So about that vinyl….

I am sure that most of you have already heard about the limited edition vinyl that Duran Duran is humbly offering their fans – it’s numbered, signed by the band and has a special 30 page booklet that comes with it.  Word is that the packaging is pretty special as well.  As I read the press release, I’ll admit it – I was salivating with hunger for it.  I LOVE vinyl.  I collect it.  We choose to play vinyl at home as opposed to ever using our CD player.  I suppose it’s an addiction at this point. (as I glance towards the door to our garage, which contains shelves filled with, at last count, about 3000 records, including three large trunks filled with “the good stuff”)  My husband and I adore going to garage sales, going through boxes of dusty records, finding the treasures within.  A lot of times, we come up with a handful of Barry Manilow records and not much else.  Other times, we find Elvis, or even a Beatles album that was dismissed and forgotten years prior.  Still other times, I get lucky and find a Depeche Mode album or even a Duran Duran album – and the world is right again.  So, vinyl is our thing, and yes, I felt my pulse ignite as I read the news about the limited edition.  As I read each included detail, the proverbial cash register I have in my brain clicked upwards.  I knew the final count would be pricey, but I eagerly clicked on the link contained in the press release on duranduran.com to go to the website where I could order the album.  It was all fine and good until I got to the price – 250 GBP.  *gasp*  I had to re-read the GBP, because at first I was thinking, “Well, $250 is pretty pricey, but you know – I might be able to swing this past the family Controller.”  Ha.  That’s GBP there, Rhonda.  Try multiplying 250 by 1.6, and then you’ll have the USD amount.  *double gasp*


I couldn’t justify the purchase.  While having the limited edition sounds divine, paying upwards of $400 for an album does not, even if it’s signed.  I already have a few signed items by the band, and I can’t comment for anyone else – but for me – the signatures don’t mean nearly as much unless I was there in person to witness them being signed.  I don’t know if that makes any sense to anyone else, but it’s just not the same.  For example, my prized Duran Duran item is a signed copy of Astronaut – signed by all 5 original band members.  I was there to have it signed.  I remember having to talk myself through a short conversation with both Andy and Roger Taylor as it was getting signed, and I remember Roger smiling at me as he handed it to me.  Oh yes.  Yes I do.  That album is worth about a million dollars to me as a result.  A limited edition of All You Need is Now would be a worthy addition to my collection, no doubt at all – it’s probably my second favorite DD album of all time – but at $400, I just can’t justify it to myself.  

That said, I don’t blame the band one bit for offering it.  Everyone who has taken joy in mentioning how lousy this album is selling so far, saying that the band “ought to pack it in”, or predicting that RCM will actually end up having sold more…here’s the chance for the band to actually sell some records , and interestingly enough – it IS selling.  As of yesterday, the limited edition had actually been 2/3 of the way sold out (only 500 copies are available), and at $400 a pop, I’d say that’s pretty good.   There are definitely some Duranies amongst us that are willing to pay the price to own it, and I can’t fault them for doing so. Granted, 500 albums does not make a best selling album, and I know that – but it certainly justifies pressing the albums as far as the band is concerned, and I can imagine that if they actually DO press a regular version of the vinyl, it will also sell out because there are many of us who really want it, especially now after having seen this limited edition dangled in front of us.

Personally, yeah the price sucks.  Business-wise, I can’t blame them a bit.  More power to ’em if they sell, because if they didn’t – it’d be harder for them to finance the next album, and I can’t have that.  I’m not ready to see them quit yet, because I’m not finished with them!  I’ve got more touring to do, more songs to sing with the band, and more good times ahead.  I hope they’re ready…..

-R