Siouxsie and the Banshees / Classic Album Collection Volume One

perfect , all cds should be slipcases, saves space. i got both excellent 6 cd box sets .

Now that these have started to arrive in people’s hands, has anyone got anything to say about the sound quality? Worth listening to, or better to look for old CDs on discogs?

This just arrived; for the record it’s six digipak CDs housed in a card slipcase. Got it on the Amazon deal… £12.99.

The only disappointment is there’s not a single bit of information printed on the individual sleeves. It would have been nice to have a booklet or something.

I didn’t own a single S&tB album so it’s otherwise fine for me.
P

Isaías Carvalho, I’m not affiliated with Universal. I’ve just kept up with what Severin has been posting online since this “3 year program” was announced, though it’s already extending past the proposed timeline, as we all know. An no, I’m not close to Severin. Though I’ve had several direct correspondences with him over the years, we generally dislike each other, though I stay tuned to what information he posts regarding the band’s catalog.

Hi Scott, (again!! Thank you God, I’m a luck guy!)

I’m very pleased about the answer you posted to us although you didn’t revealed if you are an UMG insider or not. But that’s all right, maybe you can’t say it.

These words are perfect: “Anyone can guess what the BIG thing will be. It could be a DVD of the promos, it could be a collection CD containing all/most of the tracks not included as bonus tracks on the remasters.

These words are sad: “We will have to wait and see but it will be nowhere near the timeline we were originally told. Like I said, possibly late 2016. Certainly no time soon.

I’m really fingers crossed about the promos videos, shows and previously unreleased tracks as (perhaps) a deluxe edition box set. Wow, can you imagine such a thing altogether!! It’s really the dream of every diehards like me!!! Not to mention the book or the goodies it can bring!!!!
I need to talk to myself: Ok guy, stop dreaming and wake up child !!!!

Scott, if you are very near to Severin talk to him about these things diehards really love to have someday. Anyway we have to wait, no matter the (loooooooooong) time it takes I’ll be right here waiting. It’s all I (we) can do. Hope the reward worth the waiting.
Thank you Scott !!

Correct, the original remaster of JuJu and KScope from 2006 were not very good. However, the new remasters don’t seem to be much of an improvement, especially over the CD versions I prefer, which I mentioned in my previous post.

The big thing Severin talked about was not the remastering of the first 4 albums again. He hasn’t said much at all but that it will please the diehards. He admitted the Spellbound collection and the box sets were not aimed at diehards, but for casual fans. Anyone can guess what the BIG thing will be. It could be a DVD of the promos, it could be a collection CD containing all/most of the tracks not included as bonus tracks on the remasters. We will have to wait and see but it will be nowhere near the timeline we were originally told. Like I said, possibly late 2016. Certainly no time soon.

Hi Scott,

I’m not too much informed about sound technology but what I understood about Kaleidoscope and Juju is the remaster wasn’t that good. Am I right?

So, the BIG thing Severin posted about is to have it remastered again !? Can you say something more about it to all of us, Siouxsie and The Banshees die hard fans ?? I do not know who you are but I get the feeling you are an Universal Music Group insider. Tell us more about the forthcoming releases !!

Then, no promo videos, no shows on DVD !? My God !?
Hope you have good news for us all.

Here’s another link. The Tumblr-page is also showing the SATB-artwork.
http://stefanfaehler.tumblr.com/

“I fogot to say, I like the look of Severin’s art work for this box, and I’m glad it will be a clam shell box.” @rare glam: The artwork for this box is not by Steven Severin but by the Berlin-based artist Stefan Fähler. http://www.stefanfaehler.com

auteur55, KScope and JuJu did have problems on their original remaster, such as tape fluctuations and such. But compared to what Metcalfe has done, it’s just another type of disappointment. The original 1989 JuJu on Polydor is definitely the best sounding, as is the US KScope on Geffen.

Isaías Carvalho, these sets were supposed to be released earlier this year but as with everything else in the Banshee release history, delays, delays, delays. What this means is that the BIG thing Severin has been dangling for a couple of years now with a March 2016 release date will likely be pushed to late 2016 or even 2017.

What a BIG, HUGE disappointment at all !!!!!!
After Steven Severin promised something BIG for March 2015, what we have? A clamshell compilation?? WHAT A LAUGHABLE THING !?!?!?
Do you want more? Even more RIDICULOUS !? There will be a Volume 2!!
The biggest shit that I ever seen in my life up to now!!!!!!!

I suppose everybody, like me, was waiting for all the promo videos, unreleased shows in DVD or previously unreleased songs in CD format. Something like that to justify “SOMETHING BIG”. After waiting for so long all we really have is our BIG, ASTONISHNIG, UNBELIEVABLE, FRUSTATED, DISAPPOINTMENT surprise. It’s really the baddest joke that I ever seen or heard at all. This is what we can say BLACK HUMOUR.

TO HAVE A RELEASE LIKE THAT IS BETTER NOT TO HAVE THEM ANYMORE.
Who dare to say a thing like that? Someone who really loves Siouxsie and The Banshees since my teen from the eighties.

Ok guys, do something that really can be named, “BIG”, for godness sake !!!!!!

The only difference between this set and the previous CDs is that the first 4 have been remastered by Kevin Metcalfe. Let me tell you what that means. The first 4 were originally remastered by Gary Moore. Despite some quality shortcomings, they were not brickwalled at all. Enter Kevin Metcalfe. He did all remaining Banshees remasters, thus enters the brickwalled sound. So by getting this new box set, you now get, for the first time, brickwalled editions of the first 4 albums. The same masters that are used on this can be previewed on the fairly recently released SPELLBOUND budget CD collection. If you like the dulled down high end and lack of dynamic range on those, then you will love these new remasters. Aside from the first 4 albums, all remaining albums between the 2 box sets will be the already available remasters, though no bonus content.

