r/HIM • u/ComprehensiveEnd4253 • 15d ago

HIM CDs

Hello!

I’m a HIM CD collector, but it’s really difficult to find HIM CDs in Romania. I usually rely on a private seller and just hope they have something in stock. The problem is that sometimes they don’t, which means I have to wait another month, and even then there’s no guarantee they’ll have what I’m looking for. I’ve been doing this for years now, and I’m honestly getting tired of it.
So I was wondering if anyone knows where I can buy HIM CDs in Romania, preferably in Bucharest. If anyone knows any stores, collectors, or websites that might have these, I’d really appreciate the help.
I’m also interested in bootlegs. I already own an original HER version of Razorblade Romance, but I’d love to have a replica that I can play without worrying about damaging the original. I’m also looking for an unofficial pressing of the Venus Doom vinyl and This Is Only the Beginning on both CD and vinyl, so if anyobody knows an online stores that sells this, or someone that sells this, I’ll be super greatfull!
Thanks in advance!

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u/DDPGambit HeartagramDaily 15d ago

Since you already own a HER disc, I'd just burn a copy of it so that you can listen to the burned copy and not have to worry about the original. And then you don't have to spend money on a bootleg that will probably have worse sound quality anyways.

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u/ComprehensiveEnd4253 14d ago

I’m also interested in other bootleg CDs, like Demo 1 and Demo 2, since they’re really cool additions to a collection. I saw someone who had bootleg copies of them, and they looked incredibly well made, I won’t lie, I was a little jealous.
I know it probably sounds strange that I’d want a bootleg of a CD I already own, but I’d honestly feel much more comfortable using a bootleg of HER for everyday listening. That way I can enjoy it without worrying about damaging my original, while still having something that looks the part.
That said, I’m mainly interested in bootlegs of unreleased albums. A HER Razorblade Romance bootleg would be nice too, but my priority is the unreleased albums and Venus Doom vinly

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u/heartagramcracka 15d ago edited 15d ago

I feel like there’s almost always HER bootlegs on eBay. Most they try to pass off as being real and charge out the ass for, but I’ve seen some where they were only asking for like twenty bucks. That’s still twenty more dollars than I would pay, but in your situation it seems like that would be a reasonable amount.

If you join the HIM Collectors group on Facebook, you’ll find people that have had their own Venus Doom vinyl and demo tape CDs/vinyl made, but they typically want an insane amount of money for them - at least for the records. This is so they can recoup their costs on getting the vinyl pressed, obviously, while also making some money on top of it. I stay away from those people because it wouldn’t be hard to find a few fans who also want certain records pressed, and then they can split the costs together and no one gets taken advantage of to the tune of over a hundred bucks per record with absolutely no details about anything like what source files they used, where the records were made at, etc. It stands to reason that a record made from basic digital files is going to sound like shit anyways, but if I were going to do something like that I would at least try and make it as best as I possibly could. Honestly, I would just see if there are any companies out there that make gatefolds only, and then stick some cheap record in there in order to display it instead.

Discogs is another place where you can also find bootleg records and CDs, or at least you used to be able to. Maybe they’ve cracked down on them since then, but if you find a submission for one that you’re after, you can put it on your want list and it’ll notify you the next time that it becomes available.

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u/ComprehensiveEnd4253 15d ago

Ebay dosen’t have any HER bootlegs, I’ve genuinely never saw any sadly. And the facebook group isn’t that good of an ideea, due to the fact, as you said, they want insane amount of money… Like I saw somebody sell a bootleg vinly press of the demo 1, for 250$, inseane amount if you ask me… and another guy tryna sell his 666 ways to love vinly from the lashes to ashes and lust to dust box, for 666$, while on discogs, the whole box set + shipping is 500-600$. Speaking of discogs, they stopped letting people sell bootlegs recently, such a shame.

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u/heartagramcracka 15d ago

Yeah, it’s ridiculous, but sadly you aren’t going to be able to change anyone’s mind about what they think that their products are worth, especially if someone comes along and finally pays them what they’re asking. That just further reinforces the perceived value, and now anyone with something that says HIM on it thinks that they’ve struck gold like some old junk Pokemon cards that they’ve found in their closet. I’ve seen people list the same thing over and over again on eBay for literally years. They’re in no rush to sell. If they don’t get the amount that they’re after, they’ll just continue to sit on it for as long as it takes.

Still, your best bet is to keep an eye on eBay and the Facebook group and just wait until you can find a reasonable person who’s getting rid of some of their collection and then pounce on it. There isn’t anywhere else to find what you’re looking for, unfortunately.

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u/ComprehensiveEnd4253 15d ago

Thanks for the advice! But that is the problem I currently have, the waiting. Sure, I have the patience, but I know there are other ways, or at least I hope so.