Yes, this was indeed very common! I know one former music exec who still gets mad discussing this topic. Of course the last laugh is on this music exec because reviewers who sold off the product of this label at pennies on the dollar back in the day left dozens of dollars on the table as many titles' original pressings are very valualbe today.
Reputable reviewers did not do this, for the most part. Indeed a huge and valuable collection of LPs has been solid off in bits recently by the estate of a jazz critic. He apprently kept just about everything, to the great benefit of his heirs.
In later years, DJs and radio stations were as bad about this as the reviewers.
Review copies of CD's show up often in the used channel, sometimes still-prewrapped (but with a burn-out over the UPS symbol or a sticker on the wrapping indicating it's a reviewer copy). With so many titles out of print now, this is a Good Thing.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Olhsson" <olh@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2008 3:09 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] lp, cassette, 8-track cut-outs?
-----Original Message----- From John Ross: "...cut-outs were provided to retailers at a much lower wholesale price, without return privileges. The hole or notch or cut-off corner identified an LP as a cut-out, for which the wholesaler would not issue full (or any) credit upon return..."
What was also very common, if not more so, were promotional copies that were
sent to reviewers and broadcasters (sometimes by the case!) who would then
sell them to local record stores.
Bob Olhsson Audio Mastery, Nashville TN Mastering, Audio for Picture, Mix Evaluation and Quality Control Over 40 years making people sound better than they ever imagined! 615.385.8051 http://www.hyperback.com http://www.thewombforums.com