Jack White has always been very into limited edition products for his bands. He's done everything from limited 7" singles, cameras, ice cream bars, even toy record players! I wouldn't be surprised if his house is filled with one of a kind instruments, limited edition pressings of random bands, even an original acetate from one of his favorite blues albums! So it seems likely that Jack would want to cash in on the recent vinyl resurgence, as well as promote his newest band's debut album at the same time! God, he's a genius! So when Jack announced at the beginning of the month that he would start a subscription service for his record label, I was not surprised at all. For someone who is into collectibles, why not start more collectibles for people just into this sort of thing...like Jack White!
He's calling it "The Vault", lord knows what could be inside there. For $7 a month, you can get access to message boards, exclusive videos posted online (including some live concerts), messageboards, first access to concert tix (YES!), and some other cool crap. Here's where it gets good (and pricey). For $20 you get all of that, plus limited edition records, etc. Let me explain. Every 3 months you will be getting a 12" LP, a 7" single or EP, and an exclusive Third Man Records shirt. Here's the catch, these things will never be sold in stores, you can exclusively get them only through this service. What interests me most here is the mystery of all this. I'm not sure we'll be informed of what you'll be sent in the mail! So every package could be like Christmas! Or as Jack puts it in his message on the website..."Let us wow you like it's a first date". Now of course all these releases are numbered, and they are only making as many as people are subscribed, again adding to the limited edition-ness of this. The question is: Will this work?
I think it can work for Jack. I mean he has gotten enough fans that will follow his every move (including myself). And this idea of limited edition records tickles my fancy I must say. What's also working in his favor is that he owns his own pressing plant, so he's doing each step from recording, pressing, and distributing himself. He owns it all. Prince did this in the 90's himself. He created his own label so he could release as much as he wanted, when he wanted. That experiment was a failure because he wasn't very business oriented, and was very slow at shipping these albums that people were trying to buy. I think Jack White's project here (although quite similar), will work out better. I think by making only as many as you can print limited releases, it is taking off the pressure of mass producing a large amount of product. And also giving himself 3 months to press, and distribute these products works to his favor. This should be interesting to see how this pans out. I plan on subscribing to this club....I'll let you know how it all turns out.
