People get confused all the time about the value of condition to a serious collector.
You're correct. I know when I grade, I am as honest as possible, and if it's VG+ or NM-, I have to be sure that it is, because I know it will disappoint those who get it and think it's lower. I've been fortunate, and that those who have bought from me have not been disappointed, and some saying it was better than what they had hoped for.
Your $1 bin copy is probably worth $1.
Perhaps, but for me it was about finally having it in my collection at a time when I wasn't able to find it anywhere else. If I want NM, then I would hope that I could find people reliable enough to give me what I'm looking for, AND to put faith in their grading, just as I hope people do when they buy from me. I'm not a big dealer or have a store (like you), but I work it just the same.
I mean sure, for a few years a few years ago you could sell a lot of fairly common records of this variety to euro man for ridiculous magic land prices... and Anthony probably still could... but does that make them "$40 records"? I guarantee you that if I pick up every clean copy of East Bay Grease I come across for under $10 in 2008 I'll end up being stuck with bunch.
I agree that you would be stuck with a bunch. You don't have AP's reputation for tough grading and selling NM records.
yep, great album...i always wondered what the story was with that cover, that definitely looks like an actual sign, i wonder if they hung it up there for the photo shoot, or if its just some masterful pre-photoshop photoshopping...
I was gonna say the pre-photoshop deal (actual sign with just the words changed), as has been already posted in this thread. And correct me if I'm wrong, but that's a pic of the bay bridge looking from San Fran into the East Bay/Oakland, no?
Because NM copies are hard to find, they are worth not a little more, but a lot more. If you live in Europe, or New England, where the record didn't sell, they would be worth even more.
This record grows on trees in Massachusetts. $5-$10, the most expensive local store would ask $25 *maybe* for a NM promo.
This is my point. AP (and other honest and trusted sellers) sold NM records to a community of serious collectors who are not interested in your dollar bin beaters.
Well, that's not to say that none of us are serious collectors, we all go to different extremes to get the records we want, either for listening, DJ'ing, or as a dealer. But I know what you meant by that, because it's the serious collector who look for a specific pressing, and will do what it takes to find it. There are also dealers, such as Tom Port at Better Records/DCC Blowout, who is all about the "hot stampers" and can get away with selling Blood, Sweat & Tears' second album (a common album if there ever was one) for $499. There is an awareness of that initial pressing of an album directly from the master (or the dub of the master, as was usually the case), and how that is considered the best version of an album on vinyl ever made. An album like Fleetwood Mac's Rumours[/b] can be pressed up a number of times, but if someone knows about that initial pressing of 20,000, they want to find out about the matrix #, the mastering engineer, how the record looks, a specific label variation, all of those things which separate us "casual collectors" from the elite collectors.
So you are definitely right, there is a community of record collectors who will look at my near mint album and go "that's the wrong one, I don't see Charlie's initials in the matrix". Or will not care about my stock pressing because they heard that the promo pressing was done differently, and may be superior sounding to the version the general public heard.
Add to that the condition of the records, and if someone gains a reputation for knowing about pressing variations, finding them by doing the groundwork, and then grading properly, collectors will know where to find the goods.
That's another thing that stands out about the T.O.P., compared to other funk bands - they could write songs, not just vamps. I mean, nothing wrong with chants over vamps, like War, Mandrill and all the rest, but I kinda like the fact that Tower of Power's funkiest stuff sounds a little more thought-out (without being stiff and premeditated).
I totally agree with that. I do like instrumental of most of the tracks but I'm particularly impressed with the writing of their songs. I always point it out to people. I love songs like "Only So Much Oil In The Ground", "Cant' Stand To See The Slaughter" "What Is Hip", etc...
He just says some ill things in those songs... Like his quote on "Only so much" where he says "There's only so much oil in the ground, explain that to your kids while you're driving around downtown...".
He also flips a nice "Multi-syllable" on "What is hip?" with the "so you got yourself a guru in an attempt to find yourself a new you"... next level lyrication...
Never understood what people heard in Cold Blood, but then again, I'm not the biggest fan of Janis Joplin-type screamers (like Cold Blood's Lydia Pense is).
That's another thing that stands out about the T.O.P., compared to other funk bands - they could write songs, not just vamps. I mean, nothing wrong with chants over vamps, like War, Mandrill and all the rest, but I kinda like the fact that Tower of Power's funkiest stuff sounds a little more thought-out (without being stiff and premeditated).
I totally agree with that. I do like instrumental of most of the tracks but I'm particularly impressed with the writing of their songs. I always point it out to people. I love songs like "Only So Much Oil In The Ground", "Cant' Stand To See The Slaughter" "What Is Hip", etc...
