Blu-ray has been a mainstream audio format for over 10 years. Sorry, but I can’t fathom how a person with any interest in music, movies or tv would not have a Blu-ray player.
For audio, blu-ray is a niche format... only a small percentage of total music listeners do their listening to blu-ray audio discs. That's what I mean when I say it's not a mainstream format.
I would say a small amount of whining is to be expected with releases of this type; if you value all the different elements of the set then £145 is perhaps a reasonable price. The issue is that many (most?) people don’t. Personally, all I want from this set are the 2 CDs of outtakes. One of those will cost me £20, and the second an additional £125, so surely you can see why I might think twice? I think it’s a bit of a shame to take such care over that material and then limit its audience. Others have spoken about wanting the blu-ray only, or the 5.1 mix above all else, and I’ve no idea what they’d value those at alone, but not £145. The box looks great, so I’m glad for those of you that can justify its cost, and I’d love to be among you. As it is I’ll likely pick up the 2CD set, and attempt to keep my whining to a minimum.
But, that’s cherry-picking the complaints. This very much like all the Steve Wilson remix releases, and people in those threads know it’s expensive and mixed formats and they don’t expect relatively small labels to deliver a whole range of variation packages. This is very much like Columbia Records Dylan Bootleg series - a massive box, and a two-cd cutdown edition. It’s a business model with proven results. This release is very expensive, but that just goes with the territory. There’s no way it’ll sell like Dylan or KC, thus the price point.
I've always wondered on this song as I don't see a pedal street guitar credit; was it played through a B-Bender?
Size, weight and probably tracked and insured. One record alone is $15-18 USD these days with tracking.
Your post could have been written about many other box sets on many other threads like the big Woodstock 50th box or super Wings Wild Life/RRS boxes. This is the last hurrah for big physical sets so artists and labels are doing what they feel solidifies legacies
If you look at this as a boutique type of release as opposed to a major label box the price isn’t that crazy. We can’t have things both ways..if we want physical media these days instead of download or streaming only options then we need to understand the physical media won’t sell piles of units like the old days so in order to make a profit these companies need to charge more than if this were released 10 years ago as they are going to sell less of them. I would take an over priced physical Gene Clark set over a mid priced download only Gene Clark set.
No Other is one of my top ten albums. I just ordered the 2 CD version. The big box is tempting, especially for the book but I don't need all the vinyl. I thought at one time there was hope there were some other songs recorded during the No Other sessions that didn't make the album but it seems all that is available for the reissue are different takes of the same song. I already have "Train" on a reissue. One CD of alternate takes is sufficient for me. I can only hope the book may be released in the future by itself....that I would definitely purchase.
For those who pre-ordered from 4AD, were you charged upfront for the box, or will you be charged at time of shipment?
I'm - alas- not familiair with all aspects of Gene Clark's music. What are the Hinshaw mixes exactly?
From John Einarson's excellent Mr. Tambourine Man: The Life and Legacy of The Byrds' Gene Clark, p177. “….the mixing of the album left much to be desired, with instruments disappearing and harmonies obscured. The original Hinshaw rough mixes had somehow been misplaced, and all Jim (Dickson) could do was what is called a “ruler mix” which basically means setting the levels just about equal and letting the tapes run, creating a rather flat, generic sound. (Nearly 30 years later, the Hinshaw mixes were discovered languishing in a tape vault and what they reveal is quite startling. The tracks virtually come alive, the drums are crisp, the guitars sparkle, and instruments previously unheard, like electric piano and Clarence White’s intricate guitar, suddenly reappear. Harmonies that were essential to the strength of several tracks are now heard as they were meant to be….” Plus see this thread from 10 years ago... Gene Clark ROADMASTER: What's so wrong with the mix?
She’s The Kind Of Girl and One In a Hundred have unique mixes on the Flying High comp. we’re those done by Hinshaw? Roadmaster is cobbled together from various sessions.
The only songs mixed by Hinshaw were the 8 that form the majority of Roadmaster, i.e. excepting She's the Kind of Girl, One In a Hundred and Here Tonight. Weren't the Flying High mixes of the 2 you mention prepared for a projected single release predating Roadmaster that was abandoned? They would most likely have been mixed by Jim Dickson, as producer, as were the (presumably later?) mixes prepared for Roadmaster.
