat for lashes vinyl on me in a couple of years...

Yeah, that's gonna be the weird part, when dollar bins are full of digitally-sourced/poorly-pressed reissues from 2010-2015, and original pressings of, say, Rumors fetch insane $$$.

And then labels will be all, "D'oh, we screwed up on that last reissue! Try this new one!" to try to get everyone to re-buy shit for the nth time.

new jimmy page remasters of led zep albums has the be the height of nu-vinyl hilarity. how much hearing do you think jimmy page has left? 15%? 20%?

I'm pretty sure someone else who has actual mastering experience did the bulk of that remastering, even if it says "remastered by Jimmy Page" on it.

Then again, nah. Pagey would never take credit for someone else's work....

i just thought it was funny that that was a selling point. 80 year old deaf guy edition!

But will there be a turntablism revival?

Let's hope so. The world needs another Qbert album.

so much unplayed scratch piklz vinyl out there...

those LZ issues sound very good, Page can't have done them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?t=145&v=FIztJe6REiw

i just thought it was funny that that was a selling point. 80 year old deaf guy edition!

― scott seward, Saturday, May 16, 2015 3:58 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

One of the selling points of a recent-ish Tommy reissue was "mastering overseen by Pete Townshend"!

Wonder how his conversations with the mastering engineers went...

"Wow, this is great! You added a high-pitched sine wave to the entire album! Even between the songs!"

"What?"

This may sound like a stupid question, but is there any way to know the source of the master for new vinyl? I mean, besides a big sticker on the front boasting that it's been mastered from original analog tapes, blah blah blah? I feel like there should be some transparency as far as this goes, like say, acknowledging on labels which foods contain GMOs. Should I assume that if a 2015 vinyl reissue of, say, Loaded doesn't specifically say it was mastered from the original tapes, that it's been digitally sourced and I may as well just buy the CD for a fraction of the price? Because I still kinda like CDs, especially now that they're selling for pennies on the dollar.

i guess just try and get info online before you buy? there is very little info in a lot of cases as far as new vinyl goes.

Should I assume that if a 2015 vinyl reissue of, say, Loaded doesn't specifically say it was mastered from the original tapes, that it's been digitally sourced

imo yes

You could always try and ask the label that's releasing it.

If a vinyl reissue is all-analog, it will very likely be labelled as such. I believe there are reissue labels that specialize in all-analog records (iirc, whichever label does those expensive 45rpm Blue Note reissues is exclusively all-analog).

Does anyone know if 4 Men with Beards use analogue masters? Tho I kinda don't mind, cos the things that come to mind (Sonny Sharrock's Black Woman and Big Star's Third) sound amazing

really hard to distinguish between earnest kickstarter supporters and street teamers

― ultimate american sock (mh), Friday, May 15, 2015 8:48 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^^^ hilariously apt

... and applicable to many more situations, besides Vnyl

someone told me that the guy who started 4menwithbeards left and after he left their vinyl became erratic at best as far as sound quality goes. that 3rd Big Star they did is the best i've ever heard. on vinyl or cd. unbelievably good. way better than the rykodisc CD too. i can't vouch for that RSD vinyl version that came out though. didn't hear that.

Gotta love how "all analog" has become a treasured attribute - remember how in the early CD era a "DDD" SPARS code was a selling point to highlight albums untainted by analog recording or mixing?

(also ridiculous that the SPARS code had three letters - it should have been just the first two, since the last one by necessity is ALWAYS a "D" on a CD).

4 men w/ beards are sort of infamous for some crappy-sounding and/or poorly-pressed reissues

but like scott says they have some really good-sounding stuff too

i don't know the full history, but i suspect it's a buyer-beware situation.

Gotta love how "all analog" has become a treasured attribute - remember how in the early CD era a "DDD" SPARS code was a selling point to highlight albums untainted by analog recording or mixing?

― Lee626, Sunday, May 17, 2015 8:11 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this is the essential paradox of the "analog/vinyl revival"! claims that were used to boost the prestige of the CD once upon a time are now being retooled and used to elevate vinyl over digital! for anyone with a long memory or just some perspective it's all alternately hilarious and maddening.

i imagine sound engineers who were instrumental in establishing standards for CDs are probably spending their days yanking their hair out.

Most of the DDD stuff I had sounded terrible -- the Kinks' UK Jive and Rosanne Cash's Interiors spring to mind. Really tinny and one-dimensional. Engineers seemed to think that the best way to show the new "clarity" of digital was with really sharp and painfully brittle high end.

The '80s digital recorders I used were *very* unforgiving about incorrectly set levels and such, a total PITA to work with. Analog recorders have a bit of "headroom"; if you go into the red on the VU meter it may distort a bit (or simply not get any louder), but it won't just chop off the top of the waveform.

...and analog distortion tends to be pleasant instead of horrible clipped noise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhVU8RKRaTY
That head-torch gimmick is alltime

"...and analog distortion tends to be pleasant instead of horrible clipped noise."

true, look at, for example, Dave Fridman abominations like The Woods or Yoshimi (or the album that came after that, can't remember which one). That is digital distortion in the mixing stage and it makes me ill; it's clearly an aesthetic he liked for a while though, I don't udnerstand why.

WTF! every page I go to now has a VNYL ad! methinks I picked up a cookie somewhere, still that's a lot of advertising bucks - carpet bombing...

i worked at a company that did that kinda targeted advertising shit once, pretty standard that they only charge for conversions so if you wanna bleed vnyl dry click it every time

thanking u

Install adblock!

Yelps for the Vnyl store totally sound like the fake instagram and twitter fakeness:

"Can't wait to see this place develop and grow over the next few months. Was walking around Venice when I stumbled upon this vinyl shop. I'm a huge analog junkie, and was so stoked to hear that their walls were organized by "vibe" haha. They put a lot of thought into organizing their various record walls, and the individual listening stations are an awesome and innovative idea. Really loved the atmosphere, employees were super helpful. Would love to eventually sign up for their membership and receive records in the mail. Definitely will be returning in the near future."

"The store has just opened so I know it's still finding it's roots. It has a welcoming vibe and the records look interesting. The two sales people were very nice and helpful in explaining how the store's set up. And they explained that you can join their monthly club where three records are mailed to your home and you receive a 20% discount in the store. They also plan on having guest artists in the shop. I look forward to see how it develops."

"Just checked this place out and it is so cool! I am loving the new addition to Abbot Kinney. They have an awesome open air shop with lots of great records and supplies. They carry the U-Turn Audio turntables from Boston...which is a really cool company that got started on kickstarter. They also have the coolest "membership" that I cannot wait to sign up for. $24/month for three records based on your personal music profile. So great to get a new collection started! Can't wait to stop by often."

