"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Iain Churches" wrote


I have not bought much on e-Bay recently, but a few years
ago I bought a "rare" James Taylor CD which turned out to
be a bootleg. The vendor had made up a black and white
inlay card on a photocopying machine with a logo
cut and pasted.



I bought a bootleg Blade Runner on vinyl a few years back - I knew it was
queer (I believe) it only came out on vinyl in Brazil or somewhere
equally
exotic and it fetches *toopid big money* when it (very rarely) comes up!
Anyway, the disc was badly flawed and I contacted the seller - he
apologised and sent me two more copies to see if I could get a good one
out of them!

He said he was going to give the 'Germans' (factory) a bollocking about
the quality! :-)

All the copies were much the same but it means both me and my son (a
lifelong vinyl addict himself) have got a 'copy' in the rack and they are
quite playable after the first *swishy* track!


Bootleg vinyl was not that common, though there is no
doubt that some small plants were "at it".




You are in the past tense - I am talking about *today*! Those Blade Runner
bootlegs are almost certainly still available, if they haven't been closed
down - although there's none on eBay atm!




But over-runs were a problem though, where the client ordered
5 000 pressings, and 500 extra were pressed and passed
out the back door. and sold at the pub. The clientele of the
Swiss Cottage in Finchley Road often had interesting things
on offer. The situation was corrected by supplying
only the correct quantity of labels and sleeves. Run-up
pressings had white labels, and the distribution of test-
pressings, clearly marked as such, became much more
tightly controlled.



White labels are eagerly sought after and traded by many people!




But these days pirate CD plants are everywhere, UK
included. The BPI are involved in some interesting
cases, including rooftop chases, and evidence being
tossed down chimneys, subsequently dismantled to
retrieve it.



If I have not been sold a complete pup, I believe CD over-runs are collected
by the likes of Securicor for guaranteed *secure disposal* and that only a
couple of pallets of same would be worth *tens of thousands* out the back
doors of pubs and on street markets...???

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

Bootleg vinyl was not that common, though there is no
doubt that some small plants were "at it".




You are in the past tense - I am talking about *today*! Those Blade Runner
bootlegs are almost certainly still available, if they haven't been closed
down - although there's none on eBay atm!

Oh.- That makes it much more interesting:-)

White labels are eagerly sought after and traded by many people!

I've got many hundreds of them - legitimate test pressings
and review copies.


If I have not been sold a complete pup, I believe CD over-runs are
collected by the likes of Securicor for guaranteed *secure disposal* and
that only a couple of pallets of same would be worth *tens of thousands*
out the back doors of pubs and on street markets...???

Yes. There is no CD recycling -you can't punch the label out
and put the rest back into the vat:-)

The reject rate for CDs is now very low indeed, and those
that do not go through are guillotined.

But piracy is rife - it's so easy:-)

Iain

"Iain Churches" wrote

Yes. There is no CD recycling -

I was listening to an item on Radio 4 a year ago or so about a CD recycling
facility which had been set up, though apparently it couldn't cope with DVDs

you can't punch the label out
and put the rest back into the vat:-)

Well no, it's clearly more involved than that.

I wonder to what extent people putting "the rest back in the vat" was
responsible for the shockingly poor quality of LPs in the 70s and 80s?

David.

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Iain Churches" wrote

Yes. There is no CD recycling -

I was listening to an item on Radio 4 a year ago or so about a CD
recycling facility which had been set up, though apparently it couldn't
cope with DVDs

They talk about "shredding" although the "sharding" is a better term.

I wonder to what extent people putting "the rest back in the vat" was
responsible for the shockingly poor quality of LPs in the 70s and 80s?


The percentage of recycled vinyl had to be strictly controlled,
as the mix turned greyish, and the noise floor was affected.
It's use was mainly for budget pressings also produced
with a much faster pressing cycle. I have always assumed
this to be because each pressman was expected to turn
out a certain amount of product (in monetary terms) per
shift.

I was told at the weekend that CD manufacturing
capacity is now almost three times the level of demand,
and plants are having to cut prices to secure work
(these price cuts are probably not passed on to
the consumer) Also, a CD plant in the Czech
Republic has bought and reconditioned two Alpha
record presses from the UK, in addition to the two
SMCs it aready has working 24/7, to help meet
the increasing demand for vinyl in Europe.

Many expected vinyl to have disappeared totally
by the end of the1980s, at the very latest:-)

Iain

"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"David Looser" wrote in message

I wonder to what extent people putting "the rest back in the vat" was
responsible for the shockingly poor quality of LPs in the 70s and 80s?


The percentage of recycled vinyl had to be strictly controlled,
as the mix turned greyish, and the noise floor was affected.
It's use was mainly for budget pressings also produced
with a much faster pressing cycle.

With the honourable exception of DG and Decca classical *all* pressings were
"budget" pressings in those days IME.


Many expected vinyl to have disappeared totally
by the end of the1980s, at the very latest:-)


Many people like "retro" products. Look at the enduring enthusiasm for steam
railways, classic cars etc. Personally whilst I can see the fascination for
steam, and valves for that matter, vinyl is one obsolete technology that I
have no nostalgia for whatsoever. It always was 'orrible - it still is.

David.


David.

In article , David Looser
scribeth thus
"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"David Looser" wrote in message

I wonder to what extent people putting "the rest back in the vat" was
responsible for the shockingly poor quality of LPs in the 70s and 80s?


