Final batch bonus EP tracklist

While Im still in a moaning mood lol
Over the 40 years of Queen,who has given them the biggest income? Is it the die hard fans whole buy everything the band ever release or is it the average man off the street who buys the odd greatest hits album cos he hears a song on the radio?
I would guess its the die hard fans,so therefore would it not make sense for QPL to actually release something the true fans want and then they can sit back n make another bucket load of money,
Ok rant over lol

Bob, you're right, people who are aimed at are people in the street and not 3 psychotic fans. But it seems to me that people in the street will buy the regular 1-cd releases. I must say that here in France, the two-cds sets are very hard to find. In Marseille, the two main stores didn't have any of these on the second batch (the first is different as they sold it with the box). Like the 2-cds releases are collector releases.So here's the problem, Universal and Queen are selling the 2-cds releases as Deluxe releases aimed to collectors.  I was quite pleased with the first two batches because it has some nice moments but the last batch is really really disappointing, especially when you know what is in the vaults. When I compare with Deluxe releases of others bands I like, the result is so miserable. Nirvana is going to release a mega box for the 20 years of Nevermind and here what we have:

http://musique.jeuxactu.com/news-nirvana-nevermind-reedite-pour-les-20-ans-de-l-album-7771.htm

I didn't expect the same for each Queen record but at least I wanted not having the feeling to be fooled.

I can't believe the list trotted out by GT as some kind of 'proof ' that this has been a good year for Queen fans. Hello? Read back over the list, which word keeps on appearing? Reissue, reissue, reissue... which probably would not upset me, but DON'T PROMISE US EXCITING THINGS and then maybe we won't be disappointed.

I would like to add another band as an example of how to do deluxe/bonus/expanded editions: U2. I have been checking out the reissues of their first five albums, and the bonus discs are superb, most of them clocking in at 60 mins or more, full of quality material which in some cases (IMHO) is as good as or better than the material on the original release. 

I must say I enjoyed the two-part documentary, and I am sure that the 'Stormtroopers' exhibition was very good but in regard to the latter, not all Queen fans reside in London, in England, or in Europe. A fat lot of good the 'Stormtroopers' exhibtion does me when I live 14,000 miles away.

pittrek wrote:

GT wrote: Please dont promise great things then deliver nothing.
Do you really think this hasn't been a good year? 

Stormtroopers in Stilettos exhibition,
GH 1 and 2 CD re-issues (Inc. Japan editions),
The first batch of 5 remastered studio albums on CD with bonus tracks (Inc. US and Japan editions),
Three Deep Cuts compilation CDs,
Stormtroopers and KYA RSD  7" singles,
The Platinum Collection CD re-issue,
The second batch of 5 remastered studio albums on CD with bonus tracks,
Japan Music Life 40 magazine,
Japan Music life exhibition,
Days Of Our Lives documentary,
The third batch of 5 remastered studio albums on CD with bonus tracks,
40 Years book,
A multitude of promo CDs, posters and box sets for collectors.  
? ? ?

Granted, a lot of this stuff might not appeal to all, but it's still been a busy year so far.
And you can't say that their hasn't been any previously unreleased tracks on the re-issued CDs.

I will probably be rude, but that's simply because I really feel so.

The exhibition - brilliant stuff
GH1 and 2 CD re-issues - useless crap
the remasters - useless crap, I bought them ONLY to get the bonus tracks, and they're NOT worth it
Deep Cuts compilations - 2 interesting songs
the new 7" singles - interesting, but nothing REALLY exciting
The Platinum Collection - useless crap
Japan Music Life 40 magazine - never heard about that, the same goes for the Japan exhibition
Days Of Our Lives documentary - brilliant stuff, but not enough John-related footage
40 years book - let's see what it will look like
promo CDs, posters and box sets ??? Huh ? What are you talking about ? Did I miss something ?

Sorry but you guys have done a lot of completely illogical decisions ? Why didn't we get a proper BBC sessions box set but only a completely random selection of songs from these sessions ? Why didn't you release EVERYTHING what Bob Harris' team filmed instead of using a small part of it in the documentary ? It WOULD sell GREAT !
What about releasing a box of incomplete concerts instead of putting random live songs on the CDs or online ?

