NewsSting ignores physical for digital-only ‘deluxe’ of Nothing Like The Sun
14 bonus tracks but no CD or vinyl
Universal Music Group have recently made available an ‘Expanded Edition’ of Sting’s second solo album, …Nothing Like The Sun, but only via digital services – there is no physical edition.
The 1987 album is arguably Sting’s best solo long-player and was produced by Neil Dorfsman and Sting. It was notably a ‘DDD’ compact disc, meaning it was recorded, mixed and mastered in the digital domain (the third digit was always a ‘D’ given that CD is a digital format!).
The album features the singles ‘We’ll Be Together’, ‘Englishman in New York’, ‘Fragile’ and ‘They Dance Alone’. Remarkably, none of them were top 40 hits in the UK, although ‘Englishman in New York’ did belatedly grace the British top 20 when The Ben Liebrand Remix was issued in 1990. In the US, Sting enjoyed more success and ‘We’ll Be Together’ was a top 10 single and ‘Be Still My Beating Heart’ (uniquely picked as the second single in North America) reached number 15.
The singles produced a reasonable array of remixes, B-sides and edits although these have never appeared on any physical reissue. In the early ’90s, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MFSL) released an ‘Ultradisc’ 24k gold CD edition (no bonus tracks) and later in that same decade came a ‘Digitally Remastered’ version of Nothing Like The Sun which again had no extra tracks, but did deliver the dubious bonus of a CD-ROM video of ‘Englishman in New York’.
Most interestingly, in 2000 a ‘DTS-CD’ housed a new 5.1 surround mix of the album, for those that had the kit to decode it, but since then, apart from the odd Japanese ‘paper sleeve’ SHM-CD reissue, and reasonably standard vinyl reissues, there’s been little activity.
This new digital expanded edition offers 14 bonus tracks and they are as follows:
• Conversation With A Dog (B-Side of ‘We’ll Be Together’)
• If You There (B-Side of UK 7″ single ‘They Dance Alone’, B-side of US 7″ single ‘Englishman in New York’)
• Up From The Skies (extra track on the US CD single ‘Englishman in New York’ – original release)
• Someone to Watch Over Me (extra track on the US single ‘Englishman in New York’ – original release)
• Ghost in the Strand (B-Side of original UK single ‘Englishman in New York’)
• Englishman in New York (Ben Liebrand Mix – 6.12 version) (from UK 12″ & CD single reissued in 1990)
• Englishman in New York (Ben Liebrand Mix – 4.13 edit) (from UK CD single reissued in 1990)
• Fragile (dj MONK’s Extended Vocal Remix Version) (from 2001 12-inch promo single)
• Fragile (dj MONK’s Radio Edit Version) (from 2001 promo CD single)
• Fragile (dj MONK’s Hard Rain Dub Version) (from 2001 promo 12-inch single)
• Fragile (Bedroom Rockers Remix Version) (from 2001 promo CD single)
• We’ll Be Together (Extended Mix) (from UK CD single)
• We’ll Be Together (Alternate Version) (from UK CD single, aka ‘Previous Version’)
• We’ll Be Together (Instrumental) (from UK CD single)
Yes, those Fragile remixes are out-of-era (not to mention pretty awful) and this gathering of non-album tracks isn’t perfect (where’s the two unique radio edits of ‘Be Still My Beating Heart’?) but this still feels like a slap in the face of the physical music fan. If you are wondering, those 14 bonus tracks would fit comfortably on one single CD, so the obvious question is why didn’t/doesn’t Sting approve this expanded edition of the album for physical release?
There could be many reasons, but given that no other Sting album – with the exception of some very recent output – has been expanded and neither have any of The Police’s five studio albums (although the recent Ghost in the Machine picture disc is a positive nod in that general direction) you have to conclude that Sting does not want to – or perhaps, more accurately, isn’t motivated to – ‘look back’ in this way.
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SDE Poll
Vote for your favourite Sting album
We are of course still waiting for ‘that’ Regatta De Blanc box set which, in the summer of 2021, Andy Summers told SDE “was coming”. Summers was behind The Police’s Around The World restoration and reissue and so is clearly interested in archival activity, even if drummer Stewart Copeland admitted to this site earlier in 2022 that “Coming back to The Police business is interesting, but it’s not the most exciting thing for us to do”.
