02/4/2011 2:59 pm  #1


Collector's Choice

There is a news item about a change of ownership and management at Collector's Choice, with at least a suggestion that future Crosby issues from that source might possibly be in danger. 

Does anybody know anything more about this? One would hope and expect that whatever the ownership and management, more offerings should be in the pipeline if sales so far were satisfactory.

http://theseconddisc.com/2011/01/03/bon-voyage-gordon-anderson-departs-collectors-choice-music/

However the same source follows up with some nice things about the 'Through The Years' series and gives favourable mention to the digital downloads

http://theseconddisc.com/2011/03/31/bing-crosby-goes-through-the-years-and-crosby-archive-continues-digitally/


All all of the recording industry is going through considerable change and as has been aired before, possibly the digital download route is all that can be expected. Better than nothing but not a welcome move from my point of view.

 

15/4/2011 8:29 am  #2


Re: Collector's Choice

A Brazilian friend of mine wrote to Collector's Choice recently as follows:

I would very much like to know if you intend to release this year more material by Bing Crosby on Cds and DVds. As you have done a great job issuing wonderful material everybody connected to Bing is willing to know what's the next step.
I would appreciate to be honoured with your reply.
Best regards,
Joao Daudt

Response (Tricia, W) - 04/13/2011 03:02 PM
Thank you for contacting Collectors' Choice Music!
At this time were not sure if we will or when. However your welcome to keep checking our web site for updates.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Collectors' Choice Music Customer Service
mcatalog@ccmusic.com

Not encouraging but any announcement about new product from BCE would probably be held back until May 3 in any case.

 

15/4/2011 5:03 pm  #3


Re: Collector's Choice

Rumors are always rumors, of course - some contacts told me in February that it is no coincidence that the last two of Bing's releases were digital-only ventures with Beach Road Music, LLC.  Their feeling was the CCM would be going through some "changes"...whatever that meant?  I guess I am happy with having the music released in some format, versus not being released at all (although my personal preference is CD).


Zane Johnson
 

31/5/2011 11:34 pm  #4


Re: Collector's Choice

I've had a couple of e-mails which indicate that Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions (2-CD set) is proving hard to get. I've done a browse around of my own and I cannot find it in the Collector's Choice on-line listing, and both Amazon US and UK are out of stock, though they both give their standard indication about notification when they obtain new stocks. The Amazon sites seem to show very low stocks of some of the other CCM issues with the Seasons CD being shown as having a very long delivery delay by Amazon US and only one currently in stock at Amazon UK, whilst I cannot find it on the CC website at all, so that even the long delivery quoted by Amazon might be optimistic.

One contact has told me me that he has had a notification from CCM verifying that The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions has been discontinued but also adding that if it becomes available again it will be found in their catalog(!!!).  I cannot find much reassurance in that. 

Presumably the remaining issues might await the same fate, so for those who have not already got the CDs I suggest you get buying such of them as you can find.

The only reassurance seems to be that some (all?) are now available from iTunes as downloads.

A desperate shame. The future was looking good. The link between CCM and Bing Crosby Enterprises produced some very good things. After the strong flow of new issues through 2010 we have had an ominous silence, only partly broken by the two exclusive downloads from iTunes.

     Thread Starter
 

02/6/2011 8:10 am  #5


Re: Collector's Choice

I've had another couple of emails and I see that there have been some posts on the topic on another Fan Forum.

I suspect there might be reason to believe that the outlook is not necessarily all bad.

Let's just summarise:

1 CCM and it's associated companies, including Deep Discount, was acquired by Super D, apparently primarily for the Deep Discount business, with the inference that CCM was peripheral (or at least of less importance).

2 Gordon Anderson, the prime mover at CCM left. It is reasonable to believe that he took the key decisions in CCM's  association with Bing Crosby Enterprises. With his departure the relationship must inevitably have changed in some way, possibly dramatically - and the apparent removal from the listings of some issues suggests the worst.

3 According to the posts at  The Second Disc  a lot of the CCM output has already been discontinued (and we have seen something similar with the Bing Crosby Archive).

Personally I cannot understand why an apparently successful business, however peripheral to the parent's core business, should be allowed to just run down - the more usual approach would be to dispose of it to another who would continue with it, and run it in the best way possible in the meantime.

However, in the issue of the Bing Crosby Archive, CCM were not the prime movers - the initiative was with BCE themselves. CCM were the marketing side of the partnership.

In this scenario, it is difficult to believe that any possible termination of the arrangement by CCM could not be replaced  with an alternative by BCE, who are more than likely to have retained all relevant rights.

If these assumptions are right I suspect that we might be facing a temporary hiatus only.

The key issues might then be:
-  the matter of sales volumes (actual recent through CCM, and perceived future through any other), from which we cannot divorce the matter of the whole future of CDs in general.
- identification of a ready willing and able partner with adequate marketing ability.

