Who wants to buy Grand Royal?

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― anode, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 21:49 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd pay it to have the sean lennon and ben lee back catalogue permanently deleted

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 21:53 (twenty-two years ago)

You at least have to give them credit for the Liquid Liquid reissue that was about five years too early. I will tell you what tho, somebody is going to make a mint from some of those old copyrights. Wish I had the money.

― Former Supposed So Called Nihilist Teenage Drug Disco Addiction Counselor A (mjt, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 21:59 (twenty-two years ago)

i'll buy the rights to reissue the sukpatch EP for $50

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

The magazine was exceptional, I always thought. I certainly wish that was still around.

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

...i own that sean lennon cd...

― Fatal Beret (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

i would rather snap it in half and stuff it up my ass than ever listen to it

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I always wished they'd published a book collecting all six issues of the magazine.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I like that Sean record too. Home is good.

― spilt_tigermilk, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

...i own that sean lennon cd...

Actually, I just sold it. thank goodness for that.

― Fatal Beret (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Matos:
I found this online, but a cursory amazon search didn't turn anything up:

"Beasties To Release Book
(LAUNCH, 04/13/2001 5:00:00PM)
By Darren Davis
The Beastie Boys have just inked a deal with publishers HarperCollins to assemble a book comprising the Grand Royal magazine and Grand Royal website works. There's no release date for it yet, but a publicist for the band said it will feature lots of archive material, plus interviews and features that are out of print. The band is also readying a slew of exclusive material that is being put together solely for the book.

Grand Royal first hit the scene in 1993. Seven issues have been released, and sales of those issues have topped 330,000. Although still tentative, a price of $40 is being discussed for the collection."

Anyone know anything else about this?

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked Buffalo Daughter....I just AMG'd them and saw they put out a 12 vinyl of Luniz I Got 5 On it... which is doing God's work.

The funny thing about them is they died right when they probably had their biggest breakout artist - At The Drive In....of course the band folded shortly after....

Overall, I think it was a good thing that Grand Royal existed.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I actually think someone mentioned on a Vincent Gallo thread that VG held up the publication because he wouldn't give them permission to reprint something he'd written for an issue.

Overall, I think it was a good thing that Grand Royal existed

are you absolutely positive about that?

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Luscious Jackson. Buffalo Daughter. Cibo Matto. Bis (well, er, for Social Dancing and Music for a Stranger World, even though i ended up buying the V2 import of the latter cos of course Japan got extra tracks and we didn't).

yes, i'm glad they existed. and am sorry they don't still. dammit. :P

― janni (janni), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and Rosita! the Zubizaretta offshoot put out lots of nice things.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

luscious jackson was on grand royal, right¿ they were okay.

x-post answers my question

― dyson (dyson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

cibo matto too¡
matos, we are 100% positive about that.

― dyson (dyson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

cibo matto too

They weren't on GR. They're side project Butter 08 were.

― Vic Funk, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, and world's least fluky band Electric Music AKA, who managed to get one single out on Grand Royal before the label went bankrupt. They then got forced to change their name from Electric Music to Electric Music AKA after a bloke from Kraftwerk decided he owned the copyright to the name 'Electric Music'. They then went to Sanctuary - y'know, the massive indie label that puts out Maiden and unfashionable stuff and gets it in the charts and all over Radio 2. Their album on Sanctuary, The Resurrection Show, was last seen at £2.99 in the sale at Virgin.

(should you see it, then get it - it is magic)

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

mmm, the "Birthday Cake" single was released on GR. they also contributed to the At Home With The Groovebox comp that GR put out, showcasing the Roland Groovebox MC-505.

and yes, i shouldn't have left out Butter 08. i can't get through summer without playing that album quite a lot. i adore it quite completely, in fact.

― janni (janni), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Overall, I think it was a good thing that Grand Royal existed

are you absolutely positive about that?

I am Postive K, my man.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Sean Lennon ruined Cibo Matto, so they don't count.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah - also Bran Van 3000, whose Discosis album is probably also available cheap and well worth a pop.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:53 (twenty-two years ago)

mmm, the "Birthday Cake" single was released on GR.

No, the first two singles were on David Newgarden's label that I'm forgetting the name of right now, then they signed with Warner Bros.

― Vic Funk, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Pffft! The proof is here, Funky.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

No it isn't! Having your song appear on a videogame soundtrack released on label X != releasing your song as a single on label X

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Wasn't this a bootleg done under very sketchy circumstances that saw the members of liquid liquid not seeing a dime of royalties from the sale of it?

