MiC up for order on Amazon, August release

[Cabinessenceking]

After some due deliberation I can pass my hat over to the faction supporting MiC.
It is a solid compilation, it seems to be a package of high quality with many new and unique cuts. I still agree with the dissent that Don't Go Near The Water [backing track] and Transcendental Meditation [instrumental track] were selected above other, highly anticipated and highly qualitative tracks, but I guess they didn't want to empty the bag right now. There remains more than enough unreleased material for future compilations and/or digital download. And I stay optimistic for that, even though it may yet take years.

[AndrewHickey]

Their roles in the band were 100% equal to everyone else at the time, while Bruce has always (with the exception of Sunflower) always served as a bit of a "junior member".

With the exception of Sunflower... and 20/20, where he produced one of the singles as well as having one of his own compositions on it. And LA, which he co-produced, and Keepin' The Summer Alive, which he produced, and the eponymous album, where he brought in the producer, and...

[Phoenix]

Their roles in the band were 100% equal to everyone else at the time, while Bruce has always (with the exception of Sunflower) always served as a bit of a "junior member".

With the exception of Sunflower... and 20/20, where he produced one of the singles as well as having one of his own compositions on it. And LA, which he co-produced, and Keepin' The Summer Alive, which he produced, and the eponymous album, where he brought in the producer, and...

As I said just a few lines above that quote:

the group realized Bruce was also a talented lead singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer, and used him in those capacities over the years.

The point is Blondie and Ricky's tenure was something entirely different.  At that point in time, the band didn't appear as much a democracy than a true confederacy.  The group was in a similar state from 20/20 through Surf's Up (possibly reaching its "peak of confederacy" only after years of working towards it) but during that time, with the exception of Sunflower, Bruce was either held back, holding back, or just didn't have as much to offer to the group in the way of songs or performances.  He did as much singing, writing, and recording in 17 (studio and live) albums than Blondie and Ricky did in THREE!  And his tenure in the producer's chair had way more in common with Terry Melcher's than Brian's.  Obviously everything changed with Endless Summer but the point remains that two former full fledged members now appear to be persona non grata, in the same way David was during his "lost" years.

But whatever.  Call it what you will. 

[The Shift]

Just checked HMV jp - Japanese track list looks slightly different but at 2.30am I don't have the energy to check exactly what the differences are…

Might just be a running order thing… then again…

Seems to be an odd running order thing… and there's no Carl coda listed for the end of the sixth disc.  For some reason Going to the Beach is bumped on to CD5, which in turn bumps Summer in Paradises on to disc 6, which bumps the Coda off the set.

Secret track on disc 4 maybe?  Typo maybe? Maybe I'm taking it too seriously?

[AndrewHickey]

Box is pre-orderable on Amazon UK right now. £100.40 . I'm assuming the price will come down at least a little before release though.

[Nicko1234]

Box is pre-orderable on Amazon UK right now. £100.40 . I'm assuming the price will come down at least a little before release though.

By at least 50% one would hope.

[AndrewHickey]

Box is pre-orderable on Amazon UK right now. £100.40 . I'm assuming the price will come down at least a little before release though.

By at least 50% one would hope.

I'd hope so, but my guess is more like 20%. Since Sainsburys have it for £80.99, I'd guess at that as the price they'll end up with, give or take...

[Mahalo]

As excited as I am to hear some of these amazing songs I'm really going to wait this one out until the price comes way down... it's just not worth the asking price at this time.

[Nicko1234]

I'd hope so, but my guess is more like 20%. Since Sainsburys have it for £80.99, I'd guess at that as the price they'll end up with, give or take...

That would still be insanely expensive. I've said it before (and doubtless I will say it again) but if you type in 'box set' on Amazon then you can immediately find sets with 10 disc, 13 discs, 17 discs etc. that are all a fraction of that price.

[AndrewHickey]

I'd hope so, but my guess is more like 20%. Since Sainsburys have it for £80.99, I'd guess at that as the price they'll end up with, give or take...

That would still be insanely expensive. I've said it before (and doubtless I will say it again) but if you type in 'box set' on Amazon then you can immediately find sets with 10 disc, 13 discs, 17 discs etc. that are all a fraction of that price.

Oh I know. On the other hand, the GV box is £75.88 new on Amazon, and I don't see the price of this going lower than that, for fairly obvious reasons. We can hope, though.

Personally, I can afford it and am going to pay it, but I do agree it's high. On the other hand I have absolutely no idea how the Nilsson box set, for example, can be so cheap. While £15 per CD is on the expensive side, I can't imagine how the people behind the Nilsson box can even recover their costs at less than three quid a disc...

[Micha]

I'd hope so, but my guess is more like 20%. Since Sainsburys have it for £80.99, I'd guess at that as the price they'll end up with, give or take...

That would still be insanely expensive. I've said it before (and doubtless I will say it again) but if you type in 'box set' on Amazon then you can immediately find sets with 10 disc, 13 discs, 17 discs etc. that are all a fraction of that price.

With big hardcover books and all? (No sarcasm, that's supposed to be a question.)

[Wirestone]

I'd hope so, but my guess is more like 20%. Since Sainsburys have it for £80.99, I'd guess at that as the price they'll end up with, give or take...

