Handwritten: misc. Deluxe Editions

With all due respect, I'd argue the marketing folks are doing a very good job. Dozens of interviews in major magazines, TV and Radio appearances around the world (including David Letterman here in the US), a single that's on the charts....

Just because they aren't catering to the superfans, and having merch issues, doesn't mean they're messing up...

(edited to add): The leak issues are another story. Those have to stop. But that isn't the marketing department necessarily...

Well regardless of who's responsibility it is or who's the reason it's being held up it's freakin annoying.

As for the people behind it doing there job. They're doing a great job. Think about it. The only people who care about the bundles are the major fans right? Well they're releasing them randomly, and with different deals and on different sites so we're like "oooo bundle, i want that" we go buy it then a few weeks later we find out about another one and are like "oooo that's cooler, I want that!" and either buy both (like one with vinyl one with the cd), or cancel one and go for the other which may cost more. Etc. And we gotta have the vinyl and the cd and then itunes which you can get right away when it comes out and it has another song.

It's like how much money can we get out of the dedicated fans?

No-one is forcing anyone to buy it, which means, yes, the people are doing their job perfectly, they know how to work people that want the editions past the standard version, and are making as much money off something they don't normally do anyway.

Well to me it still looks a bit confusing. That's all I'm saying ...

enola wrote:

Well to me it still looks a bit confusing. That's all I'm saying ...

That's a useful tactic. Confuse the shit out of people, make them panic that they'll miss something cool, and they'll make purchases without thinking about things like cost and value for your money.

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

That's a useful tactic. Confuse the shit out of people, make them panic that they'll miss something cool, and they'll make purchases without thinking about things like cost and value for your money.

These people don't deserve to be in charge of money if that's how they think.

Klown wrote:

These people don't deserve to be in charge of money if that's how they think.

Must....resist...high...five...

Klown wrote:

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

That's a useful tactic. Confuse the shit out of people, make them panic that they'll miss something cool, and they'll make purchases without thinking about things like cost and value for your money.

These people don't deserve to be in charge of money if that's how they think.

this.

I highly doubt someone at Mercury is intentionally delaying things so that a few hundred hardcore fans buy every single bundle. Things go up when they're ready, it's that simple. Sample products/posters are made, approved, then things are available. Jeff (El Jefe) posted a photo of the cover from the super deluxe book last week. I'm sure they need time to look it over, sign off on production, and then get whatever else organzed. It's not a big conspiracy to "trick" fans.

ral wrote:

Klown wrote:

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

That's a useful tactic. Confuse the shit out of people, make them panic that they'll miss something cool, and they'll make purchases without thinking about things like cost and value for your money.

These people don't deserve to be in charge of money if that's how they think.

this.

I highly doubt someone at Mercury is intentionally delaying things so that a few hundred hardcore fans buy every single bundle. Things go up when they're ready, it's that simple. Sample products/posters are made, approved, then things are available. Jeff (El Jefe) posted a photo of the cover from the super deluxe book last week. I'm sure they need time to look it over, sign off on production, and then get whatever else organzed. It's not a big conspiracy to "trick" fans.

I'm not saying it's "definitely a conspiracy" I'm just saying they have no reason to rush or make things convenient because it doesn't benefit them. They could decide "okay, all the bundles have to be ready by July 1st and that's when they go up". I don't think this is some thought out evil plan. I'm just saying there are benefits to doing it the way they're doing it.

ral wrote:

Klown wrote:

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

That's a useful tactic. Confuse the shit out of people, make them panic that they'll miss something cool, and they'll make purchases without thinking about things like cost and value for your money.

These people don't deserve to be in charge of money if that's how they think.

this.

I highly doubt someone at Mercury is intentionally delaying things so that a few hundred hardcore fans buy every single bundle. Things go up when they're ready, it's that simple. Sample products/posters are made, approved, then things are available. Jeff (El Jefe) posted a photo of the cover from the super deluxe book last week. I'm sure they need time to look it over, sign off on production, and then get whatever else organzed. It's not a big conspiracy to "trick" fans.

I agree with this. I don't think Mercury is trying to make us go crazy (even though some of us are going crazy *cough cough*), but it does seem disorganized with the way information has slowly been filtering out over the last couple of months and we still don't know all the details.

I wasn't planning on getting this super deluxe bundle (or whatever they're calling it) since I already ordered the El Jefe vinyl bundle as well as the deluxe CD, but now I want this too! I guess I'll just wait until it becomes available and decide then. If I end up with an extra CD, I'll give it to my sister. Jeez, all of the overtime I'm making this summer is going to go to Gaslight stuff!

Sorry, I didn't mean my comments to read like there's evil execs in Mercury plotting our financial downfall. I just meant, that the main priority will, as with every release, be the standard edition first and foremost, and that everything else can wait. Which is what we are seeing. It's how the supermarkets/large chains have dictated to them, and it's how they have bowed down to them.

