| Voice of Reason 2018 03.09.2010 09:40 |
link I don't see I Was Born to Love You. Wasn't that number one in Japan or was that another urban myth? |
| pittrek 03.09.2010 10:31 |
Oops, that would mean we can expect 1) The Miracle 2) Innuendo 3) I'm Going Slightly Mad 4) Headlong 5) The Show Must Go On 6) Bohemian Rhapsody ???? WHY ???? 7) Heaven For Everyone 8) A Winter's Tale 9) Too Much Love Will Kill You 10) Let Me Live 11) You Don't Fool Me (which version ???) 12) No-one but you 13) Under Pressure (Rah Mix) (but which version ???) OK where are AOBTD with Wyclef Jean, WWRY with Five, WATC with Robbie, Flash with Vanguard, AOBTD with Annie Crummer, WWRY with the kids, WWRY with Pink & Beyonce & the third hooker, Solo Por Ti, AOBTD with you-know-who .... |
| Wiley 03.09.2010 10:41 |
pittrek wrote: OK where are AOBTD with Wyclef Jean, WWRY with Five, WATC with Robbie, Flash with Vanguard, AOBTD with Annie Crummer, WWRY with the kids, WWRY with Pink & Beyonce & the third hooker, Solo Por Ti, AOBTD with you-know-who .... -------------------- No, you didn't. :P |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 03.09.2010 10:47 |
I bet that I Was Born To Love You will be on one of the Made In Heaven era singles; kind of like how they did Princes Of The Universe with Friends Will Be Friends. It would work well with Too Much Love Will Kill You. |
| pittrek 03.09.2010 11:07 |
Wiley wrote: pittrek wrote: OK where are AOBTD with Wyclef Jean, WWRY with Five, WATC with Robbie, Flash with Vanguard, AOBTD with Annie Crummer, WWRY with the kids, WWRY with Pink & Beyonce & the third hooker, Solo Por Ti, AOBTD with you-know-who .... -------------------- No, you didn't. :P --------------------------- Well I don't LIKE them, but they definitely SHOULD be released on a singles collection, don't you think ? |
| dbruce 03.09.2010 15:25 |
pittrek wrote: Oops, that would mean we can expect 1) The Miracle 2) Innuendo 3) I'm Going Slightly Mad 4) Headlong 5) The Show Must Go On 6) Bohemian Rhapsody ???? WHY ???? 7) Heaven For Everyone 8) A Winter's Tale 9) Too Much Love Will Kill You 10) Let Me Live 11) You Don't Fool Me (which version ???) 12) No-one but you 13) Under Pressure (Rah Mix) (but which version ???) OK where are AOBTD with Wyclef Jean, WWRY with Five, WATC with Robbie, Flash with Vanguard, AOBTD with Annie Crummer, WWRY with the kids, WWRY with Pink & Beyonce & the third hooker, Solo Por Ti, AOBTD with you-know-who .... Don't we start running into B-side problems with this set? If memory serves then we're going to end up with a lot of repeats or remixes, especially towards the end of the set... 1) Stone Cold Crazy & My Melancholy Blues (live) 2) Bijou 3) Hitman / Lost Opportunity 4) Mad The Swine / All God's People 5) Keep Yourself Alive * ? 6) These Are The Days / Bo Rhap * 7) It's A Beautiful Day (full ver) 8) Thank God It's Christmas * / Rock In Rio Blues 9) We Will Rock You * / We Are The Champions * / Spread Your Wings * 10) Bicycle Race * / Fat Bottomed Girls * 11) Remixes? 12) Princes of the Universe * / Gimme the Prize (instrumental) / We Will Rock You (Rick Rubin's Remix) 13) Under Pressure (Knebworth Mix, Mike Spencer Mix) / Bohemian Rhapsody * / Thank God It's Christmas * Those with a * will have already appeared somewhere else in the Singles Boxes. I guess this is why I haven't bothered buying boxes 2 or 3 yet. |
| inu-liger 03.09.2010 15:28 |
Pittrek, these would not have made it onto the set because: WATC with Robbie WWRY with Pink & Beyonce & the third hooker ^ These were never commercially released as singles AOBTD with Annie Crummer Solo Por Ti ^These probably would not have charted high enough to count. Unless someone can prove me wrong! WWRY with the kids ^If you're referring to the Evian version, that would be because that in itself was a cover, even though they re-issued the original Queen version separately at the same time. It IS strange they didn't include the other definite top 40 singles 'AOBTD' (Wyclef & Miami Project remixes) & 'WWRY' 5ive + Queen, UNLESS they're gonna tack them onto the b-sides of NOBY and UP Rah Mix - which MIGHT make sense because those both had re-released classic tracks for the most part (and BohRap is already the exception with TATDOOL here). Until we get the confirmed tracklisting, we won't know until then for sure! |
| Wiley 03.09.2010 15:30 |
@pittrek: I was joking :) I do get your point and I guess you're right, but the previous boxes showed this is not an exhaustive collection. Before asking where the Annie Crummer single is I would question the absence of Liar, Long Away, It's Late, Mustapha, We Will Rock You (live), Jealousy, etc. I know some of these don't have picture sleeves, but... wouldn't you LOVE to have miniature generic Elektra sleeves and have the CD label be the butterfly/caterpillar label? :P They had to make Friends Will Be Friends and Princes of the Universe a double A side single, for Christ's sake. |
| Jam Monkey 03.09.2010 15:31 |
I haven't got any of these yet. I think I will one day, but it's alot of money to spend as I already have all the versions of the discs, it would just be a case of getting a few on CD instead of vinyl (Back Chat Single Version etc.) One day.... |
| A Word In Your Ear 03.09.2010 17:13 |
inu-liger wrote: WWRY with the kids ^If you're referring to the Evian version, that would be because that in itself was a cover, even though they re-issued the original Queen version separately at the same time. Didn't they use the Queen Backing Track? I think I can remember being it being confirmed by Jim Beach that it was. (or I did I dream it?) But I suppose that opens a whole new thread, as to what is Queen & what is not. Does it have to be actually be labled Queen, for it to be Queen? I don't know. " Flash" by Queen + Vanguard is Queen?, but Planet Perfecto's "Another One Bites The Dust" is not? both are remixes done in the same vain & Feature Sampled Queen. " Who wants to live forever" by Ian & Thingy (you know, that young girl) feature Brian, Roger & Deacy, (even surfaces on the DVD QGVH 2) but is it considered Queen? I would say the latter is more Queen than, say Hollywood records remix of Flash, but the remixed Flash appears on the Album, you get my point. So could somebody enlighten me as to what is considered to be Queen & What is not.............. |
| inu-liger 03.09.2010 17:35 |
Can we please not open that can of worms again? This has been a headache for most of us especially since 2004, and quite frankly enough is enough. It's all a matter of personal interpretation anyway, there is no right or wrong answer. And I'm pretty sure the Evian track used an original backing track, however I'll try and have a listen to it later on if I can find it again. |
| GT 04.09.2010 08:42 |
I don't know why you all seem to think that any Queen + singles are going to make it into this box 4. This is a Queen singles only project.......has been from the beginning and will be to the end. Compromises were made, as no repeats of tracks were ever going to be issued again, but I think the end result is excellent for what we could do. There was only one track that has been repeated in this final box, and I think most of you will know what that is going to be. And Adam is doing well with his guesses. |
| pittrek 04.09.2010 08:55 |
Thanks GT |
| brians wig 04.09.2010 09:09 |
Personally i can't wait for this to be finished. I guess once this is released it kinda closes the door on EMI and opens up the way for new releases from Universal. Hopefully none of us will be disappointed next year, even if it's just properly remastered albums coupled with a 5.1 surround mix of each and nothing else... |
| inu-liger 05.09.2010 02:22 |
GT wrote: I don't know why you all seem to think that any Queen + singles are going to make it into this box 4. This is a Queen singles only project.......has been from the beginning and will be to the end. Not to sound like an ass, but there's one problem with your logic already, and it can be found in collections 2 and 4: Under Pressure |
| Ramon Diaz 05.09.2010 08:58 |
IT'S OFFICIAL? IN BRIANMAY.COM AND QUEENONLINE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS ... |
| Ramon Diaz 05.09.2010 09:01 |
YES, IS A PROJECT "QUEEN" AND NOT "QUEEN+" BUT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT BOX SET OF QUEEN + ON THE FUTURE |
| GT 05.09.2010 11:11 |
Not to sound like an ass, but there's one problem with your logic already, and it can be found in collections 2 and 4: Under Pressure These are different versions and not the same track, so should legitimately be here.......like Now I'm Here is not the same as the live version and We Will Rock You is not the same as the live version. |
| inu-liger 05.09.2010 21:20 |
