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a-ha / more deluxe editions due

By Paul Sinclair

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Rhino continue with their a-ha reissue programme with expanded deluxe editions 1988’s Stay On These Roads, 1990’s East of the Sun West of the Moon and Memorial Beach from 1993, due next month.

These are three very different albums, with Stay On These Roads the band’s final ‘poppy’ album with producer Alan Tarney at the helm , East of the Sun West of the Moon dumping the synths and the remixes for some autumnal maturity and Memorial Beach a brooding, sweating work that puts you through the emotional wringer (no wonder the band went on hiatus for six or seven years afterwards).

Each reissue will feature the remastered original album, plus an additional disc of bonus content including demos, alternate versions and classic live performances. East of the Sun, West of the Moon will also feature a DVD of Live in South America, first released on VHS in 1993 and made available here on DVD for the very first time.

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There are an enormous number of previously unissued tracks, including a fascinating 1987 demo of Cold River, some excellent Ian Stanley demos of Cold River and Waiting For Her and a generous selection of Memorial Beach demos including the title track sung in a completely different key.

There are also some previously unheard songs; Umbrella, I’ll Never Find You In This Streetful City, Thus Ended Our Love Affair and Evitar (Stay On These Roads); Trees Will Not Grow On Sand (East Of The Sun West Of The Moon) and Bar Room (Memorial Beach).

Since these are now official, I can reveal that Rhino reached out to me in early 2014 to ‘sense check’ the proposed track listings for these deluxe editions. Originally, these were all two-CD sets but I suggested they add the DVD to East of the Sun West of the Moon. I did put forward a case for some other remixes for Stay On These Roads (instrumental The Living Daylights, The Gun Mix of The Blood That Moves The Body etc.) but they’ve chosen to focus on the demos and stick with ‘just’ the standard twelve-inch remixes. Unfortunately everything was put on hold for a while and I had no opportunity to offer further suggestions for East of the Sun… and Memorial Beach, with the exception of the DVD element on the former.

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Given the plethora of unreleased demos and live material, it seems almost churlish to point out that Memorial Beach is missing the non-album single Shapes That Go Together (along with the instrumental version), the edit of Cold As Stone, the seven-inch version of Move to Memphis and the standard instrumental (i.e. non acoustic) of Angel in the Snow – but it is! The first three are on the 25 compilation, but there is room for all of these tracks at the end of disc one of this new deluxe set, so that’s a bit of a pity.

Despite this, these are nothing short of an essential purchase for a-ha fans and fans of grown-up pop music.

All three deluxe editions are released on 23 October 2015.

pre-order

Stay On These Roads 2CD Deluxe

East of the Sun West of the Moon 2CD+DVD Deluxe

Memorial Beach 2CD Deluxe

track_listing

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Stay On These Roads (Deluxe Edition)

Disc 1

  • 1. Stay On These Roads
  • 2. The Blood That Moves The Body
  • 3. Touchy!
  • 4. This Alone Is Love
  • 5. Hurry Home
  • 6. The Living Daylights
  • 7. There’s Never A Forever Thing
  • 8. Out Of The Blue Comes Green
  • 9. You Are The One
  • 10. You’ll End Up Crying

Bonus tracks

  • 11. Stay On These Roads (Extended Remix)
  • 12. You Are The One (12″ Remix)
  • 13. The Living Daylights (Extended Version)
  • 14. The Blood That Moves The Body (Extended Remix)
  • 15. Touchy! (Go-Go Mix)

Disc 2*

  • 1. Stay On These Roads (Early Version)
  • 2. The Blood That Moves The Body (Demo)
  • 3. Touchy! (Original Mix)
  • 4. This Alone Is Love (Demo)
  • 5. You Are The One (Early Version)
  • 6. Cold River (1987 Demo)
  • 7. Hurry Home (Demo)
  • 8. I’ll Never Find You In This Streetful City (Demo)
  • 9. The Living Daylights (Demo)
  • 10. There’s Never A Forever Thing (Demo)
  • 11. Out Of The Blue Comes Green (Alternate mix)
  • 12. You’ll End Up Crying (Demo)
  • 13. You Are The One (Alternate Version)
  • 14. Touchy! (Demo)
  • 15. Umbrella (Demo)
  • 16. Thus Ended Our Love Affair (Demo)
  • 17. There’s Never A Forever Thing (Acoustic Version)
  • 18. Evitar (Demo)
  • 19. You Are The One (Demo)
  • 20. Sail On My Love (Writing Session)

*All tracks previously unissued

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East of the Sun, West of the Moon (Deluxe Edition)

Disc 1

  • 1. Crying In The Rain
  • 2. Early Morning
  • 3. I Call Your Name
  • 4. Slender Frame
  • 5. East Of The Sun
  • 6. Sycamore Leaves
  • 7. Waiting For Her
  • 8. Cold River
  • 9. The Way We Talk
  • 10. Rolling Thunder
  • 11. (Seemingly) Nonstop July

Disc 2

  • 1. Early Morning (Early Version)*
  • 2. East Of The Sun (Early Version)*
  • 3. I Call Your Name (Instrumental Demo)*
  • 4. Slender Frame (Demo)*
  • 5. Waiting For Her (Demo)*
  • 6. Cold River (Demo)*
  • 7. Trees Will Not Grow On Sand (Demo)*
  • 8. Rolling Thunder (Demo)*
  • 9. I Call Your Name (NRK Live)*
  • 10. Manhattan Skyline (NRK Live)
  • 11. Early Morning (NRK Live)
  • 12. Slender Frame (NRK Live)*
  • 13. Rolling Thunder (NRK Live)*
  • 14. Sycamore Leaves (NRK Live)*
  • 15. Crying In The Rain (NRK Live)
  • 16. East Of The Sun (NRK Live)
  • 17. (Seemingly) Nonstop July (NRK Live)
  • 18. I’ve Been Losing You (NRK Live)

