Cex is a musical project helmed by Ryan "Rjyan" Kidwell and started in 1998… Read Full Bio ↴Cex is a musical project helmed by Ryan "Rjyan" Kidwell and started in 1998. Although Cex and Kidwell are frequently used interchangeably, Cex expands to several people at sporadic points, such as particular tours or albums. In the past it has included Kidwell's musical associates, friends, touring partners, or high school bandmates.
All of his music up until Oops! I Did It Again were classified as IDM (Intelligent dance music) and had very little vocals or lyrics for the most part. However, Kidwell was not content to stay behind the laptop while on tour, and quickly and openly aspired to become "#1 Entertainer". He started to hone freestyling skills and performing new songs. In 2002, he won a coveted tour spot opening for the East Coast leg of the Death and Dismemberment tour with Death Cab for Cutie and old friends from Washington, DC The Dismemberment Plan. Later that year, Tall, Dark, and Handcuffed, his first album with full vocals, was released.
2003 was a pivotal year for Kidwell - after spending his entire life living in or around Baltimore, he packed up and drove out to Oakland, California. Car malfunctions and a week stranded in the western US became the inspiration for his second album of that year, Maryland Mansions, an album about suicide which pushed the motifs of his previous album Being Ridden further and was modelled somewhat on the Nine Inch Nails EP Broken. Two music videos for Maryland Mansions were released early in 2004, and Kidwell moved again, to Chicago a few months later.
Shortly thereafter, he married Roby Newton (from the band Milemarker), and reorganized Cex as a three-piece: Kidwell, Newton, and Cale Parks (from the bands Joan of Arc and Aloha). This configuration released an EP, Know Doubt, in 2005 on a Chicago label called Record Label. The next Cex album is titled Actual Fucking and will be released July 4th, 2006. The album is heavy on vocals and will be released by Seattle label Automation Records.
All of his music up until Oops! I Did It Again were classified as IDM (Intelligent dance music) and had very little vocals or lyrics for the most part. However, Kidwell was not content to stay behind the laptop while on tour, and quickly and openly aspired to become "#1 Entertainer". He started to hone freestyling skills and performing new songs. In 2002, he won a coveted tour spot opening for the East Coast leg of the Death and Dismemberment tour with Death Cab for Cutie and old friends from Washington, DC The Dismemberment Plan. Later that year, Tall, Dark, and Handcuffed, his first album with full vocals, was released.
2003 was a pivotal year for Kidwell - after spending his entire life living in or around Baltimore, he packed up and drove out to Oakland, California. Car malfunctions and a week stranded in the western US became the inspiration for his second album of that year, Maryland Mansions, an album about suicide which pushed the motifs of his previous album Being Ridden further and was modelled somewhat on the Nine Inch Nails EP Broken. Two music videos for Maryland Mansions were released early in 2004, and Kidwell moved again, to Chicago a few months later.
Shortly thereafter, he married Roby Newton (from the band Milemarker), and reorganized Cex as a three-piece: Kidwell, Newton, and Cale Parks (from the bands Joan of Arc and Aloha). This configuration released an EP, Know Doubt, in 2005 on a Chicago label called Record Label. The next Cex album is titled Actual Fucking and will be released July 4th, 2006. The album is heavy on vocals and will be released by Seattle label Automation Records.
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ItsMuchMore
Great 7 tips there, I regularly shop in CEX and whenever visiting a different town of city I do a check to see if there is a CEX store there.
Few points that I would like to add on my personal experience when shopping (or trying to) at CEX:
-There should be a seperate queue or time of the day for people to trade in , the reason for this (personally) is on more occasions than I can remember there have been like say 3 tills open and all are taking in trade in's of DVDs and Xbox 360 games in like a massive bag for life shopping bag. Therefore, I've left the shop without buying the games I wanted or when travelling to that store because it showed in stock online I've wasted my time getting there.
- If a game is in the glass cabinet's make sure it's round the right way that I can see what game it is and also to have a price sticker (or plastic stand) on it showing how much it is - as more than once there has been dreamcast games that are laying face down and round the wrong way where the name of the game would be, then I am spending time queueing up asking what game it is and how much etc wasting everyone's time then, they won't show if it's got a manual till they get back to the till, then I won't want it anyway.
- Take manuals out of cases from shop floor and just put them behind the till like alot of games are, more often than not I've seen people taking manuals out of games and put them in cheap games behind the manual of that cheap game, then they have paid 50p for kinects adventure and got the manual for Sims 4 on Mac or something.
Bawhawhaw
Cant argue with any of the points here. Luckily they have been starting to add if the games have manuals or not but I imagine it will take a bit of time to roll out, but I can imagine them only adding that info when new stock comes in or when returned. I doubt they will retroactively add the info.
You have always been able to search stores stock but its really long winded to do in the search functions. It would be much better if you could just select the store without jumping through hoops. Although I try not to view a shops stock before going as I feel it takes away from the game hunt.
The postage on the other hand is a joke when it comes from the same store.
I have bought a few items listed as mint. Bought Buck Bumble on n64.. it really would have been mint... if it hadn't had a bit of the artwork missing where a sticker had been removed.
Def agree mint should be removed and just renamed very good condition.
Some CEX's do take sealed games but I think its down to the stores discretion.
Then printed covers should just be sold as loose. Give people a cheaper way to just play the games not rip them off.
