Post-Riot Act Moneygrab

[Bammer]

Hi. It’s the year 2024 and I would like to purchase multiple copies if the same Pearl Jam album, please.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Jorge]

I will never stop bitching about Pearl Jam.

Lol

[Ms Harmless]

Stip — I’ve already covered several times:

A) how these variant runs gum up the limited vinyl supply chain

B) How successful well-capitalized artists have adopted the practice of paying premiums to “cut in line” for these runs

C) how it’s established fact that other bands have had albums mastered and ready to go BEFORE Pearl Jam finished theirs, and yet PJ is releasing theirs earlier, most likely by virtue of B above (unless they had they AMAZING foresight to book pressing time for a targeted release date before the album was even done, which, come on)

If you’ve somehow missed my previous discussions of this that’s fine. If you’re purposefully ignoring this reality to defend your beloved PJ then you’re being intentionally obtuse, bordering on traggish.

This is SHITTY business practice, no two ways about it

for what it's worth, I didn't read any of this before

[bodysnatcher]

These are all going to be in bargain bins in a year

[Ms Harmless]

These are all going to be in bargain bins in a year

and I can see how that's a problem

[Monkey_Driven]

I'm telling you guys, invest in cassettes.

[Anders]

These are all going to be in bargain bins in a year

Very much doubt that.

[bodysnatcher]

These are all going to be in bargain bins in a year

Very much doubt that.

They won’t be $60 + shipping that’s for sure. It’s way too much market saturation for what will probably be a pretty mediocre album.

[Anders]

These are all going to be in bargain bins in a year

Very much doubt that.

They won’t be $60 + shipping that’s for sure. It’s way too much market saturation for what will probably be a pretty mediocre album.

The jamily will provide.

[stip]

There are 12 for the record stores, but there are at least 14 different ones, if not more.

all utterly inessential to general fandom and designed to appeal to a niche market that enjoys them. I mean I think one variant is too many, but I'm not a collector, and happily, like t-shirts and basketballs, all of this can be easily ignored by me IF THE BOARD WOULD STOP FUCKING BITCHING ABOUT THEM CONSTANTLY

(which is not just Anders. He's just the unfortunate soul who took it upon himself to respond to me)

I will never stop bitching about Pearl Jam.

[stip]

Stip — I’ve already covered several times:

A) how these variant runs gum up the limited vinyl supply chain

B) How successful well-capitalized artists have adopted the practice of paying premiums to “cut in line” for these runs

C) how it’s established fact that other bands have had albums mastered and ready to go BEFORE Pearl Jam finished theirs, and yet PJ is releasing theirs earlier, most likely by virtue of B above (unless they had they AMAZING foresight to book pressing time for a targeted release date before the album was even done, which, come on)

If you’ve somehow missed my previous discussions of this that’s fine. If you’re purposefully ignoring this reality to defend your beloved PJ then you’re being intentionally obtuse, bordering on traggish.

This is SHITTY business practice, no two ways about it

This is definitely not something I have paid attention to before so if you or others have talked about it i either missed it or forgot about it. I'm guilty of a lot of things, but when I'm arguing for my beloved PJ (or anything) I tend to be pretty systematic and go point by point. The vinyl side of Pearl jam (and the industry in general) is of very little interest to me under normal circumstances.

This is a good argument against legacy pressings

Regarding C, though? Could be. This album has seemingly been in the can for a while, right? How far in advance do tour venues need to be booked. I don't think this was a 'rush to finish and get it out on time for the tour' scenario, based on what we know.

[Monkey_Driven]

This is all a big setup to play STBC at every show this year, changing the lyrics to "Spin the XXX XXXX Circle" to whatever variant was available in that market. Then the bootlegs will be collectibles too.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[BurtReynolds]

Stip is right for once. Who cares? It's harmless.

[Monkey_Driven]

Stip — I’ve already covered several times:

A) how these variant runs gum up the limited vinyl supply chain

B) How successful well-capitalized artists have adopted the practice of paying premiums to “cut in line” for these runs

C) how it’s established fact that other bands have had albums mastered and ready to go BEFORE Pearl Jam finished theirs, and yet PJ is releasing theirs earlier, most likely by virtue of B above (unless they had they AMAZING foresight to book pressing time for a targeted release date before the album was even done, which, come on)

If you’ve somehow missed my previous discussions of this that’s fine. If you’re purposefully ignoring this reality to defend your beloved PJ then you’re being intentionally obtuse, bordering on traggish.

