Local H’s seminal 1993 album, As Good As Dead, has long been a sought-after item for vinyl collectors, with copies regularly fetching upwards of $200 on the secondary market. As the album’s 30th anniversary approaches, plans for a reissue seemed inevitable. However, a recent announcement from Long Island-based boutique record label Enjoy The Ride has sparked a dispute, with Local H claiming they were unaware of the reissue and were already working on their own official version.
The band first learned of Enjoy The Ride’s plans through a social media post, responding with a pointed comment: “Well, this is news to us. Especially since we were in the process of acquiring the rights from the label for our own official reissue. But — y’realize — who the fuck are we, right?” The situation highlights the complexities of reissuing classic albums and the potential for conflict between artists and labels.
Enjoy The Ride’s Reissue and Local H’s Response
Enjoy The Ride announced their plans to reissue As Good As Dead earlier this month, capitalizing on the album’s 30th anniversary. The label, founded by Ross Shotland, states they “have a working relationship with Universal,” the current rights holder to Local H’s catalog after Universal acquired Island Records, the album’s original label. According to Vanyaland, Shotland claims Enjoy The Ride attempted to contact Local H last year via direct message on social media to inform them of the reissue, citing difficulty in locating formal contact information for the band. However, Vanyaland points out that Local H’s official website has featured a detailed contact page for years.
Scott Lucas of Local H expressed frustration with Enjoy The Ride’s approach, telling Vanyaland, “I’m not here to beat up on a small label, but it is a little annoying that they’re playing the victim card.” He questioned the professionalism of using Facebook Messenger for business communication, stating, “How did they try? They sent us a message via Facebook Messenger. But again – is this how people do business? Who the fuck uses Facebook Messenger as a legitimate way to get in touch with someone over business matters? Have they never heard of Google? It takes three seconds.”
Concerns Over Sound Quality and Master Recordings
Local H is proceeding with their own reissue of As Good As Dead, and Lucas believes it will be superior in quality to Enjoy The Ride’s version. He suspects the original master recordings for the album were lost in the 2008 Universal warehouse fire, a concern that plagued their 2016 reissue. “It was basically a pressing of the CD onto vinyl featuring artwork that was scanned from a CD booklet,” Lucas explained, because Universal was unable to locate the original masters. He fears Enjoy The Ride’s reissue will suffer from similar quality issues.
Despite their concerns, Local H is committed to delivering a faithful and high-quality reissue. “So, what we’ve done with our reissue is go to the original artist and try to faithfully recreate the original artwork, which is not simple,” Lucas added. “We also went to our favorite mastering engineer Dan Coutant, who delivered a thoughtful and respectful remaster that would sound great on vinyl. And it does sound great. We have no idea what this unauthorized version sounds like. It wasn’t approved by us.”
One-Time Pressing and Future Plans
Enjoy The Ride’s reissue of As Good As Dead is currently available for $35.99, but Shotland has indicated it will be a one-time pressing given the circumstances. Local H has not yet announced an official release date for their own reissue, but they promise to share more details soon. The band’s dedication to a meticulous and authorized reissue suggests fans can expect a version that honors the legacy of this influential album.
This situation underscores the challenges artists face in controlling their catalog and ensuring the quality of reissues. As the demand for vinyl continues to grow, disputes like this are likely to grow more common, highlighting the need for clear communication and respect for artists’ rights.
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