BACKTRACKING FORWARD: CONTEMPORARY RARITIES
posted in: Features • Music News
What makes a record rare? Age? Condition? Quantity of initial pressing? Teeth marks made by Jimi Hendrix himself? Certainly all those factors come into play, but there are more minute details that help fuel the addicted record excavator. Label mispressings, censoring of album art, colored discs, DJ white label promo copies and scarce mono runs all help compilers fill the gaps in their collections, but these details are normally associated with used vinyl from its heyday decades ago. As the record album regains a foothold in today’s market, an interesting trend has already been emerging”a high demand for store stock vinyl pressed within the last ten years. Whole new breeds of collectors have entered the playing field and are seeking these elusive discs, creating new contemporary rarities.
Back in the late 1990s, quite a few of today’s popular artists were still building their fanbase and just gaining notoriety in the music world. During that time, vinyl sales barely caused a blip as MP3s and Napster reigned supreme. Consumers were not purchasing new vinyl and pressings of albums were very limited, even by major artists. Many vinyl releases, when they could be found, sat unsold on shelves waiting to be sent back to the vendor for possible meltdown and reuse. This is where the rarity card comes in. Due to the minimal sales of those LPs, a low number of copies went into circulation resulting in today’s exorbitant prices. Here are just a few examples of values reaching their peaks:
– Dave Matthews Band, Before These Crowded Streets LP (1999)- $300-400
– Wilco, Summerteeth LP (1999)- $200
– The Get Up Kids, Something To Write Home About LPs (1999) – $100-$200
– Sigur Ros, Agaetis Byrjun LP (1999) & Self-Titled LP (2002)- $100 to $150 each
– Saves The Day, Sorry That I Am Leaving 7 single (1998)- $200-$400
The demand for the above mentioned LPs and 7″ single are fueled by the artists’ current success and popularity, despite the lack of foresight regarding vinyl’s up-and-coming collectibility. The next few years will be interesting to follow as the market continues to fluctuate. Big ticket genres like jazz, northern soul and obscure deep funk have all been hot for many years now, but they didn’t garner today’s high prices as previous generations of collectors were busy clamoring for doo-wop, Elvis Presley and obscure Beatles releases. the question now is have these contemporary rarities already reached their pinnacle in price or will the addition of so many new collectors continue to stimulate this branch of the record world?
The tide is always changing and anyone looking to dip their feet into this vast pool of knowledge can get started at Popsike.com, an online database engineered by German programmers and record junkies, which has tracked the prices of vinyl on eBay for the past eight years. It’s become the premiere, up-to-date contemporary price guide for rare wax. Similar to any collectible or antique, the Internet and eBay revolutionized the market, flooding the playing field with former rarities and opening the door for new contenders. So when buying an LP or 7″ pressed, make sure you hold on to those platters because in another five to ten years, collectors searching for original sealed copies of your album might end up paying for your next vacation.
Since joining the OurStage community, the incredible amount of talent available on the Web site lured me away from my turntables to discover amazing new music. Recently, the sounds of Signo Nata came blasting through my speakers, sparking a further dig into their musical offerings. Signo Nata stands out from the crowd due its members expansive musical backgrounds and varied cultural influences they bring to their music. Levante, a song screaming to be their 7″ single, is a fierce onslaught of electro-rock painted with a slab of new wave rhythm. Yely Pillot’s spry and rapid Spanish vocals help energize the track while Eddie Martinez takes care of business on the little strings and laptop.
No Juegues Conmigo takes things down a notch as the group harmonizes in both English and Spanish alongside some pleasantly satisfying beats in the background. Throughout all the tracks, Juan Carlos keeps the rhythm strong behind the drum kit, rounding out what has proven to be a powerful trio rising from the hazy heat of Florida, Puerto Rico and beyond.
Check out some of Signo Nata’s captivating material below or head over to their profile to get the full experience.
-Gregorious Winter-