They also plan on having guest artists in the shop.

um...Ray Conniff's been dead for over a decade.

xp barf

xpost yeah nick alt has 35,000 fake twitter followers, too. kickstarter riches go a long way in that market

Presumably that's not Venice, Italy.

http://www.moviemartyr.com/images/1984paristexas02.jpg

I get it!

you can join their monthly club where three records are mailed to your home and you receive a 20% discount in the store.

wonder how much they'll give you as trade-in on said mailed-to-your-home records?

i've heard employees have been instructed to say "#keepem"

"I checked out your store and saw that you sell records, so I thought you'd really enjoy if I traded in old VHS copies of 'Cry-Baby', 'Valley Girl' and 'Beverly Hills Cop'"

excuse me but Cry-Baby is awesome

That's not the point though is it!

You've gotta hand it to Alt, he seems to be embracing his love for dollar bin records:

http://nicka.lt/post/119317532391/george-benson-live-in-la-love-this-reissue

http://www.discogs.com/sell/release/928872?ev=rb

tbf it's $3 for NM or M-

He has released a couple of his own awesome albums as well:

http://www.last.fm/music/Nick+Alt/Cube+(Demos)

http://www.last.fm/music/Nick+Alt

Nick Alt creates his own formula by synthesizing soul, funk and electronica into self-described “neofunk.”

On his self-produced, self-performed album, Transit, Nick Alt uses an actual LinnDrum, layered organic synths, and sly vocal hooks. The album’s consistent quirkiness draws the connection between 80’s synth-funk remnants and sparks of futuristic lyrical backdrops. Inspiration for the album’s unconventional thematic elements stems from Alt’s own interest in classic novels Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World; Transit’s cuts serve as candidates for the hypothetical soundtracks. Nick Alt’s vocals remain smoothly layered in contrast to the rawer elements of the arrangements.

I recommend "Seven Year Itch."

did he even need to do a kickstarter? he could've just sold his *actual* linndrum

on a video he made that is on the vnyl facebook page he says that he has an "elaborate record collection". maybe he made a maze out of his records. or a tree house.

Cassandra: Wait, let me show you what I got at a garage sale.
Wayne: What'cha got?
Cassandra: Isn't that great? You've heard it?
Wayne: Exqueese me? Have I seen this one before? "Frampton Comes Alive"? Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of "Tide".
Cassandra: Look at this old one. Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Wayne: Wow. That is old. You know, I bet those guys actually have pacemakers by now.

I'm a huge analog junkie, and was so stoked to hear that their walls were organized by "vibe" haha.

what a wanker

So stoked, brah

Wayne's World (the SNL skit not the movie) originally made the "suburbs" joke about Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. I wonder why they changed it for the movie?

on a video he made that is on the vnyl facebook page he says that he has an "elaborate record collection". maybe he made a maze out of his records. or a tree house.

― scott seward, Wednesday, May 20, 2015 1:27 PM (55 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

A rich mix of all sorts of different styles... of thrift shops and yard sales put together.

Is it so hard for the VNYL guys to do the right thing? It seems that the scam is that they used the crowdfunding money to open a physical store instead of doing what they promised (possibly because they didn't consider the legal problems of their business model). Here,I'll fix their 'business' in four steps:

1. Give a public statement. You fucked up, you didn't realize it was illegal to trade records like that. Ask customers to hold on to those records you got, we'll make it up to you.
2. Open your physical store and create a user friendly online store.
3. Actually start answering all the complaints. If you hated those three awful bin records we sent you, we will you a chance to choose any new, under $20 vinyl record on our store for free as an apology.

4. If people want to keep their 'subscription', offer discounts worth their subscription every month in your online store or copy working models: A good example I can think of: for $27/month 'Vinyl Me, Please' gives you a limited edition vinyl just for VMP customers, original 12" x 12" art print, and a custom cocktail pairing. It might sound stupid and granted, it's not for everyone but a friend is subscribed and he gets some hard to find, cool vinyls more often than not. I personally think finding music is what's the internet is for and having strangers send you random records of their choosing is the least cheap way to find new music but whatever, it seems like VNYL is inspired by this sort of business stores but instead of doing something cool with it they just fucked up.

*we will give you a chance

I accidentaly a word.

I don't have "Frampton comes alive"

i think a well-curated small label-centric indie rock record club could do really well. and be cool. so much crap comes out every month i'll bet people would be happy to get a box of new chillwave records in the mail that were actually smartly picked. and you could even have a tape club too! at least 500 indie tapes are made every day. heck, i would sign up for a noise tape of the month club.

I was thinking about that too. There has to be some demand for a well done service like that - but it's a $75/month proposition right? The key to the VNYL business model getting some initial traction (other than dissembling about the product) is undeniably the low price point.

the vinylmeplease thing is basically that, but they went with 1/3 the records instead of tripling the monthly price.

they are also customized releases in some way. problem is that many of these could have been purchased from an urban outfitters 50% off bin at some point (or at least I got Donuts that way).

would probably work better to just commit to treating yourself to one new record from your local store once a month. just ask the guy at the counter, maybe.

you could do 2 LPs + 1 7-inch + 1 tape.

for 40 bucks a month?

and make money doing it?

if you got good wholesale prices from labels?

there are question marks involved.

be kinda cool to get two records and a single and a tape every month. like christmas sorta. good packaging would be key.

would probably work better to just commit to treating yourself to one new record from your local store once a month. just ask the guy at the counter, maybe.

well maybe that's a business idea: for 30$ a month we will take you to a record store and you get to pick one for free, it's on us

throw in a cheese sandwich and we've got a deal

made the mistake of looking at the old dollar bin thread. just depressing to see what previously was dollar bin cheap.

Really wish I had thought of this first. Records are under a dollar at most thrift stores if you go on the right days, profit margins are probably insane.

Sure, when you're scamming people.

just ask the guy at the counter, maybe.

Yeah, imagine that: ask a human being.

In my experience, most record store employees will be ecstatic to give recommendations.

Still waiting for something, anything from VNYL clowns.

They've been selling t-shirts on Instagram - $35, no returns. they definitely seem dedicated to the #keepem business model.

somehow that infuriates me even more than the "sell a beat up dollar record for $8" scam

Wayne: Exqueese me? Have I seen this one before? "Frampton Comes Alive"? Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of "Tide".

I recommend "Seven Year Itch."

Oh my god.

http://i57.tinypic.com/2vb3qqx.jpg

File under #BlueEyedSshole

http://imgc-cn.artprintimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/89/8937/49AR300Z/posters/alex-gregory-the-two-things-that-really-drew-me-to-vinyl-were-the-expense-and-the-inco-new-yorker-cartoon.jpg

uh Dire Straits is still $4

After tweeting multiple times per day for weeks, the @getvnyl twitter has been silent since May 15.

decapitated by the high velocity discus toss of rancid Englebert Humperdinck platters

one day after this thread was started, hmmm...

they live

https://instagram.com/p/3HnuJGHeux/?taken-by=getvnyl

it's so great how they share pics of vinyl records they'll never make available to their subscribers on instagram

subscribers will never get brand new in any sense

some good comments to that effect on the 'gram, lol #vnyl

It'll still get sold to venture capitalists anyway.

