Monday, December 16, 2013

Forecasting The Minneapolis Sound


John Kirby writes; “The shape of funk to come-the Minneapolis Sound, as it would be popularly known-was not entirely the invention of the prince who became the city’s most famous citizen; it was instead a perfect storm of individuals and influences. Their output signaled a coming flood-and a welcomed levee failure-that would unleash a new era of musical expression into the Land of 10,000 Lakes and beyond.”
 

 
And thus we have the basis for Numero’s #050 Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound

 
 
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Four fully wrapped and white lined 40pt. jackets resulting in extra thick protection for the 12” vinyls. Each jacket manufactured in a different format and paper.


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A case-bound book of 108 pages, smyth sewn and luxuriously wrapped in a custom dyed purple book cloth. The cover was foil stamped on the face, spine and back cover.
 

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The jackets and book were inserted into a 120pt slip case, wrapped in a printed and film laminated litho sheet.
 
 

Of course the package utilizes the ever predictable but engaging Numero copywriting.
 
Retail price $85.00
(You can find out more about this release here:)

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records – Volume One (1917-27)

Over the last year or so, the record industry has heard rumors of an ambitious historical release from a mid-west label.  Eventually the rumors proved to be true as Revenant Records and Jack White’s Third Man Records were working on such a grand collection.

Today, the collection is complete, featuring 800 songs, 200 restored original ads and images, two books – one, a history of Paramount and the second, a field guide to the artists and their recordings – culminating in six 180-gram vinyl LPs.  The contents are ensconced inside a “wonder cabinet” of handcrafted oak, modeled after a phonograph case of the 1920s. The Rise and Fall also includes a clever USB drive, fashioned after a period phonograph needle diaphragm, which contains a unique music and image application, with numerous indexes, that allows you to easily explore this vast collection. The six vinyl LPs contain 87 recordings.

You’ll find artists such as Louis Armstrong, Ma Rainey, Fletcher Henderson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver and Ethel Waters among others… a treasure chest of classic jazz and blues.

Here is Rolling Stone’s review: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/jack-whites-third-man-records-to-co-release-paramount-records-set-20130924

Here is Spin’s review: http://www.spin.com/articles/third-man-paramount-records-rise-fall-compilation-archive/

Third Man Records link: http://thirdmanrecords.com/news/view/paramount-records-wonder-cabinet

Revenant Records: http://revenantrecords.com/musics/

This collection will be available for sale from Third Man Records starting on October 29th and to the general public on November 19th.  This project was a pleasure to develop and produce; all while meeting some really great people.

On to the package:

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE HI-QUALITY IMAGES TO ENLARGE
 
(Behold the wonder cabinet)

  (Custom molded metal logo)
 
  (Custom metal handle)
 
(Custom metal crank hole)
 
(Custom sequentially numbered metal plate)

(Water transfer + metal plate)

  (LP Folio nested in top layer of tray)

(LP Folio detail)

  (LP Folio detail; Laser-etched birch creates a flexible hinge in the wood)

  (Spectacular laser etched detail)

(Vellum sleeve pages of LP Folio)
 
(Marbled vinyl with gold foil stamped label)
 
(LP Folio removed to reveal the Art Book) 

(Art Book - History of Paramount Records)
 
(Close up of fly sheet edge detail)
 
  (Fly sheet edge detail)
  (Period advertising reproductions)
  (History of artists + 14 Fold-outs)

(Label reproductions)
 
(Field manual)
 
(Field guide removed to reveal the USB drive)
 
(USB drive – Needle diaphragm replica)
 


 


 

Monday, October 14, 2013

From Printed Wraps to Velvet or Denim, we have you covered

Debut LP from garage rock trio, Fuzz, released Oct. 1 on In the Red Records.

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Ty Segall and Friends are 'Insanely Stoked' About New Band Fuzz's Debut Album

Who is Ty Segall? To start he’s occupied the cover of Spin Magazine, see below link:


When it came time to design the jacket, In The Red Records’ principal, Larry Hardy, saw the 12” jacket we manufactured for Numero Group’s re-issue, Medusa. And with a band name like Fuzz, black velvet was the obvious material choice for the special edition. So feast your eyes on Fuzz’s black velvet jacket with two colors of foil stamping and a full color inside spread.
 
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Applying foil to a material like velvet is difficult let alone applying it to the large area required for this front cover.
 
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The project was delivered a few days early and the client is thrilled with the outcome.
 
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While we carry a huge variety of traditional wrap materials, if you have a project whose theme might benefit from something unusual like velvet or denim, the below colors are available:
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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

If the Format works, why change it ?


We manufactured these two rather similar formats a few years apart. Apparently Numero liked the Titan format so much (turned edge slip case, booklet and four jackets) they used the same format for the recently released Kid Is Gone project.
 
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(It's All Pop)
 
(Kid is Gone)
 
The Titan project "It's All Pop", Numero 024, utilizes a 2 color printed and matte film laminated turned edge slip case, carefully enclosing the white-lined .110” graphic board. Inside you’ll find a 20 page + cover perfect bound booklet capturing many image of the 8 bands and extensive commentary by the label’s founders. Four .020 SBS 2 color record jackets hold the four LPs.  The rather dramatic dubbed in red accents add a highlight you'd normally expect from a band on a budget.
 