Klown wrote:

Sorry, I didn't mean my comments to read like there's evil execs in Mercury plotting our financial downfall. I just meant, that the main priority will, as with every release, be the standard edition first and foremost, and that everything else can wait. Which is what we are seeing. It's how the supermarkets/large chains have dictated to them, and it's how they have bowed down to them.

That's a really good point. Since most stores will just carry the standard CD and nothing else, I guess we're actually really lucky to have our choice of several different bundles and deluxe editions. They could just not do them at all. And we don't have to buy them, but I know a lot of us just can't resist, me included!

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

Klown wrote:

Sorry, I didn't mean my comments to read like there's evil execs in Mercury plotting our financial downfall. I just meant, that the main priority will, as with every release, be the standard edition first and foremost, and that everything else can wait. Which is what we are seeing. It's how the supermarkets/large chains have dictated to them, and it's how they have bowed down to them.

That's a really good point. Since most stores will just carry the standard CD and nothing else, I guess we're actually really lucky to have our choice of several different bundles and deluxe editions. They could just not do them at all. And we don't have to buy them, but I know a lot of us just can't resist, me included!

Yeah, found out from a local independent store years ago, that major chains hate carrying deluxe editions of albums, as the people that shop there, aren't music fans, and are happy with just the normal release. At the end of each month, the main returns would have been deluxe editions, as naturally they are that bit more expensive and don't entice the normal shopper. Major chains in the UK obviously over-taking the market, wrote it into the contracts, that deluxe editions had to be sold at the same price, or they wouldn't bulk order in the same way. Records companies paniced and thus there was less importance put on the deluxe CD. Which is what I guess, a lot of people are seeing here. The deluxe has been up for a while now, and that alone shows some care from Mercury. As I said, the super deluxe could be put on sale one minute before release date, and those 300 copies wouldn't hang about. They know the people that will throw their money at whatever goes up, will pick it up, and be grateful, even though they say they are so angry at this and that. If they were so angry, they wouldn't buy it. That simple

But alas, I'm starting to bore I'm sure, and am repeating myself, so I shall leave my contribution here

IrishNameAndAnInjury wrote:

Klown wrote:

Sorry, I didn't mean my comments to read like there's evil execs in Mercury plotting our financial downfall. I just meant, that the main priority will, as with every release, be the standard edition first and foremost, and that everything else can wait. Which is what we are seeing. It's how the supermarkets/large chains have dictated to them, and it's how they have bowed down to them.

That's a really good point. Since most stores will just carry the standard CD and nothing else, I guess we're actually really lucky to have our choice of several different bundles and deluxe editions. They could just not do them at all. And we don't have to buy them, but I know a lot of us just can't resist, me included!

I agree with this. I mean if you think about it this is a "brand new" band to much of the public, I know that's the case here in the U.S. Most new bands aren't going to get these kinds of bundle packages from a label until they "earn" them with album sales/ticket sales. So although I'm not crazy about how scattered the info is, the fact that they're getting a box set and separate editions for their first major label debut ( ) shows the label knows there is already an established hardcore fan base.

Quote :

The initial run of Pre-Order posters is running low/sold out. This is the second round version of the poster. Get the original while you can!

The other thing I'm going to say about this bundle release is that Mercury is a HUGE record label. I used to work for a huge shoe manufacturer and when things were getting approved it had to go al through the US (3 separate locations, 3 separate marketing groups,3 separate lawyers) and then had to go to Europe to get approved as well.


Just be patient, we all want this stuff to be up, but the excitement for these bundles, records, shirts, songs, shows is what makes this whole thing awesome to me. If we get what we want from everyone when we want it, it cheapens the experience and takes away what puts our hearts into the band, the music, the fans.... just my opinion and we all know what opinions are like......

Super Deluxe Edition listed- http://www.thegaslightanthem.com/handwrittenstore/

59.98

US/Canada only

Klown wrote:

US/Canada only

crap how do we get around it ?

I just bought one of the 300 LTD but wow, almost $68 after shipping. I can't believe I just spent that kind of $$ on this item.

Thanks for the heads up.

I want to pick this up but I do have a bit of sticker shock right now. Last year The Ten Club put out Eddie Vedder's Ukelele Songs in a similar format to this but the book was over 100 pages long and from the looks of it larger in size. The 10 Club charged 35.00 for that item. I was sort of expecting this to be in the 30-40 range but with shipping and tax my order would be 73.46.

That is one of those things I wanted but figured I don't need. It woulda been cool but I Dont want to spend 70 dollars on it. I am happy with the poster and shirt.

so far I spent $68 on this, $58 on the shirt/poster set, $12 on the iTunes pre-order…holy crap, up to $138. Oh yeah and $25 on the fan club.

I was definitely hoping it'd be cheaper. The deluxe cd is available for ~$15 from Amazon, making the photo book a ~$50 add-on. Probably out of my price range.

Yeah, you need a US or Canadian based card as well