Last Of The Garage Punk Unknowns Volumes 3 & 4

[chas_kit]

BFTG and Teenage Shutdown used to be very cheaply priced in the US when I was picking them up in the '90s and early 2000s - $8 to $10 was typical. BFTG in particular were in most hip record stores, year in and year out, much like Pebbles.

Now that Crypt is in Germany these records are not easy to find in US shops - most people have to order them online. Newbies aren't stumbling over it in a shop and picking it up because it's cheap and looks interesting. I sell at record shows and would love to stock the new Crypt LPs but can't get them wholesale in small quantities due to the costs of shipping from Europe.

Young people are buying records, but most of them are buying what is now standard stuff - stores can sell Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Velvet Underground all day long. Hopefully what we're seeing is the start of a new generation of record collectors, some of whom will begin digging deeper into the genres that make their ears buzz.

As for TBM, I am surprised to read only 250 copies sold at full price in the first year. Personally, I would prefer a second edition with all additions, corrections and a label index. I understand how difficult this would be, I'm just hoping for the impossible!

 

[dan nowicki]

Amoeba Records in Hollywood had a huge stack of the new BFTGs in February (including endcap display), so hopefully they were able to move some copies. I know there is at least one store in Arizona that has been trying to get them in but so far has had no luck with its distributor, who apparently can only get a few copies at a time and they evaporate immediately.

 

[dan nowicki]

Also, got this in the mail yesterday and it sounds like a winner: http://acerecords.co.uk/dont-be-bad-60s-punk-recorded-in-texas

Along with the Last of Garage Punk Unknowns volumes that have come out, there's still a lot of great stuff getting released.

 

[bosshoss]

That might work for some labels but knowing Tim I can't see him doing this.

But how about the first edition of BFTG Vol. 1 with the luminous glow-in-the-dark printed cover. I wish I had one of those.

 

[bosshoss]

I barely sold 250 copies of TBM at full retail price, and it took almost a whole year time-wise to do so.

According to the World-O-Meter Population Clock, the current population is 7,312,151,980.
If you subtract 250 from that, there appears to be 7,312,151,730 zombies walking the earth.

 

[bosshoss]

It is sad to see the interest even amongst the "dedicated" is waning.
Ned

My guess is that interest is not really waning. It's just interest in paying that is waning. Why pay when you can get it for nothing? Currently 1,800 free views which in years gone by could have been 1,800 copies sold, maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JOwfFKO1Zs&list=PLxYWifAFuk3ksOH4oZdQ3YkPIv4Emh7vo

 

[bosshoss]

As for TBM, I am surprised to read only 250 copies sold at full price in the first year. Personally, I would prefer a second edition with all additions, corrections and a label index. I understand how difficult this would be, I'm just hoping for the impossible!

How about a digital online version, updated every month, with a fancy interface, that is behind a firewall and available only via an annual subscription of $15...And a free version which has random false information and annoying glitches as an inducement to pay for the real thing.

I know, it's too harsh.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

My guess is that interest is not really waning. It's just interest in paying that is waning. Why pay when you can get it for nothing? Currently 1,800 free views which in years gone by could have been 1,800 copies sold, maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JOwfFKO1Zs&list=PLxYWifAFuk3ksOH4oZdQ3YkPIv4Emh7vo

Good to see that those willing to pay for quality are a minute minority. Makes us feel special.

 

[chas_kit]

How about a digital online version, updated every month, with a fancy interface, that is behind a firewall and available only via an annual subscription of $15.

Yep, I'd subscribe to that.

 

[sylvain]

My guess is that interest is not really waning. It's just interest in paying that is waning. Why pay when you can get it for nothing? Currently 1,800 free views which in years gone by could have been 1,800 copies sold, maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JOwfFKO1Zs&list=PLxYWifAFuk3ksOH4oZdQ3YkPIv4Emh7vo

I dont think things are working that way. A lot of bands nowadays are putting their new releases on bandcamp immediately upon release, which allows a full listening of the album before you decide whether you gonna purchase it or not. Pretty much all "non-mainstream" bands are on bandcamp, and this seems like an important marketing tool today. People wanna listen the whole thing before paying.
Furthermore, another reason why I dont think there's been sales lost because of youtube is that a lot of people who've been listening to those files wouldn't have purchased a LP copy anyway. People who're really into 60s garage gonna purchase the LP, and the fact that BFTG is on youtube won't change anything. The reason why sales are weak, or below expectations, is only a sign of the times: 60s garage punk is not as popular as it used to be because there's today millions of musical "niches" that weren't there in the 80s. Last but not least, music is not anymore a central element of youth culture, far less important than it used to be. I guess that sales reflect all those points.

 

[sylvain]

Well, Timmy needs to move at least 2,000 of each title to be able to do another comp or two.
That ain't gonna happen, based on his past sales reports!

That'd be seriously a bummer if the series was to stop for this reason only. That's not like there was millions of $ to be found.... Sure, the market is not like it used to be, but still. What's the "hard-core" market for such comps ? 600 people in the world ? I'm pretty sure that a "subscription" kind of thing could be done towards this market, with people not only paying their copy in advance, but also at a higher price. As far I'm concerned, that's something I'd be ready to do, if that was the way to get those comps released. A little something, like an additional insert (= something simple, like a numbered / or TW signed letter), something that would cost nothing to be done, could be added to those "pre-paid" copies, as a reward for the "militants". Copie of Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns are offered on sale on an average price of 16.00 EUR in shops, which means that their wholesale price is around or - probably - below 10.00 EUR. If copies were offered thru such a direct subscription at 20.00 EUR, all the money would go into TW's pocket.... I guess this would help their release ?

