I can't say I've ever been a Replacements or Westerberg fan. It's just not my kind of music. The videos didn't help, I just wanted someone to give him a toothbrush. I know people like pitching their ideas, and I'm always happy to read them. But at the most recent count, I still have 40 active requests in at UMG and some date back to 2017. I'm pretty much dried up on new request ideas but I also have far more in than will ever be addressed. And if I don't feel passionate about an album, I can't even consider adding it to the list. Even though I've done a total of four Divinyls releases, when I tried to consider doing the I Touch Myself album, at the very least for sales potential, I just couldn't do it because my interest stops with the 1988 album. So, I'll occasionally do risky things like Danielle Dax on vinyl or a Vivabeat CD and custom compilation LP because they are passion projects that I don't expect will have anything approaching Boingo-like sales, but because they mean something to me. I do still have to have titles that move or I can't keep going while draining my possible retirement fund on underperformers. And when you throw in potential customer challenges like increasing the prices of new LP reissues to $28.99 in 2024, you have to cautiously see how things play out. I'm still viewing things at the moment that the upcoming Guadalcanal Diary LP's and the Vivabeat releases could be the last, and that's partially because of no new clearances from UMG for a good while, the whole manufacturing and distribution crap detailed a few pages back, and the fact that there's been loads of stresses compounding about all of this. There's a lot of anxiety and frustration that goes along with this business, and you power through it out of determination, but it can have detrimental effects. While I'm happy the Lene Lovich box is coming out with my involvement, I'm sure most people don't recall what I went through for three years trying to license that catalog, and I don't care to relive it. That started even before I had a single release on my label, so now six years later I sometimes feel like I've been tumbling down a flight of stairs for the duration. The fun part (most of the time) is getting the final product and thinking "That's pretty damn good!", and then buyers sharing similar sentiments. I once remember reading about those Blank and Jones comp CD's, and someone involved with the project stated in frustration that "It took 6 months for us to get clearance on all of these songs!" Six months?! And you're complaining?! Six months to receive clearance would be a like a holiday surprise. Because of all of this, I've gotta have a personal interest in a title for it to even be considered. But fall has apparently come early in Ohio (along with non-stop rain all summer and extraordinary storms), so I'm getting in that mode where all I want to do is lay on the couch, pull out the Mary Hartman 36 DVD box set and just binge until next spring.
I don’t much like the song I Touch Myself by the Divinyls but otherwise I do like the album it is on. I understand ur stance on not wanting to release an album that doesn’t connect with u personally. But as a Divinyls fan it would have been very cool if u had done the whole catalogue. But I will always appreciate the ones u did do…they are superb & much loved.
In that case, have you given any thought to the Better Off Dead soundtrack? It is a Rupert Hine/Thinkman project with Cy Curnin involvement. It was originally released on A&M so likely UMG now? Licensing might be more involved with a soundtrack but seems to be in your wheelhouse. This is another one that is highly desirable on vinyl and very scarce.
Ah man, that is a shame. One of my favorite albums of the era. I have an original on Fontana but would have loved to have heard your mastering on this.
Lene Lovich? It’s Christmas in August — great news! I made some pretty nice transcriptions of her albums, but this will definitely be on my buy list.
Yeah, while I do like I Touch Myself, there are some great tunes on there; Make Out Alright, Love School, Lay Your Body Down...
Just found this thread and I'm finding it incredibly interesting I've always had a fantasy that if I won a very large sum of money I would start a re issue label to release albums I love that don't have a decent mastering This thread has made me understand it's not just as simple as "Hello Mr Universal, I'd very much like the masters of the unrealised Skycycle album Ones And Zeroes so I can reissue it with a decent mastering" So thanks for this great thread
Plain Records did a lousy sounding vinyl release I'm guessing 8-10 years ago. I think this is Westerbergs best solo album.
I will likely at some point post my full submitted sleeve notes, which as mentioned were cut down quite a bit since Lene was very forthcoming in her own notes. But when you get the final product, you'll be able to see where my bits and pieces came in.
