Aereo-Plain Unavailable?

[Wadefox]

I just noticed that the CD of John Hartford's Aereo-Plain is unavailable on Amazon, except from special dealers for about $60. I went to the Rounder website, and it is no longer listed, although they still list many other HArtford CDs (and Steam-Powered Aereo-Takes.) Is Aereo-Plain out of print? How could that be?

[JEStanek]

I had the same problem a year ago. Post an ad in the wanted section (that's how I got mine).

Jamie

[luckylarue]

I picked up a used copy on vinyl, but didn't they just recently release another version w/ outakes and such? Can't imagine this classic would go out of print, though many a classic have been criminally removed from circulation before, so who knows?

[fishdawg40]

Looks like Mark Twang and Morning Bugle are no longer for sale (only used for the former) either. #I've been wanting MB for a while. #Half.com has Aereo-Plain for $59, too. #Those people jacking up the prices like that are low...

[Jim Yates]

Are they no longer available from the John Hartford official web-site?

[JEStanek]

Blep,
Nope. The Johnhartford.com merchandise area only has strings, Tshirts and the CD his sone made. I wonder if Rounder would reissue it?

Jamie

[EggerRidgeBoy]

I picked up a used copy on vinyl, but didn't they just recently release another version w/ outakes and such? #Can't imagine this classic would go out of print, though many a classic have been criminally removed from circulation before, so who knows?

"Steam Powered Aero Takes", released in 2002, consists of demos and alternate takes from the Aero-Plain sessions, but contains none of the original tracks. #About the closest you can get until the album is re-issued. #I'm surprised it is out of print, too.

[Chris Cantergiani]

Could they be pulling a "Disney" kind-of marketing thing? Dangle a classic release out for a limited time, then take it off the shelves and build up demand.
Eventually, put together some crazy, expensive, expanded-edition box-set thing?

Shoot, I'd probably buy it.

Chris

[ira]

hey david grisman- don't you think acoustic disc should buy the rights and rerelease???
just a suggestion!

[John Goodin]

It looks like Elderly might still have Mark Twang in stock. I pay $10 a month for the Rhapsody music service and Aereo-Plain, Morning Bugle and Mark Twang are all available there, along with most of John's other recordings. I love all three recordings but I think MB is the unsung hero of the bunch. Hartford, Blake and Dave Holland (argueably the best bass playing ever on any bluegrass, newgrass or new acoustic recording) with a minimum of overdubs. With the Rhapsody service you get unlimited streaming and can download whole albums for $10 or individual tracks. So you can download Aereo-Plain there for $9.99 (in addition to the monthly fee). Probably do something similar at iTunes or some of the others.

John G.

[luckylarue]

I'm sure downloading is great, but what about that face on the lp cover?!?!

[Mike Beatty]

i queried ROunder as to the status if Aereo-Plain and finally got a response today. Here it is.

"Yes, Aereo-plain is out of print. Warner Brothers owns the rights to the album, so only they can answer the "why." "

I love that album so I'm glad I've got a copy on CD (as well as Morning Bugle.)

Mike B.

[Rick Schmidlin]

I am lucky of having that album is sits next to Muleskiner.

David Bromberg gave them to me in 73.I also have the CD's boy am I lucky

[adgefan]

I'm really getting into John Hartford at the moment and this one was next on my list of "must haves". Just checked Amazon.co.uk and it's going for £82, that's close to $160! Unbelievable, it must be rather good!

[Mike Beatty]

Wow. There's one on eBay for $50 right now. I wonder how high prices will go on this, I might be tempted to sell my copy.

[Wadefox]

I hope that Warner rereleases these CDs soon. It really bothers me that some of John Hartford's best albums would go out of print so soon after he died. It doesn't seem right.

[John Goodin]

This is a really interesting discussion to me. Aereo-Plain, Morning Bugle and Mark Twang were all originally recorded on tape and issued on LP (probably cassette and 8-track too). Any CD version that is in or out of print is a digitized version of those original analog tapes. I just double-checked Rhapsody and all three albums are there for $9.99 each. iTunes seems to only have Mark Twang. Napster has Aereo-Plain and Mark Twang, both for $9.99 each. It's true that if you download them you don't get the original cover art but on any CD you're just getting a miniature version of that art anyway. If it's only the music you want you can legally download it for a lot less than $50 or $160. And, no, I don't get paid by Rhapsody. Their service saves me a lot of money but they are far from perfect (no Youngbloods "Elephant Mountain", no consistent arrangement with the ECM label and nothing from Compass Records). So, while Aereo-Plain has long been out of print on vinyl and appears to be out of print on CD it still easily available for ten dollars online. Believe me though, I understand the collector impulse. If you've gotta have it on a manufactured disc then go for it.

John G.