Re: [ARSCLIST] Reissues II--was: Vinegar syndrome audio tapes [ARSCLIST] Memorex CDs and more

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ironically, you mention the area of recordings where I think there is an even greater problem --  
pre-tape content. For most record companies, it's more of an effort and more expensive to locate and 
transfer those pre-tape disc recordings. Thus much less of an incentive, even if they were to 
realize the value of online "annuity" sales (ie few units per year but many over the decades off one 
effort done once and no packaging/sales channels to worry about). On the other hand, one could 
debate whether the sound quality on these recordings is terribly compromised by 
compressed-files/itunes-quality sales, so perhaps they have a very ready market in an existing and 
proven successful channel. Now when you turn to the tape-mastered content, speaking specifically of 
tapes that do not pose a major rescue problem, it's usually cheaper and easier to make a transfer 
for most of these companies but the sound quality may be greatly compromised by 
compressed-format/iTunes sales. So no perfect solution right now. One barometer on this might be to 
know if BMG was financially successful with the series of swing/jazz 78 reissues they did a year or 
two ago. They farmed out the remaster work and got some very good results, to my ears at least. I do 
not know if they recouped their investment in sales. If they didn't, business sense dictates lowered 
expectation for the future.

With more obscure 78 stuff, copyrights or not, people like Joe Bussard seem to do OK business 
without much interference from large companies who may or may not have copyright claims. I suspect 
that with this less well known material, metal parts or other manufacturing pieces don't exist 
anymore, thus no "family jewels" in the company vaults, so someone like Joe has the best of what 
remains and no one wants to pay the lawyer bills of interfering with his niche business. I imagine 
this would be even more so with obscure classical/opera stuff from ye olde days. Something like 
Caruso would be a different matter entirely -- expect a fleet of lawyers if you tried to put out a 
CD from your mint-condition 78's.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "steven c" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 11:11 PM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Reissues II--was: Vinegar syndrome audio tapes [ARSCLIST] Memorex CDs and more


> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Fine" <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Now, why should this PRIVATE property ever fall into anyone's hands for
> free? I think that's
> > wrong.
> Because that may be the only way it will ever be heard again, beyond
> the handful of 78 collectors that own an original!
> > HOWEVER, I also think it's very wrong to keep content locked up in
> megaglomerates' vaults
> > with no intent of ever letting it be heard again. What I seek is a middle
> ground, as I said in my
> > message regarding Bob's posting.
> Well, any middle ground would have to be (in the US, and world-wide
> if industry can get the changes) a concession on the part of the
> record industry...and they have shown very little interest in
> conceding anything!
>
> ...stevenc
> http://users.interlinks.net/stevenc/