[Pain_Bubbles]

I know a lot of people were not very positive about this package and its price, but maybe there are some people who have bought this and can answer some questions I have.

-How is the quality of the record for those of you who have bought it? I have the black version and side one is bordering on the unlistenable, with a constant barrage of noise.

-Is the CD an actual factory pressed CD? Mine looks supiciously like one of those "vinyl-look CD-R's, and won't play on an old discman I use to check if a CD is not aCD-R

-Where can I find the download code? I turned the entire package inside out multiple times, and re-read all the emails from Stylotone but cant find a clue as to how or where to get the downaloads.

-Both record gatefold and the Cd sleeve look like the back cover is damaged, it appears a strip of paper has been torn off , making the liner notes unreadable. The more I think about this, the more I get the idea that this is not actually damage, but an intentional design choice. (It is exactly the same on the LP and CD sleeve) But why on earth would you have somebody write liner-notes only to render them unreadable?

[blue15]

This thread on the Film Score Monthly message board has been rather amusing to read. Many attacking Stylotone for daring to release this as a vinyl & CD package without their seeming input & approval first. Oh the lives of the entitled...

[Pain_Bubbles]

I try to avoid FSM whenever possible, some very difficult people there with some very old axes to grind.
With that being said I can understand the bad feelings if something you really, really want gets released in an expensive package with a lot of stuff you have no need for.


Personally I did not mind the package deal, and usualy buy a CD and LP anyway. As it stands now however, just about every aspect of this release is flawed in one way or another. (And communication with the label is questionable at best, they take over a week to respond, and have not provided a solution so far.)

Some further searching has unearthed a response to an Amazon.co.uk consumer reviewfrom someone who did not get the poster but 2 of every other "extras" : CD, Download code and "certificate" , which suggests there were actual download cards included and there were mix ups during packaging . (I also don't have any "certificate" by the way)

[monsterworship]

sounds like I made the right decision when I cancelled my order.

[lazyben]

I thought I'd try the Twisted Nerve 7" before ordering anything else from Stylotone. The first one was terrible and didn't play well and LITA had managed to ruin the sleeve so they sent me another one and that also didn't play well. So I'm not bothering with Stylotone at all, they appear fom my n=2 experience to be inferior pressings at premium plus pricing. No thanks.

[Pain_Bubbles]

I've just emailed Sandbag again for the third time, also got my hands on an email adress for Stylone, but so far no luck.

I will update the thread in case of new developments, but am not very optimistic for a resolution after 2 weeks fruitless emailing.

[Spun out of control]

Have both the Twisted Nerve and Demon 7-inches and my copies sound A-OK.

Chiming with some of the comments here, there was a bit of oddness when I first ordered in that both sleeves contained the same Twisted Nerve vinyl. Must have happened at the packing stage. Sounds like they are having a few growing pains, perhaps... but couldn't fault the ambition for their release(s).

[deathwaltz]

FSM is an absolute shit show. What a bunch of whining idiots.
Everything that is wrong with the interest in 24 pages !!

[Hatter313]

i was curious and decided to see what was being said on FSM as i've never really been there...Whoooooo boy, I think i'll stay right here thank you very much.

I was pretty struck by the dismissiveness of wax collectors, as if i've ever seen a thread devoted to lambasting CDs here, its just not something we talk about. I suppose on other Vinyl forums there must be some format arguments, but honestly their reaction to vinyl soundtrack collectors is absurd and petty.

I think multi format releases are great, especially as i do a lot of listening during my commute so the iPod reigns there...but these people, the internet is a terrible place.

blu-ray.com has similar message boards from hell, but sometimes its the best source for info on BD releases :(

[Spun out of control]

@Hatter & @Deathwaltz

That other forum amazed me... "don't want the vinyl, just want the CD & not paying £40 to get said CD" is the basic gripe.

Valuing CD over vinyl ('just for hipsters') - polar opposite of here.

I guess Stylotone could offer a 'basic' CD option, get everyone's money and keep everyone happy-ish, but, yes, unbelievable stuff.

Actually Normans is currently offering money off the yellow cover vinyl set if anyone is still yet to grab it or wants to.

[Pain_Bubbles]

It's not just the "Twisted Nerve" thread on FSM that looks like that. Almost every single thread there quickly devolves into bickering, insults and references to often old grudges. (Usually with both sides accusing the other of exactly the sort of behaviour they are displaying themselves.)
I once knew a couple that had been married for 40 years, and probably hated each other for 39. The atmosphere they conjured with their icy stares, veiled insults and incomprehensible "insider" references to fights from years ago was similar to what I get from visiting FSM.


