RE: To Buy, Or Not to Buy: That Is the Question:

Tuesdays have always held a certain degree of affection for me as a music lover. It is that day after all, at least in North America when new CD’s and DVD’s are released for consumption by the masses. And consume I do, my appetite for all things shiny and new could best be quantified as healthy. (Just ask my financial planner…) Apparently though, I am a quickly vanishing breed; Sales of new, physical media, save for various gaming platforms and software has seen a huge decline for several years now. Hardly new news as they say, but today as I perused the shelves of a local record store I was struck by a phenomenon that has clearly gotten way out of hand. Dear reader, I’m talking about the ubiquitous “remaster”- That beloved disc(s) which has been dutifully reconstituted, re-recorded, reproduced, re-imagined, reinvented, recycled, rejuvenated in one form or another and all packaged for immediate re-consumption. Two recent examples that underscore my point; the first three Radiohead CD’s and Pearl Jam’s debut Ten all being sold in spiffy new multidisc, vari-formats to replace those sadly inferior discs that we all purchased so many years ago. But what started as mild curiosity on my Tuesday lunch sojourn quickly grew into resentment. This just didn't feel like musical 'comfort food' anymore. It felt more like someone was trying to pick my pocket.

When is this going to end though? Is the record industry really offering us anything special or just selling us the same thing time and time again? (They’re sure not giving them away either. Pricey would be an understatement.)

I was reminded of U2’s strategy last Fall. The band had just launched new remastered versions of their first three classic albums: Boy, October and War.

The albums are available in basic one-disc editions priced at €12.99, a "deluxe" two-disc set with "b-sides, live tracks and rarities" for €29.99, and a 'Boy' box set, which contains a "deluxe" CD and a t-shirt and costs €49.99.

The three re-released U2 albums are also available on vinyl. And some of the "rarities" on the deluxe, second CDs are re-worked versions of old fan favourites.

Yikes! Beginning to see my point? Ooooh, a t-shirt! Have large record companies simply lost a creative vision and are so devoid of fresh ideas? This is not new stuff at all. If you are a fan you have it. You bought it on those pricey imports the first time around. Have the major labels and artists simply lost their direction? Frankly, I just feel insulted when I see this stuff now. Such obvious cash grabs for an industry all but floundering to stay alive. Perhaps, thats the point. Maybe it is all about survival. I just think its wrongheaded and greedy.

I say, give me something special, something I have not purchased before in another form. Show me something new! Do fans really need to purchase the same product time and time again whenever some record company or artist decides that its time to make a buck? In fairness, my previous example, Radiohead have come out recently in the press as being against these opportunistic endeavours and publicly admonished their former record company.

Maybe that’s what it going to take. Maybe its time we all just stopped catering to these unoriginal forays and simply supported independent music artists, producers and distributors. I don't think I want to help Bono pay for another castle.

Is it just me? I know I felt a lot better paying for that WAVVES CD today and putting down the deluxe edition of OK Computer.

What are your thoughts? Comments are very welcome.