These digital expanded editions having been timed around anniversaries. Nothing Like The Sun is 35 years old this year and a Soul Cages one was put up last year for that album’s 30th. Rather like your granny giving you a pair of socks on your birthday, we’ll smile gratefully but hope for something better next year.
You can listen to Nothing Like The Sun (Expanded Edition) on streaming channels or download via various official providers. In the meantime, vote for your favourite Sting album, in the poll above!
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89 thoughts on “Sting ignores physical for digital-only ‘deluxe’ of Nothing Like The Sun”
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It seems they have moved on to the next digital-only Expanded Edition, this time “Ten Summoner’s Tales”. It includes my favourite b-sides “We Work The Black Seem (1993)” and “January Stars”. I just came across accidentally on YouTube. Would love to read an article, Paul.
https://youtu.be/OaPnzi4MpXA
Those Fragile remixes really are terrible, and don’t belong on the set at all! Why not include the foreign language versions of the song that were included on the singles, much more appropriate?! Terrible decision yet again not to release a physical copy but after having listened to it it’s just as well!
For the main album itself without the remixes, it looks like a 24 bit / 192kHz download of this (and Dream of the Blue Turtles) has just been released. I’ve found them on HDTracks and, cheaper, on ProStudioMasters.com.
https://www.prostudiomasters.com/search?cs=1&q=Sting#quickview/album/156187
It’s not even remastered so don’t be jealous about not getting a physical version. I still have to crank it up to 11 to play at at reasonable volume. The B-Sides are nice to have, but I’d rather throw myself off a bridge than listen to DJ Monk versions of Fragile.
They’re doing you a favor by saving you money on this!
I have the original UK CD (bought in the Virgin Record Store on Oxford St.) and the DTS 5.1 but haven’t played them in years. I might have sprung for a boxed set with a new 5.1 or Atmos mix. With no sign of remastering of the main album, I may just purchase the downloads of the period b-sides and mixes if I don’t have to pay for the album all over again.
I am not going to cut off my nose to spite my face and deny myself listening to music I want to hear just because it doesn’t come out in physical form (I have a set up that can listen to downloads at CD, 96/24 or even 192/24 resolution), but I do bemoan the loss of physical CDs, and more so, the loss of multichannel mixes on DVD or Blu-ray.
There were also mixes of SISTER MOON by Hani – not included her – this release is a mess- stick to tracks of the time period – not substandard remixes – fragile doesn’t need a dance beat – detracts from the song- imagine if tears for fears did that !!!!!!
Tears for Fears have also gotten remixed after the fact. The Japanese “Best of Remixes” and the 2CD edition of “Tears Roll Down” have some newer remixes. Examples: “Change”, “Mad World”, “Woman in Chains” (some of these are quite nice, actually) and not to mention the rather weird Balearic remixes of “Head over Heels”.
I will stick to the original CD, as NOT wasting money on digital files. Thanks for nothing Sting!
At least Sting is making it hard to waste your money! Following this link, https://sting.lnk.to/NothingLikeTheSunPR, it appears the only source from which to buy is Apple Music. At least they have lossless audio.
Edit: oops, missed the Amazon Music option. They only have MP3, though.
It is available in various lossless formats on Qobuz (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, WMA, AIFF; all 16-bit 44,1 kHz): https://www.qobuz.com/nl-nl/album/nothing-like-the-sun-sting/drm2gimubtmcb
And so is the expanded version of The Soul Cages: https://www.qobuz.com/nl-nl/album/the-soul-cages-sting/p0r4dydwkg8hb
Ah, I see that now. The link I followed takes you to the streaming page, not the download page.
I think the main reason is that he isn’t fully in charge of his back catalogue.He releases subpar note for note re-recordings of his most famous songs and there are no new archive projects. His old duet partner Bryan Adams is doing the same. He has released a bunch of re-recorded versions of his greatest hits while you can’t even get Remastered versions of his albums apart from reckless. He too was signed to A&M/ Universal back then. Another artist that comes to mind is Richard Marx: He puts out Greatest hits on an annual basis which consist of new recordings of his hits and there have never been any remasters or Deluxe editions of his best selling EMI records.
