Boxed sets, how many do you own and which are your favorites?

I'm a boxed set junkie! Here's a few of my favorites:

Pink Floyd:Shine On (Two copies of this one)

Steely Dan: Citizen Steely Dan (Awful package, but this was the first place to get the remastered tracks)

Alice in Chains: Musicbank

America: Highway 30 years of America

John Lennon: Anthology

Led Zeppelin: Boxed set, and complete studio recordings

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Playback

Yes: In A word

 

The ones I have listened to the most are The John Lennon Anthology, Fleetwood Mac - The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1967-1969 and ELO Flashback.

 

Peel Slowly and See - The Velvet Underground
Monterey Pop
The Golden Road - The Grateful Dead

 

I need to restrain myself with box sets, as I do have a little bit of a collector's mentality.

However, I couldn't restrain myself for:

Bee Gees Tales of the Brothers Gibb
The Disco Box from Rhino
Hitsville USA, the Motown collection

I purchased the Atlantic Rhythm & Blues as individual CDs when they came out (1986?). Otherwise I would buy the expanded box set!

 

The ones I own:

Springsteen:

"Live 1975-85"
"Tracks"

Bob Dylan:

"Biograph"

Bee Gees:

"Tales From the Brothers Gibb"

Rod Stewart:

"Storyteller"

Rolling Stones:

"The Singles Collection"

Elton John:

"To Be Continued"

Motown Artists:

"Hitsville USA"

Stevie Wonder:

"At the End of the Century"

Steely Dan:

"Citizen Steely Dan"

Police:

"Message In a Box"

Bowie:

"Sound + Vision"

John Lennon:

"Anthology"
"Lennon"

Elvis Presley:

"The Complete Fifties Masters"

Led Zeppelin:

"The Complete Studio Recordings"

The Jam:

"Direction, Reaction, Creation"

The Who:

"30 Years of Maximum R&B"

Clapton:

"Crossroads"
"Crossroads 2"

I think that's all of them - I do love boxed sets!

 

OK where do I start???? How about with the first one I bought back in 1985. (and my fourth Compact Disc purchase).
Bob Dylan- Biograph

to that I'll Add:
Beatles: CD Singles Colection, EP Collection, Get Back Journals Complete BBC, Thirty Days, Beatles Bop- Hamburg Days
John Lennon: Lennon, Anthology, Listen to This- Ultimate Walls & Bridges Anthology
Paul McCartney: Band on the Run 25th anniversary, Flowers in theDirt Tour pack
Aerosmith: Pandoras Box
Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974
Sex America Cheap Trick
Band: The Last Waltz
Beach Boys: Good Vibrations, Pet Sounds Sessions, Unserpassed Masters Vol 10 (1965), Goodbye Surfing Hello God
Chuck Berry: Chess Box
David Bowie: Sound & Vision
Eric Clapton: Crossroads
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Willie Dixon: Chess Box
Doors: Box Set, Complete Studio Recordings
Bob Dylan: Bootleg Series Vol 1-3
Fleetwood Mac: The Chain- 25 Years, Complete Blue Horizon Sessions
Billy Joel: Complete Hits Collection
Robert Johnson: Complete Recordings
Janis Joplin: Box of Pearls
Journey: Time 3
Led Zeppelin: Box Set, Box Set 2
Little Richard: Specialty Sessions
Monkees: Headquarter Sessions
Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Playback
Pink Floyd: Is There Anybody Out There? the Wall live
Elvis: King of Rock & Roll- the complete 50's masters, From Nashville to Memphis - Essential 60's Masters I, Walk a Mile in My Shoes-Essential 70's Masters, Today Tomorrow & Forever, That' the Way it Is
Police: Message in a Box
Phil Spector: Back to Mono
Bruce Springsteen: Live 75/85, Tracks
Rod Stewart:Storyteller
Velvet Underground: Peel Slowly and See
The Who: 30 years of Maximum R&B, Join Together
Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music
Yardbirds:Ultimate!

Most of these I haven't listened to in a long time (and a lot I bought used
cheap.)
Favorites...the Beatles Stuff of course.... for the others, whatever I'm in the mood for.

 

Both Yes sets
Jellyfish
Police
Abba
Cheap Trick
Both Billy Joel sets
Nuggets 1 and 2
Zombies
Both Genesis sets
Beach Boys Pet Sounds Set

 

I own about 100 sets... my faves are Miles Davis/Gil Evans "Studio Recordings", Tangerine Dream "Tangents", Rhino's "Loud, Fast & Out Of Control" and the Led Zep box.

 

I maybe wrong, but weren't the albums already rereleased with the remastering just prior to the box coming out? Only one unreleased track on a box with what was already available.

