Aaron Neville: Hercules - worth the $?

mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
edited July 2007 in Strut Central
I know this is one of those very subjective price czech type questions but is Neville's "Hercules" really worth $200 to people on the basis of quality? Don't get me wrong - I think it's a great song, really like it, blah blah blah...but it's just one of those pieces that personally, I can't really see paying more than $75-100 for. Is it just me?
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  • troublemantroubleman 1,928 Posts
    just get that Neville Brothers lp comp with Hercules on it for $5. Certainly not worth $200 for the 45.

  • JazzsuckaJazzsucka 720 Posts
    There is also a re-issue 45 on Jazzman. It's on vinyl too.

  • I think it's a good soul song. Not amazing but solid. I still don't get why people hype it up as deep funk.

  • troublemantroubleman 1,928 Posts
    I think it's a good soul song. Not amazing but solid. I still don't get why people hype it up as deep funk.

    Precisely.
    btw, I'm excited for that Dark City Sisters lp. Thanks for that!!!!

  • This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Aaron Neville's earlier work seems to be pretty underrated, his Instant sides are also killer & worth seeking out...and the price is right.

  • CraigCraig 269 Posts
    just get that Neville Brothers lp comp with Hercules on it for $5. Certainly not worth $200 for the 45.

    ive got it on the b side of a neville brothers 12". mines u.k. did it get a us release as it seems easyish to pick up in the u.k.?

  • I think its overated but I got it cheap so no sweat off my balls....

    I wouldn't mind hearing the Boz Scaggs version I heard mentioned somewhere

  • Imperial_MaoImperial_Mao 1,119 Posts
    just get that Neville Brothers lp comp with Hercules on it for $5. Certainly not worth $200 for the 45.

    ive got it on the b side of a neville brothers 12". mines u.k. did it get a us release as it seems easyish to pick up in the u.k.?

    Same here, its a nice 12"

  • el_sparkoel_sparko 884 Posts
    One of my top 5 songs of all time, although i wouldn't pay that for it...

  • cardovacardova 743 Posts
    incredible song, wouldn't pay more than $75.. not for styrene anyway.

  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Indeed... this seems like a pattern of uderrating "classic" or known funk tunes... people are acting too cool for school on some of this shit.

    However, Sampo is also right, for styrene, I can't see shelling out like that.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Indeed... this seems like a pattern of uderrating "classic" or known funk tunes... people are acting too cool for school on some of this shit.

    However, Sampo is also right, for styrene, I can't see shelling out like that.

    I think part of the issue though is that it's "known-ness" also makes it seem less raer than it might actually be. But point tooken. I just wish the 45 had been given a proper reissue - surprised it didn't end up in the What It Is box.

  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    always thought of it as one of those classics that is ridiculously dope, but once you actually caught it, you wouldnt listen to it all that much due to having heard it a million times. kinda like sexy coffee pot. id love to have it, but not sweating not having it.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    always thought of it as one of those classics that is ridiculously dope, but once you actually caught it, you wouldnt listen to it all that much due to having heard it a million times. kinda like sexy coffee pot. id love to have it, but not sweating not having it.

    Exactly. And not trying to pay $400+ for it either even if that is what the market supports.

  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,080 Posts
    That song seems appropriate since, for a man of his age, he is a buff Steve Reeves type of guy. It looks like he could bench press a Cadillac.

  • This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Aaron Neville's earlier work seems to be pretty underrated, his Instant sides are also killer & worth seeking out...and the price is right.

    There's a lot of mediocre or downright awful records that sell for way more than $200 (some of which I'm responsible for unleashing on the world), so in that context $200 is a bargain for a copy of Hercules. My point was that it's not worth $200 to me, not that the market couldn't support it. Anyway, as I said I like the song but don't love it. Horses for ... you know the rest. BTW Josh, weren't you the guy hating on the Class Cutting Project acetate a couple weeks ago? "It's not that good". Pffft, yeah right homie!

  • CraigCraig 269 Posts
    I think its overated but I got it cheap so no sweat off my balls....

    I wouldn't mind hearing the Boz Scaggs version I heard mentioned somewhere

    I'm a big fan of his version. always cheap and easy to find too...


  • I love NO music, like Aaron Neville (especially that gem w/ linda ronstadt "Don't know much"...for real), and have always liked the song...plus it's really hard to find (I don't care whether it's styrene or not since I don't spin out). I traded for it recently and feel like I got a good deal, but trade value was like $175-200 (meaning what I could have gotten for my traded piece on ebay), even though real world value (based on what I had paid for the traded item) was more like $75. I have problems paying market price for almost all of the records I want today.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I have problems paying market price for almost all of the records I want today.

    TRUF.

  • This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Aaron Neville's earlier work seems to be pretty underrated, his Instant sides are also killer & worth seeking out...and the price is right.

    There's a lot of mediocre or downright awful records that sell for way more than $200 (some of which I'm responsible for unleashing on the world), so in that context $200 is a bargain for a copy of Hercules. My point was that it's not worth $200 to me, not that the market couldn't support it. Anyway, as I said I like the song but don't love it. Horses for ... you know the rest. BTW Josh, weren't you the guy hating on the Class Cutting Project acetate a couple weeks ago? "It's not that good". Pffft, yeah right homie!

    dude, Hercules runs circles around that acetate in my mindgarden.
    Did your Aunt sing on that class cutting joint or something?
    Either way, considering something not to be great does not equate to "hating".
    Perhaps I have bad tase in music.

