[Bezulsqy]

Reading this quote from Redg Weeks got me thinking about what specific releases he means:

Recently I’ve noticed a lot of what I consider to be very average and derivative film scores pressed on vinyl when there really isn’t the need or the market demand.

source: https://thevinylfactory.com/features/ri ... -releases/

Shall we start a this-needed-not-to-be-released thread?Examples?

[Bezulsqy]

I would say this: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN ... ndtrnet-20



But reading all the comments about the CD release there does appear to be a market. Although I have no idea how big or who is in it.

[chiefbrody]

Interesting negative thread @bez!! I read Redg's comments and thought they were uncharacteristically negative. I wonder whether he's taking aim specifically at recent scores (as it reads to me) or if his opinion extends to some older scores that are being released. I can think of both but, then again, I'm loathe to criticise - much like any art, what might be completely forgettable to me might stand out to the next person. E.g. from recollection, someone was questioning whether Jupiter Ascending needed a vinyl release, yet I've also seen it crop up on the now playing thread getting some praise.

Given how niche soundtracks on vinyl still is as a 'thing', it does surprise me when you see some releases (Fifty Shades a good example, Moana?), as I am surprised there's much crossover between their target (mass) market and vinyl soundtrack market. Go figure.

[maxlevel]

The reason mass market film scores are getting put out is to make use of shelf space in supermarkets. It’s basically free advertising, plus it takes production capacity away from more ‘deserving’ releases. Supermarket shelf real estate is much sought after, there’s an entire inner market for prime positions worth billions a year and companies compete for the best eyelines which is why coke is on corners and at eye level almost everywhere. and If you can get your eyeballs, it works the same way as sports branding, or billboards.

I mean there will be fans, but those fans wouldn’t miss it if it wasn’t there either.

[Mateo Sanboval]

If we take Redg Weeks at face value and presume he is not defending himself against folks that only wanted the pink vinyl of Drive nor passive aggressively lashing out at labels who handle a much higher volume of popular scores, then I'd say his comments are more about availability that subjective opinion. For example, I would imagine that 50 Shades or Moana would qualify as viable releases for him as both properties are wildly popular and their scores are commensurate with their films in terms of both tone and quality. Disney fans buy Disney records. Just like horror fans buy horror records. They will be successful releases. It's a pretty simple formula. My guess would be that Redg Weeks is complaining more about scores being re-released (or re-re-re-released) that are already widely available without adding much more than new art to the process, if that. Those releases could certainly be described as "pointless". However, Mr Weeks' remarks about only pressing to wax that which will stand the test of time sounds incredibly subjective (and more than a little holier than thou) and makes me wonder if we should take his words at face value after all.

[chiefbrody]

@max, @mateo, consider me schooled on both "super-marketing" Disney vinyl collectors!

I guess in my non-scientific mental Venn diagram I wouldn't predict a big cross-over between mass market, popular/animated films and the hipster/middle aged male stereotypes of record collectors. Something like Interstellar or Baby Driver, yes, but 'tween' movies, etc, not so much. I know that's a massive generalisation, and ignores both the avid collectors, who would buy any merch, and also those record collectors who never play their records. That and female non- hipster record collectors and Disney-loving hipsters and middle-aged men!