OUT NOW: Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3 Repress

[tokimedo]

I'd like to preface this post by saying that this isn't a rant.  Just my thoughts on this release over the past couple of days.  I know a few members take the time to read my winded posts, so this is for them.

 

I really see both sides of the coin on this thing, which is why I've kept quiet and opt to not argue with anyone about their stance.  From a production standpoint, the $40 price tag is complete bullshit.  I guess I should reserve that comment for when I have this press in my own hands, but there's been zero indication that this thing will be loaded with enough features and quality material to be worth $40 MSRP.  And of course, I am inclined to agree with everyone who's insisting that the people who buy into this $40-LP nonsense are a huge part of the problem.

 

But the gentleman who said that this is the cheapest you'll find a [colored] copy of the repress was probably right.  I can't see the aftermarket being generous on this thing.  Hopefully Amazon copies will be priced a bit cheaper.  But you don't even have to look further than the last Coheed repress (SSTB) to see that these probably won't go for cheap.  I think that when the initial wave of flip-attempts saturate eBay, someone somewhere will probably be able to win an auction for a bit less than $40, and potentially save a few bucks.  But other than that? - $40 for a mint, sealed copy is probably going to be the cheapest we'll see.  SSTB was selling for nearly double its MSRP just a month after it sold out.  Can't imagine IKSOSE:3 will be any different.

 

When I saw this repress price-tag, I initially cringed.  Then laughed.  Then felt a little sad.  I went through the motions because as much as my conscience was telling me that $40 + shipping for a double LP is unnecessary, there's the fact that this thing has been OOP and lusted after for years.  I've been talking myself out of splurging on OG auctions since 2009, and I have to constantly remind myself that this is what I was waiting for.  What a lot of people were waiting for.  This all comes full circle to the "Derp, but it's better than eBay" mentality that I so often ridicule on the boards.  But in the case of this release, that's the ugly truth.  It's either $40 now, or $80 - $200 later.  Who knows; maybe more?  Regardless of your stance on the pricing, that feels like a cold hard fact to me.  I guess I could be proven wrong and another label could repress this down the road for a fraction of the price... but what's the probability of that?  Really?

 

The folks who are saying "vote with your dollar" – I really admire the principle behind the idea, but in a situation where quantities are limited - like with the "direct to fan" variant - that accomplishes nothing.  If we got the entire Coheed fanbase on the same page, and we all boycotted the repress until the price was lowered... hell, they'd probably make a movie out of that.  But this went up less than two days ago, and they're down to 200 units or so?  The demand is just too great.  Anyone who's "sticking it to the man" by not buying is merely freeing up another slot for someone else to hop on board.  These will all sell.  Whether or not you're one more to the tally, the band will have no problem fulfilling 100% of their sale plan off of this repress.  If they did an unlimited press and $40 was the price, then choosing not to buy would have a bit more of an impact, I think.  Not much at all, yet still something.  But at this point - for this release in particular - choosing to save your $40 and "move on" only frees up a part of your vinyl conscience... which may allow you to sleep just a bit easier at night.  From a financial / tangible / market standpoint, it unfortunately accomplishes nothing.  At least as far as those grey copies are concerned.

 

"But it's $40 and it supports the band.  I'd spend $80 on an [obscure object somehow related to Claudio]." – Yeah, that's cool, but what happens when every band adopts that mentality?  When every band realizes that they have a loyal fanbase who wants a specific album, and are willing to pay double or triple the average cost if it's through a platform where the band sees the majority of the sale?  Don't get me wrong; I'll gladly pay an extra $5 for an album if it means ordering directly from the band or their label.  I do that all the time.  But you've got to draw a line.  At what point does "supporting the band" turn into being gouged?  An extra $10?  $20?  $30?  People ridicule Kickstarters where the standard vinyl option is priced at $40 or $50 – is this really much different?  And please, don't snap back with "But vinyl isn't cheap.  Don't like it?  Don't buy it.  Go listen to the MP3s you've had for years."  That argument is horse shit.  Most of us are stoked on this release because we enjoy the album, and we all enjoy vinyl.  (And as icing on the cake, isn't this thing remastered?  I'm sure those polished tracks will make a CD appearance down the road, but that's still all the more reason to hop on this thing.)  And I'm sure that the vast majority of those very same people only have a finite amount of money.  If you're like me, $40 can get you 2 or 3 new releases that you're excited to own.  Vinyl has never been about buying $40 MSRP albums, stateside.  So, no; I refuse to accept that as "the new rules" for the vinyl game, or a market that's officially shifted.  It is merely a band charging as much money as they know they can get away with.  Call it economics 101: supply and demand.  Or call it a greed.  But that's a while different tree that I won't be barking up in this post.

