Rarities CD

Gryph, I appreciate everything you do for us and am always happy to shout your praises from the rooftops but you must appreciate that fans who ordered something from Tim's fan club and then found that Tim himself was selling the same item at half price would be a little upset by that.

Maybe it was just unfortunate timing, or that you didn't have full details but then, I'd respectfully wonder why - if you knew you were guaranteed 50 CDs - you didn't check with Tim what his other release plans were for the CD. That way you could have made it clear on the VIP email that the CD would also get a full release.

I think it's a given that a CD would usually be available from other sources as well but in this case - a privately pressed CD of Rarities - its reasonable to expect fans to think it was more like a fan club CD than Tim's new album. That, at least, was how I interpreted your email. Which is why I was dismayed to find it available on Tim's website at half the price.

Remember though, we still love ya and appreciate all you do for us

No Paul we always say if it's a Club Only release, always have, always will. In 28 years can anyone name one item where this was not the case? The exception being 'X" amount of I Like It Rare cds which we allow for Frenz.com to make some $ to cover running costs. But if we are lucky for an item to be club only it's mentioned as such. Assuming something doesn't always mean it is so, especially where it never said it was.
LUTON (2 cd) is the perfect example where we said it was club only (issue #70).

If it was a privately pressed CD (not cdr) of rarities it would actually cost a LOT more especially if it was 50 like you said.I can't imagine any pressing company being cheap for a run of 50 Paul, as I think the smallest stock run would be at least 250.

No Tim was in rehearsals all we knew was we had 100- to be honest I expected the small amount of remaining stock to be used on parts of the US tour (but that was an assumption)as I couldn't imagine Tim touring without something. From what I'm gathering (from the emails we have been receiving) people have been missing out on it at shows as the few they have go fast. So I'm assuming it is a very small run.

With only a short time to do this before we left for a month it was added to the VIP, and from memory that was only like 2 days.

Nothing new to add that's just how it is, costs are costs it's something we can not avoid. We were told the price to get them here via Express so we could mail out whatever we could before we left. We were told the tax price and the registered price, and cd mailer price.

It's a bit repetitive and to be honest there is nothing new I can add.

Whatever Tim and management decide to do with any of their product is truly up to them, sometimes items are given away, some added to other albums, some as bonus's, some discounted because there is remaining stock, some more if there is another pressing and it goes into stores. It's an area where we have zero say, and many times unaware. If they reduce the price towards the end of the tour or increase it I can't tell you.

End of the day we do the best we can BUT costs have to be included. It's something we can't escape and whatever info we are given is all we can add especially in this case. The club runs on a shoe string and the costs have to be part of it.

gryph

Gryph:

1. I'd like to apologize to you for posting my grievance on the board rather than emailing you. I only discovered that the CD was being issued by Tim as well once you were on holiday and first, I wanted to be sure it wasn't just me who misinterpreted this (which it wasn't) and second, I also knew you'd return to a thousand emails and didn't want my rant to be among them.

2. It appears that I'm not the only one who mistook this for a fan club only release so, while I accept your comment that fan club only releases are ALWAYS listed as such, if I'm not the only one who misunderstood, I'd respectfully ask if you could make it more explicit in future?

3. I think you misunderstood my comment about a private pressing. I didn't say that a private pressing of 50 copies was made; I said that the release was a private one (no record company involvement as far as I can see: no label, no catalogue number etc) and that the fan club were given 50 (I think it was actually 100) copies. The combination of it not being an "official" release that you can buy in the shops, it being a CD of Rarities and there being only 100 for the fan club led me to assume it was a fan club only. As you say though, you never said it was.

I'm happy to have bought the item through the club because I know you need as much support to keep it going as possible (and I make complaints with a very heavy heart). I'm always happy and keen to support the club and will continue to do so.

Finally, I accept that the cost issue isn't your fault. I wasn't even looking to lay blame anywhere. I just wanted to express disappointment at the (much) higher cost (you'd hope that the fan club - being in the unique position it is - would be able to offer discounts on this kind of stuff (!) but obviously you're not able to do that) and wondered if anyone else felt the same.

No hard feelings, Gryph, and - as I say - no criticism is attached to you.

Paul
no it was the only thing that actually upset me that people didn't email. Even being away we still always reply when we return (or even check mail at freaky flyer locations). I'd prefer a rant to be amongst the mail then not. Rants are both appreciated and in some case warranted. keeps me on my game (:

Probably about 8-10 people of the 100+ read it wrong. All people have to do is read the email, if it doesn't say CLUB ONLY it usually means it isn't. It's really that simple. I can understand the mistake but fans should read what we send out. In this case 90+% got read it correctly. It happens, people assume, people have no idea about costings but just ASK if concerned, angry or curious!

The thing is on this one, the post office and express freight make the money. The club is just above square on this and other items like the Enz book, Phil Judds cd we actually do it for the fans (or in Phils case the artist and the music). Once we take out the costs the club is just above the breaking even mark. Which is also fine because for us I'd rather break even and for example get Phils music out to the masses or let the fans have a cool book like the Enz one. Yes you've always been supportive in many areas and that's always appreciated (god hundreds of you guys have), like to think it's a two way street with the fans and the club gives stuff back- whether it's info etc etc.

Items like the I Like It Rare cds where band members have generously donated songs are an item that does help the club and to a lesser extent Frenz.com , so yeah some things do others are done for the fans. My main goal around the TF rarity was that fans had a chance, and remember a lot don't have the net or even check Tim's site so they got to grab a copy.

Costs always kill us, even the club itself, while we go out of our way to keep yearly membership down (remember we have had only 2 maybe 3 price rises in 28 years) other areas we just have to include all the extra costs.

Some are hidden areas, (for example) the upcoming Mental Notes, the stock and covers almost qualify for frequent flyer points as they are zoomed around the globe so much for people to sign. Australia Post too, especially on overseas parcels is really horrid as now even length comes into play when mailing, so for example mailing poster is a cost nightmare and makes those sorts of things probably out of the question.

I guess my main point was that (some) people were so happy to jump and assume the worst where it could of simply taken an email.

Anyway appreciate your response. this subject is probably quite boring now (sorry) but good for folks to get our side too.

Cheers
Gryph

What I want to know is, how did Tim Finn come to be working with Regurgitator? I was quite thrilled when I learnt that, Regurgitator were my first introduction to music outside of the top 40 pap being played in radio land in the late 90s. I was just listening to '...Art' last night and reminiscing about being a disaffected young high schooler

mutual enjoyment of each others music I think... I think Marie really liked em too so the 'Gurge probably got played at home a bit.
Gryph

Cool, thanks PG It's a great wacky combination.

 

What happened to Rarities vol.2? Was it ever planned or mentioned?

It's 5 years since the release of vol.1 and everyone thought that such a name would have meant a following...