Great to read that a new TS is planned for release... that's at least the advantage of comps such as Revenge'66, they put a pressure on those who *should* release such comps. Talked recently with someone who used to work at Eva at the time Warren was in Paris, in the 80s; seems that times haven't changed, as he told me that Warren was back then already "in permanent reaction" towards Eva releases, and that it's been been fuelling his energy to release the BFTG series.
Anyway, that said, a cople of remarks:
- in a pure marketing view, it will be a big mistake to release a vol.16 in this series, more than 10 years after the series started, and around 10 years after the last volume was released. And especially now that most of the volumes are out of print. I can't believe you're planning to bring this series back from the grave: you gonna sell 500 copies, no more ! The TS shutdown series concept was initially to become the final and definitive series when it comes to 60s garage, with 60 volumes planned in the pipeline. 4 volumes planned for release every 6 months... so now that it unfortunatly died in its young age after only 15 volumes released, and that it will never see the light in the way it was conceived, why such a silly decision to get right into a commercial hara-kiri with a vol.16 ? Start a new series, with a new commercial dynamic, and you will sell 1000 copies within a year.
- I'm always astonished by the over-reactions here concerning DIY comps like that new one that just come out. As a comp-addict, all I can tell you is that you shouldn't be so pissed off:
first, it's bad for your heart, and if you react each time this way, you'll never see your 65th birthday.
secondly, you shouldn't take things that way, as once again: those kind of comps ain't done for you: they are usually done by non-collectors for non-collectors. They're not conceived to be enjoyed in the over-analytic scientific view of yours, but to be blasted at full volume, in your car, at home when you're back from work, at night while taking a drink with friends, overnight when blasted by a DJ... as someone said here above, they're done for those who just wanna get their dose of great garage sounds, and don't care much whether it's mp3 sourced or whateverelse, as long as what goes out of the speakers gives you THRILLS.
Revenge'66, as well as many other comps of that kind, such as 60s Fever etc are of course not comps in the way you see comps. We've already talked about that before (ie MTM view = just a "catalogue" vs. "soul", "flow", etc.), no need to bring this back again and again. The fact is that you should now understand that those kind of comps are more like "mix-tapes", nothing more. "Mixed tapes" by garage lovers for garage lovers, and "mixed-tapes" on wax, which is much cooler ! And usually, those kind of comps feature stuff that wasn't always available on wax before, but on CDR or bloody CDs only.
I hence believe that the big mistake is to consider that the G45 view about how comps should be and what a comp shouldn't is actually a rather fundamentalist view. I think that it's even part of the demise of the Teenage Shutdown series: Warren believed that putting so much money into the sound quality, liners, photos, etc would bring him the totality of the potential garage market, but that was wrong. He was such in love with this series that he did'nt even imagine that people would still prefer to purchase some Pebbles comps. Or download the tons of MP3 that have been suddently available on the web. And here are objectively the facts: if internet killed the TS series, it's just because most people just don't care of the TS sound quality, or don't care for the liners... unbelievable, hum?. For sure, those comps sound better than Pebbles of Boulders. But it's a discussion for audiophiles. The typical garage lover is a permanently broke guy spending all his spare money into records, with a rather limited amount of cash available, and with a shitty or average record player, on which the difference in sound quality between a Garage Punk Unknowns comp (or any of the early Crypt releases, that, to my knowledge, have not been treated the TS way) and a TS comp can't even be really determined. Not to mention that 1) those kind of guys (oh, by the way, I am one of them) have never hold an original 60s US garage 7'' in their hand, don't know how it is supposed to sound like, not that they don't care, but they just can't afford it and 2) whatever you do, putting any 7''s on a LP, even of the TS quality like, will anyway sound a bit "flat" compared with the 7'' dynamic.
Last but not least, all those garage 7''s were back then played on incredibly low quality record players, weren't they ? I can't even imagine what was pouring out of the speaker back then, but it was probably a below-Boulders quality... you guys, so into how things were and thing weren't and how things should be, I don't understand why you're so hot on the sound quality, whereas all the mid-60s teenage generation was probably listening to those sounds you love in terrific MUDDY way.
You guys, with either deep pockets enough to spend so much cash on original records, or probably able to spend all what you earn on records (=I guess most of you are singles, not married, without kids, spending all your free time into records or meeting guys with the same addiction ?) are exceptions. You are the hardcore crew. But guess what, the vast majority of garage lovers are not of the same kind.... simply beacuse they just can't afford it- And above all, there's something that's really missing on G45: the FUN. You are not funny guys, you're getting incredibly pissed off as something the like of those hand made comps cross your way, you're not willing to share (or share inside your circle) you're keeping your best pieces in your bunkers.... This music you're adoring was made by teenagers in the mid-60s, young punks that were playing in bands mostly to get some girls (in the hope to make them shout and cry just like the Beatles managed to), to get drunk and evacuate all their teenage frustration. I'm sure that if back then they would have known what kind of state of mind (=yours) their records would have led to, they would have told you that you are just a bunch of old farts and laugh at you.
Someone here said that Revenge'66 was "pissing on the history of punk". A stunning reaction, as there's not a single punk guy on this forum, but mostly collectors, with a behaviour at the exact opposite of what PUNK is.
You're actually just like a bunch of priests collecting porno mags and telling the world how people should fuck or shouldn't
You're just boring guys, you know ?
I'm especially sorry towards dudes such as Mans, who probably used to be young, in its Crimson Shadows years, who is proud to tell all the hardcore stories that surounded his great, authentic and savage band in its 80s heydays, but who's now dropping some boring old man's posts, telling how things should be blablabla. Oh I forgot the incredible posts about how a sleeve should look like... you guys are crazy. You've just been watching your own asshole too long, I suppose... You believe you are the keepers of the keys, don't you ?
You're not just boring actually, you are probably OLD as well
Now, another point concerning those DIY comps that pollute your nights. If you guys were doing the right things, there would be much less comps of that kind on the market. Those dogshits, as how MTM qualifies them, are here as YOU are not doing things the right way. How comes Up from the grave comp came out on a bloody shitty CD only ? stick it in your ass !!! who wanna pay for some garage on CD ????? Now, I'll be happy to pay anyday the price for a vinyl copy, may you have released it ! And I just hope that in the meantime, another comp of the like of Revenge'66 will show up with the fabulous "I said no" by The Next Step (I precise that I of course downloaded for free that comp, no way I would have payed to get a CD !) so that I can enjoy SPINNING the LP. YOU are responsible of the release of stuff like Revenge because YOU are not doing things right. Releasing a LP is easy, so why don't you ?