In true #vnyl fashion, the critical comments on that Instagram picture have all been deleted since this afternoon. If you look at some of the most recent Tweets from subscribers, they've received newer records -- at least two people got records by some band called DeLuxe (no idea), but then you can't see if the other two are Firestone Xmas records or what.

the other two are Julian Lennon's Valotte and the McDonald's Menu Song floppy

From what I can tell, De Luxe is a new, potentially unsigned, band that's given Vnyl promos.

http://www.discogs.com/Fugees-Featuring-A-Tribe-Called-Quest-Busta-Rhymes-And-Forte-Rumble-In-The-Jungle/release/184689

Someone got that. Granted, it's $.54 on Discogs.

From what I can tell, De Luxe is a new, potentially unsigned, band that's given Vnyl promos.

amazing

xp $.54 for the cd. it's a respectable $4 for the 12". Only 100% markup? a #vnylscore!

The 12" single play makes a lot of sense for #vnyl b/c a) like the chud they've been sending out, 90s singles are fairly plentiful at thrifts or wherever they're sourcing this stuff and b) millenial record noobs could very well get excited about something like an I Believe I Can Fly 12" (16 for sale from $1.95 - discogs). This guy is a genius.

Yes 90s singles are everywhere. I am kicking myself daily for passing up a Destiny's Child vinyl I saw a month ago. It was less than $2!

Well I did get quite excited a few months ago when I found a copy of the 12" single for En Vogue's My Lovin for a dollar at my local thrift store amongst the usual Barbra Streisand and Nana Mouskouri albums.

En Vogue's My Lovin for a dollar at my local thrift store amongst the usual Barbra Streisand and Nana Mouskouri albums

It'll still get sold to venture capitalists anyway.

Very true. Very asinine.

i got 4 out of 6 on this using built in laptop speakers. nice to know i'm not deaf. definitely heard differences that were small.

http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality

ha, my sister just sent me that link this morning, have not tried it yet

https://instagram.com/p/3K4rK0JnUB/

https://twitter.com/Bluelissa/status/603397177977622528

oof: https://instagram.com/p/213M0_royx/

The De Lux thing might be even sleazier than sending people dollar bin albums?

so gross...

What's sad is that people use this to argue that they don't just send worthless dollar records. "See? I got this new record too! Checkmate, naysayers!"

i still think those people are phony people though.

they read phony anyway. HEY GUYS, LOOK WHAT I GOT, YAY!

boz scaggs record is legit awesome, but that copy looked a little busted.

has anyone actually /listened/ to that 'de luxe' album?

https://instagram.com/p/3K4rK0JnUB/

― Frank 4ad (NickB), Wednesday, June 3, 2015 11:46 AM (30 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

For example, Chris needs to be told that there is a catch to this:

chrisparlamas
@getghost00 I've never seen anyone get a new album
chrisparlamas
@getghost00 if I see a trend. I'll get the Service back

rmde

On the topic of figuring out when to own music outside of her three-year old Spotify subscription, my friend Lola Pellegrino, 28, cites one of the few non-digital purchases she's made in the past five years: a Neutral Milk Hotel vinyl box set. "The sixteen-year-old fangirl was in my head when I saw the $110 box set and she was whispering, 'Buy it ... for us,'" she says of the purchase. "I think it's worth noting that when I bought it, I didn't own a record player and I still don't own one. I have never listened to it, but I don't regret buying it, either."

Amanda Knochel ‏@knochel_head · Jun 2
I Believe in Music- Mac Davis. It's like @getvnyl just understands me. #vnyl #vinyl

http://www.discogs.com/sell/item/243136688

That box set is sold out and already going for $300, probably the most sensible vinyl purchase on this thread.

https://twitter.com/Bluelissa/status/603397177977622528

― Frank 4ad (NickB), Wednesday, June 3, 2015 3:46 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That mailer costs more than that record.

I went to the VYNL store and it was so weird. Serious Scientology feeling in there. Chud ass records were sectioned off by "#vibes" and they were selling shit like a Walter Murphy album for $20. Nick Alt was there but he RAN in the back kitchen when he saw I was filming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25BuARcGqn4

Haha this is so great thanks for doing this.

The store definitely creeps me out I had no idea there were so little actual... records in their record... store?

their dollar bin finds are unimaginative garbage

not to defend this company, but god forbid people would want to purchase records because they like them, not because of how much they go for on discogs

a lot of the records they send aren't bad at all but there's no reason someone should pay $25 a month for the privilege of getting some of those records. i think the store sounds pretty typical, there are lots of morons who sell thrift store junk at 10x their value and morons who will buy it, their shady deal is pretending they're curating to your specific tastes when you sign up with them, when they're actually not.

not to defend this company, but god forbid people would want to purchase records because they like them, not because of how much they go for on discogs

people arent buying these because the like them, they are buying them because its sound that happens to exist on a vinyl disc. it absolutely does not matter what is on it. it could be a fucking goodwill tires xmas sampler.

Thank you for vynl reportage c!

their shady deal is pretending they're curating to your specific tastes when you sign up with them, when they're actually not.

― nomar, Tuesday, June 9, 2015 2:26 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

and doing so in the cheapest possible way they can by sending records that cost them literally nothing to stock.

there's a record store in my town that is run by a total piece of shit but they do have the best selection and nice employees

anyway the point is that they have a big sign on the side of the building that says "GET PHYSICAL WITH YOUR MUSIC" which never fails to make me nauseous

i wonder what the maximum age you would have to be to actually be awed by the very fact of something "on vinyl".

anyone my age would have grown up with records and they would be NBD.

i worked at a company that did that kinda targeted advertising shit once, pretty standard that they only charge for conversions so if you wanna bleed vnyl dry click it every time

― soyrev, Wednesday, May 20, 2015 1:50 PM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^^^ been doing this nonstop today

chaki, i appreciate that you actually had the balls to kind of push back against their cultish #vibes b.s. in person.

Yes, especially since she knew you were taping.

lolll nice job chaki. "Vibe system?!" brilliant.

i guess it is kind of a radically new kind of record store i've never been in before, like what if a record store only had as many records as some other kind of store that also has some records someplace, and you just sort of spread them around in concentrated pockets of fancy displays, with vast open space and a suspiciously large staff in between.

not to defend this company, but god forbid people would want to purchase records because they like them, not because of how much they go for on discogs

tbf i don't think anybody brought up discogs to find objective measures of record quality, but to point out that charging $25 for this stuff lathered with Lifestyle Experience cachet is a sickening scam since virtually everyone in america is within a 10-15 minute drive of thrift stores overflowing with crap-to-decent-condition copies of these records. i think it's a GOOD thing that you can find $1-2 copies of uncool 70s/80s records and discover stuff you like about them. i think it's lame, if telling and hilarious, that someone can repackage three of those at random and sell it for $25 by convincing people it's "curated" or something, or i guess by taking it for granted that none of the customers know about thrift stores.