I’m no lawyer but I think it has something to do with the copyright or publishing.
There was talk that Bryan Adams used back up multi-tracks for the Reckless reissue because Universal couldn’t find the tapes. The Universal fire then came to light so who knows what Universal still has.
Taken from an interview with Cleveland.com
We’re going to get some new recordings of your older material this year too, aren’t we?
Adams: That’s right. I put out my own versions of all the “Pretty Woman” songs, and I’ve recorded eight of my classic songs, re-recorded them — I’ve done a Taylor Swift? I was in the process of renegotiating with Universal (Music Group) and they wouldn’t give anything back. I said, “OK, if you don’t want to give them back, I’ll make new ones.” It was incredible fun. I’m gonna call the album “Classic,” maybe Part 1 ‘cause there’ll be a Part 2 I’ll finish up this year. This is all part of the fun I’ve been having. I love the way (“So Happy It Hurts”) came out, so much so that I wanted to continue just recording ‘cause I felt like we were in a groove, and let’s just keep going. So, I’ve got a lot of music coming out this year — get ready!
We’ve seen a lot of your songwriting peers selling the rights to their catalogs during the past couple of years. Have you been approached to do the same?
Adams: Yes, I have. I’ve had two or three offers to sell. I’m not quite ready. I probably will at some point, but I’m not sure when. Y’know, most of the guys who are doing it are over 70, and there’s new laws that are coming into place in America, apparently, estate taxes and stuff like that, and maybe it’s to do with that. I can’t speak for anybody who’s done it, but maybe it’s to do with the simplicity of estate planning. Ten years ago, you never would’ve thought some of these guys would ever give it up. I think we’ll see a lot more of it come (during) the next 10 years. It’ll be very interesting to see what’s going to happen.
Thank you for sharing the interview. That explains the motive to re-record great songs in. Boring sterile versions. Unfortunately that means there will never be any Remastered editions of his best records. The stuff he did since the 2000s got progressively worse.
Thanks for that!
Too bad Paul did not put a rating thingy on this, I would have given it a 1 star. Sting is probably hanging out with Phil Collins and they are arguing over who hates their fans the most when it comes to reissues and bonus content. Maybe Sting will do another box set where you can get 2 CD for $95, and a 4 CD version with a 30 page book for $300. I’m still waiting for Phil to put the excellent “The Man With The Horn” on a physical release. Sting’s excellent “Another Day” is yet to be remastered or on any physical cd, just my 12″ of If You Love Somebody. The B-Sides for Sun are nothing all that special, but I’d love to have them on cd, anyways. He won’t allow physical releases of his past B-Sides or demos, but he will allow Joe Anybody to REMIX Fragile????? Fragile??? Why not remix They Dance Alone? Or maybe get Shaggy on board for a new version of “Fields Of Gold?” Oh my, hope I have not given ole Stinger any bad ideas.
A few thoughts….
Nowhere near the Sting/Police fan I used to be. Many moons ago I would have jumped on this. Today, meh.
Ah, “Conversation With A Dog.” Hear Sting bark!
I’m confused. Linking from Sting’s official site to his official store, one lands on a page full of The Bridge and My Songs merchandise. Click the “music” link, and then you find The Bridge, Duets, The Last Ship, 57th & 9th and Live In Berlin.
If no physical release, why even “expand” the album? There is no mention of it being remastered, and I would bet most fans have it in their collection already. Just make the extra tracks available.
All this talk of Sting made me look at his catalogue on Tidal.
I have the 5.1 releases of Nothing Like The Sun, Ten Summoner’s Tale and Brand New Day but was always surprised The Dream Of The Blue Turtles was never released.
Finally, it’s been released as an Dolby Atmos mix to stream. A bit disappointing to say the least.
Not really a Sting Fan but why can’t the do a cd and vinyl D2C for those who want it
I am surprised that someone voted for “My Songs” as his or her favorite Sting album.
Sting may not actually get a say in the matter. He sold his publishing rights – was it last year, or the year before? Either way, he’s made all the money he’ll ever make off of his back catalogue, and so the ‘powers that be’ can do what they like, when they like with his catalog.