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

gag

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:03 (twenty-two years ago)

actually, there might be--MIGHT be--a single disc's worth of good stuff in that catalog.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:06 (twenty-two years ago)

(oh, and I do still like early Bis and Atari Teenage Riot some. but just some.)

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Wasn't this a bootleg done under very sketchy circumstances that saw the members of liquid liquid not seeing a dime of royalties from the sale of it?

No. That mayhem happened with the "White Lines" single.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

No it isn't! Having your song appear on a videogame soundtrack released on label X != releasing your song as a single on label X

D'oh! You guys are right. I'm the dope.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, I pretty sure that the Jet Set Radio soundtrack was the absolute last thing that Grand Royal did as a living breathing label.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:13 (twenty-two years ago)

the first luscious jackson disc is good!

― mullygrubber (gaz), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:13 (twenty-two years ago)

yes it is...

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Did Grand Royal release The Hurra by DJ Hurricane?....that was pretty good if I remember.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I think 'Discosis' has real hits on it.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:17 (twenty-two years ago)

the first luscious jackson disc is good!

Not that any of them are actually bad, mind you.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)

[[shoots self]]

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Whatsamatta, Matos? Did someone hold you down and make you listen to "Naked Eye" on repeat for 24 hours one time?

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

essentially, yes. also this stuff is BLINDINGLY MEDIOCRE. (even the stuff I mentioned I liked.)

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"hoo boy, Luscious Jackson, THERE'S a band to get excited about!" zzzzzzzzzz

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Matos hates women.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

this label is why sensible people hate the '90s

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

haha nice try Johnny.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

The first Cibo Matto CD is ridiculously fantastic, but it is not on Grand Royal.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:28 (twenty-two years ago)

matos hates sensible women from the 90s

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Matos OTM. So mediocre that it's actually crap.

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

the first Cibo Matto CD has one and a half good songs on it, which is one and a half more good songs than they ever made again

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

You'd think that the back inventory (300 copies of "Root Down"+ Liquid Liquid + other stuff) could make back a chunk of the $10k. Under masters there's an "untitled" Pixies video that could, presumably, make something.

If someone purchases this, do the contracts w/ Miho Hatori, Mr. Lif, et al. mean anything?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 75 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

and what about Buffalo Daughter's Captain Vapour Athletes? that record is mostly fantastic. the remix EP wasn't quite as good, but you have to love a title like Socks, Drugs, and Rock & Roll. and the cover art.

and again, i bring up Butter 08. does no one else feel the love? that record ALONE justifies their existence.

also, Sean Lennon added quite a lot to the live shows. i saw Cibo Matto twice, and while the second time was unfortunately not as good as the first (the venue had a lot to do with it---too much smoke and no ventilation to speak of), it was indescribably fun to see him loping around with his bass. plus, on the Super Relax EP, there's that killer "BBQ" live track which wouldn't be the same without his bass. nyah.

re: "Beef Jerky"---i like the EP version better than the proper album version, but yes, great song. and the whole first album was great. Stereotype A had its moments, but did definitely have a lot more filler than previous CM moments.

it is true, however, that Luscious Jackson really never did have a finer moment than the In Search of Manny EP. too bad, too---it seemed they had potential. some later stuff is okay, but that's just it...it's merely okay.

Buffalo Daughter, though...c'mon. "Silver Turkey," from Captain Vapour Athletes. genius. pure and unadulterated.

― janni (janni), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:24 (twenty-two years ago)

also i let on my favorite BS song here:

What about the Summer Hits!?!

where the hell is Doom-E?

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Waiting, doubtless.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:25 (twenty-two years ago)

back on topic...

inventory of masters [pdf]

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:35 (twenty-two years ago)

final product inventory [pdf]***

***including 319 CD and 360 LP copies of the supposedly out of print liquid liquid compilation. [completed auctions]

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Extremely trendy? Friends' bands? If you didn't suffer the LA-ization of the New York club scene in the 90s, shut up and consider yourself lucky. Butter 08 made me nostalgic for Crunt!

Just wanted to announce that HC cancelled the Beasties book about 18 months ago. Don't know the specifics, but I remember it happening on a day I stopped by to check out my own book cover. My educated guess is that the editors weren't pleased when presented with an envelope full of old issues of Grand Royal, and that nobody in the Beasties camp bothered to argue/plead the case.

"Cibo Matos" -- that's going to be hard wordplay to shake.