I don't know if it's viable for you maybe not but just in case worth mentioning. I have it personally purchase the product myself I understand that tears for fears stuff that Paul at SDC does he has such a relation with I guess them or being a fan or both that sometimes he adds for a supplemental five or tennnerv At least I think it's that amount I've written booklet supplement sales. I wonder if that could ever be a useful thing for you for boxes or sets you expect to have bigger sales and maybe potentially more buyers for such a thing?just the thought since I know you put her insignificant passion and excellent work to all that you do It didn't seem far fathoms to ask if this is something that would be feasible and never of interest. If it were for a band I would purchase I'd probably get it for what that's worth. Is there any update on when the VivaBeat might show up for pre-order I'd like to sample more of their songs before I make a decision and while I wasn't as enamorous some of the other electronic titles to be very frank it did seem interesting enough that I think I'm leaning a little more towards yes as a purchase whenever that's available. I must say I'm hoping not September as my wallet is killing me after all these super deluxes.
Oh my word, how you deal with this kind of nonsense shows that you are a stronger human than I. I think I may just have responded with a go **** yourself I used to work in IT myself and head up the department, before I retired in my early forties, there is certainly a lot of money to be made in that industry if you work for the right company. I worked in an awful industry, Oil and Gas, the humans in said industry were mostly terrible terrible people with making as much money as possible the goal of most of their existences I hope the label does well enough for you to avoid going back to the coal face
These are just broken human beings that have no joy in life.... I'd say they were only happy when moaning But that would imply that they are experiencing happiness, which they don't I've friends that are/were like that.... I don't associate with them anymore and am much happier because of it I suggest anyone reading this to consider doing this themselves.... Surrounding oneself with more positive humans is the best thing for a happier life Oooops sorry, I'm on a music forum,.... I must have thought I was on selfheplz.com
The bad taste from the CD-R box AND the 2xCD of both versions of "Stateless" that I paid for and never received? I lost three figures to Jude Rawlins' machinations. I'm so happy that this LL box will be there to help me forget the one time I've gotten burned in buying from the artist. This has got all of my friends buzzing, and with Scott's involvement, we have high expectations. The price doesn't hurt either!
Im purely digital only now...... But up until the early 90's I was still buying LP's..... I can't actually remember a time I had to take an LP back because of an issue. I had a few problems with a couple of seven inchers..... but that's enough about my sex life
Well, normally I would avoid situations like that at all costs. Drama makes me run, and sometimes has a narcoleptic effect on me and I just need a nap when it happens. But these situations have to be dealt with because I'm in the middle of this record label thing I've been doing and I kind of have no choice but try to navigate it, despite not being fun. Just today, I was at the halfway point on my bike ride and found my rear tire had gone completely flat. I started getting that numb 'you gotta f#*%$&# kidding' feeling, but I had to deal with it. Rather than attempt to pull the tire off, find the leak and possibly patch it, I just rode the damn thing 11 miles back to the car while having that feeling like I was in a nightmare as I squeaked and bounced my way with a stonefaced Stepford gaze the whole time. Sometimes, I just have to deal with it. I do still feel a little PTSD about the whole TPE thing, and it's another reason why I drag my feet with new release announcements sometimes, because I have to brace myself in case something goes awry. IT can be lucrative if you move up and up or are into coding. I hit a roadblock with that last job because my manager followed through on nothing that he promised in my interview, and my skillset that I had built over the years was underutilized and then I was out of date on anything outside of relatively advanced tech support. But if it wasn't for that useless manager, who I once saw in a store and turned and walked the other way, then I never would have started my label. The reality is it's great for the fans, but as you've read through this thread, it's been one hell of an uphill climb, stumble, climb for me. I do occasionally wonder how things might have gone had the IT career continued on the upward trajectory and the label never happened, if I would better off or if I still would have lost the IT passion.