This isn’t true.
Are you certain? Forbes says it happened back in Feb:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/02/10/sting-sells-catalog-to-universal-music-group-joining-wave-of-older-stars-cashing-in-on-back-tracks/?sh=7ca5544e9c24
It’s not true that the “the ‘powers that be’ can do what they like”
This album was an early example of artists starting to format to the increasingly popular CD format.
But I was still a few months away from getting one of those “Laser record player” as my Dad described it. So I had to get the vinyl version which surprisingly was pressed up over two discs. I say surprisingly as I’d also bought Def Leppard’s Hysteria which was slightly longer but was only pressed on one disc.
So I’ve always thought of …Nothing Like The Sun as a double album and the four sides having different moods. It was also a great sounding set on the original vinyl as each side was about 15 minutes long. Getting the CD years later was strange as I didn’t need to keep getting up to turn over the vinyl and I missed the breaks as hearing it all in one go is a very different experience.
Not too fussed about this new version if there was to be an expanded version I’d prefer it to contain any demo’s available but I don’t think Sting likes those released.
I remember at the time Rolling Stone commenting that this album almost required listening via CD (or cassette, at least) since the vinyl broke the flow too often.
So a number one album, yet none of the 4 singles made the top 40 (at least on original release). Is this a unique record that Sting holds? Or are there other examples of number 1 albums where multiple singles were released but didn’t chart? Anybody know?
It was really weird at the time but basically all the major music media outlets in the UK at the time, Radio One, Top of the pops, The Chart Show, completely ignored the singles. I only knew about the album, and heard 30 seconds of “We’ll be together” on Jonathan Ross’s Last Resort programme with Sting as a guest, I don’t recall any other promotion around the time. I guess it was successful through word of mouth, I was surprised it went to number one with amount of promotion it had, or didn’t have.
The end of 1987 was the time house music really started to breakthrough which is one explanation as to why this album was ignored. But at the same time there was a lot of, what are know described as, legacy artists having an another throw of the dice including Bee Gees, Steve Winwood, George Harrison, Fleetwood Mac. Sting sort of fell between the crack, not young enough to be cutting edge but not old enough to be considered a classic artist. Tried to think of another occurrence of this, even Paul Simon’s Graceland had a couple of charting singles.
I remember ‘We’ll Be Together’ being on The Chart Show. They also showed ‘Englishman In New York’ in its entirety. Including Quentin’s speech at the end.
Phil Colins’ Going Back album went number 1, and AFAIK none of its singles charted.
There were 2 singles, but they weren’t released in the UK, so that isn’t quite the same.
You have to remember that in 1987, most of Sting’s fans were still under 30, and bought new releases of their favorite artists en masse. By the time Collins’ Going Back came out, new albums by OLD OLD OLD OLD people did not get ANY airplay (anybody over 40, and by the time Going Back came out, Collins was pushing 60), and was not getting airplay anywhere. Sometimes, as is the case with Collins, the old people show up the week of the album’s release, and their albums get decent sales, and can hit #1. Sting was 36 when Sun was released, and just leaving his prime years(Synchronicity/Blue Turtles). The UK had a very funny funny way with prime artists getting airplay. Cliff Richard was still getting massive airplay when he was probably 45, but Sting? The UK had some backlash against him getting airplay, and he actually had more radio hits from 1990-2000 then he did from 1985-1989, which makes absolutely no sense. Cliff Richard over Sting? Leave it to my friends in the UK to do that. (I love my UK friends, just being a little sarcastic/mean, no insult intended) In The USA Barry Mailow(Rough USA substitute for Mr Richard), was not getting any airplay…Sting was lol. And comparing a Phil Collins 2010 covers album to Sting’s 1987 classic is a little comical. You go up to anyone who is a pop music fan in the UK in the 45-65 age range, and ask them anything about Sting’s Sun, or Collins’ Going Back, and you will get in depth answers about Sting. I bought both albums, and have already forgotten most of the remakes to begin with. He really should’ve called up Tony, Mike, Hackett, and Gabriel, and just had a go at a full blown Genesis reunion. It would have been awesome to have 6 or songs each with PC and PG on lead. Gabriel, of course, was busy consulting Axl Rose on how long he should work on I/O, and Rose let him know of a process where he could work on the album after his death. So in 2072 we may get a new Gabriel album, and a new Guns one too.