* Previously Unissued

Disc 3 (DVD a-ha – Live in South America)

  • 1. The Sun Always Shines On T.V.
  • 2. Cry Wolf
  • 3. I Call Your Name
  • 4. Slender Frame
  • 5. Touchy!
  • 6. Scoundrel Days
  • 7. Rolling Thunder
  • 8. I’ve Been Losing You
  • 9. Early Morning
  • 10. Take On Me

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Memorial Beach (Deluxe Edition)

Disc 1

  • 1. Dark Is The Night For All
  • 2. Move To Memphis
  • 3. Cold As Stone
  • 4. Angel In The Snow
  • 5. Locust
  • 6. Lie Down In Darkness
  • 7. How Sweet It Was
  • 8. Lamb To The Slaughter
  • 9. Between Your Mama And Yourself
  • 10. Memorial Beach

Bonus tracks

  • 11. Move To Memphis (Extended Mix)
  • 12. Angel In The Snow (Acoustic Instrumental)

Disc 2*

  • 1. Dark Is The Night For All (Demo)
  • 2. Cold As Stone (Demo)
  • 3. Angel In The Snow(Demo)
  • 4. Locust (Demo)
  • 5. Lie Down In Darkness (Demo)
  • 6. How Sweet It Was (Demo)
  • 7. Bar Room (Demo)
  • 8. Lamb To The Slaughter (Demo)
  • 9. Between Your Mama And Yourself (Demo)
  • 10. Memorial Beach (Demo)
  • 11. Dark Is The Night For All (Alternative Version)
  • 12. Swing Of Things (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  • 13. Dark Is The Night For All (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  • 14. Move To Memphis (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  • 15. Cold As Stone/Sycamore Leaves (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)
  • 16. Shapes That Go Together (Live March 17, 1994 at The Sentrum Scene/ Oslo,Norway)

*All tracks previously unissued

pre-order

Stay On These Roads 2CD Deluxe

East of the Sun West of the Moon 2CD+DVD Deluxe

Memorial Beach 2CD Deluxe

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136 Comments

136 thoughts on “a-ha / more deluxe editions due”

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  4. Paul: Unforgivable seems too strong a word… annoying, yes. In the case of that release, all 4 tracks on the 12″ single were different than the 4 an the CD single. All 8 of them included on CD 2 of East Of The Sun West Of The Moon Deluxe.

  6. About the DVD: Though the original footage is all in 4:3, the DVD is in 16:9 with black bars on the sides. Why this? It wastes screen resolution.

    Did they want to stop people from vertically stretching the picture? Many people do.

  7. These are releases for fans – and fans already have all the mixes that were released before. They are interested in previously unissued material, and there are a lot of interesting tracks here.

    It is worth noting, though, that the 12″ mixes of You Are The One, The Living Daylights and Move To Memphis are released on CD for the first time here.

  8. After the SDE of Hunting High & Low’s early material and demo stuff, I am now here (as the kids say) for more of the same on Stay On These Roads. Only, I’m not buying it until the booklet fiasco is fixed.

    And boo to Warners/Rhino for not crediting your input on the project!

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  11. Hi,
    there is a big problem with the booklet of stayontheseroads : the pages are not in the correct order !!
    how to have a fixed booklet by Warner or rhino ?

  12. I just now pre-ordered all three (here in the U.S. it’s still a pre-order, as they don’t come out for another week for some reason). I’m especially looking forward to the early versions of the Stay On These Roads tracks.

    I wonder, has anyone heard any more about what exactly comprises the c.$200 value-add to the Japanese edition of the Hunting High & Low Suer-Deluxe set?

    Best to all the others out there enjoying this wonderful avalanche of new old a-ha!

        1. Thanks for the replies, Paul and Chris. Those sound like something I’d be interested (gullible?) enough to pay an extra $20 for but not an extra $200. I guess licensing and printing costs for such a small Japan-only run drives the price up, and of course there’s additional cost for the translation…

          It seems somehow whenever I buy stuff like that, I come across high-res screen caps later anyway, whereas when I don’t, I can’t find a thing about it.

          Thanks again.

  14. Too bad it was not included, they had enough space for it…
    What is more, how on earth can they fuck it up by sharing the ONLY track that is not included and then removing it as fast?

  16. Yes that must be the one. But for me it has to be the definitive version of the song, more layered than the album version. I wish it was released, as it sounded terrific. Were there any other ‘early version’ of Memorial Beach tracks?

  17. Thanks a lot for your answer! I found it strange as it is stated in the booklet that Chris Neil and Ian Stanley each chose 5 songs to produce, and “Cold River” was part of the Neil set.
    As for the credit… industry as it worst. Thanks for your work anyway.

    Something else, an early mix of “Lie Down in Darkness” (named “demo”) leaked for a few minutes, courtesy of the official website, before being removed. It is a shame as it is way better than the album mix. So there are quite a lot of other tracks that have not been released yet. Hope we won’t have to wait 5 years this time to get them.

    1. Do you mean different to the Lie Down In Darkness demo that’s on the reissue? I do have an ‘early version’ which Warners supplied me about 18 months ago but that is quite similar to the finished version which is presumably why they didn’t include it, because the actual demo is a more interesting listen.