GT wrote: These are different versions and not the same track, so should legitimately be here.......like Now I'm Here is not the same as the live version and We Will Rock You is not the same as the live version.Did you just ignore the context of the inconsistency I was pointing out? You said that this was to be a Queen only boxset, BUT what I was pointing out was that your logic is inconsistently flawed already right there with the fact that Under Pressure, which features David Bowie as a collaborator (and therefore shares the same basis as every other Queen + collaboration ever made!) appears on sets 2 and 4 in their original and remixed versions respectively, which automatically nullifies that logic of yours. One more thing I should add: Whether you realize this too or not, but by saying that this is a "Queen only" project, you're also actually in a way encouraging a continuation of the Queen VS "Q+ isn't Queen" flamewars that have been ongoing for the last ten years, especially since the Q+PR project began in late 2004. There are a lot of us that are sick and tired of having this argument, quite honestly. |
| Vali 06.09.2010 05:25 |
... and the winners are: CD Single 1 1. The Miracle 2. Stone Cold Crazy (Live) CD Single 2 1. Innuendo 2. Bijou CD Single 3 1. I’m Going Slightly Mad 2. The Hitman CD Single 4 1. Headlong 2. All God’s People CD Single 5 1. The Show Must Go On 2. Queen Talks CD Single 6 1. Bohemian Rhapsody 2. These Are The Days Of Our Lives CD Single 7 1. Heaven For Everyone (Single Version) 2. It’s A Beautiful Day CD Single 8 1. A Winter’s Tale 2. Rock In Rio Blues CD Single 9 1. Too Much Love Will Kill You 2. I Was Born To Love You CD Single 10 1. Let Me Live 2. We Will Rock You (Live) 3. We Are The Champions (Live) CD Single 11 1. You Don’t Fool Me (Edit) 2. You Don’t Fool Me (Album Version) CD Single 12 1. No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young) 2. We Will Rock You (The Rick Rubin ‘Ruined’ Remix) 3. The Prize (Instrumental Remix for ‘The Eye’) CD Single 13 1. Under Pressure Rah Mix (Radio Edit) 2. Under Pressure (Mike Spencer Remix) 3. Under Pressure (Live At Knebworth) so .... we are not getting Mad The Swine, Lost Opportunity nor any of the BBC tracks originally included in the Let Me Live single. It's strange, as we have 3 tracks on CD Singles 12 & 13 and I think the above mentioned tracks could have found room in any of the other CDs ..... It's only my opinion, but I think omiting MTS and LO make this volume less appealing ... |
| GT 06.09.2010 05:31 |
Queen The Singles Collection Volume 4 – Final box set released October 18, 2010 The final volume in the massively impressive retrospective four box set, Queen: The Singles Collection 4, will be released October 18. The closing chapter to the entire history of Queen’s worldwide singles releases, Volume 4 tracks the band’s output through the latter years of 1989 to 1999. The 13 CD singles housed in this set complete the project to rediscover every one of Queen’s singles to have made the top 40 anywhere in the world, all replicated in faithful detail to their original form. Together, the four volume set offers over 100 tracks chronicling Queen’s extraordinary journey through the world-wide singles charts: from the very first single Keep Yourself Alive in 1973, to the very last single in 1999. And what a spectacular journey Queen made: no less than 14 out of the 16 A-sides in this set achieved top 10 chart positions worldwide. Added extras which are likely to be of particularly special interest are ‘Queen Talks’, (a collage of interview snippets from various band interviews randomly strung together for comical effect), live versions of Stone Cold Crazy recorded in London in 1974, and Rock In Rio Blues, a unique live concert recording from the ‘Rock In Rio’ festival in Brazil in 1985. The ten years covered here, 1989-1999, follow an especially eventful period in the band’s history. Queen began the period by delivering another No 1 album, ‘The Miracle’. It gave the band five UK chart singles of which the last to be released, the album title track which came in November 1989, opens this collection. Now, living under the shadow of Freddie’s increasingly failing health and other personal turmoils, times for the band were beginning to look increasingly uncertain. Yet, Queen remarkably found the means to reinforce their band unity – crediting the writing of all new songs to Queen rather than individual writers – and move forward to produce another strong album. By February 1991, under two years after the release of ‘The Miracle’, the band delivered their 14th and last band studio album made with Freddie, ‘Innuendo’. Freddie’s health concerns had obviously spurred the band on to channel whatever time was left into one of their most creative and accomplished periods. Brian May said: “I think more than anything, ‘Innuendo’ shows evidence of the four of us consciously trying to use each other to the maximum and writing together.” The title track became the band’s first No.1 single since Under Pressure a decade earlier, and was a grandiose masterwork of to rival Bohemian Rhapsody. Four further singles from the album followed, including the deliciously high camp, I’m Going Slightly Mad, and a song that was to become the one most often played in memory to Freddie, The Show Must Go On”, a song marked in history as the last released before Freddie’s death. “In retrospect it’s easy to view almost all the lyrics in light of Freddie’s demise,” wrote Q journalist Neil Jeffries, “but ‘Innuendo’ is anything but maudlin. It stands as the most complete and archetypal over-the-top Queen album perhaps since ‘Night At The Opera’ itself. And Freddie sings his heart out.” Freddie died later the same year, on November 24. Freddie’s death robbed the world of one of its greatest showmen and musical talents, but did not silence his voice. In his final days, Freddie, despite being very ill, had continued writing and recording whenever he could manage to do so. In the following four years after his passing, Brian, John and Roger set about reassembling the material that Freddie had left behind, some of it only fragments of uncompleted songs, but they would also complete the recordings of finished songs such as the painfully telling A Winter’s Tale, the very last song Freddie wrote. A Winter’s Tale was among ten tracks to make up Queen’s last studio based album, ‘Made In Heaven’, released in November 1995. Including a handful of live recordings and two hits compilations, it was Queen’s 20th album. ‘Made In Heaven’ showed Freddie in strong vocal form. Despite the obvious problematic conditions under which some of the material had been recorded, the album had a sense of celebration about it. Bookended with the ethereal It’s A Beautiful Day, the album had a warmth about it which over-rode any risk of this being a gloom-laden ‘tribute’ to the band’s former leader. The album was launched with the single Heaven For Everyone, a song which had first appeared on Roger Taylor’s The Cross ‘Shove It’ album and to which in 1987 Freddie had contributed the vocal. This reworking of the track gave the band a No.2 single in the UK and a top ten single around the world. The album itself would top the charts across the world becoming one of their biggest selling albums. Freddie’s swansong composition A Winter’s Tale provided a second hit single from the album as a special seasonal Christmas release in December 1995. Brian May’s Too Much Love Will Kill You, a song May had originally recorded himself on his 1992 ‘Back To the Light’ album, but here delivered by Freddie digging deep into his emotions, produced the album’s third top 20 hit , and earned Brian May and his co-writers an Ivor Novello award for both music and lyrics. Another note of interest in this box set is the inclusion of two further double A-sided singles – the first was in Box 3. Too Much Love Will Kill You backed with Queen’s reworking of Freddie’s 1985 solo track I Was Born To Love You, which became a band No.1 hit in Japan in 2004, eight years after its original release. The other double-A is Let Me Live, with lead vocals shared by Freddie, Brian and Roger, which gave the band a top 10 single in the UK, backed with live versions of ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘We Are The Champions’ from the ‘Live At Wembley ‘86’ album – a hit in Holland in 1992 and released as a single in its own right. ‘Made In Heaven’ eventually delivered the band five hit singles. The last, released a year after the album, in November 1996, was the album’s most playful track, You Don’t Fool Me – a hypnotic dance floor groove which became a massive Euro club hit. The track continues to be one of Queen’s most regularly remixed tracks, even today. The CD single