The other thing I would have mentioned is just training the staff on spotting fakes. Quite a few have been popping up recently and then they just get put back into stock when they are returned.
I always see a lot of hate for CEX but they have been invaluable to me building my collection.
Retro Ghetto
Thanks to have everyone that has taken their time to watch thus far. CEX have responded but I am hoping for further communication with them.
Corbana
Absolutely spot on Callum, you hit the nail on the head there with all 7 issues. The only one I'd dispute is the reprinted covers.
For me I would want them to be cheaper to represent the lack of cover, if I buy mario kart on the SNES as cart only it's a lot cheaper than a boxed or "mint" copy. They say the issue is people stealing the boxes (I hear there are these things called security tags...) and so they need to sell them at the standard rate because they've invested X into the game and I get that but for me they should put them up at the exchange price and have done with it, they'll get them off shelf faster and for those that just want to play it they'll get a deal. Hell even game knocks 25% off disc only titles.
Retro Ghetto
Thank you for watching, appreciate it π I have had a response from CEX but it isn't as good as I would like, so I am pressing for a further response so we can make a follow up video, hopefully with some changes to policy implemented. Thanks again ππ»
ItsMuchMore
Great 7 tips there, I regularly shop in CEX and whenever visiting a different town of city I do a check to see if there is a CEX store there.
Few points that I would like to add on my personal experience when shopping (or trying to) at CEX:
-There should be a seperate queue or time of the day for people to trade in , the reason for this (personally) is on more occasions than I can remember there have been like say 3 tills open and all are taking in trade in's of DVDs and Xbox 360 games in like a massive bag for life shopping bag. Therefore, I've left the shop without buying the games I wanted or when travelling to that store because it showed in stock online I've wasted my time getting there.
- If a game is in the glass cabinet's make sure it's round the right way that I can see what game it is and also to have a price sticker (or plastic stand) on it showing how much it is - as more than once there has been dreamcast games that are laying face down and round the wrong way where the name of the game would be, then I am spending time queueing up asking what game it is and how much etc wasting everyone's time then, they won't show if it's got a manual till they get back to the till, then I won't want it anyway.
- Take manuals out of cases from shop floor and just put them behind the till like alot of games are, more often than not I've seen people taking manuals out of games and put them in cheap games behind the manual of that cheap game, then they have paid 50p for kinects adventure and got the manual for Sims 4 on Mac or something.
005 AGIMA
Mate this entire video should be used as an example of what "constructive criticism" actually means. Great job and great, valid points.
As a boss once said to me "Don't tell me the problem. Tell me the solution" and that is exactly what you've done, in a very professional manner, right here.
Retro Ghetto
Thank you for watching, appreciate it π I have had a response from CEX but it isn't as good as I would like, so I am pressing for a further response so we can make a follow up video, hopefully with some changes to policy implemented. Thanks again ππ»
Dad & Lads Gaming
I never trade anything into CEX, rarely ever go there (I've got my own reasons) but regardless great video Callum.
Good, sound advice....if anyone from the company watches this they really should take on board your advice.
Retro Ghetto
Thank you for watching, appreciate it π I have had a response from CEX but it isn't as good as I would like, so I am pressing for a further response so we can make a follow up video, hopefully with some changes to policy implemented. Thanks again ππ»
LeBossu77
A nice video there mate! As a collector and big user of CeX I can concur with a lot of what you say, just a few points might be a bit tricky to put into action like the taking of photos which I'm guessing would mean a ton more work for already (often/sometimes) stressed employees, and a lot more space on their website. I definitely understand the rationale though.
Also, as other people have pointed out, you can already check the stock for a particular store and console on their website, although I'm guessing that might be a feature that's only available on computers, not on the phone app? I don't know.
I'm guessing the postage thing is something they've arrived at through experience, an imperfect solution but the best fit for what they have considering the p+p costs have changed quite a lot down the years. I do find the Β£1.95 standard fee prohibitive if I'm buying a big order or the odd cheaper title, and, like you say, excessive if games are coming from one store. My preferred solution (aside from 'free') was the old 'max p+p charge (Β£3.50? Β£5 maybe? My memory's not what it was) across all items in an order' idea, although I'm guessing that was ditched because most stores are franchises and separate businesses from other stores fulfilling part of an order. The basic shipping cost added at the point of sale makes the process simpler but, like you say, prohibitive in some cases, otherwise costs would have to be calculated and part refunded. If that's easy to implement it would be ideal.
I see less games graded as 'mint' now than when they first started taking retro, that was probably just part of the learning process though. 'Mint' is an absolute term, games are rarely going to be genuinely mint, I'd be happy with a 9/10 if I was buying mint though, others would be justified in expecting 10/10. A grading such as 'excellent' might make more sense, but even then that's an imperfect term, more a matter of opinion, and we've all got our own definitions.
Ultimately the retro gaming market is a chaotic thing that they're trying to bring some sort of order to, a pretty much impossible task considering all the variables. A few years back I set up a Reddit page with another bloke (my vague half-idea, his half idea, hard work and actual knowledge) in order for CeX customers to exchange and request information about stock and its condition. No f**ker uses it though, and the idea lives and dies on having a big user-base with the current member count at 26! haha
Retro Ghetto
Thank you for watching, appreciate it π I have had a response from CEX but it isn't as good as I would like, so I am pressing for a further response so we can make a follow up video, hopefully with some changes to policy implemented. Thanks again ππ»