  18. Paul, how do you know its Ian Stanley who produced the demos of Cold River and Waiting for Her? It isn’t mentionned anywhere in the booklet.

    1. I did a little bit of work on these (Rhino didn’t credit me – thanks!) but in early spreadsheets I saw of proposed track listings these were labelled as Ian Stanley demos, which is where I got the info from.

  19. It’s really funny to read all these comments. Even Howard Jones, Manics and Duran Duran are mentioned at some point. Part of my daily job is to watch and analyse people’s behaviour, that’s what I kind of did after ready twice all the comments. To be honest I think there are different kind of a-ha fans trying to convince one another of their ideal way of (not) buying or collecting a-ha material. First of all I can follow and understand all these arguments and suggestions. Let’s respect them!

    In my opinion there are various types of a-ha ‘fans’. [Human beings are not that ‘simple’ to put in a certain box, so below there are only a few types of fans in general decribed. I don’t want to offend anybody, so please read it with a smile. I know what kind of fan I am.]

    1) the ones that ‘just like’ their songs. I guess they are happy with the original albums and the handful of non-album tracks, no matter the quality. So no need to buy any re-issue/remaster. (I wonder why they are visiting this website anyway)
    2) there are the ‘sound-freaks’, mostly interested in the graphics and compressions or whatever it’s called, rather than the songs and/or different versions. Personally I don’t think that should be ‘the’ argument to buy a re-issue. However I must admit that I prefer good quality tracks, as in cd/digital quality over vinyl.
    3) the ‘so-called-completist’, also often the ‘complainers’, never ever satisfied with any release. Often they post lots of comments, saying they “don’t want to buy”, “boohoo-ing”, comparing with other releases, but I am almost certain they’re all end up buying sooner or later the re-issues anyway, as they have the constantly urge to complain later on (again) about bad cuts, missing seconds et cetera… These ‘so-called fans’ are not always aware of all the releases and cause a lot of unnecessary fuzz at blogs and/or in the comments-area.
    4) the ‘über-fans’, the ‘super-deluxe-fans’, the completists, the mega-collectors who are pre-ordering without any hesitation any new release, re-issue, no matter how many times. In fact most of them have already made their own home-ultimate-super-deluxe edition, including every single version known and/or present, no matter the quality of the source. The ones that are happy, thrilled sometimes with the 6 different versions that’ll show the evolution of a song and has the ‘yeah, it has been remixed as well, and oh there’s a very rare Bolivian radio edit available somewhere’ kind of thoughts. These are the true followers, collectors, completists, the ones that should be found here on this website, fulfilled and blessed with the (previously) unreleased tracks in digital quality, but always keep dreaming about the ultimate box-set.

    Back to the re-issues… I cannot imagine there will be a box-set, deluxe edition or any re-issue that will be complete. That’s almost impossible to accomplish. For example the record companies don’t have all the legal rights. I think that’s the main reason some tracks, versions, are not present. Then there are the compilers who not always are big fans and dig into it very deep to put all the versions on the re-issue. It seems the last few years more websites like this one or other fan-sites are asked though, which is a good thing. And another argument you shouldn’t forget are the costs to manufacture a box-set, or deluxe edition. Let’s face it, how many people are really buying physical releases these days??

    Well, here are a few tracks that are missing from the three new re-issues:

    01 The Living Daylights (7″ Version) 4’04
    02 The Living Daylights (Instrumental) 4’40 [previously unreleased on CD]
    03 Stay On These Roads (7″ Edit) 3’50 [previously unreleased on CD]
    04 Softrains Of April (Original) 3’19
    05 Touchy! (UK DJ Edit) 3’39
    06 You Are The One (Instrumental) 3’55 [previously unreleased on CD]
    07 You Are The One (Justin Strauss Dub) 7’23 [previously unreleased on CD]

    08 Crying In The Rain (Radio Edit) 3’57
    09 I Call Your Name (Special DJ Edit) (Radio Edit) 4’05 [previously unreleased on CD]

    10 Move To Memphis (7″ Version) 4’16
    11 The Blood That Moves The Body ’92 (The Gun Mix) 4’16
    12 The Blood That Moves The Body ’92 (Two-time Gun Mix) 4’08
    13 The Blood That Moves The Body ’92 (The Second Gun Around Mix) 5’56

    14 Angel In The Snow (Instrumental) 4’15
    15 Angel (Edit) 4’06
    16 Shapes That Go Together 4’13
    17 Cold As Stone (Remix) 4’32
    18 Shapes That Go Together (Instrumental) 4’23

    Regarding the ‘Live in South America’ versions that were released on the various cd-maxis, I would prefer an audio release as well… Only ‘Take On Me’ and the full length version of ‘The Sun…’ haven’t been on any CD, yet.

    19 I’ve Been Losing You / Cry Wolf 9’07
    20 The Sun Always Shines On TV (Edit) 4’54
    21 I Call Your Name 4’46
    22 Early Morning 3’38
    23 Scoundrel Days 4’46
    24 Slender Frame 4’03
    25 Touchy! 6’46
    26 Rolling Thunder 6’15 (By the way the overdubbed interview-part is really annoying, who had that ‘luminous’ idea??)

