I don't think they're going for the cheapest way as, regardless of the source or ethics, I haven't seen or heard a DOL or Wax Time record that hasn't been pressed on high quality flawless vinyl. Much better than some of the full price official major label LPs I've had.
Flawless vinyl doesn't change the fact they're going for the cheapest way to put out the record. It's a cd pressed to vinyl, and they don't care about getting any money to the folks who created the music. If that's ok with you, fine.
I know all that, but it doesn't seem that they are using the cheapest possible vinyl to press on. In every other way they are as cheap as can be! It's not totally fine with me, but I don't care much about the royalties. There's not much most of these artists can do with the money six feet under and I buy a lot of second music where the artist also gets nothing.
When I’m six feet under or scattered in the Bay, I want my son to get any monies that are still coming in due to my hard work or creative endeavors.
Fair enough, I would too. I'm not bothered about the offspring of people I've never met. I don't feel I owe them anything because their grandparents recorded some music I enjoy over 50 years ago. It is, of course, crap for the artists who are still with us.
I'd rather they got it than someone totally unconnected who is cashing in, but I can't change that. I do wish the record labels would release decent pressings of the albums on DOL etc from the masters or best sources available. I don't see why they couldn't do this and match the prices of the inferior public domain stuff.
What’s the story with 4menwithbeards? I have one or two of their LPs and the main thing that irritated me was their silly labels rather than reproducing the original label design. Are they another CD sourced label that don’t pay royalties?
I don't care if the source is a digital master. I can't tell the difference and honestly I don't care about this issue as long as it sounds fine. But I want it to be a legit licensed master and a legit licensed release
Not sure about the royalties bit, but yeah; they are almost universally disliked - poor sound, pressings, artwork, etc.
As far as I can tell, they're still in the business, according to their webshop under their parent label, Runt: Runt:4Men
They're hit or miss. I know their reissue of PiL's Metal Box was done with cooperation of the band and is considered an official band-sanctioned reissue. It sounds good, too.
Received DOL CHET on yellow vinyl for my birthday. Listening to it now. Sounds warm and balanced. Not complaining.
4Men With Beards does officially license and pay royalties on their titles. But, they are not transparent about where they source from. Some of their titles sound pretty good, but many do not.
That's the only one of these labels I avoid. I've heard enough not to trust the sound of their stuff.
After reading this thread ..i've just pushed the button for a 2nd hand (in very good condition or so says the seller) ...so no royalties ....Stanley Turrentine 'Up at Mintons Vol 1&2' CD .... i chose this as it's the Blue Note Release, rather than getting the DAD Vinyl which i could of got new & still wrapped, but from what i can find it is an Italian 'grey label' so i thought to avoid it .... if others have more info on DAD please feel free to reply ...
I have the DOXY reissue, which is a EU pressing. Where from? I don't know. Compared to my official releases, I have to say that it sounds as good as any of the others. Still, I'm praying that Tone Poet will grab a hold of this and reissue it as a 2 LP set. I don't have very many EU reissues. On matter of principle, I stopped buying them when I found out that they don't honour copy right, and pay no royalties to the artists or the estate of the late artist.
Mike owner of the In Groove touched on these a bit today. He doesn’t sell them. That would be an easy buck for him. Good for him.
He's nit picking on that Music on Vinyl copy. I have it, and it sounds as good as any of the official Columbia releases that I have. Most of us don't listen to music with a frequency scope. We use our ears.
Here's a decent little summary of the issues surrounding some of these grey market labels: https://waxtimes.com/grey-market-releases-fair-use-or/
I bought The Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out on DOL and the sound really disappointed me. Therefore I have just bought the Music On Vinyl version instead.