included here pairs the single edit version with the original album version. Going against the premise that the 4 box set compilation should not duplicate any song, an exception was made to include again in volume 4 Bohemian Rhapsody, included in this volume for the reason of historical context. Here the track features as one side of the double-A sided single released in 1991 with These Are The Days Of Our Lives after Freddie’s death and issued as a charity single to raise funds to support HIV AIDS, the cause behind Freddie’s passing. The single returned the band to No. 1 in the UK and throughout the world, and from the proceeds Queen donated a million pounds to the Terence Higgins Trust. The rest of the proceeds flowed to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the HIV AIDS charity set up by Queen in Freddie’s name, which continues to this day to support AIDS projects world-wide. The remaining members of Queen returned to the studio to record together for one last time in 1997 for what would be their final band single: No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young. The song had been written by Brian as a direct tribute to Freddie, inspired by the inauguration of the statue erected in is honour in Montreux, Switzerland, and Brian had recorded it as a solo track. However, Roger, on hearing the track, persuaded Brian that the song would make a worthy Queen recording, a collective tribute to Freddie. It remains the only Queen track ever released without Freddie. Released in the UK in January 1998 as a double A-side with Tie Your Mother Down, this single was also the flagship for the compilation album QUEEN ROCKS – a collection of the harder Queen rock tracks over the years. This final recording re |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 06.09.2010 08:18 |
And the losers are.. the rest of us... So after slightly defending this collection from the start; I really don't have a leg to stand on anymore. The lack of Mad The Swine, Lost Opportunity, and My Melancholy Blues (Live) is absolutely stupid. |
| Vali 06.09.2010 08:51 |
Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) wrote: And the losers are.. the rest of us... So after slightly defending this collection from the start; I really don't have a leg to stand on anymore. The lack of Mad The Swine, Lost Opportunity, and My Melancholy Blues (Live) is absolutely stupid. / / / / / / I agree 100%, Adam |
| Voice of Reason 2018 06.09.2010 08:53 |
You're right Adam. I don't normally get to break news on this site - the funny thing is I was looking on CDwow for a Mexican Spanish phrasebook when I had a little look at Queen as well and saw the release. Anyway - I ordered it straightaway (the book, not the singles collection). I meant to tell you - I'm heading to Mexico on 1 October for my holidays! Hola todos mes amigos Mexicanos! |
| Negative Creep 06.09.2010 09:23 |
What a load of shit. And to think someone involved in this rubbish actually posts about it on here! |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 06.09.2010 09:28 |
To be fair, who knows how much final say Gary or Greg had; I do not want this to be a personal slam on them at all. I talked to Greg on the phone about the singles boxes 2 or 3 years ago, offering some advice and some takes on what could be done. He was very nice and receptive to what I was saying; a great conversation really. I have had very minimal interaction with Gary, but he was always very nice as well. I do stand behind my opinion of the product however. |
| brians wig 06.09.2010 10:00 |
So they've included "Queen Talks", but missed out two 'proper' B Sides: Mad The Swine & Lost Opportunity? This just proves once and for all that whoever had the final say in these sets is a fucking idiot. Yes I swore. Get over it. |
| Mr. Bed Guy 06.09.2010 10:04 |
I have the first three volumes, but I won't buy this one! It's absolutely not interesting, no specials, no rarities and I've already got all the original 5' singles...... like most of us (perhaps except The Miracle single CD)........ very very weak........... |
| pittrek 06.09.2010 10:32 |
Sorry, double post |
| pittrek 06.09.2010 10:33 |
Vali wrote: ... and the winners are: CD Single 1 1. The Miracle 2. Stone Cold Crazy (Live) CD Single 2 1. Innuendo 2. Bijou CD Single 3 1. I’m Going Slightly Mad 2. The Hitman CD Single 4 1. Headlong 2. All God’s People CD Single 5 1. The Show Must Go On 2. Queen Talks CD Single 6 1. Bohemian Rhapsody 2. These Are The Days Of Our Lives CD Single 7 1. Heaven For Everyone (Single Version) 2. It’s A Beautiful Day CD Single 8 1. A Winter’s Tale 2. Rock In Rio Blues CD Single 9 1. Too Much Love Will Kill You 2. I Was Born To Love You CD Single 10 1. Let Me Live 2. We Will Rock You (Live) 3. We Are The Champions (Live) CD Single 11 1. You Don’t Fool Me (Edit) 2. You Don’t Fool Me (Album Version) CD Single 12 1. No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young) 2. We Will Rock You (The Rick Rubin ‘Ruined’ Remix) 3. The Prize (Instrumental Remix for ‘The Eye’) CD Single 13 1. Under Pressure Rah Mix (Radio Edit) 2. Under Pressure (Mike Spencer Remix) 3. Under Pressure (Live At Knebworth) so .... we are not getting Mad The Swine, Lost Opportunity nor any of the BBC tracks originally included in the Let Me Live single. It's strange, as we have 3 tracks on CD Singles 12 & 13 and I think the above mentioned tracks could have found room in any of the other CDs ..... It's only my opinion, but I think omiting MTS and LO make this volume less appealing ...Well if I check the original 7" singles, I would expect this : CD 1 The Miracle Stone Cold Crazy (live at the Rainbow) CD 2 Innuendo Bijou CD 3 I'm Going Slightly Mad The Hitman CD 4 Headlong All God's People CD 5 The Show Must Go On Keep Yourself Alive CD 6 Bohemian Rhapsody These Are The Days Of Our Lives CD 7 wasn't released as normal 7" single (at least according to Queenpedia, so if we take the 7" promo, we get Heaven For Everyone (single edit) Heaven For Everyone CD 8 A Winters Tale Thank God It's Christmas CD 9 Too Much Love Will Kill You We Will Rock You We Are The Champions CD 10 Let Me Live Fat Bottomed Girls Bicycle Race CD 11 again no UK 7" single is known, so if we take e.g. the cassette single, we would get this You Don't Fool Me You Don't Fool Me (Dancing Divaz Club Mix) For a complete list of released singles / song versions check this site : link CD 12 No-one but you (Only The Good Die Young) We Will Rock You (Ruined by Rick Rubin) Tie Your Mother Down (single edit) Gimme The Prize (instrumental remix) CD 13 Under Pressure (Rah Mix) Bohemian Rhapsody OK so WHERE'S THE LOGIC ? It has been said numerous times, that these single collections will include "replicas" (sorry if it's an incorrect term) of the original UK 7" singles. Just for this one box, 8 of 13 CDs will have a DIFFERENT tracklist compared to the original 7" releases. I took the information from Queenpedia, so if the tracklists there are incorrect, not my fault. I am SERIOUSLY trying to find the "internal logic" of these releases since the time that "vol. 1" was released, but I still fail to find some. Just when I think I got it, a new box comes out and ruins my nice theory :-) I still feel that the "internal logic" is to take some random 13 singles, change the tracks randomly, put them to a crappy box and try to find out why are they not selling well. GT don't get me wrong, I have bought all 3 previous boxes and I WILL buy this one, but just for the feeling I have it complete. I'm not looking forward to it, I'm not "excited", as BB King said "the thrill is gone". These singles SOUND GOOD and LOOK GOOD. But with a band like Queen, they're really below their standard. |
| Voice of Reason 2018 06.09.2010 11:46 |
We heard you the first time Pittrek! |
| GT 06.09.2010 14:29 |
