Limblifter / The Age of Electric - back catalog re-release! Dec 8th - iTunes exclusive.
Set for re-release exclusively on iTunes worldwide on Dec 8th 2009
Limblifter -'Limblifter' (1996) and 'Bellaclava' (2000)
The Age of Electric - 'Untitled' (1995) and 'Make a Pest a Pet' (1997)
It's never bothered me that the back catalog of my two old groups have been out of print for years... despite being constantly inundated by people, demanding we make them available... I think we kinda liked it that way!
Universal made us an offer to re-release them a few years ago as one of those 20th Century Masters collection. You know the ones, with the silver border, that old records are re-released into drugstores on, it didn't seem right to us, plus the deal they offered was laughable. The deal was, we would make zero, unless we sold hundreds of thousands of copies! For records we'd broken our backs to make ourselves? Keep in mind that these records have always been independent releases in Canada, we paid for them by playing shows 50 weeks a year, except for two of them, which were paid for by Mercury in the US, the rights to which reverted back to us before 2000. We own them and weren't interested in giving up that ownership to a major in Canada, since we have never had a major label record deal in Canada, just licensing deals, I don't think people have ever really understood that, I will shut up about it. We didn't have the major label machine behind us financially, that's why we'd struggled to make videos that were cool on low budget, maybe that's why Much still plays them? Well the genius of Derek Horn, the director doesn't hurt! We toured in a van not a bus, we ate dollar pizza on our way to the Junos. John Kerns used his gold record to walk home in the rain because he had no money for a cab. So when people ask us why we broke up... I say "because we were too stubborn!"
Recently, I woke up one morning and found myself hunting down all the masters and artwork for all my old back catalog.
I took me a week! Most of the artwork has been lost on Cyquest discs many years ago, so I asked a friend help me, by rescanning the artwork from old copies, one record I had to borrow from a friend for the artwork. The idea of re-mastering had been suggested, but after listening to them I realized that they sound better than records made today, not as loud, but more dynamic, more analog. Bob Ludwig had mastered them in his prime, he was and is probably the best, most musical mastering engineer ever. Going to those mastering sessions, back then, was the reason I started mastering years later, he was a magician, and all the amazing gear and tape machines really made and impression on me and I wanted to learn that process.
Kurt recently brought up the idea of releasing the Limblifter demos that lead to the first record which we'd recorded on the four track, that is arguable better than the record. I've dug up the original cassette masters that I'd buried in the back yard and will master it and release it in the new year, time permitting. Limblifter's I/O, the third record, is still available through iTunes at least in Canada and the US.
The First couple of AOE releases will also be coming down the pipeline as well in the new year, I will reconstruct those and master the first one that was only released on cassette so everyone can listen to 'Aphrodisiac Smile' 'til the cows come home! There is also at least four unreleased songs from 'Make a Pest a Pet' that will also be put out there, that are surprisingly good, they were left off the record because they seemed unfinished back then, but in retrospect were a bit rougher around the edges, more punk rock, angrier songs.... Well, there you have it, that's the real news in AOE-land. Now Chart can update with some facts.
If anyone has any questions? comment away!
RD.
Limblifter -'Limblifter' (1996) and 'Bellaclava' (2000)
The Age of Electric - 'Untitled' (1995) and 'Make a Pest a Pet' (1997)
It's never bothered me that the back catalog of my two old groups have been out of print for years... despite being constantly inundated by people, demanding we make them available... I think we kinda liked it that way!
Universal made us an offer to re-release them a few years ago as one of those 20th Century Masters collection. You know the ones, with the silver border, that old records are re-released into drugstores on, it didn't seem right to us, plus the deal they offered was laughable. The deal was, we would make zero, unless we sold hundreds of thousands of copies! For records we'd broken our backs to make ourselves? Keep in mind that these records have always been independent releases in Canada, we paid for them by playing shows 50 weeks a year, except for two of them, which were paid for by Mercury in the US, the rights to which reverted back to us before 2000. We own them and weren't interested in giving up that ownership to a major in Canada, since we have never had a major label record deal in Canada, just licensing deals, I don't think people have ever really understood that, I will shut up about it. We didn't have the major label machine behind us financially, that's why we'd struggled to make videos that were cool on low budget, maybe that's why Much still plays them? Well the genius of Derek Horn, the director doesn't hurt! We toured in a van not a bus, we ate dollar pizza on our way to the Junos. John Kerns used his gold record to walk home in the rain because he had no money for a cab. So when people ask us why we broke up... I say "because we were too stubborn!"