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm a big fan of the Buffalo Daughter records and Butter 08. And a few other things there. That Hurricane LP btw SUCKED.

― scott m (mcd), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:41 (twenty-two years ago)

If you didn't suffer the LA-ization of the New York club scene in the 90s

Oh dear, what happened exactly? I mean I can guess, though I like the idea that Bill Gazzari rose from his grave and haunted NYC's clubs.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with you on Butter 08, jannie. Very fun album. Also In Search of Manny, Mark's Keyboard Repair. GR released a lot of boring records, though (Russell Simins et. al.) Five years ago N*E*R*D would have fit perfectly w/ Grand Royal, don't you think?

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:54 (twenty-two years ago)

That's crazy. I see that Liquid Liquid EP at Amoeba all the time for like $10. People on eBay are very strange.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, that inventory list makes me wonder what the label was doing for the last 10 years.

― LiquidTide (LiquidTide), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 05:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Not selling issues #2 and #3 of the magazine, it appears.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 05:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow. Those Liquid Liquid eBay prices are amazing. Hipsters are funny. I suppose it's probably time to sell the thing.

― Broheems (diamond), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 05:23 (twenty-two years ago)

If I'd known all the stuff I got for cheap in the 90s would be worth so much money in the 00s, I'd have held onto it.

As soon as I get around to listing it on eBay, I'm going to gouge some hipster with an allowance for $50 on Secaucus by the Wrens.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 05:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Back to No Life, it was mainly this one skinny really pale guy named Peter who worked there that would be pissed off that I was bothering to make him do work by actually ringing up my purchases. Biggest dick on the planet. I'll never forget the way I was treated there. The only other time I was there where someone else was working, there was a girl who was blasting Go Sailor at volume 11, and was slightly nicer. And yeah, I remember seeing a fun in-store performance of noise band Blowhole there... but that's about it.

The guys at Aron's might have been dicks outside work but not on the job, but they at least were pretty quick and courteous when it came to questions and ringing up purchases.

Now, I haven't been back to LA to do any serious record shopping since Amoeba opened there. So I have no idea what the scene at Aron's is like now.

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 08:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Hooray for Blowhole, and hooray for Buffalo Daughter's DJ carrying a copy of Great Phone Calls around the world with him for its nightly appearance in one of their songs.

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 09:00 (twenty-two years ago)

does anyone have $10,000 i can borrow so i can freaking hear the liquid liquid reissue? also, can i borrow a giant magnet for the master tapes after i purchase Grand Royal? I'm thinking I might be able to build a house out of the copies of Moist Boyz and Josephine Wiggs CDs they have laying about. when im done everyone can come over and get drunk while breaking Noise Addict and Ben Lee CDs.

― jack cole (jackcole), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 09:27 (twenty-two years ago)

jack, email me; i can burn you the liquid liquid.

― Broheems (diamond), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

So I have no idea what the scene at Aron's is like now.

Rather emptier.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Money Mark was on MOWAX and NOT Grand Royal.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Grand Royal released the vinyl version of Mark's Keyboard Repair (the one I have.) They also did vinyl of Chocolate & Cheese.

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

(...by Ween. Just thinking aloud.)

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

lovedlovedloved the 2nd Bran Van 3000 LP, the Beasties remix 12", ATD-I, Luscious Jackson, etc... not too crazy about the rest, Russel Simins gets very defensive if you mention his GR solo album...

― stevie (stevie), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

So it looks like all the sellable stuff that was "on" Grand Royal (Beastie Boys, ATDI) isn't included in the auction, which isn't surprising as those records went through the Capitol (/EMI?) system. Anyway, just perusing the inventory of what's still available as well as the contracts, $10K is probably not realistic -- I mean, how much would Sean Lennon be willing to pay just to get the rights to his own records back? Probably up to $50K or so. I could see the whole thing selling for $250,000 or more, but then again, I have no idea what rights the buyer would have as far as the contracts go.

An aside: is it true that the spending on "making" ATDI happen ultimately bankrupted the label? For a while there, they were getting massive word of mouth and airplay on Q101 here in Chicago, and I know that couldn't have been cheap to come by.

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't know that about either, Mark. Thanks!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Mark's Keyboard Repair is a triple 10-inch on Grand Royal, lovely package (but lots of record flipping.)

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Those Liquid Liquid eBay prices are amazing.

I now regret not stocking up on copies of it when Grand Royal's going out of business sale had the 2LP/CD going for $8 a piece. Damn the then-weak Canadian dollar!

