AC/DC "Bonfire" 2011 reissue

On a side note.. My thinking when Bonfire came out was: Pretty good box, but why the inclusion of Back in Black? I understand the album was meant to a tribute to Scott, and it's not that I don't like it. But whoever buys a box set of AC/DC's rare performances/studio outtakes is already very likely to own it.

 

Totally agree. If it was a special edition of some sort, I could see it. Like maybe some elusive Bon vocals on some tracks that may or may not exist...

 

I actually like the way the new version is packaged. It is the same as the Faces set and the 2 Rod Stewart's I own. I do not own this as I am keeping an eye out for the original version.

 

Hey, thanks for the analysis...I really appreciate it! I have never owned the BONFIRE box before, so I am curious about a few things you said. Which tracks on the '97 box have the sound of the needledrops? Is the sound source for this actually from vinyl...not original mastertapes? Did the '03 box not only remove the needledrops, but also use actual mastertapes instead of a vinyl source? As for the packaging, do both '97 and '03 boxed sets house the CDs in regular jewel cases? I would only want the box that has jewel cases, as I dislike CDs that just slip into a cardboard side or something.

Also, other than the needledrop removal, does the '03 box have anything else going for it, although I guess not? It seems to have slightly less DR compared with the '97 box as well. Seems like I'll have to track down the '97 box, but getting one brand new and sealed will be difficult at a reasonable price...I think the '97 boxes go for more money today?

 

I'm not physically close to either of my Bonfire box sest at the moment, so I'll rely on the power of the interweb to help. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_from_the_Atlantic_Studios:
On the CD version of the album, it is stated in the booklet that the beginnings of "Live Wire" and "Rocker"'s master tapes were erased sometime before 1997 and had to be replaced with short segments from the vinyl record. This task proved difficult because the album was only offered to radio stations in the United States. A slight edit can be heard in both songs where the vinyl source switches to the remastered tapes.

Now, that article is about the original promo CD of Live at the Atlantic Studios sent to radio stations, but this also applies to the version presented on the '97 version of Bonfire.

When Bonfire came out, it contained probably the most obvious needledrop(s) I'd heard on a commercial release at that point in time. They mention something about it in the liner notes inside, if memory serves me correctly (although I'm not sure if they mention the missing segments were erased). It's not jarring, but you do notice it. It wasn't a turnoff/dealbreaker- the box still offered additional material from the Bon Scott era many had never heard before.

As for the 2003 version, whether they were able to find a better source or simply did a better job editing the clicks and pops, I don't know, but the transitions are less obvious.

The '97 box comes in an actual box and has jewel cases (example: http://img1.mlstatic.com/ac-dc-bonfire-box-set-_MEC-O-8976468_7495.jpg).

The '03 is a little more compact, more like a book and discs are stored similar to digipak (http://www.the-music-store.com.ar/img/p/64-105-thickbox.jpg). No jewel cases. I've had a few discs slip out of the '03 during casual handling.

It has click and pop removal (or they found a better source) going for it. There might be a little added detail heard as a result from the extra compression, but I personally found it colder, more digital sounding, and had a harder time sitting down and listening to the entire set let alone cranking it (just like with every other 2003 AC/DC remaster) as compared to the original version.

Sorry I can't say what a sealed copy of the '97 version of Bonfire will go for on the market. I'm a lot less collector-minded than I used to be, meaning I don't always try to find new/sealed copies anymore. My replacement of the '97 was a surprisingly good used copy, complete with the poster and bottle opener, and I think it set me back $30.

 

Thanks again for getting back to me. It sounds like the '03 box has those digipak CD trays for the discs to sit in, so I am OK with those, as it's almost like a jewel case, but w/o the top cover...I'm just not crazy about CDs being stored in cardboard sleeves or side-pockets, as they can scratch them. I'll give everything you said some thought and decide which box ('97 or '03) to get, but I am leaning towards the '97 version...

 

Autumn bump

 

I remember the Back In Black cd in the '97 Bonfire set housed in a cardboard sleeve. The rest are in jewel cases. I still have mine. I need to pull it out for a listen. That's why I love this site, it reminds me to listen to stuff I haven't listened to in ages. LOL

 

Yep, same as mine.

