represses good or bad?

From a (mostly) bedroom DJ perspective, it was all about having the tune to play, ie I didn't even care that much if it was a bootleg I bought as long as I had the tune on vinyl and to that end i've paid up to £40 for bootlegs in 91/92, when that money was serious dosh for a tune. From a collectors point of view though and more especially with my electro, it's mostly about having the originals, for the tunes I care most about at least.

I guess there's no right answer other than I know what I need to have an original of, and if I don't care enough about the tune to collect it, then any medium would do me.

I'm not at all a music snob..but deffo think that a lot of repressed or re licenced releases are nowhere near the quality of the og cut, can be worse if it's been cut onto a 33 speed, prob cos it's not as loud, or some have been mastered from an audio cassette not DAT..the first pressing of Dark Side Of The Moon by Floyd is highly prized because of the superb sound quality achieved when cutting, note - the disc itself is really thick and stiff, mirror smooth on the runout, so there is also a quality control issue with the vinyl used to begin with. I have had a quite few records pressed up, the first lot they try to mug me off with were rippled, dimpled and the cut was oval and had a pitch rise/fall as the disc rotated...lol..obv I was havin none of it, and sorted another lot out...but just saying, bit like car tyres i reckon.

The devils work, burn the lot of them at the stake. Very rarely good ones however there are a few good unofficial or previously unpressed work pressings but bootlegs suck.

S

How many people on the forum still use just vinyl I wonder?

The only time I see the wheels of steel these days is on specialist old Skool nights

I am still contemplating getting a tractor 2 but just have viynl at the mo

Any way I digress I have some dirty bootlegs from the early 90s as it's the only way I could own those choons at the time at a reasonable price

I have vinyl and digital however I ONLY have wav's and mp3s of my own records and nothing downloaded. I love using my records as you get real feedback and enjoyment from the records themselves in addition to the music. My CDJ's very rarely get used and I have an A&H DX which is more a tool for messing around on as digital is cold and soulless. Sort of like going out and playing Sunday League football vs x box, sort of the same but nothing like each other.

The knock on effect of using vinyl is you end up with a nice collection and I really love my records. As I'm typing this I'm thinking of putting an offer in for a record which will take pride of place. I have some near if not unique pressing and spend far too much time concentrating on records!!

S

The majority of 'represses' are unofficial, so they are bootlegs unless it is on the same label and not a snide copy done by HTFR!

Some bootlegs though to be fair are actually really good quality pressings, sometimes better sounding than the originals!

http://www.discogs.com/release/2320584 (2010) is a LOT cheaper than trying to track down both original releases:

http://www.discogs.com/Escape-From-New-York-Save-Our-Love-Slow-Beat/release/85040 (1983)
http://www.discogs.com/Escape-From-New-York-Fire-In-My-Heart/release/67800 (1984)

The original press of this, sound quality is really low and not great > http://www.discogs.com/Robin-Wants-Revenge-Robin-Wants-Revenge/release/421306

Yet the bootleg on RR sounds great and is often the DJs choice > http://www.discogs.com/Various-RR-1/release/234118

I think it all depends what you want out of it all, are you a collector or a DJ or are you both? It's great to have a 1st issue copy of something and if you are prepared to wait and pay the cost of it then that's fine, but if you just want a copy of it to play out that's fine too.

A repress will never devalue the original issue though, so to collectors it won't be a problem. It'll only affect the pricing on the original issues for sellers which is a great thing for us buyers

blue jammer said:

The majority of 'represses' are unofficial, so they are bootlegs unless it is on the same label and not a snide copy done by HTFR!

Some bootlegs though to be fair are actually really good quality pressings, sometimes better sounding than the originals!

http://www.discogs.com/release/2320584 (2010) is a LOT cheaper than trying to track down both original releases:

http://www.discogs.com/Escape-From-New-York-Save-Our-Love-Slow-Beat/release/85040 (1983)
http://www.discogs.com/Escape-From-New-York-Fire-In-My-Heart/release/67800 (1984)

The original press of this, sound quality is really low and not great > http://www.discogs.com/Robin-Wants-Revenge-Robin-Wants-Revenge/release/421306

Yet the bootleg on RR sounds great and is often the DJs choice > http://www.discogs.com/Various-RR-1/release/234118

I think it all depends what you want out of it all, are you a collector or a DJ or are you both? It's great to have a 1st issue copy of something and if you are prepared to wait and pay the cost of it then that's fine, but if you just want a copy of it to play out that's fine too.

A repress will never devalue the original issue though, so to collectors it won't be a problem. It'll only affect the pricing on the original issues for sellers which is a great thing for us buyers

Click to expand...

According to those links you posted Scott, the original version of Robin Wants Revenge came after the bootleg.

