Rhino Records Sucks.

Yesterday, while searching Google, I found out two Judee Sill albums I wanted have come back into print in this country for the first time in thirty years. They were reissued in a limited run by Rhino Handmade, the same label that had just put out a live Television album from a 1978 gig. My day was made. Hell, the rest of my year was made. They were all overpriced, but since this was stuff I really wanted, I put my cheapskate nature on temporary hold. I went through all the complicated nonsense you have to go through to order stuff online, and [insert long dramatic pause here] they wouldn't accept my VISA check card. I don't know why they won't take it. Amazon never has had a problem with it. Microsoft didn't have a problem with it. Spun.com didn't have a problem with it. I have money in the bank and have never bounced a check, but yet Rhino treated me like a pariah.


Well, you say, why don't you just buy the CD's from Amazon? If it were possible I would've done that in the first place, but Rhino Handmade CD's are only available from Rhino's site and are limited runs. And you can only buy their product with credit cards. Lovely way to do business, Rhino. Just lovely. Are you trying keep out the riff-raff? Don't like selling to poor people? What's the deal, Rhino?

The Rhino Handmade imprint is a pretentious sham. If I had a broadband connection I'd download all three albums and not feel one micron of guilt. The regular Rhino label has also reissued the first two Television albums with lots of bonus tracks, but I'm not buying them new. I'll wait a few months until used ones pop up on Amazon. Fuck Rhino Records.