BOC: 3-pack out?

[BREVARD Adrian R.]

Some other thoughts on 3 pak

>I say again, if the CDs are not re-mastered, what is the point of this
>release?  All three of the CDs are currently available.  Adrian's point
>about getting 3 CDs for a good price doesn't make much sense to me because
>alot of record stores already sell their BOC CDs at fairly low prices (I
>picked up most of the studio CDs for under $10 a piece, some probably as
>low as $5 - and yes, these were "new").

Hope I do not offend any financial professionals out there but as a
beancounter once told me "the numbers is the numbers."  At Best Buy you can
get each of BOC's first three releases for $7.88 each, total of $23.64.
 These are the original cd's and not remastered.  Now pretend that your
entire BOC collection is on vinyl or tape.  Sony releases 3 pak which is not
remastered, for a bundled price $17.99.  Do you buy them individually or do
you buy Sony's 3 pak?  I am not suggesting to any one on this list to buy
3pak, it makes very little sense to someone who has even one of these on cd
(I have Secret Treaties only so unless 3 pak cost ten bucks I would not make
this purchase simply for the other two).  3 pak is much like WOTT it is not
for us but for rediscovering, reemerging and new fans of the band.

>Who is going to buy the 3 pack if it is just the 3 CDs currently available
>put together?  Certainly not the people who already own them individually
>(or is there some little "teaser" that will prompt a collector such as
>myself to scarf up this package?).  Casual fans?  I would think either
>a live album or a compilation like WOTT would be something that they
>would pick up first.  Potential new fans?  Again, I think that they'd
>go for a live album or compilation before grabbing this 3-pack.

Yeah but if you look closely at what Sony's done here they have obviously
done some homework on this.  3 pak was listed on CDNow before WOTT was in
stores and then the release date was moved up a week.  That should tell you
that Sony believes there is a sufficient market for these three cd's bundled
together.  As to who might buy it, see above.

>I really can't see this move as being beneficial for Sony, BOC, or BOC
>fans (again, I'm assuming that there's no re-mastering - and they're
>just slapping the first 3 albums on CD into one package).  Sony would've
>done better to have spent whatever expenses were involved in producing
>this packgage into making WOTT a better package (3 CDs to include the
>numerous tracks that should've been on it, better artwork and liner
>notes, and maybe more money spent on marketing the final product).

Its very beneficial to Sony if 3 pak sells to their expectations and
projections.  I can only assume the band is rreceiving some royalties from
this.  If BOC is receiving royalties they may make a few bucks more on sales
of 3pak thaan they did when these were originaly released.  All the upfront
cost in producing these cd's was accounted for or written off many years
ago.  The Oyster boys should be receiving some small royalty without
expenses being deducted from the checks.  So if it sells it may benefit the
pcokets but will not do much for the images of either. As to what better
ways to spend the money well nothing wrong with what you suggest, in fact an
excellent idea but it didn't happen that way.  Isn't it safe to say that BOC
fans on this list want the SWU/SFG stuff and a new release.  If any of us
had a representative voice at Sony perhaps we can get this stuff.  I'm not a
gambling man but I will wager you this:  WOTT appears to have met or
exceeded Sony's sales expectations; 3 pak is being released so close to WOTT
that you can assume Sony' beleives there's a market there.  If 3 pak meets
Sony's expecations then what we may get next (this is the good news) is the
rare/demo stuff.  Why?  Its a lot cheaper for Sony to put this stuff out and
make a decent return than to pay the expenses associated with recording
distributing and marketing a new album.  Hey again I'm not suggesting we buy
3 pak , make Sony happy and pray they will favor us with the rare stuff,
nope quite the opposite, let those who want to catch up on there cd
collection fill Sony's pockets, me I'm still searching for Gary Hoey's
Christmas cd and his first cd which has just been re-releeased by Surf Dog.

Hope this clears up the confusion.

AB