Good news. There's supply for the demand. When vinyl is out of print and enough people want it...a RE-ISSUE happens.
This is good news for fans, and great news for the artist, who not only is getting royalties, but respect. It's sad when ignorant people think "out of print" means "public domain," and clueless fools don't understand that "out of print" can be a temporary condition if they don't take it on themselves to start giving it all away. This is a reason savvy bloggers with some knowledge of the music biz usually give away only a few songs as a sample of somebody's album. After all, real music fans know that it's better for the artist to boast of a re-issue with CD notes than to say "Oh check the blogs, people are illegally giving away my stuff so it must be worthless."
When Patti Dahlstrom was profiled by Illfolks some time ago, there was hope that a "Best of" would appear, and because Patti's albums weren't "all over the Net," the folks at Rev-ola said "Yes, we can spend money on negotiations, re-mastering, paying for CD notes, and giving this great artist RESPECT!" There's even a fresh new PattiDahlstrom.com to visit as well, complete with a BUY CD link.
There's a generous TWENTY songs on this re-issue:
1. Emotion (1973)
2. He Did Me Wrong, But He Did It Right (1975)
3. Sending My Good Thoughts To You (1975)
4. Get Along, Handsome (1972)
5. This Isn’t An Ordinary Love Song (1972)
6. Without Love (1976)
7. And I Never Did (1972)
8. Changing Minds (1976)
9. Give Him Time (1973)
10. Ollabelle And Slim (1972)
11. Cleveland Snow (1973)
12. Comfortable (1972)
13. Wait Like A Lady 1972)
14. For Everybody’s Sake (1973)
15. I’m Letting Go (1972)
16. Innate (1973)
17. One Afternoon (1976)
18. Rider (1972)
19. The Way I Am (1973)
20. What If (1972)
It's hard to find fault with the choices. There's the darkly poignant ballad "For Everybody's Sake," advice on the tender "Give Him Time" and the sassier "Wait Like a Lady," the erotic "He Did Me Wrong, But He Did it Right," the elegantly wistful "And I Never Did," and two songs demonstrating the Texas girl's true grit, "Olabelle and Slim" and the moody masterpiece "Rider." Gotta love her down-home lyrics on "Emotion," mated to the exquisite French star Veronique Sanson's melody "Amoureuse."
But if you're not quite sure about purchasing (and re-issue CDs and imports do tend to be expensive because they aren't pressed in quantity), you get three non-CD tracks to sample; Illfolks favorites that didn't quite make the cut of the Top 20.
I almost chose "Weddin'" which was in the programming rotation on United Air Line flights (on # 6, their rock compilation channel). I have the brochure as proof, where you'll see the tune sandwiched between "Take it Off Him and Put it On Me" from Buddy Miles and "Sit Yourself Down" from Steven Stills. I also was thinking about a few of her co-writes with the sometimes wacky (but behaving himself with Patti) Severin Browne.
Limiting the selection to three, first up is the spunky "High Noon Alibis" (from "The Way I Am") a wry kiss-off to a useless city slicker ("Ya got the better of me the worst is comin' out. Guess it always happens 'tween the North and the South…")
The other two choices are from the "Your Place or Mine" album. For those who aren't sure that true love travels on a gravel road, here's the smooth advice of Ms. Dahlstrom: "If You Want It Easy (you don't want love)." Plus a co-write with the well known typing error Al Staehely, the ballad "Louisiana." This one brings on a flood of emotions, and as she often does, Patti shines a light in the darkness and comes up with something positive. "The only chance of holding on is letting go within."
Here's the unique, original, and different (or, to use her unique drawling pronunciation of it, "diff-a-rawnt"), Patti Dahlstrom, now back in print via U.K. re-issue. She's alive and well in the U.K. but hopefully comin' back home to the U.S.A. someday.
THREE BY PATTI DAHLSTROM Via Rabbitshare, which could mean a short wait time for non-members.
[Rabbitshare no longer exists. If you want it easy...it's hard to do, with companies going out of business etc. However, here's 'If You Want it Easy" for a download sample:]
IF YOU WANT IT EASY
BARGAIN UPDATE:
now through June 20th, DeepDiscount's price on Patti's CD is $10.19. Including shipping anywhere in the U.S.A.
