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Bob Marley / The Complete Island Recordings / 12LP vinyl boxes

By Paul Sinclair

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This September Universal Music will release The Complete Island Recordings, a 12LP vinyl box set that collects a decade’s worth of work by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

This collection contains the nine studio albums (Catch A Fire to Confrontation) recorded for Island Records and two live releases (including the 2LP Babylon By Bus) all pressed on 180g vinyl. The records come packaged in a ‘Zippo’ lighter style rigid card box with lift-top lid, and wrapped in silver paper that simulates the brushed metal finish of a hinged lighter.

In fact, there are TWO versions of this box; the standard one described above and a ‘Collector’s Edition’ which looks similar, but is actually a metal box, numbered and lined with velvet. This version also comes with a 70th anniversary slip mat and two photos.

We are promised artwork that faithfully replicates the original pressings. This means you’ll get the poster with 1975’s Live!, the original gold metallic jacket with embossed lettering from 1977’s Exodus and the die-cut cover for Babylon By Bus.

Both boxes come with ‘Back to Black’ MP3 codes and in terms of mastering, the label have stated that “all vinyl will be cut from new 24bit/96k sources”, so that’s obviously a digital source.

All the albums are being released separately on LP on the same day as the box sets, so you have plenty of buying options. Take a deep breath, because you pay an enormous premium for opting the metal box, which is retailing for a cool £448 on Amazon UK. That’s around £300 more than the standard edition! Amazon US have currently priced these boxes the wrong way around, with the ‘Collector’s Edition‘ much cheaper than the standard – this will undoubtedly be corrected soon.

The Complete Island Recordings box will be released on 25 September 2015.

 

standard_bob

Complete Album Recordings (Rigid card box)

metal_bob

Complete Album Recordings Collector’s Edition (METAL box, slip mat + photos)

Track listing

Albums in the box: – Catch A Fire, Burnin’, Natty Dread, Live!, Rastaman Vibration, Exodus, Babylon By Bus, Kaya, Survival, Uprising, Confrontation

Catch A Fire
Side A
1. Concrete Jungle
2. Slave Driver
3. 400 Years
4. Stop That Train
5. Baby We’ve Got A Date (Rock It Baby)

Side B
1. Stir It Up
2. Kinky Reggae
3. No More Trouble
4. Midnight Ravers

Burnin’
Side A
1. Get Up, Stand Up
2. Hallelujah Time
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. Burnin’ And Lootin’
5. Put It On

Side B
1. Small Axe
2. Pass It On
3. Duppy Conqueror
4. One Foundation
5. Rastaman Chant

Natty Dread
Side A
1. Lively Up Yourself
2. No Woman No Cry
3. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
4. Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)

Side B
1. So Jah S’eh
2. Natty Dread
3. Bend Down Low
4. Talkin’ Blues
5. Revolution

Live!
Side A
1. Trenchtown Rock – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975
2. Burnin’ And Lootin’ – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975
3. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975
4. Lively Up Yourself – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975

Side B
1. No Woman, No Cry – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975
2. I Shot The Sheriff – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975
3. Get Up, Stand Up – Live At The Lyceum, London/1975

Rastaman Vibration
Side A
1. Positive Vibration
2. Roots, Rock, Reggae
3. Johnny Was
4. Cry To Me
5. Want More

Side B
1. Crazy Baldhead
2. Who The Cap Fit
3. Night Shift
4. War – Album Version
5. Rat Race

Exodus
Side A
1. Natural Mystic
2. So Much Things To Say
3. Guiltiness
4. The Heathen
5. Exodus – Album Version

Side B
1. Jamming
2. Waiting In Vain
3. Turn Your Lights Down Low
4. Three Little Birds
5. One Love/People Get Ready

Babylon By Bus
Side A
1. Positive Vibration – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
2. Punky Reggae Party – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
3. Exodus – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977

Side B
1. Stir It Up – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
2. Rat Race – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
3. Concrete Jungle – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
4. Kinky Reggae – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977

Side C
1. Lively Up Yourself – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
2. Rebel Music – (3 O’Clock Roadblock) – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
3. Medley: War/No More Trouble – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977

Side D
1. Is This Love – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
2. Heathen – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977
3. Jammin’ – Live At The Pavillion De Paris/1977

Kaya
Side A
1. Easy Skanking
2. Kaya
3. Is This Love
4. Sun Is Shining
5. Satisfy My Soul

Side B
1. She’s Gone
2. Misty Morning
3. Crisis
4. Running Away
5. Time Will Tell

Survival
Side A
1. So Much Trouble In The World
2. Zimbabwe
3. Top Rankin’
4. Babylon System
5. Survival

Side B
1. Africa Unite
2. One Drop
3. Ride Natty Ride
4. Ambush In The Night
5. Wake Up And Live

Uprising
Side A
1. Coming In From The Cold
2. Real Situation
3. Bad Card
4. We And Dem
5. Work

Side B
1. Zion Train
2. Pimper’s Paradise
3. Could You Be Loved
4. Forever Loving Jah
5. Redemption Song

Confrontation
Side A
1. Chant Down Babylon
2. Buffalo Soldier
3. Jump Nyabinghi
4. Mix Up, Mix Up
5. Give Thanks & Praises

Side B
1. Blackman Redemption
2. Trench Town
3. Stiff Necked Fools
4. I Know
5. Rastaman Live Up

 

standard_bob

Complete Album Recordings (Rigid card box)

metal_bob

Complete Album Recordings Collector’s Edition (METAL box, slip mat + photos)

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83 Comments

83 thoughts on “Bob Marley / The Complete Island Recordings / 12LP vinyl boxes”

  2. Update

    I paid $292 from Amazon.com and they honoured the mix up on the ordering process, no complaints.

