Last time I saw this on eBay was a couple of years ago and it was £600. It was a used copy with some damage to the corner of the box too. I wanted this back in 1983 when it was released, but could never justify the cost.
I picked up a Japanese pressing of "Making A Good Thing Better" a few years ago. Artwork is dark - non-gatefold. I will recheck it, but the audio was rather flat. I have said for a long time that the Canadian MCA pressing are good value - they use the US stampers with better quality vinyl.
Oh my gosh, the packaging on each individual album is just gorgeous. Wow and some gatefolds as well. I really love the sound too for all I have checked out so far. Come On Over almost sounds as beautiful as the album cover looks. One of the most beautiful box sets in my entire collection of 35 or 40 CD sets. I might be up to 50, if you count the smaller box sets of 3 discs or more, but I have not counted them in a while.
Love that they gave us 2 mini-posters with Physical. Fantastic attention to detail. These are just like the UK EMI originals.
I found the Canadian gatefold 2-3 years ago in VG condition for 3$ ... I already had 2 different Canadian editions but not the gatefold one yet. There is one Japanese gatefold edition at my record store in mint condition for 20$ with the obi... The artwork colours aren't dark though, same as Canadian one...
Do you remember how much it was new in the UK back then? 400$ Canadian was quite steep back in the days...
Man, I just went to check to make sure I've got the mini posters in there and sure enough they are there. Man, the glossy album artwork on the mini sleeves are just first class all around. What wonderful reproductions of the original albums.
Well, it was an import so would always be more expensive than an ordinary box. I think Esprit had it for about £350..
Okay, my gal just corrected me slightly again. She says the embossing of the number is in silver not gold.
No, no additional poster in there, just the lyric sheet. Is it suppose to have a mini poster in it as well?
I am pretty sure the one at my record store is with a regular side obi, not the top/back one like the one in the 40th Anniversary Collection box set... Maybe there is different Japanese editions as well but then again, I never opened it at the store. I will look it up next time I go there...
Bobby and I don't have the Clearly Love poster either in our box set... but the edition photographed on discogs do... Olivia Newton-John - 40th Anniversary Collection
Interesting to say the least. Has anybody ever claimed they have seen a box set with the poster for the Clearly Love album?
Not that I am aware of... I think all three of us should go all american on Universal Japan and sue their asses for 3.5 millions US for damages!!! They'll either have to pay us or settle with us and come up with a complete box set of everything Olivia (b-sides, extended remix, etc) with new audiophile remasters !!!
Well, my box number was so low they’d probably run out of the posters when they came to package it... I’m still bitter about that low number.
No. 00929 for me! The 40th anniversary box is really one of the best (and in some ways, most unexpected!) ONJ products in the last decade or so. The jewels in its crown are the handful of unreleased songs and digital masters of remixes from single releases, and yes those beautiful sleeve replications! The attention to detail is exquisite, even down to the textured sleeve for 'Long Live Love' and the hype stickers for a couple of the later albums. The remastering is great too. A little compressed and loud, but the clarity is impressive (especially on the late 70s albums) and the sonics are still dynamic to the ear. I agree this is probably more of a testament to John Farrar's production on the albums to begin with, as there are precious few CD versions of Olivia's albums that are problematic. The ones on the anniversary box set are my go-to for iTunes and listening to her music on the go, although there's a touch of distortion on 'Physical' which doesn't seem to appear on other pressings. Other than that, it's a great set and it sounds like you got it for a great price @RSteven! I still laugh at the exclusive handwritten commentary Olivia offers for her Japanese 7" picture sleeves in the accompanying book. Nearly every annotation starts with 'I remember' or 'I think' as she tries to recall the details of the photos but focuses more on the animals involved, until she arrives at 'Soul Kiss' and seemingly gives up entirely: 'a magazine shoot?' Bless her! Olivia is many things, but she will be the first to say she does not have a great memory when it comes to the ins and outs of her career! x
Olivia looked extraordinary at the launch of the auction exhibition in Ireland yesterday! She just keeps astounding. My favourite comment in the press conference was when she was asked what advice she had to anyone else going on a cancer journey; she paused for a moment to think and then responded with 'I'm still here'. x
And can you believe the box is 10 years old in 2020?! Agree with all this. Looks amazing. The sound is good though won’t suit serious cranking. It’s quite crisp and clear. Maybe a little sterile, but perhaps you could argue this suits Olivia’s style?! Physical unfortunately is the worst sounding disc. Rather a shame as its probably the best looking title in the box! I don’t know what they did at it but I’ve never heard it distort like it does on the SHM-CD. Tied Up and Heart Attack are nice bonus tracks and fit somehow, though. I know, like me, you loved the 2001(?) UK remaster of Physical. Nice and punchy without being an ear bleeder. Until I got the SACD, this was my go-to disc for Physical.
I noticed in the interview she was moving really well. I know she was sat down, but anyone who’s ever suffered from a bad back will tell you that leaning forward and moving her legs around like she did would cause immense discomfort! This leads me to think her pain levels must be low now. And she looks better, doesn’t she? The old spark is back.
Yes, a huge difference from last year. I'm thrilled to see her out and about with that radiant smile once again. She just continues to defy the odds and set her own pace for, as she says, 'living with cancer, well'. x
