The Works Video EP

I know this came out on PAL VHS and laserdisc only, but there's a big question: was it meant to be promotional only? I know this was Queen's first release on the new label (Capitol) but the marketing ploy that went with this release was pretty slick. Queen were already well-established in the music world by 1984 -- why all the attention to The Works?

1. A new record company looking to maximise sales.
2. Coming off a year off, important to have high profile.
3. VHS retail market developing.
4. With Queen's history, an obvious medium to use (see also the choice of DVD used to show off DVD players when that came on the scene).

I was working for Capitol Records that year and they were really pushing the new release, almost as much power as a new Beatles album. Elektra never did anything similar, even with the first album (playing cards maybe? LOL). Lots of promotional material, numbered promo LPs, "the works"! (What a name for an album!! Heeheehee!)
(They did the same with Thomas Dolby's first album, releasing a 12" EP and 8" laserdisc and mega-promotional material.)

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Penetration_Guru wrote: [/QUOTENAME]4. With Queen's history, an obvious medium to use (see also the choice of DVD used to show off DVD players when that came on the scene).
[/QUOTE]

Ah yeah, remember the Greatest Flix I & II DVD that came out in Germany? That was a promotional "tool", if you will, to get both new consumers and Queen fans to buy the DVD players.

There was an NTSC LaserDisc release in the USA too, Lisa. It wasn't limited to PAL countries only. Even Japan had an NTSC release.

Back then, LaserDisc was still a little bit relatively new, having been out for 6 years by that point, almost.

And speaking of LaserDiscs, I'm so happy today! I got 5 Urusei Yatsura anime LaserDiscs via UPS today from AnimEigo (a US-based anime dubbing/subbing company)
Only thing is, I don't have my laserdisc player with me here in Ontario, so I have to wait until I get back to Edmonton on Aug. 23 to watch them :(

I just got a new copy in the mail (still sealed after 20 years, never been played till last night!) courtesy of Ebay. It's as good as my old one, surprisingly -- but that one cost $14.95 new, and the "new/old" one cost $52! The sound is SO much better than the videos on the DVDs (I got the splitter for the home theatre today and it definitely makes a HUGE difference, tired of switching manually). I have a soft spot for the laserdiscs, they really had the technology but the format was too bulky and reminiscent of vinyl LPs. Plus you had to deal with possible laser rot down the road (as I did with Disc One of Magic Years, and it was Japanese). Not sure how DVDs will hold up -- indefinitely, I hope!!

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Lisa J Goodrich wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I got the splitter for the home theatre today and it definitely makes a HUGE difference, tired of switching manually[/QUOTE]

What's a splitter?

Hey, so do you have two copies of the Works EP on LaserDisc now? Just curious...

And $15 is cheap for a laserdisc. The 5 laserdiscs I got cost $10 US each, along with $10 US shipping to Canada, so I got them even cheaper in value! :)

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Lisa J Goodrich wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I just got a new copy in the mail [/QUOTE]

Ahh, that would explain the fake topic and opening post, when you supposedly worked for Capitol and could easily answer your own question. Why not just start off with the brag rather than creating a pointless question about whether it was promotional?

Oooh, save it for later, DF darling. I just got up and I don't need to hear some bickering first thing in the morning.

Btw. I myself love the crystal clear sound quality of LD's. Another thing that got me into LD's is the fact that they can have either DTS or Dolby Digital.

"Ahh, that would explain the fake topic and opening post, when you supposedly worked for Capitol and could easily answer your own question. Why not just start off with the brag rather than creating a pointless question about whether it was promotional?"

The Works Video EP was NOT a promotional item. It was a legitimate release. I tried to get a copy but no promos were available. I just wanted to get an opinion WHY it wasn't!
The only promo material one could get were album cover flats, posters, banners and LPs.

"What's a splitter?"

It's a little box to split audio signals from different sources. I was really tired of unplugging the leads from the home theatre from the DVD player to the LD player, so now I can just flip a switch when I want to play either format. Nice and headache-free now!!

OIC

It was released on Betamax format too.

Hey Lisa, is the Works EP LD in CLV or CAV format?