Sorry if it sounds "aggressive" but I am absolutely disappointed (except the exhibition and the documentary)
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I fully agree, Peter. Don't forget: the exhibition was for a limited audience only, so it's only 'brilliant stuff' for those who witnessed it. Also, the exhibition included brilliant 70s footage, like Rainbow and Japan 1975. Will it ever be used for a release? Why do we always have to get on our knees for QP? Why can't they simply be more straight-forward instead of playing games with us? It's getting really tedious.

There will be excellent box sets of Pink Floyd and The Who in the near future - why can't the band Queen get the same treatment? Why does QP need to feed the general public all the time? I think the message came across - Queen is and was one of the greatest bands ever. Time to feed the fans, QP!

To use the line of 'Island records haven't issued these tracks before so that's why they are there' is laughable.

Island records also haven't released any of the real rarities, demos, live tracks that sit unreleased in the vaults either, so they could have put those on the bonus discs, and would have sold more CDs than they have already, because more fans would have bought them.  The only get out clause is if we are told that an anthology type series is actively planned, and therefore this is why this stuff was not issued this time around. 

The TV Documentary - but it has been made very clear in all the press that apart from being interviewed for it (and allowing archive access) the band/QPL had no input in the making of this, which explains why it was so good.

Exhibition - very good, and a new fresh idea and approach, but because it was put together by the same old people, silly, annoying mistakes were made as usual, and will continue to be on all product releases whilst QPL employ people with no real sense of perfection or eye for detail in what they do.

The rest of the stuff like GH and Platinum Collections? Pelase don't rubb our noses in it by adding these to a list of 'exciting' releases.

As a previous poster has said, it's not simply what is released, but the empty PR exercise of building up hype and promising exciting things in advance that just don't materialise.  Hence the huge publicity advertisign "deluxe" editions before the first batch, which was hastily revised simply to 'featuring a bonus CD" when it was realised that they were not at all' "deluxe" in the industry or public accepted definition of the term.

I'd like to see if Freddie's Will actually said in writing "do anything with my music but don't make it boring" cos someone would have a case to sue Jim Beach and other responsible!!

I'm glad that Magic and Miracle will be released without the bonus tracks plaguing the same disc. My only real complaint is concerning the album backcovers. Those bonus ep will in some ways ruin the artwork on the backcover. Just look at the Flash Gordon and News of the World. the artwork on the back has been ruined. (I havnt seen the Jazz 2011 release thou)

I fear that all but Innuendo, the back covers will be ruined

Where do I start?

GT - I don't know why you come on here and defend the releases, at the same time saying that the decisions aren't yours.

Your list of activity is laughable.  I watched and enjoyed the documentary, I've bought the record day singles (on eBay, as an ironic twist.  My local participating shops weren't given Queen stock).  That's it.

As for 'casual fans', 'men in the street' or 'masses' I don't think they will or are buying these albums.  As someone said, they are interested in Hits collections, as I am for the dozens of artists that I am a 'casual fan' of. 

Cheers!

To be fair, they can't just release everything in one year. I expect more interesting things will appear after the "catalogue year" is over.

In amongst a few anniversary celebration events (e.g Exhibition, Documentaries - both of which were great) the main focus this year is to get all the albums out on catalogue. We shouldn't be expecting a flood of rarities in the first year of a new contract.

That said, I am still disappointed with the bonus EPs. Not because of their content, but rather the lack of content. All the bonus EP material could have easily fitted onto the first disc.

What SHOULD have been, was all the B-Sides and Single versions on the first disc, and then a second disc with roughly 1 track per album track IMO.

Sir GH wrote:

...Not sure about Hyde Park and Rio.  Never heard any overdubs in those shows.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, Bob and all. As for Rio, it's not really an overdub, but Freddie's vocal is turned down almost to zero in HTF when his voice cracked, if I recall correctly, at the end of the " it's starting to fall" line. I remember recording the sound from TV on the original broadcast and noting that the official release had that litlle "fix" on his voice, whithout affecting the instrumental. Not sure exactly what that means, but I thought I might mention it to you.