in this sense VNYL is just the latest stage in a long, long evolution of hipster lifestyle choices to where you can have all the trappings of a #hipster, down to desiring "vinyls," without having ever been to a goodwill or a garage sale. used to be the latter kinda came with the territory. not lamenting it i guess - happy to keep the assholes away from my good hunting grounds, and there's nothing inherently authentic or true about going to thrift stores (i would defend the importance of garage sales to my values and life at length but that might need to be another thread) - but it is kinda interesting.

lol thx

http://cdn01.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/maggie-magnificent/maggie-gyllenhaal-peter-sarsgaard-magnificent-seven-12.jpg

maggie g and sarsgaard

nooooooooooooo ;_;
maggie g breakin my heart all over again

she's an idiot

http://boldprogressives.org/2012/09/right-wing-billionaire-wont-back-down/

although to be fair maybe they were there for the same reason as chaki

desiring "vinyls," without having ever been to a goodwill or a garage sale

I can't even wrap my head around this. But I spend all my waking hours on a music nerd discussion forum, so..

people arent buying these because the like them, they are buying them because its sound that happens to exist on a vinyl disc. it absolutely does not matter what is on it. it could be a fucking goodwill tires xmas sampler.

― Cory Sklar, Tuesday, June 9, 2015 11:32 AM (Yesterday)

Totally, this is like a bottom-of-the-barrel parody of "cool" record stores. Like at "cool record stores" you get 80s new wave records and major label free jazz records that were good bargain bin staples marked up to $10. This is bargain bin for a reason stuff that no one is really making any artistic argument for its increase mark up apart from it being a vinyl record.

Think of the demographic of a typical City and Colour fan. They don't know any of these bargain bin records or artists. They know bands like Thursday or Brand New or Childish Gambino. That's what their record collection consists of and they say they're record collectors but when they come across these titles in thrift shops they don't really care or know what they're looking at. But when you filter them through a service where they're packaged with hashtags by people just like them it's suddenly exciting and interesting. And yes, since it's on vinyl it doesn't matter what it is.

Think of the demographic of a typical City and Colour fan.

I'm American, I have no idea what this is.

So now you know who VNYL is for.

people that spell color with a "u" ?

is City and Colour a soccer team

Do people who particularly fetishize the medium prefer things beat-to-hell? Like fake distressed jeans?
Wondering if that's how they spin stuff like this:

https://twitter.com/ddoff/status/606923502571028480

fake distressed jeans tend not to be splitting apart at the seams

actually fake ring wear is the fake distressed denim of vinyl right?

feel like ring wear should be earned

Only saw this thread recently. I'm the guy who posted the thread about Wax & Stamp a while ago (UK one).

Not read the entire thread but a few general questions about ours and similar models: we send out an LP and a 12" single each month for £26 inc. p+p, but we're sending out records that have been released within that month or so. Which if you think an LP costs say £13-16, and a 12" single about £8 (store price that is), then once you've factored in postage, our customers are pretty much getting the two records at what they'd cost to them in the shop. Margin comes from buying direct from the labels (mostly) or distributors (occasionally).

We don't do tailored curation.. We pick a guest selector each month who chooses their favourite release that month, and then we pick another record as well.

Think of the demographic of a typical City and Colour fan.

I'm American, I have no idea what this is.

― let he who has not approved of the ronaldinho bottle opener cast the (sarahell), Thursday, June 11, 2015 1:47 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Sorry I guess I'm just mored tuned in and hip, huh. I am also American.

Cory, what was in the "Between the Sheets" section? What was that vibe?

Lady, if you have to ask . . .

desiring "vinyls," without having ever been to a goodwill or a garage sale

The thing is, these records can be found in the used section of record stores, for decent prices (maybe not $1, but close to it, and they're likely to be in better condition). Surely people who want vinyl go to records stores, I mean, that's part of the cool "vinyl" experience.

lol Chaki's video upthread cracking me up.

"why is Wham! dinner party music?"
"I would go to that dinner party!"
"I wouldn't"

where the fuck is this "store"?

Venice, Los Angeles.

it's on Abbot Kinney st. in Venice Beach, CA which is like a super hip rich person's st. re: "btwn the sheets" #vibe it was like "this has a black guy on it!" i think herbie's thrust was in it which is honestly one of the best records of all time imo

she's an idiotactress

fixed

are Walter Murphy records, as seen in chaki's vid, a staple of dollar bins and thrift stores in the US? they are not in the UK (and not just because we don't call them "dollar bins" or "thrift stores") and I would, as they say, buy that for a dollar

(but probably not for $25, no matter how vibe-curated)

i'll bet you could find a walter murphy album at the charity shop or at the car boot sale if you looked hard enough.

since we're talking discogs, the average price of that walter murphy album on that site is $2.58.

average price of a u.k. copy on discogs is $6.18. (which isn't actually the average...it's just the only copy that has sold in recent memory...)

desiring "vinyls," without having ever been to a goodwill or a garage sale

The thing is, these records can be found in the used section of record stores, for decent prices (maybe not $1, but close to it, and they're likely to be in better condition). Surely people who want vinyl go to records stores, I mean, that's part of the cool "vinyl" experience.

― nickn, Thursday, June 11, 2015 1:22 PM (17 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

As I tried to say in my earlier post, the target demo here glazes over when they see these records in the wild or never sees them at all because they shop exclusively in the new section of a store or Urban Outfitters. It helps to have "cool people" "curate" these records for them to make them excited. Suddenly what would otherwise be an anonymous beat up old record in a bin is now special and personalized regardless of what the content is.

did you guys know he did the theme to family guy

I do now

Chaki's "I wouldn't" comment cracked me up too

i found out when i watched yr video this morning!

I wouldn't have thought there were enough people who "want to be into vinyl" without doing any of the things people into vinyl do to form a business model around. Good for the scammers, then.

My brother worked at Guitar Center for a long time, and he said there was a large portion of their clientele that seemed to want to have an electric guitar as a lifestyle accessory rather than any love of making music, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

a large portion of their clientele that seemed to want to have an electric guitar as a lifestyle accessory

^^^ these guys keep guitar stores in business (as opposed to, say, drum stores). It's really weird the number of people I know who own guitar(s) and never, ever play them.

it's the thought that counts.

May also be a classic case of being unable to admit to yourself that you're not really going to pursue/fulfill that hobby, like the kid who guiltily keeps the abandoned ant farm and chemistry set under the bed.

Cory, what was in the "Between the Sheets" section? What was that vibe?