Perhaps they should have done a Dylan?

Are any of the second wave of digipaks still available online somewhere?

Thanks for clam shell info, @Rare Glam

Surely this set is aimed at people who have never bought Banshees CDs (or 1 or 2) and can now get all the good (original) stuff at a low price?

So just making sure I understand. The remastering on some of the early reissues were so bad that they were soundly rejected by fans. I remember buying the JuJu reissue and it sounding like a completely different album. Flat, tuneless all the life of that album drained out. I had never heard a worse remastering job in my life. So if these are indeed NEW remasters to fix the earlier botch jobs then I think this is an essential purchase. Would like to have the bonus tracks but most were remixes, single edits anyway.

Does anyone know is the only option of getting all the b-sides on disc to buy that downside up b-side compilation? Thing is insanely expensive.

Actually Andrew it isn’t always about the money. The people who buy this box set will be people like myself, Banshees fans who have bought these CDs at least 2 or 3 times already. I would gladly pay double the price of this set for an all inclusive set of the first albums, the albums with the previously released additional content with good packaging.

It’s an albums box set so only original tracks on each album, as it should be surely. And it’s £20, that’s a bargain in my eyes.

As a longstanding massive Banshees fan, I have to say I’m not exactly thrilled by this release. I would add my voice to others and say that there are still dozens of uncollected rarities which should be collated, and I really do agree with the earlier comments re video collections and the once/ twice upon a time reissues.

what is the content of the German Limited box= A hefty price of over 80 euros.

I purchased all the previous reissues with bonus tracks. This collection is pointless because is just contains the standrard album tracks in a box – YAWN!

Before the moan rises to a shriek , has anyone checked the price, £20 for 6cds abd a box is worth a punt surely? Tell me different please?

As excited as I am about a release happening, I don’t understand why they would make a boxed set with the basic non-reissued albums. The reissues are so good in quality and contain great bonus tracks. Having purchased as many of them as possible, there are some so hard to find it leaves us fans in the dust. Truthfully, I think a vinyl boxed set of all releases with download codes would be time (& money) better spent. I could easily see a vinyl set like that flying off shelves. Also, where is a comprehensive dvd of videos?

Not to sure why this has been issued, except for the obvious record company cash in. There is nothing included that can’t be found on any other release. Where are track to entice fans – unreleased tracks, demos, live track and unreleased mixes.
I agree with RARE GLAM comments Deluxe Editions or a UK release similar to the SHMCD Japanese MILI LPs (at an affordable price) would have been a more appreciated reissue.
As a huge Banshees fan, I will be giving this a wide birth! Sorry.

And I guess Universal own all the Basnhees recording rights which is why crowd funding isn’t an option?

Paul, any chances of a last minute change so we can get the extra tracks that were on the previous remasters? If not, then I’ll give this one a miss :(

What’s a clam shell box?

As a life long Banshees fan, it’s great this is coming out. However, the group’s reissues have been reliant on Steve Severin pressing Universal for them over a number of years (with an on-off kind of relationship depending who was championing them or not at the label). The result seems to be a bit of a mish-mash. The Banshees in my opinion are one of the greatest and most consistantly creative artistic pop groups Britiain has ever produced cerainly in the 1970s-80s. I first saw them in November 1977 and Severin’s amp packed up and Siouxise was all in pancake white face and all-black clothing.

My issue is that whilst groups with a lesser output and longevity have enjoyed the super deluxe box treatment, more than once in some cases the Banshess have really only ever had fits and spirts of partial reissuing of their substantial output.

The BBC box set and ‘Downside Up’ B sides boxes being the most notable. Only months ago, the last four of their albums were finally reisued as digipaks to go with the previous eight issued some years back (a hiatus with Severin and Universal), whilst a number of those earler ones are now quite hard to find. The Japanese, uncommonly, have seemingly not opted to reissue these last four albums as mini LP CDs either. So the Japanese first eight albums as SHM mini’s remain uncompleted. I know Severin spoke a few years back about a mega-box with numerous live etc discs but I’ve not seen anything since.

What about both the once and twice upon a time singles promo videos being re-issued as a DVD / Blue Ray. There’s only the selection in the limited edition of the best of the Banshees set from years ago extant at present. Also, for a band that issued so many great and consistantly solid 45s from 1978-95, why no CD singles box set a la Suede? or at least, again, remastered once and twice upon a time c0llections in much superior packaging? I don’t accept ther’s no market, why bother issuing this budget CD albums set if that’s the case? I assume a volume 2 with the other six albums is going to appear as well, or will that take another few years?

This is a band that deserves a good quality super deluxe box rather than almost under the radar budget range re-presses. Even if it has to be done in limited form through crowd funding (like the new Slade super deluxe box or Killing Joke singles suprdeluxe set of a while back). I’m pleased this set (and its companion soon hopefully) are coming out as it does at least keep the Banshees’ work in contemporary circulation and all 12 albums available at once. But come on, they deserve a better crack of the reissue whip than that.

I was under the impression that the previous wave of remasters was criticized for being brickwalled. If that’s pretty much universally the view, there’s a chance these will offer the chance at redemption.

How about the missing bonus content from the last wave though? Any of that stuff essential or are we just as well off without it?