Heavy Glay-ge Magazine Vol. 1 Issue 7

THe PiNK SpIdER

PSYCHEDELIC VIOLENCE OF WORDS : END TRAP

After my article was published last month, the comment of the editor (Cherie) struck me, thus providing fodder for this month's article. She said that limited edition items are a nightmare for the fans too besides commercialisation. This is really true and perhaps, limited edition items are even more of a nightmare than the commercialisation of GLAY.    As a fan, THe PiNK SpIdER dreads to hear the phrase "limited edition". This phrase strikes shards of fear into every fan out there, not just a GLAY fan (though as a GLAY fan, THe PiNK SpIdER gets such anxiety attacksso very often) due to the immense difficulty in laying one's hand on such a coveted item. GLAY has released quite a few limited edition items, mostly demo tapes - with the most recent one being I LOVE NEVERMIND, a limited edition cassette tape of 30,000 copies. THe PiNK SpIdER is dead against GLAY practising limited edition gimmicks because there is really no good compelling reason for them to do so against a wall of obviously good reasons on behalf of the fans.    When limited edition items are released, a win-lose situation emerges. In this kind of situation, there are bound to be a lot of fans who would not be able to lay their hands on such items and the disappointment is really inexplicable, especially for those fans who have tried their very best but were still unable to get hold of it. Even for fans who have managed to get hold of this precious commodity, they may have this feeling of triumph and relief BUT it is really at the expense of other fans. This superior feeling is really nothing to be proud of. GLAY should understand that their fans adore them very much and would leave no stone unturned in order to get everything that they put out for the fans.                        SO WHY TORTURE THE FANS WITH LIMITED EDITION ITEMS?                        WE SURE AIN'T SADO-MASOCHISTS.

This is plainly evidenced by I LOVE NEVERMIND - a limited edition cassette tape release of only 30,000 copies. "30,000 copies" was a nightmare come true for any GLAY fan out there and when official news was released, THe PiNK SpIdER had initially thought that it was a joke, considering the full attendance for Makuhari SURVIVAL EXPO '99 which accomodated a whopping 200,000 fans! The aftermath sure left many fans scarred. THe PiNK SpIdER has managed to sample the songs of NEVERMIND  and has found them to be excellent rock songs - all this was done with the kindness of a fellow fan who made a copy of her original copy (THe PiNK SpIdER was, unfortunately, one of the many scarred victims). This leads THe PiNK SpIdER to the conclusion : Such great songs would only reach such a limited number of fans. What a pity!    NEVERMIND shows GLAY at their best and the songs in there really rock the butt off any GLAY fan! GLAY should have made this an unlimited cassette tape., available to any fan out there who has the money to buy it.

I LOVE NEVERMIND - the elusive cassette tape

With limited edition items coming up, the pure greed of man is exposed as well. Non-fans would try to lay their hands on such items as well and already, it's difficult among fans to get hold of such items and with such competition butting in as well, the nightmare escalates! Once these non-fans get hold of the limited edition items, all hell breaks loose. These limited edition items go on the "black market" (eBay in net jargon) at ridiculously high prices. THe PiNK SpIdER knows of the original copy of I LOVE NEVERMIND going for 30,000 yen in eBay when its original price is only 2000 yen! Fancy that! Fans are clearly being exploited here and GLAY should put a stop to this. They are unknowingly helping others exploit their own fans! *Note : THe PiNK SpIdER has personally encountered one such non-fan who wanted to sell GLAY's Life Record in America for more than twice its original price of 10,000 yen.)

Life Record in America - a limited edition Glay photobook

Besides, fans can afford these items - so they should get the same treatment. If they can afford to pay as well as the next fan can, why shouldn't they get it? They should not be made to suffer the rigamarole of limited edition items. This is also really ironical in respect of last month's article concerning the commercialisation of GLAY. In the latter situation, first press freebies are targeted to boost sales and increase profits - here, items are limited and profits are finite. THe PiNK SpIdER sees no advantages for the people behind this limited edition onslaught.    Being a fan these days is a really tough job and GLAY can actually make life easier for their fans by NOT releasing limited edition items. The stress and disappointment that they create for their fans in doing this is really enormous. Are panic attacks and anxiety attacks really good for the health? NO. THe PiNK SpIdER only hopes that GLAY would not release limited edition items or if they must, THe PiNK SpIdER hopes that it would not be too often because really, unlike commercialisation, there isn't really any substantive points to support this move.

The I LOVE NEVERMIND cassette cover is the courtesy of my friend, Mimizu.

The GLAY Life Record in America photobook cover is the courtesy of Aciel - GLAD TO BE GLAY.