I'm a bit skeptical about how well this vinyl reissue program will turn out. New vinyl is such a mixed bag these days in terms of quality (nearly half the newly pressed vinyl I buy is off center!) that I always have to temper any excitement. Last year's Cure vinyl reissues were mostly good (albeit not flawless), as were the reissues by Dead Can Dance. The Joy Division reissues from 2015 were excellent. But others have not turned out so well. Fortunately, I have great copies of the 70s and 80s Banshees LPs, mostly UK Polydor, but in some instances US PVC, which sound great. The only album I'd consider replacing is my copy of A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, which is just kind of pushing the limits of what's tolerable with surface noise (i.e., not bad, but could be better), but then I wonder how well they'll be able to replicate the lovely, Klimt-inspired cover art.
To be fair, Robert was having massive mental problems in 1984 and it shows. JVC on the other hand has a lean, mean sound. The way he attacks these "Tinderbox" songs is remarkable. His guitar sways, pierces, transports, embellishes, deconstructs. Recorded in Berlin by the way. Hansa by the wall, Meistersaal. Like Bowie.
Ugh, big delays with the vinyl reissues. So frigging typical of ANY Siouxsie product. Severin just posted yesterday that Tinderbox is being re-cut on Wednesday and the artwork was only approved last week. So it's clear the original April release date may be some time in August. And screw the Ever After collection, that probably won't happen until 2019. Frustrating as ever in Banshee land...
I'm wondering if Universal are having 2nd thoughts about the reissue programme, not only has what has come out so far been riddled with errors, the poor pressing of the HKG single, the Peepshow cd debacle ect, I wonder how well what has come out has actually sold. There are still copies of the Join Hands RSD lp easily available, both the "Complete Collection" box sets are dirt cheap, there doesn't seem to be any unreleased goodies in the vaults. Maybe they should just reissue Downside Up and be done with it.
I will admit I have wondered if someone's going to pull the plug on all these long rumored release plans. Severin stated Tinderbox is being "re-cut". That seems to indicate an initial cut was done and found to be unacceptable for whatever reason. His last update a while back on Ever After was that there were various issues but many had been worked out. He said he was receiving a DVD screener for the promo videos, though never posted any follow up on if it was good or a bad. And as much as I'd like to think his advertised 2 LP reissues a month would happen, there's no way in Banshee land that a succession of two releases a month will happen. There will be major delays and problems, as we are seeing with even the damn first 2 titles. And I also wouldn't be surprised if Sioux is causing problems. Sioux has to sign off on any release and she's caused delays in the past by taking her good ole' time to do so. Someone on the FB page posted a promo CD from the Superstition remaster from a couple of years ago. It had the Shadowtime (Eclipse Mix), which ended up being cut prior to production and replaced with another pointless remix of Kiss Them For Me when there was already a mix represented on the CD. Severin told me in an email exchange at the time that he wanted to include the Eclipse Mix, but it was Sioux who vetoed it in favor of another KTFM mix. Personally, I wish Sioux would piss off and let Severin tend to all of this. She has no interest in making new music or the band's catalog, and does little more than vetoeing songs just for the sake of having it all her way, hence no more than one pre-Scream demo. I get the impression that Severin gives in to her just to help get the product out rather than fighting with her and causing further delay. They are supposed to have equal decision power but she seems to always get her way between stupid party photos with girlfriend Pam Hogg. The woman turns 60 in a few months and her current profile consists of posing for teenage style photos at various events and nothing else. It's a pretty sad retirement for the once creative songbird. People can say "Let her have her fun, she did enough." That's fine but if all she's doing is throwing wrenches in her band's legacy and catalog releases, take up another hobby.
And yet that ridiculous Scream picture disc got approved. So confusing. At least it least it had that brilliant new remastered download included.
A lot of stuff already released indeed but some 5.1 mixes would be nice and will make me buy the collection again.
Annoying delays, but hopefully it will be done with better care. I just hope that their catalogue would get the best possible releases and with that catalogue it surely would deserve better care.
Well.... if readily available means overpriced Discogs copies then I guess, yes! Certainly not in shops over here. It was one of the most popular RSD releases.
Sadly this seems accurate. With Severin being the one who's willing to devote so much time and effort to these Banshees projects, you'd think she'd just let him run with it and not hold things up and throw wrenches into the process. What could be an actual good reason for not putting that Shadowtime mix on the remaster? I'm still amazed "Song From the Edge of the World" actually got on CD via the Looking Glass remaster after the decades of pettiness surrounding it.
From Severin on FB Universal initially need the original vinyl re-cut to cater to the new demand - supermarkets and the like. Later in the year we will issue "special" versions through the Universal online store that will include some "extras". Can't say what those extras will be just yet but they won't follow the extras on the CD remasters necessarily. Something different each time. It's close to being completed but problems with the first batch of vinyl test pressings have to be addressed urgently - that's our focus this week at least. As soon as the vinyl starts rolling out we can get back to EVERAFTER. So ASDA and Tesco are delaying Banshees reissues apparently!!!
Ever After has been "close" for some time. Geez, when was that originally announced? Over 2 years ago? And if the first batch of test pressings have issues, expect others. I would love a monthly Banshees treat but I don't see it happening. The standard vinyl reissues may be completed by 2020, considering the legacy of delays and issues. This is just being realistic. In all of the years online watching their new releases, I can say that not 1 of them came out on time and/or without any issues.
Months ago, Severin promised something very exciting for RSD 2017. Some have been asking about it but he's been n0n-responsive. I think it's clear that the exciting something is no longer happening.
When Join Hands was released on RSD I lived in Switzerland. A few weeks before RSD the lp appeared on Amazon France for 16 euros, I took a chance and ordered it, it was shipped to me and delivered on the Wednesday before RSD itself!!