    Styrene is a biotch tho', such a shame how many great 45's are only available as such.

  • paquelaspaquelas 206 Posts
    On the basis of quality there's no 200$ record in the world (not even 50$ i'd say),
    it's all about fetishism/market innit?

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    On the basis of quality there's no 200$ record in the world (not even 50$ i'd say)

    Sorry mate but that's just utter nonsense. I mean, if there's no record worth $50 to you, then you obviously don't value records.

    Have you ever spent $50 on a meal? Or a piece of clothing? Or on a date?

    And $50 isn't worth a good record?

    Be serious.

  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Indeed... this seems like a pattern of uderrating "classic" or known funk tunes... people are acting too cool for school on some of this shit.

    However, Sampo is also right, for styrene, I can't see shelling out like that.

    This song is amazing. I would - flat out - not trust the musical taste of anyone purporting it to be overrated or average.

    Yet "Hercules" is a good example of why I have a self-imposed $40 limit for any one piece of vinyl. It's all about budgeting responsibly. I bought the reissue and appreciate it because, in the end - it's a piece of music. People forgetting the music are the people who drop 250-300 on something they'll listen to maybe once and then shelve or frame it up. What a waste of time. If you have the money to spend, however, you might as well spend it on one of the best funk/soul/humanistic songs of the genre.

    BEWARE, also - the red-label regular issue of this single has a pressing flaw that led to the single being recalled en masse. That's the main reason why you usually only see promo copies and why a song of this beauty didn't go apeshit on the charts.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    This song IS amazing.
    And hella hard to find on the og 45.
    I see a lot of mediocre modern and northern pieces going for this rate and more, so this doesn't seem that out of hand IMO.

    Indeed... this seems like a pattern of uderrating "classic" or known funk tunes... people are acting too cool for school on some of this shit.

    However, Sampo is also right, for styrene, I can't see shelling out like that.

    This song is amazing. I would - flat out - not trust the musical taste of anyone purporting it to be overrated.

    Yet "Hercules" is a good example of why I have a self-imposed $40 limit for any one piece of vinyl. It's all about budgeting responsibly. I bought the reissue and appreciate it because, in the end - it's a piece of music. People forgetting the music are the people who drop 250-300 on something they'll listen to maybe once and then shelve or frame it up. What a waste of time. If you have the money to spend, however, you might as well spend it on one of the best funk/soul/humanistic songs of the genre,

    BEWARE, also - the red-label regular issue of this single has a pressing flaw that led to the single being recalled en masse. That's the main reason why you usually only see promo copies and why a song of this beauty didn't go apeshit on the charts.

    Luck: what's the pressing flaw?

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    BTW,

    I hear what you're saying and that's why I qualified my initial comment by noting it's all relative.

    There are some records that have been reissued that I'd still be willing to drop some serious $$$ on...BUT...within "reason" (whatever that means).

  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    I've read from two or three fairly reputable sources, including this one, that the actual sound of the regular-issue pressing was deemed flat or weak. I've never really had a better explanation than that. I've seen two of the red-label issues, but have never heard the sound quality for myself. So at the risk of peddling a rumor, I'm sticking with what I've heard for safety's sake. I don't believe that the promo copies are said to have this problem.

  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    BTW,

    I hear what you're saying and that's why I qualified my initial comment by noting it's all relative.

    There are some records that have been reissued that I'd still be willing to drop some serious $$$ on...BUT...within "reason" (whatever that means).

    Right. I saw what you said on your first post about price being relative, so my comments were more to the folks who spend top $ on items like this and then shelve their loot. We've both met folks like this. I'd never assume that you embody this type of collector - you obviously care about the music you listen to.

    Regarding my personal limit: Man, I've been tempted sometimes. If I had an unlimited supply of money, I'd have a killer collection. But I can't do this to myself financially. That's why personal limits, based on personal budgets, reign over "market value."

    Like I said, though - a beautiful song like this deserves the money it attracts. It's not some goofy flavor-of-the-month SlurpSlurp number.

  • paquelaspaquelas 206 Posts
    That's exactly the point, i love music but i don't give a damn about records.
    I don't need to have my favorite song on vinyl or whatever to enjoy it.
    For me it's all about listening not buying/having/collecting.
    If that's utter nonsense to you, we're living in different planets.

  • That's why personal limits, based on personal budgets, reign over "market value."

    True. My cap has been about 50 bucks for a single piece since my son was born 4 years ago...and in many ways it has made collecting records even more enjoyable, and certainly less impulsive.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    That's exactly the point, i love music but i don't give a damn about records.
    I don't need to have my favorite song on vinyl or whatever to enjoy it.
    For me it's all about listening not buying/having/collecting.
    If that's utter nonsense to you, we're living in different planets.

    Yeah but that's not what you said. You wrote, that on the basis of quality, there's no such thing as even a $50 record. If that means YOU wouldn't spend $50 on a record, that's fair. But your original comment made it sound like paying $50 was silly and only the result of "fetishism".

    That's the part that's utter nonsense.
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