    —–

    Perhaps I’ve missed it, but would a proper CD-maxis box-set be a good idea? There are a few examples of how it could’ve been done. So, what we ‘need’ in the future…
    1) Remastered deluxe edition, including demos and unreleased songs on bonus disc(s)
    2) CD-maxis box-set, including all the commercial and promotional versions (and video)

    —–

    One last thing, there are far more problems in the world at this moment than to worry about missing tracks on a re-issue… (Oops, I sound like a politician, sorry)

    —–

    (my native language is not English, so I might have made some errors)

  20. is it just me or do others also think that they misprinted the cover for “stay on these roads”? the liner notes are obviously printed in the false sequence and also the lyrics to the songs are printed in random order. i guess something went wrong with the order of the pages of the booklet…

  21. Are vinyl releases of these coming up done in a similar fashion as the excellent first two albums recently were done? Would love to add Stay on these Roads.

  22. Stay On These Roads & Memorial Beach £11.99 each @ base.com and East of the Sun, West of the Moon £15.99. Would have rather got these from HMV but they haven’t even got them listed.

  23. I love to hear something about the future release of the instrumental and acapella versions of all the tracks. The music of a-ha its very complex and has a lot of layers to discover listen the instrumental versions.

  24. I truly am excited for ALL of these releases, and I don’t mean to bring the tone down. But does anyone know if they will release stay on these roads from the memorial for the Norwegian massacre. Its truly an emotional and powerful version of the song. I wonder of they have given it any thought??

    Paul??

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  26. @Neil Kelly, have you got my messages:
    A-Ha – The Blood That Moves The Body Rare Cd Single Morton Harket (5~6 days left) Starting bid: GBP 2.99 [ 1 bid]! I hope you’ll win it ;)
    Good luck.

    1. Thanks yes… I have now! There’s bids + 2 days left. AND i haven’t even bid! £6 minimum with postage with next increment. I think what with the 3 re-issues, the new album and HHAL deluxe i’ve spent more than enough on A-ha in the last month! Why don’t they add in onto the empty space on the new versions that are coming out 20+ years after the fact…

      1. Sorry about that. Perhaps someone else saw it & bid on it now. Well, after we all bought these 2cd (+dvd) reissues. I’m pretty sure they’ll do one more again with the rest of the missing tracks/mixes/demo/live for the last time.

  27. The tracklistings on all these 3 reissues are fantastic. As far as a-ha is concerned, I am much more interested in getting as many unreleased songs/demos/early versions as possible than in getting the subsequent remixes (no matter how good they are). If only because they often were not happy with the production on the actual albums.
    As far as the Super deluxe treatment is concerned, I think the album that would deserve it is the post-hiatus “Minor Earth Major Sky”. 1. The original album 2. The original demos made by Paul in Magne in NYC 3. The tons of remixes made from the Minor Earth Major Box 4. The album produced by the band with Kjetil Bjerkestrand before it was remixed by the German producers 5. The Homecoming DVD.
    I guess it would make more sense for this album than for “Scoundrel Days”, for which I am not sure there is so much unreleased material left.

    1. A “Minor Earth” box would work as well as the “Hunting” box because of the long 5+ year break between projects, meaning loads of unreleased material recorded in NYC, the stopped/shelved album that was supposed to be done in 1995/1996, produced by Echobelly producer Simon Vinestock…before Paul put together Savoy with Lauren, when word got to him of Morten going solo and making “Wild Seed”. Lots of mixes too, like yes, on that 4CD “Minor Earth Box”…it could easily be 5 or 6 discs, and one of “Lifelines” too cuz that album was assembled piecemeal, imagine the loads of unreleased songs. These sets could get US releases as well, like what happened with the Manics’ “Holy Bible”, originally unreleased in the US but the 2 anniversary sets both got US support from Sony.

          1. Almost £6 (i have to pay postage) + 2 days to run and all because they couldn’t be bothered to add it to the empty space. I was spot on all along. And to have to dig out a CD single seperately too

  29. Will have to give these a miss, a lot of mixes missing, might get them 2nd hand at some point, why bother release these if you’re not going to get everything together, yes die hard fans will like the tracks that didn’t get released, but me; not a major fan – just the singles/remixes/b sides and DVD of promo videos/Concerts would do me.

  30. I’m not find pre-order of new deluxe editions in Japan. They are will not released in Japan? It will be very sorry. Super Deluxe of 1-st album in Japan edition was be perfectly.

  31. The HH&L and Scoundrel Days digipaks were also released in the USA–but only as exclusives from Rhino mail order. These deluxe editions were not released in stores in the USA in any format.

    I find it hard to believe that Rhino is “holding back” songs for future 5-disc editions of SOTR, EOTSWOTM and MB. No way. These were not huge sellers even back in the day… I don’t think the latter two albums even made it into the Top 10 outside Norway and maybe Germany. These 2-disc (and in the case of EOTSWOTM, 3-disc) sets are a gift, and probably the only deluxe versions we’ll see of these albums.

    1. @ Don: The Holy Bible or Dog Man Star also have not sold that many copies compared to the preceeding albums and still we got very sophisticated super deluxe editions. So I would not completely rule out super deluxe editions of a-ha’s two best albums, EOTS and MB (or – in other words – I would love Rhino to consider such releases).

      1. Sven, The only reason why those 2 records (Manics & Suede) came out as deluxe boxsets was nothing to do with sales (DMS sold little in the US, THB never had a US release at all in 1994 but came out twice as deluxes in the US on anniversaries, go figure, and there was a 20th anniversary US tour!!??!!?? I was there, tremendous), but musical impact and importance and anniversaries.

