Imagine that you and a friend are haggling over a colossal transaction involving
your favorite trading cards. But you aren't dealing with a Rod Carew for
a Tom Seaver here, you're trading an autographed Mudhoney for a Tad, a Gruntruck
for a Hammerbox. This is the innovative concept envisioned and realized by
Frank Harlan (aka Bill Bored), founder of the Northwest Rock Trading Card
Company.
While most other collectors cards are based on professional sports or serial
killers, Frank's concept originated from the production of Seattle's Bombshelter
Videos T.V. Program back in 1987. " I hosted the show using the name Bill
Bored as a kind of protest." Bombshelter Videos was an alternative to the
rigid narrowminded standards MTV and other large music video channels had
in the late 1980's.
"Basically, if you got a rejection letter from MTV, we'd put your video on
our show without even previewing it ! We were doing what they were afraid
to do and broadcasting it to the public for Free !"
Then around 1990, the grunge sound began airing on MTV and Seattle bands
like Soundgarden and Nirvana began receiving massive media attention. "The
grunge thing was breaking and MTV was taking all the credit for it. It was
crazy. I mean you would never have seen bands like Rage Against the Machine
on MTV in 1987."
In all unfairness to MTV, it does seem ironic that an incredibly original
and creative music scene was exposed on an international level a year or
two after the emergence of a very successful Seattle television program
called "Bombshelter Videos" that had always focused on the same Northwest
music scene that MTV was taking all the credit for.
Unfortunately, while MTV was overplaying the same Northwest acts, hundreds
of other equally talented groups were largely overshadowed and ignored. That's
when Frank's vision of Northwest Rock Trading Cards came into focus. He knew
that he was onto something special and began to make the phone calls and
do the bidding that finally landed a deal to package a product in February
of 1993. The novelty of the Northwest Rock Trading Cards was enhanced by
the unique promotion in which particular bands would make their cards available
only at select coffeehouses, laundromats and tattoo parlors around Seattle.
The cards soon became coveted collectors items by hardcore fans and groupies.
Volume One of the Northwest Bands & Labels had 4,500 boxed sets
of 40 cards each when it was released in 1993. Today, fewer than
200 boxed sets are still available to fans via the Internet Web Site.
"In 1993 there was alot more going on in Seattle and in the Northwest than
just MTV. The cards were a way to help break new bands to the public." Frank
knew he had a hit when A&R people began calling him for his advice, "and
everyone wanted to know, 'how do you get into the next set of cards?"
The Northwest region which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho & British
Columbia has a wide variety of musical talent besides the well known grunge
scene. "This region has everything from pop, rock, blues, country, rap, swing
& experimental noise."
The second and third boxed sets reflected that diversity in sound as well
as new and improved packaging. "We wanted to be respected by the trading
card community and make sure that the fans got a good product. We looked
at cheezy old rock-n-roll cards, which were OK, but they were basically copies
of old baseball cards. On the Northwest Rock Trading cards you can actually
find out how to contact their manager as well as mail order the CD. Since
the bands write their own information, included on the back of the card,
collectors and fans gain insightful and often hillarious perspectives on
the personalities of each band."
"We often get asked if groups like Nirvana or Soundgarden are included in
the boxed sets". The answer is NO. "We tried to include everyone in the sets,
but the licensing fees for some of the bands got very expensive, especially
after MTV, and we had to pass them up.
The ORIGINAL collectable boxed sets, which were available ONLY to Seattle
music fans from 1993-1995, are now available exclusively via the Internet
to a world wide audience.
Check the QUICK LIST for a complete
listing
|