    Today got a refund of $48 for reduced import tax, so all in I paid $244,

    £160 , can’t be bad

    Peter

  3. Please has anyone listened to these LPs and have a point of view? Any comparison to a prior UK and/or US original and/or reissue pressing(s) would be of interest of course. Many thanks! :-)

  4. Amazing price on Amazon Italy today on this box set (and a lot of others apparently…) :
    145,90€ for the standard cardboard version and 379,90€ for the metal box version.
    By far the cheapest anywhere in the world !

  5. Got my metal box version from Amazon.ca today, they honoured the mislabelled price! Very pleased to get it for c. £175 plus import tax. But certainly wouldn’t have paid £447 for the full Uk price. Not sure how a metal box costs £300 more than the card version, but there you go!

  6. Reciever the metal box (for the cheap price)!!! hi-rez download card included in canada. 16gb, but download keeps crashing (at least 20 tries so far on Pc and mac). I’ve emailed them.

  7. Pingback: Bob Marley / Island Years vinyl box MP3 download clarification | superdeluxeedition

  8. I got mine off my neighbour this morning after they delivered yesterday whilst I was out. Thanks for this and many other tip offs Paul! Can’t wait to get home and check it out properly.

  9. Paul Sinclair, did you receive your box set yet, and were there any MP3 codes to be found? I emailed Bob Marley.com, and they seemed to be clueless regarding the answer. Thanks again for all your work you put into SDE.

  10. Can anyone confirm that they received the mp3 redemption codes with their set? I’ve searched the entire collection with no sign of a card. Otherwise, everything looks and sounds great!

    1. Fantastic tip-off from Paul, thank-you. Also well done to Amazon for honouring their mistake. Like the other comments, I didn’t receive any MP3 codes and can’t find a number for my set, as I believe this was a limited numbered edition of 3,000 worldwide.

          1. Thanks Sterling, the eyesight isn’t what it used to be. So one of the last batch at number 2988 for me. With regards to MP3, the items listed on the outer card doesn’t refer to MP3 being included as part of the package. There is also no mention of MP3 within either the Amazon listing or the YouTube video advert. Looks like MP3 was never to have been included. I must admit it doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of this great collectors package at a great price.

  12. Pingback: Saturday Deluxe / 3 October 2015 | superdeluxeedition

  13. Just received my Bob Marley Collection in the metal tin,only $292 (£192).
    Best of luck to all the other’s who ordered at the early price on getting theirs,as some of you already have.The best price currently on Amazon US is $544 without shipping.Looks easily like the deal of the year.Thank you Amazon US

  14. Has anyone noticed if there are MP3 codes included in the box set as mentioned? I haven’t opened mine yet, but a reviewer on Amazon states that they are not. Thanks to all.

    1. It must be there somewhere “…All pressed on 180g heavyweight audiophile vinyl with free ‘Back To Black’ mp3 redemption codes”

  17. I’m another to receive the collectors metal edition at standard price. Outer box a bit bashed but great packaging inside so all’s good.
    Also received the Queen set from Amazon Italy yesterday.
    Excellent, quick service to the UK by both Amazons and thanks to you Paul for the info… much appreciated.

    1. Great. Still waiting for my Bob Marley, although reasonably confident it will be the ‘collector’s edition’ given what everyone else is saying…

  20. I was one of those who ordered the Collectors set for the low price from Amazon. The shipment arrived yesterday and, indeed, contained the Collectors Box! Very nice set at a terrific price ($235.98) – kudos to Amazon!

  22. Just got email saying they sent Collectors edition form Amazon.com for 250$ roughly if I receive the regular version I wonder can I demand they send me collectors edition at said price

  23. e-mail today from Amazon.com advising release date put back from 25th Sep until 25th Oct. still describing order as the collectors edition, so fingers still crossed.

  24. Just checked my order on Amazon US, the description on my order clearly states Collectors and describes the metal box and all its contents. So hopefully they are going to honour my order.

  25. The title of this box set is way off the mark……this is NOT…..
    “The Complete Island Recordings”……….there was loads more songs recorded for Island……loads of “B” Sides not included which were released at the time of the original LP releases………and tracks sitting in the vaults at Universal……..I think these box sets should have as least included the Original Jamaican Release of Catch A Fire…….as I have all the original vinyl I will pass on this box set……..it offers nothing new for me.

