MERGE RECORDS BUYS RIGHTS TO GREY GHOST!!! TO PRODUCE BEST OF THE BAYOU COMPILATION SERIES!!! NEW MAIL-ORDER SUBSCRIPTION!!! MINDS ARE BLOWN!

HAHAHHA WTF?!?!? TWELVE IS THE LUCKIEST NUMBER!!! So it turns out that the long running Grey Ghost series has a fan that isn’t a regular poster on Hands Up. Nope, not by a long shot. According to an email we got from their promotion agency this morning, none other than Jake April, one of Merge Records’ A&R men, has been a long-running secret fan of both the concept and the recordings. Shocked, to say the least, we were to learn that the real reason for the recent hiatus in local producer and Grey Ghost empresario John Sears’ stint of weekly releases has been to nail down the details in the licensing of the entire GG back catalog and future use of the name by Merge. Dumbfounded. Dumb. Founded.

We called John this morning to wish him congratulations and ask about the, uh, deal. We’re not allowed to get into the specifics, but suffice to say that Grey Ghost is no longer a break-even hobby for him. Lets get to quoting: “They’re going to take all the recordings from the back catalog of releases, great stuff from people like The Fatal Flying Guilloteens, Hearts of Animals, Cop Warmth, Blades, Young Mammals and Golden Axe, and make a compilation cd or two called NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL GREY GHOST,” said Sears, sounding frighteningly like someone reading from a series of media talking points. When we asked how he had managed to get the ok from so many local artists in our gossipy little scene without the word getting out, he came back with “Whatever. I made most of those recordings anyways, and they knew that it wasn’t a money-making opportunity for them. I am sure they will be ok with it.”

As for the future, Grey Ghost will, sadly, no longer be available for two dollars every week from Domy. Instead, we are informed, it will be done via mail-order direct from Merge, sort of like the Sub Pop Singles club from a few years back. Instead of twelve, the runs (which we guess are still going to be cdr, which is cool – maybe the occasional 7” we are told), are going to be 2,000, but in keeping with the numerical theme of the past, they’ll now cost $12 each(shipping included). Guh. Up first in the new series, due in the mail in two weeks, is the first Grey Ghost by local fuzzbangers A Giant Princess. To subscribe, visit Merge’s website at greyghost.mergerecords.com. Wurd.