Howard Jones

[Analogue]

I just received my 'replacement' disc and unfortunately, though not surprisingly, it is exactly the same as my original disc with the same problems regarding track markers.

Although the Webstore was accomodating in sending me another disc, how can their whole team still be in denial about such an obvious flaw?

[audiodile]

I was afraid that would be the case. I just sent this email to the HJ store. I don't expect to get much satisfaction but I'm not letting this go easily.

[i]I have just spoken to another individual who had also emailed you about these problems, whom you sent a replacement disc to. Unfortunately he noted that the replacement disc has all of the exact same issues as the original disc.

While I do appreciate your attempt to correct the problem, it seems very likely that every copy of the bonus disc has the exact same track marker issues. I realize that it's evident you have not gotten many complaints about this to date because as of yet no one is even willing to admit that there is any problem. I also realize that actually fixing the problem and replacing the discs is likely something Howard's team does not wish to devote the time and money to because few people have complained.

Since this is the case, and I am likely stuck with the faulty disc no matter how many replacements I get, I would like to request that instead of sending me another copy of the same faulty disc, that you instead send the bonus disc for the new set that was just released. As I already own Howard's entire catalogue on disc and am just repurchasing the new sets in order to get remixes that have never been issued to disc, the handful of remixes is really the only thing I really want, another reason why it is so disappointing that that was the only thing wrong with the previous set. I know it is unlikely that you will do this, but considering the good faith that I have placed in Howard and his associates in having spent a considerable amount of money on the remaster sets so far, and then not even being able to in fact get faultless copies of the very remixes I'd been waiting so long for, it would be a very considerate gesture under the unfortunate circumstances.

I do hope that at this point there is no question whatsoever about the errors on the remix disc, whether it is ever publicly admitted or not. I realize that this email may not be read by someone in charge who would make such a decision. Please forward it to whomever that person is, if so.

I am holding out hope that you are able to help me, one way or another, in this situation. Please contact me if you wish to discuss any of this.[/i]

What is frustrating to me is that so few of us are noting the problem. A lot of these sets were sold - does no one bother to check their discs for errors? Do people just not care? If we had 20 people instead of 3 talking to them about this there would be a much greater chance that they'd feel compelled to actually address it. So while I am obviously disappointed in the technical errors and the people who made them, I'm almost as disappointed in all the buyers who aren't saying anything, thus guaranteeing that it's all swept under the rug.

I don't care if I have to do it all by myself, I'm going to make sure that at the very least, they realize that you can't release a defective product, charge a significant amount for it and then expect that everyone's just going to shrug and forget easily. I may never get what I want, but I'm perfectly fine with raising a ruckus in the process.

[Luke]

I think it wasn't a coincidence that those discs were labelled 'RISK'
[:D]