800 - a peek into the mysterious zidsic numbering system

In an obscure corner of the zidsic empire a crisis was brewing. In my mind I was dreading the upcoming 800th zidsic release. Allowing as I have been of eccentricities of old in numbering releases, something had to change or there would be a disaster in my zidsic numbering system. The dilemma has it's roots in the mid-1980's when zidsick was nearing 100 releases. After 100 an illogical numbering system began where the zidsic number no longer reflected how many releases existed to date*. In an artificial attempt to keep the number of zidsic tapes at 100 I started creating sub-labels for compilations, Minóy collaborations, etc. These releases used zidsic numbers completely out of range of the number of zidsic releases to date. So from the point where I had around 100 tapes until I had over 450 releases there was no concordance between the release number and chronology of release date. There was a 'house cleaning' of sorts at zidsic as I approached 500 releases and a major effort was made to have the zidsic number reflect the actual number of zidsic releases to date. This was surprisingly difficult, but the change was effected, with a minor loophole**, in the 470's. But there was still trouble stored up as many existing releases had zidsic numbers higher than 500. This number doubles as a unique identifier in my FileMaker database which I use to keep track of recordings and who I send things to. Changing a zidsic number after it has already been assigned is a somewhat elaborate task. The '800 Crisis' I've been dreading involves lots of releases with zidsic numbers in the 800 series which needed to shift before they crashed with upcoming release numbers in 800's. So at last in late July 2002 I started tackling the 800 drama. First there needed to be numbers earlier than 440 to use as new zidsic numbers for those releases with 800 numbers currently. The first and most crucial data change occurs in my "zids master" FileMaker database. This took hours as I carefully noted in each case what the old number was in case I needed to know that in the future. Crucially I decided that I could avoid a lengthy second step involving re-keying the new numbers into my database of who I've sent releases to. This step is what was keeping me from tackling the project to begin with as this is over 600 records! I mistakenly thought these two steps would be all that was necessary to do until I remembered covers with 800 numbers needed changing too. I have digitized many of my old xerox covers and updated them with contact addresses, web and e-mail contact information and the zidsic numbers. Fortunately I used a standard typefont and type size for this so the task was much easier for that convenience. As this task approached completion I was further lulled into thinking my work was done until I realized my website has many of these covers and there is quite a bit of editing to do up there. Yikes! It took a few more hours to subdue that problem. And now, to the best of my knowledge, I have officially reclaimed the 800 series, so I'm free to create the next 140 releases in peace. I'm a few years away from sweating the 900's, but I know that will be even more hassle than the 800's! * I was worried about having so many releases that it would confuse people. So I thought I would replace old releases I wasn't as proud of with newer works. I would number the new work with a one in the hundred place (i.e. zidsic 17 when replaced would be zidsic 117 under the new system). This way I could build up a label with 100 excellent releases. But once I was close to that I needed more room and I can't remember which came first, the decision to go to 127 (27 being a lucky number of mine) or to start mini/sub labels to house specific types of releases. The later idea allowed three extra labels to sprout: Elevation of Anxiety [Minóy collaborations], Fragrant Complications [compilations] and Delegated Obscurities [releases purged from the 127 made available again]. It was at this point my numbering system started using 900's for the EoA release, 800's for various other works, 300's for compilations, etc. ** I've never mentioned online this loophole before now. A virulent mixture of convoluted and obscure purposes, rather difficult to explain, has kept this detail of the inner-workings of my label hush-hush. But now I have the context and the excuse to shed light on this loophole as it relates to this discussion of the zidsic numbering system. The origin of the loophole is the time mentioned above (before zidsic 500) when I was trying to get the numbering system on track again so when I put out zidsic 500, it would be my 500th release. Somewhere in the 470's I believe I got on track again, and then I worked backwards as best I could until around 450 renumbering works from the recent past into the new chronological system. But I was aware that on occasion old recordings show up that I want to officialize, unarchive, and release. I didn't want these to get new zidsic numbers. So, being the master of all zidsic rules and regulations, I created a loophole. I left some numbers in the 400's*** free to accommodate unachieved recordings**** that predate the point in fall 1996 when zidsic numbers became chronological again*****. *** Since 1996 was a massive year for Bodycocktail (with 26 new releases) I had most of their releases in the 400's. When I shifted backward chronologically all other 1996 releases I went ahead and gave all the early Bodycocktail new zidsic numbers, sequentially in the 400's. **** I believe the "loophole" releases in question are: 458 - Reconstituted Grandbrother 442 - Zanstones 45 - Alive in the era of TRuth 441 - Bodycocktail - Enlivened Circumstances 440 - Larb - Eye Sows ***** 455 is the point where zidsic #'s are chronological again, but 475 was where I actually started using the system. i.e. 455-474 were works renumbered into chronological order months after they were created.

7-30-2002