Let me preface Trial's message by saying that I'm not sure what happened around EVR just after they actually signed Trial, but when "Are These Our Lives?" actually came out, it seemed like the label didn't care about the record at all, and did very little to push it out there to the world. They would run big half page ads in numerous zines for all the other releases that summer, but ATOL would never get more than a tiny blurb in the bottom corner of the ad. After Trial's break up in 2000, EVR seemed content to just let ATOL go out of print. I think this is the reason that both Trial, and that record in particular, didn't get proper recognition until well after they had broken up. The lack of label support made that record take a long time to filter its way into people's hands. Flash forward to 2005, and EVR decided it would be a good idea to cash in on a reuniting Trial, and that leads us to this message from Trial...
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Hello Friends,
We're writing this to ask for a little help and support. Trial has released a CD version of our 1999 LP “Are These Our Lives?”. This was originally released in 1999 on another label. Throughout the years that label decided to discontinue the lyrics in the booklet of their version. We protested immediately. They continued to sell this version over the years and we (Trial) have continued to receive emails from people who have bought the record asking why we didn’t include the lyrics in the record.
Originally the lyrics were included. Why would a hardcore band not have the lyrics included in their record? And especially us? Lyrics have always meant so much to us. It’s a huge part of hardcore and a huge part of our band. When we first learned about this, we asked the label why the record no longer included the lyrics and we were told that it was because it was cheaper for them to print the booklet without out the lyrics. Understandable. We then asked if we could pay the difference. We also offered to send them photocopies of the lyrics to send out with the orders so that they were included in some form. We also asked if we could have our contact information (a website) placed into the booklet so that people could go online and find the lyrics. In short they said “no” across the board to these requests, but they said it aggressively.
If you’re in a band you understand how much work and time goes into a record . For your record to be misrepresented is heartbreaking. We don’t care about the money, we never expected to see a dime from the record. It could sell a million copies and we wouldn’t care as long as it was represented in the light that we intended it to be.
This is why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to release a 10 Year Anniversary Edition of “Are These Our Lives?” that includes the full lyrics and expanded explanations, along with additional writing about the origins of the ideas for the songs themselves. We’re not putting this out to make money. In fact, we only care to have the record available in the form that we intended it. We’re selling it for $5.00 in hopes that people are no longer bummed when they buy the record and don’t get the full record.
Since we’ve started playing shows here and there, the other version has picked up in sales…please spread the word that the version that is being sold currently by the other label does not include the lyrics and the band (Trial) have never seen a dime from that record and probably never will. This also includes ITunes and other digital outlets.
Because we’re sick of our record being in the hands of a label that cares nothing about our record or us, we paid for the manufacturing of this record out of our own pockets. We had hoped that we’d have them in time for our two most recent shows. We unfortunately did not receive them in time and now we’re hoping that we’ll be able to sell enough to cover our costs.
If you want to help us break even on the CD and pick up a copy, we’d be grateful. Again, we’re selling it for only $5.00 and that includes a digital download of the songs.
Thanks for your time..
Trial
Seattle WA
Visit Panic Records (Timm from Trial's Label) to get the record. www.panicrecords.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Friends,
We're writing this to ask for a little help and support. Trial has released a CD version of our 1999 LP “Are These Our Lives?”. This was originally released in 1999 on another label. Throughout the years that label decided to discontinue the lyrics in the booklet of their version. We protested immediately. They continued to sell this version over the years and we (Trial) have continued to receive emails from people who have bought the record asking why we didn’t include the lyrics in the record.
Originally the lyrics were included. Why would a hardcore band not have the lyrics included in their record? And especially us? Lyrics have always meant so much to us. It’s a huge part of hardcore and a huge part of our band. When we first learned about this, we asked the label why the record no longer included the lyrics and we were told that it was because it was cheaper for them to print the booklet without out the lyrics. Understandable. We then asked if we could pay the difference. We also offered to send them photocopies of the lyrics to send out with the orders so that they were included in some form. We also asked if we could have our contact information (a website) placed into the booklet so that people could go online and find the lyrics. In short they said “no” across the board to these requests, but they said it aggressively.
If you’re in a band you understand how much work and time goes into a record . For your record to be misrepresented is heartbreaking. We don’t care about the money, we never expected to see a dime from the record. It could sell a million copies and we wouldn’t care as long as it was represented in the light that we intended it to be.
This is why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to release a 10 Year Anniversary Edition of “Are These Our Lives?” that includes the full lyrics and expanded explanations, along with additional writing about the origins of the ideas for the songs themselves. We’re not putting this out to make money. In fact, we only care to have the record available in the form that we intended it. We’re selling it for $5.00 in hopes that people are no longer bummed when they buy the record and don’t get the full record.
Since we’ve started playing shows here and there, the other version has picked up in sales…please spread the word that the version that is being sold currently by the other label does not include the lyrics and the band (Trial) have never seen a dime from that record and probably never will. This also includes ITunes and other digital outlets.
Because we’re sick of our record being in the hands of a label that cares nothing about our record or us, we paid for the manufacturing of this record out of our own pockets. We had hoped that we’d have them in time for our two most recent shows. We unfortunately did not receive them in time and now we’re hoping that we’ll be able to sell enough to cover our costs.
If you want to help us break even on the CD and pick up a copy, we’d be grateful. Again, we’re selling it for only $5.00 and that includes a digital download of the songs.
Thanks for your time..
Trial
Seattle WA
Visit Panic Records (Timm from Trial's Label) to get the record. www.panicrecords.net
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3 comments:
I am not going to get into it but EVR did a lot for Trial..
There are two sides to every story...
While I agree that there are always two sides to a story, I usually tend to believe the side that cares enough to explain itself, as opposed to a side who says nothing in its defense. There's usually a reason for that ... and no, its not being the bigger person (usually a cop out).
Even if none of what Trial says is true ... cutting the lyrics to save a few pennies is a bullshit move. Maybe they could have went without a run of Armor For Sleep postcards or something.
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