― how's life, Thursday, June 11, 2015 7:48 AM (4 hours ago)

it would be awesome if it was every record itt: samples/reworks the end part of "between the sheets"

i just wish i was this guy. how does he do it!!!!???

http://www.ebay.com/itm/YOUNG-RASCALS-ISLAND-OF-REAL-RARE-STILL-SEALED-ORIGINAL-1972-COLUMBIA-LP-/141661580481?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20fbb02cc1

you open that record up and it's instantly a five dollar record!! at best.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS ITEM COMES FROM THE INCREDIBLE, SINGLE-OWNER COLLECTION WE ACQUIRED A WHILE AGO, IN WHICH ITEMS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT BY THE OWNER FROM THE MID-'60s to THE MID-'70s WERE KEPT STILL SEALED IN A NEAR-LABORATORY, TIME-CAPSULE CONDITIONS AND IN PRACTICALLY CLIMATE- AND HUMIDITY- CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. CONDITIONS OF SOME OF THESE ITEMS RANGE FROM IMPECCABLE TO TRULY UNBELIEVABLE.

"what kind of condition is it in?" "well, it's almost unbelievable. definitely impeccable though..."

would pec

meanwhile, he just sold a sealed copy of ragamuffin's fool by jackson heights for less than 20 bucks. that's a steal. i need that too...

Whoa that dudes got a grip of red hot stampers

would pec

― Οὖτις, Thursday, June 11, 2015 4:02 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

https://spcasc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Woodpecker.jpg

how do sealed young rascals records go for 200 bucks (he sold more than one at that price!) and a white label promo of loaded goes for less than a hundred. it's a strange world we live in...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VELVET-UNDERGOUND-LOADED-ULTRA-RARE-ORIGINAL-71-COTILLION-WHITE-LABEL-PROMO-LP-/141661476323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20fbae95e3

Because it wasn't kept in a "near-laboratory"

who even listens to the Young Rascals

Old Rascals, for one.

i actually listened to Groovin' today. i have the nicest copy. near mint! first pressing! like new! i was gonna put ten bucks on it but i thought that might be pushing things...

some laboratories have acid in them

or diseased monkeys!

diseased monkeys can be trusted not to open sealed copies of Young Rascals records.

One of those later Rascals records has Alice Coltrane and other hip people on it. Not that one, though.

just heard a VINYL ME, PLEASE ad on Pandora. "music discovery for humans, by humans."
VINYL ME, PLEASE is maybe the worst name for anything ever.

but is MOVIE ME, PLEASE worse than Qwikster?

is MOZZARELLA STICKS ME, PLEASE worse than Applebee's?

kill me, please

but is that worse than ♥☮☯♫ PC MUSIC ♫☯☮♥ ☺☺☺ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°✌?

a guy who used to run a little record store in chicago closed his shop a few months ago. a few weeks ago he posted this to his store's old FB page:

To all the hipsters that get a hard-on when you find a shit record (or no record inside, or wrong LP) at a yard sale, or thrift store for $1.00, thanks for the support, Hope ALL your records are, or will be warped !

https://www.facebook.com/wilbillys

how do sealed young rascals records go for 200 bucks (he sold more than one at that price!) and a white label promo of loaded goes for less than a hundred

My theory is that the typo in the listing title meant that it didn't show up in a lot of searches, so fewer people saw it and bid on it than would otherwise have done.

a guy who used to run a little record store in chicago closed his shop a few months ago. a few weeks ago he posted this to his store's old FB page:

was this the one in roscoe village?

"To all the hipsters that get a hard-on when you find a shit record (or no record inside, or wrong LP) at a yard sale, or thrift store for $1.00, thanks for the support, Hope ALL your records are, or will be warped !"

He thinks $1 records found at yard sales and thrift shops helped kill his business?

was this the one in roscoe village?

― gr8080, Wednesday, June 24, 2015 8:16 AM (27 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah, i think it went under a few names.

but NOT hard boiled; the one after that.

a large portion of their clientele that seemed to want to have an electric guitar as a lifestyle accessory

^^^ these guys keep guitar stores in business (as opposed to, say, drum stores). It's really weird the number of people I know who own guitar(s) and never, ever play them.

― Οὖτις, Thursday, June 11, 2015 2:27 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

tone attorneys are basically fender and gibson's main audiences now, $5000 "relic'd" Strats made to look beat up with a belt sander in the factory, made in the USA (because no other countries can make good instruments) and at just MAYBE a better instrument to a fuckin $75 Craigslist Squier that someone dumped $200 in better hardware into

https://reverb.com/item/391129-2014-fender-custom-shop-54-stratocaster-relic-cimarron-red?_aid=pla&pla=1&gclid=CjwKEAjwqqmsBRDGy_3h_eS80jYSJACS95Cvl1DRecFDEt9yhwIovuQQuEo2JoDyuQRxnTg-HLMGjhoC16Xw_wcB

tone attorneys!

sour grapes record store guy reminds me of this. they called us and asked if we wanted to be a part of this article and after i saw it i was sooooooo glad that i didn't have anything to do with it. not a good look, as the kids like to say:

http://www.bdcwire.com/how-to-survive-record-store-day-without-looking-like-a-poser/

blah...

the author's last name

ahahaha

that whole article is really snobby and pointless boundary-drawing, proud of scott for not participating

on the other hand, it's nice to know that weirdo records is still in business

weirdo is closing actually...

or has closed actually.

vynl update: they are definitely "pivoting" the latest batch has been all sealed band of horses, black keys and ben harper records.

the three B's

weirdo is closing actually...

― scott seward, Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:15 PM (17 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

or has closed actually.

― scott seward, Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:19 PM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

:(

:(

:(

fuck the world

“When you attempt to engage them in basic conversation about the item they are buying and even the most basic literal reference to said record goes over their head; they’ll typically nod with a blank stare or repeat what you say enthusiastically like a parrot but have no idea what you’re talking about,” says UGHH owner Aaron Wetjen-Barry. “Trying to sound cool because they read about it somewhere easy like Pitchfork.”

UGHH indeed. OK, I'm a weirdo but fuck you, bcz when strangers talk to me my brain blows a fuse; you could say something about my favourite most nerded-out-on band and I would still nod and go "yeah... yeah" and then run away and not be, like, throwing out the hot record nerd banter "oh I prefer the 4-track demos the bassist's previous band did before they were signed and split up after one backwards-rotating 10" EP that was only ever reviewed in that one obscure paper 'zine, but I'll buy this anyway because it's on 200g vinyl" or w/e

Look, there are hundreds of records participating in Record Store Day this year, and there’s not a single sentient human being who’s going to know about all of them. Don’t be afraid of asking a music-savvy friend or a record store owner about a group or album in particular – just be damn sure you’re listening to the answer.

hey I (used to) love buying records I don't know anything about but RSD is a very poor day to do this because everything is way overpriced, but have fun buying a £35 LP by a band you've never heard of. also there is a queue a mile long and nobody wants to hold your hand and answer questions

plus I have rarely received a more helpful answer to "do you know anything about this record I've never heard of with a weird title in the £1 bin" than "I dunno man, it had a weird title and none of us had heard of it so we put it in the £1 bin"

cosigning the "congrats on not being mentioned in that article"

Yeah, well played, Scott.

cory tell me a funny story about this ddude

looks like VNYL has some competition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQNcKlWasA

"do you have that Noel Redding album where it looks like he's fucking a cow?" lmao

Cory how much was the Wham! record?