This is SHITTY business practice, no two ways about it

This is definitely not something I have paid attention to before so if you or others have talked about it i either missed it or forgot about it. I'm guilty of a lot of things, but when I'm arguing for my beloved PJ (or anything) I tend to be pretty systematic and go point by point. The vinyl side of Pearl jam (and the industry in general) is of very little interest to me under normal circumstances.

This is a good argument against legacy pressings

Regarding C, though? Could be. This album has seemingly been in the can for a while, right? How far in advance do tour venues need to be booked. I don't think this was a 'rush to finish and get it out on time for the tour' scenario, based on what we know.

The backlog I keep hearing is 18 months - two years (I think on the shorter side of that now that we’re out of Covid). That doesn’t really jive with the dates the concerts seemed to get contracted and leaked.

What’s more likely here? That PJ paid an overage to have a product ready in time for their tour dates? Or that a band that can barely tie its own promotional shoes together had 18 months of foresight on their pressing needs, including single LP length and general art direction to coincide with the variant themes?

How involved is the process to make individual variants? Does it add 10 percent the total time necessary to press the ordered amount? 20 percent?

How many more copies will the band sell beyond what they would sell with 1-2 versions? I know these questions don't have answers right now. I'm just curious.

[bodysnatcher]

Pearl Jam: “We need this run of 12 variants pressed ASAP for a mid-April release date”

Record plant manager: “ok but that is going to be tough. We need to get to this Waxahatchee album printed and shipped by April 8”

Pearl Jam: **hands over money**

Email from record label to pre-ordered customers: “Due to unforeseen circumstances with production, the new Waxahatchee album has been pushed back from April to June 1. We will email you when your order ships.”

[bodysnatcher]

Stip — I’ve already covered several times:

A) how these variant runs gum up the limited vinyl supply chain

B) How successful well-capitalized artists have adopted the practice of paying premiums to “cut in line” for these runs

C) how it’s established fact that other bands have had albums mastered and ready to go BEFORE Pearl Jam finished theirs, and yet PJ is releasing theirs earlier, most likely by virtue of B above (unless they had they AMAZING foresight to book pressing time for a targeted release date before the album was even done, which, come on)

If you’ve somehow missed my previous discussions of this that’s fine. If you’re purposefully ignoring this reality to defend your beloved PJ then you’re being intentionally obtuse, bordering on traggish.

This is SHITTY business practice, no two ways about it

This is definitely not something I have paid attention to before so if you or others have talked about it i either missed it or forgot about it. I'm guilty of a lot of things, but when I'm arguing for my beloved PJ (or anything) I tend to be pretty systematic and go point by point. The vinyl side of Pearl jam (and the industry in general) is of very little interest to me under normal circumstances.

This is a good argument against legacy pressings

Regarding C, though? Could be. This album has seemingly been in the can for a while, right? How far in advance do tour venues need to be booked. I don't think this was a 'rush to finish and get it out on time for the tour' scenario, based on what we know.

The backlog I keep hearing is 18 months - two years (I think on the shorter side of that now that we’re out of Covid). That doesn’t really jive with the dates the concerts seemed to get contracted and leaked.

What’s more likely here? That PJ paid an overage to have a product ready in time for their tour dates? Or that a band that can barely tie its own promotional shoes together had 18 months of foresight on their pressing needs, including single LP length and general art direction to coincide with the variant themes?

How involved is the process to make individual variants? Does it add 10 percent the total time necessary to press the ordered amount? 20 percent?

How many more copies will the band sell beyond what they would sell with 1-2 versions? I know these questions don't have answers right now. I'm just curious.

It’s all super manual. From my understanding, colored vinyl (outside of the solid colors) is even more manual process, depending on the pressing design Especially when you move into the versions that have distinct color sections (like the Black, Red, and Yellow variant). I’d imagine each of those probably take, at least, 2-3x longer than a simple black press.

But I suppose it’s more money in the pocket of the record plants. The time and amount of versions involved would costs way more than just pressing a black and clear version. So, a win for record plants?

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[bodysnatcher]

I wonder how they chose each store to carry that particular variant. Kind of surprised (not really though) they chose Newbury. They fucking suck.