'10 cds of new Costello recordings hidden in stores' -found!

Pretty self-explanatory
johnfoyle
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'10 cds of new Costello recordings hidden in stores' -found!

Post by johnfoyle »

Holy shit !

From a Costello interview in a Nashville 'paper today, Sept. 6 '07


http://www.rctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 5/MTCN0303


"I recorded some new melodies for some of my older songs, and for a gag I recorded them on just a cassette player. And I didn't have a microphone so I plugged in headphones into the tape recorder, because you switch them backwards, they work as a microphone. I didn't want to be like a Luddite, so I put them on a CDR, and I put 10 of the CDRs in 10 copies of the best of record that we released in April, and hid 'em in the shops in America, just to see whether anybody bought records anymore. And as nobody's found 'em yet and it's now September, I guess nobody buys records anymore. But somewhere somebody's gonna get a little surprise one of these days . . . They're gonna be in Wal-Mart or somewhere, and they're gonna buy one of these records and they're gonna discover a little free gift from me. . . . There's not enough fun with the business of music. It's all very serious. The record thing for as long as it's gonna last, it needs a little mischief put back into it."
Last edited by johnfoyle on Mon Jul 11, 2011 4:49 pm, edited 3 times in total.
bronxapostle
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Post by bronxapostle »

i'll second that HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!! does he mean right there inside the cd of rock and roll music OR the best of?
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Post by pophead2k »

My God, its like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Who has the Golden Ticket????
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wardo68
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Re: 10 cds of new Costello recordings hidden in U.S. stores!

Post by wardo68 »

"I recorded some new melodies for some of my older songs, and for a gag I recorded them on just a cassette player... I put them on a CDR, and I put 10 of the CDRs in 10 copies of the best of record that we released in April, and hid 'em in the shops in America, just to see whether anybody bought records anymore.
Now he tells us.
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migdd
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Post by migdd »

If this is true and they were all sent to Wal-Mart, the CDR's may never be found. I wonder what percentage of the sales of the "best of" discs are being sold at Wal-Mart and then again how many of the Wal-Mart sales would be to fans who would even know what the CD-R was once they opened the package and listened to it.
Dr. Luther
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Post by Dr. Luther »

He says record in that quote.

Was there a vinyl release of the "Best of"?
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bambooneedle
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Post by bambooneedle »

sneaky...
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verbal gymnastics
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Post by verbal gymnastics »

How would Elvis have physically done this though? If it were a record or a CD surely it would be sealed so how would he insert it?

He wouldn't have been able to open these up and put the CDRs in them. Nor would he have gone into the store and placed his own copy into the racks.

Any ideas? :?
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
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wardo68
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Post by wardo68 »

verbal gymnastics wrote:How would Elvis have physically done this though?
I'm hoping he's full of crap. If his rabid fan base (translated: all of us on this board) had bought the 10 Years set and discovered the hidden CD-Rs, it would have given him another excuse to air his contempt for us diehards. I've spent most of the 21st century suggesting he should try the direct download route, particularly for stuff like this, but I guess it's more fun to complain about the state of the industry than to try something revolutionary.
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mood swung
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Post by mood swung »

How would Elvis have physically done this though?

He's magic. Like Santa Claus.

Duh.



( :lol: love you like a brother, VG)
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Post by Dr. Luther »

(edit: double post...)
Last edited by Dr. Luther on Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:00 am, edited 2 times in total.
Dr. Luther
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Post by Dr. Luther »

verbal gymnastics wrote:How would Elvis have physically done this though? If it were a record or a CD surely it would be sealed so how would he insert it?
He wouldn't have been able to open these up and put the CDRs in them. Nor would he have gone into the store and placed his own copy into the racks.
Any ideas? :?
I'd imagine that the implication was that it was his decision to do it, and it was done during packaging by the manufacturer.
Either that, or he's fucking with us...
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migdd
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Post by migdd »

