Remember when reissues were about music and not collecting?

[the raytownian]

Yeah, that shit is over ("But they've been about collecting for decades"--Shut up!). I always assumed the larger point of reissuing music that's been out of print for ages was to make it widely available for those who want to own it, not to cash in by producing even more limited collector bait color vinyl re-presses of already relatively obscure releases and selling them at prices comparable to the current average used price of the original release.

Case in point: http://www.discogs.com/Suburban-Lawns-S ... se/7520991

Fucking dumb. DUUUUUUMB. Truth time: I should not complain since I already have the LP. The collector scum in me just wants the reissue because WOW COLORED VINYL! WOW! But still, fuck that shit. $40? For Splatter vinyl and a very common EP's tracks tacked on to the end? It's not even on 2 LP's! Fuck you. Fuck you to hell!

At the very least, they could make a standard reissue on black to go with the dumb "die hard" bullshit for everyone else who simply wants to have a copy of the fucking record. We all know that I'm just mad that I can't afford to waste $40 on this boojie, redundant shit that I want for purely materialistic reasons, but I think my point is still perfectly valid.

EDIT: Okay, so I found out the label also released in on CD... but labels still do shit like that all the time... so... I shouldn't be too embarrassed...

[lordgalvar]

Yea, that kind of pissed me off about that record. Which is why I ordered it on CD...but still it was $20. I dunno, I was really excited to finally get to have it and they tried to rip me for $40 preorder (and it is going to go up from there I am sure).

There were a few reissues I really wanted for a minute (mostly some old punk from Japan or Canada...can't remember exactly) but they were like 30-40 plus shipping. I said screw it. Limited to 100 copies..why?

I mean Hagar the Womb, Flowers in the Dustbin got reprinted at a good price (like 10 dollars or something) and it was just to keep their stuff in print...Just people wanting to keep it out there instead of feeding the collector market.

I actually like how Alternative Tenticles handles their reissues too.

Also, they should look to 1990s comics to see what overpriced special editions does to the market (and I have seen happen a few times on discogs...seeing a overprinted reissue limited edition drop in price like crazy).

Oh well

[D.o.S.]

We all know that I'm just mad that I can't afford to waste $40 on this boojie, redundant shit that I want for purely materialistic reasons, but I think my point is still perfectly valid.

Got 'em.

The thing is, when you're talking about vinyl reissues, there's basically two markets. There's the famous bands, that are going to sell the shit out of their reissues to an affluent, wealthy audience because halfway through side B you can really hear that single tear that rolls down Bono's cheek or Mick Jagger's coke spoon jangling against his chest, and then there's the less famous bands that will sell the shit out of their reissues to slightly less affluent, slightly less wealthy audience (with a similar disposable income) because halfway through side B you can really hear the 31st layer that Kevin Shields added at the 11th Hour.

Otherwise it's not worth the money to press the albums, esp. if they're old + out of print.

[lordgalvar]

Tons of smaller labels reissue stuff all the time. Alternative Tentacles, HG Fact (and other Japanese Labels), and there are a bunch of random ones around now that do too (sorry state I think is one). They seem to do alright because there is a demand for that out of print stuff and they have way less room for error than bigger labels.

I think what it is partially is that bands that are out of print but more well known than Confuse (or whoever) they see room to make extra profit. I dunno, I guess it is fine, but usually they will press at least a normal issue.

Blitz is a good example...stuff was out of print when I was a kid (not that I like them, but friends did) and there wasn't the record trade that there is now. One of their albums got repressed on 180gram special vinyl with a few extra photos inside. It went for $30 retail in the 1990s. That is just silly...but there Blitz is bigger than a band like Naked (or something) which just gets a CD repress of the discog. Both sell out there is just more opportunity for markup with those middling bands I guess.

I dunno. I am glad that we are at least getting reissues.

[daseb]

I'm kind of down with it considering I sold my entire collection six years ago. Those unwound box sets sure are nice and also easier than hunting down every single LP again.

But at the same time I feel far too much shit is released on far too many variants of vinyl, so, yeah...

[Iommic Pope]

Yeah I like the idea of keeping records available and in print (see Dopesmoker), but totally agree with you about going beyond black 180 and asking more dollars for it, because the label wanted to do fifteen colour variants, or gatefold with new art, or a mix that better reflected what the band was aiming for (see Dopesmoker).
It's a gouge.

[Chankgeez]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2xprLZAVbk[/youtube]

[casecandy]

I don't know much about the market forces or politics behind reissues and vinyl (no more than any old fool who reads Pitchfork and Stereogum, anyway) but I know what I love and what I think is too much.