 

Wow, I never knew that (2 different versions of the '97 set). I just checked mine to see if I had the 4 or 5 disc version and gotta say I was TOTALLY confused at first. Just looking at the back cover made me think it only had 4 discs - the last disc, Back in Black is listed as "disc 4". However looking in more detail it says "Disc One Live From Atlantic Studios", "Disc Two (2 CDs) Let There Be Rock - the movie live in Paris" then shows tracklist as Part one and Part Two, and Disc Three for "Volts". So even though it has 5 actual CDs, it calls them "4 discs"! Bizarro.

Love this boxset btw. Great attention to detail in how it is laid out, an example being the shot of Bon as a kid inside the lid dressed in a kilt, which you wouldn't know is even there if you never turned the lid over. I still take the discs out and play it at least once a year. No can opener came with mine as far as I recall though (someone mentioned that above), although I actually DO have an AC/DC can opener (forget where I got it!).

 

Can anyone say in simple terms why you would buy this box over any other versions on CD? How much is exclusive to this box? And what are the vinyl equivalents?

 

My U.S. copy also came with a bottle opener, ha ha ha
and I a sticker (OOOH!) and a small temporary tattoo!

ha ha bottle opener, temporary tattoo, ah AC/DC really grew to think very highly of their audience as adults! ha, this came just after "Cover You In Oil" and "Caught With Your Pants Down" - oh Brother.

 

Any thoughts on what I just posted?

 

Other than Back in Black, I don't think any of the other discs in the set have been released commercially anywhere else as standalone cds. Live in Atlantic Studios has a promo release I think.

 

Thanks. That's what I wanted to hear. I spotted a cheap original long box here.

 

There are also some things that came with the original box that weren't in the reissue (replica backstage pass, keychain, etc). These aren't that big a deal, but if you're buying the original those should be included.

I never understood the logic of putting Back in Black in this box set, personally. Anyone that's a big enough AC/DC fan to buy this box already has Back in Black.

 

Yes, it's weird about BIB. Maybe it's just because of its ironic title/Scott inspiration. I haven't checked if he wrote any of the tracks. The box I saw has two bottle openers, poster, booklet, maybe the pass. I think that was it. I like the different look of the CD sleeves.

 

I bought the box when it came out and I don't remember it having all this extra stuff....hmmm...just checked mine, apart from the CDs it has a poster, large booklet which is very cool, 2 stickers - no pass or bottle opener though. I do have an AC/DC bottle opener hanging in the kitchen but that I can't remember where I got, was that from this? Oh and if you do get the box make sure you look at the inside part of the lid. An unexpected photo is there!

 

Mine came with a poster, one sticker, one temporary tattoo (kinda looks like a sticker, but is a reversed logo), a guitar pick, and a keychain/bottle opener. And the booklet of course. Per Wikipedia it also came with a backstage pass, but I don't have one. Unless the sticker is considered to be that.

Here's an image from the Interwebz showing the content:

 

Cool thanks! Yes that is what mine has, I did not recall exactly what was in there that I took out years ago. I have that exact bottle opener hanging up in the kitchen, ah so that's where that came from. And the guitar pick is also in the kitchen (signed by Angus on the back) along with the rest of my pick collection, which I have stuck into the outer part one of the cabinet doors (yeah, I'm weird - hard to describe what I mean about the cabinets, but they have a small space in the wood outlining each door that is perfect for sticking things in for display like photos, postcards, or even guitar picks).

 

I have the 5 cd version with all that extra stuff still there

 

Excellent. Looks the same as mine, which is the German East/West issue: https://www.discogs.com/ACDC-Bonfire/release/5000970

 

The Live from Atlantic Studios disc is excellent. There's some kind of radio or background interference but I think it's mainly between the tracks. Excellent, raw (but not too raw) performances. This will take a proud place on my shelf next to The Family Jewels DVDs.

 

I don't get excited about memorabilia, generally, but I REALLY like the keyring/bottle opener.

 

since bon died drinking i thought the bottle opener was in bad taste