Here are my faves:

Allman Brothers - Dreams
Eric Clapton - Crossroads (the box that made it a viable medium with many imitators to follow. Too bad White Room sounded terrible)
Elvis Presley - 50's, 60's & 70's box
Bee Gees - Tales From the Brothers Gibb
ELO - Flashback
Police - Message In a Box
Jimi Hendrix - Jimi Hendrix Experience
Crosby, Stills & Nash - CSN
Disco Box
Rod Stewart - Storyteller (spotty selection of Mercury material. Question on the remastering. Nice selection of WB stuff, tho)
Elton John - To Be Continued (sold that before it went out of print. Glad they reissued that)
Buffalo Springfield - Boxed Set (Not too happy with the redundant material on disc four. No stereo mixes for the first album even?)
Pink Floyd - Shine On

Brian

 

Nice display Claus! Is that the Thelonius Monk gold CD box or vinyl that I spot on the left?

 

Yes... it's Acoustic Sounds Gold Box set... but I don't have the vinyl set... but I purchased Miles Davis Quintet on vinyl and I also have the same on Gold.

 

Wow Claus you sprung for the Kiss box set guitar case. You are a better man than me! Where's your Deep Purple box sets???

 

I have too many to count. Among my favs that I couldn't live without are:

Various - Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974 (Atlantic)
Various - Chess Blues (Chess/MCA)
Various - The OKeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957
Various - The Sun Records Collection (Rhino)
Roland Kirk - "Rahsaan" The Complete Mercury Recordings (Mercury)
The Complete Decca Studio Recordings Of Louis Armstrong (Mosaic)
The Complete Roulette Live Recordings of Count Basie (Mosaic)
The Complete Aladdin Recordings Of Charles Brown (Mosaic)
The Complete Rec. Of The Paul Desmond Quartet With Jim Hall (Mosaic)
The Complete Capitol & Atlantic Recordings Of Jimmy Giuffre (Mosaic)
The Complete Blue Note Andrew Hill Sessions (Mosaic)
The Complete Jackie McLean Blue Note 1964-66 Sessions (Mosaic)
The Complete Aladdin Recordings Of Amos Milburn (Mosaic)
The Complete Django Reinhardt Swing/HMV Sessions (Mosaic)
The Complete Candid Otis Spann / Lightin' Hopkins Sessions (Mosaic)
The Complete Recordings Of T-Bone Walker 1940-54 (Mosaic)

I have plenty of rock boxes too but can't recall them at the moment.

 

Eagles
Springsteen
Deep Purple x 3
Black Crowes
Led Zep
Frank Sinatra x 3
Kiss
Beatles- Complete UK set in the Bread box
Aerosmith
Tommy Bolin
Ken Burns Jazz
Alice In Chains

 

I own around 37 boxed sets.

My favorite for content are (sorry if I get the names wrong. I'm too lazy to look):
The Stax/Volt Singles Collection
Hitsville USA: Motown Singles Collection 1959-1972
Hitsville USA: Motown Singles Collection 1972-1992
Earth Wind & Fire-The Eternal Dance
Steely Dan: Citizen Dan
Chicago Group Portrait
Carole King Collection
Temptations-Emporers Of Soul
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles-
The Buddah Box
Soul Train 30th anniversary collection-Rhino
Soul Train 35 year anniversay-MCA
Hanna Barberra Pick-nic Basket
Henry Mancini:The Days Of Wine And Roses
Pet Sounds box
Neil Diamond
The Scepter Box
Beg, Scream & SHOUT!: The Big 'Ol Box of 60s Soul
The Beatles Singles Collection
Simon & Garfunkel: Old Friends
Aretha Franklin: Queen Of Soul

For sound:
Stax/Volt Singles Collection
The Bee Gees: Tales Of The Brothers Gibb
James Brown-Startime
Temptations-Emporers Of Soul
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Neil Diamond
Marvin Gaye-The Master
Henri Mancini: The Days Of Wine And Roses
Jackson 5-Soulsation!

 

Here are my Purple's


By the way... it's the small version of Kiss' guitar box. They also have released a DELUXE version (original size of a guitar box) of this set... apart of the smaller size and the standard box. But the price was outstanding... I think 450 bucks

 

About 100+

Faves
Stevie Wonder - At The End Of The Century
Merle Travis - Guitar Rags And A Too Fast Past
Carter Family - In The Shadow Of Clinch Mountain
Count Basie - The Complete Roulette Live Recordings
Hank Thompson - Complete Capitol Recordings
Henry Mancini - The Days Of Wine And Roses

 

Hey Claus! Where do you live? What's your address?
Are you planning any vacations this year? If so, what are the dates? ;-)

 

Hey Claus,

Bet your wife just loves the ones all over the floor!


I have about 50 boxes. My most obscure is Brian's Big Box by Brian Protheroe.

The rest, you'll all know!