The percentage of recycled vinyl had to be strictly controlled,
as the mix turned greyish, and the noise floor was affected.
It's use was mainly for budget pressings also produced
with a much faster pressing cycle.

With the honourable exception of DG and Decca classical *all* pressings were
"budget" pressings in those days IME.


Many expected vinyl to have disappeared totally
by the end of the1980s, at the very latest:-)


Many people like "retro" products. Look at the enduring enthusiasm for steam
railways, classic cars etc. Personally whilst I can see the fascination for
steam, and valves for that matter, vinyl is one obsolete technology that I
have no nostalgia for whatsoever. It always was 'orrible - it still is.



"and now for something completely different"


A group in London is trying to get 405 line TV transmissions on the go
from the original site at Alexandra Palace!...


--
Tony Sayer

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"David Looser" wrote in message

I wonder to what extent people putting "the rest back in the vat" was
responsible for the shockingly poor quality of LPs in the 70s and 80s?


The percentage of recycled vinyl had to be strictly controlled,
as the mix turned greyish, and the noise floor was affected.
It's use was mainly for budget pressings also produced
with a much faster pressing cycle.

With the honourable exception of DG and Decca classical *all* pressings
were "budget" pressings in those days IME.

There are many other fine labels that should be added to that
list. including RCA Red Seal, Supraphon and Melodiya.


Many expected vinyl to have disappeared totally
by the end of the1980s, at the very latest:-)


Many people like "retro" products. Look at the enduring enthusiasm for
steam railways, classic cars etc. Personally whilst I can see the
fascination for steam, and valves for that matter, vinyl is one obsolete
technology that I have no nostalgia for whatsoever. It always was
'orrible - it still is.

In many cases, it is still often found to be preferable
to the alternative.

Iain

"Iain Churches" wrote


The percentage of recycled vinyl had to be strictly controlled,
as the mix turned greyish, and the noise floor was affected.
It's use was mainly for budget pressings also produced
with a much faster pressing cycle. I have always assumed
this to be because each pressman was expected to turn
out a certain amount of product (in monetary terms) per
shift.



The stupid thing of course is that vinyl is naturally (??) colourless - I
was holding a 'clear' record the day before yesterday!!



I was told at the weekend that CD manufacturing
capacity is now almost three times the level of demand,
and plants are having to cut prices to secure work
(these price cuts are probably not passed on to
the consumer) Also, a CD plant in the Czech
Republic has bought and reconditioned two Alpha
record presses from the UK, in addition to the two
SMCs it aready has working 24/7, to help meet
the increasing demand for vinyl in Europe.




Very interesting. FWIW, I am fully confident that vinyl production will
continue at least somewhere until I am long gone!

The last time I bought a brand new manufactured, sealed double album at a
mere 23 quid (from Germany) was only a few days ago!



Many expected vinyl to have disappeared totally
by the end of the1980s, at the very latest:-)


Hah! When has any 'industry prediction or forecast' ever been anything like
reality?

:-)

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Iain Churches" wrote


The percentage of recycled vinyl had to be strictly controlled,
as the mix turned greyish, and the noise floor was affected.
It's use was mainly for budget pressings also produced
with a much faster pressing cycle. I have always assumed
this to be because each pressman was expected to turn
out a certain amount of product (in monetary terms) per
shift.



The stupid thing of course is that vinyl is naturally (??) colourless - I
was holding a 'clear' record the day before yesterday!!

Yes. Pressings coulld be of any colour
There was a British company Filmophone
in the early 1930s who set the trend with
transparent celluloid records, that were
available in different colours. They had a quieter
surface and were far more durable than
shellac.

10 inch 33 rpm vinyl pressings were actually produced
in small volume in the early 1930s, for radio use. Some
of these were colour coded (blue for jazz etc)
These are extremely rare now.


Very interesting. FWIW, I am fully confident that vinyl production will
continue at least somewhere until I am long gone!

It will see us all out, methinks.
I may be able to get someone to sprinkle my
ashes in the vinyl vat even yet:-)

A colleague of mine, was wondering if, with the
huge increase in downloads, CD sales will continue
to fall ( down 28% last year IIRC) , and how long it
will be before they drop below vinyl?

Just a silly conversation to pass the
time on the way to a gig, but food for thought:-))

Iain

"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

Bootleg vinyl was not that common, though there is no
doubt that some small plants were "at it".




You are in the past tense - I am talking about *today*! Those Blade
Runner
bootlegs are almost certainly still available, if they haven't been
closed
down - although there's none on eBay atm!

Oh.- That makes it much more interesting:-)


Does, doesn't it? :-)



White labels are eagerly sought after and traded by many people!

I've got many hundreds of them - legitimate test pressings
and review copies.


Lovely.





If I have not been sold a complete pup, I believe CD over-runs are
collected by the likes of Securicor for guaranteed *secure disposal* and
that only a couple of pallets of same would be worth *tens of thousands*
out the back doors of pubs and on street markets...???

Yes. There is no CD recycling -you can't punch the label out
and put the rest back into the vat:-)



Or even leave the labels in - according to some people!! (??)



The reject rate for CDs is now very low indeed, and those
that do not go through are guillotined.



Best thing for them. if you ask me!! :-)



But piracy is rife - it's so easy:-)



Oh yes, 'digital' quick, easy and cheap - three *sure fire* ways to make
absolutely certain summat isn't worth bothering with in this life.....

;-)