While poking through the used vinyl bins this weekend a friend of mine picked up "In The Slot" by Tower Of Power. Originally released in 1975 this big pile of funky bass and rippin' horns really brought back some memories.

But maybe the best find was the text of the paper liner, describing the Warner/Reprise "Loss Leaders". It's not exactly a shocking read, just a little ironic to imagine that at one time the labels considered it a good idea to gain some extra sales by exposing the public to new music for "free":

Warner/Reprise Loss Leaders are full stereo, double albums in deluxe packaging. Each double album ($2 for two records) averages about 28 selections. Each is filled with the finest selections from the artists' latest work, plus some extra collectors' items (such as unreleased singles).

You can't buy Loss Leaders in a store; they are available only by mail.

We can get away with that low price because these celebrated artists and this record company have agreed not to make a profit on this venture. We (and they) feel that it's more important that these albums-about-albums be heard.

Each Loss Leader is divinely packaged, having been designed at no little expense by our latently talented art department.

Loss Leaders are compiled from new stuff, NOT old tracks dredged out of our Dead Dogs files. No selections are used on more than one album.

If our accounting department were running the company, they'd charge you $9.96 for each album. But they're not. Yet.

Still, if you're suspicious of big record companies as we feel you have every right to be, we can only tell you that Warner/Reprise is not 100% benevolent. It's our fervent hope that - after hearing one of the Loss Leaders - you'll be encouraged to pick up more of what you hear on these albums, at regular retail prices. That's where the profit lies. We Think.

(Originally posted on Mark Is Cranky)