I used to have some Voodoo Glow Skulls on vinyl. Can't remember how I got it or how I managed to get rid of it.

did I donate it to a library or something?

http://graphics.crucialattack.nl/covers/Voodoo_Glow_Skulls_-_Who_Is_This_Is-CD.jpg

i think the wham was $12-18

Vine-Al's got friends who are into Suffocation and Master's Hammer. WKI in his store but not buy anything.

loll

Is 28 bucks too much for a link wray's self titled record? I fucking love that album but don't want to get ripped off

thats a good deal

Averages $45 on discogs, so yeah, even deflating for Internet ridiculousness that's a pretty good price. Wish I had bought it the last time I saw it for $9...

co-sign on that, great record

would snag that record for $30

k will do asap. thanks yall

Link Wray's never a bad buy.

Advice please!

I bought some records on Discogs from a guy who used to run a very hip record label. I live in the UK and had the records shipped to my friend's house in America. When my friend visited a month later, she brought the package, and I discovered that one of the records he sent me - the most expensive one, in fact (though only $25) - was the wrong record. He just sent me another album by the same band.

So I emailed him and explained what happened and that I would return the wrong album when I was back in the States in a month, but would still like the one I ordered. He wrote back saying "Weird. Don't know how that happened. The one you wanted is long gone. I'll refund the cash." That's all he said and that's all I have ever heard from him.

It's been a month and I've emailed him four times saying "tell me where to send the wrong record back to" and giving him my PayPal details and he hasn't replied again. According to his Twitter he's on tour, though I think he's constantly on tour and this is just a PayPal refund thing so that shouldn't matter I don't think.

I've never given bad Discogs feedback. I've had shitty transactions, but they've mostly been dealt with before having to give feedback - like, the person has refunded the money or apologized profusely and said "please don't leave me bad feedback."

The guy I made the deal with seems to have an iffy reputation, and all the feedback stuff on his page involves him getting into a fight with the person who left him negative feedback.

What should I do? Thanks!

Can you initiate an "item not as described" dispute on PayPal? It's kind of tough because you got something and he obviously wants you to be stuck with the wrong record and disappear; this type of personality (ignore-ignore-ignore and then get toxic when you leave them negative feedback) are super fucking annoying.

I'd say look into PayPal, maybe leave a simple, unemotional negative feedback explaining the situation in detail and in the future carefully check feedback before ordering. Maybe try one last email first and tell him that you're going to do that if he doesn't give you a refund and reiterate that you're happy to return the album to him.

Yeah I think if you raise a dispute on Paypal you won't even need to return the record to get a refund.

I think you have 45 days to file a dispute though so I'd get on that if it's been over a month already.

Thanks, yeah, I've passed my statute of limitations, as it were, with PayPal.

I suppose I'll do one more email and float the idea of negative Discogs feedback; we'll see. I hate the idea of having to "threaten" negative feedback - it just all seems to petty and lame - but the whole transaction has been irritating. I really suspect he sent the wrong record on purpose and hoped I would not make a big deal about it because it's a similarly rare one (but that I already have!!!)

Thanks

Maybe with Paypal, but you can raise dispute with your bank or credit card.

Yeah, your credit card or bank will often have a longer time limit for initiating a chargeback than PayPal, so if you paid through one of those look into it. If you used a PayPal balance you're probably out of luck.

I think Paypal is a lot more than 45 days now?

180 days apparently: https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/paypal-safety-and-security

ignore-ignore-ignore and then get toxic when you leave them negative feedback)

oh god, i hate these fucking people.

you should never let the statute of limitations with ebay or discogs or paypal expire because you're waiting on a seller to respond to you. that's what they (the seller) is /hoping/ will happen. my rule is that if it's been more than 72 hours and a seller hasn't replied to a concern or a complaint, i assume they are AWOL (or stonewalling me) and i use the available official channels to get my money back.

x-post
Wow, OK - thanks a lot. I've just emailed him and said "it'd be great to get this resolved - I don't want to do a PayPal dispute or anything headachey so please refund via my PayPal or whatever's best for you." I'll report back!

And I'm going to stick with amateurist's rule from now on.

It's also annoying in that I've probably bought 75 records this dude has put out over the years!

Totally curious who this is now.

lol is it mike simonetti?

i guess superior viaduct guy

oh wait he hasnt been around long enough.

lol if it was tmu - hes notorious

was my first guess also

suspect YRIML might want to err on the side of discretion for now though

lol simonetti was my 1st guess too

haha i have stories about that dude

superior viaduct guy wears tasteful scarves; totally decent dude, though the records in his physical store are overpriced imo, but so many things in the Bay Area are overpriced imo

we all have stories about him - he used to post on the old southern lord board

i have friends who had bands on his label that got ripped off big time by him

superior viaduct guy is totally nice but like i dont understand why he reissues some of the stuff he does like.. does that alice coltrane i can still get from impulse for $20 need a reissue? or that fantastic planet soundtrack that you can get for $15 at amoeba need a reissue with exactly no additions?

just seems like a weird vanity thing to throw money around and say "i put this out" but i guess there's tons of label doing that now like all the horror soundtracks shit jeeze..

i totally agree. my biggest beef with his reissues is how he reissued the Branca Ascencion record with the original mastering job which wasn't very good, rather than the re-mastered version that came out less than 10 years ago iirc but IT WAS ONLY ON CD!!!

yah exactly wtf? like what's the motivation on these releases? just to like have your name be involved with some classic album somehow? otherwise bless him for all the rare sf punk and getting devo to tour the hardcore stuff i guess.

there's definitely this move to reissue "everything" on vinyl and sell it for $20, whether it's worth it or not. bummed i missed that devo show

cory, do have an opinion on the vacation store in the tenderloin (just thought of this after watching yr video)

there's definitely this move to reissue "everything" on vinyl and sell it for $20

this is like 2/3rds of the stock at 1-2-3-4 Go!/Lost Weekend now

i'm not into burger records ppl

some of the bands on it are ok ... used to share a practice space with one or two ... they practiced a lot

i wish i could be fancy like whoever owns that wombleton store in LA. they take fancy record buying trips to europe and then come back and sell them for fancy prices. so fancy!

there's definitely this move to reissue "everything" on vinyl and sell it for $20

this is like 2/3rds of the stock at 1-2-3-4 Go!/Lost Weekend now

― Οὖτις, Friday, June 26, 2015 2:02 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah, i find it v. weird when records that are widely available in a range of conditions (including nm) are reissued only vinyl for like $25. like that everly brothers record that was selling at some recent record store day. it's the best record ever IMO but it's also not at all hard to find an original copy.

i mean if it works for the labels, then more power to them. i'm surprised they can sell enough of those things though... i wonder what the break-even point is. 1,000 copies? 500? fewer?

yeah I have no idea, it's just weird to be faced with a wall of records and the majority of them are canonical (or semi-canonical) reissues priced at $25 and up

like oh there's Five Leaves Left for $25 why

to be honest i find the whole "vinyl revival" fairly mystifying so this is just one facet of that..

people like new things.

new things are shiny.

sorry, but if you really like new things, maybe try buying records from somebody who hasn't been dead since 1974.

yeah, and maybe give yourself a new name, buy a new car, drive it to a new record store in New Buffalo, take it to your new house, and play it on your new stereo. maybe then I'll believe that you really like new things.

wait, was this thing mentioned?