  32. i play the mixes, a lot more than the demos… those are only listened to once, because they are usually rough,and not worth listening to as the finished, polished versions are there…..

    obviously a-ha are not trying to be completists with these, or they just would have included all the tracks..

    doubt there will be super deluxe versions of these albums, and they didn’t really succeed as well as their debut album..

    will be getting them, but ultimately making my own compilations to complete them…
    ——————–

    by the way, the a-ha live in south america concert (which i’ve got on laserdisc), is one of the worst examples of crowd noise ever for a recording… i still wasn’t sure it was intentional, because it was
    recorded so poorly..

    very bad choice for a recording, their newer ones are much better. … but for completists its there..

    later
    -1

    1. Most of the live tracks from the Live In South America video are on the CD singles. I made a compilation that sounded great in the car and on headphones in the gym. I wouldn’t say there was excessive crowd noise. It will be interesting to rip the audio from the DVD to see how this compares with the releases on the CD singles.

    2. Not me, I prefer rawer and rocking demos (like “The Swing Of Things” on the SD deluxe) to too-polished and played out, like “Touchy”. I love the finished records, but I find it interesting to hear how the songs took shape. I like 12″ remixes too, but preferably “Extended Versions” over reworked ones, unless they are interesting and fresh, not monotonous. a-ha’s “extended versions” are quite good though, but I can do without dub versions though. Some instrumentals are cool too. I would like to gather a multi-CD set of the missing versions though…to complete it…don’t need the individual CD singles for just 1 missing mix…that’s too much, I like compactness…keep it all together.

  34. Glad to see they’re in digipak form, so they won’t match the (UK) jewelcase deluxes of HH&L and Scoundrel Days, and will get nicely damaged in the post/instore. And a lot of the single mixes/b-sides and non-album singles aren’t included despite there being space.

    Top stuff!

      1. @trash – probably not, at least for now. I am perfectly happy with the sound of those 1988-93 CDs, and much prefer single mixes and B-side material to works-in-progress and live recordings. They’re often of a quality that should have stayed in the vaults, or just issued online somehow.

        Take the Scoundrel Days 2CD; while those demos and concert recordings are of curiosity value, they are not exactly CD quality, and I doubt many people ever listen to them more than a couple of times.

        1. I totally agree, and unless the odd song is absolutely wrong-bordering on horrible regarding a far better single version which should have been the album one (or is just too long)-and only a few things come into this category for me, there’s no way a ragged little demo is going to supplant perfect album versions of any song-regarding, for instance ‘Touchy!’ and ‘You Are The One’ which are perfect the way they are on the album. But the single versions were beuggered-they did the same to many of their songs-even the ballad ‘Hunting High And Low’ gets bogged down in strings and sounds all wrong when on the radio when you realise they changed it from the one on the album! How thick and pointless, but I do far prefer ‘Move To Memphis’ when it stood alone, and I thought it was being the new song on the first collection, till they lazily put it on an album 2 years later, but changed it drastically from the way it was, adding a female backing singer not needed, slowed it down and making it flounder all over the shop, losing all its punch! They couldn’t have found another song to put on there instead! I can understand them cheekily making the James Bond song they did available on an album a full year after it was out (and in a better version) but that lightning did not strike twice.

          I don’t know how much A-ha I’ll be getting back-they’re important, but it wasn’t long ago I got these CDs in their first version and “Memorial Beach” took a lot of getting into, and I’ve got other remasters I’m still awaiting, and most Duran ones I haven’t got yet! Even worse, are these priority lists. Seems to me only certain artists get this treatment, and the German greats Sandra and Alphaville-as good as anything the UK has produced (never mind wretched America) STILL haven’t got any remasters! Will they ever, or does the fact they’re German completely invalidate the fact their music is so damned good and worthy! What a difference a history people won’t let go, makes! And this has WHAT to do with music?!

          I’ll need to get A-ha’s new album before I think about any older ones, and unlike Alphaville and Duran, A-ha are not known for doing extra tracks/b-sides, so the money tag seems a little excessive considering your mainly getting the album and little else, not that I don’t totally agree with them being made available this way. It’s got to happen to SOME decent artists I care about. But EMI haven’t even done Duran’s 90s albums yet!

    2. I Have the HH&L + SDAYS Deluxe Digipack versions. There were only so many made so once the initial stock had gone they put them out in normal plastic cases. A bit like first pressings on vinyl back in the day being different to the issues available after the fir
      st lot had been sold!

      1. Don’t think the UK ever got any digipacks. I remember looking in HMV on day one and seeing Jewel cases. I ordered some digipacks online, they were SO much nicer with embossing and spot varnish etc.

        1. Once I had received my 2 standard Jewel box of A-ha’s previous reissues, I found them as digipack in stores ! I was very disappointed, as the digi of Scoundrel days replicate the original vinyl embossing…

        2. Same as Paul, I never saw the digipaks here in the UK. I got both on the day/week of release, so whatever the reason for going with the jewelcases, it can’t have been down to a limited run on the digipaks. Very strange.

    3. I sense the sarcasm…but really, I PREFER digipacks, and actually, they DO match the 1st 2 doubles…in the US, they were digipacks, not jewelcases, and “Scoundrel Days” was embossed as well, with the cloud textures, just like the original vinyl. I had the import and got rid of it when I recalled the US SD was an embossed digipack, as it’s what I would have rather had from the beginning. I hope they do 2CD deluxes of “Minor Earth Major Sky” and “Lifelines”. Maybe an expanded “How Can I Sleep With Your Voice In My Head??”….

