Looking at the Vinyl version compared to the CD version track list,it seems the vinyl set is missing quite a lot of the rarities and bsides,which are the main reason one would want this set. I will probably go for the CD set and leave it at that. I wish the Vinyl version retained all of the tracks from the CD set,but it's understandable given that probably would at least require 3 or 4 more records,thus jacking up the price of all volumes together above 300 bucks. At least they are offering it as separate volumes so the vinyl enthusiasts can pick and choose. I may end up springing for the rarities and b side volume eventually if word is good on the pressing quality. I pretty much have all the Deep Cuts and the this is me set on vinyl in some form. I do wish Across the River Thames and the Goaldiggers were included in this set. In any case this is still a heck of a set even with its omissions. I never imagined anything like this would be released while Elton was still with us. Hopefully this paves the way for other archive releases in the coming years. As others point out there still is a fair bit left over for another slightly smaller second volume.
Wow...thank you so much for the info! Like you, I want to support something like this. And he’s really been a world wide treasure and a gift to music imo. I will never forget his sadness and shedding tears at being unable to finish a concert early this year (?) because he was so ill. Wow. Not many of his stature would give a darn. My utmost respect to the man.
I agree, they are making the best of the situation and I’m not even sure how well it would do on vinyl.
I have the original UK vinyl issue. It's quite good, for 90s vinyl anyway. But the sides break between "Pain" and "Belfast", whereas the cassette breaks between "Belfast" and "Latitude". That annoyed me. Because "Latitude" seemed to me like the inevitable side-opener for a vinyl issue.
Well guys, remember the outstanding audiophile quality of the first batch of reissues on vinyl. Most of us agreed they were as good, or darn near close to it, to the original best pressings. Someone on his team is aware of SQ and that some fans desire that level of quality. My concern is you can’t make it better than the originals, and I suspect an awful lot of those demos won’t be exactly audiophile quality. This will be an interesting aspect.
Agreed. Both the vinyl reissues and the SHM CD's have been pretty darn good quality wise. We have to keep in mind DIAMONDS was aimed at more of the casual audience who largely dont care about dynamic range and the like and will be listening to those tracks either in their cars or off on their phones streaming. This is aimed at us record nerds,of which Elton is one of us. I have a feeling that this set will be decent. There will always be some that will find fault ,but I think based on the two samples Elton posted on YouTube (the "new" single and Snow Queen) that this set will sound pretty good. Even through YouTube quality,this version Snow Queen is the best sounding version I've heard on digital.
You're absolutely correct. Those two tracks did appear on that EP. I'd forgotten! But that EP was such a limited release even then (never mind how impossible it is to find now) that, for most EJ diehards, those tracks might as well be considered unreleased. Until this November 13th, of course. T-minus 55 days...
I just checked eBay. I can have my very own copy for $199-$450. Love the album but not quite that much. Can’t imagine we won’t see it in the next couple of years. Side breaks are tricky for albums made primarily for cd. Thanks for the info.
Love Snow Queen and have the original 45. Getting to be time to pull them out. I haven’t played most of them since a teenager and I’m 59 now. I’m glad I didn’t sell them off during the big Vinyl Purge too many of us participated in during the 80’s. I think your reference to Elton loving vinyl may end up as you say. Somebody certainly cared about the reissues. I’m so happy to have them.
You peeps think they'll reissue 'Rare Masters' [Vol .1] since some of those tracks from there won't be on this upcoming set? It's been out-of-print since the 90s, I don't know about Japan though. Back to Spotify again, they do have Rare Masters, and THANKFULLY it's not remastered, so it's safe from any loudness (sounds 'mazing). I better start chucking down for that CD set before they even care to reissue it, then it's updated on Spotify with the new audio. Rare Masters When the To Be Continued set was reissued in 2000, they botched the dynamics toward the loudness wars compared to the original 1990 set. To Be Continued... Listening to 'Sing Me No Sad Songs' again on Spotify, it's a smidge louder than listing to any track from Rare Masters. I don't know how compressed and EQs the tracks are in this upcoming set. Let's hope Sean Magee will make music sound great as it intentional it can be. I'm down for pre-ordering the CD set to support EJ, and also rip the bonuses and add them to my personal EJ FLAC collection playlist.