Several other thoughts flow from that but a rosy interpretation would be continuation of a flow of issues with the existing titles becoming available again via alternative outlets, a slightly less positive outlook might see the better selling titles only, but only the bleakest view would suggest total termination. The very fact that some titles have ceased suggests very good sales - all of those titles which were pressed have been sold. That surely is a positive sign. (Though an alternative could be that there was a small pressing order initially to test the market, and that it is only that which has sold out).

A statement from BCE on the non-availability of the sought-after issues would be very welcome. I'm lucky. I've got them all, but I think several of them are of a quality which demand they be kept available permanently.

     Thread Starter
 

02/6/2011 1:08 pm  #6


Re: Collector's Choice

I have nearly all of them too - but I failed to order the Bing and Rosemary Clooney CD. I now regret that.

 

02/6/2011 3:37 pm  #7


Re: Collector's Choice

If the Crosby Legacy Series were to transition to digital-download-only, I am afraid the loss of extensive liner notes or booklets that have been part of the recent CD releases will be a very regrettable outcome as well, unless iTunes ever includes such materials as a document file included in a downloaded album.  I fear that such material is only regarded as unnecessary packaging in the post-CD world overtaking us.

 

02/6/2011 5:37 pm  #8


Re: Collector's Choice

Steve Fay wrote:

If the Crosby Legacy Series were to transition to digital-download-only, I am afraid the loss of extensive liner notes or booklets that have been part of the recent CD releases will be a very regrettable outcome as well, unless iTunes ever includes such materials as a document file included in a downloaded album.  I fear that such material is only regarded as unnecessary packaging in the post-CD world overtaking us.

Steve,

BCE did issue detailed data on the downloads - recording dates and personnel etc. and made it available on their website.  They also made available pdf files via the ICC. to which I posted a link for download. Admittedly there were no notes as such but it was a major step in the right direction. Some record manufacturers now provide a complete set of pages replicating their booklets and tray inserts as pdfs with their downloads - take a look at Hyperion Records http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/ for example, and there are many others.  It can be done, and many now do it. Possibly the iTunes route is not the ideal.

     Thread Starter
 

20/7/2011 4:17 pm  #9


Re: Collector's Choice

It does now seem that CDs (and I assume DVDs) of Bing from this source will be no more.  No new issues and apparently no replenishment of stocks of existing titles either.
For those who have not yet got theirs I suggest you seek out remaining stocks from any source.

At the present some titles are still seem to be listed as available on Collector's Choice website (though not mentioned in their published catalogue) but there are more omissions. Numbers shown for stocks of most titles still listed by Amazon are small - single digits in some cases.

The first title for which stocks seem to have become exhausted was the Bing and Rosie set and I cannot find it listed anywhere.  A post on Steve Fay's site reports that one has appeared on ebay at an asking price of $5,000.  Such a figure is totally irrational opportunism but it is an indication that the vendor has become quickly aware of the apparent scarcity and unfulfilled demand for it. 

It can just be hoped that Bing Crosby Enterprises can quickly find an alternative outlet, but I fear that CDs are rapidly being replaced by 'digital downloads'.

     Thread Starter
 

21/7/2011 3:38 am  #10


Re: Collector's Choice

I think the mention of the 5000-dollar listing came up at the start of this month. I had seen it a day or two before someone posted about it in the other forum.  It seems to have cycled through ebay by now, and is not listed there now at that or a lower price.  Do you think somebody bought it?

 

10/8/2011 6:06 pm  #11


Re: Collector's Choice

Gordon Anderson, the former MD of Collectors' Choice has posted a note on his Linkedin page which reads
'I and my partner, Gabby Castellana, are launching a record label under the name of Real Gone Music. We will be licensing repertoire from major and independent labels, artist estates and other sources for release on CD, vinyl and digital formats'
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/gordon-anderson/14/1b5/992

Similar information has appeared on the Stereo Chat Board http://bsnpubs.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=5264382

and some more detailed comment and speculation has appeared on the Second Disc website http://theseconddisc.com/2011/08/08/collectors-new-choice-gordon-anderson-launches-new-label/#more-8270

Gordon Anderson was the prime mover at Collectors Choice in getting the 'Bing Crosby Archive' discs out, in association with Bing Crosby Enterprises and seems to have left CC because their objectives changed.  Maybe he will resume his own ideas when in control of his own business.

I wonder if we might speculate that there might be a connection with the statement on the Bing Crosby Facebook page which tantalisingly states 'Stay tuned for some exciting news from Bing Crosby Enterprises... !'

     Thread Starter
 

10/8/2011 9:23 pm  #12


Re: Collector's Choice

I saw that and thought the same thing!  Let's hope.


All the best,
Paul M. Mock
 

13/8/2011 9:12 pm  #13


Re: Collector's Choice

bingcrosby.com seems to have the remainder of the CC labeled archive series CDs for sale "for a limited time" in their online store.  I feel compelled to get Bing and Rosie, before the price shoots up to five thou' again.  Shipping rates strike me as a bit high, but that may insure safe delivery.

 

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