 

Anyways.  I wrote a lot.  Thanks to anyone who read it all.  To reiterate, I'm not trying to attack either side or beat a dead horse.  I think that "$40? lol get fucked" and "This sucks, but it beats $200 on eBay.  Bought" are both very appropriate reactions.  I'd love to grab a tour press and take a piece of the show home with me, but if the band has the balls to ask $50 or more for a copy, I'm going to pass.  (And subsequently lose a lot of respect for them.)  That 180 gram black will sound just as good at a fraction of the cost.  Maybe even better.

 

 

[Fowty Dollaz]

Absolutely.  We're already seeing that, I think.  It makes me dread seeing the price for Good Apollo, if that ever happens.  As a personal aside, that was the album that got me into Coheed, and it contains even more nostalgia for me than IKSOSE:3.  I'd love to own it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it retailed for $50 or $60.  Because fuck you.  MONEY.  Fortunately, that's where I draw the line for Coheed albums I wish to own... and at 26, I don't really have a burning desire to ride the nostalgia train for any other high school release that's never seen the light of day.  I personally feel lucky in that sense... but if the nostalgic represses keep climbing in price, it's just a matter of time before those prices seep into the market for new releases.  I good chunk of what I currently enjoy gets released on fairly obscure labels with very fair pricing... but the day that even they adopt a $30 / $50 for LPs and double LPs, respectively, is the day I'll have to start reconsidering this format.

You and McPherson both have very thought out and well formulated points. So, you have my kudos there. My willingness, nay- EAGERNESS, to spend $40 on Coheed is out of blind obsession and total abandon.

[museummouth]

Great post Derek. Sums up my thoughts on all this so well. It's such a tough situation, that honestly is not worth all the petty arguing. Personally over the past few years I've learned my limits on pricing and how much I'll spend on what. This just happened to be at my exact limit point for pricing. If it was $50, I wouldn't have bought it but $40 for an album which I love and have always wanted on vinyl is just the price I'd most maximally pay. That's why I think it's a lot of personal preference which makes the market fucked. Obviously people were willing to pay over $200 for this LP prior, and so the is is a "blessing" to them. For me, I wouldn't spend that much. Hell, if SSTB gets repressed again, and it's $40, I'll pass. I might even pass it at $30. 

 

All and all it just messes up the market when people will spend crazy amounts of money on new presses. I've been hoping for so long that the market will break and come back down to a reasonable pricing area, but I guess I'll have to wait more. It happens with everything. In the 90s cds sometimes cost $15-20. Now most new releases are $7-10. Same with digital downloads. They used to be the same price as a cd copy, but now bands can't even push them at $5. But the only thing that'll help this is people getting smarter about their purchases and also not falling into nostalgia traps or gimmicky releases. $30 shipped for a Relient K album? No thanks. I'd buy it for $20 in store though. 

 

I used to just buy all these new represses and "old favorites" but then I realized after getting them in the mail and listening to them once, that I'll never listen to them that often at all. Nostalgia is a strong feeling, and that quick rush of it by buying an overpriced repress doesn't outweigh the price in the end for me most times.

 

Am I mad at Coheed? A bit. The Afterman box was $10 more and it came with a box and a large book, and a lot of them were signed. This had no reason to be this much, but once again I can appreciate the "well it's better than $200" argument. 

 

End rant.

[THE_James_Champ]

You and McPherson both have very thought out and well formulated points. So, you have my kudos there. My willingness, nay- EAGERNESS, to spend $40 on Coheed is out of blind obsession and total abandon.

Oh Captain, my Captain.

[Fowty Dollaz]

Oh Captain, my Captain.

our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won

[Derek™]

You and McPherson both have very thought out and well formulated points. So, you have my kudos there. My willingness, nay- EAGERNESS, to spend $40 on Coheed is out of blind obsession and total abandon.

