Sinister: bootlegs

[Hopkins T]

> 	David wrote:
> 
> > > > belle and sebastian may be wavering over the re-issue of tigermilk
> but they
> > > > have stated publicly that this is something they plan, more a
> question of
> > > > when.
> > > > as such bootlegging would be a serious threat to it's imminent
> success and
> > > > would threaten to reduce the revenue that the band would receive.
> 
> 	I am all for the band making as much money from their efforts as
> 	possible, and think that any bootleg which significantly damaged
> their
> 	earnings off Tigermilk would be a Very Bad Thing. 
> 	But hey, let's be realistic. The reason I hear for the
> 	non-appearance of a reissue is that there is not enough time to
> release it
> 	properly. I assume this means that with the current recording and
> 	forthcoming promotion for the new records, the band will not have
> time to
> 	promote it 'properly'. 
> 	It seems to me that to me that the reissue of Tigermilk is on hold
> 	for commercial reasons, then: it is being delayed so that
> 	(i) the reissue can be promoted in such a way as to maximise sales,
> 	which is a good thing, but also
> 	(ii) to increase the 'great lost album' myth, and to generate an
> 	ever more hysterical demand for it.
> 
> 	Whilst this is fine, and probably very good business, people who try
> 	to manipulate the tiger of the supply-demand consumer economy should
> not be
> 	surprised when the damn thing turns round and bites them.
> 	There are people in this world who make their living from
> 	bootlegging records. My guess is that none of them read this list,
> but I may
> 	be wrong. As the fame of Tigermilk spreads, and the price it fetches
> rises,
> 	it becomes more likely that it will be systematically bootlegged.
> 
> 	>the difference between a tape and cd recording is one of quality,
> 	>but not a
> 	>perceivable difference unless you're incredibly fussy. a tape is
> 	>poorer quality
> 	>and as such would not be used to produce bootlegs from, cd's on the
> 	>other hand
> 	>are accepted as a standard for a master recording and can be used
> 	>in
> 	>mass-duplication facilities to produce large runs of bootleg cd's.
> 	>... it must be realised that should a mass production of
> 	>Tigermilk on cd ever originate illegally, it would probably have
> 	>been done by
> 	>someone that we (as the list) know. simply because it is us (the
> 	>fans, friends,
> 	>record company, etc) that own the original vinyl Tigermilk, so it
> 	>is most likely
> 	>that the cd used would have originated from one of us (as it is
> 	>unlikely that a
> 	>cd produced from a tape would be accepted by any but the most
> 	>worthless
> 	>bootleggers). this is one of the most horrible realisations on this
> 	>subject, and
> 	>it is this i would love to prevent.
> 
> 	Except that the survey a few months ago tracked down just 10% of
> 	total Tigermilkage world-wide. The profits involved in selling, say
> 1000
> 	bootlegs would mean that a copy of the LP on the collectors market
> (lets say
> 	?300 for the sake of argument) would represent a good financial
> investment
> 	on the part of our prospective Belle bandit. 
> 	I wouldn't worry too much about our friends in this case...though I
> 	might be wrong.
> 
> 	> we can serve ourselves and protect the band
> 	>we love simply by restricting our own copies to tape format and not
> 	>a digital
> 	>(master) format.
> 
> 	It's just as likely that the bootlegger would use a vinyl copy,
> 	surely? Giving access to the cover and the credits etc...
> 	I hope all you minidisk users are hanging your heads, with your
> 	master formats.:-)
> 	I'm still in tape-based servitude.
> 
> 	I am not trying to defend bootlegging of the LP. Neither do I
> 	disagree that Tigermilk owners should exercise some discretion. I
> just think
> 	that, if there are worries about bootlegs damaging earnings, they
> come as a
> 	direct result of the decision not to reissue earlier. A decision
> which has
> 	left a lot of fans (myself included) desperate for a copy of
> Tigermilk which
> 	will be a little more permanent than tape.
> 
> 	Just a thought.
> 
> 	Tim
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