Thanks guys for the comments....they are always welcome and make good reading. We knew from the outset of this project that the last box was going to be a difficult set to compile, but I think what we came up with was a good compromise.....because that is what we had to do. The first two box sets were easy as they replicated the original track listing of the original 7" singles that they represented, and as I have said time and time again, that is what these box sets were designed to do. By the time the 3rd box came about we were then into 'repeat track' territory because of the nature of what was issued on the original 7" singles. It was decided from the start that no tracks would be repeated as we would then have two and sometimes three songs of the same title throughout the series. So when the repeat tracks came up we then had to offer an alternative. The only obvious solution in the last box for 'Who Wants To Live Forever' was 'Forever' from the 12" single, as there was no other alternative. In this box set 4 it was obvious that all the repeat tracks had to be replaced by tracks that were appropriate to the release at the time. As most were released as a 7", it was easy to replicate if the 'b' side was not a repeat track. When it was, and needed an alternative then we then had to go into 12", and now CD, territory again. 'My Melancholy Blues' was not on the 7" so why recreate it on the CD? 'Queen Talks' was the obvious 'b' side for 'The Show Must Go On', and to not repeat 'Bo Rhap' with 'These Are The Days' would of been odd, as it was a double A side and a pinnacle release in their career. This was explained in the product info. For 'A Winter's Tale' the obvious and non repeat track was what we chose, in 'Rock In Rio Blues'. For 'Too Much Love' it tied in nicely to make this the 2nd Double A side in this series and couple it with 'I Was Born To Love You', as both these singles when released offered no extra tracks without repeating. 'Let Me Live' was a difficult one as again no alternative was available, so as we didn't want to leave out a genuine top 40 single in 'We Will Rock You (live)' and 'We Are The Champions (live)', it was decided that this would be a 3rd Double A side. For the 'No One But You' and 'Under Pressure' CD's, we just took out the repeat tracks and kept what was also released on the CD single. I think that this was a good compromise, because we had to, and all fits in well with the 13 CD's in each box rule. Every Top 40 hit was covered, which was the initial premise, and some good sleeves were chosen to give the box an international feel, and not just recreate the UK covers. There was no rule that the CD's could only have two tracks on, especially if the 7" had more than two, which was then recreated for this series. This was never going to be a popular product with 'hardcore' fans, and some decisions were not going to be agreed by everyone. We could of just recreated the 7" singles only, which would of meant leaving some of the non 7" singles out of the series, but would of looked a bit odd, especially in the last box. |
| Darren1977 06.09.2010 16:35 |
I t would have been far better to have released these box sets on 7" vinyl or as individual cd singles, so the fans could buy the ones they wanted etc. Just an idea. Something like the Michael Jackson and Elvis sets from a few years ago |
| Vali 06.09.2010 17:34 |
GT wrote: This was never going to be a popular product with 'hardcore' fans ... - - - - - - Gary, many tks for your comments here, one more time. Like it or not, it's good having something like you sharing information / providing explanations from the inside. Regarding your comment cited above ... Well .... we've been waiting so long for a product to be popular with hardcore fans .... I believe right now many, many (most) of us are really tired . I'm sorry, but it's the way I feel and I guess many people here or at the QOL Forum will agree. Years go by and we don't see any concession for the hardcore fans. Not a single one. I looked at the 40th Anniversary and the new contract with Universal full of hopes, but now I'm expecting very little. Yes, maybe the Joe public will be happy once again. With Queen, they're always the winners, not us. |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 03:19 |
GT, I'm still waiting for your response to my criticism about your flawed "Queen only" logic... |
| GT 07.09.2010 04:19 |
GT wrote: I don't know why you all seem to think that any Queen + singles are going to make it into this box 4.This is a Queen singles only project.......has been from the beginning and will be to the end. Not to sound like an ass, but there's one problem with your logic already, and it can be found in collections 2 and 4: Under Pressure Hi Inu, I think most people here will agree that Under Pressure was always a Queen single, first and foremost, and not a Queen + project that came about after Freddie's death. So to include this track in box 1 and then include the remix of this track as the last Queen single in box 4 was justified. |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 04:55 |
GT wrote: Hi Inu, I think most people here will agree that Under Pressure was always a Queen single, first and foremost, and not a Queen + project that came about after Freddie's death. So to include this track in box 1 and then include the remix of this track as the last Queen single in box 4 was justified. I can kinda understand where you're coming from. But however Gary, and call me being very very technical here, the matter of the fact is, the remix of UP was billed as "Queen +", and you said there were to be "no Queen +" singles included in these sets, which therefore WOULD disqualify the remix of UP in itself - in theory based on your logic. Am I not right in a way? Also, one other thing to note: the UP remix was done itself in order to promote a Queen + project, in that being "Greatest Hits III" which also incidentally featured a few "Queen +" tracks along with 'classic Queen' and solo tracks. In any case, so what does QPL plan to do about the rest of the hit singles not included in these sets? Will there be a 5th set of just 'Queen +' singles?? I think that would certainly right a very nastily flawed wrong now wouldn't it? |
| maxpower 07.09.2010 05:46 |
Well I wont be buying it (I haven't bought any of the other versions) it's a con again. The only place where you can actually have Lost Opportunity and Mad The Swine was on those singles in 1991 hence why I bought them, so not to include them if if this the actual line up isn't very fair. |
| GT 07.09.2010 05:53 |
Well the Rah mix was a remix of the original single and was not a new recording. And yes it was part of the first Queen + banner but also their last hit single as Queen, so should be included. There are no more hit singles to cover, so there wont be a 5th box. |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 06:12 |
GT wrote: Well the Rah mix was a remix of the original single and was not a new recording. And yes it was part of the first Queen + banner but also their last hit single as Queen, so should be included. There are no more hit singles to cover, so there wont be a 5th box. That is an outright lie right there, as far as I'm concerned! You're surely not forgetting, amongst other top 40 charting singles (mostly remixes, but hey UP Rah Mix also falls into this category!), the no. 1 charting remake of "We Will Rock You" done with Five in 2000! You've also forgotten the no. 1 charting "Five Live EP" with George Michael. I am outraged. This project is a fucking sham designed to add fuel to the flamewars. If your boxset was designed to follow so-called "classic Queen line-up only" logic, then you should have never added 'No-One But You' to the set as well! |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 06:23 |
That being said, would also like to draw your attention over to the QOL forums. They're pretty pissed about this major fuck-up of a last boxset as well: http://www.queenonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=396&start=90 |
| Holly2003 07.09.2010 06:37 |
inu-liger wrote: GT wrote: Well the Rah mix was a remix of the original single and was not a new recording. And yes it was part of the first Queen + banner but also their last hit single as Queen, so should be included. There are no more hit singles to cover, so there wont be a 5th box. That is an outright lie right there, as far as I'm concerned! You're surely not forgetting, amongst other top 40 charting singles (mostly remixes, but hey UP Rah Mix also falls into this category!), the no. 1 charting remake of "We Will Rock You" done with Five in 2000! You've also forgotten the no. 1 charting "Five Live EP" with George Michael. I am outraged. This project is a fucking sham designed to add fuel to the flamewars. If your boxset was designed to follow so-called "classic Queen line-up only" logic, then you should have never added 'No-One But You' to the set as well! If Brian, Roger & John equal Queen in your books, then surely Brian and Roger equal Queen as well, no?? =============================================================================== Young padawan, don't you know most Queen releases these days are driven by the following reasoning: lowest common denominator least possible effort widest possible audience biggest possible sales All other considerations are for idiot fans who use terms like 'CDs' instead of 'units,' and 'musical integrity' instead of 'profit margins'. |
| GT 07.09.2010 06:46 |