Really great news this. Big fan of Elton, he's put some great rockers out over the years. Last time I was curious about his pre-debut work, I was floored about just how many he had done and not released! So its cool to see a heap of them released officially. Bet he's got plenty more though. Have noticed that he has been doing a lot of collaborations with other musicians lately, maybe we'll also get a "Duets II" album at some point?
Perfect timing for me. Having been a classic era fan (with selective later releases) since 1972 aged 10, on the back of reading the autobiography last year I decided to investigate his early career in further depth (the vinyl exclusive tracks he made for the covers albums, Bluesology and other rare recordings, plus albums that I had never heard in full throughout the periods where my interest was low to non existent). So most of the stuff on here will be new to me other than the Deep Cuts and Disc 8. I’ve dug out my copy of To Be Continued on what happens to be a day off work and will spend a few hours listening to EJ and will preorder the CD version of Jewel over the weekend. It looks like a handsome package too.
It's great to read the enthusiasm on the thread here. I find it a bit of a headscratcher, personally. It almost looks like a copyright dump - the demos part of the set. I am not convinced they will be of much interest except to serious collectors. As others have noted, the classic era is mostly skipped over in terms of rare/unreleased material. Then there are CDs of deep cuts that the serious fans will already have anyway. It is nice to have selections curated by Elton, of course, but the whole box looks to me like a Frankenstein monster, and something that isn't quite sure what it's trying to be...
I think this and Rare Masters are a great addition to an Elton collection. Having the B sides collected is also cool IMO. Elton had a lot of 'em!
Your post brought back memories of the double cassette pack of Seasons I picked up in the UK in the late eighties because it included TTWTFR. I found it on Discogs Elton John - Seasons - The Early Love Songs This CD box is an absolute dream come true for me as well.
Thankfully I have both Rare Masters and the original mastering of To Be Continued. I'd love if the next vinyl release would be vinyl versions of both or at least Rare Masters, but it's very unlikely given this set being released. But then again who would have ever thought we'd get this ?
Available in SHM CD format from CDJapan for £125,24 https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-79376 Jewel Box [SHM-CD] 17000yen (18700yen Tax incl. in Japan) GBP £125.24 Plus delivery Plus import tax and a charge for collecting the tax into the UK! Amazon Japan only seem to be selling the CD version https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B08F6Y5425?tag=sdejp-22&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1 Would really like the SHM CD version -- although after buying Diamonds Boxset in SHM CD format I felt really disillusioned.
Ditto. Looking again and again at the track listing for this forthcoming set, I just find it unbelievable that the B sides have been compiled with so much thought, for example no overlap with Rare Masters and they have taken into account what was already released for example on the ASM remaster. Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming.
Indeed. I just wish the extra tracks on the remasters (i.e. the "A Single Man" B-Sides) which were not included on Rare Masters would make an appearance here and especially on vinyl. My only gripe with this set is that the B-Sides collection is so abridged on vinyl format, which is my preferred.
Yeah the vinyl might sound good. But digital? No chance. And unfortunately it seems the vinyl version isn’t complete. (they could just cut the pointless discs of album cuts, no?)
There have been a number of deluxe editions in recent years where I would have ideally wanted the vinyl, but it was less music for more money, so I bought the CDs. I haven't seen any prices for the LP sets, but that is what I did here. The CD box is reasonably priced and has everything. And I like both formats, so it is not a huge sacrifice. Elton might say it's no sacrifice at all.
There was a UK holiday compilation many years ago ("Merry Christmas Everybody") that inappropriately included "The Snow Queen" and "Cold as Christmas". The transfer sounds similar in quality (source quality, EQ, Dynamic Range) to the early '90s releases. I suspect that everything in the vaults was digitized back then. If this was the case, and these transfers are the basis of this package - bravo. I feel that the fact that the tapes were in better shape back then, and that this outweighs the benefit of newer analog to digital converters. That said, the end product can still be botched by the inept use of noise reduction, EQ and brick-walling.
