avalanche records

After a lengthy gap caused by there being no good music at all (this isn’t twitter so everybody gets that’s a joke right ?) the album club returns with an album worthy of the wait. I had the first Public Service Broadcasting 10″ dropped off in the shop and was asked to give it to customers I thought might be interested. A couple returned this week to thank me.

Clearly with many bands now very keen to try to go directly to customers from the start and with the vinyl resurgence something new is needed but everybody with outstanding subscriptions will have them fulfilled with a bonus !  

More on all that later but members can pop in from tomorrow and emails will go out next week if I can find an uncorrupted spreadsheet (and even if I can’t) to those who both collect and those who receive their packages mail order. Thanks to everybody for their patience. It will be rewarded !  

Our stocking policy is based on giving our customers good value and good service. There is no point in selling our customers releases after the band/label have made it available, at a higher price and without the incentives so often offered in presells. Consequently we expect to have a release on offer at the same time, at the same price and we expect to be listed as stockists. We don’t ask for any exclusives or seek to gain an advantage over our fellow shops.

So for instance we have been happy to presell the Quickbeam album and give it the social media coverage we have become known for. We do however try to give some profile to all the releases we stock as with Mood Six and The Black Diamond Express this weekend whether the bands are employing others for PR, actively doing their own PR or simply pop in the shop with their release. 

On the other hand Fence’s marketing strategy now contravenes what we ask on several levels but I completely accept Johnny’s right to take the path he thinks best suits his bands, especially now Kenny has left, and I’m confident he understands my position too. It is unfortunate but should there ever be a change of policy I will always be happy to reassess the situation. Nobody would like to see Kid Canaveral and eagleowl’s new albums in as many shops as possible more than me !

Song, by Toad is a slightly different case in that they, unlike Fence, have chosen to have a distributor for their releases with official release dates etc. Matthew thinks it acceptable to offer the new Sparrow and the Workshop album to fans a month before the agreed release date. In fact what this means is that it is being given to shops a month after it has been made available to the public. I should say Ian at the label said I too could have the album in April but that is to miss the point. This rather cavalier attitude extended to Record Store Day when despite the organisers bending over backwards to try and accommodate the label’s release it succeeded in breaking every rule by being presold and not being made available to all RSD shops through the label’s official distributor. Consequently it was not listed.

I merely highlight the two labels that have caused the most comment but I’m constantly receiving requests from people completely oblivious to the fact they are missing the point as to what shops actually do ! In particular I get asked to list product in the Avalanche online shop from bands who have never bothered to tell the world we are stocking their album or even from bands who want me to list their releases online and yet have never brought them into the shop. 

Anyway loads more news to come but I just wanted to get that out of the way. I hope it goes without saying that I wish all those who take a different course with their releases all the best.

Basic info first. Prices etc later but feel free to ask.

Stereolab – Margerine Eclipse 2 x LP + lyrics insert card + Chemical Chords 2 x LP + The First of the Microbe Hunters 2 x LP + insert + Cobra and Phases 2 x LP gatefold sleeve

White Stripes 7 “s – Hotel Yorba / Rated X + I Just Don’t Know ………. +  Jolene + The Denial Twist (both) + Conquest (all 3) + Icky Thump (both) + You Don’t Know What Love Is (2 x 7″) + there’s No Home For You Here

Bis 7″s – Detour + Action and Drama + Sweet Shop Avengerz + Atom Powered Action ! + Keroleen + this is fake d.i.y. + Everybody Thinks ……. + vs Lugworm

Editors 7″s – Bullets + All Sparks + An End Has A Start (2 x 7″)

So it has been quite a 24 hours !

First of all last night it was announced Neutral Milk Hotel were to reform and play some shows. Amazingly many of you remembered I had promised that should such a thing ever happen I would do my best to bring them to Edinburgh / Scotland given they are responsible for our biggest ever selling album. 

I was disappointed Jeff didn’t play up here the last time he was over but a friend of his did come in the shop and give me contact details so yes I will see what can be done.  

 

I came in this morning to find a mailer waiting for me in the post and as you will all now know by now it was the Boards Of Canada 12″. 

You can hear what it had to reveal here 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsUS2C3zPns&feature=youtu.be

Much more on its whereabouts and what we will be doing for the album release tomorrow.

 

 

 

Finally I did put a clue up on the image slider of the Avalanche shop a couple of days ago but I was surprised how many people picked up on it.

Avalanche will indeed be working with Cake Shop NYC on several projects starting off with a split single.

We will soon have a presence in New York and the Cake Shop in Edinburgh.

An official press release is to follow. I had to answer several calls about it today so given all the other news it seemed appropriate to mention it now given the email confirming our initial plans arrived late this afternoon. It goes without saying what an amazing partnership this will be and the benefits that will follow .  

 

All will be available from our shop from midnight.

 

 

We are still OK for FRabbits 2x LP and 12″. 7″ has gone now. We also have the Admiral Fallow LP and Glasvegas 7″

Back in Factory Records 10″ and Tame Impala 12″

Things we have a few of

The Glove LP (3) – XX 12″ (2) – Simple Minds 12″  (2)- Wire LP (2)  - King Creosote CD (3)

Things we have 1 or 2 of

Darren Hayman 10″ – Herman Dune 10″  – Deftones LP –   Dazed and Confused LP – Marianne Faithfull LP  -  Django Django – Mississipi Sheiks LP – The Band “Last Waltz” 3 x LP – Half Japanese 4xLP box set - Nick Drake LP - Pulp 12″ – Bardo Pond

7″s -Donny Hathaway -  Dawes  – Dry The River -   Songs of Nick Drake – Gibby Haynes – Josh Rouse  – History of Apple Pie – Bob Dylan – House of Love – British Sea Power – Clarks pic disc – Edwyn Collins

 

Record Store Day

Record Label Code of Conduct

 

1. All RSD product must be notified to ERA if possible 4 weeks upfront of RSD.

2. RSD product must be exclusive in nature and only available through RSD stores, as notified to you by ERA. For the avoidance of doubt product which has previously been widely available the UK or another territory is not deemed to be exclusive.

3. RSD product should be manufactured in a reasonable quantity. Anything under 500 units may be deemed inadmissible to RSD unless there are valid grounds for inclusion.

4. RSD product must be of sufficiently appropriate quality to be considered for RSD. Proposed exclusive product must be authorised for inclusion in RSD by ERA’s nominated representatives. If they deem the product unsuitable it will not be authorised for inclusion

5. All product info and artwork to be provided to ERA in the attached format, otherwise this will lead to delays in inclusion on the website

6. Any stock left over after RSD must be first offered to RSD retailers

7. Stock may be offered to non RSD retailers only 7 days after the event ie the Saturday following RSD

8. No label may sell product on their own D2C platform until 4 weeks following RSD

9. Record labels are asked to copy ERA in on any PR in relation to RSD product or artists

 

Signed by…………………………………………………………………..

 

On behalf of………………………………………………………………

A full shop again and this young lad had the best view of all.