Re: Various KaTe relaTed sTuff

[Jon Drukman <jsd@gaffa.MIT.EDU>]

>Really-From: derek%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford)
>Prices for the box set:

I'm getting one for $130 Canadian (about $115 US) plus tax.  My friend
says it will work out to $123 US in the end.

>I have noticed that prices for the boxed set vary all over creation.

I think it's called "what the market will bear."  Boston people are
complete idiots - hence the continued existence of BCD, surely the
greatest slap in the face to the educated consumer ever.  They *can*
order any import, they claim.  I'd like reports on their efficacy, and
prices.  I suspect they charge $25 per CD.  Clear highway robbery.

Also, Newbury, Tower and BCD seem to have the lock on specialty items
(although |>oug got his Box Set at Second Coming Records).  There must
be price fixing going on, because in Boston, it's $200 everywhere.

On the other hand, my Canadian buddy says he called four stores (I
assume they were all in Quebec or wherever the hell he is :) ) and
they all said $130.

>$CDN 83.94, ? , A&B Sounds, Vancouver BC, Canada (ditto) 

I called them this morning to order a set from them.  No go.  Sold out
"for weeks now" and order coming in "some time."  That's the best I
could get.  Of course, the first time I called, they said call back at
nine.  I asked a few questions and they said the same thing.  Why
bother answering the phone in the first place? :)

>I disagree with Jon Drukman regarding a separate CBS release of the boxed 
>set's extra track discs.

Oh pooh on you!  I think it's a great idea, nacherly.

>I don't think they should do it even if they could 
>(don't forget CBS own the rights to only 5 of the 29 tracks - but then again I 
>see there is a new Stranglers' Greatest Hits CD import with a selection of EMI 
>and CBS songs ;-|).  I am not sure they would pay the necessary amount to EMI 
>America/Manhattan to get the rights to those rather 
>obscure-to-the-average-American-music-buyer material.

I'm sure the licensing arrangement would be trivial for a large
company like that.  With proper marketing, it could be a great success.

>Myself I would be very 
>angry if they did appear having bought the full box and already owning the 
>import CDs.

That's called being cheap.  I was planning on being cheap too but I
changed my mind.

>I am not so interested in the set as a collector's item rather 
>than just having the music on CD.   Even worse would be a separate EMI release 
>of the two discs in the UK.  It would be such an insult to her fans who have 
>already purchased the sets.  I would expect EMI to get a lot of VERY angry 
>letters if they did.  I would certainly send one.

An INSULT to the fans?  Oh come on, that's totally ludicrous!  They
put out a hurried set with minimal thought, charge a bloody fortune
for it and you don't think THAT'S insulting?  It's like "we know
you're all rich and desperate.  You'll buy it no matter how shoddy it
is.  Cough up, sucker!"

They're renting the rarities CDs separately in Canada already.
Whether this is because the shop got them separately or just broke up
a set for renting purposes, I don't know.  I suspect it is the latter.

Well, it's only money.

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