Limited Editions, special packages, clever gimmicks are most definitely the way, for now, that labels and, by the looks of things, publishers are looking to boost sales of physical product. It’s been a widely held view for some time that content is not enough or that you aren’t selling the content any more, you give that away and sell the object, the package, the extra up-sell whatever it may be. I don’t really have a problem with all that, what I do have an issue with is the pricing of some of these things and where the line is drawn between something that is great addition to a fans collection and something that is taking advantage of a fans loyalty. I very much think the new ‘Will Oldham on Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’ special edition published by Faber & Faber falls in to the latter.

I’ve been a fan of Will Oldham’s various guises since very early doors, in 1993 I bought my first ever mail-order records – I phoned the label they sent me a letter, in the letter was a list of records and prices, I chose some and sent a cheque, waited several weeks and received two shiny new records, Palace Brothers 7” ‘Ohio River Boat Song’ (pictured) and album ‘There is No-One What Will Take Care of You’. I have been looking forward to the release of the forthcoming book of conversations with Alan Licht and had a little pang of excitement when I received an email from Rough Trade last night with a news piece about pre-ordering the limited edition of said book with a little thumbnail of the package. I quickly pressed the ‘read more’ link, read the spiel and clicked the pre-order. At this point it’s running through my mind that I might pick this up, I’m not a limited edition records or books man although I am a collector, it’s mainly due to the fact I have so many records and CDs, the thought of filling another area of my house with randomly sized packaging is too much hard work, but very occasionally I make an exception. So the page takes a while to load and the very first thing I notice is £150.00 GBP !? I go back over the contents hard-back book, two 10” vinyls 6 Extra songs… hmm £150.00! My initial reaction is one of shock at the cost, how can it be so much, this is pure exploitation, why not make a few more and sell it a little cheaper to make it more accessible to what is a relatively large fan-base?? Would you agree ?

I then thought a little more and tried to consider whether this was a reasonable price to place on what is somebodies art, in terms of ‘art’ is it a reasonable price ? – there are plenty of illustrators selling shoddy digital prints at ridiculous prices, paintings exchange hands for sums far greater than their perceived worth. So why should/n’t ‘good’ music and literature, which are often better crafted and effect many more people, be any different – and I suppose my conclusion is, well… it shouldn’t. Unfortunately however it is and it has context. Literature is cheap, music is cheap, music in fact sadly to most is free, publishers, labels and artists are desperately trying to work out how they are going to be able make money in the future and exist and one of the methods, for now, will be by adding perceived value in ‘limited edition special packages’. I’ll say again, I have no problem with this but the pricing is key to whether you keep a happy fan-base who buy in or alienate many by making them feel ripped off – and for me, again, this very much falls in to the latter, I can’t see how Faber can justify this hefty price tag – they will say it’s the limited number (300) but I still think its.

In difficult financial times I count myself lucky to be able to afford this box set, and I’d like it but I won’t be buying it because I am not idiot who will be suckered in to paying way over the odds for a bit of added fluff. We all know by now the ‘exclusive tracks’ will appear at a later date on a less special edition with an ‘only previously available on…’ tag so I can live without it thanks. I have no doubt however these will sell and then a precedent is set - and maybe this is the way they will make their money, maybe real music, good music in the future will be hugely expensive, maybe that’s how it should be…