What to do with 250 slightly defective vinyl records?
Originally written as a part of my newsletter I all of a sudden realized that this text should live on the blog.
I am so excited (and scared as always) to release my new album. I haven’t set a proper release date, but that will be announced very soon. Why don’t I have a release date, you ask? Oh well, can you believe it, the factory messed up my vinyl records so now I have to get new ones. It is a bit of a weird decision to take, because the records are ALMOST perfect, but they messed something up (“nonfill” they call it) so the 30-40 seconds of the B-side has some weird pops, clicks and noises that are not supposed to be there. So the records are for the most part fine, but you can’t sell records with problems, I would feel disappointed if I bought one and it didn’t sound correct. And the factory agreed so they are making a new batch.
I will do a proper debrief of the whole album process, probably as a video for my Field Logs series, but long story short: I soon have to prepare 250+ covers with new vinyl records. Luckily I went for plastic “pockets” instead of shrink wrap, so I don’t have to cut open anything.
And after that is all done I am in the situation that in addition to my 250 perfect records with a beautiful cover for selling, I will have 250 almost-great records without the cover (just in black inner sleeves) not for sale. Sooo, what to do with them? Many would probably just throw them away, but that feels awfully wasteful. I was thinking of going a bit Banksy and just place them in vinyl bars and other places where people would naturally find them, without telling the bar staff, hehe. Of course restricted to places where people actually would be interested in my type of music, like at local Oslo bar Kafé Hærverk for example. My friends suggested geocaching, as in hiding them in public spaces and having people search for them via GPS coordinates. Some I can of course send to bookers and reviewers. Some people replied to the newsletter saying I should simply sell them as b-stock or make them into experimental turntable performances.
Any good suggestions for what I should do with them?
Album story to be continued.
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