Listened to Pandora's Box for the first time and... it's just okay. I expected something more. Perhaps more unreleased content and alternate versions of tracks. I think Neil may have spoiled me.
That's kinda the thing with boxed sets for me--especially when I was young, when this set in question was released, and the only way to get sets was to put them on my Christmas list, but even then, the value was not always there. Someone who is a big enough fan of a band to want a four-disc boxed set is already gonna have all the regularly released material. And most average boxed sets, at least half of it (and that's on the more generous side) is stuff from the regular albums. The more realistic number is 3 out of 4 discs' worth of material is just more of an anthology of the career/era, and about a discs' worth or rarities (often times a lot of demos/outtakes, which is not super appealing most of the time). So boxed sets were a rarity for me.
Indeed. We already had Gems and other compilations, they could've at least made this more of an Archives Box Set than Compilation+Bonuses. The Beach Boys have done a bunch of great archival releases over the past few years. "Sunshine Tomorrow" was mindblowing, they did good too with "Wake the World" and "I Can Hear Music". Now with "Feel Flows" and "Sounds of Summer" extended, they have again outdone themselves. A lot of people criticize the sound, but I'm just glad they are releasing it all. Even if it's just something slightly different like "Party: Uncovered and Unplugged".
I would love to see a Singles comp. Aerosmith's Greatest Hits is pretty close as it uses several single edits, but I prefer the studio only "Train Kept A Rollin'" and the single edits for "Dream On", "You See Me Crying", "Back in the Saddle" etc. Are interesting/curios for fans and completists.
Wow. Thanks for posting that. I did not know he reviewed that show. That was a great concert. IIRC it was a dance concert. I was about 30-40 feet from the stage. Ted Nugent was really loud. REO was very good and I was really impressed by Gary Richrath. "Same chord progressions".......what a joke.
It's kind of weirdly fascinating that a decade after writing such a vicious review, he was chosen to be Aerosmith's A&R man. I wonder if Aerosmith remembered this review by then (assuming they had ever been aware of it).
I agree. I find it hard to believe that he was at the same concert I was. I just read on Wiki that he also got involved with REO and Nugent.
Aerosmith Album By Album Thread 1. Aerosmith 2. Get Your Wings 3. Toys in the Attic 4. Rocks 5. Draw The Line 6. Live Bootleg 7. Night In The Ruts 8. Joe Perry Project-Let The Music Do The Talking 9. Joe Perry Project-I’ve Got The Rock and Rolls Again 10. Whitford/St. Holmes 11. Rock in A Hard Place 12. Joe Perry Project-Once A Rocker, Always A Rocker 13. Done With Mirrors 14. Classics Live I & II 15. Permanent Vacation 16. Gems 17. Pump 18. Pandora’s Box
I started following this thread around Permanent Vacation. I’ve got to admit you have pulled me in. I can’t stop listening to them. I really look forward to reading the new posts every day. I’m now going back and reading and listening from the beginning. rose-river-bear thank you and all of the contributors for all that you have written. I’m learning a lot and having a blast!
That's great! Plenty more to go and don't hesitate to comment on any of the reviews before PV. BTW, you Sly avatar is awesome. What a band they were. I would love to do a Sly and the FS album by album thread.
The bar for box sets has been raised in the last 15 years or so - agree re the inevitable duplication, but at the time of release, Pandora’s Box did feel (to me) like it had lots of unheard stuff to get into.
Never knew this existed, I didn't have MTV until 92.......In 90 my TV was running off of a roof mounted antenna. Think it got about 10 channels with a good picture.... On that TV rig I saw that Stones Steel Wheels tour broadcast with 3D glasses...nice picture.. Saw very little other music programming, but did see a lot of baseball games.
Same here. I’ve really enjoyed this thread. I’ve been listening to Aerosmith heavily these past weeks. Just bought the Pump vinyl yesterday since I only had the cd. Glad I did since the vinyl’s drum sound doesn’t come as much on your face as the cd’s does. The same goes for PV. I even ordered the Nine Lives 2lp. It’s Aerosmith summer!
An absolute gem of trivia … my mind is officially blown … I guess it makes sense he didn’t rate 70s Aerosmith as he clearly was very comfortable enforcing changes on them. I’ll have some more comments on Kalodner when we get to what he considers his magnum opus … Get A Grip
I'm curious if with Pump and PV, you got original pressings. I think in the US they could be had at reasonable prices... By the time 9 lives came out I'm guessing LP pressing weren't many if any. Guessing that ones a more recent tissue.
Pandora Box. Those kind of boxes are a mess. As a "pick what you want" thing for fans that's pretty good though. I listen to Pandora's Bbox as double album of rarities, one focused on studio songs, one on live cuts (good companion to Live Bootleg)/. My two cents on RIAHP & DWM (sorry i'm late) : RIAHP : Sounds like Aerosmith, sounds fine. In fact it's better than i thought it would be. Yet in the end i don't care much for that album. DWM : The "jamming-sleazy" sound à la Stones is totally gone, replaced by a clean metal influenced sound, just like Van Halen (which i like). I don't think it was a good thing. The songs are promising but feel rushed and treated indiferently, like they didn't work much on it, which might be the case.
Better late than never whilst we wait for GaG … Agree re the sound of DWM completely- although I like songs, more or less. With a Jack Douglas-style production, they could have been really great.