RODSERLING said:

ForceofNature said:

To be fair if anyone loves this album enough to buy a deluxe box set of it they will already know the original artwork and the lyrics very well - so I don't have too much of an issue with how that was handled just personally [Edited 10/10/20 15:29pm]

Again, in this 150€ book/set,they make a fuss about how great the cover and the lyrics are, but without printing them. Don t you understand the pure irony ? And what about the 45 tracks never released, most of them without lyrics printed ? I m sorry but this is a big issue, especially for the price. The text of this book is mostly nonsense and unfocused on SOTT.

It is only a big issue to those willing to make it a big issue I suppose. To me I look at is like, well I have ears so I can hear the lyrics to any of those songs and we all know what the cover looks like. The text of this book, from my first and second readthroughs, are focused on SOTT or at the very least the inspiration it had on the people writing their parts (Chappelle for example)

[Edited 10/11/20 0:38am]

ForceofNature said:

I'm sorry for all the people who like to spend their money, RodSerling is absolutely right !!! It seems that many fans don't understand that 150 € is very expensive; and for that price we have the right to to be disappointed !!! Personnaly I don't care about the photos at all !!!! I understand many people like to see Prince in the same outfits on many pics, I understand that many people have english mother tongue but not me, and not many other ...

I look at Springsteen boxsets, for the double-abum the river we had the album on 2cd, 22 tracks from the vault on 1cd, the first configuration of the album on 1 cd (the same could have been done with dream factory for example), and 2 blu-ray or 2 dvd with one concert (with a real upgraded quality in sound and video) and reharseals, one documentary about the album ... The book itself is made with a clear better quality, the pics are of Springsteen in studio or in stage (Springsteen is a musician, like Prince), the lyrics are both from the hand of Bruce and clearly written (for all to understand) ... And I paid it, when it was first released 5 years ago, about 80 € (almost half the price ...) ...

So yes that boxset of sign o the time is too expensive, and I feel scammed

I think the book is fantastic.Lots of great photos and info on all the vault tracks.Very well done.

ForceofNature said:

RODSERLING said:

120 pages and there is not even the original cover of the album in it ! There is a text about how great was the shooting of the cover, and it s not even in it ! . The book brags several times about how great and revolutionnary the lyrics of the eponym tracks are ( as it was a 60's song of Bob Dylan ad not a song from the late 80 ) but these are ot even presented in this book. . In fact there are no lyrics at all. Handwritten lyrics was a great idea, but there is like 35 songs presented in this set without lyrics printed. . No text at all About : - how was promoted and marketed the album, - the single choices, -the shooting of the music videos, - the impact on the charts worldwide, -the reviews at the time of its release - the release of the movie... . In fact it tells more about Parade and the Révolution than of SOTT itself. Frankly, this is not a labour of love at all, but a pure thievery. . Now, let s hope that the Parade SDE will talk About SOTT. [Edited 10/10/20 7:44am]

To be fair if anyone loves this album enough to buy a deluxe box set of it they will already know the original artwork and the lyrics very well - so I don't have too much of an issue with how that was handled just personally

I agree.Many fans already have the original album with the lyrics included,so there was no need to have the lyrics re-printed in this set.Plus,song lyrics are so easy easy to find online,anyway.

OldFriends4Sale said:

yeahronimo said:

I love the whole set, it's beautiful, but I could 've done without the Lenny & Dave Chapelle bits.

Yeah I haven't even read the piece by those people except for Susan Rogers. Only really interested in those involved during the time period.

This I agree with.I only wanna hear from those people who were actually involved in the making of this album (musicians,band members,studio engineeer,etc).

So on page 23 of my book it sure looks to me like the album cover is there (in exquisite detail), albeit the top 1/3 is cropped off, but it's mostly there.

[Edited 10/12/20 15:13pm]

SoulAlive said:

RODSERLING said:

SoulAlive said:

I agree.Many fans already have the original album with the lyrics included,so there was no need to have the lyrics re-printed in this set.Plus,song lyrics are so easy easy to find online,anyway.