Bloodstone and the Mandells are the only other self-contained soul bands, from that era, that I could think of who could do baby-making ballads that well. I mean, yeah, War had "All Day Music," Mandrill had "House of Wood," Earth, Wind & Fire had "Reasons" - but the harmonies aren't as full as Tower of Power, or the other two bands I mentioned.
That's another thing that stands out about the T.O.P., compared to other funk bands - they could write songs, not just vamps. I mean, nothing wrong with chants over vamps, like War, Mandrill and all the rest, but I kinda like the fact that Tower of Power's funkiest stuff sounds a little more thought-out (without being stiff and premeditated).
I totally agree with that. I do like instrumental of most of the tracks but I'm particularly impressed with the writing of their songs. I always point it out to people. I love songs like "Only So Much Oil In The Ground", "Cant' Stand To See The Slaughter" "What Is Hip", etc...
He just says some ill things in those songs... Like his quote on "Only so much" where he says "There's only so much oil in the ground, explain that to your kids while you're driving around downtown...".
He also flips a nice "Multi-syllable" on "What is hip?" with the "so you got yourself a guru in an attempt to find yourself a new you"... next level lyrication...
I cosine on everything said here. TOP is one of my favorites. If I'm driving while "Squib Cakes" is playing, there's about to be an accident because my eyes are not on the road. it's more like this:
I also wanted to say that for some reason the Jewel (chain grocery store, for those who don't know) that I go to started putting "What is Hip?" on heavy rotation on the in-store muzak or whatever. I'm grabbing some black beans off the shelf while singing out loud and grooving down the aisle.
Never understood what people heard in Cold Blood, but then again, I'm not the biggest fan of Janis Joplin-type screamers (like Cold Blood's Lydia Pense is).
Although she was the front woman of the band (and I dont mind her singing), like TOP, it was the killer groove and screaming horns that made Cold Blood. If you like TOP, you've gotta go back an re-visit some of Cold Blood's stuff IMO.
Never understood what people heard in Cold Blood, but then again, I'm not the biggest fan of Janis Joplin-type screamers (like Cold Blood's Lydia Pense is).
Heh, I usually describe Lydia as "Janis Joplin if Janis Joplin could actually stay on pitch."
Never understood what people heard in Cold Blood, but then again, I'm not the biggest fan of Janis Joplin-type screamers (like Cold Blood's Lydia Pense is).
Although she was the front woman of the band (and I dont mind her singing), like TOP,
it was the killer groove and screaming horns that made Cold Blood. If you like TOP, you've gotta go back an re-visit some of Cold Blood's stuff IMO.
Going by what little I've heard, I've always thought of Cold Blood as one of those horn bands that seemed to turn up everywhere after Blood, Sweat & Tears started having hits. Never considered them as a funk band ala Tower of Power.
Going by what little I've heard, I've always thought of Cold Blood as one of those horn bands that seemed to turn up everywhere after Blood, Sweat & Tears started having hits. Never considered them as a funk band ala Tower of Power.
Cold Blood are still around in some configuration, and apparently doing the blues festival circuit. For years I had only know of the Warner Bros. stuff and her lines in Tower Of Power's "Loves To Do It" (from the Lights Out[/b] comp on Blue Thumb), and one day I found the album on San Francisco. The San Francisco album is a lot like "Loves To Do It", where she and the entire band are just . I think if they were put into rotation in the oldies radio format, as BS&T and TOP are, people might give them a little more respect than just being the tag-alongs.
NM copy of EBG unsold at $5 on the world market. Why? It's a dollar-bin record.
While I agree EBG is a common, cheap record, this guy would probably got the $5 or more if he accepted Paypal. People who don't take it are often unable to sell things, especially something like this that you can just go find a seller with it that DOES take Paypal.
Comments
Damn good look, Homie. Thank you sincerely for this knowledge dropped...
You're correct. I know when I grade, I am as honest as possible, and if it's VG+ or NM-, I have to be sure that it is, because I know it will disappoint those who get it and think it's lower. I've been fortunate, and that those who have bought from me have not been disappointed, and some saying it was better than what they had hoped for.
Perhaps, but for me it was about finally having it in my collection at a time when I wasn't able to find it anywhere else. If I want NM, then I would hope that I could find people reliable enough to give me what I'm looking for, AND to put faith in their grading, just as I hope people do when they buy from me. I'm not a big dealer or have a store (like you), but I work it just the same.
Or you could get $40.00 by mentioning the sample.
I was gonna say the pre-photoshop deal (actual sign with just the words changed), as has been already posted in this thread. And correct me if I'm wrong, but that's a pic of the bay bridge looking from San Fran into the East Bay/Oakland, no?
...at the end of the day; they might not have end to end bangers....but they have a gang of cuts that are great (and hella' samplable)...
