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The Box! The Box!

(54 posts)
  • Started 10 months ago by BillyO
  • Latest reply from Alistair

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  1. BillyO
    Fearful Leader

    Aside: The title of this post is a bit of an inside joke in our family/friend circles, referring to those game shows from the 70's, like "Lets Make a Deal" where a person wwould be given a choice between cash and an unknown prize in a box - sometimes it would be a brand-new-car and sometimes something like a donkey...Just love that idea, of someone greedily preferring the unknown.

    Anyway, I posted a bunch of this info in the "Speedbath" thread but thought that maybe it was buried there. So this is a recap, under it's own heading.

    We're still working on the 'deluxe' version of K's new record - and it's almost done. Though, it might be more accurate to call it a collaborative art project - centered around Speedbath, or whetever she'll end up calling the CD release.

    We've held the release of the record, pending the completion of the art project. Look for all the stuff to be made available in late January...? I hope.

    The special project is going to consist of a hand-crafted mahogany box, fabricated and fitted by reknown fine art framer, our own Beth Hill. The box alone will be an object of lust. It is a perfect piece of fetishy art all on its own. I've seen a prototype and I know. For those of you who don't know Beth, do yourself a favor - click the link and read her About page. She's one impressive chick.

    The painter Yozo Suzuki is painting a portrait of Kristin for the project. Each box will contain a fine-art print of the portrait. But better than that, each box will also have one piece of the actual, original painting mounted on the lid. Each box owner will own a fraction of the original painting.

    Inside the box will be the portrait print, vinyl and CD editions of Speedbath, and some special charged items inserted by Kristin. Used guitar picks and strings, pieces of lyric sheets and notes from her notebook, things she's carried around in her pockets for days...elements of the actual human being who made the music. Every box will be truly one of a kind and we won't be making many. Like, voodoo boxes, or something.

    No, we haven't decided on a price yet - because we simply don't have a full picture of the costs at this time...suffice to say neither Beth, Yozo or Kristin are making these for the profits. The object of the exercise is to create something truly special, unique and personal and to see how that goes...

    If we take pre-orders at all, it will only be after the boxes are fabricated and all elements delivered. We will not tolerate delays after pre-order and neither should you. The 10-4's have been a serious life lesson for us.

    More soon...

    Posted 10 months ago #
  2. jediroller
    Member

    I definitely want one of those. If I miss the pre-orders, someone's gonna get hurt. (Most probably me. In my pride.)

    Posted 10 months ago #
  3. guitarmutt
    Member

    This does sound very interesting and enticing. Hmmm.

    The last line brings up a question in my brain Billy: How many more 10-4's are yet to be completed? I know they are not even close to a priority right now (I have oodles of patience- - I haven't even listened to the ones available in the shop yet), but I'm one of the ones who hasn't gotten it yet . I am just curious and trying hard to not sound like I'm pushing since I am very excited with everything that's currently going on.

    Cheers,
    Chris

    Posted 10 months ago #
  4. Billy,
    this is incredibly exciting. Will we be warned of the pre-order (like, "pre-ordering will be starting at this time on this day") or will it just happen suddenly? Also, will we know the price before pre-ordering begins? Some of us might reserve funds for something so special if we know how much/when we will need said funds.

    Posted 10 months ago #
  5. muser
    Member

    And if times of pre-order are advised pls post the AU equivalent. :)

    I always stuff that up and that's why I missed out on 10-4 me.

    Posted 10 months ago #
  6. leslie
    Member

    Wait, inside the box will be vinyl plus all that other stuff? That's a big ass box! Sounds awesome!

    Posted 10 months ago #
  7. vickys
    Member

    If I get one, it'll be Vicky's Box. ;)

    Posted 10 months ago #
  8. Alistair
    Member

    Got a really bad feeling that there won't be many...!

    Posted 10 months ago #
  9. Andrew
    Member

    Got a really bad feeling that I will miss out on this.... :(

    And January is my birthday and this would be a great present to myself!

    Posted 10 months ago #
  10. ej
    Member

    i want in!

