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"Recently found in the Azra garage..."
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 7:16 am
by mordred
So what's the deal with this? Is this guy sitting on loads of copies of the old releases and sell them slowly to get us much money as possible? Or is he actually pressing new copies "on demand"?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMMANDER-Hig ... 8249656%26
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:17 am
by Trigger
According to everything mentioned in this forum and most of all to what gluckose has repeatedly said, I'd go for your latter notion. Can you really trust the guy? I'm just guessing though...
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 11:40 am
by The Knell
I'd like to know if this is true. I really want a copy of the Commander LP.
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:39 pm
by chatzial
The ones that he repressed in the '90s were the Jag Panzer -clear vinyl test pressing and the Cassle - test pressing.
Other than that, if you watched his auctions over the years you would see that he has not sold that many copies of the rare stuff (Commander, Stormtrooper, Ripper etc.). So it is more likely that he had some unsold copies from back then that he is selling, he just sells them very slowly to get high prices.
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:07 pm
by Prowler
Nah, Commander is up rather "often" and if he still has copies of the 100 copies edition Ripper version that he's selling 30 years later then there are just 2 possibilities open, wether he's still pressing copies or there are not only 500 copies (or 100 copies in case of the Ripper) made. I've seen Picture stuff that was claimed to be pressed just a handful but he's still selling it nowadays while that stuff was only made for radio stations promotion. I think there are simply more copies pressed than people/dealers or himself do claim.
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:54 pm
by Khnud
I'm certain someone here mentioned he's still pressing records in his garage.
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 12:05 am
by chatzial
Khnud wrote:I'm certain someone here mentioned he's still pressing records in his garage.
No, he never pressed his own records. His vinyls were pressed at Erika pressing plant.
@ Prowler: As for the quantity you are propably right, there were propably more copies pressed back then. But that stands for most of the vinyls in the '80s, most of the rare releases (which collectors or dealers advertise as editions of 500 copies) were printed back then in at least 1,000 copies.
As for the Commander, so what if he still has some left? Even if they are 5 or 50 or more? Does this make it easier (or cheaper) to find? If he sells only a couple per year then it's price will not be affected
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 8:44 am
by Heathen
I've bought Intruder CD from him one or two years ago and while it does have the spine cut off, it is definetly not a recent repress. Original "MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN HELIX" CD.
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 3:46 pm
by Helstar
Yes I bought that Intruder too and it's identic to the one I used to have at least a dozen of years ago (and sold immediately because it had the same missing spine ^^)
That garage must be a mess and full of surprises I guess
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 6:42 pm
by doomedplanet
seen the weird & ugly 'blob' shapes, 'x-mas tree' shapes, whatever? Those are cut with a band saw out of a generic rectangle or square shape on the back porch. So that is why all the odd shapes for some. Erika also specializes in shaped records so some are made that way. Seen the 1 sided Commander 'picture disc"? Again a homemade pic disc, he cutout the cover and glued in on a regular record. Crazy....
Khnud wrote:I'm certain someone here mentioned he's still pressing records in his garage.
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:50 pm
by Prowler
Helstar wrote:
That garage must be a mess and full of surprises I guess
You can be sure about that! If you see what he's selling at ebay ... old buttons, shirts, press kits, posters, advertisements etc ... I'd love to enter that garage but I guess I'd leave as a poor beggar ...
I think he's a Rock guru or something ...
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:54 pm
by perishinflames
I think he's a hoarder. I find it hard to believe some of the crap he sells even exists (Vitamin C promotional toothbrush?)
Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:04 pm
by Glockose
chatzial wrote:Khnud wrote:I'm certain someone here mentioned he's still pressing records in his garage.
No, he never pressed his own records. His vinyls were pressed at Erika pressing plant.
@ Prowler: As for the quantity you are propably right, there were propably more copies pressed back then. But that stands for most of the vinyls in the '80s, most of the rare releases (which collectors or dealers advertise as editions of 500 copies) were printed back then in at least 1,000 copies.
As for the Commander, so what if he still has some left? Even if they are 5 or 50 or more? Does this make it easier (or cheaper) to find? If he sells only a couple per year then it's price will not be affected
Yes and No, he did press his own records BUT it was all done at Erika. he worked the presses after hours.
He cheated most of the bands he signed back in the day. The contracts would read "the band would be get paid AFTER the first 500 black vinyl records were sold" so them he would make Picture Disks, Colored vinyl or shaped so he didn't have to pay the band. Also some read "the band would get paid after selling 500 records in the USA" so he pressed 1-2000 and would sell them over seas.
He has a large house and BIG garage, Also 3-4 storage garages around town that are filled with records and stuff. Now after all these years he feels safe selling this stuff on ebay without bands getting after him.