Recently, I woke up one morning and found myself hunting down all the masters and artwork for all my old back catalog.
I took me a week! Most of the artwork has been lost on Cyquest discs many years ago, so I asked a friend help me, by rescanning the artwork from old copies, one record I had to borrow from a friend for the artwork. The idea of re-mastering had been suggested, but after listening to them I realized that they sound better than records made today, not as loud, but more dynamic, more analog. Bob Ludwig had mastered them in his prime, he was and is probably the best, most musical mastering engineer ever. Going to those mastering sessions, back then, was the reason I started mastering years later, he was a magician, and all the amazing gear and tape machines really made and impression on me and I wanted to learn that process.
Kurt recently brought up the idea of releasing the Limblifter demos that lead to the first record which we'd recorded on the four track, that is arguable better than the record. I've dug up the original cassette masters that I'd buried in the back yard and will master it and release it in the new year, time permitting. Limblifter's I/O, the third record, is still available through iTunes at least in Canada and the US.
The First couple of AOE releases will also be coming down the pipeline as well in the new year, I will reconstruct those and master the first one that was only released on cassette so everyone can listen to 'Aphrodisiac Smile' 'til the cows come home! There is also at least four unreleased songs from 'Make a Pest a Pet' that will also be put out there, that are surprisingly good, they were left off the record because they seemed unfinished back then, but in retrospect were a bit rougher around the edges, more punk rock, angrier songs.... Well, there you have it, that's the real news in AOE-land. Now Chart can update with some facts.
If anyone has any questions? comment away!
RD.
Views: 72
Comment
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Comment by captain lew on July 12, 2010 at 5:00pm -
Like tivlavrie and Arlen Hall, I am also wondering about the progress on the re-releases of old material. Are songs like Cherokee and Love-a-rama being considered? There were a couple of other fantastic 'live' tracks I can't recall the names of right now that I would love to have copies of. Also heard a rumour of some tracks that didn't make the Ugly EP. Anything that comes out will be a welcome addition to the long-dormant AOE catalogue.
Can you tell I CAN'T WAIT!? Hope it goes well for you...
FYI - anyone Westerners interested in a folkfest this coming wknd. - Montmartre, SK is holding its first annual All Folk'd Up festival Fri-Sun., July 16-18.
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Comment by tivlavrie on July 2, 2010 at 6:07pm
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obviously you have other projects on the go, but is there any new news on the re-release of the early AOE material?
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Comment by Misty Saunby on November 24, 2009 at 12:48pm -
That's lovely news, Ryan, you've made my day!
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Comment by Justin Flowers on November 24, 2009 at 9:06am -
new aoe........best news since i heard your album was coming out!
cant wait.......you figure it will be itunes or some sorta cd? or a random email members will receive on dec 25th? hehe !
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Comment by Mr P on November 23, 2009 at 3:02pm -
That is Great. I do have Aphrodisiac Smile off a C95 Cityworks '90 and Dues Payin Blues off C95 Cityworks '91.
I would like to say is make hard copies of "The Latest Plague" AND tHE 5 TRACK "Electric" I'll buy them.
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Comment by captain lew on November 21, 2009 at 8:58am
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Release it all!!
Thanks so much for taking the time. I'm really, really looking forward to having CD or digital copies of the oldies.
Can't express how cool I think this is... woo hoo!
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Comment by Arlen Hall on November 19, 2009 at 8:58pm -
Lovearama? Cherokee? etc....
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Comment by R Y A N D A H L E on November 19, 2009 at 4:46pm -
Kevan,
The plan is, to gauge the demand for hard copy re-releases based on iTunes sales. There is substantial work involved in recreating the artwork, we will have to scan good copies of the originals and then fit them into current templates for manufacturing. We would also likely add to the artwork packages to make it more interesting to us and add value to anyone re-buying the records. Give everyone something new to hold onto.
I can relate to the must own physical copies urge!
cheers,
RD
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Comment by Mre2797 on November 17, 2009 at 1:06pm -
Great news. Glad it shook down better than the drugstore release.
congrats.
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Comment by Kevan on November 16, 2009 at 10:59pm -
Hurrah! This is fantastic news, thank you so much Ryan.
The only question I have is, down the road at all, is there a chance of a physical re-release, limited or otherwise? I realize it's a stretch, but the only reason I ask is because I'm one of those people who must-must-must own things on hard copy whenever possible. iTunes is rad, and I'd probably buy both digital and physical anyway, but figured I'd ask just-in-case.
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