It seems that RhinoHandmade has not had any new releases since earlier this year. Have they ceased operations?

I wouldn't be surprised if it has.

i've always respected the precepts upon which rhino-handmade was founded and operated. however, i've always been puzzled by the titles it chose to release, and even more puzzled by the titles it never did - i.e. a title i wanted to purchase.

They may as well have.

In all their years, I've only purchased 2: Dan Hicks it Happened One Bite & Blue Oyster Cult - Stalk Forest. I also considered the Melanie & Taj Mahal.

I bought 3 that later went OOP
Television - Live At The Old Waldorf, San Francisco, 6/29/78
Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - I’m Going To Do What I Wanna Do: Live at My Father’s Place 1978
Tiny Tim - Live! At The Royal Albert Hall

Wouldv'e bought the Stooges Fun House box, but didn't hear of rhinohandmade in time.

As of a couple weeks ago, when Rhino announced the Big Star box, Handmade was said to release the deluxe edition of the Chris Bell album. For me, this is an instant purchase, but also another title that should be released in a non-limited edition.

Hip O Select is better anyway.

Yes, but Hip-O Select is the best reissue company out there. Rhino Handmade's "recent" Charles Wright releases were awesome. What I like about their past releases is that they dug through archives to get live and unreleased material out. Hip-O Select doesn't really get into that.

This question has been raised more than once on the ICE board over the years. They've had lulls before, but sooner or later returned with new product. As long as the website is up, and they haven't posted a "going out of business" sale, I suspect the label still exists.

I've got a heapin' helpin' of Rhino Handmade CDs in the Archives--some ordered online, others found during my shopping sojourns.

Ordering from them can be a bit of an ordeal.

Some Handmade titles were later released as cheap releases. (Cher, Jimmy Webb, Judee Sill to mention a few)
That isn't helping also.

When labels like Collectors' Choice reissue these titles, though, they often do so without Handmade's extensive liner notes and bonus tracks. (The Judee Sill, I believe, was reissued directly through Warner Music UK, hence the more deluxe package in line with Handmade's work.) These bare-bones reissues don't compare to the Handmade originals, although I suppose if the consumer is only interested in the original album period, they would indeed hamper Handmade's ability to sell their product. That said, since the original Handmades go out of print and are then licensed, I can't imagine these later reissues are much of a hindrance to them. (If they were, Rhino wouldn't license them out.)

I'm more of a Legacy guy myself...anytime Vic Anesini or Mark Wilder get their hands on stuff, I know I'm in for a sonic treat.

But in the Hip-O vs Rhino race, Hip-O has definitely rocketed into the lead of late...even though I'm not always thrilled with the mastering. Kevin Reeves' are usually shrill (see: Stevie Wonder), Ellen Fitton's are 50/50, I see Vlado Meller is working there now, so expect the loudness to go up to 11 any minute now. Suha Gur was the MAN, and he is no longer there...

Other difference is Hip-O usually has access to Universal titles while Rhino usually has access to Warner titles.

The Rhino Handmade 2 CD set of the late jazz bagpiper Rufus Harley (titled Courage) is one of the gems of my collection. All 4 of his Atlantic records plus 2 bonus tracks, one previously unreleased. Plus wonderful liner notes. Not cheap, but excellent value for the money.
Roger

I haven't got nearly enough Rhino Handmade in the collection. The Fun House box was a major omission by me.

I've got that one. The Stooges at their craziest and best.

I've got the old Elektra CD. It's the Stooges/Iggy Pop album that I listen to the most. But my favorite Stooges track is actually on the first album, "I Wanna be Your dog".

This is my favorite Stooge album.

Oh, a wise guy

Moe is their leader.