Jump to content

We Need Transparency (an open letter to Virgil)


Recommended Posts

Referring to myself just as much as I'm referring to you.

Really? All I did was make a bad joke about getting some free records. There was a pretty healthy discussion going with a lot of input from people that know what they're talking about until you came into the thread and started insulting people and shoving your opinions down people's throats.

as you internet savvy kids say, "QFT".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, Guttermouth is most certainly not the way

LOL. This dude is so clueless.

Additionally, it's funny that you say "Face to Face" is how you solve the problem, as if a member(s) of this board is going to fly to Denver and tell Virgil that they have a problem with the way VC is being run.

Clueless indeed, I've certainly never heard of Guttermouth or Face To Face.

Phone-Calls are still a pretty direct form of communication. I'm not saying to hop the next flight out to Denver. If my e-mails weren't being returned, I'd make a phone-call before posting on a Message Board forum...that's what I'm saying.

Also, I feel this thread should be locked simply b/c Virgil replied in this thread...directly. Anon got what he wanted. As noted by several people, this isn't the only thread that's gone around discussing this topic...were the other threads locked (legit question here)?

Bring on the hate and the smites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey but now you can follow the VC business model and learn how to be just like them?

[image]

I did not name the panel(not a big fan of the name) and I have made enough mistakes putting out records, I feel like I have some constructive things to say about the matter. When asked to speak on a panel about vinyl, I said why not. If you were in my shoes, I am sure you would have done the same thing.

no most certainly not. I have no desire to be in any sort of panel....ever. especially one focusing on the business end of things and making money off of vinyl. but thats personal choice, nothing against you personally for being on a panel or anything. I just find it humorous/ironic the TIMING of the situation, being on a panel educating people on how to get rich off of vinyl, when that business plan is not working (or no longer working at least). Its like going to listen to Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling from enron speak on a panel on how to run a large energy corporation. (which would be difficult i know because Lay is dead). or listening to Chris Brown or Tiger woods speak on a panel about proper and healthy relationships with the opposite sex.

Its not even personal, just seems like horrible timing to have a relatively public situation about lack of money and being way in the hole thousands and thousands, unable to pay labels and pressing plants, and doing last ditch efforts and pleas to avoid going under completely, and meanwhile hop on "professional" panels to speak about the profitability opportunities of getting into the vinyl business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's interesting how there's such a double standard for record labels or distros when it comes to financial issues. If you had a favorite pizza shop and found out that the owner was having trouble making his rent b/c of the economy or because maybe the pizza place spent too much money on a renovation that maybe bigger than necessary, would you stop supporting the shop? Would the pizza not taste as good?

And did someone really compare this to Enron?!?

I imagine that the only people who honestly wish Virgil and company to enter a death spiral w/ their business are people that have never ever had the responsibility of running a company or supporting themselves or others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

boy. people on this board have horrible reading comprehension.

but jordan - the difference that people are saying they have problems with is not the monetary issues, lots of people have supported virgil with financial issues. The only things ive seen people post is that they wont buy now because labels arent getting paid and they are worried that money they are giving out isnt going to the bands/labels. Or worrying about not getting something in return (like with the history of preorders). The problem with VC is its not just a shop thats not doing so well. this has a lot farther reaches than that unfortunately since it affects a lot of other people. and has a possibility of affecting even more down the road with new labels/bands/customers/etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's interesting how there's such a double standard for record labels or distros when it comes to financial issues. If you had a favorite pizza shop and found out that the owner was having trouble making his rent b/c of the economy or because maybe the pizza place spent too much money on a renovation that maybe bigger than necessary, would you stop supporting the shop? Would the pizza not taste as good?

And did someone really compare this to Enron?!?

I imagine that the only people who honestly wish Virgil and company to enter a death spiral w/ their business are people that have never ever had the responsibility of running a company or supporting themselves or others.

Most of the people complaining in these threads aren't the customers buying things, but the suppliers of the product. If your local pizza place was in financial crisis, chances are the person supplying the flour or tomato sauce or whatever would have issues if the shop stopped paying them, and would be hesitant to keep giving them ingredients.

I don't think anyone is wishing for VC to spiral and fail. The majority of people on these threads would be stoked if suddenly they were getting paid for records or in the case of the co-op saw their invested money being put to use etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm no stranger to being owed money by labels; I did all of the ad bookings for Pastepunk for about six years and it was no picnic getting paid, so I sympathize with the late payments. After not paying me for seven months, a very large label once asked me over the phone, "why is this so important to you?" One band booked a multi-month banner, and half a year later said to me, "I not going to pay for the banner. We need all of our band money for touring." So believe me, I understand. But there's a huge difference between delayed payments for 'bad times' and maybe even just being in a difficult position of being temporarily overextended, versus totally being silent on everything and just saying 'fuck you' to your obligations and not owning up to it. Maybe there's more going on... I don't know. But I have known Virgil for 10 years and have had business relationships with him (our compilations, shirts, and mugs went through SH), and it bothers me when people assert nefarious motives to his business or otherwise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

and it bothers me when people assert nefarious motives to his business or otherwise.

maybe i missed something along the line, but ive never seen anyone assert nefarious motives to virgil. ive never seen slanderous posts accusing him of getting rich and spending labels money on coke and bmws or whatever. not a single post. on the contrary most posts made questioning decisions, or asking for information usually state that they know virgils heart is in the right place, or something like "im sure he is doing his best to work it out"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Titus Vinyljunkie has been pretty on point on this page, and has said most of what I would have said.

The title of that panel offends me. I would go nowhere near any sort of panel about how to make money off of music. Music holds such a special place for me that I find it disgusting that a panel like that (or Itsajakie) exist.

I'm not even saying that the motive of Virgil/VC is $$$. I would venture to guess that he got into this for the love, and got in over his head with bad business decisions.

Now (with continuing to release things while not paying labels) he is basically doubling down with other people's money. The honorable thing to do would be not to spend any more money until the labels have been paid.

The money grabs like the $1000 lifetime deal don't help either.

This board seems obsessed with two of the things that I think are vinyl collecting at their worst - preorders and multiple limited variants. When I see people with ten copies of the same record, and less than a 100 records it makes me think that they aren't in it for the music. It's just beanie-babies to them.

Props to Virgil for at least posting in this thread, but really it's on him to keep people updated. Dude who is putting the onus on the labels has it backwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×

AdBlock Detected

spacer.png

We noticed that you're using an adBlocker

Yes, I'll whitelist