Biggest rip-off album you've seen?

I actually own about a dozen of those Extended Versions live discs... they're so cheap online (two or three bucks apiece at most) that I can't resist picking them up, they're like junk food! Haha

The majority of them are simply boiled-down reissues of previously released/OOP live albums out of the BMG/Sony vaults. I learned that the hard way when I bought my first one about ten years ago (Overkill) and all the tracks were taken from their Wrecking Your Neck live album, which I already owned. D'oh!!

 

Here's another one. A picture of the original FBB lineup, but there is no Gram Parsons to be found at the concert....it was recorded almost 20 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH!!!! The only person on the cover at that show was pedal steel player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow.

I got burned on this one.

 

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Having Fun With Elvis On Stage- I actually like this and think it's kind of funny for what it is but i could see someone buying it at an Elvis concert and getting it home and being mad that it didn't have any music on it.

(Thank you, Tom Parker!).

Bootlegers released further volumes.

 

Its a real shame. Had prices been like that when I was a kid 40 years a go I wouldn't be into vinyl today because I could not have purchased it back then and probably would have found a other hobby. I find the whole pricing issue odd. If most vinyl was $25 for a single disc, I would figure that is where it needs to be. But why are some legacy titles $35-$40, with all production costs long since paid for (aside from creating a vinyl master and pressing the vinyl, which all titles have), while others, like Amy Winehouses Back in Black, are as low as $16? Like many of you, I buy a ton of vinyl, new and used, and I am not someone they wouod have wanted to price out of the market when I was young. They are being foolishly shortsided imo. I can afford it, but what about the teen market they will need later when we're gone? And I have found that lately I have been more inclined to put back new releases that are priced above $25 if I am not already familiar with the album. I think that is just too much if I end up not enjoying the album. So, maybe I'm saying ALL new single discs over $25 is are rip off! But I buy anyway. Would love to hear some feedback from other vinyl buyers.

 

At first glance, the picture 3rd from the left looks like Natalie, I haven't seen a picture of Mary Ramsey in awhile, have to dig out those Cds to compare. Yeah, that Extended Versions line is pretty shady, they were returned on a fairly regular basis.

 

When they remastered/reissued the Red and Blue albums in '93 didn't they put out the cassette versions as double sets as well? I want to say they did...even though there was nothing wrong with the original single cassette versions.

 

I think they did, which was even dumber than 2 cds, one advantage of cassettes was that they were supposed to take up less space.

 

I just noticed this has three songs with the word "heart" in the title.

That has to be some kind of record, right?

 

Yes went 3 for 8 with the word "love" on Big Generator
Rhythm Of Love
Love Will Find A Way
Almost Like Love

 

No, that would go to Buddy Holly's Holly In The Hills:

1. I Wanna Play House With You
2. Door To My Heart
3. Baby It's Love
4. I Gambled My Heart
5. Memories
6. Wishing
7. Down The Line
8. Soft Place In My Heart
9. Queen Of The Ballroom
10. Gotta Get You Near Me Blues
11. Flower Of My Heart
12. You And I Are Through

Yes, double-cassettes were released at the same time as the first CD issue.

 

I remember seeing a budget priced CD of about 5 songs by Jim Croce and 5 by Don McLean. Some hits, some album cuts, and only Part 1 of American Pie. I didn't even have to hear it to know it was a ripoff. Also those "Six-Pack" CDs. EPs with only 6 songs, available in better company on other releases.

 

Let's see...



http://www.amazon.com/Back-Hits-Jim...T2B/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441636082&sr=8-2&

They released an entire series of those Back To Back Hits discs- they're for people who just want a few of the more popular singles at a cheap price. I'd rather have (and do have!) great compilations from both Jim and Don, myself.

 

The biggest rip off for me was when I was purchasing a CD for my daughter. Beside the single CD was the same CD with a bonus DVD. I though well great for an extra $6. why not. Well it turned out the DVD was an advertisement that there was a music video available.

 

One of my uncle's first jobs in the music business was doing Elton John (that sounds bad !!) on the TOTP records. Although he never made it as a musician he did very well as a writer and producer.

 

Any Hank Williams album with overdubs of strings and background singers. TOTAL CRAP! They ruined Hank's good singles and then tried to sell it.

 

These were (and are) Special Markets compilations, created for places that weren't necessarily "record shops" and for buyers who just wanted a few songs they like for a few bucks as an impulse buy. Buying music on the internet wasn't even an option at the time these sorts of things were being made. (Heck, even the internet wasn't an option!)

At least they were the original masters and not re-records. The average buyer would be happy to get (even the single mix of) "American Pie", "Vincent", "You Don't Mess Around With Jim", "I Got A Name", "Time In A Bottle" and "Operator" for $5.

 

As I recall they were both double cassettes back in the day. There's no way that the blue and red albums could fit in the same cassette.

 

They were released in the U.K on one cassette (at least initially). I'm not sure about the initial U.S release but I can't imagine they released each compilation on two cassettes when it first came out. 1962-1966 is 63 minutes and 1967-1970 is 99.34 minutes so each compilation could fit on a single cassette.

 

It's possible I suppose but I recall that they were two cassettes. It's been a while though. It wasn't common to release a double album clocking in at 99 minutes on a 100 single CD back in 1973 or even a 63 minute one.

 

I meant that they were each on a single cassette, not on the same cassette together.

 

I nominate the Scorpions' Sting in the Tail for the tie - among its 12 tracks are "Raised on Rock", "Rock Zone", "Spirit of Rock", and "Let's Rock!"

 

I have one of those. I love the phony made up story printed on the back of the jacket, making it sound like Jimi recorded the tracks in 1964 (actually they were recorded in 1969 in someone's house). And they are really bad instrumentals, with made up titles like Caveman Bells and Fried Cola.

 

Hesitantly, I would add JCFs Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again to the list. It has nothing in common with his original Blue Ridge Rangers album.
It seemed to me to be more of a cheesy attempt at marketing than any real attempt to make good music.
Jumping on the "load up an album with names that sell" bandwagon just didn't seem to be necessary.
The guy can still write songs even if they are not on par with his greatest writing ( actually, I think some of his solo stuff does rate up there with the stuff he did when he was in CCR, it just isn't as musically interesting).
I can dig making up for lost time in revisiting the stuff he did when he was with a band that he refused to do for decades. But doing so seems to have become a bit of an obsession.
Besides, nothing can top the musicianship, production, and raw energy of CCR.
Unless of course Mr Fogerty were to do another real Blue Ridge Rangers album and play it all himself and produce.

 

While it wouldn't be a cost savings putting them on 2 cassettes, remember that The Beatles have a *huge* royalty rate. So, it's more about the perceived value due to the cost. Yes, 1962-1966 would fit on one CD, but, one CD at $32.98 wouldn't float the cost needed to pay for the amount of money flowing out in payment to the band. There's a reason Beatles product is top line pricing. It's expensive to pay on, manufacturing cost be damned.

 

My other issue is that the Blue Ridge Rangers had a distinct "identity" a bit different from Fogerty. They should just release it as a JF album since that's really what it sounds like.