Pretty incredible. Go to www.deepdiscount.com or use this link:
http://www.deepdiscount.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/productID/A744E355-169E-4D08-A3ED-9CEFCD36A981/
The "coupon code" to use at checkout is 25MORE. (GREEN3 also works).
What a perfect time for Dahlstrom fans to buy copies for their friends. ''If you want it easy..." this is as easy as it gets!
Thank you, darlin'
ReplyDeletePatti
I'm very glad that there's a legitimate reissue of Patti's work newly available, and to read your comments about it. However, I do disagree with your impassioned theory about blogs posting deleted albums in their entirety. I haven't read any conclusive information that quantifies exactly how this vitiates sales of legitimate product.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I see how this is the case when someone posts widely available music, ripped from CD.
However, what we're looking at here are compressed, vinyl transfers, which aren't remotely marketable quality.
There's a number of other reasons for my stance, but I don't want to bore you, so I'll just give one more:-
Second-hand record outlets and ebay. Anyone who wants a deleted album can get it within hours/days through these channels. Doing so doesn't generate any revenue for the artist, but only for the seller. Patti's albums WERE all over the internet in this sense, and in full quality - not compressed to audio files. Every time someone bought 'The Way I Am' on second hand vinyl, they were surely spoiling the chances of a legitimate reissue (and cheating Patti of income) in exactly the same way as those who downloaded from blogs.
So, if the argument goes that blogs shouldn't post whole albums because of their hazardous effect on CD reissues, then that would be even more true of second hand record stores and auctions, which should immediately cease trading.
Here is an alternate take on the subject of Sharing OOP Music on the 1nternetz (Oh NOeZ11!!!!!!11!): "As one of the writers of this song I was surprised and touched to find this video. You might appreciate knowing that in the original version of this song by Cilla Black, the "writer" was a writer of books! Of course, there were some lyric changes.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for doing this.
Gloria Sklerov"
---via the youtube video Patti Dahlstrom - He Was A Writer (1976 Larry Knechtel prod., cover of Cilla Black)
(not the same Anonymous)
To anonymous 1.
ReplyDeleteFACT - Record companies are in the shit. They are now constantly cutting costs when it comes to vintage product so the record company who owns Patti's masters have zero interest in her work because it isn't gonna make them a profit.
FACT - Record stores have mostly become history. They can't sell units like they used to. Why? Because you just go to Google, type in what you want and they direct you to a FREE download - usually on one of their sites such as Blogger. There is now a whole generation of people who have never paid a penny for music who now believe it should be "free."
FACT - The majority of blogs that give away complete albums don't give a damn about that artiste. They just whack it up in the hope it will get them "nice comments" and demand "donations" in the guise of PayPal donations. Ever heard of a guy called ChrisGoesRock? That scumbag used to rip CD's at 320kbps and regularly demand that people put their money into HIS PayPal account as opposed to buying the actual product. He was making money from music he had NO RIGHT to be giving away since he doesn't even own the copyrights. Just a big ego trip on Christer's part.
FACT - iTunes, YouTube and Spotify royalties generate money from which the artiste gets a ridiculously low percentage. For instance, Lady Gaga. One of her songs got a MILLION plays on Spotify. How much did she earn from that? $167.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/apr/18/sam-leith-downloading-money-spotify
This is now the "new model." Artistes are being ripped off mercilessly, worse than ever thanks to these dubious business practises. Artistes need to eat. They need to work. They need to earn money, but now the odds are completely against them.
OK... I bet I can hear you say "ah, but why don't they make their own CD's and sell them at gigs?" YOU try booking a studio. You try paying for recording and mixing time. You try pressing your own CD's. You try organising a tour. You try paying for travel, accommodation, food and venue costs that tours require. Now you try selling the CD. Barely anyone bites. Why? Because all it takes is for ONE asshole to buy the CD, rip it and upload it to the net. Once it's up there, that's it. Everybody can get it for FREE. It means it is impossible for the artiste to recoup any costs.
Artistes have become charities. It is hostile and unsustainable. These new models don't work. But as usual, it's the artiste that suffers.
