Yet more e-bay craziness

[Nick Cope]

But it's my first e-bay he crazy post, so humour me...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....ry=2265

There's at least two other copies on auction right now, and for a record that's worth $90 tops, what gives? And it's severely overrated, sold mine long ago... wish I traded though!

[Matt Hero]

...and what a top quality pic too.

[vibra]

Quote[/b] (Nick Cope @ Oct. 31 2003,12:09)]But it's my first e-bay he crazy post, so humour me...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....ry=2265

There's at least two other copies on auction right now, and for a record that's worth $90 tops, what gives? And it's severely overrated, sold mine long ago... wish I traded though!

Always puzzled me the value of this one - I thought it was worth pretty much the same as you Nick, but I've seen it go for big figures before on ebay.

Personally I think it's a great track, nice buildups, creates a good vibe and I'm a real sucka for a synth bassline.. but I'm sure this is a little over-priced. So how rare is it? Was there any mention of how many were released in the interview with him in Wax Poetics?

[Nick Cope]

It's nowhere near as rare as people think. I'll wager that all of the bidders have an average age of 21 and think Manzel is the shit to have... Just like all the kids who dedicated their lives to finding and owning a Stark Reality without even hearing the bloody thing...

... maybe it's because winter is almost here, colleges have started up all over the world and everyone's got their grants to spend because only an idiot student would bid this high!

[TOWNY]

I ain't gonna complain if people are gonna slash their money away like that on a record i own (that i paid £7 for about 10 years ago).

I agree that in the scheme of things it ain't that rare. It had a coloured vinyl repress as well didn't it ? sheesh.........

[Nick Cope]

Yes yes, well I paid 3 for mine... But I'm convinced that when I see a record I'd really like, it's beyond my budget partly thanks to nutty bidders with more credit than credit.

[DigDug]

no idea how many copies are out there... but having dug through thousands of 45s (in the States btw) I've never seen a single copy, no one I know has it... so in my eyes at least, its a rare one. its been sought after since the 80s (when it was first booted)...

of course now that those high quality remastered 45s and 12s are out, that should have lessened demand, and $300 IS too high, but it certainly seems to stick in the three figure range, and I doubt that's gonna change...

It only takes 2 idiots to make the price go crazy.

Jack

[eclipsechaser]

isnt that the track that masters at work re-did. That would surely explain the silly price.

[vibra]

Quote[/b] (eclipsechaser @ Nov. 01 2003,07:38)]isnt that the track that masters at work re-did.  That would surely explain the silly price.

I remember this selling on ebay for the same sort of figures *before* the Kenny Dope re-edit.

[vibra]

I just checked the article/interview in WP - it doesn't mention figures, but it has the following statement:

"The two singles have remained among the more elusive breakbeat celebrities, with even hardcore diggers and producers unable to add the originals to their roster. In 1988 Downstairs Records repressed the second Fraternity release [Space Funk], but the limited quantity meant this was thinly spread amongst aficionados" (it remarks how Ultramagnetics and Eric B and Rakim both had tracks that sampled Space Funk released the same year).

But then Manzel goes on to say how when it was released in '77 it got "super, super airplay" and that "this was a national release". And that the track was knocked off getting airplay by Star Wars fever, as "radio stations only really featured one instumental", so when Star Wars blew up the same year Meco took over all the airplay they were getting.

So Nick you're right, this record can't be as rare as everyone thinks - but people have been hanging on to this 45 since it was a block party classic in the late 70s, so I guess it is this that really fuels the demand and 'scarcity' factor. But yes, perhaps a few 'idiot students' as well.