I can live with the packaging and the decision to dispense with the 4 DVD audio discs (I suspect few of us have expensive enough hi-fi equipment and large enough rooms to fully benefit from the "perfect" sound).

What bothers me is the decision to put the bonus material on two separate discs instead of appending them to the 8 original CDs to make this issue of the original discs unique.

If I buy this, do I keep the 1999 remasters or try to find takers for them (not easy, as they're still cheaply on catalogue and the 2012 remasters might tempt potential buyers more with their presumably improved sound)?

Those who bought The Thrill Of It All as a 4CD retrospective will be worse off still, as they'll presumably have around half of the bonus material already...

It's starting to feel like another missed opportunity and a slightly inflated price tag...

I can see where you're coming from John but it doesn't detract from the fact the packaging is a disappointment to those who already own 'The First Seven Albums'.
Is there any word on why the format changed between the press release and now and how exactly the 2012 Remasters differ from those in 1999?
The one positive for me here is the price - 'from 54.99' is pretty good value in my book. I'd be interested to see what the deluxe 'Roxy Music' is priced at given some of the very high pricetags attached to similar commemorative releases recently, though I guess ultimately this will be determined by the extent of the content.

Been reading the forum for a while, but never posted before. Felt the need to register especially to defend John...!

I totally see the concept behind the packaging - simple but tasteful, not detracting from the artwork within, and "joining all the dots" by referencing the earlier (but incomplete) box set.

Rejigging the format also makes a lot of sense - the box contains exactly what it purports to be, saves the HQ transfers for the more appropriate individual deluxe releases, and makes the price tag a little more affordable.

Such a release was never going to be something that satisfies the hardened collector - we all have this stuff in one form or several - but it nicely replaces The Thrill Of It All box, The First Seven Albums box, and all the various compilations over the years. It even manages to offer a few new tidbits from what - let's face it - is a very limited range of choices, and without upsetting the original albums' identity.

Good work! My order is in...

Staggboy

I'm hard pressed to see this "new" package as little more than the latest iteration of "The Great Roxy Repackaging Campaign" that extends back decades. Yeah, I guess there is a bit of new or hard to find tracks in this release, but overall it's the same old same old...

I'm waiting for the deluxe anniversary versions of the various albums that might include something really special.

I could be missing the point but doesn't this package provide exactly what it says on the tin? If it does, then why are so many of us disappointed with the content? Isn't it exactly what we were told to expect months ago?

That being the case then that reduces the complaints to a few peripheral niggles i.e.

1. should the bonus material have been on separate discs or bolted on to the appropriate albums? I can see Smudge's point about creating a unique set of discs but I can't fault the logic adopted here. It is tidy and it will appeal to the luke-warm middle aged guy or gal who already has his or her particular essential collection in place and is now looking beyond that and has always quite liked Roxy but not enough to buy the albums etc etc and has enough spare cash to pick this up on a whim. I think that this will be the primary purchaser of this package and, putting myself in his or her shoes, I would quite like the albums in their original format with all of the bolt-ons provided separately.

2. The packaging. We have only seen the front of the box so far and I think it works given the likely primary market and the price band. I originally expected something with a lot of
Wow factor but, thinking about this again, it would be a bad move to steal the thunder from the deluxe albums so I suspect that the packaging will be fairly pedestrian throughout.

3.The mastering. I am out of my depth here but doesn't the link in John's posting tell us what to expect i.e. a flat transfer from the original masters? My only concern is that the original masters were produced to suit vinyl so won't the sound suffer if it is just plonked straight onto CD?

Wasn't there a shortened version of Jealous Guy on the Street Life album? If I'm right then surely it should be on this Complete compilation?

Yes that is true and there was a 3;40 version of Do The Strand there too. There is also the 1996 remix of Love Is The Drug etc etc but where do you stop?

This is called The Complete Studio Recordings 1972-1982, the period that the band were a (recording) band. This was a decision to make a clear cut parameter to work within. This of course iliminated the grey area of dance mixes etc.

J.O'B.

I can't really see what's caused all the moaning about this. It's clear from the title what the set will include. It doesn't seem to be aimed at the hardcore collector fans who will, in all probabilty, own all the songs anyway. It's the complete studio recordings 1972-1982. It does what it says on the tin. No-one's forcing anyone to buy it so why all the unhappiness about it?
I'm just glad that the Roxy name will be out there again; the set will pick up some decent reviews for sure and might just gather up some new fans. That's got to be good surely?
Cheers,
Richard

http://www.vivaroxymusic.com/albums_109.php

J.O'B.

P.S. I will add a higher resolution of the photo once I get one.

I understand that some people will like the artwork and some won't but to explain a few things about The Complete Roxy Music box set:

This release is designed to be a historical representation of what Roxy Music released as a band when they were a recording band. The fact that it is a historical document means that the tracks etc chose themself. This box is to represent what they released on their 8 studio album, singles and 12" singles during the period they were a recording band 1972-1982.

Taking this period into consideration then there is no argument what the track list is as there were no decisions/choices to make simply put together the historical facts. During this period Roxy only released one box set and this particular release reflects that and maintains the historical accuracy within the artwork

You could say there should be unreleased extras, which ones?? Demos from the early more popular period?? Unreleased stuff from the more commercial period?? ..... see we have an argument already over the content as the permutations are huge. What artwork do we use, which album sleeve out take??? This particular release is not the place for this.

As this is purely historical then there is no room left for anything arbitrary in terms of tracks/artwork etc ... the history is what it is, this is what they released in 10 years and this is what it all looked like.

In my opinion the box is an elegant understated piece that allows the individual album sleeves to stand on their own and not be overshadowed.

This release is a one stop shop where you get everything the band released, no more, no less. There is an argument that Viva! Roxy Music could have been included but the aim was to stick to the studio albums and singles. The rogue track could be seen to be For Your Pleasure (Live). This was included as it was a b-side to one of the singles and this had never been released on CD before.

This is not necessarily aimed at the die hard fans. The deluxe editions of the albums will include the rarities that we are looking for with, unreleased out-takes, demos etc. Unseen footage and unseen photos and artwork out-takes. I worked on the archive at Studio One for a few months earlier this year and I saw/heard a myriad of digitised artefacts that will make the deluxe editions worthwhile, interesting and entertaining to the die hards (but I am sure some will still moan). If you want these rarities etc you have to accept they would probably not get the chance to be released without the support of The Complete Collection as it would not be viable or possible.

This is not as interesting a product to the fans but it is a more commercial item that will help support and justify the deluxe versions. Allow this to sit on the shelves of the record stores and online retailers and do its job and that is to celebrate 40 years of Roxy Music, support the cost of the deluxe editions that we all want, make new fans of the band and put Roxy’s recorded output into one concise neat package. If you want one, buy one, if you don’t want one for whatever reason then don’t buy one, simple as that

J.O’B.