Just the $1350 !
It contains alternate versions of the Nutopian International Anthem.
(there will also be a version for about 100-150 quid with 6 CDs and 2 Blu-rays)
https://store.johnlennon.com/products/mind-games-the-ultimate-mixes-super-deluxe-box-set
Is there are 2 CD version? I’d buy that.
Yes
I’m starting to wonder if John Lennon really died that night 40-odd years ago or whether Yoko staged the whole thing so she could keep him imprisoned in the Dakota and churning out year after year of unfinished songs and outtakes
Mid-70s mediocrity in excelsis.
For me not his best solo effort. Probably 4th or 5th, have some affection for it as it is one of the first albums I ever bought though
Will probably skip the deluxe edition though unless it comes down to 40 quid or so. Got both Imagine and Plastic Ono Band at that sort of price. They were very well done..
Does this happen to all art?
Punters drinking and belching their way through the original performances of Shakespeare’s plays almost inevitably mutates into a refined, and – ‘quelle surprise’ – more expensive and exclusive, version years later.
It’s a long, long, long way from 2,000,000 people ALL buying the same Can’t Buy Me Love 45 in the UK in 1964 to 1,100 well-heeled prospectors putting up $1,350 for lesser product sixty years later.
I prefer the former, and always will.
To be fair, Deram, in 1964 you were probably telling your pals that it had all gone south in 1962 – that you were drawing a red line after ‘My Bonnie’ and stocking up on old 1920s newspapers to read. ‘Pshaw to Profumo and JFK and all this modernist flim-flam’…
@Colin-H
An artful piece of dodgering, C
His solo stuff was all hugely disappointing. Can’t really get on with any of it. Miserable, joyless and without any of his clear wit and invention. Macca, on the other hand, gave us wondrous things like Ram and Band on the Run. He made missteps too of course. But at least there were jewels along the way. Does anyone listen to Lennon’s solo stuff for pleasure these days?
This. I can manage quite happily with Plastic Ono Band (the basic single disc) and Shaved Fish.
I don’t think it was aged well, but I did buy the lovely Gimme Some Truth 2CD/1 blu ray box set and that sounds great, is a good listen, and is arguably all you need. Sean is doing a sterling job on the remixes it must be said, and there has been a clear logic and consistency in the reissue programme.
I’m a lot happier now but Plastic Ono Band got me through some bad times, as I couldn’t afford the Arthur Janov Primal Scream treatment.
Well unfortunately, his solo career only really lasted 5 years, followed by semi retirement in 75 and then one last (half) album 🙁
Yes I listen for pleasure, maybe not Plastic Ono Band, a brilliant album, but perhaps difficult to be “enjoyed”. A number of great singles, plus Imagine and Walls and Bridges good enough for me. Mind Games not as good, but poorly mixed at the time. The 2002 remix showed it in a better light and for me the title track, Out the Blue, You are Here and Meat City would make a superb EP.
He had other (shaved) fish to fry in the immediate post-Fab era of course: the green card issue, Apple legalities, mental health problems and his rather half-baked political shenanigins so I can well understand that, musically, he took his eye off the ball a bit. He probably needed Macca more than Macca needed him in terms of forcing him back to his guitar or piano. Macca too had his fair share of mental strife during this era but his mind seemed more able to cope because he had that ability to compartmentalise which Lennon never had. I fully appreciate how ‘important’ the Plastic Ono Band album is but, jeez, when do I ever put it on? (Er, never).
I listen to POB much more than Imagine, parts of which I find insufferable. I have a soft spot for Mind Games and adore Rock ‘n’ Roll. It knocks most covers albums into a cocked hat, including Macca’s.
Rock n Roll has a terrible reputation and some of the Spector production and arrangements are er… interesting. However I quite like it. I would though take Run Devil Run ahead of it.
Yeah, me too. Although Rock and Roll is probably my favourite Lennon solo album… but even this is a bit of a muddy and unfocused soup taken as a whole. But, of course, that could have been Spector’s fault as much as anyone’s.
Run Devil Run is superb. David Gilmour’s guitar playing at its very best. I can do without the McCartney songs, though.
It’s a brave producer who says “hey Paul, how about we drop your songs and add a couple more by the Everleys?”
Without them, the album lasts 35 min 42 secs. Not bad.
Add Fabulous from the 7″ collection and that’s 14 tracks at 38 minutes. Perfect.
They said Paul had an Elvis voice but I never expected it to be so Fabulous.
I give him a pass, he had just lost Linda and it is a tribute album of sorts. Try not to cry indeed. Hell of a band
Unboxing etc.
This guy is quite good in that he isn’t as irritating as many YouTube Beatle fans, but enthusing over this release makes me wonder about his sanity. I think he implies he did get this from the Lennon people for nothing, so I guess he isn’t going to be that critical.
I’m as big a Beatle fan as anybody, but Mrs T would have left me long ago if I got every version of every release like some of these people seem to do.
And here’s the unboxing of the enormous Super-Duper-Deluxe box:
I think this is the most ludicrous music related thing I have seen. Although George’s Uber ATMP box must come close.
Btw the latest Uncut issue comes with a “free” CD with highlights from the box. Mine is on order. That and the 2CD or LP version will be it for me unless I see the smaller box for half price at some point
It’s sold out. All 1,100 copies.
If you’ve still got money to spare – good boy Sean has made ambient mixes of »Mind Games« (the track, not the album) and spread them over three LPs. Which come in a »mirrored« sleeves, nothing less. Can’t wait to hear the 23-minute Surrender Mix where Mr. Lennon’s vocals float over the slowed-down instruments »for scientifically proven therapeutic effects«.
@mousey
As PT Barnum famously said “no one ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the general public”
The bog standard 6CD, 2 Blu-ray edition is currently $98 on Amazon US. Hmmm
Drop your credit card and back slowly away from the box set of an album you don’t much care for and most of whose discs you will almost certainly play no more than once, @Dai
You are probably right @jaygee, I did say 40 quid above ($50). I have the 2 CD set. It’s pretty good. I do like having the Blu-rays though, as well as the book and I have the other ones. Got the Imagine box for free!
Did you cave and get the 22-disc NY A3, D.?
Still selling the limited edition a few days back.
Think the price on the 17-CD box will drop faster than Steven Stills’ jaw when he got Neil’s “Eat a peach” telegram six or seven abortive CSN&Y reunions ago
I didn’t get Archives 3. Guess I will live without having the SDE version.Money is a bit tight at the moment, mainly because my ex owes me nearly 6 grand 🙁