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Grex > Music2 > #154: Schoolkids II, and Music Retailing |  |
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| 25 new of 247 responses total. |
orinoco
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response 54 of 247:
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Dec 18 03:28 UTC 1998 |
Really? Hmm...never noticed that...
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gregb
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response 55 of 247:
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Dec 19 04:12 UTC 1998 |
With BMG, you'll find it with the UPC on the back.
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lumen
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response 56 of 247:
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Dec 19 04:30 UTC 1998 |
Oh yeah. I read packages with great interest, mostly because it's there and
it's something to read. I suppose the music stores won't repurchase the
recordings, or do so at much lower prices, because collectors can be finicky.
In the world of comics, the ones that sell for higher prices than the cover
are the ones sold in the comic book stores, without a UPC barcode. Now I know
there's not as high of a demand for music recordings, and there isn't a
definitive way to limit them, but-- I still think music stores figure their
clients won't want to buy recordings with the BMG or Columbia marketing
labels.
I think Dan's right-- most of the artists that advertise in record clubs are
very mainstream and are making *quite* a bit of money. They can probably
afford it; they get paid from other sources-- music videos, MTV show
appearances, arena concerts, etc. But I could be wrong. Musicians aren't
as rich as you'd expect since they generally put their money back into
equipment, anyway.
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krj
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response 57 of 247:
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Dec 19 21:14 UTC 1998 |
According to an acquaintance who has worked in the record business
in promotion & office support: In the old days, record clubs such as
BMG were not given access to the best analog master tapes for their
manufacturing runs, so the record club LPs were not as good.
This continued into the early CD era, even
though it made no sense in a digital era, just because it was
the way business was done. I've lost touch with this acquaintance,
so I can't see if the record labels and record clubs have gotten
smart enough to exchange digital masters. I know I prefer not to
buy record club products when I buy used discs -- just call it a
silly prejudice.
I suppose some ambitious grexer could pick up pairs of "regular"
CDs and record club CDs and examine the bit streams to see if they
are the same.
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gregb
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response 58 of 247:
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Dec 19 23:05 UTC 1998 |
Funny you should mention that. I compared a segments from an ELO CD
produced by Jet Records, and from CH using Sound Forge. Both patterns
were exactly the same.
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scott
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response 59 of 247:
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Dec 20 00:17 UTC 1998 |
The data, or the analog waveforms? The waveforms would look identical unless
there were some really audible differences between the two sources.
(I've got an old vinyl copy of "Who's Next" from some kind of record company
"nice price" series. It has an actual dropout in the middle of one of the
tracks!
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mcnally
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response 60 of 247:
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Dec 20 09:32 UTC 1998 |
It's probably a lot easier to read the tracks to digital audio files
and diff them than it is to do any sort of waveform comparison so
I'd assume that he was comparing digital to digital..
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gregb
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response 61 of 247:
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Dec 20 22:22 UTC 1998 |
Quite correct, Mike.
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lumen
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response 62 of 247:
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Dec 21 07:33 UTC 1998 |
I do own a few record club CDs and they sound OK. Any difference is probably
very small.
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mcnally
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response 63 of 247:
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Jan 8 18:19 UTC 1999 |
I'm bummed by the latest Ann Arbor music casualty -- the Wherehouse
records on South University has closed and, despite the sign on their
door proclaiming their "hope" that they will re-open in Ann Arbor,
I doubt they will.. They had a good indie section which was stocked
by a knowledgable buyer and their prices were pretty decent if you
either hit them on Tuesday when they had a standing $2.00-off sale
or talked them into giving you the discount on other days (my usual
m.o.)
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steve
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response 64 of 247:
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Jan 8 18:41 UTC 1999 |
I'm sorry to hear about that. I didn't go there much but knew
others who did.
It would be interesting as a project to make a list of all the
music stores, new and used. Unforunately, we might then be able
to strike them off, one by one.
Has anyone been to the 'new' Schoolkids at OZ's? Do they have
anything in stock or is it basically a front for an ordering service?
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orinoco
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response 65 of 247:
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Jan 9 01:56 UTC 1999 |
I've been to the new S'kids in the basement of Elmo's - they do have stuff
in tock, but not nearly as much as they used to. I haven't been out to the
one at OZ's yet.
