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Posted in music on December 11, 2006
Velvet Underground record buyer a phony, not to mention a huge Hot Hot Heat & Interpol fan?
The news media continue to report that the rare Velvet Underground record sold on eBay for $155,401 this weekend to a mysterious bidder called "mechadaddy". Not only do I think I may have figured out who mechadaddy is (not Lou Reed), I think he may not actually be a winner at all. If the Globe and Mail is to be believed:
This is because the highest bidder in a 10-day online auction for the fragile acetate that ended last Friday evening "has proved to be bogus," a disappointed Warren Hill said yesterday. He's the 30-year-old Montrealer who, in September 2002, innocently paid 75 cents for the 12-inch, nine-song acetate after finding it at a street sale in New York's Chelsea district......On the weekend Saturn received an e-mail from the supposed winner who said a friend, unbeknownst to him, had, as a lark, bid on the acetate using his (the supposed winner's) computer at work and account number. "Ohmigod, I'm so sorry," the e-mail read in part. "I can barely afford gas for my car" let alone more than $150,000 for a 40-year-old disc of acetone-covered aluminum.Strangely, that's the only article that has this info so far.
So, I thought I had maybe figured out who the buyer was -- then I found the above article, and now instead it looks like I may have only figured out who the buyer WOULD HAVE BEEN had he not been a phony. I could be wrong, but anyway, all roads lead to this guy AKA this guy AKA this guy AKA THIS GUY. Even more interestingly, the guy in question is involved with a soon-to-be-launched LA-based music site not very different from the one you're reading at this very moment. Oscar could not be reached for comment.
Posted on December 11, 2006 5:10 PM
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Comments (6)
that excuse sounds exactly like something somebody who likes "provoking the 'system'" would say. this is totally gonna screw his ebay feedback rating to all hell,
Posted by nathan | December 11, 2006 6:13 PM
People who don't pay for ebay auctions are douchebags.
Posted by bumpershine | December 11, 2006 6:54 PM
"Hot Hot Heat are my boys representing el Borde Norte of Canadaheezy"... sweet
Posted by ramone | December 11, 2006 7:52 PM
I was watching this auction and I noticed how the Feedback ratings on the big bids were only like 48...when the bidding was a lot lower but still $20,000, the bids were from record dealers with ratings in the 4000+ range...
I can't believe someone at eBay doesn't pay a little more attention when bids get over $100,000!
Also check out the questions added to the listing (at the bottom)...a lawyer confirms that no rights to the copyright are transfered with the sale of the record (i.e. the winner can't release or license the recordings to make money) and Mo Tucker owns a copy too.
Posted by John | December 11, 2006 8:00 PM
HAHA....the yahoo profile was taken down!
Posted by J | December 12, 2006 9:42 AM
Glorious Noise posted the tracks off the acetate that are different:
http://www.gloriousnoise.com/mp3s/2006/velvet_underground_acetate_mp3.php
Posted by joly | December 13, 2006 1:55 PM