Speaking of the bootleg version though (the one I have) does anyone know where Scratch This comes from? I know Sasha used it on his very first remix with Evolution - Came Out Of Nowhere, but no idea what the original source was.

blue jammer said:

The original press of this, sound quality is really low and not great > http://www.discogs.com/Robin-Wants-Revenge-Robin-Wants-Revenge/release/421306

Yet the bootleg on RR sounds great and is often the DJs choice > http://www.discogs.com/Various-RR-1/release/234118

Click to expand...

Agreed - was very disappointed when I bagged a copy off Ebay years ago - bought it cheap, sold it at cost (to Turpie I think it was). The RR copy however is ace.

As for me... I certainly used to be dead against represses, bootlegs & especially MP3s mainly due to the time & money I'd invested in sourcing the originals.

The performance of Serato & perhaps a mellowing with age / different perspective in life has changed that a bit... & also I've topped out of space so I've been really aggressive with what I'm keeping vs what I'm happy to have on digital... although re digital it still irks that people have access to instant 'mega collections' without any passion or personal investment (fiscal or time).

I've sold 2 really rare (30 / 25 copies exist of each respectively) in the last week & whilst it is ace to own something that rare I do wonder sometimes if my collection is wasted & dormant other than the personal pleasure it brings me, ie who am I going to pass it down to...

I think it's the responsibility of people with collections to enthuse the next generation otherwise it's just a big heavy landfill. I don't have kids myself & I do wonder sometimes how I'm going to make sure my tunes are loved & played in 50 years time. Maybe I'm just suffering a mid life crisis & suddenly aware of my own mortality

The snob in me still looks down on S12s & even Rumour / Champion though :$

PS This is a great label for represses whee you get every single mix / cover in a double 12" pack

http://www.discogs.com/label/Club+Standards

Shooms said:

PS This is a great label for represses whee you get every single mix / cover in a double 12" pack

http://www.discogs.com/label/Club+Standards

Click to expand...

I always assumed that was a HTFR label as the vinyl of Strings Of Life was always a lot more expensive on discogs and ebay than HTFR, who always had it in stock.

no problem with genuine reissues. Or if they are at least from original DAT. The S12 label (HMV?) is brilliant i think, not the coolest looking bits of wax but still deffo the DJ choice even tho the collectors probably stear clear. the pressings are as good as, or in some cases even better than the originals

Jiglo said:

Speaking of the bootleg version though (the one I have) does anyone know where Scratch This comes from? I know Sasha used it on his very first remix with Evolution - Came Out Of Nowhere, but no idea what the original source was.

Click to expand...

It's on this Jim (samplepella)

http://www.discogs.com/Nasih-MDEmm-Get-Hip-To-This-Frankie-Bones-Manic-Mix/release/47551

Main mix on youtube here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTZKP3Q3sfc

siman91 said:

I have vinyl and digital however I ONLY have wav's and mp3s of my own records and nothing downloaded. I love using my records as you get real feedback and enjoyment from the records themselves in addition to the music. My CDJ's very rarely get used and I have an A&H DX which is more a tool for messing around on as digital is cold and soulless. Sort of like going out and playing Sunday League football vs x box, sort of the same but nothing like each other.

The knock on effect of using vinyl is you end up with a nice collection and I really love my records. As I'm typing this I'm thinking of putting an offer in for a record which will take pride of place. I have some near if not unique pressing and spend far too much time concentrating on records!!

S

Click to expand...

Do you still buy music ? And can you stil get what you want on vinyl?

I much prefer vinyl to mp3 but have got a fair few mp3 too but had to sell my cd decks as I needed the cash last year

wayne said:

Do you still buy music ? And can you stil get what you want on vinyl?

I much prefer vinyl to mp3 but have got a fair few mp3 too but had to sell my cd decks as I needed the cash last year

Click to expand...

Hi Wayne, yes, most of my music is record only and I would be amazed if they are available on mp3's. I only bought my first cd player in 1998 and only have approx 100 cd's which are generally progressive stuff ie mint copy of renaissance, global undergrounds, northern exposure etc.

I buy my music for me, currently have an offer in for 5 hardcore records and 1 1986 record from an A list DJ who's selling although still trying to justify to myself the price.

S

Shooms said:

It's on this Jim (samplepella)

http://www.discogs.com/Nasih-MDEmm-Get-Hip-To-This-Frankie-Bones-Manic-Mix/release/47551

Main mix on youtube here

m d emm featuring nasih - get hip to this 1989 - YouTube

Click to expand...

Hahaha I have that on vinyl too, but mustn't have played it all or forgotten about it :$

Nice one mate

Represses are good just for having multi tracks for playing scratchin and the like, i wouldnt wanna wreck an original Vinyl or have it knicked also the original covers are better too.. they are just too valuable to mmmmmmeeeeeeeee

Im all for represses


Music is to be played, if you are after an investment opportunity there are many more sensible things to invest in.

I do like to have the original where poss, and often buy the same release on different labels etc but thats only cos Im a bit of sad git.

Although I can play on CDs or mp3s I rarely use em and most times dont even turn the things on, just prefer wax...(serato might be a good solution for me?)

All about the music imo