The problem for me is that this isn’t really an “expanded edition of Nothing Like the Sun”, it’s a playlist. Because I’m old, it’s not an expanded edition until it’s put on to some kind of physical format. Otherwise it’s something anyone could put together given access to the tracks. It couldn’t be less exciting.
Agree! The new Garbage compilation isn’t being released physically in the States and I thought the same for that, if there’s no physical version then it’s just a glorified playlist… nothing to see there!
To keep it positive, this saves money…
Could have been worse… At least this deluxe edition isn’t streaming only. I’ll buy the couple of tracks I don’t have on CD.
Regarding the poll: my favorite album, Bring On The Night, is missing from the list.
I would have gone for that too … amazing musicianship
Reading this reminded me that I bought the 3″ CD single of “Englishman In New York” because I had to hear how Gordo did the Hendrix tune. Three Inch CDs… There’s a topic that ain’t crossed my mind, or I’d wager anybody’s, for a hell of a while. And I hope it stays that way. Damn things were a serious nuisance to hang on to.
Anyway, his run on “Up From The Skies”, with Gil Evans, was pretty tasty. Which adds to the frustration of this record – the only Sting album I still reach for – not getting a proper anniversary set.
The upcoming Queen The Miracle SDE has (had – it’s sold out now) an add-on “Press Kit” exclusive to the Queen website which includes a 3″ mini-CD. Of all the misbegotten formats to be resurrected. What’s next? No, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.
I recently bought my first 3″ CD – an old used Midnight Oil one (went well with me traveling to see the band before they stop touring)! And I think it’s very cute :D
Did you know you can even buy blank 3″ CDs? Nice if you want to record a few things but don’t want to waste a whole 79-minute CD…
.
Would there be any reason some of these companies that are releasing ‘digital only’ sets like this, couldn’t also offer a M.O.D. (manufactured on demand) physical (disc) set for those that want that format (and are willing to pay more for it), much like many of the bigger studios were once doing (not sure if any of them are even still doing it) when they would release a lot of their less mainstream movie titles on M.O.D. discs for those that were willing to pay for them ??
.
All this speculation, guessing and assumptions. Why doesn’t somebody (Paul?) contact the record company officials or even Sting himself and find out …what gives?
I have always been very fond of Nothing Like The Sun, but somehow managed to have never heard any of these b-sides or remixes (apart from the horrible Ben Liebrand remix for Englishman in NY). Frankly, there is not one track from the extras that I actually like; none of the extra tracks come close to the material in the main album, IMO. And therefor I find it makes sense to release this as digital only. The quality is just not good enough to justify a physical release.
What I find truly odd, is that his Duets album has NOT been released on streaming platforms.
I have never been into bootlegs so have never heard any footage of the 1988 tour and would really welcome a follow up for Bring on the night. Saw Sting live for the first time on the Soul Cages tour and that was really great. It became quite the snoozefest pretty soon after that, unfortunately.
I’d have voted for Bring on the night as my favourite album bit it’s not an option. Can’t really decide between Dream… or Sun… Both are not perfect (no Sting album has ever been), but I guess that on the whole, Nothing Like The Sun has more on offer.
You know what would be a big appeal in physical format, much more than the aural rape of releasing the Fragile mixes digitally? A blu-ray with the original album, the 2000 “DTS 5.1” and as the cherry on top, the October 1988 Nothing Like The Sun Tour recorded at the Tokio Domu/Dome (was broadcast on TV). By this time Sting had replaced the drummer with JT Lewis, the third drummer to perform on the tour (the majority of the studio album was drummed by Manu Katché).
Does anyone know someone who can get this negotiated on to a BR disc?
On that note, if you get a chance, listen to Bring On The Night again. Guaranteed to make you happier without a hangover.
I’m sure Universal Music have been asking Sting for decades to let them do some great physical releases. I “know someone” who might be able to help, his name is Mr Gordon Sumner.
Point well taken.
