8-CD
4-LP
2-CD highlights
Prices and full track listings for all three sets on SDE website link
Very early recordings – bit too early for me so I might stick toypthe 2-cD.
That said, the BS sets often come up at can’t miss prices so who knows
Bootleg Series 18 – Through the Open Window
Bump
I’m pretty certain I have most of these “never before” releases including the legendary “Was in Aberdeen One Time”
Bit too early for me.too. I’m glad he went electric.
Historically interesting no doubt but this has ‘one listen’ written all over it. So I’ll be streaming this at some point. And as Bob doesn’t need the money and I’m not rich I won’t feel guilty.
Of no interest to me – he was finding his feet and sonically for me a bit jarring.
Pass.
Exactly the right time for me, but when exactly did a 2-CD (no interest in 8 CDs of such a concentrated period by anyone) become a £30 purchase?
The 2019 Bootleg Series release (the Nashville Skyline one) cost about £22 for three CDs.
The best bet is to buy this month’s Mojo and CD, dig out the ‘Dylan’s Scene’ Mojo CD from 2010, and do what Bob himself almost certainly would do, I’d put all the money in the world on it… not listen to Bob Dylan!!!
I think I first noticed the Double CD increase with Neil Young. I remember the Before & After set started off at a daft £24, then it’s come down slightly since, but now they’re all doing it.
Looks like the days of the fifteen pound double disc are long gone.
2 CDs for 30 quid? They were charging that in the 80’s
30 quid now = 12 quid in 1990. Bargain. I am amazed how cheap music is. You can go to the pub and have a meal and 2 pints or buy a double album that you can listen to 100s of times (possibly not this one)
I have cut down on my box set spending but still haven’t paid 100 quid for latest Wilco one with 9 CDs and a book. Can’t quite justify it, however I can easily pay that for a hotel room for a night or a concert ticket
At the age of eleven I first heard Bob’s first album this was at home so I grew up listening to Bob as his songwriting grew with him, I listened to each album many times until the next was released
Growing up listening to this music I wanted more and it wasn’t until the late 60’s/early 70’s that I started to pick up the bootlegs so even though I have at least 90% of these songs it will be good to hear them with improved sound although I will wait until this collection drops in price as all the B.S. editions have Although I suspect the darling wife may buy it for me, the festivities are coming so that’s a possibility
Of course I wasn’t buying those albums at that early an age it was my stepdad’s brother who was only 7 years older than myself and lived with us, he was a massive folkie
Electrified Bob? I absolutely loved it the Free Trade Hall was on the horizon
The completist true fan who must have EVERYTHING and an official release is SO over.
Lets see: Sell whatever archival crap to unswitched-on folk unaware of bootlegs or sugarmegs/ whatever, who buys the gimmicky product with their pension. They get CDs that they will never love or play more than once or twice. In the next 20 years, chazzas will be full of pointless box sets by dead artists.
Better: create an online museum of the beloved artist folk can explore the hinterland or nightly variations of. Fund it so it’ll never go bust. Titivate unreleased video so fans can see the band in their pomp. Does bob Dylan’s juvenilia really compel?
Agree.
Having noticed how lots of us were buying every box set
they “curated”, record labels have responded by re-releasing
every other album in their back catalogues as a deluxe “limited”
edition.
While I’ve got nothing against Bob Mould, the abysmal initial sales of his
career spanning box are hopefully a sign that the tide is starting to
turn.
I think when I discovered Yes has produced 18 live albums, plus a box set with 7 shows from the same tour in 1972, I just felt ennui. I’ve seen them many times; at their best, they are sublimely tight and Steve Howe and Chris Squire are/ were fantastic. But having sometimes seen them on successive nights, I’ve seen how scripted the show’s musical arrangements are. This is not jazz or a show with a lot of spontaneity, like a Zappa concert was. I’ve stopped caring what archival music is being released, and wonder what is even left.
One exception; Paddy McAloon, who I believe DOES have unreleased gems.
Apart from Philosophers Stone Vol I and the TLTS Now and Moondance sets (the latter of which I’;m not sure he had any control over), Van Morrison is the only major artist I can think of off the top of my head who hasn’t milked his back catalogue shamelessly
With his numerous reissues, Elvis Costello must be up there with the most venal
If there’s a band whose back catalogue hasn’t been milked shamelessly, then that band is Bob Mould’s original outfit, Hüsker Dü.
A four LP live box set was released just last month, so they may finally be getting round to seeing how much milk is in the cash cow
There were also extended Healing Game, Astral Weeks and His Band and Street Choir releases. Not huge box sets though. The live box set is incredible and it was very reasonably priced
Nice turn of phrase, Jaygee, when you say, “While I’ve got nothing against Bob Mould, the abysmal initial sales of his career spanning box are hopefully a sign that the tide is starting to turn.”