That would still be insanely expensive. I've said it before (and doubtless I will say it again) but if you type in 'box set' on Amazon then you can immediately find sets with 10 disc, 13 discs, 17 discs etc. that are all a fraction of that price.

With big hardcover books and all? (No sarcasm, that's supposed to be a question.)

I've asked for examples, too. None were forthcoming.

[SMiLE Brian]

For this price, they could add another two discs of material.

[AndrewHickey]

For this price, they could add another two discs of material.

Or on the other hand, they could do it like McCartney's latest box set, which is forty quid more and has two fewer discs. There's always someone worse off than yourself

[SMiLE Brian]

Good thing I am not a Macca solo fan....

[Nicko1234]

I've asked for examples, too. None were forthcoming.

I've given plenty of examples already including Burt Bacharach and Harry Nilsson. And as I've just said, type in box set on Amazon and look at the list.

[Nicko1234]

With big hardcover books and all? (No sarcasm, that's supposed to be a question.)

Obviously the packaging and contents varies from set to set.

How much does it cost to manufacture a book like the one included in this set? A few dollars yet by calling it a 'collector's book' they can add $50 to the RRP. Smart work by Capitol.

[Shady]

It's pretty amusing that we're going to spend over 100 bucks to buy Kokomo for the 60th time just to get a couple of unreleased tracks  Realistically that's what we're doing

[Dudd]

It's pretty amusing that we're going to spend over 100 bucks to buy Kokomo for the 60th time just to get a couple of unreleased tracks  Realistically that's what we're doing

Oh, don't you start...

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

Price is dumb. Its hardly gonna attract any casual fans. Look at this bundle - http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Baxb-4KTL._SY450_.jpg - couldn't wait to get my hands on all that goodness! think it started at £129.99?

some box sets I bought over the last few years

Big Star Box £39.99 (4 cds)
Pogues Box Set - £27.99 (5 cds)

Both were rarities collections

I dunno how this book ramps up the price so much.

[drbeachboy]

It's pretty amusing that we're going to spend over 100 bucks to buy Kokomo for the 60th time just to get a couple of unreleased tracks  Realistically that's what we're doing

So, if Kokomo wasn't on there then you would be content to pay the 100 bucks? Instead, pretend it's not on there and you are paying for I Get Around for the 60th time. I hope that makes a difference for you there, Shady!

[LostArt]

It's pretty amusing that we're going to spend over 100 bucks to buy Kokomo for the 60th time just to get a couple of unreleased tracks   Realistically that's what we're doing

It's pretty amusing that you've bought Kokomo 59 times.  

Me?  I don't own Sounds of Summer, or Warmth of the Sun, or 50 Big Ones, or any other of the greatest hits comps, except for the GV box, the Hallmark CD, and the Walmart 'zine pak.  So, WE aren't buying Kokomo or I Get Around or any other song for the 60th time.  I will be buying Kokomo for the 4th time, and yeah, MiC ain't cheap, but to ME, it's worth it, just to get all of the stuff that I don't have.  And this box has a lot of stuff that I don't have.

I hope you understand the difference between 'we' and 'me' now.    

[tansen]

It's pretty amusing that we're going to spend over 100 bucks to buy Kokomo for the 60th time just to get a couple of unreleased tracks   Realistically that's what we're doing

It's pretty amusing that you've bought Kokomo 59 times.  

Me?  I don't own Sounds of Summer, or Warmth of the Sun, or 50 Big Ones, or any other of the greatest hits comps, except for the GV box, the Hallmark CD, and the Walmart 'zine pak.  So, WE aren't buying Kokomo or I Get Around or any other song for the 60th time.  I will be buying Kokomo for the 4th time, and yeah, MiC ain't cheap, but to ME, it's worth it, just to get all of the stuff that I don't have.  And this box has a lot of stuff that I don't have.

I hope you understand the difference between 'we' and 'me' now.    

I'll be buying Kokomo for the 18th time, and you won't hear me complaining about it.

[TV Forces]

Oh, don't you start...

Here they come!  All dissent must be immediately squashed.  We don't want Brian to see this!

[Matt Bielewicz]

That's a good point - I realised I don't know HOW many times I've bought Kokomo. So I've just counted. I've clearly been reasonably careful with my Beach Boys purchasing in the past, as it turns out MiC will give me only the third instance of the track in my collection (hitherto, I have it only on the GV Box, plus on one UK-only double-CD mid-90s hits comp, which was actually my first CD by the Boys and the one that kicked everything off!).

So I couldn't care less about buying it again. I'm good with it.

Barbara effing Ann, on the other hand... I haven't been so fleet of foot in avoiding that.

[counts]

This will be the fifth time. Five times too many.

MiC is still, in my opinion, worth it.

After some due deliberation I can pass my hat over to the faction supporting MiC.

What faction? There's just some guys here who are broadly enthusiastic about a tracklisting, and some that are less so. Even within those very rough groupings, people are disagreeing about what's good, better or worse about the content.

I don't see an 'us and them' situation here. I just see a spectrum of opinions, with myself more up the 'me likey' end than the 'tracklist rage' end. And if you feel you've moved more up the 'me likey' end in the last few days, that's nice for you. I hope you enjoy the set. And no, I'm *not* being sarcastic!