Actually it was George Michael and Queen and Five + Queen, so they were not actual official Queen only singles. We can go on forever stating what is right and wrong, but the decision for everything lies with the band. If they would of said yes include the 'Five Live' single, then it would of been included. |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 06:50 |
*head desk* Queen Productions Ltd. as a whole should earn a permanent glorified place on Failblog.org |
| pittrek 07.09.2010 07:07 |
Please leave the poor guy alone :-) I seriously DOUBT that HE is responsible for the tracklist.... |
| cmsdrums 07.09.2010 07:09 |
GT wrote: Well the Rah mix was a remix of the original single and was not a new recording. And yes it was part of the first Queen + banner but also their last hit single as Queen, so should be included. There are no more hit singles to cover, so there wont be a 5th box. I think that calling the Rah Mix just a remix is not doing it justice. Yes, there are elements of the original recordings there, but unless my ears are playing tricks there are also big swathes of newly recorded material and revived outtakes - new drum parts (prgrammed and Roger played fills), loads of new guitar, new vocals lines at the start from Freddie, and possibly others parts too. I'd say it's more a re-recording than a remix. Whether it belongs there as a "hit" as you say GT) is open to debate |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 07:11 |
I know that, pittrek. But it pisses me off when people beat around the bush instead of acknowledging my criticisms when presented with the evidence that goes contrary to what they say. Really, would it cost you your job just to say "Yes, you're absolutely right, however I didn't decide the tracklist, so please don't lay the blame on me"?? |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 07:13 |
cmsdrums wrote: Whether it belongs there as a "hit" as you say GT) is open to debate Technically speaking it WAS a hit, hit the top 20 at the very least IIRC in the UK. |
| Negative Creep 07.09.2010 07:20 |
Isn't it really fucking annoying when someone repeatedly writes (and probably says in real life) "would of" instead of "would HAVE"??! |
| YourValentine 07.09.2010 07:56 |
There is simply no excuse for leaving out "Lost Opportunity" and "Mad The Swine". Being a completist by nature it will be very hard for me not to buy vol 4 after I bought vols 1-3. I am seriously considering to sell the first 3 volumes. @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? |
| cmsdrums 07.09.2010 08:21 |
Negative Creep wrote: Isn't it really fucking annoying when someone repeatedly writes (and probably says in real life) "would of" instead of "would HAVE"??! I agree!!!! |
| vadenuez 07.09.2010 14:28 |
YourValentine wrote: There is simply no excuse for leaving out "Lost Opportunity" ========== Lost Opportunity wasn't left out. It IS included. It's the main concept that surrounds these releases. |
| inu-liger 07.09.2010 14:45 |
vadenuez wrote: YourValentine wrote: There is simply no excuse for leaving out "Lost Opportunity" ========== Lost Opportunity wasn't left out. It IS included. It's the main concept that surrounds these releases. Where, good sir, do you see Lost Opportunity on the announced track list? Most of us don't see it listed there, hence our bitching. |
| The Real Wizard 07.09.2010 23:15 |
Read the comment again Inu, a bit more carefully. Think language, not the song. |
| inu-liger 08.09.2010 01:45 |
Sir GH wrote: Read the comment again Inu, a bit more carefully. Think language, not the song. Oh DING! I obviously wasn't in a clear state of mind when I was writing that (must've been very tired when I was commenting on that, I think first thing this morning!) Wow, that's hilarious now that I think about it! xD |
| QOL Mab 08.09.2010 04:56 |
GT wrote: 'My Melancholy Blues' was not on the 7" so why recreate it on the CD? Err, to make the set attractive and good value for the fans? Oh, sorry, I forgot. That's not a good reason to do something in the language of QPL, is it? |
| inu-liger 08.09.2010 04:58 |
Welcome to QZ Mab :-) |
| QOL Mab 08.09.2010 04:59 |
inu-liger wrote: Welcome to QZ Mab :-) I tried to register as ''mab'' but it wouldn't let me! Said name was taken! |
| QOL Mab 08.09.2010 05:04 |
Can we have some kind of coup? Seriously. Time for some new leaders at QPL. GT- you really should get into politics. I've never heard such illogical ramblings in defence of something outside a government enquiry. Incredible talent you have there. |
| inu-liger 08.09.2010 05:21 |
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? |
| QOL Mab 08.09.2010 05:31 |
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. |
| jozef 08.09.2010 05:33 |
... maybe in any psychiatric clinik? |
| jozef 08.09.2010 05:39 |
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 ... |
| inu-liger 08.09.2010 05:44 |
Neurotics build castles in the sky. Psychotics live in them. Psychiatrists collect the rent. Interpret that as you may. |
| Dane 08.09.2010 06:05 |
>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 |
| GratefulFan 08.09.2010 07:19 |
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? |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 08.09.2010 08:20 |
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. |
| GT 08.09.2010 08:32 |
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. |
| GT 08.09.2010 08:42 |
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. |
| GT 08.09.2010 08:47 |
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. |
| pittrek 08.09.2010 08:59 |
Well I seriously expected something like this : link - just look at the bonus tracks. |
| pittrek 08.09.2010 09:01 |
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 :-) |
| GT 08.09.2010 09:16 |
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'. |
| Wiley 08.09.2010 09:48 |
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. |
| Vali 08.09.2010 10:24 |
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. |
| cmsdrums 08.09.2010 14:18 |
As much as the missing Lost Opportunity and Mad The Swine have pushed me to the edge, I'm going to give one last bit of benefit of the doubt to QPL, and pray that when they decided on the format of these boxes that they already had it in mind that they would be leaving EMI awhen their deal expired, and so scaled it down with the anticipation that the 'money shot' of the 12" singles, demos, remizes, outtakes etc...would follow on when the new deal was in place. We'll see.......................... |
| Pim Derks 08.09.2010 15:49 |
It's a shame that stuff like Mad The Swine and Lost Opportunity gets left of, while tracklists like the Let Me Live one are 'made up'. I wonder who these sets are made for: not us as fans/collectors and not for the general public either it seems...? I only have the first boxset and while I think the design of the box itself is hideous, the packaging of the discs themselves is great (shame about not using the original labels though). I will buy the remaining boxes sometimes, as I still want to complete my collection... I even bought Absolute Greatest last week for a fiver ;) |
| QOL Mab 08.09.2010 18:35 |
GT, just be honest here. The reason you keep crapping on with as to why MTS and LO were off is a shit, pathetic reason that no one gives a crap about. We all wanted MTS and LO on Headlong and Slightly Mad respectively - as you very well know. Not giving us those tracks (especially whilst conjuring up tracklists on other discs) is nothing but a slap in the face to the fans. And you REALLY think casual fans/joe public are buying this?! Dream on mate! You and GB HAVE NOT done the best you could do here - and I suspect you know that. But you had to follow the QPL policy of giving the fans fuck all as usual, and in that at least you have been highly successful. Well done. AND, YOU TOTAL FOOL, THE REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BUY THEM IS NOT COS THEY ARE NOT FOR THE SERIOUS FAN BUT PURELY BECAUSE YOU HAVE FAILED TO MAKE THEM EVEN 1/10th AS GOOD AS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN - ESPECIALLY ON THE FINAL SET. Can you PLEASE answer THIS question: why are you not at all alarmed by the degree of disappoint shown by the band's most fervent fans here? Why are Queen not alarmed by this? You have clearly reached a level of collective arrogance whereby you all (that's you, GB, BM and RT and of course JB) consider yourselves invincible. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE HARD OF THINKING: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. And you, GT, are wrong. |
| tcc 09.09.2010 00:12 |
@QOL Mab The good thing about your post is that you show that you still care for the band. However, please bear in mind that GT is just a messenger. He has said many times that the band decides what to do. |
| cmsdrums 09.09.2010 02:50 |
