And volume four is on the way!

Isn't it hilarious how GT and GB (sorry, Mr Archivist Man) don't give a flying toss about how much they disappoint and annoy the fans?

They're not worried in the slightest!  In MOST jobs these days if you were pissing off the client base to this degree you'd be facing the sack.  Not these guys!!  No!  They just callously tell us we're ''wrong'' (customer is ALWAYS right, chaps - haven't you heard that?!) and carry on their merry way!

What a joke!

Are Brian and Roger in agreement with these two monkeys?  If so, I'm not spending another single cent on any Queen related product ever.

... maybe in any psychiatric clinik?

inu-liger wrote:
First of all, it would help to know where exactly QPL base their office operations out of! Presumably in the UK of course, but WHERE exactly?! Anyone with privileged knowledge here regarding this?

Above is my answer ...

Neurotics build castles in the sky. Psychotics live in them. Psychiatrists collect the rent.
Interpret that as you may.

>Josef: What are you planning? To blow them up for their poor judgement over the years? :)

Anyway, how typical of QP to screw this release up by excluding Lost Opportunity and Mad the Swine..
At the start of these box-sets I gave them the benefit of the doubt and was pleased to see these b-sides get a proper release, but with the last box they screw it all up! The bastards

YourValentine wrote:

@Gary: you know I am not blaming you for the content of this box :-) But since you mention that this product was not meant for the "hardcore fans", please explain to me for whom it was actually meant - certainly not for the casual iTunes user? Who - if not a hardcore fan - would buy 4 boxes of old songs with some replica sleeves, no booklet and no extra for 160 euro total?
===================================

Precisely.  It was a strange statement.  Of course they're for hardcore fans and collectors.  Expensive, old and in a format that's annoying to actually play.  Who else would have any interest in that?

I don't really think this one is Greg's fault.  When I spoke to him, the plan he laid out to me was a 10 disc set with approximately 135-140 tracks.  It would cover all the B-sides, Extended Versions, and relevant single versions.  I think there was some artwork completed for it and talk of a 10 disc vinyl 7" special edition of selected singles for collectors, etc.  In terms of single versions/edits I think we were going to get a good sampling.  He did say that there wouldn't be 4 different versions of lets say Flick Of The Wrist because it's kind of ridiculous and a waste of room, which I can't really argue with.  I think he had a good idea in mind but it was lost in translation.

I think most fan's comments on here, saying they are not going to buy these box sets, confirms that these are not for the hardcore fans. And I presume you are all hardcore fans?

The boxes would appeal more to the casual collector, completist and general public, but of course there is always exception to the rule.
I, in the past have bought similar singles collections by other artists, but I wouldn't class myself as a hardcore fan of the boxes I bought, just a casual buyer of an artist I liked.

Actually, myself and GB do care considerably about the products we work on, but we can only suggest and put forward ideas of what could be made available.......I am a hardcore fan and collector, and have always been since 1975, so I care a lot.

If the band or management say no, then we have to work on ideas that they want to be released....end of story.

As you know the original 10 CD box set that was planned was shelved in favour of these smaller boxes instead, and so we and the team had to work on these instead of what myself and GB would have wanted. So it is not up to us what gets released and how the product should look. 

But I do understand fan's frustrations at not having the product they want released, I do feel the same sometimes. But it must have the approval of band and management first and foremost.

And the reason 'Mad The Swine' and 'Lost Opportunity' were left off the last box is because they were not on the original 7" vinyl..............which is what all these box sets are made from.

Well I seriously expected something like this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singles_Box - just look at the bonus tracks.

GT wrote: And the reason 'Mad The Swine' and 'Lost Opportunity' were left off the last box is because they were not on the original 7" vinyl..............which is what all these box sets are made from.

Well I don't want to start a new flamewar, but no, they're not. At least 8 of the 13 discs have DIFFERENT tracklist.

Well you should MAYBE write it was your ORIGINAL intention to "replicate" the original 7" singles :-)

Hi Pittrek,
The reason there is a lot of variations in the track listing for Box 4, is because there were a lot of duplicate tracks, so they had to be taken off.
That left us with two singles that would of had one track on, so we made those double A sides to get another single on them, just like in box 3 with 'Friends' and 'Princes'.

I really can't believe how much crap GT is putting up with in this forum.

He is NOT Greg Brooks (as far as I know!). I don't think he has been rude to any other forum member in the past, he replies to almost every post addressed to him and he has explained numerous times that he doesn't have a final say in what gets released.  Blame Jim Beach. Blame Brian and Roger.

Have you ever had to do something you didn't agree with 100% only because your bosses though it was the best way?
Have you ever had to justify your bosses or hide their real intentions from your clients?

What do we gain from having GT "accept" this release's "flawed logic"?

I'm sure he gives feedback to his superiors based on what he reads here and in QOL but they won't care as long as they are making a lot of money.

Wiley wrote: I really can't believe how much crap GT is putting up with in this forum.

(...)
Have you ever had to do something you didn't agree with 100% only because your bosses though it was the best way?
Have you ever had to justify your bosses or hide their real intentions from your clients?

(...)
I'm sure he gives feedback to his superiors based on what he reads here and in QOL but they won't care as long as they are making a lot of money.

***********

I agree 100%, as I find myself in such situations too many times.

As disappointed as I am with not only this Vol. 4, but with all this collection, I´m sure GT (and GB), as fans, may be disappointed too for not seeing aproved their initial idea (wich I see was created from a fan´s point of view and FOR the fans). 

So I cannot blame GT for any thing that it´s released. I´m surpised he has not given yet any response "ala" GB after receiving so much critizism. I can only blame Brian, Roger and Jim Beach. And (in Brian and Roger´s case, as I don´t give a damn about JB) it´s being painful, because my feelings towards them, after so many years of love and admiration, are starting to get re-directed into a (very) different direction.