Hi Ken, I know what you are saying. On the other hand, isn't the value of ALL intellectual property somewhat arbitrary and based on artificial scarcity (but definitely NOT the quality of information)? In an age when people can distribute digital copies of the musical information on a release for free, it seems like limited editions are one of the few logical strategies available for record companies to make a profit. I feel that for smaller labels, selling limited editions with very artistic packaging is perhaps the only logical way to release music - that way the label can use the global flows of information (in this case .mp3 versions of the release) to reach a wider audience around the world, rather than trying to wage an unproductive and ultimately futile fight against file sharing. Perhaps subscription services might be another logical approach.
~David -----Original Message----- From: Ken Odeluga [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 10:14 AM To: Martin Dust; [email protected] Subject: RE: (313) Putting a Price on good music You see, as with the Hood and the Moodymann private pressings, the rationale would make sense to me if the tracks were clearly so much better than anything on the LP's which followed soon after. In my opinion, that was not the case. Not to say that these tracks aren't great. They are, but I really couldn't say that they outshone material on the subsequent LPs. (Again, imo.) So it becomes obvious that Peacefrog are exploiting not the fact of the extra-specialness of these PP releases but the willingness of some folks to buy releases which are at least partly more valuable because they're deliberately limited and because they're from some admittedly, legend-in-their-own-lifetime artists, to us anyway. And to show that I am just as susceptible to this evil tactic as the next 313 head, I did buy the Rob Hood track! It hurt to leave the KL one on Saturday - it was purely do to with some residual good-sense on my part! ... plus I'm gambling the shop I saw it at will still have copies by Thu - payday! k