    Posted 9 months ago #
  11. Megajim
    Member

    I think there should be a lottery of sorts. Let a certain number of eager folks put an email address or name into the lottery. Have a cutoff for how many names can go into the lottery, so there's still an incentive for being quick on the draw. You just don't have to be lightning quick. Then draw the folks who can buy the box. I don't think I'll be able to afford this amazing item, but I'd hate to see so many disappointed people feel that they didn't even have a chance, particularly those with slower connections or other such constraints. I remember the frenzy to jump on the 10-4 You offerings.

    Of course, if this is expensive enough, then there might be only so many people who can afford to buy it anyway - it seems that it would be pricey, just given the amount of work that everyone is putting into this, and just the cost of the materials and shipping.

    And, well, I feel that one of the stipulations of this lottery is that everyone involved should be at least a Strange Angel. I don't know if that's fair . . . but SAs are the ones who would be able to afford this. And SAs are the ones who made "Speedbath" possible.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  12. sallyisagirl
    Member

    Hi, i think it would be a little unfair to make it only available to strange angels, i can't afford a regular subscription but it is my 30th birthday early next year so this would be an ideal present for my girlfriend to get me. it seems mean for a proportion of KH fans to be deliberately left out of being at least able to try to be one of the lucky ones.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  13. Alistair
    Member

    Hmm, think this is going to get interesting...!

    Was thinking the other day that I hope Strange Angels get first refusal.

    (Declared interest: I am a Strange Angel :o) )

    Posted 9 months ago #
  14. dollface
    Member

    Indeed it is...

    Have you scored that Minotaur set yet, Alistair?!!

    Posted 9 months ago #
  15. BillyO
    Fearful Leader

    Please don't sweat this...I'm sure that we'll be able to accommodate the demand. Really.

    We don't want anyone to be shut out. These aren't for everyone and 100 units is a lot.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  16. Alistair
    Member

    Michelle, no. Well, not yet. Want one, but don't need it; doesn't seem to be out yet.

    Have now found a box set I want more :o)

    Posted 9 months ago #
  17. tim_G6
    Member

    At the risk of meandering OT, isn't Minotaur (Ltd Ed) a bit over the top as far as box sets go? . . . and I'm not even talking about the price + cost of shipping for something that weighs over 25lbs. Don't get me wrong, I love the Pixies, but really?

    However, if anyone wants to gift me a copy of Minotaur . . . .

    On the other hand, KH's Box Set sounds a lot more enticing and something more from the heart and soul for the heart and soul.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  18. petrolboy
    Member

    So if Speedbath (or whatever it evolves into) is supposed to be with us in January, is there any chance of a single, or some kind of activity before Christmas? Music magazines and radio stations always seem to have trouble filling space at that time due to a lack of 'proper' releases and quite often do features on what to watch for in the following year. Would be a great way to get some hype going.

    Rob

    Posted 9 months ago #
  19. uts-doa
    Member

    Whilst I'd love to buy the whole box, finances will dictate otherwise. Will there be a 'regular' CD released before, at the same time or after?

    Posted 9 months ago #
  20. darrell
    Member

    HOLYSHIT... I have to get the camera out of my face and stay in the loop! Hand crafted anything by "The Mad Framer" kicks ass. If you are not familiar with the art of Beth Hill, then you need a better search engine. Beth is an incredible artist. Her art frames the art one of my favorite artists. This sounds wonderful and will probably be on the "not for your broke ass" list of things, in perspective, this would be a "want" not a "need" or a "must have" I will just have to wait and see. It is a great idea! What a wonderful collaboration. WOW! Not to be morbid, but the first thing I thought about after reading this was that my ashes could be kept in this box. That's when you know that you've gone to far in "wanting" shit. When you attempt to justify the expenditure by thinking shit like that. I am so not right.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  21. tine
    Web Ho

    Darrell, you are awesome. That's all.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  22. BillyO
    Fearful Leader

    If this turns out to be a "not for your broke ass" kind of thing, then I think we have to do something to make up for that.

    What do you all think?

    It occurs to me that maybe 1 in 10 should be given away, for only the cost of shipping...?

    Thoughts?

    Posted 9 months ago #
  23. muser
    Member

    lawl. Justifying as part of a funeral plan sounds just fine to me. :p

    Posted 9 months ago #
  24. tony
    Member

    I love the ashes idea, but you could only leave them to a Kristin fan. Family might curse you.