I think Record companies are cretins at the best of times BUT they did plough money into it enabling people to find fame and a career. Now because barely anyone is buying, there is bugger all money to invest. Yes, they ripped everyone off over the decades but now it's even worse because they're grabbing every possible method to rip them off even more to help keep themselves going.
Don't give me that tired old "well the record companies have been ripping me off over the years" argument. Doesn't wash. What has happened to all the old record stores? They've shut down. Gone out of business. Because this selfish world and it's people demand everything for "free." Fine, but what about the artistes who put their souls and lives on the line to write and record the music we enjoy? This "free" mentality is destroying them.
I KNOW. I am one such artiste. I've watched how the industry has changed over the last 15 years to devastating effect. There is damn all incentive to be creative anymore.
I have also been watching music blogs for the last 5 years. This particular blog is one of the very few that has genuine respect for the music and artistes. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for over 96% of the rest.
Peter Elliott - thank you very much for the detailed and very informative comment. I appreciate it. Of course, the situations you outline, from contemptible royalties to people getting paypal donations on their blogs, are invariably obscene.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the position I outlined related solely to the sharing of completely unavailable music. I am aware of many artists whose work has come back into print, despite vinyl rips already being in wide circulation.
And, I still haven't discovered the answer to the question I posed:-
I live within walking distance of four thriving second-hand record outlets, plus I have access to ebay. I can buy a deleted album in minutes, generating nothing financially for the artist or the record label. Consequently, surely second-hand record shops are every bit as great an evil as blogs with deleted albums posted in their entirety!
The fact is, however, that if a legitimate reissue then comes out, I WILL buy it, even though I have the second-hand vinyl or the illegally downloaded rip.
I'm not claiming to be representative of the record buying public, but I AM representative of a certain section of it. I care about artist remuneration AND audio quality. In consequence, I will ALWAYS buy legitimate product when it becomes available, even though I already have the music.
I firmly believe that a large section of people who use blogs to discover neglected artists are entirely different from the 'music is free' generation, who merrily plunder music that they could acquire legitimately.
Twice in your comment you have anticipated arguments or statements that I did not make, and did not intend to make [" I can hear you say "ah, but why don't they make their own CD's and sell them at gigs?" / Don't give me that tired old "well the record companies have been ripping me off over the years" argument.]
In fact, I don't refute anything you say, and there is absolutely no need to attribute to me arguments that I did not make, so that you can then argue against them!
I do, however, thank you.
Anonymous #1:
ReplyDeleteSorry to be slow in reply. Nice to see Peter Elliott excellently touched on a lot of the problems with blogging and sharing.
To your rebuttal. First, you're an exception. Some try, within their wallet's restraints, to buy as much as they can. But most don't. Same way 100 people may download from a blog, "But nobody left me a thank you comment."
While it's true Patti doesn't make money off a second-hand sale, it's legal, and it's low profile. Nobody from Rev-ola can know how much competition there is from used record dealers. But they can see from blogs, forums and torrents if an old album is over-exposed.
We've seen Rev-Ola, Rhino, Varese, CC, Ace, Bear Family and others release stuff we never thought would come back. So "it's out of print and never will come back" is wrong, and doubly so when a blogger turns it into a business.
How to help an artist? Put up a blog asking for a re-issue, say so in forums, or create a fan website full of facts rather than stolen music. That's how "bargain bin" artists like Dahlstrom, Martin Briley or Genya Ravan get back on CD. Re-issue labels also look to see what Internet sellers are charging for the original vinyl, and that helps a Judy Henske or Shel Silverstein get a re-issue. But once forums and blogs distribute rare albums, the price plummets and so does re-issue interest.
I fully understand your point…that Patti doesn't make money off a re-sale, but there's more going on than that, more than "original is legal, copy is not." The big picture is that the Internet has become a haven for anonymous people to do cyber bullying, scams, pfishing etc. Theft forums often thrive on banner ads from corrupt scammers. Bloggers send the wrong message to our kids by saying "look at me, I'm a pirate, ahar ahar" or being weasels with "for review purposes" or "remove after 48 hours" or "fair use" caveats. If any of these were true, we'd see real websites doing it, not Russian crap-Nets or freebie bloggers.
Let's go back to a lyric line -- Patti Dahlstrom from "Slim and Olabelle." She sings: "And they only taught me two things. The first was to answer to myself. To do it if I think in my head it's right, and it don't hurt nobody else."
