The Blow Monkeys 2008 Japan box

With the recent good news from Dr Robert that expanded Blow Monkeys reissues are on the way, we thought you might like a look at the Japanese mini-LP CD (vinyl replica) reissues from 2008. If you read the post about Japanese box sets in the summer, you will be aware that Japanese retailer Disk Union offer these sets with exclusive, high quality boxes, using officially licensed artwork (you have to buy all the reissues to get the box – for free). Although only available in Japan, there is normally a brisk trade on eBay around the time of release.

BMG Japan released the first three albums as exquisite vinyl replicas, complete with accurate inner sleeves and with Limping For A Generation using the original front cover. All came with a bonus Quicktime video (Atomic Lullaby, Digging Your Scene and It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way, respectively) and third album She Was Only A Grocer’s Daughter came with bonus tracks This Is The Way It Has To Be and The Grantham Grizzler. The Disk Union box set utilised Animal Magic artwork.

A quick look on Amazon in the UK, shows that some individual titles including Limping and Animal Magic can be picked up (from third party sellers), but they are not exactly cheap.

In terms of presentation, nothing will match the quality of this set, although of course these issues will not boast the unreleased material on the forthcoming Cherry Red reissues.

What do you prefer, quality presentation and remastering, or cheap and cheerful packaging with unreleased bonus tracks? Leave a comment and let us know.