Clapton Crossroads LP Box Set

Anyone know about the quality of this set ? Should I get the vinyl or the CD.....

 

On CD. I was able to pick up this baby on vinyl for $14 used, but absolutely clean and like new. Was worth every penny, but I spin the box on CD much more.

The Lps are good, but they're really average Polygram pressings done fairly intelligently. No big whoop sonically, in my book. The Cds are nice. If you can pick up a set cheap, go for it?

I have to also add, don't feel bad if you pick up the wallet sized "Crossroads" 4CD set, because the package IMHO is better to handle, and the Cds shoulnd't rot like many of those early USA "center-to-edge-aluminum-filled" Cds. I bet if I looked at CD3 of my box, the rotting looks like a rat had an interrupted snack.

 

I'd tend to say just the opposite of Scott - avoid those damn clamshell box sets at all cost. They are a pain to tote around (it's all or nothing), you can't take the book out, and the pieces that hold the CDs often come unglued. Not to mention other problems...

Those "metal to edge" CDs shouldn't be a problem at all, unless they came from PDO (in the UK, I believe) and are made of *silver*. I've never known of an aluminum CD to have problems with rot. I know I've got a lot of "Made In USA" "metal to center" Polygram CDs that have no problems...

Xroads is a great set, but do keep in mind that certain tracks sound kind of bad on it. White Room comes to mind as something that sounds *really* bad. I think they were concerned about the hiss so they just turned down all the treble.

FWIW, Dennis Drake mastered the set. Odd since his master of Wheels Of Fire does have the same problem on White Room.

 

Yeah, Luke, I'd have to say when I bought the "Those Were The Days" box, I said the same thing about the glued-in trays. Good point.

No, mine are USA PDO's. A few of them have rotted, although the data has survivied without anything lost. The rotting is minor, but obvious.

I have a "Joe Cocker!" Ol' A&M made by PDO as well. Yep! Some rot is evident, but is long from harming the data. Still ugly as hell!

 

I was fortunate to find the Crossroads box as a 12x12. With the cover, full size removable book and the four individual CD jewel cases.

Agree totally with Luke. White Room is bad! I a/b'd it with the US Cream of Clapton. Big difference. They need to remaster the thing. Also, doesn't Motherless Children have small dropouts in it?

Oh, I would respect some opinions: Did you like the live version of I Shot The Sheriff? I would have preferred the studio version. The live version doesn't have the tag "but I swear it was in self-defense..." Other than that, I like a lot of the rarities and studio cuts.

Brian

 

Funny, I actually prefer the live cut of I Shot The Sherrif - it has a nice drive to it that the studio version is lacking.

Sound issues aside, I really think Xroads is an excellent set. Great mix of hits, alt mixes, unreleased tracks, etc... The alt mix of After Midnight blows away the original, IMO.

 

I agree. I don't think it was made to be a definitive "BEST OF" as we know it. It's quirkiness in version/track selection makes it a special set of Clapton. It's one of the very first real BOX SETS to come out, and it's still got staying power in a lot of music lovers hearts, me included. Very well put together.

 

I also have the Crossroads 2 box set. It has four CD's and all the material is recorded from concerts from the 1970's. The first disc is outstanding. "Rambling on my mind" is out of this world. Eric makes multiple key changes during his solo and calls out each key change. IMHO, the discs are very well recorded. Eric was still very much into the blues during this timeframe and was not into commercial pop.