Market Research

Biscuits!

Actually, sorry, that's a bit silly. But it would be different!

If you're looking at a boxed set, I presume you've seen the sets put together by Free Read? They've had a variety of different items included, such as posters, prints, guide books, books of tunes and even a model of the cropredy stage. They invariably come with various discs of rarities and special takes on things. I guess it would be easier for Free Read as they're dealing with major legacy artists who have a lot of material to cherry pick. Still, they may offer some ideas.

Cheers

Nick

Ok, well in that case I can see that a gig ticket may not work. If we're talking about a boxset, vinyl or a dvd would be a lovely and interesting addition. Also, when it comes to boxsets, I love it when they are really well packaged.

The Band had a really awesome boxset a few years back, with a dvd of rare live perfomances and a terrific booklet including insighful information and images. Thats the kind of thing I like to see.

Surely you'd have the album and then a seperate dvd with clips & takes of you making the album?(kind of like the stuff you've been posting on the site, the strings/brass being recorded but obviously it would have to be slightly longer than mini snippets) & then maybe an interview/some live stuff if you could get the sound quality okay? Or some other promo stuff & the video for the first single? Or are you not having singles on this record?

If you did the main album as a 2 disc set (1 cd & a dvd) there is always the option to do a numbered vinyl boxset with increased artwork later? (I've got the Radiohead In Rainbows one & it's a beautiful thing and contains vinyl, which I love, nothing sounds quite like it).

But again just my opinion

All good ideas.

Gig ticket you would have to have a code for a specific site that could be redeemed.

Supermarkets give me vouchers to redeem on line but can see it might be more tricky in this instance

I've realised that I didn't bat an eyelid before...but now its clicked (slow on the uptake)......A BOXSET??!! Yes please!

Songbook?

A Condom?

.....real ale flavour of course!

DVD! Definitly!

With an exclusive bonus video of you doing 'Nightvisiting' acoustic, cor, yummy....

xxx

Jim

This may be the "wrong" answer but I think it is also the "right" answer. That is that you should include, clearly labelled as a "demo" a repro of "I am Jim Moray"

Whether or not to re-release it will be an ongoing debate and whilst I respect the fact that you don't want to sell it, or see it protrayed as an example of your work, including as a freebie is a way to shut the topic down in a way that you can control.

As an observation, if you really want to do market research you need to do some market segmentation. Your market comprises 3 groups:

Completists - they will buy the box set anyway - they will be happy anyway. They probably own I am Jim Moray already
Established market - they may buy it but they may also feel a bit let down if it doesn't offer something they don't have and your question reflects that concern. Some will already own IAJM but many do not. Including it will help them to decice whether to purchase the box set and ensure that those that do feel it offers real value
Newcomers - they will be delighted by the main content of the box set and may be curious to discover where you came from but as its a freebie won't be upset if the quality is not great

Overall its hard to see the downside

The fact you have expressed interest in what people want reflects the attention to detail that shows in your albums and what you produce for others - and that is why IAJM is of long-term importance and warrants preservation even if it may be painful now

As a final observation, Steve Earle and Billy Bragg have both recently issued albums with demos attached as freebies (and the Bragg box sets include copious freebie demos). Not such bad company to keep....