Dr. Luther wrote:
verbal gymnastics wrote:How would Elvis have physically done this though? If it were a record or a CD surely it would be sealed so how would he insert it?
He wouldn't have been able to open these up and put the CDRs in them. Nor would he have gone into the store and placed his own copy into the racks.
Any ideas? :?
I'd imagine that the implication was that it was his decision to do it, and it was done during packaging by the manufacturer.
Either that, or he's fucking with us...
I wouldn't rule out either possibility.
snapyou
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Post by snapyou »

I think wee Elvis is having a laugh,the little Merry prankster!
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bambooneedle
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Post by bambooneedle »

Elvis wrote:And as nobody's found 'em yet and it's now September, I guess nobody buys records anymore.
How does he know... seems to be bignoting himself that it would have caused major waves. And you're nobody if you found one and didn't make sure the world knew about them.
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thepopeofpop
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Post by thepopeofpop »

Oh he just said it to see what kind of reaction he'd get on forums like this :roll:

He's "having a lend" of his fan-base, I think :shock:
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so lacklustre
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Post by so lacklustre »

He said it to try and boost sales. He's a moneymaniac.
signed with love and vicious kisses
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Post by MOJO »

Oh cool... i'm going to Amoeba in SF and buying all the best of copies.. Saw the dude last night in Phila. good show!!! His voice was a bit off.. Steve was awesome. My niece is officially a fan now. I told her to go out and buy all his records and to spread the word. Good to see XPN's involvement with the Mann Music Center. Hopefully, next year's schedule will be fully loaded.
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Post by johnfoyle »

From listserv-

Actually, that reminds me...he did make reference to this at the Buffalo show. He just coying referenced the CDs, and said, "..but, of course, I may or may not be lying..." Silly boy.

--Carol
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verbal gymnastics
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Post by verbal gymnastics »

mood swung wrote:
How would Elvis have physically done this though?

He's magic. Like Santa Claus.

Duh.
Well I guess he knows if I've been naughty or nice :lol:
mood swung wrote:( :lol: love you like a brother, VG)
Like Cain loved Abel? :?
johnfoyle wrote:From listserv-

Actually, that reminds me...he did make reference to this at the Buffalo show. He just coying referenced the CDs, and said, "..but, of course, I may or may not be lying..." Silly boy.

--Carol
When I said that I was lying I might have been lying. Or maybe not.
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
MOJO
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Post by MOJO »

oh wait, it's not true? Man, what is up!? I agree with wardo68, he needs to get down with the digital revolution. Maybe not downloads, but streaming on demand, eventually, the market will go this direction anyway.. Who needs to waste their time downloading a song and porting it over to a device. Songs can be delivered to ANY device - car, gadget, earlobe - with NO WIRES. If you do the streaming on demand route, you can lock people into a subscription model and then the tracks have a unique URL, hidden behind a username/pw. Of course, changing the current Internet model - from pay for bandwidth to bandwidth is free, pay for content would help...

Come on, who on this board wouldn't buy into a bit of E.C. on demand?!! Let's say $29.95 a month - for live recordings, exclusive tracks, inside info., ticket deals, interviews, other merchandise - magnets, bowling balls (just kidding) - and access to boards like this one... part of the content can be generated by the fan base, too. Once you lock people into the monthly rate, you can then expand the artist (sub)network and include deals from other artists - such as Diana Krall, AT, Tom Waits, T-Bone, Dylan, Rilo Kiley, Tito Puente.. whomever/whatever! 500 subs @ 29.95 = $180K (round up!)... Man, that's not so bad, really... if you consider you're just pushing a few buttons a month to have this service up and running... This would be a DIY effort with no help from record labels - Sweet cashish flowing directly into the hands of the artists... sort of like a collective... The artists need to start taking control of their "channel." Anyone know if there is a service like this? hmm.. i think Todd Rundgren had some service - PatroNet - http://www.patronet.com/ - yeah, here it is, don't know where it's going... I am sure there are other services.. I'm not dialed into the digital music scene right now.. Fired up now.. sorry for the rambling here... gotta go.
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verbal gymnastics
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Post by verbal gymnastics »