It's hard for me to ever consider getting more robust with packages or doing box sets because a simple straight reissue clearance has been an increasing chore. Since I've seen first-hand how the minute a final clearance gets even slightly challenging, it's tossed aside and forgotten, so trying to do something more expansive just seems like asking for further frustration. As it stands, I try to make it as easy as possible by including Discogs links in my requests, especially for bonus tracks, because they always want to know where a track originated. This was my effort to make it a little easier for their research, but it certainly hasn't brought forth any additional results. If this was a situation where you could ask a question and actually get an answer, I probably would look into the idea of doing bigger things. The Boingo Alive triple LP was my first step but it was still straight forward by just making it all the tracks from the CD and a tri-fold sleeve. It's unfortunate but I suspect anything more complex than that would be setting myself up for zero results. I don't think the other layers of the clearance process would be much of a problem but it's no secret that final step is where things get very difficult. I think I mentioned before that both of my Berlin CD's were submitted at the same time but only Love Life cleared, and when I inquired about Pleasure Victim, I was told that some of the tracks had to be discussed with the UK side. This essentially put the CD in no-man's land where it was set aside and disregarded, and I had to follow up, follow up, follow up to finally get it cleared months later. And even then one track was missed and I had to follow up, follow up, follow up, to get it included. This one person has been to source of 90% of my frustration. As far as when Vivabeat is coming, that's still unknown but probably not for a while. I just heard today that they've scrapped the final song they were mixing for the LP because they found it insufficient for the project, so we're replacing it with another song already remastered. The artwork is being worked on by both sides, they've been showing me drafts of ideas and I've been putting things together and sending them over for their feedback. With the audio all pretty much in place, it's down to settling on the artwork, and then finding an appropriate layout with the notes and possibly lyrics they will be providing, and if we're going to have an insert in the LP or how many pages the CD booklet will be. I'm still unsure if they want to release both items together or do the CD first, since it's manufactured faster than vinyl. Still a ways off, but hopefully not too far...
Thank you for such a thoughtful reply You seem like such a genuinely great human being and it shows with the care you take with all your releases I'm going to PM you as your life and age mirrors mine rather a lot, I hope that's ok..... And it's probably best not discussed in front of music fans as it may well bore them to tears what I'll say
Yes thank you indeed for the insight and reply It is interesting to learn how things go on the side I never see. Sounds at least like VB is moving forward positively That's something good to focus on. Thanks again for the time and thinking and being bothered to respond I appreciate it.
I never heard of Vivabeat, but this information, especially that Peter Gabriel had recommended that Charisma sign them, has me very interested. I will start checking out some of their Songs in the next few weeks, but sounds like a good possibility that I will be ordering the CD from Scott. The Avant Garde & Art Rock Description is what lead me buy the Pere Ubu-Datapanik in the Year Zero CD Box Set without even having heard any of their Songs, as it was prior to YouTube, and I ended up loving that Box Set. Kind of crazy that I spent money to buy a Box Set as a Blind Buy back at that time(was around 1996 or 1997), but the Artwork on that Box Set also caught my attention. Actually, think I recall having read a review of this Datapanik in the Year Zero Box Set in the Magazine(Pulse?), that Towers put out monthly at their Stores, as pretty sure that is where I had bought this Box Set.
Would Rubellan Remasters try to get this boxset, Datapanik in the Year Zero? That would be an interesting exercise… Insane actually.
You ain’t kidding(although I never get the Wallet Reference which I keep reading also on other Posts on this Forum-is that a Boomer Reference?, as in my case, my Credit Union Account is what would take a financial hit. I had a few Rip Curl Wallets in the 1990s and Early 2000s but they were used just to hold my Drivers License. Credit Cards Health Insurance Cards among a few other items, but cannot even remember the last time I even used a Wallet and back then would just stash any money I had to buy small goods, like for my Munchies, in my pocket). Speaking of Boomers, a few of my Music Interest for upcoming Deluxe Box Sets mostly come from their Era(although I wish there were more Deluxe Box Sets from Music Artists & Albums from the 1980s & 1990s, but just is not happening), as I am planning to buy Deluxe Box Sets(CD/BluRay) from Steven Wilson(The Harmony Codex), The Who(Who’s Next/Life House) and Hawkwind(Space Ritual) in September, along with the Smaller Box Set for The Doors(Matrix). Then the announcement a few days ago that there will be an October Release Date for Prince-Diamonds and Pearls. Also, potentially Deluxe Box Sets might be released later this Fall for Elton John(Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) and David Bowie(Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane Combo). I will not be buying too much other Music, except for a few Older CDs I am seeking on Discogs or EBay and a few Vinyl Titles I have had on my ‘To Buy’ List.
I doubt it, as plenty of copies are available on Discogs, although Prices for Used Copies in NM Condition are creeping up to around $75 or higher. I doubt Scott could get the rights to any Music from Pere Ubu, although he lives in the same area that they came from(Cleveland), so maybe he has met some of the Band Members in the past, if he by chance likes their Music, and has attended their Concerts played in Cleveland.
Pere Ube are an awesome band but leader Dave Thomas is really particular about how things go. Working with him - and he IS Pere Ubu, could be easy... could be a nightmare. I suspect that Scott might be able to work easily with him. I absolutely love their stuff.