On the original 1987 release, where are the lyrics of the unreleased tracks on the SDE ? Thanks. Of course you can find lyrics on the internet...You can also find every tracks on this set, the dvd is on YouTube... . Was it really impossible or too expensive to put 5/6 pages of lyrics in this crappy book ? Was it too much to ask to add some memorabilia such as the dates of the tour, photos from the concert tickets, etc. ? Or do we need to find this on the internet too ? . What is sad about it is that WB/the estate made the set too expensive for most of the fans. Even with the book, it should have cost less than 100 euros/dollars.

If you don't like the set or you think it's too expensive.....don't buy it!

It is what is it...take it or leave it.

SoulAlive said:

RODSERLING said:

SoulAlive said:

RODSERLING said:

SoulAlive said: On the original 1987 release, where are the lyrics of the unreleased tracks on the SDE ? Thanks. Of course you can find lyrics on the internet...You can also find every tracks on this set, the dvd is on YouTube... . Was it really impossible or too expensive to put 5/6 pages of lyrics in this crappy book ? Was it too much to ask to add some memorabilia such as the dates of the tour, photos from the concert tickets, etc. ? Or do we need to find this on the internet too ? . What is sad about it is that WB/the estate made the set too expensive for most of the fans. Even with the book, it should have cost less than 100 euros/dollars.

If you don't like the set or you think it's too expensive.....don't buy it!

It is what is it...take it or leave it.

That's the bottom line.

ForceofNature said:

purplethunder3121 said:

RODSERLING said:

ForceofNature said:

Lol I guess when Prince released "Crystal Ball" in '98 without the lyrics he was insulting every non-native English speaker too? I just think all in all the fanbase is more resourceful than you are giving them credit for especially in the internet age where any person of any nationality or background can find that info with ease. I get what you are saying, but I just think that ultimately this isn't some like objectively unjustifiable decision they made that is a "fault", such as the live show running at a slightly slower tape speed than it should [Edited 10/11/20 21:57pm]

Yes, whenever there s not lyrics in the booklet - or worst : when there is no booklet at all ( Planet Earth, AOA) it s a fault.

I think just that since the advent of the internet it hasn't been a serious issue in 20-25 years personally. I am cool with how they presented it, however you are entitled to your personal preference on what you personally wanted from it

RODSERLING said:

Doesn't it bother you that most fans can't afford it because of this stupid book?

Those that can't afford it have Spotify, so to me everyone can get the music in some form no matter what they can or can't afford (hell even free via Youtube if 10 bucks a month is still out of bounds)

ForceofNature said:

RODSERLING said:

ForceofNature said:

I think just that since the advent of the internet it hasn't been a serious issue in 20-25 years personally. I am cool with how they presented it, however you are entitled to your personal preference on what you personally wanted from it

Lyrics are a minimum. Or else no wonder why nobody buys physical release, anymore. Even Prince s fans, because without an interesting booklet that's a fuck you and you can as well download or stream it.

Though why would anyone buy a physical release for lyrics if they can just google the lyrics for free and faster than if they had to go to their shelf and take out the booklet?

RODSERLING said:

purplethunder3121 said:

That's the bottom line.

It could have worth the price if the content was there : a comprehensive book about the album, HD video, songs from the master tapes...When you order in advance you Don't know that. Doesn't it bother you that most fans can't afford it because of this stupid book?

No, I've got more important things to worry about.

I didn't read the lyrics in the book. I tried, but Prince's handwriting was too difficult for me to read.

ForceofNature said:

purplethunder3121 said:

RODSERLING said:

120 pages and there is not even the original cover of the album in it ! There is a text about how great was the shooting of the cover, and it s not even in it ! . The book brags several times about how great and revolutionnary the lyrics of the eponym tracks are ( as it was a 60's song of Bob Dylan ad not a song from the late 80 ) but these are ot even presented in this book. . In fact there are no lyrics at all. Handwritten lyrics was a great idea, but there is like 35 songs presented in this set without lyrics printed. . No text at all About : - how was promoted and marketed the album, - the single choices, -the shooting of the music videos, - the impact on the charts worldwide, -the reviews at the time of its release - the release of the movie... . In fact it tells more about Parade and the Révolution than of SOTT itself. Frankly, this is not a labour of love at all, but a pure thievery. . Now, let s hope that the Parade SDE will talk About SOTT. [Edited 10/10/20 7:44am]

lol I hadn't noticed that haha

Yeah, I got the cd version. I'm happy with it, it's well put together imho. Fits on my vinyl shelf. Some of the things you mentioned in your post would have been a good addition I agree.