  37. Rhino can include those Demo/Early version/Alternate Version unless all released/promo mixes/dubs/instrumentals are present. No way you can find those elsewhere except an ann./super deluxe edition of that album. I think Rhino left those out on purpose waiting for the “Second” time “Around” (TBTMYB-The “Second” Gun “Around” Mix, hahaha, if you get my joke)! So we can buy the 2 or 3 missing mixes along with what’s on the 2-disc edition already plus a ton of “new” live/concert/demo 1-2-3/early-earlier-earliest/alternate-other alternate….

    Demo/Early version/Alternate Version are nice to have a listen. But I doubt I would keep listening to them over and over. Those were the ones A-ha or the album producer(s) didn’t find those were good enough & ditched & released the final product the album version. For example You are the one, Early Version/Alternate Version/Demo! Perhaps the Alternate Version I would listen more than once (unless it’s very similar to the album version or single remix)! On the other hand I will listen to the 12″ Remix or the Dub much more often. As I liked the Album Version/Single Remix so much that I wanted to hear the different things/parts/bits of the song which the Remixer(s)/A-ha had high-lighted/show cased & wanted us to hear (these are my personal opinion of course)! ;)

  38. i had hoped that the South American DVD might have been expanded to provide the entire concert. Alas…. And, i would love more live tracks – particularly on the memorial beach album (my favourite) – but you can’t have everything i guess.

    2. That would be a major undertaking – not impossible – but still a major task. Sourcing the film cans, the telecine tapes, reloading the EDL etc, would be a problem. Incidentally, we can’t assume all tracks were actually recorded. Back in the day, the selling price for video sell-through was dictated by the duration of the final product. This was set by regulation. However, that being said, it would be amazing to have a longer tour film. Lauren did a great job directing this and her other work is also very good indeed.

    3. Richard, I don’t think the “Live In South America” was just 1 concert…I think Lauren Savoy filmed various concerts on the whole continent on the 1991 tour, and edited it together to look like 1 concert. It would be cool to expand it and put on some deleted scenes or performances, if there are any. Maybe some interview footage. Not sure if there is any, but just getting this film on DVD (at all) is great.

  39. Howard Jones did it perfectly IMO.

    He released (on his own label) his first 5 albums in remastered single-disc editions with beautiful new packaging. All the b-sides and extra tracks were on separate discs as an optional extra, in a box set.

    I wish all my favourite artists released their back-catalogue that way.

    1. Not everything was released on the Jones remasters, there were some missing tracks on the 12″ Album/Action Replay set, and there was that mastering error on the bonus disc too, not to mention the arguably overcooked top end and varying amounts of dynamic compression on the same disc.

      1. That isn’t the case at all. There aren’t any missing tracks from the 12inch Album / Action Replay box set. I’m happy to be corrected here. The remastering was attentively done by Robbie Bronnimann. Howard’s attention to detail was exceptional on this project! All box sets gave the fans what we had been wanting for years!!!

          1. …and I find the remastering fairly unpleasant in places. There is an indexing error on the last disc where gradually and incrementally the beginning of the track is chopped off and actually at the end of the last track.

  40. Personally, I’m tired of these super-duper, special, over-kill editions.

    I’d be happy with the remastered album on disc 1 and original b-side and unreleased tracks on disc 2.

    I’m not interested in hearing 5 versions of the same song.

    1. Yup, same as myself – a massive deluxe can be a good thing, but seriously how many times these are just released to get even more money from the fan for very little additional content.
      To me, these tracklistings are really great. The demos should be interesting (I am always curious how a song evolves), some unreleased stuff and the 12″ versions if available. Definetely on my ‘to get’ list

  42. ‘Shapes That Go Together’ in my humble opinion is the best track that they have ever done…it’s so melodic I just love the song…it should have got a lot higher than the poultry 27 in reached in the uk singles chart.

  43. The first 3 albums are the best of A-ha’s career in my opinion.
    But the lack of the instrumental versions of “You Are The One”, “The Living Daylights” and the promo 12″ dub mix of “You Are The One”
    is not excusable. Sorry. Enough space on CD #1.
    Maybe they’ll release special bonus tracks on the German Amazon site
    as they did with “Hunting High…” & “Scoundrel Days”…

  44. Really too bad all the edits, mixes and instrumentals are not included, especially since it should be the same as for the Hunting High & Low great set.
    There is space enough to include everything.

    Like other ones, I was waiting to have the vinyl only dub/mixes of You Are The One for example, on cd.

    And where is the new edition of Scoundrel Days ?

    It is like there is missing something now in between…

    1. The only ‘new’ edition is HHAL for the 30th anniversary. I personally doubt any other albums will get the super deluxe treatment, but I suppose if they were going to do one it would be Scoundrel Days and it would need to be out next year for the 30th!

      1. It would be a great News and i’m pretty sure that i’m not the only one who is waiting for the release of a super edition of Scoundrel days…
        We need your precious help Paul!!!

  45. Just ordered ‘SOTRoads’ – love this album … Does anybody know if the first G Hits album ‘Headlines & Deadlines’ was remastered? On Amazon it’s listed as 2006 re-release remastered – but i’m dubious – it’s a great compilation and i’d re-buy it for improved quality?….

  46. Paul,
    Was ”Live in South America” remixed or remastered in any form for this particular edition?
    I was wondering on what the sound is going to be like…
    2.0 or 5.1?
    Cheers

  47. I know the links for these are at the top of this page but if you do a search on Amazon for any of these 3 reissues they are nowhere to be seen. I will wait till they appear on HMV at a decent price.