Given the dwindling popularity of his releases and him resorting to rehashing his catalogue with multiple physical formats of My Songs, a sole digital release of a classic is an odd juxtaposition.
Maybe that release didn’t do as well as expected and he is not wanting to risk with a physical format again, we may never know.
I think, biased as I am, that if releasing a classic as a SDE is too risky, it doesn’t bode well for the future.
There is honestly no ‘risk’ as such. The only reason it hasn’t happened it Sting. I’m 99 percent sure of that.
The music industry likes to piss all over peoples choices; when has it been any different? They look for the cheapest, or best way to sell at the highest margin, and if that means off killing off formats that they once encouraged (‘forced’) people to invest in, then so be it. It’s disappointing as a buyer of cd that it seems to be being consigned to the dustbin; but that’s how it looks based on this type of release. Sting is an artist who is going to have most of his fans who aren’t the younger generation, and are still likely to buy cds in a reasonable, if declining, number. One day the industry might wake up to the possibility of re-marketing the cd, just as it did with vinyl records, but streaming is definitely earning the industry, if not the artist, lots of money.
On a slightly different, but related take on this, I read a review on Amazon from a German, Christoph Herold, talking about the Porcupine Tree Deluxe set, which in effect reasons why streaming is the go to format:
‘What bothers me the most, and massively, about the album is the pricing. It is now common for bands to release special editions with extra songs. But the fact that this deluxe edition is then only available as a box set for 4 times the price, but the bonus tracks are included on EVERY streaming service, I find a bottomless impudence. I can listen to more songs for free on Youtube than I get as a paying customer. Why should you buy a CD at all if you are even preferred via streaming? It’s completely incomprehensible to me.’
Talking of Sting, I bought the Last Ship deluxe cd on the day of release, thinking it would have the Rachel Unthank track on it. Silly me for not realising that their was a third cd edition, the super deluxe version, which it wasn’t; but it was the only version to have that track on it.
I voted for Dream Of The Blue Turtles, as I was lucky enough to see this album played live in Newcastle City Hall. Nothing Like The Sun is a brilliant album, as were several of Sting’s. The Last Ship isn’t one of his best albums, but it is one of the albums I’ve seen played live, in which Sting had most of the featured album guests on stage at The Sage, Gateshead, where the performance made the album come to life. Sufjan Stevens live performance of The Age Of Adz was another time where the live rendition of the album sounded so much better than the record.
Porcupine Tree at least remedied the issue somewhat by offering (for a limited time) the content of the two CDs from the deluxe set as a CD quality download, which I bought – a no-brainer considering I have lots of CD-Rs and the regular CD costs more that the download costed me.
Now I feel like I “own” the music since I have the files and have them burned, as opposed to streaming (which also doesn’t include the instrumental versions). But next time, they should just offer a regular ol’ 2CD.
Perhaps Sting, his manager and the label have worked out the sums and come to the conclusion that a physical release is not commercially viable or worth the effort. As someone mentioned below, the vinyl edition of his latest studio album was going for a fiver at one stage.
As I mentioned in a prior post about this I was excited to get an email about an expanded edition of the album until I read it was digital only. Very sad to see this similar to the recent INXS letdown. Fans of artists like Sting and INXS have spent decades collecting their music and it is a slap in the face to go digital-only with something so many fans have been waiting for.
Would also like his debut album reissued on CD as some of those extra tacks have not been released on CD. At least most of this album’s extra tracks (I believe all but the two 12″ dj monk mixes) have been released on CD. The track ‘If You There’ was released on the EU ‘They Dance Alone’ CD single: https://www.discogs.com/release/814873-Sting-They-Dance-Alone
For those interested here is the track listing from last year’s digital-only Soul Cages release:
https://www.discogs.com/release/16941495-Sting-The-Soul-Cages-Expanded-Edition
@Paul, is there a way to organize and provide feedback to the labels on these decisions?
Maybe you should try get it for the surround series Paul
I agree, “The Dreams Of The Blue Turtles” would be perfect for the next SDE surround series.