 

Do you have the JSP Django box sets as well? If so, how do they compare?

Thanks!

 

I have many...
Some favorites...
The Beatles EP Box
The Beatles Singles Boxset
Jim Croce Readers Digest Boxset
The 3 Flatt & Scruggs Bear Family Boxsets
The 4 Dean Martin Bear Family Boxsets
Everly Brothers Bear Family Boxset
The Platters Bear Family Box set
CSN&Y Boxset
Pet Sounds Boxset
Beach Boys Good Vibrations Boxset
All Available Sea Of Tunes Beach Boys Boxsets
Bob Dylan-Biograph
Bob Dylan-The Bootleg Series Boxset
The Frank Sinatra Complete Columbia Boxset
The Complete Glenn Miller Boxset
The 10 Cee Dee Hank Williams Boxset
The Frank Sinatra Singles Colletion
The Jo Stafford Boxset
The Lynard Skynard Boxset
The Led Zep Boxset
Nuggets Boxset
George Jones Boxset
The Cream Boxset
Simon And Garfunkel Boxst
Jefferson Airplane Boxset
Bobby Fuller Boxset
John Denver Boxset
The Janis Joplin Boxset
The 70's Boxset Rhino
The Judds Boxset
The Sunrays Boxset
and so on...

 

Only a few truly dear to my heart, because most of them are filler-laden, or cover the same old territory. I enjoy these for completeness and/or variety:

ELVIS: COMPLETE 50's & 60s MASTERS
BEATLES: EP COLLECTION (mono, mono, mono)
THE COMPLETE STAX/VOLT SINGLES Vol. 1 (all mono)
JOHNNY CASH: Bear Family boxes
ABBA: Thank You For The Music (last decent sound quality)
MOODY BLUES: Time Traveller (great sequencing)
ROGER MILLER: King Of The Road/Genius Of(lots of Smash mono)
JACKIE WILSON: Mr. Excitement (sadly, OOP)
LESLEY GORE: Bear Family box("You Don't Own Me" in mono)
FATS DOMINO: Bear Family/Out Of New Orleans (all known stereo)
TEMPTATIONS: Emperors Of Soul (lotsa mono, but "Papa" 45 edit in stereo)
MARVIN GAYE: both boxes (you really need both)
THE VEE-JAY STORY (tragically, OOP)
THE SPECIALTY RECORDS STORY
CHESS RHYTHM'N'ROLL
PHIL SPECTOR: BACK TO MONO (despite some sonic reservations)
MONKEES: HEADQUARTERS (now OOP; mono mix of Lp included)
HITSVILLE USA: (all Motown mono)
SMOKEY & MIRACLES: 35th ANNIVERSARY (lotsa mono)
JACK SCOTT Bear Family box (a must, if sonically erratic by necessity)
HARVEST FESTIVAL (wonderfully eccentric)

There are others, but it's early, the java hasn't kicked in yet...

ED

 

Of those I own, these would have to be my favorites:

Good Vibrations: 30 Years of The Beach Boys
The Pet Sounds Sessions, The Beach Boys
Box Set, Buffalo Springfield
The Byrds
CSN
Biograph, Bob Dylan
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased), Bob Dylan
The Doings, Nick Lowe
Old Friends, Simon & Garfunkel
Live 1975-85, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Thirty Years of Maximum R&B, The Who
The Instant Monty Python CD Collection (although individual tracks on the CDs might have been nice ... sounds like a good CD-R project, actually)
Anthology of American Folk Music

 

The audience for most box sets is self-selecting: no one's gonna drop $50-100 unless they're already a fan, and you'll go blue in the face trying to convince non-believers that, yes, James Brown is just as important an artist as The Beatles and they should drop their monthly music budget on STAR TIME.

That said, I will mention the three rock box sets that are absolutely indispensible. You don't have to be a collector or devoted fan to enjoy these various artist comps at all -- the variety of voices and styles prevents fatigue or boredom -- and the selection and sonics are as good as I've heard. Instead of pondering another single artist box with all of ten demos, rejects, and live tracks you don't already own, why not order one of these?

BEG SCREAM & SHOUT (Rhino)
Six discs of sixties soul, careful to avoid obvious selections comped and soundtracked a million times elsewhere already.

HITSVILLE USA: THE MOTOWN SINGLES COLLECTION 1959-1971 (Motown)
The greatest rock collection under one title, ever. Do you really want to live your life without a mono, tube-remastered "First I Look at the Purse," or "Tears of a Clown"? Or any of the other hundred classics on this set?

LOUD FAST & OUT OF CONTROL (Rhino)
Think you don't need a four-disc comp of fifties music? Think again: without making any allowances for "history" or nostalgia, this stuff still sounds great.

 

Whew I was worried you didn't have the DP box sets. I spotted the Machine Head CD right away.