  48. Once the band break up and reunite again, we’ll have a career spanning box-set that will include everything they left off…..(being cheeky – looking forward to hearing CAST IN STEEL soon too….)

  49. I will deffo buy stay on these roads. I’ve been after the extended versions for ages so this will add to hunting high and low and scoundrel days. Not fussed about the other two CDs though but if they had included many more remixes/extended versions then I might have considered them.

  50. Stay on these roads : that’s definitely a shame that the whole remixes are not on these…Missing edits, and all the 7″ versions plus instrumentals and the ’91 version of “The blood…” !!!Aare they just kidding and waiting for these to be released and then afterwards make a 4 disc set with everything in it ? that’s just not profesional from Rhino …

    “East Of the sun” seems to be the only one that looks complete, but I would definetley have pu the single and 12″ version of “Move to memphis” in this one! (The single is related to the 1st compilation just afterward, and the “Memorial beach” version has nothing in common with the previous version….

    Memorial beach : There were not that many edits and remixed from “Memorial beach”, they should all have fit in !!! :-( “Shape that goes together” should have been included here, at its place…

    I’m really unpleased with these sets… Are they going to re-release “scoudrel days” in any form ?

  51. Isn’t there a version of “You Are The One” on one of its 12″ releases that’s different then on another one of it’s 12″ release.
    It seems we’re getting one 12″ remix of “You Are The One” while there are two if I am not mistaken. That would really be a missed chance, but again I am not sure what the deal was with the different versions and releases of this song.

      1. Yes the dub mix is the one I was thinking off. Just looked it up and watched on YouTube. It’s inclusion would really have been for completness sake, but is it really something you would be listening a lot to? It’s really a terrible version.
        It’s good to have a look at what’s includded, and what’s missing. These sets are not perfect and some omissions are strange and I also find it a shame that some stuff isn’t includded. But to put the main focus on what’s missing and basicly ignore all the interesting things like demo’s, unreleased songs etc that are going to be included I find a bit strange.

        How can one dismiss these releases and say that no real effort was being made in putting the tracklists together.
        I am real glad tho with Paul’s input and that also thanks to him the live in South America dvd is included with the “East of the sun, West of the Moon” re-release. To bad other sugestions weren’t been taken up, but a lot of the things missing are widely available on compilation albums. “The Living Daylights” ” You Are The One” remix, “Cold As Stone” remix and ” Shapes That Go Together” at least and one of the ” The Blood That Moves” gun mixes.

        “Soft Rains of April” Original mix is also missing, tho I still don’t know the difference with the album version.

        A shame about the missing tracks, looking forward to all the things that we will be getting.

  52. I can’t complain really about the missing non album tracks and single edits that were already included on different greatest hits releases. I rather have unheard before demo’s and songs, and that’s what we’re getting, almost 50 of them.

    Yes to have it all in one place would have been logical, but they will never get it right with these kind of releases. I am quite happy with what we’re getting and I have the cd singles and compilation albums for the few things missing.

  53. Don’t worry, there’ll be another set of ultimate, this-is-everything-we-recorded, collectors special deluxe editions along (to buy) in a few years…

  55. The best of days and the worst of days…. Great sets and looking forward to the demos and the unreleased tracks but the fact the unreleased but £60 promo only Justin Strauss Dub of You Are The One is missing from Stay On These Roads is heartbreaking for someone who has wanted it for 27 years. Oh well…

    1. The only way I have been able to find the Dub mix of You Are The One is on YouTube. I was able to rip this to an mp3 which isn’t the same as having it on this SDE release but at least I’ve now heard it.

      The album I would be MOST excited about after HHAL is Scoundrel Days… and SDE of this would be amazing…!

      I will probably get Stay… and East… SDEs.

      And just one final point, the SDE of HHAL is incredible but one little gripe… the DVD has PART of an instrumental of the remix of HHAL which really should have been a bonus track on the CD of remixes – it is stunning *sad face* !!!

      1. Yes I did listen to it on YouTube. Now I don’t feel that bad that it hasn’t been included on the re-release. Looking forward in hearing the demo Paul was talking about. Curious to hear things like that.

  56. All of these re-issues are just simply amazing! As most of the ‘missing’ tracks are on CD already then that is fine. However, I see the logic of including none album singles – and there is space after all – but as we know, they are on CD anyway. Does anyone know which ‘vinyl only’ tracks are yet to make it to CD? It would be cool to have new versions on vinyl. It would also be great to have the later albums on vinyl for the first time. I hope the source for the DVD has been cleaned up, yet as this concert film is highly stylised it would probably mask some of the issues. I hope we get more releases!!!!

    1. I have the 1993 Japanese VHS of “Live In South America”, and I do have a working VCR, so I just watched it the other day, to see if it still looks any good, and it actually looks fantastic still!! The DVD is probably a 2015 audio remaster and the video is probably fine enough, not much more they can improve…just a straight transfer and digitized.

  57. Too bad they didn’t listen to you Paul ;( Why are they so stubborn? Almost all standard 12″ mixes of Stay On These Roads were on their CD singles or the Japanese Road Club! So I’ll stick with mine (original + bootleg)!

    This is the reason why people buying those if the original/official materials are locked in the vault! Also too bad too many demo/live/early versions on these reissues.

    Too bad about those missing tracks/instrumentals. This way people will paying a lot for those 2nd CD singles & their record label won’t see a dime! Why are they so stupid? Fans are willing to pay & wants to get the original/official if they let us.

