Creation

Read Dave Cavanagh's book. McGee's tactic for distribution deals was spotty and usually driven by the need to get some money, any money, to keep Creation afloat.

More specifically, most of what you mention was never released here anyway and has only a small fetishist market to support it (Pygmalion, early Momus, Ejector Seat). Others were in fact released, but didn't really go anywhere much. Albums two through five by the Boos did get American release directly, but the band never broke through in the slightest. The House of Love's first record got a small domestic release on Relativity and that was about it. Primal Scream have been the only ones to make it through on a long haul -- every album since Screamadelica saw release and they have a small but active enough fanbase to support them, though again have never broken through beyond that.

CDs may indeed be sought after, but you're looking through the lens of the fetishist market, as mentioned.

...speaking of which, anyone want to sell me a copy of Momus' Tender Pervert CD? By the way, I figure that the reason they're so "sought after" is precisely because they're not in print. I don't know anyone who spends all their time scouring the bins for Hootie. ;)

'Cause they are shit.