What I love:
An album I love, or an album I've always wanted to get into, is reissued. The reissue spares no expense. It's on 180g vinyl and CD, with an extra disc of shit or more in either case, it's been lovingly remastered, the packaging is superb (gatefold, maybe with new artwork), cool booklet with lyrics, an essay or two, recording history, etc. The definitive reissues to my mind are the Universal Deluxe Editions and Legacy Editions. The discogs of The Who, Bob Marley, The Moody Blues, T. Rex, Jeff Buckley, etc., all appear in this series and they are pretty much the tits. $30 or less. $10 used
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/CampFredd ... s_edition/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category: ... e_Editions

What I Don't Love:
1. When an album I love is reissued in the above manner, but costs over $100. Best example would be the 2014 Led Zeppelin Super Deluxe reissues. Gorgeous, archival quality releases, with a prohibitive price tag for anyone who isn't a blues lawyer pushing sixty years old. To put this in perspective, to buy all nine Zep albums in this format, it would be over $1000. I already own Zep's albums in the 1980s jewel case CDs, the 2003 vinyl replica CDs, and on vinyl. I've probably already spent $1000 on Zep releases and merch since the age of 15 or 16. So I love ya, J-Page, but fuck you. It's highway robbery.
2. Record Store Day. Fuck this shit. It pushes indie bands' vinyl releases way back on the docket. Why? So you have the privilege of owning a 7" of a band's new single that's gonna be out on their new album in a month anyway, with some jacked-off cover of some better band's song as a b-side. They're promoting their record and you're paying a premium for it. It used to be good but has become completely choked with bullshit major-label, dad-rock releases. Pass. The last good RSD release was The Flaming Lips' Heady Nuggs and that was years ago, and even it's overpriced.
3. Third Man Records deluxe editions "worth" hundreds of dollars. FYI, Jack White, this doesn't stop flippers. It allows them to justify an even higher eBay markup.

That's a start I guess

[frodog]

I definitely don't care about having multiple colours of the same record, or paying $30 or thereabouts for some super deluxe gatefold pop-up cover LP, but I like reissues, generally. Just means I get to own something I would otherwise have to just download or pay stupid amounts for an original pressing of, if I could find one. I buy records to listen to, not for collectability.

I remember The Saddest Landscape did a kickstarter a while back to repress their two first albums. They had a deluxe box set and many other nice options depending on what you donated, but also regular (gatefold) versions, which I got after the fact for not too much. I think maybe Repeater Recs did the same with Funeral Diner - The Underdark, which I'm also very happy to own. Discos Huelgas repressed the iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook LP, though that had only been OOP for a couple of years. Still, the original pressing was probably quite limited (aaand I see it's on sale in their store along w/ other goodies now for $6, so get that if you're curious). And I'm really glad they repressed the Orchid stuff, but then why wouldn't they... The oldest (originally) repress I have is Eleven Pond - Bas Relief (1986), a synthy post-punk record that's quite a gem. Dark Entries reissued that, they are really good at unearthing forgotten '80s coldwave/synth/post-punk.

I have other new-old records, but those are the ones that spring to mind. Oh, and would also looove to have that Unwound box set, they're my favourite band.

[Achtane]

REISSUE, REPACKAGE, REEEEPACKAGE
RE-EVALUATE THE SONNNNGSSSSSssss...
DOUBLE-PACK WITH A PHOTOGRAPH
EXTRA TRACK
AND A TACKY BAAAAADGE

[D.o.S.]

REISSUE, REPACKAGE, REEEEPACKAGE
RE-EVALUATE THE SONNNNGSSSSSssss...
DOUBLE-PACK WITH A PHOTOGRAPH
EXTRA TRACK
AND A TACKY BAAAAADGE

Heyyy you're alive!

[frodog]

REISSUE, REPACKAGE, REEEEPACKAGE
RE-EVALUATE THE SONNNNGSSSSSssss...
DOUBLE-PACK WITH A PHOTOGRAPH
EXTRA TRACK
AND A TACKY BAAAAADGE

Unbroken - Circa '77

[casecandy]

I remember The Saddest Landscape did a kickstarter a while back to repress their two first albums. They had a deluxe box set and many other nice options depending on what you donated, but also regular (gatefold) versions, which I got after the fact for not too much. I think maybe Repeater Recs did the same with Funeral Diner - The Underdark, which I'm also very happy to own. Discos Huelgas repressed the iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook LP, though that had only been OOP for a couple of years. Still, the original pressing was probably quite limited (aaand I see it's on sale in their store along w/ other goodies now for $6, so get that if you're curious). And I'm really glad they repressed the Orchid stuff, but then why wouldn't they... The oldest (originally) repress I have is Eleven Pond - Bas Relief (1986), a synthy post-punk record that's quite a gem. Dark Entries reissued that, they are really good at unearthing forgotten '80s coldwave/synth/post-punk.

I just appreciate this post in general for the awesome bands... I slept on that reissue of The Underdark (fuck that's a great album) because I was so broke $12.00 seemed like a shitloaf of money. But I found an old FD CD Sampler at the radio station I used to work at that appears to be one of a very very few in existence so I'm happy about that. I'd love to own all those Unwound box sets... but I'm still pretty broke. $40 each x 4 = ouch

[Iommic Pope]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2xprLZAVbk[/youtube]

Still love them, just calling it for what it is.
I still haven't replaced my TeePee issue copy of that, despite having more Arik Roper to gawk at on the sleeve.

Also, rad song selection, as always.

[Strange Tales]

I'm kind of down with it considering I sold my entire collection six years ago. Those unwound box sets sure are nice and also easier than hunting down every single LP again.

But at the same time I feel far too much shit is released on far too many variants of vinyl, so, yeah...

Those Unwound box sets are the last great things to pressed.

Either way, vinyl just costs way too much fucking money now. Pressing prices are out of control and rising, and for some reason people still press 7"s. What a dumb fucking format.

My point is everyone should have the Unwound box sets because Unwound is the best band.