 

Yeah, there are a few diehard fans in this thread who are rejoicing this repress with open arms and no gripes at all.  And I'm happy for them; not trying to rain on anyone's parade over here.  And in this year alone, I've dropped more than $45 PPD on a double album... a few times, actually.  But those were either rare OOP albums, or pre-orders with unfavorable currency conversion and shipping rates.  It all just comes down to what the value is to you, personally, and no amount of ranting can change that.

 

I used to just buy all these new represses and "old favorites" but then I realized after getting them in the mail and listening to them once, that I'll never listen to them that often at all. Nostalgia is a strong feeling, and that quick rush of it by buying an overpriced repress doesn't outweigh the price in the end for me most times.

 

Am I mad at Coheed? A bit. The Afterman box was $10 more and it came with a box and a large book, and a lot of them were signed. This had no reason to be this much, but once again I can appreciate the "well it's better than $200" argument. 

 

Both of these points are spot on the money.  I wish more people would read that first paragraph.  I feel like half of the threads on this subforum can be categorized under "nostalgia buy".  Most of the new reissue threads that sprout up... I'm often tempted to pop in them and ask just how many people plan to play the album more than once.  But I have to remind myself that I'm not here to police what anyone else spends their money on, or how much they're allowed to enjoy a blast from their past in the form of a 12".  It is what it is – people do their thing, and I do my own.  The problem only arises when bloated prices permeate into the market of records I buy, because so many people have accepted $30 as the new industry price-tag for Fall Out Boy represses.  That's when I plan on squawking.

[Family Friendly Rap God]

Great post Derek. Sums up my thoughts on all this so well. It's such a tough situation, that honestly is not worth all the petty arguing. Personally over the past few years I've learned my limits on pricing and how much I'll spend on what. This just happened to be at my exact limit point for pricing. If it was $50, I wouldn't have bought it but $40 for an album which I love and have always wanted on vinyl is just the price I'd most maximally pay. That's why I think it's a lot of personal preference which makes the market fucked. Obviously people were willing to pay over $200 for this LP prior, and so the is is a "blessing" to them. For me, I wouldn't spend that much. Hell, if SSTB gets repressed again, and it's $40, I'll pass. I might even pass it at $30.

All and all it just messes up the market when people will spend crazy amounts of money on new presses. I've been hoping for so long that the market will break and come back down to a reasonable pricing area, but I guess I'll have to wait more. It happens with everything. In the 90s cds sometimes cost $15-20. Now most new releases are $7-10. Same with digital downloads. They used to be the same price as a cd copy, but now bands can't even push them at $5. But the only thing that'll help this is people getting smarter about their purchases and also not falling into nostalgia traps or gimmicky releases. $30 shipped for a Relient K album? No thanks. I'd buy it for $20 in store though.

I used to just buy all these new represses and "old favorites" but then I realized after getting them in the mail and listening to them once, that I'll never listen to them that often at all. Nostalgia is a strong feeling, and that quick rush of it by buying an overpriced repress doesn't outweigh the price in the end for me most times.

Am I mad at Coheed? A bit. The Afterman box was $10 more and it came with a box and a large book, and a lot of them were signed. This had no reason to be this much, but once again I can appreciate the "well it's better than $200" argument.

End rant.

I wanted that afterman boxset bad but I missed out on the preorder.

Excellent post Derek. Well said.

[THE_James_Champ]

Yeah, I spent more on Closure in Moscow's new record than I wanted, but I also want to help out the independant band.  Coheed is king for me, in regards to what I'll spend....there's really no limit.  After so many years, if it's within my reach, i'll spend it.

[danionly]

It all just comes down to what the value is to you, personally, and no amount of ranting can change that.

 

This. This. This. 

 

There is no reason to put someone down because their personal monetary worth of an album is higher/lower than your own.

 

 

I feel like half of the threads on this subforum can be categorized under "nostalgia buy".  Most of the new reissue threads that sprout up... I'm often tempted to pop in them and ask just how many people plan to play the album more than once.  But I have to remind myself that I'm not here to police what anyone else spends their money on, or how much they're allowed to enjoy a blast from their past in the form of a 12".  It is what it is – people do their thing, and I do my own.  