Special-edition vinyl delivered to your door complete with an album-inspired 12" x 12" art print and custom cocktail pairing recipe. Discover amazing albums and build your vinyl collection.

http://vinylmeplease.com/how-it-works/

Translucent green 150g color vinyl
Custom Super Ape stencil
VMP logo on back of jacket
12” x 12” original art print from renowned Nigerian artist & MoMA inductee, Lemi Ghariokwu (Fela Kuti, Bob Marley)
Original cocktail recipe courtesy of Sean Kenyon, Williams & Graham, Denver, CO

ben webster is like: don't look at me. i don't know what i'm doing here.

http://vinylmeplease.com/archive/

$23 a month??

there is something to be said for just owning one ben webster album and nothing else. you could do worse. just listen to it once a week. on a sunday.

otm

i have to share this:

http://middlewestmgmt.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/grownass-man-thumb.jpg

The Shouting Matches’ debut album, Grownass Man, is a throwback to an era when friends would get together just to play music. They weren’t playing to make money or have a career, but to just jam together for the fun of it. Occasionally, they’d play in front of their other friends or at parties. Other times they’d have hootenannies in a barn, filled with dancing, barbecue, beers, and good times, playing until the sun came up or the cops came by. Grownass Man is just that: a hootenanny brought to your stereo from three friends who have managed to channel that classicist approach into an organic sound that feels like a much older band.

It’s not as simple as three nameless friends getting together in a barn – The lead singer also happens to be Justin Vernon, the man behind Bon Iver. Vernon’s presence raises expectations to the point where it would crush another band. But, drummer Brian Moe and bassist Phil Cook manage to blend seamlessly with Vernon, creating music that is loose and fun. If you’re walking into Grownass Man with the expectation that you’re getting another Bon Iver record, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. But, if you put that cynicism aside, you’ll find an album that’s as enjoyable as any released this year.

the whole concept of paying premium to have music "curated" is like...... hasn't the internet made this not a problem? oh right, "For us, music isn’t just something we listen to, it’s a part of us."

"It’s not as simple as three nameless friends getting together in a barn..."

nothing is ever that simple.

seems more likely that people would pay a monthly fee to get new mixes of songs for their ipod or phone...wait, that's what people are doing. yeah, getting one record in the mail every month is dumb. just looking at that site will make someone sign up for spotify.

i do hate hate hate this clean white "elegant" frank&oak/vinylme/etc web site design style

a throwback to an era when friends would get together just to play music

a throwback to an era when friends had their own album to do

seriously, tho, this design aesthetic is much worse than teal+orange

isn't it just some standard template? like a default in webstorebuildr or whatever?

yeah, but it's like ye old templates with added moustaches

i'm having a hard time articulating my feeling towards this style/standard template.

i just associate it with the trend of san serif fonts in food packaging -- so neutral i just tune out any aesthetic quality it seeks to convey

i'm having a hard time articulating my feeling towards this style/standard template.

keep going, you're almost there. this is important.

http://i.imgur.com/Ah2wtYl.jpg

GROWNASS MEN

woah this band looks so different from bon iver, so much more chill and grownass

http://www.billboard.com/bbbiz/photos/stylus//1300859-Touring-Conf-Brand-Bushmills.png

Justin Vernon is totally a shady scam or other silly business idea to take advantage of earnest new vinyl collectors.

so sad they didn't call themselves Grownass Brothers

The Growbros

They would have totally done the whole "Brothas" thing too, most likely.

Feel like they just sold their banjo and mandolin, want to get back into some real rock like Springsteen and Billy Joel

Vnyl me with "real rock", please.

Hope you like Greg Kihn

As long as it's on vinyl, I love love LOVE it!

I posted a month ago about a dispute with this seller on Discogs who sent me the wrong record and then has refused to deal with me (e.g. he said "I have someone who handles discogs for me - email them" but then won't give me that person's email address).

I've opened up a PayPal dispute but they give the seller ages to respond and it hasn't happened yet.

So I just had a (maybe stupid) question about Discogs feedback: If I give him Poor feedback, can't he also just respond with Poor feedback? I have a perfect record and don't want to tarnish it because he's been a dick, you know?

He can, but you can then ask Discogs to remove it if you can prove the seller is acting poorly.

Paypal disputes have two stages, you need to manually move it on to a claim if they don't respond after a week or so.

Ah, thanks. Yeah, the second stage of the PayPal dispute doesn't kick in for a month it looks like. I've put it in the calendar.
It's all such a hassle for $20 but it's the friggin' principle of the thing!!

Sorry, you can no longer leave feedback on this order because it is older than 90 days.

Argh

So yeah, it was Mike Simonetti.

Don't buy from him. Totally ripped me off.

Feedback: You are a creep.

if i remember, you are not alone with this type of groove, as there was stuff like this mentioned on an old IDIB thread.

shame, as he seemed pretty cool when i had said hello and ordered some IDIB stuff.

lol nailed it

saw this from him so many times on the old southern lord doom metal forum
and vlv

gawker needs to report on this

true and interesting imo

i have friends who had bands on his label that got ripped off big time by him

― sarahell, Friday, June 26, 2015 11:37 AM (1 month ago

this is my kinda truth in advertising. from a Discogs record listing:

Record and sleeve have seen some parties and some fights! Oi! You've been warned, rocknroller! NO INSERT! SLEEVE IS COMIN' APART! POPS AND SCRATCHES! If you play it at 45 you can barely hear them

http://www.fridaymusic.com/music/vinyl.html
I just can't get my mind around this.

thats a joke right

180 gram, dude!

Dig a little and you find it's not a real record store, but astroturf e-commerce for the Warner Music Group.

Good looking out.

$31.98 LPs are the new $17.98 CDs

looooooooooooool

Vinyls are BIGGER so they are worth MORE MONEY, amirite?

how long until 180 gram CDs?

the thirty dollar bin

lol

there was 'gold' cds for a time iirc

Indeed there were, and I think there still are. Most of them were made by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab(s?), purveyors of the half-speed master LPs popular with audiophiles in the 70s and early 80s. I remember those gold CDs cost around $30 (which was INSANE in the late 80s), and Sony soon started peddling their own gold MasterSound series. I assumed those gold dealies were all audiophile snake oil, but apparently some audiophiles swear by them.

tbf some audiophiles will swear that special cables can rutn dirty electrons into clean ones to improve signal flow or some shit

i took the bait once and bought a gold cd by the jam and it sounded like shit.

amazing fidelity then i guess?

i am happy that someone took advantage of that awesome set-up for a punch line.

a friend's dad had some gold Pink Floyd CDs that impressed us because we were ignorant children audiophiles

i should have held on to the jam one. people pay a ton for that crap now on discogs.

yeah, apparently those are worth $$$:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ELTON-JOHN-MADMAN-ACROSS-WATER-Rare-MFSL-Sealed-Gold-CD-/390032087955?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5acfb95b93

(I mean, for that, you can buy a new CD player WITHOUT an Elton John CD. Win-win!)

one of the rarest vinyl box sets prized by audiophiles also happens to be one of the rarest CD sets prized by audiophiles:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GOLD-CD-ROYAL-BALLET-Ansermet-Classic-Records-ULTRA-RARE-LDSCD-6065-/191576007112?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9ad1e1c8

all those Classic Records CDs sell for insane amounts.