MOJO wrote:Come on, who on this board wouldn't buy into a bit of E.C. on demand?!! Let's say $29.95 a month - for live recordings, exclusive tracks, inside info., ticket deals, interviews, other merchandise - magnets, bowling balls (just kidding) - and access to boards like this one... part of the content can be generated by the fan base, too.
Isn't this what fan clubs are supposed to do in part? I daresay there are people on the board who would wish to do as you propose but is Elvis a big enough artist to have what you have in mind sustainable?

Live recordings? People do them for free for each other on this board anyway (and bless everybody for that!).

Exclusive tracks - these would still be copied by friends for friends.

Inside info? Well we know what Elvis thinks in parts about his fans (particularly in the UK).

Ticket deals? Most of the venues Elvis plays in the UK either don't sell out and I've never had difficulty in obtaining a good ticket whether I'm standing or seated.

Merchandise? Fan club's job.

We've seen the efforts by the record companies who have put Elvis on their websites and frankly it's a joke. And who can forget the Elvis Street Team which was around a while ago? Help us hype Elvis - because we're too lazy and don't have the money to do it ourselves.

I don't think there would be enough interest to do this however well intentioned.

Now, where do I sign? :lol:
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
MOJO
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Post by MOJO »

Yeah, maybe there wouldn't be enough interest.

Some of things you mention - sharing exclusive tracks & live recordings - can be locked or limited use through technology - watermark, expiration times, coding of the files...

I just threw this out here, just thoughts... What is the music industry doing to restructure its business to support new business models... sure, they are doing what is safe, but thinking out of the box to create a long, sustaining business models that will support its artists - I don't see it. They continue to be the broker and distribute through third parties.. That's safe. What about creating a open framework that allows artists to manage, publish, and have total ownership over their channel (not in 50plus years.. more like two-three, based on the success on the artist..) Whatever.. I know nothing.. rambling again.. gotta go..

PS - What about 3D, life size, holographic video of the E.C.. and the Attractions jamming in your own home... now that is a party! I would pay for that. (Rock on)
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verbal gymnastics
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Post by verbal gymnastics »

MOJO wrote:PS - What about 3D, life size, holographic video of the E.C.. and the Attractions jamming in your own home... now that is a party! I would pay for that. (Rock on)
Now you're talking :lol:

Imagine being able to reproduce the Spectacular Spinning Songbook in your own home :lol:
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sweetest punch
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Post by sweetest punch »

Filter magazine believes this story!
http://www.filter-mag.com/index.php?id=15402&c=1

Secret Elvis Costello Recordings Packaged With New CD

Like Willy Wonka’s and his golden tickets, Elvis Costello has hidden ten CDRs of his home recordings inside copies of his latest compilation The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years for fans to find. Talking to the Tennessean.com, Costello revealed:

"I recorded some new melodies for some of my older songs, and for a gag I recorded them on just a cassette player. And I didn't have a microphone so I plugged in headphones into the tape recorder, because you switch them backwards, they work as a microphone. I didn't want to be like a Luddite, so I put them on a CDR, and I put 10 of the CDRs in 10 copies of the best of record that we released in April, and hid 'em in the shops in America, just to see whether anybody bought records anymore. And as nobody's found 'em yet and it's now September, I guess nobody buys records anymore. But somewhere somebody's gonna get a little surprise one of these days... They're gonna be in Wal-Mart or somewhere, and they're gonna buy one of these records and they're gonna discover a little free gift from me... There's not enough fun with the business of music. It's all very serious. The record thing for as long as it's gonna last, it needs a little mischief put back into it."

This has been confirmed by a source close to Costello, so if you are one of the lucky fans who finds one of these CDs, contact Filter with proof of your CDR and we’ll hook you up with a special prize.
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