I did some more checking on the CD and am now 99% sure it is a CD-R: I have tried it on a different CD player that is old enought not to play Cd-R, and sure enough: It won't play. There is also no sign of matrix numbers or bars and the underside of the disc has a distinct reddish color, just like the cheap novelty "vinyl-look" CD-R's.

If it really is a CD-R: I will have spent 60+€ on a very noisy record and a CD-R......

[Mateo Sanboval]

Geez, gang, I don't know why everyone is so upset in here. Sure, other message boards are teeming with iNBRED shithumans bickering over their right to choose which format they get ripped off in by a label who cared more about securing the signature of a composers's widow, and the accompanying COA for said signature, than the fidelity of the music or the wildly overvalued pile of melted army men they chose to press the music on, but, hey, life's too short for that kind of stress. Besides, if God wanted everything to be heard perfectly, than he wouldn't have made deaf people. Stay easy. Hakuna matata,

Mellow Mateo

[Bezulsqy]

Besides, if God wanted everything to be heard perfectly, than he wouldn't have made deaf people.

:-D

[Pain_Bubbles]

Well , to add injury to insult: There was also supposed to be a 7" included? Also didn't get that....

Still no response from stylotone ofcourse....

[Pain_Bubbles]

Succes at last! Sandbag has finally replied to my emails. As it turns out they accidentally shippem me the "regular" version instead of the "deluxe". This regular version comes without all the extra's (Still should have had the download code though)

They also apologized, emailed me a download code and shipped me the deluxe version along with return postage for the regular edition.

Looks like it is going to be o.k.

[blue15]

Here's a very interesting interview with Mrs. Bernard Herrmann (aka Norma) on BBC Radio 2, conducted by Jonathan Ross. They spills the beans on some more upcoming Stylotone/Herrmann releases: MARNIE this Sept. in the same vinyl & CD format, FAHRENHEIT 451, TORN CURTAIN, VERTIGO, and... PSYCHO!

From Norma Herrmann (she's very enthusiastic!):

"We're bringing everything out. We've got all the tapes, and we've got relationships with the Hitchcock Estate. There's a whole new generation of people who are interested in this music."

The interview starts at 39:00 and runs about 17 minutes: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0785cdw

This feature will be up for another 23 hours as of right now.

She also says Bernie was close friends with Miklos Rozsa & John Williams.

[Pain_Bubbles]

Marnie and Fahrenheit 451 could be something special. it has been known for quite a while that Marnie actually exists as high quality source material: the tracks on the "signatures in suspense" CD (And stylotone single) suggest such a high quality source exists.
Torn curtain would be interesting if it is the original recording (If such a thing even exists), it is my understanding that all that is available now is the Bernstein and McNeely re-recordings. (The Bernstein "Torn Curtain", is readily available on vinyl, often new/sealed old stock on ebay and sounds very good) I do not know if any music was actually recorded at the time.
As a rejected score it also has a very interesting story behind it: Hitchcock wanted a more "pop"oriented score, but Bernard Herrmann just went ahead and did his thing, delivering a typical orchestral "herrmannesque" score. (Hermann had a habit of disregarding instructions: Hitchcock also did not want any music for Psycho's "Shower scene"for example) Hermanns disregard for the director's wishes caused the breakup between the iconic duo and Herrmann's soundtrack was replaced by one by John Addison while Herrmann fell into disgrace. Rumor has it that when he was asked about his later work for B-grade horror flick "It's alive" he burst into tears saying "i just want to work".
Psycho's original recordings are ofcourse somewhat of a holy grail, and also something to look forward too.

At this point i am just happy my problems appear to be resolved, but i might still opt to buy future releases from amazon or some other, more easily approachable vendor.

Would also like to see factory pressed CD's instead of Cd-r's though, just a personal gripe.

[Hatter313]

Psycho....ill pay their prices for psycho without hesitation

[Pain_Bubbles]

If you are at all interested in "Psycho" , and not "above" buying CD's it might well be worth tracking down Dany elfman's/Steve Bartek's score for the 1998 remake. It is often regarded as the best recording of the Psycho soundtrack, maintaining most of the frantic pace of the original film score.