Tenderloin Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 time to start a new shitstorm! Billy and company would like you to know that they fully support the extinction of the American independent record store at the hand of large, faceless, little-guy-crushing big boxes. They also support bleeding their fans dry. How? By releasing FOUR different versions of Zeitgeist. Best Buy and Target each get a version with an exclusive bonus track. So does iTunes. Like, a different one for each. Everybody else gets the regular version with no bonus tracks. So if you want all of the bonus tracks, you have to buy an album at Best Buy, an album at Target, and an album at iTunes. (Ooh, the presale iTunes version also comes with an extra set of Smashing Pumpkins covers by the Bravery, the Academy Is..., Panic at the Disco, Test Your Reflex, and +44. Ooh.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 I might give a shit if I could stand Smashing Pumpkins. Then again, I might not. Lots of bands do this these days ... this is a pretty big overreaction, if you ask me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dannygutters Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 SP are a Warner Brothers cash cow, this is likely a studio decision. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tenderloin Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 I might give a shit if I could stand Smashing Pumpkins.Then again, I might not. Lots of bands do this these days ... this is a pretty big overreaction, if you ask me. huh... well where have I been? Well I also heard that the "bonus baggie" of heroin that comes with each purchase varies in quality depending upon your place of purchase. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redpillbox Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Yeah, Bloc Party did this when they released their latest...two bonus tracks for a Target release, two bonus for the Best Buy release, a bonus song for Itunes and another one for eMusic I think....I can understand the frustration, but I bought the album once and looked at it as my right to download the other bonus songs...got a whole other 11 song disc out of it. That the bonus disc full of songs put the "official" release to shame is beside the point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 So did Son Volt - yes? It's a common thing now - just like dvds with cds. It's a way to get people to buy cds I think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 So did Son Volt - yes? It's a common thing now - just like dvds with cds. It's a way to get people to buy cds I think.I refused to buy The Search more than once just because I'm a Son Volt fan. This is very common now. It also drives me nuts. The fans who are already willing to shell out money for the CDs shouldn't be asked to buy doubles or triples of most songs just to complete the set. Essentially, that marketing tactic squeezes your fans, which is like punishing them for being your biggest supporters. I can certainly understand the desire to sell more CDs. But the tactics should be based on rewarding, not punishing, the CD shopper. SBS is a positive example, because those who purchased the CD weren't asked to buy more to get the (downloadable) extra goodies. And what about this to encourage CD buying: How about releasing an iTunes version that is minus one track? I know those options won't sell as many CDs as the current tactic. But at least it would thank fans rather than make them feel like dupes. It might not pay off in the short run, but it might engender some goodwill that will pay off in the long run. Speaking of connotations--the fact that I still don't have all of The Search even though I bought it in a store interferes with my relationship to the album more than, say, hearing one of the tracks in a commercial would. There's a negative connotation there that makes me (slightly) less likely to want to pull it off the shelf for a listen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Tour Edition cds - even worse. And I also will not buy stuff more than once to get bonus discs - the hell with that. Cds are on the way out anyhow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I might give a shit if I could stand Smashing Pumpkins.Yep. What a bunch of shitmeisters that band is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Another reason why Pitchfork sucks big time. Bands have been doing the differnt package thing for a few years now. Why the hell bash The Pumpkins?? Oh yeah, they don't meet the Pitchfork coolness factor anymore. Wilco just did the same thing and sold the songs for car commercials and they get a pass?? Pitchfork is really shit! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chendizzle Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 As other people have pointed, many other record labels have done this, to single out any one band is absurd. Pitchfork's whiny, bitchy rant focuses on the Pumpkins because Billy Corgan/SP is an easy target. Even if Corgan strongly objected, there probably isn't much he could do to sway the label. Artists have surprisingly little say in matters like these. Corgan's track record indicates he is pretty fan friendly (giving away Adore proceeds to charity, releasing last SP album online along with countless unreleased songs and demos, etc). Although Pitchfork would like to make a sensationalist story out of this, it is really just non-news. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reni Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 it does seem rather lame that you have to go to Target and Best Buy exclusively for the discs......does that happen often? I am guessing this is where the ire of the pitchfork people lies - not necessarily the multiple discs with bonus tracks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 it does seem rather lame that you have to go to Target and Best Buy exclusively for the discs That's just not true, nor is it what the article says. The cd's will be sold everywhere, just with bonus tracks at those particular retail chains. I have no idea what the problem with that is. They are trying to get people to freaking buy cd's anyway they can these days. Pitchfork really blows! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Reni Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 yes - you have to go to those stores exclusively for the discs with the extra tracks. That's what I meant. ..... to make the special discs only available through two giant chain stores? I just think it is kind of lame. Just my opinion. Overall, I couldn't really give a toss.....Don't worry, I won't be buying any of them. That said, I really like Target! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eli Cash Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I saw this posted on another board and thought it offered a little perspective: keep in mind this is probably the label's doing. remember what they did with their last c.d.? Released it for free on the internet as a big f*ck you to Virginrecords. I also want to point out that in 1998 the Pumpkins donated every penny of their world tour to charity, and on their current tour they are charging only $20 per ticket at the residencies and are allowing open bootlegging. seems out of character that this is their decision. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anodyne Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 i wish they would go away - both pitchfork and the smashing pumpkins. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peterpiper Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Nature kids, they don't have no function. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radiokills Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 who cares about the fucking smashing pumpkins. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I own zero SP records and this one will be no exception... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I own zero SP records and this one will be no exception... LouieB slow clap.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 who cares about the fucking smashing pumpkins. +100 Just coz they're from Chitown that don't make them Wilco. Shitbags from the "right" side of the tracks, Ha. SP's, go smoke some pumpkin angel dust with your pal Courtney Lovecunt, we'll take the free music Since Music IS Free Expression, and then we'll buy it - cause we LOVE it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
street spirit Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 They are trying to get people to freaking buy cd's anyway they can these days. And they are failing miserably. This kind of thing makes people not want to buy CDs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Just got back from their first asheville show! Was pretty cool and there are a lot of people who still like the pumpkins. Their fanbase is rabbid...must sleep now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jdmel Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 i download my share of albums... and i'll go out and buy it if its good or if i want to support the band... bonus discs and all that extra crap make me want to just download it and keep my $. that being said the pumpkins suck anyway i wasnt even gonna steal this album. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I said this in another thread...I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE BITCH ABOUT THIS WHEN THE BONUS TRACKS AND, EVEN MORE SO, THE ENTIRE ALBUM WILL LEAK ANYHOW. This isn't a new practice, they've been doing 'special' versions of albums for deifferent reatilers for several years now. Oh, the humanity. Pffft. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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