So, didn’t I just mention that I was waiting for my vinyl copy of “Not The Actual Events” EP from Nine Inch Nails a couple posts ago?

Call it synchronicity, but the very next day I received an e-mail about the release.

Business is business, and I don’t enjoy waiting, but this was handled well by Trent. I post it here with respect going out to Trent for his action on it and for anyone that doesn’t know about his question at the end.

The e-mail in its entirety (minus direct links, if your a customer, you got this already):

DEAR NIN.COM VINYL CUSTOMER,

TWO APOLOGIES, A STATEMENT, AND A QUESTION.

APOLOGY 1:
FIRST, AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WE ARE CHANGING OUR FULFILLMENT PARTNER.  I HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY WITH FIREBRAND FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AND WE ARE NOW PARTNERING WITH SANDBAG.   I’M SORRY IT’S TAKEN AS LONG AS IT HAS TO MAKE THIS CHANGE, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY AGGRAVATION YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED ON THIS FRONT. YOUR SUPPORT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND I ASSURE YOU THERE’S BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF SCREAMING DONE ON MY END.  YOU DESERVE BETTER.

APOLOGY 2:
THE VINYL RELEASES FOR DEVIATIONS, NOT THE ACTUAL EVENTS AND THE REISSUES HAVE BEEN DELAYED AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE.  THE BLAME FOR THIS LIES WITH ME AND MY TEAM.  WE RAN INTO A VARIETY OF QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES WITH THE AUDIO AND VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE ARTWORK, THEN WE GOT OBSESSIVE ABOUT GETTING IT RIGHT.  AT SOME POINT THESE FUCKUPS STARTED TO ADD UP TO A SUBSTANTIAL DELAY THAT I WASN’T FULLY AWARE OF UNTIL RECENTLY.

AGAIN, I’M SORRY FOR THE DELAY HERE BUT THE INTENTION HAS BEEN TO GET THIS UNCOMPROMISINGLY RIGHT.

HERE’S THE UPDATED, ACCURATE (BARRING AN ACT OF GOD) TIMELINE FOR SHIPPING:

*   DEVIATIONS WILL SHIP AT THE END OF JUNE
*   ALL OTHER TITLES WILL SHIP AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST

IF YOU HAVE ORDERED ANY OF THESE TITLES, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WHEN YOUR ORDER HAS SHIPPED.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COMPLETE REFUND (KEEPING THE DIGITAL FILES), WE GET IT

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR ORDER, OR WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT SANDBAG CUSTOMER SERVICE

ADDITIONALLY, EVERYONE WITH AN OUTSTANDING VINYL ORDER WILL RECEIVE A DISCOUNT CODE FOR 20% OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE.  THIS CODE IS GOOD FOR ONE USE AND UNIQUE TO YOU. YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR CODE VIA EMAIL IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

STATEMENT:
WE ARE TAKING ALL MEASURES AVAILABLE TO MAKE SURE ANY PREORDERS FROM NIN.COM ARRIVE IN YOUR HANDS BEFORE THEY ARE AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE.  I KNOW HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS WHEN THIS ISN’T THE CASE (LIKE WHAT JUST HAPPENED WITH BEFORE THE FLOOD).  I ASSUMED WE ALREADY HAD THIS PRACTICE IN PLACE, I WAS INCORRECT.

QUESTION:
FINALLY, DID YOU KNOW THERE’S A NEW TOP-SECRET NINE INCH NAILS EP THAT WILL BE RELEASED BEFORE THE FIRST SHOWS WE DO THIS SUMMER?  DID YOU KNOW NOT THE ACTUAL EVENTS WAS THE FIRST PART OF A TRILOGY OF RELATED EPS THAT WILL BE RELEASED ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS APART?  NOW YOU DO.
MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SHORTLY…

THANK YOU.
TRENT

 

I am waiting. I accept your apology.

The Aural Retentive