tcc wrote: @QOL Mab The good thing about your post is that you show that you still care for the band. However, please bear in mind that GT is just a messenger. He has said many times that the band decides what to do. Indeed. I think nearly of us here are appreciative of GT's input, which is always well meaning, informative and honest. We may not always agree with all his points and the reasons for them, and he doesn't fly off the handle as soon as we disagree with him. it is ultimately Brian, Jim Beach and Roger in complete control of content and output. but I think we have gained more sensible feedback from GT in a short time than we have from GB over many years. |
| YourValentine 09.09.2010 10:08 |
There is no need to attack Gary. It's not his decision how the singles box was compiled. He has never been anything but friendly, generous and helpful in any way. Gary is one of the people you can always ask for details, he is one the most knowledgable fans I have ever met. He is also very kind in every respect in real life and it's digusting that people here act out their frustration by insulting Gary. |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 09.09.2010 10:42 |
Agreed Barb. |
| john bodega 09.09.2010 11:51 |
Yawn. The 3rd Greatest Hits DVD is more important than this - quit crying over the memories, Bri, and get that thing into shops already. Do us a favour though and make it a 2 disc affair - the first disc can be all of the actual Queen stuff, the 2nd disc can be all of the Queen+ bullshit, the utterly worthless MIH videos (anyone remember the one for You Don't Fool Me? Christ ...) and whatever else you want to collect royalties on. Reserve the first disc for the good stuff. And the Making-Of's. |
| Benn 09.09.2010 11:52 |
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with both Barb and Adam on this - GT has virtually always responded to questions in a polite and courteous manner and pretty much answers the question. This is in direct contrast to his cohort Greggy Boy. I DO have a problem though with their pointing out to us that their original plan was the 10-CD set bla-de-blah. If they were so certain that their plan was the best thing to do in terms of catering for the people that actually give a shit these days, why on earth do / did they lend their taklents to supporting the release of these pathetic money-grabbing attempts at re-polishing a turd (not the music - the GH concept)? Surely, if they had the courage of their convictions, they would have walked away whent hey saw what the band and QPL had so brilliantly conceived.......... |
| Wiley 09.09.2010 11:52 |
I agree with Barbara's comment. It's really sad that some people attack one the good guys. Like cmsdrums said: "... we have gained more sensible feedback from GT in a short time than we have from GB over many years". |
| Wiley 09.09.2010 11:56 |
Don't know about you Benn but I'd rather keep my dream job, working with my musical idols, than splitting over "creative differences". There are surely many projects to follow after this one: some will be good, some will be bad, but I would want to be there if I were GT. I wouldn't quit in a million years. |
| rhyeking 09.09.2010 12:02 |
Yes, well said. As I've said, I think the contents of the Singles Collections miss their mark and because of the cost, I chose not to buy them. If I ever see them cheap (used or on sale) I might pick them up. I categorize them in the column: Queen-Related Things I Don't Need - Singles Boxes - Crown Jewels Boxed Set - Ultimate Queen Boxed Set - The Complete Works Boxed Set - Japanese Mini LP CDs - The Queen Collection Boxed Set - Box Of Trix - The UK & Japanese 3" Singles Sets - The Platinum Collection - The Remastered LP Re-issues - Freddie Mercury Action Figure - Many of the biographies out there I don't ever fault Queen for issuing any of these, though. I'm interested in the music, not the format. If I have the song or version already, I'm just not too interested. Getting a better version (remastered) might be a deciding factor, which is why Greg's original plan for 10 discs containing a lot of alternate versions was appealing, but it didn't happen. Oh well. |
| Benn 09.09.2010 15:24 |
Wiley, re: >>Don't know about you Benn but I'd rather keep my dream job, working with my musical idols, than splitting over "creative differences". I've had some experience of this and, let me tell you, you get to KNOW your idols as an "employee" and you are treated as such. >>There are surely many projects to follow after this one: some will be good, some will be bad, but I would want to be there if I were GT. I wouldn't quit in a million years. Well, there's the difference - because if it were me in this case - I'd tell them to find someone else. And, if what we read here to be true from other threads, suggestions have been made to these "idols" on numerous occasions, only to have either been completely ignored or havehalf a job done. As fo the many more projects......no one will give a shit in 10 years time when they eventually see the light. |
| QOL Mab 10.09.2010 01:09 |
The reality here is that Queen need to stop waiting and either release all the stuff the fans desperately want or issue a statement along these lines: ''Some of you will have been disappointed by the exclusion of Mad The Swine and Lost Opportunity from the recent Singles Collections Volume 4 release. We do not have any plans to issue any rare material in the foreseeable future and this includes the forthcoming reissues on Universal. Please understand that this is a decision that we are comfortable with and we do not intend to reconsider this at the present time. The reissues on Universal will feature extensive new liner notes by Rhys Thomas but the tracklistings will remain as they are and will not feature bonus material.'' At least this would mean that we didn't bother getting our hopes up in future - but they won't even do that much for us! |
| QOL Mab 10.09.2010 01:12 |
YourValentine wrote: There is no need to attack Gary. It's not his decision how the singles box was compiled. He has never been anything but friendly, generous and helpful in any way. Gary is one of the people you can always ask for details, he is one the most knowledgable fans I have ever met. He is also very kind in every respect in real life and it's digusting that people here act out their frustration by insulting Gary. Mmm. He is defending the project though and giving nonsensical reasons for the decisions made. I would have more respect for him if he held his hand up and said ''do you know what? These sets are very poor value and the tracklisting on the fourth set is ridiculous. I'm sorry but there was nothing I could do about it''. |
| GT 10.09.2010 01:25 |
I hold my hands up....... And I honestly think these box sets are really good. The track listing may not always be as the original 7" singles, especially on the fourth box, because as you know we didn't want any duplicates, apart from Bo Rhap, which deserved it. But yes, they are great....I think Richard Gray also did a superb job on the covers and box themselves, and the sound guys done a superb job on the audio. And that is what I, and many others think. But people only want to hear and talk about any negative points. |
| pittrek 10.09.2010 02:06 |
I must admit that most of them sound GREAT (unlike the songs on Absolute Greatest, which sound terrible, especially BoRhap), I can't agree about the box. The boxes can get damaged VERY easily, especially the corners |
| tero! 48531 10.09.2010 03:00 |
Dear GT... I've copied my message from the topic at QOL, where we were asked what was wrong with box vol. 4. I hope you can answer this. First of all, I realise the arbitrary starting point of the series: a replica collection of the 7" singles that were #40 hits around the world. - - - Vol. 4 a) An exception to the no repeats rule with Bohemian Rhapsody, but why? Why not create another made up pairing of These Are The Days Of Our Lives with Lost Opportunity? You have a genuine release (the double A-side), a unique cover (the US version), and a rare b-side track. What could be a better release... Surely not a repeat of Bohemian Rhapsody with the standard Queen crest! b) If you want to include the WWRY/WATC live versions (which is again more than fair), why not pair them up with You Don't Fool Me instead of Let Me Live? You didn't want to include the remixes, and you might just as well have left out the album version and left some space on the Let Me Live single for the final b-side... You had a genuine single (Let Me Live) with a slight b-side issue and a terrific, uncommon picture of the band from 1973. What would have been a better place to put a b-side track from 1973 (Mad The Swine)? c) The last single of the set wasn't modeled after the 7" disc, which is fine because we got more content. But if you absolutely wanted to repeat Bohemian Rhapsody, why not put it as the last song of the series on this disc? "The Song Of The Millennium" and all that jive that was written on that release... To sum it all up... Yes, we know you made up arbitrary rules for the series two years ago, and left out some good material because of it. What's worse is that you broke those arbitrary rules for the last installment, and made the product worse for the customers. That's unforgivable. |