(By the way, I hear you can find copies of LL 7"ers on the streets of Glasgow)

― Vic Funk, Wednesday, 14 January 2004 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha. The reserve wasn't met.

https://secure.bid4assets.com/auction/index.cfm?auctionID=103754

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 22 January 2004 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I never understood why people put things up for auction with a high reserve but a low opening bid; wouldn't it just increase the chances of the item (or company) not being bid up to an acceptable level sooner?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Friday, 23 January 2004 04:14 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah!

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Friday, 23 January 2004 04:19 (twenty-two years ago)

ten years pass...

what a weird label

― Οὖτις, Monday, 24 November 2014 18:51 (eleven years ago)

True. I remember liking most of the stuff on it, though, and the mag was cool iirc.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 24 November 2014 18:55 (eleven years ago)

still think most of what they released was garbage but there are some gems. just the roster is so random, so much half-assed cut-n-paste noise sort of stuff. Atari Teenage Riot lolz.

my bro worked on the early issues of the mag so I'm biased there.

― Οὖτις, Monday, 24 November 2014 19:00 (eleven years ago)

1st ATR album is my favorite non-Beasties thing on the label, ymmv

2nd ATR album is really bad, I think most people agree on that

― sleeve, Monday, 24 November 2014 19:01 (eleven years ago)

Any label that put Luscious Jackson and Buffalo Daughter in my life can't be a bad thing.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 24 November 2014 19:02 (eleven years ago)

dead fucking last is in the mother-fucking house.

― put your money where the maracas are (how's life), Monday, 24 November 2014 19:02 (eleven years ago)

(their 7" was on the turntable at my house probably about once, but I still remember that intro)

― put your money where the maracas are (how's life), Monday, 24 November 2014 19:03 (eleven years ago)

They also gave us Ben Lee, though, so points against.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 24 November 2014 19:03 (eleven years ago)

yeah as noted upthread I do really like In Search of Manny

surprised that Mark's Keyboard Repair was actually put out on Mo'Wax, I forgot about that. Also can't find a free download of it, which is irritating cuz I don't want to bother ripping my 10"s

― Οὖτις, Monday, 24 November 2014 19:08 (eleven years ago)

In my mind, the point at which Grand Royal announced that it was ceasing operation was the point that the 90's were officially over.

― MarkoP, Monday, 24 November 2014 19:38 (eleven years ago)

I'm a stan for The Josephine Wiggs Experience Bon Bon Royale. She and Buffalo Daughter and Luscious Jackson were a really fun concert.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 November 2014 19:41 (eleven years ago)

Still kicks so hard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUNWhKq80_s

― Tay-Tay Brooklynpants (Murgatroid), Monday, 24 November 2014 20:06 (eleven years ago)

I remember Select pushing this thing as the greatest coolest label ever in late 90s....whatever

― Master of Treacle, Monday, 24 November 2014 20:13 (eleven years ago)

I am listening to this At Home with the Groovebox comp now and it so very very lol 90s

― Οὖτις, Monday, 24 November 2014 21:14 (eleven years ago)

I had a couple copies of the magazine, can't imagine they went the journey but I haven't seen them around recently.

Did the book version ever happen?

― Mark G, Tuesday, 25 November 2014 07:47 (eleven years ago)

I'm irrationally stupid happy whenever a Bis song comes up on shuffle. The Liquid Liquid comp is great.

Biased because I lived just over the Atwater Village border

― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 25 November 2014 08:02 (eleven years ago)

Story of a magazine:

http://www.beastiemania.com/qa/grandroyalmag.php

― Mark G, Tuesday, 25 November 2014 10:50 (eleven years ago)

I've never heard that Bran Van 3000 track before, that's lovely!

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 25 November 2014 16:33 (eleven years ago)

that bran van track is amazing

omar told me a couple of years ago that ATD-I splitting when they did was what sealed GR's fate with their distributor

― you fuck one chud... (stevie), Wednesday, 26 November 2014 13:19 (eleven years ago)

Less the distributor than their operations in general AFAIK - they had expanded rapidly just to deal with the ATDI demand, but were signing even weaker / more marginal acts than when the Beasties had been A&Ring. So lots of salaries, lots of MFD costs, lots of unsold stock, and an uncommitted staff tasked with, at best, trying to sell the second BS2000 album, not the first BS2000 album.

Oh man, the second BS2000 album.

― the incredible string gland (sic), Wednesday, 26 November 2014 21:37 (eleven years ago)

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