Perhaps if Sting was on a bigger, more powerful label there’d be a CD edition of this. Universal sounds like a thread-bare scrappy indie. Can’t expect much from Universal. They were the ones who dropped the ball on the physical formats of Taylor Swift’s new album in Canada. If Universal can’t even get the biggest artist in the universe out on release day, we are hoping for WAY too much to get Sting on CD.
Is this a joke?
Really i think they are one of the biggest $9.4 Billion revenue, along with Warners and sony who have most of the old big labels under their umbrella
I think that “someone” is trying to push the music fans and music collectors, who love physical products, into the world of pay per streaming services, if we want access to all the music we like. Recently they are pushing harder and harder the people that normally spend their money in boxsets and multichanel dvd’s/bluray audio/hd music, i.e. as they are a very interesting target for the streaming businessman.
My favorite Sting solo album is The Soul Cages but his best is Ten Summoner’s Tales.
Also voted for “The Soul Cages” as this made me a huge fan of his music. Absolutely adore follow-up “Ten Summoner’s Tales”. A Super Deluxe/Expanded Edition of the first needs to have “MTV Unplugged”, “Live in Newcastle” and the so-called “Chicago Sessions” included.
I really would like to see Sting’s “MTV Unplugged” concert released on CD and vinyl. So far you can only find songs from this performance on various CD-Singles and this mini-album :
Sting – Acoustic Live In Newcastle (1991, CD) – Discogs
That one was recorded at Buddle Arts Centre in his birthplace Wallsend and was released as a box set with a book. All five tracks can also be found on the “Seven Days” UK CD Singles.
Six tracks of the “MTV Unplugged” live performance were released on the “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” CD Singles.
Agreed, its a shame as it’s Sting’s best album. Another elephant in the room is the 5-track “Nada Come el Sol” foreign language which is quite rare itselft on Cd. I do have “We’ll Be Together” and “Englishman…” (original) on CD single (late 80s issues). But, aside all this, I think its just simply that alongside a wish to look forward not back, Sting feels Deluxe Editions are simply unnecessary environmentally damaging products (even with Eco-sleeves)… remember his fanbase is global not just national.
Given all the multiple physical editions of ‘My Songs’ and ‘The Bridge’ I’m not sure your last point holds up…
Ok, alternatively he may feel his earlier albums are already in ‘the hall of fame’ so to speak and would rather his later work was given priority with marketing. Just speculation on my side. I’d buy a deluxe 2cd “Nothing Like The Sun” if one were issued, and it would be a big seller anyway. So it’s a Sting shaped puzzle.
Who knows, but all this maybe “Sting feels Deluxe Editions are simply unnecessary environmentally damaging products” is clearly not true. He released two deluxe editions of My Songs!
The environmental impact of streaming is significant (servers to store audio files and for consumers to play on their own devices). Think about it: The servers that store the audio files need to be run 24/7 which have a massive environmental impact. This idea that physical products are the only environmental culprits is laughable.
As there is no way to purchase this on a physical format I assume Sting won’t mind if I hook up my tape deck to my streamer and pop it on a C90 for myself.
Ah, now i know why i always buy up blank CD’s on yard sales, 300 pieces are waiting to be recorded.
I love cassettes too, i have about 60 decks at the moment, and lot’s of blank tapes….
ok there have been digital anniversary releases of ” nothing like the sun” and ” soul cages” what happened to ” the dream of the blue turtles” expanded edition? this was a prolific album for me and i’m sure millions of others as it was his first solo album. ( scratching my head)
With Sting, INXS, and even U2 releasing digital-only deluxe editions in recent months (with the main albums reissued on vinyl), I feel like we’re seeing the record companies trying to kill off the cd once and for all. It’s been happening for a few years but it seems to have ramped up big time in 2022.
Yes, these digital-only deluxe editions with no physical version seems to be becoming the norm more than I would like and it is concerning. I hope the record companies remember from when they tried to kill vinyl in the 90s how cheap CDs are to make.
Maybe when he saw 57 and 9th Street vinyl being given away for a fiver in hmv he thought better of the idea? If you big sting fans had backed him up on his lame releases maybe yous would get this on vinyl!!
Although there could be a couple more tracks added, only a 2-CD version is spend on me. Maybe toggle in a 3rd disc with the Spanish versions but that’s not really necessary for me. But this “download-edition” is simply ridiculous!