  26. Thanks for the info Rich. I contacted Amazon US, and they have also confirmed I would be receiving the metal box version that I paid for at the standard version price. Let’s hope they follow through!

  27. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding this release. Just discovered that wow hd u.s., has the collectors metal box listed as the same price as standard. Price showing at $242.25, showing a savings over over $400.00. I may place an order in case Amazon does not honor my shipment with them.

  30. Now both Marley-boxes are called “Collector’s Edition” on Amazon
    and the pictures shown are now identical and show the standard-box…..

  32. I’d still rather have the Deluxe edition of Live! that was planned/scrapped by Universal (to include both Lyceum shows in full) when they did the other Deluxe sets…

  33. Pingback: Saturday Deluxe / 25 July 2015 | superdeluxeedition

  35. I only took notice of this 15 minutes ago. UK & US Amazon list no prices at present. Amazon Canada has the boxes priced the wrong way round, 960 C$ normal box, 350 C$ metal box.

    Guess which I ordered, fingers crossed. Glad the missus dosen`t look at SDE.

  36. Forgot to say that I tried ordering direct from Universal website last night. I live in Dublin, so these were the delivery charges last night:

    Rigid box: 179.99 euro + 161.26 courier delivery.
    Metal box: 474.99 euro +198.79 courier delivery.

    How about that for crazy courier charges!

  39. Would jump on this if it weren’t for the fact that the sources are digital and not analog. Since Paul mentions that the albums will be released individually, I’ll wait for reviews and perhaps order some of the albums. I’ve heard some great digital sourced vinyl however since most of this music from the 70s was recorded in analog, IMO it sounds better.

    Hopefully the digital sources will eventually be released on Blu-Ray audio and Universal will bring Bob Clearmountain onboard for the releases. I think there’s enough collectors that would purchase properly remastered discs on this format. The anniversary edition of Legends in 2.0 and 5.1 is a must for hardcore and casual Marley fans.

  40. It wouldn’t really have killed them, to include the Jamaican 11-track version of Catch A Fire…(in the Zippo sleeve, as Simon mention)… A tasty little bonus to attract the collector?

    Something like that would be much more attractive than 2 photos and a slipmat : (

  41. Ordered from U.S. Amazon also. Fingers crossed. Also noticed that Amazon Canada have listed the collectors edition cheaper than standard version too!

  42. I took a chance with the U.S. Amazon. If it’s not the metal packaging it can go back. And the 24/96 versions might not sound that good anyway.

  43. Yep gone in for the Amszon U.S. collectors edition, be surprised, very pleasantly, if they honour, but who knows.

    Agree next few months are wallet busting, Bowie, Slade, this, Zep x 3

    Hey ho

    And once again to Paul for bring it all tou our attention

  44. Thanks for the heads up Paul.
    The US price on collectors edition too tempting not to gamble on.
    As said elsewhere Septembers going to be a crazy month with the Queen box too so I think I am going to have to ditch the Bowie box closer to the time.

  45. I was thinking the same thing as Simon F above, “So where’s the original Zippo lighter flip back top sleeve for Catch A Fire?” Plus, these are not mastered from the original analog tapes, but rather the 24/96k digital downloadable files. I think I’ll pass, but that ill-priced metal box in the US currently is very tempting. Those early Wailers albums are absolute masterpieces!

  46. Between the Queen box and this set, I may be eating ramen noodles for the month of September – but I’ve ordered the erroneously priced metal box from Amazon USA!

    1. I’ve done the same, ordered the metal one with the normal one price, do you think Amazon will honor the price or cancel the orders ?

  50. I just preorder a copy from Amazon Italy for € 213. No idea about what I’ve actually ordered (standard? metal?) since there’s no information whatsoever. I placed the order because of the price and because I get free delivery, but I’m not sure I’m keeping it, I’m not sure I like Marley enough to buy his whole catalogue AGAIN.

    Based on my experience, Amazon (com, uk, fr, it) has always honoured their “misprices”… I remember snatching Norah Jones’ Analogue Production vinyl box on Amazon.com for $ 46.23, which remains to this day my best bargain ever.

    1. It’s the standard one that you’ve ordered. The metal one is €520 on Amazon Italy (link on the post). That is a good deal re Norah Jones! :)

  52. This metal version is going to be a huge collectors item, not only is it an original outer box design, it’s seems to be the first true box set. I’m in for the US price, cross my fingers.

  54. Paul – I’ve just ordered the metal box version from amazon.com using your link and got charged a total of $292.75 of which $48.79 was Import costs (to the uk). Is this definitely right as the rigid box link seems to be $650?

    1. Amazon have them the wrong way around. So the metal box is priced at the ‘other’ box price and vice versa. This will undoubtedly get amended. So you need to keep an eye on what is going on since there is a good chance they will switch prices or switch listing titles.

  57. I would love to be able to walk into a record store on September 25th and buy the Collectors edition alongside the Queen box and the Bowie box and try and carry them home!

  59. Do you think Amazon US will honour these prices? Sometimes they do (John Martyn, Rolling Stones), sometimes they don’t (John Martyn, Rolling Stones).

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