    Needs to be a musical box that plays your favourite "Speedbath" songs when it opens. Maybe even a little rotating Kristin pirouetting in a mirror?

    The only problem I can foresee with this collectable is the number. As Billy pointed out 10-4 you was over subscribed and too time consuming to continue to be a viable idea.
    If this is limited to 100 it is unlikely to be available to all who covet it.
    Maybe now is the time to run a census/survey to see how many may be interested, at a suggested price, then you can plan your way round the pitfalls.

    Maybe they should all be up for grabs in a lottery, as Megajim suggests, among those who want to afford them.
    Again this would rule out those who desire but cannot afford the price.
    If you decide to give ten per cent away how would you ensure they only reach people who cannot afford to buy?

    As a Strange Angel I feel it must be open to everyone. we get soooo much from Cashmusic I don't think it fair to limit it to those of us who subscribe.

    Strange Angels should not be envied or be seen as a clique. I feel fortunate to be able to afford the subscription but hope that in the future many many more will be able to sign up as and when they can afford and so make the whole thing an organic living growing entity.

    Strangels.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  25. Tenley
    Member

    this box thing sounds wonderful, just wish more copies could be made than stated. maybe something like what new order did for their old band joy division, threw a box set together called, retro.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  26. leslie
    Member

    If you wanted to try to incorporate Billy's 10% give-away idea with the SAs who feel like they should be getting some sort of special consideration, you could give away a certain percentage to the general public and then another certain percentage to randomly selected SAs-only.

    Or, you could also randomly select people from Ks various online communities - one winner from each community - FB, Twitter, KH forum, SAs, etc. You'd get some overlap using that method though. For example, I'm a member/follower of each of the four communities mentioned, so I'd have four chances of winning-yay! Might be seen as cheating to some but then again, maybe folks who aren't members of those communities would *become* members just to win a shot at the box? Sounds like a good way to get K more followers to me!

    Alternatively, rather than giving them away at all, you could make us work for it. Have a contest. An essay contest, photo contest, video contest, art contest, decoupage contest, etc. Various categories of contests and the winner from each category wins a box. Create art to win art!

    As a strange angel, I don't feel like I should be given any special consideration for purchasing these. I'm an SA cuz I love K and can afford to chip in every few months, but there are loads of people who love K just as much but can't afford to chip in right now and I don't feel that they should be excluded.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  27. dickie
    Member

    Personally, being a strange angel myself, i think we ought to get 1st chance to buy, but i'm happy to join the scrum however they're released!

    Posted 9 months ago #
  28. I sort of think it's not fair if SA's get first dibs, but I sort of think it is. I mean, we already get so much special treatment that it just plain doesn't seem right for us to get first dibs on something so amazing, especially when, as already pointed out, there are other fans who love K just as much but can't afford to pay the regular subscription but may be able to afford this... although we did pretty much pay for the recording costs... But I agree that the SA's shouldn't be seen as some elitist clique, if we aren't already. And I have an inkling that SA's might get some sort of special SA package of the CD release anyway (not as special as this, but you know what I mean), 'cause B & K are always doing cool stuff like that. And aren't SA's supposed to get the album before it's actually released or something like that?

    I think the census idea is a very good one, and the contest idea as well. I feel like giving away 10% of them is kind of a cool idea, but there should be some sort of stipulation for who they're given to, like contest winners or something. Or maybe you could give them away to fans who have done really special things for the TMO community - like Alistair, who totally pulled his shit together to make t-shirts for the ATP fest, or Timo - if it wasn't for him, there would be pretty much zero Kristin guitar tabs available, or Scott, who runs the Ning. Maybe that's a totally lame idea. Man, I'm glad I don't have to make these tough decisions.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  29. Alistair
    Member

    Oh, thank you so much. That was very kind of you.

    Posted 9 months ago #
  30. BillyO
    Fearful Leader

    We're so grateful for all the thought that you're willing to put into this - all of you.

    @halfbornhalfmade, in particular, thank you for the almost hilariously conflicted and sympathetic post. It IS tough to try and accommodate and take into consideration all the deserving people, because in our estimation it amounts to most, if not all of you angels, Strange or otherwise.

    We'll figure it out - and hopefully with a minimum of tears and rending of garments.

    Posted 9 months ago #

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