Sting & INXS both putting up digital only deluxe editions this week. I’m not so bummed about the Sting as I have the dts disc from 2000 but Shabooh Shoobah so needs a physical release!
In 1989, Sting had plans to release another double live album. Working title simply was Live Vol 3 & 4 from tracks recorded during the Nothing like the Sun worldtour (vol 1&2 were considered the Bring on the Night live album).
Robert Gligorov made the artwork which was partly revealed in Music Express Sounds (a German magazine). The whole plan got cancelled and some tracks ended up as b-sides on the singles of the follow-up record The Soul Cages.
A box of this record once and for all could have revealed the live album with an extended artwork book. A DVD of the Tokyo 1988 or Verona 1988 TV show could have complemented the live CDs. It will never happen.
Had no idea, thanks for sharing because I’ve wondered about 5 years why these shows are not officially released (have them on bootlegs). It would be so easy to make it happen and it would please the hardcore fanbase etc.
Ah, that Tokyo concert! I didn’t go, but I was living in Tokyo at the time. When it was later broadcast on TV, I couldn’t help but crack up at Sting exhorting the crowd to be louder. He was trying to say motto ookii koe—”louder” (literally “a bigger voice”)—but kept dropping that last syllable, so he was actually saying motto ookii ko—”an even bigger child”…
I remember seeing a brief MTV News interview with Kurt Loder (maybe?) during this time, where he talked about prepping a live album. They were in a studio, seemingly mixing the record (or at least acting like it for the sake of the camera). And I have a strong memory that some of the lead-in/background music was a cover of Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon. Shame the record never came out.
I would like to see deluxe editions of his first four solo albums “Dream Of The Blue Turtles”, “Nothing Like The Sun”, “The Soul Cages” and “Ten Summoner’s Tales”. These albums really deserve a deluxe treatment. But I am afraid that this isn’t going to happen very soon.
Would like to add “Mercury Falling” to the list. I love its B-Sides (This Was Never Meant To Be, The Pirade’s Bride, Lullaby To An Anxious Child, Beneath A Desert Moon), not so much the awful Remixes (apart from the Steve Lipson Remix of “I Was Brought To My Senses”).
i agree, i hope sales are low and he gets hit in his pocket.
why can’t he do a physical release as well as ?
if he doesn’t he can’t complain when the bootlegs start appearing
Given that Sting’s net worth is around half a billion pounds i don’t think hitting him in the pocket comes into it. Like Kate Bush / Peter Gabriel etc he does what he wants to do, not what people want him to do.
I hope digital sales of it are low! He has enough money in his bank account and I will not be adding any to it by purchasing this album in a non CD format. He obviously does not appreciate his many fans.
The problem is that if the digital sales are low, then those who made this ‘no physical format’ decision will probably feel justified that they were right not to go to the time/trouble/expense of producing an additional physical format version and if the digital sales are in line or greater than expected they will probably also think that they were right not to go to the time/trouble/expense of producing an additional physical format..! You can’t win..!
Sting or the record label simply give a rat’s ass.
Seems to be common for them…
Only thing worse would be a 2-cassette release of the album on one cassette and bonus tracks on the other!
They certainly missed the opportunity to include some additional tracks from the era but I’ll take the digital version if they are not doing a 2CD edition. Why anyone would want a vinyl brick of this, probably 4-5 records, I cannot understand, both from a practical and sonic perspective.
I really wish Nothing Like The Sun (and Dream Of The Blue Turtles) would get expanded CD reissues. Sting could get someone else to compile it and the like (heck I’ll do it for free!) and Paul, you can do some liner notes?
Another Day, If You There, contemporaneous remixes and the other strays deserve a physical release, before its too late.
Nothing Like The Sun has been a firm favourite album of mine since becoming a music fan, let alone a Sting fan. Always thought it was an amazing piece of work.
Odd. There are a plethora of B sides and remixes for this album. Besides all of that they could have easily included the Spanish language tracks: https://www.discogs.com/release/1725534-Sting-Nada-Como-El-Sol-Selecciones-Especiales-En-Espanol-Y-Portugues. Digital only is a crime.