Obviously the more we give away, the less we need to buy, so there's no question this hurts people. You're an exception. You buy. Most don't.
I know there's a gray area or else I wouldn't be giving downloads. I'm also happy when I save bucks by downloading a freebie I was curious about but not anxious to buy.
Illfolks is giving away a mediocre rip of Jonathan Round's album. Does it help or hurt the dealer who wants to sell the rarity for $150, and does it dissuade Rev-ola or Rhino from re-issue? Hard to say. But illfolks doesn't make a habit of doing it. The fact that Round's friends and relatives turned the comment section into a shrine for him says that Illfolks did no harm. Billy Joel sang about those "Shades of Gray" and Sarah Kernochan about "rules to live by" not being perfect. Often we must approach it on a case by case basis…with some thought.
Dylan said, "if you live outside the law you must be honest," which I take to mean honest in your intent to be a Robin Hood not a robbing hood, to help an artist not become the star yourself, and to make sure what you do isn't causing harmful repercussions.
To Anonymous...
ReplyDeleteThank you for your reply which I greatly appreciated. I do sincerely apologise if I gave off the wrong impression slightly about yourself but I am pleased you accepted and respected what I had to say about the whole thing in general. As you can tell, it's an issue very dear to my heart!
I do have genuine respect for people who do still buy the product like yourself. I still enjoy buying CD's since I like to have the whole package - a physical product with pictures, sleevenotes, credits and of course, the best sound quality. I'm pretty sure IllFolks also feels the same way. I have always admired IllFolk's choice in music and the ethics involved, giving a taster of the music as opposed to the entire album. You know it's always going to be intelligently chosen and a good barometer of whether one would want to investigate further or not. The Patti selections here clearly demonstrate that, not to mention championing acts like Patti, keeping their names and music alive in a respectful manner.
I do miss the old days of vinyl where we'd borrow albums from pals or hear mixtapes. If we liked what we heard we'd go out and buy it. It's so sad that times have changed thanks to digital technology and the internet. However, it is up to individuals like ourselves to keep the flame burning to help keep acts like Patti alive and realise that there is still some Hope left in an increasingly futile world.
Thank you Illfolks and Peter Elliott for your informative and very interesting responses. I'm so glad we had this discourse. It's almost impossible to come across people discussing this on the internet without invective and intemperance, so I'm really grateful for having had this dialogue in such a civil, respectful and interesting manner.
ReplyDeleteIn haste, like I said, your responses were very informative for me. I had no idea that the distribution of a vinyl rip on a blog could dent the value of an album. I had assumed that because a vinyl rip is non-professional and compressed (even a 320 kbps rip removes over two thirds of the information - the supposedly 'inaudible' part), it could not be taken to be a genuine likeness of the original product. I certainly don't perceive it as a genuine likeness, hence I buy the original album once I'm able to do so.
Anyway, it is great to see Patti back in circulation.
Thank you again...
"I had assumed that because a vinyl rip is non-professional and compressed (even a 320 kbps rip removes over two thirds of the information - the supposedly 'inaudible' part), it could not be taken to be a genuine likeness of the original product..."
ReplyDeleteWell that's a whole different topic!
Might be true on THIS blog. Some of my rips may sound pretty good if I'm working from pristine vinyl. I don't often do a lot of editing and tweeking, but some other bloggers do and it's sometimes pretty hard to differentiate what a blogger's done from eMusic, iTunes or Amazon downloads (which technically aren't even 320 bit-rate).
Dylan among many others, complains that even legal mp3 files are nowhere near CD or vinyl, and of course many insist old vinyl beats new CD. But I think most everyone agrees that the average listeners are very happy with their iPods, Zunes and boom boxes.
It's more of a minority that cares about bit-rate, frets over buying expensive headphones or ear-buds, or checks specs on the stereo system they buy. And there are a lot of people who once cared about those things, but after a certain age the ears just don't pick up the nuances they once did.
Very interesting topic, which has been debated ever since cassettes began replacing reel to reel and CD replaced vinyl.
Frankly sometimes I'll buy the vinyl after getting a free download of the album ONLY because I wanted the packaging...not that I expected the sound to be better.