    Well, I think they’ll do one for Scoundrel Days like Hunting High And Low now after all these reissues, milking us for the 2nd time. And after that again for the rest of the albums like HHAL now, milking, milking, …. and those HD files separatedly available as downloads.

    You can say they stupid. But actually they are very clever!!! ;( Should I wait for the 5-discs reissues for the rest of the albums? I’ve already bought the 2CD HHAL & SD and now the 5-discs HHAL.

    2. There are plenty of original 12″ versions on these, and as for a-ha’s demos, I actually find them to be great!! As good or better than the original albums, definitely more interesting!! Not as polished, sometimes more rocking…like the demo of “The Swing Of Things”…loved it. I’m happy about the HH&L 5-disker, as I neveer got around to getting the double, and when I was about to buy that, I found out about the new set, so I’m happy I waited. I shelled out for the double of “Scoundrel Days” because I sincerely doubt we will get a Super Deluxe of that album…the double is fine enough, there are plenty of extras, and the album, while better for me, was not a big seller…the HH&L bookbox had a ton more stuff because it documents the 3 year period before they got signed, and the 2 years until the album came out, so there was a lot more material to be included. “Scoundrel Days”, not nearly as much time to be covered, and it does have the 12″ versions as well.

  59. Paul – I’m glad to see that record companies are getting outside help from people like yourself who obviously care about the way music is presented. Big Thanks
    Ps is there the slightest chance of vinyl? A box of the five albums would’ve been nice.

  60. Excellent editions – I’ll definately be buying these. There were always going to be something left off, and it is simply not viable to make muti disc releases of every album.
    That said, Scoundrel Days would be the obvious choice for a second Super Deluxe…

    1. Surely in 2015 it’s about time that something wasn’t left off and that we were all happy. Empty space in place of making something complete is a joke IMO

  61. Have you heard any of this stuff Paul? What does the Touchy demo sound like? Naff studio track but live it was pretty cool.
    Will Rhino be doing a deal on buying all three perhaps?
    Sorry, far too many questions there.

    1. The Touchy demo isn’t bad. A lot more ‘charm’ and less polish than the finished version as you might expect. The ‘Rendezvous demo’ of You Are The One is REALLY different though. So much nicer than the actual single/album version which ended up rather cheesy, as we know.

      2. “Touchy” is my least favourite a-ha track because it feels a little forced in it’s cheeriness…I wonder if the early demos are better?? On the HH&L bookbox, in pictures of the early tape boxes, I saw that “Touchy” is included, and it does sound like an early reject or a lesser B-side…but on the video of “Live In South America”, it’s much better with more bottom. As for “You Are The One”, I like the song a LOT more than “Touchy” because I like the melody and hooks more, don’t find it cheesy at all, but I’m looking forward to hearing these demos.

        On an unrelated note, Paul, I know you did the Tears For Fears boxes for the first 2 albums…great job…but one thing is bothering me. The box of “The Hurting” has no vidclips for that album’s singles on the DVD, just the concert, when it could have fit, YET you included the vidclips on the “Songs From The Big Chair” box. I’m disappointed that I have to buy the DVD of videos for just the 3 clips (you will probably include 1989 clips in the “Seeds Of Love” box when that is done, I’m sure)…if I want them, and I do, but I was hoping I wouldn’t have to. Being this is your site and were involved with both bands’ reissues, I had to ask.

        Lastly, back to a-ha, I’m curious, do you know what happened on the “25” DVD?? The “Sun” clip is badly edited, using the album track on the video’s 7″ edit audio, jumpcutting when Morten is about to sing, and in the middle. Then, at the end of “Sun”, and before “I’ve Been Losing You”, there is TV footage of those “going off the air” bits with a US flag in the middle and iconic US sights like the White House, Washington Monument, Niagara Falls, etc…it is the weirdest thing, very hallucinagenic. Just happy it was fixed on the HH&L box, whew!!

  63. The best A-Ha song EVER….. is on East Of The Sun……..WAITING FOR HER………..is a masterpiece. Already have the original issue but will HAVE to get these Deluxe Versions too – A MUST HAVE!

  64. While I love completeness, I agree that it’s a bit churlish to worry about a few mixes and versions that can easily be found on the 25 compilation and vintage CD singles. And “Shapes That Go Together” is not really part of Memorial Beach anyway. The presence of TONS of unreleased live tracks and demos more than makes up for it. There has clearly been time and care invested in these sets. I mean, did anyone ever really think there would be a three-disc deluxe version of EOTSWOTM one day? I certainly didn’t. Cannot wait for these!

  65. Wow! Not definitive as you say but essential none the least! Good work Paul.
    Looks like scoundrel days may get an edition more akin to HHAL then?

    1. Well I didn’t do much ‘work’ – except to suggest a few things re Stay On These Roads and the DVD for ‘East of the Sun’… I doubt we’ll see a big Scoundrel Days to be honest, although you never know!

        1. Agreed! Paul, your so called “a few things” can make the difference between missing the mark completely and buying it. And again, thanks for this amazing site.
          I do hope for a “big” Scoundrel Days release. Their live shows are amazing and i.e. the dub version of “I’ve Been Losing You” was left out of the 2cd. One can always hope!!

  66. i am sorry to read that your suggestions were not followed up. Especially, for the Stay on these Roads album, and the missed opportunity to complete the Memorial Beach recorded sessions. For me completing the vinyl released or CD-single released track and see them compiled at modern CD releases is essential. Rhino does not seem to grasp their task seriously in historical music releases. Ah, what, I guess there is still opportunity to do so in the future….Money needs to flow, isn’t it?

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