"Future Of Classic Records" thread (part two)

Great news!! As a big fan of Classic, I am looking forward to what the future holds.

 

I got the impression that they are done, kaput.

"In terms of what changes lay ahead for Classic Records" statement, and then no changes mentioned just sounds awful. Just a Peter Gabriel new album.

Am I the only one who found this statement empty, vague, and frightening concerning the future of that company?

I guess we can be hopeful that there are lot of new things, 50 in the can, and that they just decided not to mention them just yet.

 

Great to hear, that even if they loose most of the old licenses, they will do new issues!

 

Then whats all this last chance stuff?? Are we to believe that this wasnt some Barnem and Bailey nonsense? Give me a break. Put a manufactured scare into people in order to crank prices up.. wow. Talk about your silk shirted, chain necklace , plaid pants used car men stunt. Sorry, but Id have almost rather heard that they really r going out of business.

 

Maybe I'm being too skeptical but I read that part about the changes coming to Classic Records pretty much as you did. New releases from Classic Records over the last year or so have been few but they've been sitting on 50 in the can and just mention a new Peter Gabriel album now?

I truly hope Classic Records continues. Perhaps it will just take some of those '50 in the can' releases to come out for me to believe it.

 

I understand, the bad thing is, all the old recordings probably won't ever again show up in this quality when stock is sold...the good thing is, we can expect new, other recordings by Classic records...

 

What I don't understand, and since he does mention Peter Gabriel, is why are the new Peter Gabriel 45 rpm Clarity vinyl issues (or for that matter any of the Gabriel vinyl versions they did), that just came out going out of print if Classic still seems to have licensing for Real World records?

It is weird that not more than a month or so ago the last of the 45rpm Gabriel Clarity vinyl issues come out and they are already out of print... yet they are releasing the new Gabriel album.

Something still doesn't sound "right" to me at all. I was hoping for the bulk of the Gabriel albums that Classic released on 33rpm to come out on 45rpm Clarity, but I guess that isn't happening?

 

It's a pity Mr Hobson did not see fit to put this statement out a week ago. It does not explain why all (or most) of the stock that went to AS is OOP so that they are raising prices. Fortunately so far most UK suppliers have not inflated their prices. Apart for the new Gabriel title he is stum about all this other product. If he can still do Gabriel releases why are the recent Clarity boxes supposed to be going OOP ?

It appears since the stock has gone from Classic's warehouse to Acoustic Sounds that they are planning to concentrate on marketing and production only. There is no indication as to if any of the old titles will be repressed or when this new product will appear. They have barely released any new title for over a year. Are we being hoodwinked by distributors into panic buying so called OOP titles or are most of these remaining in the catalogue? If they have lost most of their licences it is unlikely Classic could suddenly obtain new licences for 50 titles.

Very strange to have to discontinue all your product and then by magic reappear days later with a complete new catalogue of 50 planned releases.

 

" Hey Rocky, watch me pull this 200 gramer out my hat!"

Yeah... very strange indeed

 

I thought the first five did make it. I thought I'd seen them in the stores. (PG1-SO).

These would be better served up as 150g at $17. Much bigger sales pool. Not to mention that originals are common and good.

Licensing is probably title by title. Classic did Bridge Over Troubled Water, but AF have Parsley and Sundazed have Bookends. Confused? Everybody play musical chairs in another two years, maybe.

The market has changed. I used to have customers clamoring for the latest double-45s. Now they sit there waiting for love. Some things are too expensive at the moment. Classic may be re-trenching by taking cash for the warehouse-full and concentrating on other matters. Maybe more colors and different shape records again . Read the website/blog about the special fitting for the stampers on the SV-P albums. This hand-work costs money. It wouldn't surprise me to see ordinary profile black Classics again, but not the custom stuff. Whatever..

 

This new statement doesn't say Classic has licensing for Real World, only that they'll be producing (which I take to mean, overseeing the mastering and manufacturing of) the new album which will be distributed by EMI in the US and Universal in Canada (which I take to mean, not distributed by Acoustic Sounds exclusively). In the previous statement, it was said that Acoustic Sounds would be the exclusive distributor of Classic Records. The new Gabriel album sounds more like a freelance project that is not really a Classic Records proper release, unless I'm misunderstanding the new statement.

