One of the eye opening things about focusing my attention on buying older metal records is that back in the 80's, labels at that time didn't give you ten different colors of vinyl. You want the vinyl? Here it is...black vinyl is your only option. Take it or leave it. Collecting shit from those days, the only decision you are faced with is, do you want the US pressing on Combat, or do you go for the overseas pressing from Under One Flag. Sure you could get into it deeper, and start looking at if it is a green label Combat pressing, but really, it is basically that simple. I guess that for the most part, the same could be said about hardcore bands. Somewhere over the last few years, things changed. Shit got out of hand.
Record collecting is about the love of the music, and the passion for chasing the vinyl...preserving a piece of history. When labels continually churn out different pressings of limited colored vinyl, it becomes a commodity and collecting loses the appeal...I start to feel like I'm being taken advantage of...I get bitter, say "fuck off, I'm not playing". I won't contribute, and I hope labels choke on their excess.
Now that I've had my rant, and can step off my soapbox, I'm going to post the recent release from React! Records...where I bought all three pressings that were available at the time of preorder. React, along with Youngblood, are still one of the few labels that I continue to have a love affair with. These labels still have a level of integrity, and I don't feel that they are just pushing a product. I feel there is a deep appreciation of the 'core with these labels...and while I'm not looking down on any other labels...all I'm saying is that React and Youngblood are the only two that I still feel that dedication towards, and I will step up and buy whatever it is that they are selling. No questions asked...just take my money.
Don't go looking for anything new with the latest Ancient Heads record. This is just straight forward, hoods up, x's on hands, hardcore. These young dudes are all fired up over their hardcore pride and the straight edge, and their passion is infectious. Hardcore needs bands like this.
150 pressed on red, 350 pressed on white, and 500 pressed on black vinyl.
2 comments:
i can see your point. on the other hand, a lot of kids benefit from re-pressings. when they missed the first time around, for example. but i agree, nobody needs the fourth press with another four colours of some turnstile 7". like with everything in life, it's about finding the right balance.
Agreed. I wouldn't want stuff in high demand to go out of print, and I'm cool with a second pressing having some limited colored vinyl...but do the second press with a thousand pieces of black vinyl. If people need the record, it is there for them to own, but churning out an endless supply of small colored vinyl pressings, just because kids will buy them, is shady as fuck. Like you said, there has to be a balance...record collecting is fun, until labels make it a chore trying to keep up with new pressings.
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