Van Der Graaf Generator coming in 5.1

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by R E Faust, Apr 19, 2021.

  1. PhR

    PhR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Finland
    He did the Be Bop Deluxe sets for example.
     
  2. Mr Matchbox

    Mr Matchbox Forum Resident

    Location:
    NE England, UK
    Thanks, I'm not familiar with those sets but I've read here that they are very good. I've never taken much of a dive into Van der Graaf Generator and I've only got the last CD remaster of Pawn Hearts which is too loud but I sense the magic hidden within and had considered buying some old LPs for a few years. However, I do prefer digital if it's well mastered. It's rare that a big set like this crops up where I'm not duplicating any discs (well maybe 1). Could be fantastic value for me.
     
  3. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    It would make more sense to release the albums individually
     
  4. PhR

    PhR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Finland
    Just listened it ("Polaroid") again and...well, it's...ok, David Jackson's sax honking is brilliant as always and Hammill is so bad at drumming he is almost good. I take back the "bad Ian Dury", the singing reminded me more of a mild and nice Hugh Cornwell which is peculiar since on the original cover of "Enter K" Hammill looks very much like Hugh. :D
     
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  5. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    I think the big question is the mastering used for the non-remixed CDs. If it's the 2005 masters, nobody wants these.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2021
    Max Florian, Plan9 and serj like this.
  6. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    He did great work with Rupert Hine!
     
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  7. Lovecraft

    Lovecraft Forum Resident

    Location:
    Isle of Bute, UK
    Yep, I think this is pretty crucial. It would really take the shine off this if it was the 2005's....
     
  8. octophone

    octophone immaterial girl

    Location:
    Scotland
    It probably would but, sadly (IMO), that's not what sells in 2021.
     
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  9. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    Yea, perhaps... I think the industry feels that's true, but they seem to be releasing a lot of limited edition stuff, and creating a certain exclusivity to force the market's hand. I see it more as a market manipulation, than a market reality. So many box sets and special editions selling out super ridiculously fast ... and yet we keep being told that there are no physical sales .... it is shady to me. I know physical sales have decreased a lot, and wouldn't argue, but I think the industry is manipulating that to a degree, for convenience for themselves.
    To the best of my knowledge, the Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Xtc and Gentle Giant stuff has been selling very well, and all those bands got my money, because it was affordable for me to try them out, whereas if they were $200-300 box sets that would be much less likely.
    Here with the Van Der Graaf Generator 5.1 mixes, they will be locked in a big box, and I am not sure about the band ... they are very new to me, and I would likely buy the surround albums individually, but a big box, with very likely a big price tag, is really not likely to get my dollars, although I will be wrestling myself over it, because it is mildly interesting to me..... another example would be Be Bop Deluxe also... another band that I am not/was not familiar with, but I bought two of the recent 5.1 sets, because they were in a price range that kept them interesting.
     
  10. octophone

    octophone immaterial girl

    Location:
    Scotland
    There's a lot of truth in this - it's seen that the way to keep afloat is to get the highest amount of money possible out of your fanbase but, as you rightly say, XTC and Jethro Tull in particular have found great success with content packed, fairly priced sets. The challenge with VdGG is that the catalogue has already been reissued with extras in the mid 00s so the challenge becomes how to make something that will sell to the audience who already own these editions.

    Whilst this looks like good value in the grand scheme of the music industry in 2021 (we'll know for sure soon, I suppose), it is a daunting entry point for the curious.
     
  11. Music Geek

    Music Geek Confusion will be my epitaph

    Location:
    Italy
    I think that, right or wrong, the industry has given up on physical sales to the "curious" because that type of sale is completely cannibalised by streaming. Obviously technically that doesn't apply in the case of 5.1 mixes but still I think that physical sales are now only aimed at "nostalgics", "completists" or "hard core" fans.
    I am concerned that even when it isn't a big expensive boxset, many things will end being sold only through exclusive channels like the latest live Bowie releases, in which case I will finally give up on purchasing music products.
     
  12. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    I own no VDGG but if this set falls within my budget I anticipate that changing in a dramatic fashion.

    [Edited to say: huh, I own Merlin Atmos Live! Better correct that to “I own no VDGG that I know of.”]
     
  13. Plan9

    Plan9 Mastering Engineer

    Location:
    Toulouse, France
    Yep, some of the worst remasters I have heard.
     
  14. Flaming Torch

    Flaming Torch Forum Resident

    I am guessing but I assume the 2005 Peter Hammill reissues with bonus tracks are similar in mastering/DR values etc to the VDGG?
     
  15. fRa

    fRa Conny Olivetti - Sound Alchemist

    Location:
    Sweden
    Yes! Horrible.
     
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  16. Lands End Drums

    Lands End Drums Forum Resident

    The price in the HMV preorder that was taken down was shockingly well below what I was expecting. 125 pounds I think it was. Of course if you're new to the band it's still a big bundle on a product you're unsure of but it will undoubtedly be a small run that'll become difficult to acquire later on. There's more than enough new content there to justify the price for me. Hell, I don't even have a 5.1 system (yet!)
     
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  17. Max Florian

    Max Florian Forum Resident

  18. This!
     
  19. ArpMoog

    ArpMoog Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit
    Where's going to be the best place to aquire this that's not Amazon for us in the States ? Do you think it will be available at Sofa sound ? Wonder how they pack ?
    Burning shed ? Would hate to get a damaged box . I'm charged with electricity over this release.
    Hoping this is epic. Thinking if Japan will have a release for this with a nicer box ect.
     
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  20. Slim Zooms

    Slim Zooms Senior Member

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  21. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    I've never ordered from them myself, but remember Sofa in recent years announcing new releases and saying to buy them from Burning Shed.
     
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  22. Lands End Drums

    Lands End Drums Forum Resident

    Burning Shed may have an exclusive with a signed postcard or something. One that I’ll miss out on because of my time zone of course...
     
  23. Rael

    Rael Forum Resident

    Location:
    Poland
    The box will also include the original mixes? I maybe the only one who quite liked the 2005 masters although their loudness but surely I am hoping for a new, better remaster of original mix.
     
  24. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    Yes, seems they include the original mixes, but unclear if those are new masters, or the 2005 masters.
     
  25. ArpMoog

    ArpMoog Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit
    If the original mixes are not remastered I am going to be beyond grim.
    All it takes is a listen to the original records hell even the original cds to hear how bad those 05 disc are.
    I find them unlistenable.
     

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