 

The only thing I fully understood from that statement is, squirreling away boxes of LP's and price gouging is a nifty way to promote your business.

 

It is evident that this was not handled well but if a cash grab keeps the doors at classic records open so they can still make vinyl then I say its worthwhile.

Perhaps letting someone else do the marketing and distribution will lead to more attention to quality control.

Maybe in the long run its for the best.

Most of these items that are in short supply were around for awhile and you cannot expect it to be available at list price forever...that being said a two week warning that supplies are running low would have been the more gentlemanly approach.

still at the end of the day I would rather some price inflation and the player stays in the game then out of business forever but retains its purity virginity!

the major labels suck for the most part and maybe this means that bellman/grundmann can do more fine vinyl work.

 

Oy vay. Y'all sound like a bunch of...COLLECTORS. The president of the company has now made two statements directly through our host - who may very well represent his competition (or at least he has worked for a competitor) - that there is a distribution change that is causing speculation of their demise.

Unspoken is that certain titles may be going out of print, but that is part and parcel of the audiophile re-issue game. Haven't we all been there and done that? Remember DCC? Remember MFSL rising from the dust?

Mr. Hobson is looking for our support - sheeet, we are his TARGET audience.

My opinion, let's not bury a favorite uncle until the skin is cold and we see the 'flat line'.

 

Justifying price gouging as mere capitalism is hardly the way to win my support.

 

Talk is cheap. I'll just wait for the action.

 

Except that he explicitly identifies that his new distributor has incredible finesse at extracting every last dollar from said TARGET audience and he thinks this is a good idea. Price gouging is the new in thing? We should applaud this?

1) We are told of new distribution.
2) Online audiophile-centric websites begin to declare OOP for Classic records, low stock items and then jacking up the prices on them.
3) We are told by the PRESIDENT this is done on purpose
4) We should be happy about this and support it so we can in the future hope for more of the same.

I'm lost on why this is a good thing for us?

 

I've already picked through the Classic titles I wanted. There are a couple more I'd like, but I won't buy if I can't buy them cheap. My interest in Classic will rest solely on their lineup of future titles. If they are issuing interesting material, I'll bite.

 

I agree. This really makes me glad they're sticking around so when the next batch (if there is one) of releases go OOP I can wait around to pay jacked up prices. Why should I buy them when they first come out? I'd rather pay top dollar when they're only going to be available from one source at highly inflated prices. What's not to like.

 

After stating:

"To paraphrase Mark Twain, Rumors of our demise are greatly exaggerated. Acoustic Sounds is the largest seller of LP's in the world and as such has always been a strategic partner for Classic Records. As a record seller, they are also famous for extracting a premium for titles that are low in quantity or soon to be out of print. Some might say it is gouging"

I am done with Classic Records...after they knowingly put out their remaining stock so that AS can sell for outrageous prices to many loyal customers of Classic Records.

Their Customer Service doesn't exist!...most of the vinyl I have boughten on the Classic label has been fine, but when I have had problems, and the seller would not take it back because of "policy", I have NEVER, EVER, NOT EVEN ONE TIME gotten a response back from Classic Records using their own online "contact" program. That, after many more than 10 attempts!

From what I have read, this company abuses the contracts it gets to the point they are cancelled, and then now, on the other end of the spectrum, is setting up "scalping" of the rest of their inventory.

What a pitiful company!

Rick

 

I have exactly same experience!! Shame on Classic Records!!

 

I never thought Classic was too special. I own the Doug Watkins on Transition and a few Blue Notes, and I never thought that they sounded or looked too much better than any other LPs I own. For the price tag they didn't blow me away, and they were cut REALLY low. You really have to crank the volume on those things, which strains the very music itself.

 

It looks like they lost licensing on a number of titles. For whatever reasons, a bunch of it went all at the same time. So when that happens they have a window of time to sell what is left and so time is of the essence. They just cleared it out to who ever came through with the right price. And it didn't all go to one place. To be fair this whole thing does not sound like it was by choice, and so Classic should not get blame for what another company does with the product price after they discontinue it. They needed to sell this stuff.... out of print it went.

 

I disagree...

If what you say is true, how do you account for all the LZ stock they still had, which Atlantic pulled their contracts in 2004, and Classic had to cease production right away, but still sold product!!?? Same with other titles, in fact, name something that they can't sell if they have it in stock???


Rick