| QOL Mab 10.09.2010 03:23 |
GT wrote: I hold my hands up....... And I honestly think these box sets are really good. The track listing may not always be as the original 7" singles, especially on the fourth box, because as you know we didn't want any duplicates, apart from Bo Rhap, which deserved it. But yes, they are great....I think Richard Gray also did a superb job on the covers and box themselves, and the sound guys done a superb job on the audio. And that is what I, and many others think. But people only want to hear and talk about any negative points. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ But there was no reason for there to actually be ANY negative points with this final set!! That is the WHOLE POINT! Leaving off Lost Opportunity and Mad The Swine was pure bloody mindedness aimed at pissing the fans off. That is all QPL are good for these days, isn't it. And you're surely not so far gone that you actually think a pretty box makes up for the crappy tracklisting?! |
| GT 10.09.2010 03:28 |
But 'Mad The Swine' and 'Lost Opportunity' were not on any 7" singles - so why feature them? |
| tero! 48531 10.09.2010 03:42 |
GT wrote: But 'Mad The Swine' and 'Lost Opportunity' were not on any 7" singles - so why feature them? Did I miss something, or wasn't the RAH mix of Under Pressure coupled with Bohemian Rhapsody on the 7" single? If you had to create a new tracklisting on the final single, why put remixes instead of original songs? |
| GT 10.09.2010 03:52 |
As you know we didn't want to repeat 'Bo Rhap' again, so then we went with the CD version as the source of the other tracks with the 'Rah mix'. |
| tero! 48531 10.09.2010 04:11 |
So... You didn't wan to repeat Bohemian Rhapsody after repeating Bohemian Rhapsody? And you didn't want to include non-7" tracks because you wanted to include non-7" tracks? You have to be clearer than this, because you aren't making much sense! |
| tero! 48531 10.09.2010 04:22 |
I don't want to sound rude, but it does seem that this release wasn't exactly thought out. I know you(?) made up the arbitrary rules to compile the songs in the first place, but after you threw them all away for the final installment you could have at least bent them in FAVOUR of the customers instead of AGAINST them. |
| QOL Mab 10.09.2010 05:23 |
Tero! wrote: I don't want to sound rude, but it does seem that this release wasn't exactly thought out. I know you(?) made up the arbitrary rules to compile the songs in the first place, but after you threw them all away for the final installment you could have at least bent them in FAVOUR of the customers instead of AGAINST them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes! That's EXACTLY right. There is a lot of ''rule-bending'' on this set so why bend the rules in such a way that the set is the poorer for it and, as a result, the customer misses out? Do you think the fans really wanted All God's People and The Hitman here? Are Lost Opportunity and Mad The Swine going to be featured on a Queen release somewhere else any time soon, GT? If not, why on earth not include them HERE? That's basically it now - those tracks are going to remain unavailable on a readily available official CD when they could so easily have been issued here. We're wasting our time though, Tero. Either GT is thick and doesn't see the clear point that is being made here or he is unable/unwilling to publicly state that there is a problem here. It's one of the two. |
| GT 10.09.2010 05:50 |
There had to be rule bending in this final box otherwise there would have been at least 7 repeat tracks in this last box...........is that a preference? There would of been an outcry about that decision too. And you know why the second repeat of 'Bo Rhap' happened......it was left in for historical merit.....as in it was a double A side.....and it was released to raise funds for charity. This series was not made to bend in favour of the customer, but to repeat the track listing as near as possible to the original 7" single. We only used non 7" tracks when we had to. If there wasn't a 7" made for that particular release then the tracks from the equivelent CD is the most obvious way to go.....yes? |
| tero! 48531 10.09.2010 06:12 |
What it really comes down to is an arbitrary choice. You take the 7" tracklist from one single because of it's historical merit (and ignore the previous rules), and discard another 7" tracklist despite it's historical merit (and follow the previous rules). "Charity" is a nothing more than smokescreen to make people more sympathetic... You could have just donated all the profit from this whole release. From my (and quite a few other people's) perspective this is another half-arsed product from QP which makes us more reluctant to part with our money. As long as you realise that, and can stand by your arbitrary choices, everything's going to be fine. |
| QOL Mab 10.09.2010 06:15 |
GT, will Mad The Swine and Lost Opportunity appear on any forthcoming release? If not, then this truly was a lost opportunity. |
| pittrek 10.09.2010 06:25 |
Well, what about calming down people ? |
| QOL Mab 10.09.2010 06:30 |
GT wrote: I hold my hands up....... And I honestly think these box sets are really good. The track listing may not always be as the original 7" singles, especially on the fourth box, because as you know we didn't want any duplicates, apart from Bo Rhap, which deserved it. But yes, they are great....I think Richard Gray also did a superb job on the covers and box themselves, and the sound guys done a superb job on the audio. And that is what I, and many others think. But people only want to hear and talk about any negative points. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ What a shame that Mad The Swine and Lost Opportunity will now never get remastered audio. Real pity. |
| The Real Wizard 10.09.2010 11:52 |
GT wrote:
This series was not made to bend in favour of the customer......which is exactly why it has been a failure. I'm not sure what's worse - the abhorrent way Greg Brooks has conducted his business here, or the fact that GT is going far out of his way to defend this latest Queen product. |
| Negative Creep 10.09.2010 12:22 |
Usual bollocks from GT. The boxsets were titled "Singles Collection" - not "7" singles collection", so why follow the 7" tracklisting from an era where CD singles were more popular and featured more tracks? Fucking useless and another shafting of anyone who was buying these. The only logical reason for sticking to the 7" tracklistings would have been if they were being re-issued as, er...... 7"s. Funny - the concept of a Queen singles collection is pretty redundant from the start anyway, seeing as they were never ones for providing value for money by providing new b-sides like most other bands and then these clowns cut out 2 out of only a very small handful of actual b-sides. You couldn't make this shit up. At least these box sets appealed neither to normal collectors (you'll get a handful of collectors who HAVE to buy everything for no reason) and particularly not to casual fans and has sold fuck all - GOOD. I wonder what percentage of those actually sold have actually been opened and not kept sealed by such types. haha. "Oooh - but it comes in a shitty box that'll get tatty if you handle it too much and looks nice in the shops" - but actually they don't as shops have barely stocked them! haha |
| tero! 48531 10.09.2010 15:44 |
In defence of the boxsets I have to say they do look nice... As long as you look at the in the store, and don't look at the flipside to see the contents. It's been mentioned that the firts two volumes were limited to 10,000 and 4,000 respectively (wonder why?), and I can still find half a dozen of each in just the stores of this town. |
| GratefulFan 10.09.2010 16:18 |
And I'd add that we can't overlook the fact that they are in fact cuboid. In that they did indeed set out to be 'box' sets, I think it would be unfair to overlook that, as in this sense they were wildly successful. |
| DAZH 11.09.2010 04:33 |
I might not look at the message boards because of the personal attacks people give each other it is nasty and uncalled for especially mab and a few others,there is nothing wrong in giving your opinions but when it becomes personal i don't want part of it. |