 

[michaelvee]

[quote Copie of Last of the Garage Punk Unknowns are offered on sale on an average price of 16.00 EUR in shops, which means that their wholesale price is around or - probably - below 10.00 EUR. If copies were offered thru such a direct subscription at 20.00 EUR, all the money would go into TW's pocket.... I guess this would help their release ?[/quote]

I'm afraid I agree

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

Unfortunately, some people have better things to do with their lives than processing mail orders, and packaging, addressing and posting packages.

 

[sylvain]

Unfortunately, some people have better things to do with their lives than processing mail orders, and packaging, addressing and posting packages.

Fortunatly, Crypt is associated with a shop/mail order in Germany perfectly able to handle such operations, I guess

 

[mikael]

Crypt's online store could use a technical face lift after 10+ years.

 

[Mario]

Also, got this in the mail yesterday and it sounds like a winner: http://acerecords.co.uk/dont-be-bad-60s-punk-recorded-in-texas

Along with the Last of Garage Punk Unknowns volumes that have come out, there's still a lot of great stuff getting released.

HOLY SHIT! I gotta order that TEXAS comp ASAP!

Didn't even know about that!

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

Thanks for the tip Dan - just ordered it!

 

[Mario]

It would absolutely suck if the series really get's stopped at 4 volumes because of these low sales reports. Especially since Tim makes reference to future volumes in his liners. Building anticipated interest only for it to go nowhere and never come to fruition? What a bummer!

But with that said, I definitely agree that people aren't in a rush to buy these things, because I've seen it for myself.. I've noticed people on social media barely posting about purchasing the new BFTG's, which at this point are now a few months old.

I think one of the reasons why people wait is because they don't want to order directly from crypt. They're lazy. Most of the people who I've seen posting late usually reference the store they bought it from, and it's never from CRYPT in Germany. It's always some place out here in the states that finally stocked it. If that's their reason, then that would seem rather pointless to me. Because why wait a month or more for somebody to stock it out here, when you can order from crypt the day of release and wait the maximum 2 weeks for it to arrive? When I ordered the first two volumes of LAST of the GPU, it took 8 days to arrive. That's not a long time to wait if you really sit down and think about it

I wouldn't disagree either with the idea of adding a little something extra to the first hundred or so pressings. That would certainly light a fire under people to BUT IT NOW. Something to make it more exciting for the newbies / lazy buyers.

Lastly, I hate to say it, but I also feel like there isn't enough PROPER promotion being done for these releases. There needs to be MORE in terms of getting the word out to the majority. Especially since it's a series. I feel like the last two volumes were just sprung on people, and then 'those' who knew about it told others, and that's how the word got out. That's really a job that crypt should be handling. Maybe they could post more often on their FB page? I know most of you guys on here don't use that site, but alot of people do, and they follow their page! When it concerns promoting, FB could be very beneficial. They don't need to convince ME of anything because I LOVE 60's punk music. So all I realistically need to do is hear about it once and I'll be anticipating the release date. I will keep checking back with crypt because I KNOW I WANT TO. But what about the people who don't share my mentality? Those are the people who you have to shove it in their faces! Get them to care as much as I do! That's where the art of good promotion becomes crucial. We're selling '60's garage' here my friends.. Let's try a little harder to get the word out on this 'obscure' music. It's not going to automatically sell simply because it's had a following for some years now. I would think sixties garage music NEEDS good promotion for it to sell. How many people honestly know about this type of stuff? How do you expect people to care if you don't flash it in their faces somehow? Established sports that have been around for years still promote their event schedules vigorously because they want to ensure a great deal of interest from the public. Just because these are obscure teenage combos from the 60's doesn't mean it shouldn't be promoted as hard. Then why are we having this conversation to begin with? If you want these things to sell at a positive rate, PROMOTE IT THAT WAY! Don't just post up one announcement and then expect sales...

If everybody who has an interest for this type stuff shared my mentality, Tim would sell out in a week! But the unfortunate reality is that not everyone is going to think like most of the people on THIS FORUM. You have to raise their interest level from it's normal state. Especially in today's world, with so many stupid distractions going around

 

[gregk25]

Raised the question of pending LOTGPU-plans due to allegedly low sales when buying the Squires LP and Tyme 7" at the Crypt store the other day, and Dirk couldn't have looked more surprised. He said the only problem right now is the represses of the new BFTGs not being done soon enough and the months a small lable has to wait to get new releases pressed in these "vinyl revival"-days. He certainly didnt say anything about disappointing sales and as the guy handling the mailorder he should know. The next LOTGPU volumes should be out in early 2016 due to full order books at the plants.

 

[stevo3199]

Raised the question of pending LOTGPU-plans due to allegedly low sales when buying the Squires LP and Tyme 7" at the Crypt store the other day, and Dirk couldn't have looked more surprised. He said the only problem right now is the represses of the new BFTGs not being done soon enough and the months a small lable has to wait to get new releases pressed in these "vinyl revival"-days. He certainly didnt say anything about disappointing sales and as the guy handling the mailorder he should know. The next LOTGPU volumes should be out in early 2016 due to full order books at the plants.

I'd love to able to just wander into the Crypt store!
They do a fine job on the mail order too .