 

In the same vein as what I said above. There's so much unneedless judgment on what is considered 'nostalgia'. No one knows anyone else's reasoning or feelings about the music they buy and no one should have to justify how many times they are going to play their purchase. Example: I own Senses Fail's first 3 albums. Are they nostalgia? Maybe to others, but not to me, because I actually listen to those albums regularly. Same with this album. Sure it came out in 2003, but it still holds up and I still listen to it. So to go into a thread and judge people and assume you know how many times they are going to spin their album they purchased with their money is pretty egotistical. I'm not saying you do this Derek, the opposite actually, I just wish more people here thought the way you do.

[Micah511]

Yeah, I spent more on Closure in Moscow's new record than I wanted, but I also want to help out the independant band. Coheed is king for me, in regards to what I'll spend....there's really no limit. After so many years, if it's within my reach, i'll spend it.

This is the boat I'm in. I understand people being upset, but I'll drop everything coheed wants from me and then some. I know I'm part of the problem.

Also, the black version is listed on amazon for 60. I'll put a link in a second.

Edit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M0CXA44/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1408541887&sr=8-1π=SY200_QL40

Even as a super fan, I'm really bummed if that price stays there. No reason to go up 20 bucks for 180g.

[THE_James_Champ]

I'm also part of said problem.

[Fowty Dollaz]

Also, the black version is listed on amazon for 60. I'll put a link in a second.

THAT price better come down.

[THE_James_Champ]

THAT price better come down.

It will.  I think.  <.<     >.>   

[mbfischer12]

I hadn't listened to this album in years.  Put it on today because of this thread and immediately started remembering all the hallucinogens I took while listening to this in high school.

[Fowty Dollaz]

Even as a super fan, I'm really bummed if that price stays there. No reason to go up 20 bucks for 180g.

 

The only thing that would keep it at that price (I think) is if Coheed will only sell the product to distributors for $40. Then they have to mark up, and storefronts mark up more. THAT would make me a little angry at the 'Heed. But not enough to prevent me from buying all the things.

[Fowty Dollaz]

I hadn't listened to this album in years.  Put it on today because of this thread and immediately started remembering all the hallucinogens I took while listening to this in high school.

did you have an acid "flashback"? I always wanted one of those.

[̮ ɤ ̮]

This is the boat I'm in. I understand people being upset, but I'll drop everything coheed wants from me and then some. I know I'm part of the problem.

Also, the black version is listed on amazon for 60. I'll put a link in a second.

Edit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M0CXA44/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1408541887&sr=8-1π=SY200_QL40

Even as a super fan, I'm really bummed if that price stays there. No reason to go up 20 bucks for 180g.

Amazon.de has it for 24€ (~ $32), so I'm sure it's just a matter of time till the price in the US drops.

[niblips]

...it can't really be $60...... That's the tipping point for me. After it being made available for $40.....I'm out.

[mbfischer12]

did you have an acid "flashback"? I always wanted one of those.

 

Haha no, fortunately.  I don't need to be trippin' balls at work.

[museummouth]

Plot twist. It's $60 in stores and on tour

[jhulud]

THE HOBBY!!!

[Derek™]

Plot twist. It's $60 in stores and on tour

The Direct To Ass copies.

[Sad Heart]

The Direct To Ass copies.

Ass To Mouth copies.

 

Also, I have a short list of tour copies I'm (possibly - amount depends on some variables) picking up for people:

• stl_ben
• micah511
• jason
• drummerboy032
• tetsuodaironman

Depending on the number of copies I can get, and how many people request one, I'll probably end up doing some sort of lottery system. If anyone else wants to get on the list just let me know. I doubt I'll be able to grab 10 copies without people busting out the pitchforks, but I'll definitely do my best and we can go from there. I know I'll at least get 1 spare. If they allow 2 copies per person, I'll be getting 3. 

[Family Friendly Rap God]

This is the boat I'm in. I understand people being upset, but I'll drop everything coheed wants from me and then some. I know I'm part of the problem.

Also, the black version is listed on amazon for 60. I'll put a link in a second.

Edit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M0CXA44/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1408541887&sr=8-1π=SY200_QL40

Even as a super fan, I'm really bummed if that price stays there. No reason to go up 20 bucks for 180g.

That's the same link I preordered from on the 12th. They just added the second picture.

I'm also going to the Myrtle Beach show. If I can grab a couple, I'll sell it here for cost plus shipping.

[niblips]

Plot twist. It's $60 in stores and on tour

if this is true the last 140 copies of the D2F version should sell quickly now.