| cmsdrums 11.09.2010 09:23 |
Negative Creep wrote: The boxsets were titled "Singles Collection" - not "7" singles collection", so why follow the 7" tracklisting from an era where CD singles were more popular and featured more tracks? Fucking useless and another shafting of anyone who was buying these. The only logical reason for sticking to the 7" tracklistings would have been if they were being re-issued as, er...... 7"s. Very, very good point |
| GT 15.09.2010 12:04 |
Hi guys. Apologies.......I haven't been on here for a while as I have been involved in Queen stuff, which has taken up all my time. Where were we? |
| GinjaNinja 15.09.2010 14:32 |
I think some people were a bit annoyed about the box sets GT. I can understand sticking to the tracklistings of the original 7" singles wherever possible, but I don't understand why anyone would decide to make a product that doesn't swing in the favour of the customer. It just seems a bit pointless. I just hope that the good stuff is on hold for next year, and that it is what you're working on at the moment. Personally I am not too bothered that they are missing some tracks, as they are available on CD anyway. As a relatively new fan not in possession of the original singles, I welcome the premise of these box sets, put perhaps a little more though could have been put in to produce something that will entice the hardcore fans as well as the ones like me. |
| Negative Creep 15.09.2010 14:49 |
GinjaNinja - he's asking you to be jealous of him. Haha. His latest post reads "I know the product was wank and no one rates them, but I'm still getting payed by QPL so it doesn't matter". Oh dear. |
| rhyeking 15.09.2010 15:21 |
This is the one box set I don't feel remotely bad about not getting, not because of quality or expense, but because I have all the original CD singles, save one or two, alternate tracklistings notwithstanding. |
| Maxïmo Razzamatazz 15.09.2010 16:38 |
Negative Creep wrote: The boxsets were titled "Singles Collection" - not "7" singles collection", so why follow the 7" tracklisting from an era where CD singles were more popular and featured more tracks? Fucking useless and another shafting of anyone who was buying these. The only logical reason for sticking to the 7" tracklistings would have been if they were being re-issued as, er...... 7"s. This is exactly the point i was going to make before i checked if anyone had already said what i was thinking about. Very good point, Negative Creep! Who gives a toss about the replica of a 7" single from an era where people where more interested in cd-singles? Hell, they even put Lost Opportunity and Mad The Swine on cd only to boost the sales of that format right? Cheers, MR |
| GT 15.09.2010 17:31 |
Being a fan, like yourselves, I do still care about what gets released......even after all these years. But as I have said time and again, any track listing was a joint decision between quite a few of us and not just down to me or GB. Then the final say is with the band. It is their product and is up to them and management as to what they want to do with it. Sorry if this box, or indeed any of the other boxes, didn't meet up to expectations, but believe it or not a lot of people are happy with them, including myself. I am sorry that the initial idea of a 10 CD box set was not issued instead, which I would love to of seen too, but what we have is a good alternative. Hopefully something like a 10 CD box set, including all the single mixes, 'b' sides and extended versions will be on the agenda with the new label. From the start it was said that the box sets should replicate the original singles, and as nearly all of them were released on 7" vinyl, there was no reason not to follow this route. It was agreed that if and when a 7" single could not be replicated because of repeat tracks, then an alternative would be used from the next logical format. In box 3's case it was the track 'Forever' from the 12" vinyl instead of 'Killer Queen' for the 'Who Wants To Live Forever' single. From the outset the record company wanted 13 discs in each box, which fitted the exact amount of Top 40 singles that we were going to include in these sets, including the use of three 'double' A' sides in total for box 3 and 4. 'Princes' fitted in perfectly with 'Friends', 'I Was Born To Love You' with 'Too Much Love' and the live single of 'Rock You'/'Champions' with 'Let Me Live'. The 'double A' sides were made to link two 'A' sides together on one disc and get rid of the duplicate tracks that box 4 threw at us. The reason that LO and MTS aren't in these sets is because they were not featured on the original 7" single formats. Had there not been a 7" of 'Headlong' as an example, then we would of used a 'b' side of a track from the 12" or CD, and then you would of got those 'sought after' tracks in this box. Nobody was trying to piss anyone off, especially the fans, otherwise the other rare 'b' sides from box 3 wouldn't of been used. |
| GT 15.09.2010 17:46 |
It was also stated in the press release as to why the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' / 'Days of our lives' single was to remain in it's original 'double A' side 7" format, and with the last two singles we just took out the duplicate tracks and used the remaining tracks from the original CDs. The reason that there are sometimes three or four tracks on any one CD in these sets, instead of two like most discs, is because that is what was on the originals too. So I hope that explains some of the actions we took throughout this series, but obviously it wont meet some peoples expectations or match their own ideas of what they would of chosen for the box sets. |
| inu-liger 15.09.2010 18:27 |
"The reason that LO and MTS aren't in these sets is because they were not featured on the original 7" single formats" Nor was 'Queen Talks' Gary. Yet that still made it on to the yet. Yay for including a remastered spoken word "song" b-side but yay for not including remasters of 2 other non-7" b-sides? |
| Holly2003 15.09.2010 18:57 |
I don't understand why people are so worked up about this. Surely the last 10 years have lowered your expectations a bit? Or were you actually expecting something interesting? The Black Dog of depression is my faithful companion in Queen-related matters these days... |
| GT 16.09.2010 02:11 |
We had to use 'Queen' Talks as it was the only track to use......we couldn't use 'KYA', 'BL', 'NIH', LPDA' or 'FBG'. |
| inu-liger 16.09.2010 08:41 |
But then again, and we can argue about this until the cows come home, that's rather unfair to the targeted customers (read = US) to bend the rule to include QT, but not Lost Opportunity or Mad The Swine at the same time. And quite a lot of us as you know by know are quite pissed about that, no matter which way you spin it Gary. |
| Simulator 16.09.2010 14:22 |
Will that be the single version of It's A Beautiful Day on that collection ? Will there be difference between the Knebwoth Mix and Live At Knebworth ? Will they miss the Freddie Singalong Intro out ? In that case I think they should have also included the video on the disc, that way they would have reproduced the original cd single. I bought the first 3 single collections in order to replace mostly vinyl and some cd singles in my collection but I'm not sure if I'll buy this one. I guess My Melancholy Blues Live is the most missed track in most collection. That one missing is the most annoying. I just got it from the AG Live material in 320 kbp mp3, that's good (IMO more listenable than vinyl), although I'd prefer a real cd a lot. |
| rhyeking 16.09.2010 16:45 |
Gary, here are my thoughts, looking at this as someone with no vested interest in this set. Part of the frustration is after it became clear that the set wasn't going to be the mighty collection of rare alternate versions expected and hoped for, the fans still expressing interest took some comfort knowing the effort was being made to at least include non-album tracks ("Soul Brother," "A Human Body," etc). It seemed a big selling point by QPL that Volume 3 had quite a few such tracks, with "Thank God It's Christmas," "Forever," "Hang On In There," "Hijack My Heart," "Stealin'," "My Life Has Been Saved". So, I think fans can be forgiven in thinking that the last box would include a few more: "My Melancholy Blues (Live)," "Lost Opportunity," "Mad The Swine," "My Fairy King (BBC)," "Doing Alright (BBC)," "Liar (BBC)". The disappointment is, with Vol. 4 having an emphasis seemingly solely on "get as many hits as possible in there", including BoRhap again, what has sent many into frustrating bouts of banging their heads against the wall. |