 

Numero Notes:

From 1978-1981 the Titan label issued only eight records, but over the years their tiny catalog has crawled to the top of power-pop want lists worldwide and appeared on scads of bootleg cassettes, building a legacy to rival L.A.’s Bomp or New York’s Ork. Located in fly-over country, Titan was forced to start their own scene, import their own skinny ties, and scour Missouri for their own talent. Their midwest AM bubblegum roots are apparent in the likes of Gary Charlson, the Secrets*, Arlis!, Gems, Millionaire At Midnight, the Boys, J.P. McClain & the Intruders, Bobby Sky, and Scott McCarl, but Titan was clearly influenced by the glam-punk spit being hocked from the 100 Club stage.

We've recreated the scrapped live Boys 10", originally slated for release by Titan in 1980! Cut from the original 1/4" tape, the set includes "Out Of Touch," "Night Time," "You're Bad Too," and "Yesterday's Circles." Housed in a tip-on jacket and given the prestigious 024.5 catalog number, this limited-to-1000 10" is yours free when you order the 4LP Titan: It's All Pop! Once they're gone, they're gone for good.

30 years since they meekly flopped out their first 7” single, Kansas City’s Titan Records finally returns to record bins everywhere in a deluxe two-disc retrospective with comprehensive 40-page booklet.
 

Kid Is Gone, Unwound, Numero 202.2, utilizes a black only printed turned edge slip case uses a brown Kraft wrap very similar to French Paper’s Oatmeal product. The wrap carefully encloses the .90” gray graphic board. Inside you’ll find a 24 page + cover saddle stitched booklet capturing many images of the young band and of course the famous Numero commentary. Three .026 jackets using gray graphic chip mounted with the same brown Kraft paper that was used for the slip case.  The jacket wraps were printed using a large litho screened style design. Very effective for hiding less-than-ideal images.
 



 

Numero Notes:

Kid Is Gone is the unquiet portrait of primal Unwound. Before 1993’s Fake Train ripped through, they’d been Giant Henry, Supertanker, and Cygnus X-1, short-lived black holes gathering dark material into something built to explode. From Justin Trosper, Vern Rumsey, and Brandt Sandeno’s first restive years, “Crab Nebula” might’ve best prepared the indie-sphere for what Unwound became, had Sandeno’s split not stalled their planned debut. Part 1 in Numero’s 4-part reissue project, Kid Is Gone documents signal chaos in Olympia’s fertile scene before Unwound’s turbulent noise hit stride, in unrevealed period photos, 34 tracks, and three LPs—cassette-only demos, early 7”s, a KAOS radio broadcast, material tracked live in a local basement, and all of what became 1994’s Unwound, on which the band’s prehistory plays out in a feral maelstrom of screaming, distortion, feedback, and abrasive promise.

 

 

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Number ONE Holiday Traffic Generator


I recently developed this product through an inquiry from one of my label customers. What’s really unique is the high quality short-run color reproduction; it's just not available using any other method.

We can produce as little as 250 units, (although at 500 units the numbers start working better). We pulled some album images from the net to demonstrate how a package might appear.
 
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Ornaments make a great gift and appeal to consumers seeking emotional attachment to family and holidays. If the 36 boxes of decorations in my garage are any sign, ornaments become collectable and cherished. 

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If one of your bands has a holiday album in the works, I’m convinced this package is a great solution for limited editions or as an enticement to increase retail store traffic. Retailers will be more likely to order a collectable type item if it brings in additional store traffic.  If you can supply a finished and sealed jewel case, we can complete the balance of the package, ready for distribution.

We have three packaging options:
  • Rigid box with a printed lid
  • Plastic box screen printed showing the complete contents
  • Rigid box with a clear poly top showing the internal CD jewel case cover
 
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I think the custom rigid box option offers the best keepsake feel and of course extra safe storage in the off season. The jewel case and ornament are completely covered using this method.

The rigid box with poly top still provides safe storage in the off season, yet the CD cover is visible to a potential buyer.

The plastic box is more expected in retail and shows not only the ornament but also the CD. It doesn’t provide nearly the safe keeping as the rigid box and has less of a keepsake feel. It’s the least expensive option.

Details:
  • Photo realism unmatched by conventional decoration methods
  • If you offer direct sales on your website, it’s perfect for pre-orders
  • Individual numbering is available which is VERY attractive to the collectors market
  • A live high quality and predictable proof prior to production
  • Domestically manufactured for shorter lead times
  • Low entry cost for limited quantity orders
  • Unmatched ornament decoration and custom packaging equals a great value
The entire package includes:
  • Custom printed 4-color ornament with great color detail set in a support structure.
  • Large selection of ornament base color (even black for those punk or goth bands!)
  • Domestically manufactured (the decorated globe originates from overseas)
  • High quality rigid colored box with a clear imprinted top
  • Or a fully wrapped top for the ultimate in storage protection
I also put together pricing for a 4 ornament package. Because of our unique reproduction, all four ornaments can be different images and individually numbered to enhance the collector value.
 
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I think this 4 ornament collection can work on several levels, but my best idea:
Artists supporting their favorite charities. It’s a perfect item for sale directly from your website.

For questions, options, pricing or more information, please call us. We'd love to hear your feedback.

(legalese: the images above were selected from the internet and are used on this blog are for demonstration/concept purposes only and are not indicative of projects sold to the particular labels or bands. These are ideas only).