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12.40pm
2 May 2013
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What’s the general opinion on the welter of ‘grey market’ box sets out there which compile TV and Radio performances and/or outtakes, all out of copyright? This is due to the EU’s ruling that broadcasts are fair game as they have been released into the public domain, coupled with things past the 50 year copyright limit which have failed to be renewed. Tawdry cash-ins, outraged that the money is going to anywhere but to The Beatles; or fascinating documents for a ravenous fan base to seize upon? Quality can be variable and its buyer beware, but there’s plenty out there by artists I also love, particularly Joni Mitchell which has finally seen her release ‘official’ versions recently, and tons by James Taylor for instance.
I’m talking about stuff like this and wondering if any are worth shelling out for:
On the Air, in the Studio and in Concert (Box 8cd): Amazon.co.uk: Music
THE BEATLES – HELP! IN CONCERT: GREATEST HITS 1964-’66-4 CD SET: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Greatest Hits Live On Air 1963-’64 [VINYL]: Amazon.co.uk: Music
1.00pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
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They contain nothing that isn’t freely available somewhere on the interweb, but with little of the care taken on the free fan-made sets.
A good example would be their often used BBC sessions, mined regularly for grey market releases. The only BBC you need is Lord Reith’s 24-disc (23CD/1DVD) BBC Archives set, and it can be found for free. Includes every existing musical session that can be found, along with interviews and whole episodes of shows where they exist.
No need to pay for the contents of these sets when they can be found for free.
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Richard"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
2.55am
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Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Most of the sets out there that cost are taking the freely available sources off the net, repackaging them and selling them; they are ripping off the fans like Lord Reith who created these collections. There are a few labels (HMC for example but that is a bootleg – that is for The Beatles and solo only, I have no idea about other artists) which do cost but they generally use the money to pay for new unbooted material.
Remember that what they are selling often does not belong to them in the first place.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.22am
2 May 2013
Offline I’m wondering if there may be an age difference thing here. As a stereotype younger people seem to be perfectly happy with a track they want in download format, crappy .mp3 is usual. Or they even simply stream stuff and don’t own anything physical. All via a tinny phone’s headphones. For me as an old codger the collection of physical product is all, that’s what being a fan is fundamentally about, holding the item whether CD or vinyl, reading the booklet, working out where it should sit among other items by the same artist on the shelf. I’ve downloaded stuff off the internet in the past occasionally to burn to a blank CD but despite keeping my virus checker up to date it seems a great way of infecting your laptop. Which is way I gave up on that quickly.
7.46am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline I doubt either reaction so far has much to do with age difference, @Old Soak. I’m 53 and a relative newcomer to the interweb, only having been using it for around a decade, while @meanmistermustard I’d guess is around a decade younger than me (I have met him, but I’m terrible at ages).
It’s more a case of knowing where to look, and who to trust. I’ve downloaded lots over the years, only use a free antivirus, and have never been infected. As to sound quality, someone like Lord Reith puts his stuff out as FLAC files, and includes full artwork should someone want to burn physical copies.
He’s the guy that did the Star Club remaster you enjoyed.
Nothing to do with age, just that I’d rather get it from the person who made it and is offering it for free than pay someone to steal his work, chop it up, often not include recording details, but have burnt it to a CD, created their own work, and are charging me.
(And I also like physical product, as evidenced by a large collection of vinyl, cassettes, videos, CD, DVD, books, etc.)
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To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
3.54pm
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Moderators
1 May 2011
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There was a fan created unofficial Archive series covering Paul’s career from ‘The Family Way ‘ thru to ‘New’ (a track listing was down for ‘Egypt Station’ but it never was put out for download) that were released in the best sound quality possible with track info, photos etc (all that was missing were the official sugar lumps, wool trimmings and facsimile wood burner manuals). They blew the official releases away and left folk even more frustrated and dismayed at what Paul has been chucking out every Now And Then for over 10 years and is still ongoing with no end in sight. These sets were unsurprisingly quickly picked up by other sources and started being sold for $30/40 or more online. Now it’s up to you, if you want to pay the $30 to buy the work of someone who had next to nothing to do with compiling and uploading it in the first place but pressed it onto some paper and a CD to then ship it to you for a good few $’s then fair enough but there is no difference in sound quality etc and you get everything for free if you download from the proper links. The people creating it are also not wanting you to pay others for the work they have done so why would you?
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Richard"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.31pm
Moderators
27 November 2016
Offline Old Soak said
I’m wondering if there may be an age difference thing here. As a stereotype younger people seem to be perfectly happy with a track they want in download format, crappy .mp3 is usual. Or they even simply stream stuff and don’t own anything physical. All via a tinny phone’s headphones. For me as an old codger the collection of physical product is all, that’s what being a fan is fundamentally about, holding the item whether CD or vinyl, reading the booklet, working out where it should sit among other items by the same artist on the shelf. I’ve downloaded stuff off the internet in the past occasionally to burn to a blank CD but despite keeping my virus checker up to date it seems a great way of infecting your laptop. Which is way I gave up on that quickly.
That is one thing that surprises me about my generation. I am obsessed with audio quality which then drives me nuts when my friends don’t understand why an MP3 is bad (though I’ve educated them all now 
)
But yeah, as RN said age probably isn’t a factor in this particular question.
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4.23pm
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20 August 2013
Offline @Old Soak, is this the topic you’re looking for?
Are you wondering if Joe would want to make a main page for gray market releases? There may be too many variations for him to keep up with.
Can buy Joe love! Amazon | iTunes
Check here for "how do I do this" guide to the forum. 
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5.25pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Going by what’s on Amazon and other sellers, the grey market is a mire nowadays thanks to the copyright laws for some Beatles material. To compile details of those available would be a hell of a mess with little reward due to not many people being that bothered over the history of many releases; the interest lies in the UK and US albums before going into the foreign compilations not what some never heard of label did with a handful of BBC recording and live tracks.
The exceptions to the rule, purely for historical purposes, may be the very first releases of the Sheridan, Decca and Star Club recordings.
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Rube"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
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