OMG proves that size doesn't matter!

[Nate The Great]

Old Man Gloom recently re-released a 3" CDEP of their two 7" EP's, titled Christmas Eve I & II. It's only 21 minutes of music, but, as usual, Old Man Gloom creates some of the most amazing music in recent years.

There's a very funny part at the end of the CD when the guys are sitting around in the studio and they start to play Mr. Big's "To Be With You". They proceed to play it in its entirety (after everybody finally stops making the singer/guitarist laugh). The vocals are slightly off key and the solo is simply vocalised by singing "bling, bling, bling", but it's funny as hell. The funny part is that the guys in Old Man Gloom collectively make up some of the heaviest bands in the world (Converge, Cave In, Isis, and so on).

Anyway, you might want to go get this CD now from www.garmentdistrict.com or www.hydraheadshop.com. It goes for around $30 on EBAY, I'm told. You can get it for around 7$ with shipping at these places.

If you want to check out OMG, start with their Seminar CD's. Easily two of the best CD's in the last 10 years.

 

[Nate The Great]

"My brain is scared and I can feel the poop coming"
- Dr. Jacco Macacco of the OMG Institute.

AD 2003: A period of slumber makes for fresh thought. The collective OMG consciousness has approved for public benefit their most recent of audible dissertations on simian redevelopment. "Christmas Eve I & II + 6" is a preliminary glimpse at the impending upheaval created through the pure primitive enlightenment that will coincide with the forthcoming "Christmas" briefing. Originally intended strictly as insightful supplementation to a brief series of OMG public engagements throughout August 2003, this audio commentary appears here for the most absorbed of followers. With harrowing delivery the OMG Simian Alien Defense League has set forth 8 separate items of discourse. Several topics introduce new ideas, which may be found subject to further development, while others expand on previously released articles of thought.

 

[J.]

OMG iz da sheeeeit. Not many people can handle their brand of intense music, though.

 

[Ayeka]

The novelty of a 3" CD is tempting...

 

[J.]

It's almost a pain in the ass, because the CD is so small, it won't play in some stereos unless you've got one that requires you to put the CD in the player horizontally. I had to listen to the 3" CD with my walkman.

Even if you dont like the CD, you should buy it now, and sell it when all the stores run out, because it sells for like $30 on eBay.

 

[Erik]

Even if you dont like the CD, you should buy it now, and sell it when all the stores run out, because it sells for like $30 on eBay.

Or you could refrain from acting all je... greedy and let the people who actually WANT the CD get a chance to buy it. Just a thought.

 

[J.]

Well, I actually like the CD. Besides, the sellers only allow you to buy one, since people would do exactly what I described.

Still, I really see no harm in this. If I see something in a used bin, and I know I can make a profit on it on eBay, I'll buy it. By doing this, I am letting "the people who actually want the CD get a chance to buy it." Whats' better, letting it rot in a used bin or storage, or actually getting it into a listener's hands?

 

[Erik]

There's a certain difference between getting something from a used bin and reselling it and picking up a new, still available but limited CD just because you know you will be able to sell it expensively once the limited edition's sold out.

 

[J.]

Perhaps, but I still see no harm in it. Say I was to buy two more of these OMG CDs. I wait until both stores are sold out, and then put then up on eBay. I rarely, if ever, put the starting above what I actually paid for the CD. In this case, I would price the CD at about $6. If it sells with only one bid, I make my money back. If it goes up to $30, then I've made a profit, AND someone who really wants the CD now has it. A win-win situation.

 

[Erik]

If you hadn't bought two copies in the first place, a person who would've wanted it would've gotten it for the proper price instead of some inflated eBay price.

 

[J.]

True, but if he's willing to pay the inflated price, that just proves he really wants it and is a fan of the band instead of some schmo.

 

[Erik]

The fact is still that if you hadn't bought a copy you didn't need and then sold it for a lot, that same person who bought your copy might've been able to buy it for the price the band/label intended instead. It might be a little extreme to say that you're stealing money from the fans, but it's not far from it as I see it. This type of behaviour defeats the very purpose of limited edition releases.

 

[JayKeeley]

True, but if he's willing to pay the inflated price, that just proves he really wants it and is a fan of the band instead of some schmo.

Yes, but who else is going to buy an "Old Man Gloom" album other than a fan from a small underground community? I've never even heard of them so I assume they only have a small collection of fans.

 

[Nate The Great]

Keep reading Terrorizer and you will hear much about them. COME JOIN THE DARKSIDE, JAYKEELEY!!!

 

[J.]

Erik, I understad perfectly what you are saying. ANd believe me, I've never actually bought more than one copy of anything, with the intention of selling one later. But that's capitalism for ya.

Jay, OMG actually has a very big following, being that OMG has members of Isis, Cave In (who are on a major label), and Converge.

 

[Erik]

Yeah. I'm not a fan of capitalism, at least/especially not when it's applied to underground music. I have very conservatively anticommercialist views of everything music related, as I'm sure some have noticed.

It bugs me that while limited edition releases should be a way for the band/label to reward fans with something special -- take the Prophecy Prod. release of Empyrium's demo in an exclusive limited box available only to Prophecy's most vehement supporters, i.e. the subscribers -- the situation nowadays is that anything limited will be bought up in great numbers by people who will then sell it on eBay to any idiot with enough money. It's inevitable that some of those Empyrium boxes, for example, will end up on eBay and people who weren't intended to have the release will be able to get it just because they have a spare $100 lying around. It takes the fun and purpose out of limited releases.

 

[J.]

To add to it. THe way I see, whether you buy a CD for $5 or for $30, a person that really wants the CD is going to get it. If Joblo Music Fan is willing to pay $30 for the CD, then so what. I don't think it defeats the purpose of limited editions, it merely expands on it, being that the individual that truly wants it, is getting it, regardless of the price he pays. True, this puts the the teenage metal fan at a disadvantage since he probably doesn't have the money that a 20-something might have, but that's life. Get a job.

Erik, you're beef shouldn't really be with the seller. It should be with the buyer. If people weren't willing to pay enormous amounts of money on these things, there wouldn't be people that sell things at inflated prices.

 

[J.]

BTW, the OMG 3" was originally just sold on the band's tour with other labelmates. But like the Agalloch vinyl, they had leftovers.

And believe me, I totally agree with your anti-commercialism views. Just look at Arch Enemy debates for proof.

 

[Erik]

While I understand what you are saying, my beef is without the seller when he has the fucking nerve to try and make money off underground metal by buying stuff only because he knows he can make money off it.

Of course, sometimes the seller is wholly innocent and just puts a bunch of CD's he doesn't like anymore on eBay with opening bids of €0.01, then some fucking idiot like me comes around and buys October Tide's "Rain Without End" for 40 euros. That's OK I suppose: in cases like these it's the label's fault. Limited edition releases have lost their purpose long ago so labels, fucking cut it out already.

Now in the October Tide case, IIRC the label went bankrupt and actually doesn't exist anymore, so I suppose then it's nobody's fault that people have to pay insane amounts of money for it. Maybe the band should try getting a non-limited reissue out on a decent label.

Also, I'm not that saying my views are coherent or realistic.

 

[J.]

yeah, I noticed you bought that CD, and I was wondering how much you paid, 'cause I've seen it go for around $60.

All my current auctions is just stuff I don't listen to anymore. All of them started at or below $3 I believe.