Holy heck!

wow, that's only a 2-CD set

Dan Hartman
Instant Replay (180 Gram Audiophile RED Vinyl/Limited...
$29.98

WTF

Gonna blame all these $30 records for the $45 they are charging for new LPs these days.

man maybe i'm just a total sucker but i really thought those vnyl tools were going to have guilt-ridden mental breakdowns, or would be audited by kickstarter, or something. this suggs

So what was supposed to be better about these "gold" CDs? Did they use a gold foil for reflecting the laser, or what?

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/12/09/iconbg_vinyl2_dec10,0.jpg

yeah, they thought a gold covering made things sound better because people love gold. basically.

dvd audio should be the standard for any decent record company. sounds great. when made well. by people who know what they're doing.

the VNYL people have redone their "curated" membership, they now send out three NEW records. but it can't be for $25 a month anymore.

I still see VNYL ads. So clearly they are either doing well or got some kind of cash infusion.

yeah lots of dollar bin reisues blah blah blah but Friday Music reissues sound really AWESOME, no lie.

And MFSL Nevermind is one of the greatest sounding CDs ever.

MFSL wasn't just about the "gold", they were mastered differently

the only decent cd issue of deep purple in rock is the Audio Fidelity gold cd, fwiw.

I knew a guy who bought the DSOTM gold disc, and I remember something in the liner notes about how the CD laser was able to read gold better/easier or something.

That's true about the mastering, though (at least for MSFL -- dunno about the Sony/CBS gold stuff).

When I first saw this in a store, I assumed it was a joke. But it makes sense: if you're gonna dig through the murk, get the best engineers to do the digging:
http://www.24-karat.de/mfsl/udcd-724.gif

yeah, the (supposed) improvement on those CDs is not the gold layer but the mastering. Some are better than others.

you've never really heard sister ray til you've heard it in 24kt

The STEVE HOFFMAN mastering, you guys.

"It's like you're Waldo Jeffers and Sheila Klein is actually in the room with you running that sheet metal cutter through your head!"

you can really hear the tiny red arcs pulsating

you'd think there wouldn't be much you could do with sister ray, but something like for instance the "swan mix" sounds significantly different from the standard version...

i took the bait once and bought a gold cd by the jam and it sounded like shit.

Was that the MFSL twofer of Sound Effects and (iirc) Setting Sons? I used to see that one and their Marianne Faithfull Broken English/Strange Weather edition all the time when I was first buying CDs. They were like $25 at Best Buy, and usually the only titles they had for those artists.

If I ever see unopened classical CDs I'm going to have to pick them up from now on.

MFSLs are generally regarded as superior by even novice ears.

i think the thing with the gold was better reflectivity/fewer dropped bits.

ELXOR.COM

For just $25 a month ELXOR will curate FOUR fantastic ILX threads just for YOU, threads guaranteed to get your mind working and your body MOVING, all delivered right to your INBOX! ELXOR does the scrolling for you, even CLUSTERFUCK threads! BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! In addition to the FOUR threads you will have the opportunity to HAVE A VOICE by voting in ONE handpicked POLL every single month.

pronounced "elixir"

limited-edition prints of wallogina.jpg available for the first 10 to sign up

gonna miss the twitter-shade for shitty VNYL hauls.

or are they giving out shitty new rekkidz? it'd be funny if now the new sealed vinyl was shit like, uhh, some local lounge singer's giveaway promo copy

lol andrew

VNYL has invaded my FB feed with 'Sponsored' ads!

They're onto you. #VNYL #PodPeople #NeverSleepAgain

http://www.pilotpen.eu/en/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/288x216/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/4/9/4902505308062_21.jpg

Not sure if this is the right thread but I just got dosed by a discogs seller whose "VG" copy of More Specials includes a Side B that appears to have been steeped in mayonnaise for the last six years. Is there any kind of record-cleaning goo or gizmo or method that *isn't a shady scam, and will let me hear Stereotypes Pts 1&2 in its proper glory?

I use this:

http://www.spincleanrecordwasher.com/

a lot of ppl I've seen on FB are reporting success with the wood glue method

Wow, $80? You could almost buy two new LPs for that.

Glue is a miracle worker, it definitely does the trick.

$80 won't even get you one new Neil record

i had several MFSL CDs over the years (and AudioFidelity/DCC Hoffman masters). some of them are amazing and some aren't as amazing. I sold most of them in the past few years for bank because I stopped caring.

Only MFSL I have is Tommy. It does sound great, and "Eyesight to the Blind" uses an alternate vocal take unavailable anywhere else.

I feel like my local Best Buy had the same MFSL copy of Dark Side of the Moon sitting out in the special items/box sets area for like five years. Who knows, though, maybe it was a steady seller. Anyway I think it's the only one of those I ever saw much in stores.

I've heard hand washing with dish soap in warm water works OK.

XP If you never saw a MFSL Atom Heart Mother in a shop in the late 90s you were doing it wrong.

Xx doesn't "VG" pretty much mean it skips and jumps? That's what I thought.

Hell no! Even regular Good records shouldn't skip, hopefully not even Fair

mayonaising is permitted iirc

VG means surface noise audible in quiet passages as a general rule. Wood glue is great for cleaning, but 9 times out of ten using a fresh sponge and lukewarm water with detergent will do the job.

You might try calling local record stores and asking if they have a VPI machine they clean records with and if they'd do one for you... seriously going to get a better result than (shudder) dish soap. And wood glue I'd leave as a last resort.

Thanks all - am gonna attempt gentle soap to begin with because tbh i could throw it in a wood chipper and it couldn't sound any worse!

Shudder all you want but I’ve cleaned a lot of records with washing liquid (Ecover brand is great) and have got great results. If it was a fairly valuable or rare record I might go straight for the wood glue. It is a bit more of an involved process, but at most is a one day job per side and is honestly the best way of getting a record as free of deposits as you can get.

This is...nuts. But apparently effective (shampoo/conditioner):
http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=79003

yeah,i use a spinclean. which is great if you have to clean a lot of records. which i do. just water and a liberal dash of isopropyl for me.

The Spinclean is surprisingly good, actually, to the point that we only use the VPI like once every six months now for really hard cases.