Mail Order Albums

[Richard1978]

I remember in the 1980s & 1990s there were a lot of compilations that were only sold by mail order or over the phone, normally combined with a TV advert, often stating Not Available In Any Shop! In the late 1980s there was the option of getting a copy on X records, Y tapes or Z CD's.

Tellydisc was one company which I remember selling a lot of records this way, I have a The Shadows two disc set that was originally my Grans.

I think a few other companies sold albums (often largish compilations) this way.

[drexl_spivey]

Re: Mail Order Albums

Timelife was another, basically re-hashing the same predictable choices

[Richard1978]

Re: Mail Order Albums

I once asked my Dad if has was interested in buying one, but he said that he already had many of the tracks on it.

[jason h]

Re: Mail Order Albums

Remember, this offer amazing is not available in the shops... These were usually gluttonous compilations of back-catalogue hits by bands who wanted to sell off old stock. I think K-Tel were King when it came to this kind of stuff.

[memoman]

Re: Mail Order Albums

Time life were very frequently advertised,However they made very dull adverts,For basically the sort of cds woolies sold for £1-99 (type). sheer cr@p!

[Jacqueline]

Re: Mail Order Albums

I remember K-Tel adverts.

They always began "K-Tel proudly presents..."

[Malc London]

Re: Mail Order Albums

K-Tel and Ronco and I think Telstar. I also recall Arcade (?)

K-Tel also sold all sorts of "advertised on TV" products. I seem to recall one that took the place of a needle and thread for putting on buttons.

[80sChav]

Re: Mail Order Albums

I remember in the 1980s & 1990s there were a lot of compilations that were only sold by mail order or over the phone, normally combined with a TV advert, often stating Not Available In Any Shop! In the late 1980s there was the option of getting a copy on X records, Y tapes or Z CD's.

Tellydisc was one company which I remember selling a lot of records this way, I have a The Shadows two disc set that was originally my Grans.

I think a few other companies sold albums (often largish compilations) this way.

Yeah. Brittania and Magpie etc ... those where the day's indeed! Though it was a bit of a naf way to buy music now on reflection, it had a sort of magic appeal (pre-'net day's or similar other new way's to buy music from specialist places like) I think.

[n3llyo]

Re: Mail Order Albums

theres still alot of those "not available in the shops " cd albums still out there they get advertised on several sky tv channels introduced by `stars of yester year` ive never heard of . trouble is some are getting closer to being up to date
it wont be long now till theres a 3 minute infomercial advertising time lifes 5cd box set of all your favourite sing-a-long punk and oi classics with all your favourites from acts like the 4 skins -the toy dolls - and who could forget those naughty sex pistols

[Richard1978]

Re: Mail Order Albums

When CD's started to outsell LP's in the late 1980's there seemed to loads of compilations of oldies out, often the first time you could get them on CD.

My Dad bought a few but often complained that he didn't like duplicating tracks he already had on CD.

[agfagaevart]

Re: Mail Order Albums

Look here:
I'll say no more.

[Powdered toast man]

Re: Mail Order Albums

I remember being laid up for 2 months with a broken leg in a full cast and watching VH-1 for most of the time. This was in 1995 and they used to advertise these compilations all the time. There was one called Rock Festival which my dad bought and there was one cool compilation CD advert that had musical instruments being crushed in a scrapyard car-crusher at night. Can't remember what is was for though.

[shilton dipper]

Re: Mail Order Albums

i remember my ex hubby had a complete composers collection consisting of many albums bought over many many months..........wouldn't like to think how many times i dusted them

[victorbrunswick]

Re: Mail Order Albums

The two biggest purveyors of mail order albums that I remember were Sessions and K-Tel

Here you can see why K-Tel's adverts were widely parodied
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OuGNkMgSKo

[Richard1978]

Re: Mail Order Albums

I think I remember that set of composers box sets being advertised a lot, along with the 8 disc sets of 1970s & 80s songs.

My Dad has the 1980s set.