Brutal Bands Signs Deal With PHD Canada Distribution

[Brutal Bands]

Today Brutal Bands signed an exclusive distribution deal with Canada's largest distributor of metal - PHD Canada Distribution. We are very pround to be working with PHD and to have signed our first of many distribution deals. In the upcoming months ahead Brutal Bands and Extreme Underground releases will slowly start to invade the shelves of such chain retail stores as A&B Sound, Archambault, HMV Canada, CD Plus, Sunrise Records, and many other metalshops and independent music stores.

http://www.brutalbands.net/images/phdcanada.gif

[SolariS]

PHD sells cd's to stores way too expensive.... all your cd's will be on the racks at 25$ and more... that's too much

[Brutal Bands]

PHD sells cd's to stores way too expensive.... all your cd's will be on the racks at 25$ and more... that's too much

So just out of curiosity, how much are mainstream CDs selling for, and also how much are CDs from say Relapse Records or Century Media selling for up in Canada?

[dude0160]

Pretty much all metal cds are usually expensive in Canada, most above 20$ at like HMV or whatever. Some new cds or mainstream ones are like around $15, it depends really. Centuery and Relapse are like around 25$ , it depends on the cd tho.. I got the new Skinless Cd from HMV for like $13.99 but the older Skinless ones were like around $25..

[Brutal Bands]

Pretty much all metal cds are usually expensive in Canada, most above 20$ at like HMV or whatever. Some new cds or mainstream ones are like around $15, it depends really. Centuery and Relapse are like around 25$ , it depends on the cd tho.. I got the new Skinless Cd from HMV for like $13.99 but the older Skinless ones were like around $25..

OK, so it's not just CDs distributed through PHD then, because I know Century Media and Relapse Records don't go through PHD in Canada. From the sounds of it, it's that way regardless of the distributor. Interesting that some newer metal CDs would be less expensive in the stores than the older CDs. I don't shop to much for metal in retail chain stores in the US, but from what I have seen, that's how it is here too. CDs that come from metal labels, are more expensive in the stores than the Top 40 mainstream releases. I'm going to get in touch with my PHD buyer and see if she can explain the reason behind the high prices. And I'll post an update to this if I find anything out.

One thing to keep in mind though - most educated metalheads know that buying online is cheaper, so that's usually where they buy. Getting our CDs in stores is meant more for the less aware people that only shop at these stores. And I know there are plenty that do, otherwise there wouldn't be so many metal labels going through PHD for distribution.

[m138jewski]

Keep in mind the currency exchange in Canada is different than the US. Everything appears to more expensive but its actually the same so a $20 cd in Canada is about equal to $15 US.

[dude0160]

Yeah very true. Yeah I usually buy the cds anyways in store unless I can't find it then i'll order online. I hate waiting tho even if it is cheaper lol. Yeah like even non-metal cds are pretty expensive too, unless its like super mainstream.

[Surt]

lets just hope the Canadian branch isn't as much of fucking rip-off merchants as the British one is - after I and plenty of others have all had distinctly notorious run-ins with trying to order something direct from PHD...

[Crucified Coma]

$25 for a CD? lol, it's awesome watching the industry destroy itself.

[Brutal Bands]

lets just hope the Canadian branch isn't as much of fucking rip-off merchants as the British one is - after I and plenty of others have all had distinctly notorious run-ins with trying to order something direct from PHD...

I could be wrong about this, but I believe PHD Canada Distribution and Plastic Head Distribution (PHD) in the UK are different entities.

[grindwork]

Ok so PHD Canada and Plastic Head Distribution are two different companies.

I used to work at a CD Plus in Nova Scotia, Canada. So here is the way most most retail stores work.

The store is classified into 3 main catagories Bin, New Release, Promotions.

Bin = Older titles and the price varies, typically punk/metal/death/grind anything difficult to find is a bit more expensive. $17.99 - $23.99 is the price range.

New Release = The new releases that are ordered in bulk and albums that will sell multiple copies. Therefore sold at cheaper prices. Usually beteen $12.99 and $18.99

Promotions = are just that. older and newer CD's that companies are running specials on. Typically 2 for $25, 2 for $20, 2 for $30 etc. Think Slayer, Metallica, Pearl Jam and other soft rock.

I picked up the newer Relapse CD's for $17.99 - $18.99 each, not too bad.

And the exchange rate is pretty good, only $0.10 on the dollar. But the retail markup is pretty big on the older releases.

I will post back as soon as I see the BB albums in stock to give you an idea of the prices that they are selling for.

[Incin]

And obviously the Internet will be able to provide cheaper prices with no store front or employees to pay for but keep in mind. This opens up death metal to a wider audience. I remember when I was a kid I would just go to the store and check out album covers and whatever was the sickest looking cover thats what I bought. Now if we can get kids doing the same shit and finding real "underground" death metal cd's and exposing them to something other than Korn it's a win win.

[grindwork]

Mailorder is the prime way for me to get my music. Cheaper, and shipping prices and times are usually very good!

[Surt]

i completely agree with the logic behind it...

i just get annoyed with how fucking difficult the UK branch make it to get the merchandise of shitloads of bands without screwing you around - i think i've even seen it where certain bands have had to put a link to the PHD site instead of selling the merch themselves from their own website...


but if it's a completely different entity you shuold be safe :D

just out of curiousity, has BB looked into/ gotten a European "thing" officially going on yet?

[Brutal Bands]

i completely agree with the logic behind it...

i just get annoyed with how fucking difficult the UK branch make it to get the merchandise of shitloads of bands without screwing you around - i think i've even seen it where certain bands have had to put a link to the PHD site instead of selling the merch themselves from their own website...


but if it's a completely different entity you shuold be safe :D

just out of curiousity, has BB looked into/ gotten a European "thing" officially going on yet?

Well, I don't know what to say about Plastic Head Distribution in the UK, other than the fact that we would eventually like to work with them as well. But it's too bad to here about you're bad experiences with them. One thing to keep in mind, all distributors are typically in the business of distribution - that is their specialty - selling to stores, not to individual customers. I would stay away from buying from large distributors maybe.

We've sent out some promo/press packs to some distributors in Europe and we will continue to do so. But so far we only have some underground distribution throughout Europe through all the various labels/distros over there. But I know in time we will conquer the world. A label seeking distribution is similar to a band that is seeking a label. It just takes time.

[dude0160]

"remember when I was a kid I would just go to the store and check out album covers and whatever was the sickest looking cover thats what I bought. Now if we can get kids doing the same shit and finding real "underground" death metal cd's and exposing them to something other than Korn it's a win win."

Hehe yeah same, also ppl who dont order online can now get some BB from like HMV and whatever... I know alot of ppl who love this music but download all the albums cuz ther to afraid to buy online.

[SolariS]

Brutal bands, it's great that you have a distribution contract in Canada but as Unique leader does also with PHD and they don't sell because their cd's are 25.99$ in stores.. i even saw some unique leader at 27.99$, its crazy... but you see, relapse, and century media cd's never go up than 20-21$... well thats in the records store i go.