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steve
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response 66 of 247:
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Jan 9 08:22 UTC 1999 |
So there are *two* Schoolkids, now? That sounds bad; the owner
could go crazy just trying to flip back and forth between them.
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mcnally
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response 67 of 247:
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Jan 9 17:18 UTC 1999 |
I think there's also one in one of the stores on Main between Liberty
and William. I'm very confused by the whole "Schoolkids in exile" thing --
there seems to have been some sort of diaspora..
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anderyn
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response 68 of 247:
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Jan 10 02:13 UTC 1999 |
The store on Main is Collected Works. That's where all the folk stuff
is supposed to end up, but it's not the world's biggest selection (yet).
I've been to the one under Elmo's, and to the Collected Works store,
but not to the one at Oz's. Seems that I've done more S'kids shopping
via the net (email) than in person these days.
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goose
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response 69 of 247:
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Feb 22 23:20 UTC 1999 |
My statement on #45 (Artists paying for record club purchases) is
no longer correct in most modern contracts, as far as my recent
research shows. They do pay for the cost of the record (CD, jewel box,
insert, etc) just like with any other CD, they just take 50% of their
normal royalty (which to this day is based on wholesale cost of
an LP! Yes, I mean vinyl record!)
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krj
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response 70 of 247:
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Mar 2 22:28 UTC 1999 |
According to the sign posted in the window: Schoolkids-in-Exile-at-
Elmo's is moving down the street to become
Schoolkids-in-Exile-at-Bivouac.
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orinoco
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response 71 of 247:
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Mar 4 15:44 UTC 1999 |
They just don't sit still, do they?
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cyklone
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response 72 of 247:
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Mar 5 00:45 UTC 1999 |
Pretty soon it will be Schoolkids-in-Exile-in-a-Friend's-Basement . . . .
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aaron
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response 73 of 247:
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Mar 5 15:49 UTC 1999 |
Maybe Grex can rent it some space.
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goose
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response 74 of 247:
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Mar 5 18:51 UTC 1999 |
Ann Arbor school children can make up a game of "Hide the Schoolkids"
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cloud
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response 75 of 247:
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Mar 10 02:26 UTC 1999 |
I think Schoolkids should move into my basement, too.
I've been to Schoolkids@bivouac, and I've got to say like them. I ordered a
CD on Friday, and it came in today. I ordered one at SKR P&R, and I've been
waiting over three weeks for it.
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krj
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response 76 of 247:
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Mar 14 19:15 UTC 1999 |
After Mooncat's Grex Happy Hour on Friday I stuck my head in to check
out "Schoolkids in Exile at Collected Works." The rumor I'd heard
was that this was supposed to be where most of the folk music ended
up, but only a small fraction of what was there was folk-ish.
I'm happy to hear that Schoolkids-in-Exile's business model of
relying a lot on special orders is working well for cloud.
I remember Steve Bergman talking about how the financial situation
necessitated working closely with "one-stop" suppliers, and this
had the beneficial effect of getting most special orders in within
one day.
This will be a tremendous improvement over the old special order
situation at Schoolkids -- which sounds like it is continuing with
the SKR shop -- which is that you make your special order and it's
something like putting a message in a bottle.
My last special order at SKR Classical, which was a well-promoted
CD from the large independent label Chandos, took FIVE MONTHS to
arrive.
Even with a promise of next-day delivery, special orders just aren't
going to work for me. Making that second trip downtown to pick up the
order is a nuisance for me. If I can't grab a particular disc in town,
I'd just as soon order it from one of the big online services.
The growth of CD Now and its competitors leaves me wondering how many
people are willing to do special orders any more.
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orinoco
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response 77 of 247:
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Mar 14 22:10 UTC 1999 |
Well, Schoolkids-in-Exile also, if I remember right, give a bit of a discount
on anything you have to special order; and in any case you don't pay the
exorbitant shipping and handling. So they'll have a bit of an advantage in
the special order department over other physical stores.
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cloud
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response 78 of 247:
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Mar 17 04:01 UTC 1999 |
Yes, Dan, they did give me a discount too. From over 16 dollars origonally,
to less than fifteen, including tax. I was well pleased, and I think that
they should be able to rely on me as a fairly regular customer from here-on
out.
BTW; my CD from SKR has come in, finally, but I haven't had the chance to pick
it up yet.
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