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Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson spent $46,300 in an eBay auction this week to win a rare printing of Caustic Window's unreleased LP.
The LP stems from electronic musician Richard D. James, also known as Aphex Twin, who planned the album in 1994. Recorded but never released, a 1999 interview with Mike "µ-Ziq" Paradinas described the unheard tracks in detail, saying that only four people were known to have a vinyl test pressing and were sworn not to reproduce them. One those copies appeared online recently, and the electronic music appreciation site We Are the Music Makers organized a successful Kickstarter campaign to purchase it. With James' permission, those who funded the campaign received the previously unreleased, digitally mastered and distributed tracks.
A test printing of the original LP sold on eBay this week for $46,300. Notch first hinted on Twitter yesterday that he was the auction winner, writing that he "kinda paid a lot for a double LP from the '90s." Early today, the auction's sponsor verified that the Minecraft creator won the auction.
"He's a really cool guy, and didn't even consider the charity aspect when buying it (but was really happy to hear that half is going to charity) - he's been an Aphex fan since he was young," Joyrex wrote.
"My daughter was blown away that the guy who made the game she endlessly plays bought a record off her dad for 46K."
A portion of the proceeds will go to the charity of We Are the Music Makers' community's choice. Options include Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, The World Wildlife Foundation and more. You can also purchase a physical copy of "Caustic Window" online.
