Quote Originally Posted by Alan Oldham
White labels were brought up by Dave the Drummer. My question is do people even care about label art or finished package design anymore? Esp. from a Detroit label?

I know the stock, too-cool techno answer is "It's all about the music," so let's just get past that and assume that the music is good.

Seems to me that you can do 500 whites and you're good to go these days. Just sell 'em as is for full wholesale price. No outer jackets, no nothing. The sense I get is that nobody really gives a sh** about design and extras (comics/flyers) anymore. It's the vinyl equivalent of a home-burnt CD. Music is there but no visual context. Nobody cares.

I also base my opinions on when we sell back catalogue, most people prefer white labels to finished copies anyway. More rare.

Your thoughts?

I care, I care a lot. Great artwork won't ever save a shite record but I love to get the feel of a label via their art - pick up it values and mind set. I'm all for artwork. White labels are fine for their job but once you got a few, well it does wear thin and there's nothing cool about them. Do people still think they are cool? When I see them in shops it usually means "The crap they/DJ's get sent for free and are trying to sell to me - bastards" in my head - although this isn't always right, so I do give them a spin - just in case ;)

I think the main reason people don't use artwork is it wipes out the profit on the first 1000 pressed. I'd still rather have something that looked good and was different than a black discobag any day of the week.

I guess there will always be a school of thought that believes White Labels top be rare or of greater value but something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay.

So, if you didn't pick it up- artwork all the freaking way...

Martin