Cheers,

Ogre-

GT wrote: I was going to try and answer most posts here, but thankfully Sir GH has put over the QPL side quite well.
It still amazes me how most of the people who are complaining here, still can't grasp the idea of these re-issues. This is a new record company, not EMI/Parlophone, so the tracks you are complaining about mostly, ie, the live tracks and 'B' sides have never been issued before by Island.
Just because The Miracle 'B' sides were all included on the 'Singles Collection' box sets (for EMI) then Island will want these tracks out on their catalogue too. That is regardless if you and I have just purchased the box sets, that is just unfortunate, these CD re-issues are new and contain unreleased tracks as far as Island are concerned.
The whole reason for having these re-issues out is to make money for the record company, so they have to appeal to the masses and not the collector's who want everything and more. These three batches of new studio CDs are not, and never were going to contain all rare and unreleased tracks, it's not an Anthology or a bonus EP of unreleased songs from the archive, but carefully chosen tracks that will appeal to the everyday person who wants to hear Queen at their best - the studio albums and original 'B' sides and highlights from their live shows.
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Couldn't agree more.

The inclusion of B-sides it's an obviuos choice. That said, I would have preferred the original My Life Has Been Saved in THE MIRACLE (after all, It's A Beautiful Day was included in THE GAME) and the inclusion of A Dozen Red Roses For My Darling and Blurred Vision in A KIND OF MAGIC. And where is A Kind Of 'A Kind Of Magic'?

But technicalities aside, that's what I -more or less- expected from the CD+CD EP reissues. Island Records is just trying to offer a 'fuller experience' to the new fans getting the old albums. Sure, a couple of further demos couldn't have hurt. But from a non-collector side, the familiar single version or a highlight from a common live release serve the purpose as well. The hook is there. And the same applies to the iTunes LP-exclusive videos.

Now, I am a little pissed off about the 'revision' of Jealousy from JAZZ - but that's another story...

Ma stiamo scherzando??? sono tutte versioni che già hanno tutti!!! ma dai!!!!

Den ganzen beschassenen Looden lo kaan mech baal ganz um Oarsch leecken!!! Alles Deppenflecker!

GT wrote: I was going to try and answer most posts here, but thankfully Sir GH has put over the QPL side quite well.
It still amazes me how most of the people who are complaining here, still can't grasp the idea of these re-issues. This is a new record company, not EMI/Parlophone, so the tracks you are complaining about mostly, ie, the live tracks and 'B' sides have never been issued before by Island.
Just because The Miracle 'B' sides were all included on the 'Singles Collection' box sets (for EMI) then Island will want these tracks out on their catalogue too. That is regardless if you and I have just purchased the box sets, that is just unfortunate, these CD re-issues are new and contain unreleased tracks as far as Island are concerned.
The whole reason for having these re-issues out is to make money for the record company, so they have to appeal to the masses and not the collector's who want everything and more. These three batches of new studio CDs are not, and never were going to contain all rare and unreleased tracks, it's not an Anthology or a bonus EP of unreleased songs from the archive, but carefully chosen tracks that will appeal to the everyday person who wants to hear Queen at their best - the studio albums and original 'B' sides and highlights from their live shows.
============
Actually, any good deluxes should contain B-sides. The idiotism of situation is in very EP format, in its 5-tracks limit.

Look at Black Sabbath, The Who, Rainbow deluxes, David Bowie's debut album deluxe edition and second album 40th Anniversary edition. Queen Productions could do it in the same way, but they didn't.

So I think Queen Productions should make deluxes as other bands do it, or don't call them "deluxe" at all. Because these reissues aren't Deluxe.

OTOH, and to be fair, there may be a Black Sabbath forum somewhere with Sabbath fans complaining about their 'shitty' deluxe editions, and saying 'look at the Queen reissues: they DO care about their fans!'

Sebastian wrote: OTOH, and to be fair, there may be a Black Sabbath forum somewhere with Sabbath fans complaining about their 'shitty' deluxe editions, and saying 'look at the Queen reissues: they DO care about their fans!'

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Yep, some of Black Sabbath deluxes ain't perfect too, especially Mob Rules, but the debut album, Ethernal Idol and Master of Reality is just a great deluxes. One (or sometimes even two) outtake of each song from album is what Queen Productions won't ever release.