My minor complaint is that I don't need yet another Lenny Kravitz interview about how he has spent his entire career as a normcore version of Prince. In conversation with Mathieu Bitton who, well, I think has an account on here so i'll say nothing more haha. Ah he's fine, he has a big Prince collection.

But ultimately, as far as retrospective commercial products go, it's pretty good. All these products can ever do at best is contextualize a piece of art, they can't change it.

[Edited 10/12/20 3:49am]

Lenny Kravitz ? Let me laugh please !!! What he has written takes 22 lines ... It could have been written in half, 11 or 12 lines ... He was so tired he couldn't write more ??? The text of Lenny Kravitz is a commercial argument to see the box, I expected, at least; 1 full page (and not written in big characters) and it's all we have ... This is an example of all the package is made of, a lazy work for fans who dont' deserve it (as it seems), when I see people who say that lyrics are not useful because of their presence on the internet, I'm wondering why they but a boxset while all the songs and the show are available, for free, on youtube ... If I buy a boxset like that, it's because I want sometihng exhaustive, something interesting with texts about facts, not some bullshit about what some people might think from their privileiged point of view in 2020 ... As I said (and fortunately I'm not the only one) this boxset is the most expensive boxset I've ever seen in music industry ...

AlainJup said:

Lenny Kravitz ? Let me laugh please !!! What he has written takes 22 lines ... It could have been written in half, 11 or 12 lines ... He was so tired he couldn't write more ??? The text of Lenny Kravitz is a commercial argument to see the box, I expected, at least; 1 full page (and not written in big characters) and it's all we have ... This is an example of all the package is made of, a lazy work for fans who dont' deserve it (as it seems), when I see people who say that lyrics are not useful because of their presence on the internet, I'm wondering why they but a boxset while all the songs and the show are available, for free, on youtube ... If I buy a boxset like that, it's because I want sometihng exhaustive, something interesting with texts about facts, not some bullshit about what some people might think from their privileiged point of view in 2020 ... As I said (and fortunately I'm not the only one) this boxset is the most expensive boxset I've ever seen in music industry ...

Are you kidding me?

jaawwnn said:

AlainJup said:

Lenny Kravitz ? Let me laugh please !!! What he has written takes 22 lines ... It could have been written in half, 11 or 12 lines ... He was so tired he couldn't write more ??? The text of Lenny Kravitz is a commercial argument to see the box, I expected, at least; 1 full page (and not written in big characters) and it's all we have ... This is an example of all the package is made of, a lazy work for fans who dont' deserve it (as it seems), when I see people who say that lyrics are not useful because of their presence on the internet, I'm wondering why they but a boxset while all the songs and the show are available, for free, on youtube ... If I buy a boxset like that, it's because I want sometihng exhaustive, something interesting with texts about facts, not some bullshit about what some people might think from their privileiged point of view in 2020 ... As I said (and fortunately I'm not the only one) this boxset is the most expensive boxset I've ever seen in music industry ...

Are you kidding me?

Not at all, give me names of boxsets sold at higher price when they were released ...

AlainJup said:

jaawwnn said:

Are you kidding me?

Not at all, give me names of boxsets sold at higher price when they were released ...

Paul McCartney - Flaming Pie (2020 - £230.00)
U2 - Achtung Baby - about £400 at the top end (in fact, a whole load U2 reissues have an insanely priced version)
Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street (I can't find the exact price, I think it was about the same)

T-Rex - The Slider 40th anniversary - about £150 iirc
Guns-n-Roses - Appetite for Destruction - most expensive was about $500 USD

But i'm just thinking you might be talking vinyl prices? I wouldn't even consider paying the vinyl price for this set. This release is not cheap, I agree with that for sure, it's definitely priced at the top end, we're into price-gouging territory. My point I think is rather that a high-end market exists for the U2's and Beatles of this world, and Prince is now part of that world.

[Edited 10/12/20 5:00am]

I'm talking about the price in CD, not vinyl ...

That's fine then, most of the above are cd.

[Edited 10/12/20 5:25am]