Dylan- Blood on the Tracks - "Test Pressing" version - RSD 2019*

3am madness ensues here! RSD should come with a mental health warning.

 

Apologies, I may have mistaken you for another poster. I saw a few posts that were jokingly providing reasons why people shouldn't buy it to enhance their own chances of getting a copy. I thought your post was another in that vein. Sorry for the confusion.

 

It wasn't a 'Sundazed' Stereo pressing that I was sent it was the Sony 2017 Stereo LP every time.

 

Got it

 

I'm not home to check my copy of More Blood... but I can state with certainty that all the other Sony Legacy records I've bought, in Europe, these last three or four years (if not more), be it Van Morrison's Too Late to Stop Now, Willie Nelson's releases, the latest Miles Davis Bootleg Series or previous Dylan releases like the Royal Albert Hall concert, have bourn his deadwax signature. They've also all been pressed at MPO.

 

Probably 4 or 430 for me, nothing too crazy.

 

7am hopefully here as my parents won’t wake up to take me any earlier on a Saturday. Also, need to make sure Blue Star Donuts is open. I give them money, they get us donuts, I buy records, and we’re all happy enough (except for me - I can be overjoyed and also panicking about my spending!).

 

I'm inclined to agree with you, even though I'm going to do it this year - I usually wake up at around 02.30 anyway, so it's not too much of a hardship.

For me, one of the most unpalatable aspects of RSD is the "pre-sell" that goes on (and is already going on) via a popular international online auction site. RSD is quite clear that no items can be offered before 8 a.m. on the day at a shop. The auction site owners should be ashamed. Post RSD online sales? No problem. Just an opinion...

Of course, many people can't get to the shop(s), or are too far away from the shop(s) to make a personal visit feasible, and that is another unsatisfactory element to the whole business of RSD. But my local shop (actually 15 miles away and the only record shop in a small town) gets a huge footfall on the day. The owner plays by the rules, won't reserve anything, won't give favours to mates, doesn't hold back desirable stock for a profit making opportunity. He won't even reveal how many copies of each title he is ordering, expecting to receive, or actually does receive. You form a queue (last year there was a line of over 300 punters by 7 a.m.) which is controlled by a member of the family, and you are served in queue order, with each customer limited to one of each title that is in stock.

I kind of admire him for doing that, but I do wish I could bribe him on this one occasion..

 

I would imagine there is a tendency for people to be friendly and talk to each other to pass the time in line but at the same time wouldn't people be quiet as to what they're intending to buy as to not make someone else get the thing you wanted?

 

Is this really what music is all about

 

I imagine so. I've never queued for RSD before, but the owner of my local shop assured me that I wouldn't need to sharpen my walking stick to use as a weapon. If I'm first in line I'll be happy to divulge the identity of my intended purchase to the next person.

 

No, sadly it isn't. It's a most tiresome event when you crave something that is limited and when "connected" people can apparently pre-sell multiple copies of that something at huge mark-up. It's a flipping scam, fankly. I wish I didn't crave this so much; no excuses, I'm old enough to know better...

 

The heart wants what the heart wants...

 

What's the average number of copies a store would carry for a particular title on RSD? Especially a title like this that apparently has 8,000 pressed..?

 

Not in my experience. We talk to pass the time, and we talk about what we want, and we help each other out if we can once in the store. There have been many times I mentioned I wanted something that the few people around me didn't want (or they wanted as well but there was more than one copy), and when I entered the store it was picked up by a person that I was talking to and he handed me the LP; he picked it up especially because he knew I wanted the disc and wanted to ensure nobody else got it over me!! I have also done the same for others for items that I didn't want but I knew they wanted. (And these people are not "friends", just people I generally meet for the first time in line.)

Obviously if I want something and the people around me want the same thing, and it is very limited, then it is first come, first served - but regardless I have always found people who line up very early (as I do) are friendly, outgoing and willing to help each other out.

 

That's real great!

 

I believe the figure was revised downward to 7,500. I understand from my enquiries that it is a complex calculation. For example, one store I contacted does not have an account with Sony and therefore does not necessarily expect to receive stock of the Test Pressing replica for that reason. However he is making an order for it because he believes it will pull in more punters if he can secure at least one copy.

My local store has had an account with Sony (or equivalent) for 30 years and can be certain that he will receive at least one copy. He does have to submit a list of items he wishes to stock (on a no sale no return basis) with a realistic quantity. If he orders too many (whatever that means - if he is obviously being greedy by ordering dozens of them, I suppose) he will probably get knocked back to a single copy for being so cheeky. If he orders, I don't know, say 10, he might receive 8, 4 or 1. It's kind of cat and mouse....

I think there are about 3,000 participating stores worldwide so if there was an even distribution each would receive two and a half copies.

I'm not sure I want to think about it too much in case I learn something....

 

Interesting. I knew it was something complicated like that. Hoping the best for everyone!

 

RSD stinks. Descriptions of the queuing at silly o'clock in the morning reminds me of the Boxing Day sales of years past. I can't participate but then I've never bothered to play that game anyway.

 

$21.99 I saw online and, or suggested store price for the BOTT.

 

Howzabout $19.99 ? Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks - Original New York Test Pressing

 

I like it!
The Van, JBuck, Strummer, and a few other RSD releases I'm interested in buying, gee I hope that's all, I think I'm forgetting 1 or 2, seem priced OK to me from what I've seen online as above. Hopefully the stores will stay within few $ of those prices.