Cocteau Twins Didn't Know About Their Own Record Store Day Reissues

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Mar 22, 2017

Scottish dream-pop trio Cocteau Twins had a number of their recordings given the vinyl reissue treatment back in 2015, but when it comes to some their albums getting re-released for Record Store Day 2017, the group's Simon Raymonde says he had no idea of the plan.

In a Facebook post, Raymonde wrote that he was "surprised to read today that two of my band (Cocteau Twins)'s albums — Milk and Kisses, Four-Calendar Cafe — are to be released on vinyl on RSD 17."

He continued, "Who do I speak to about that? Would be nice to have known about it, but I would like to at least receive copies of it."

Because the Internet is truly an awful place, a handful of commenters attempted to break down rights ownership of Raymonde's work to the man himself in an effort to figure out how the reissues were approved without consulting the band. Raymonde revealed in a comment that Universal has arranged that copies will be sent to him within the next few weeks.

Find Raymonde's post below.



UPDATE (3/23, 12:30 p.m. EDT): Raymonde clarified his statements on Facebook, telling Pitchfork he "was not seeking sympathy or an online spat [and] simply expressing surprise that such extravagant packages could be put together without some input from at least two of the protagonists."

He added: "It does feel odd, having been a significant part of a band that took such care over the sonics and the presentation, that these double album packages may have even been for sale in the shops without our knowledge, had I not stumbled across them when looking through my potential purchases for RSD.

"But hey, we signed the deal and we are not the first and won't be the last whose work is exploited in a way that could only be described as callous and disrespectful. No pity required. Just another harsh lesson. If you want control of your masters and avoid such things happening to you then don't sign stupid deals with majors."


Four-Calendar Café and Milk & Kisses were released in 1993 and 1996, respectively, both arriving through Fontana. That label is now a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, which is handling the upcoming reissues.

Record Store Day 2017 marks the first time either record has been reissued, with both original pressings fetching astronomical prices on Discogs. You can read our Essential Guide to the band's work here.

Pore over the list of Record Store Day 2017 releases here.
 

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