This record grows on trees in Massachusetts. $5-$10, the most
expensive local store would ask $25 *maybe* for a NM promo.
Well, that's not to say that none of us are serious collectors, we all go to different extremes to get the records we want, either for listening, DJ'ing, or as a dealer. But I know what you meant by that, because it's the serious collector who look for a specific pressing, and will do what it takes to find it. There are also dealers, such as Tom Port at Better Records/DCC Blowout, who is all about the "hot stampers" and can get away with selling Blood, Sweat & Tears' second album (a common album if there ever was one) for $499. There is an awareness of that initial pressing of an album directly from the master (or the dub of the master, as was usually the case), and how that is considered the best version of an album on vinyl ever made. An album like Fleetwood Mac's Rumours[/b] can be pressed up a number of times, but if someone knows about that initial pressing of 20,000, they want to find out about the matrix #, the mastering engineer, how the record looks, a specific label variation, all of those things which separate us "casual collectors" from the elite collectors.
So you are definitely right, there is a community of record collectors who will look at my near mint album and go "that's the wrong one, I don't see Charlie's initials in the matrix". Or will not care about my stock pressing because they heard that the promo pressing was done differently, and may be superior sounding to the version the general public heard.
Add to that the condition of the records, and if someone gains a reputation for knowing about pressing variations, finding them by doing the groundwork, and then grading properly, collectors will know where to find the goods.
BEAM ME UP
That's another thing that stands out about the T.O.P., compared to other funk bands - they could write songs, not just vamps. I mean, nothing wrong with chants over vamps, like War, Mandrill and all the rest, but I kinda like the fact that Tower of Power's funkiest stuff sounds a little more thought-out (without being stiff and premeditated).
I totally agree with that. I do like instrumental of most of the tracks but I'm particularly impressed with the writing of their songs. I always point it out to people. I love songs like "Only So Much Oil In The Ground", "Cant' Stand To See The Slaughter" "What Is Hip", etc...
He just says some ill things in those songs... Like his quote on "Only so much" where he says "There's only so much oil in the ground, explain that to your kids while you're driving around downtown...".
He also flips a nice "Multi-syllable" on "What is hip?" with the "so you got yourself a guru in an attempt to find yourself a new you"... next level lyrication...
Definitely. I think Cold Blood > Tower of Power, but TOP made some really nice tunes as well.
The horns/vein popping vocalists/ guys in sunglasses twirling their horns in zubaz can get a little tired, imo.
Never understood what people heard in Cold Blood, but then again, I'm not the biggest fan of Janis Joplin-type screamers (like Cold Blood's Lydia Pense is).
Bloodstone and the Mandells are the only other self-contained soul bands, from that era, that I could think of who could do baby-making ballads that well. I mean, yeah, War had "All Day Music," Mandrill had "House of Wood," Earth, Wind & Fire had "Reasons" - but the harmonies aren't as full as Tower of Power, or the other two bands I mentioned.
I cosine on everything said here. TOP is one of my favorites. If I'm driving while "Squib Cakes" is playing, there's about to be an accident because my eyes are not on the road. it's more like this:
I also wanted to say that for some reason the Jewel (chain grocery store, for those who don't know) that I go to started putting "What is Hip?" on heavy rotation on the in-store muzak or whatever. I'm grabbing some black beans off the shelf while singing out loud and grooving down the aisle.
it was the killer groove and screaming horns that made Cold Blood.
If you like TOP, you've gotta go back an re-visit some of Cold Blood's stuff IMO.
Heh, I usually describe Lydia as "Janis Joplin if Janis Joplin could actually stay on pitch."
Just really awful music.
Especially for $40.
A promo to boot! Oh, but if it's sampled within the next year, the dollar bin record will be worth... well, three bucks but...
http://search-completed.ebay.com/_W0QQdf...itleZQQsbrsrtZd
In your defense he is bring the dollar bin common.
C'mon, this is worth at least $350:
Well, $3.50. Maybe.
Going by what little I've heard, I've always thought of Cold Blood as one of those horn bands that seemed to turn up everywhere after Blood, Sweat & Tears started having hits. Never considered them as a funk band ala Tower of Power.
Cold Blood are still around in some configuration, and apparently doing the blues festival circuit. For years I had only know of the Warner Bros. stuff and her lines in Tower Of Power's "Loves To Do It" (from the Lights Out[/b] comp on Blue Thumb), and one day I found the album on San Francisco. The San Francisco album is a lot like "Loves To Do It", where she and the entire band are just
While I agree EBG is a common, cheap record, this
guy would probably got the $5 or more if he accepted
Paypal. People who don't take it are often unable to
sell things, especially something like this that you can
just go find a seller with it that DOES take Paypal.