I’M BUSY with emails and stuff when the APC courier rocks up with the vinyls of new album.

I got a message on Wednesday saying they were to be delivered yesterday (Thursday)…then yesterday morning at 9.30am I got an email saying my request to change delivery to Friday (ie: today) has been successfully processed.Except I didn’t request a change in delivery day and started to think I was going crazy…or had I accidentally pressed a button when trying to track??

Nope. When quizzed the delivery driver said they (…he? …APC?) had changed it yesterday because they had too many deliveries to do! By fluke our front door security camera caught both him and the conversation.

While on this occasion a day here or there on delivery hasn’t caused much hassle it irks me that I – and, I guess Seabass – have been charged for overnight delivery that didn’t happen. Even more so at the reason being intimated was that it was at my request! Not the case as evidenced by the driver’s statements.

Onto the vinyl. As promised the boxes have been marked so we know which is transparent violet…and which is transparent violet and black marbled. There’s also some pink ones they did before checking the colour with me!

The sleeves and labels are good. The black and violet marbling is OK….but the transparent violet almost looks marbled too – violet and purple tho’. I check some more and it’s kinda weird.

It’s so different to what I expected that I check Seabass’ colour charts and guide on the website in case I’ve missed something – but nothing there about transparent colours being ‘mottled’.

I call Seabass Vinyl to let them know delivery and also to query the transparent violet. Normally I’ve dealt with Dominque but her husband – and partner in Seabass – Dave answers.

He’s immediately flippant about my query and tells me it’s a characteristic of the vinyl they use and happens with some non-standard colours. Some colours are not affected by this mottled finish.

I explain that I’m a bit disappointed – and particularly so that the chance of this happening was not mentioned when I discussed and made my order.

Dave is getting a little short with me and unwilling to take my concern on board, finally telling me no-one else has ever complained about it and that he’s busy and needs to get off the phone.

My disappointment with the vinyl has now developed into anger at the way my query (not a ‘complaint’ as such…not yet anyway!) has been handled and that I’ve been made to feel a fool to expect anything other than what I got.

I email Dominique outlining the situation and expressing my disappointment.

Before the call an apology and an acceptance that this should maybe be flagged on their website and/or ordering process may have kept my dissatisfaction at a manageable level, but the flippant and patronising discussion have minimized by willingness to suck it up.

I await a response.

Meantime, I head out for a walk and some fresh air to try and calm down.

Back home I start packing and sorting out orders so folks will start getting their vinyl/CD/pledge pin rewards next week…