I feel that, while I do miss the early years of Rock and Roll (the first 30 years specifically), I’m quite amazed at the possibilities of this time in music. Of course, with the massive amounts of music being created, there is absolutely too much of it out there. And what that does is dilute the market force for any one band, Pop excepted (that genre always seems to do quite well). But, should you find a band that you like pretty well, then the chance of you getting lots of collectible b-sides, and rarities is, well, pretty damn good.
Collectible music has always been a thing for the person who wants everything from a band. But it really wasn’t until the late ’70s, and the entire ’80s where many bands pressed specialty singles, either sold by themselves independently of an album release, or packed in with the LP (and sometimes quickly lost making them even more rare).
Not too long ago, I received a vinyl 45″, with a Euro-like spindle hole ala UK vinyl singles from the early years. Included were stickers, a wooden pog, and a few other interesting pieces that accompanied the single. The band many never become famous, but then, who’s to know. Somewhere down the line, should that band become better known, those few collectible pieces will gain value and interest.
While you have to look hard for bands out of the myriad of them releasing songs every day, should you find one you like, and they start putting out interesting collectibles, would you buy them?
Legacy Recordings is doing a great job of unearthing and refreshing some old catalogs, or even adding in rarities into their box sets. Of course, lots of labels do that. Recently, Rhino promised several live sets, one from UFO, and one from Robin Trower. There’s even a reissued Recorded Live from Ten Years After coming with lots of extra live tracks. But I’m referring more to newer bands. It’s the digital age, so there are lots of possibilities there along with the swag and physical issues.
I realize it’s not the early years anymore, but it could be just as much fun. I collect. It reminds me of the early years. And there are a few bands I enjoy.
How about you?
I have collected through the years but I usually regret it in hindsight. The music is what matters. True, some of the stuff might be worth something someday but it isn’t worth pack-ratting it all.
I often wonder, if I were to expire tomorrow, would my survivors:
-want to go through all that crap to find a few jewels amongst the trash
-know what some of it is to even research it’s value
-recognize that an sacd/dvd-audio/bluray is more valuable than a regular cd
You get the idea. I can’t say anyone else in my family or immediate circle of friends are even as passionate about music to the degree that I am. I suppose they could sell the whole lot for a few thousand dollars.
Overall, I look at this “collector” gene that I have as a character flaw. The release of endorphins that I get for buying something that often gives me fleeting pleasure and then just sits on a shelf or gets packed away.
I should have gone further, or at least tied the subject together better. One of the things I was trying to get to (and probably failed miserably at), was extra non-album tracks. I was trying to get the article wrapped around that, but I think the late ’70s, early ’80s tripped me up.
Well as I said, the music is what matters. So if we are just talking about being a completest then I am as guilty as anyone. Still, when I get those demos, alternate versions, or live cuts, most of the time I would have been better off just being happy with the core output because invariably those are the ones I listen to repeatedly.
I have every Monkees CD Rhino has ever released, as well as some of the Arista and Friday Music releases.
My collection of some of my favorite bands include a bunch of cd singles 3″ ones being my favorite and mostly import,they usually had unreleased live tracks or b sides
Thanks for more clarity Matt. I have been burned so often with bonus and extra tracks that I try to avoid them when at all possible. Most of the time, for me at least, the labels or artists aren’t doing me any favours by letting me hear a bunch of outtakes in their living rooms of tracks that are so much better on the final disc. I can see how it might be of historical interest I guess – but there is so much available now on the internet if you want it that it seems redundant to own it as well. The only exception for me is if there are decently recorded live concerts or tracks from released EPs or from albums not released here.
In the early 2000’s my goal was to collect every song to hit American Top 40 from 1976-1980. It was so much fun going into some of my favorite used record stores and just paw through piles and piles of old vinyl, 45’s and LP’s. Those are the times I really miss! Not as much fun now since all I have to do is click on Spoyify and there they are