Post by Steve Marinucci on Nov 16, 2011 13:46:31 GMT -5
Just happened to be crusing through Amazon.co.uk last night and found a listing for a box set called "The Hollies - The Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years 1963-68." [/color][/b] It's six discs (yes, you read that right). Here's part of a review from Amazon:
'The Clarke, Hicks and Nash Years' is exactly what is says on the tin, a compilation of everything recorded by the Hollies during their most successful period - between 1963 and 1968. This was a very diverse time for the Hollies from their early roots in rock and roll, a period of classic pop and finally full blown psychedelia. The box set comprises of the entire seven studio albums from this period (easily £[] per album if bought separately), all of the Parlophone single A and B sides, some rare alternate versions of well known songs, every foreign language track recorded by the Hollies and an eagerly anticipated intriguing charity concert with the Mike Vickers Orchestra from the Lewisham Odeon in May 1968 - all presented in chronological order. I hear you ask, "All this less than £[]?! What's the catch?"
Well this box set is the latest in a long line of budget compilations from EMI. Unlike previous more expensive box sets from EMI (such as the Beatles Remasters), the box set utilises previous remasters (from 1993, 1999 and 2003) to save production costs. There are a few tracks that have been treated to some much needed new remastering - namely the previously unreleased tracks. These do stick out slightly as being sonically better quality than some of the previous remasters, it's a shame EMI didn't extend the remastering to every track. This would however dramatically raise the cost of the set, and most people won't notice the difference as the previous remasters are actually pretty decent. The new ones just seem to sound a bit 'fresher'. Both stereo and mono mixes have been used. The set is generally stereo, with the exception of songs taken from singles and ones where the stereo mix uses the typical 1960's EMI stereo mix of instruments in the left channel, vocals in the right. EMI have elected to use the mono masters for such recordings. The stereo mixes are mostly the original stereo masters too, unlike the ones created for recent compilations that have a significantly narrower stereo field. EMI has also saved costs on presentation. Six discs are squeezed into a box that was originally designed to hold three or four, The booklet is much smaller than it could be (although it packs plenty into it) and there is a photo used in the box that is obviously a scan of the US Epic label's 1967 LP 'Dear Eloise/King Midas In Reverse' as you can actually see the ringwear towards the bottom of the picture! A set like this should be presented in a similar format to the 'Long Road Home' box set from 2003, but you can't really grumble, it looks like EMI have tried quite hard to make the set look more luxurious than it is.
These are, in the grand scheme of things, very minor niggles. Despite the tight budget, EMI has pulled off another excellent and very pleasing package. This is the first time that everything from the Graham Nash period of the Hollies has been presented in one package. There are some amazing unreleased recordings, and many are here that have been released before but are spread across various compilations (some long out of print). It's great to have everything finally all in one place.
Well, I immediately ordered the thing (got the shipping notification that night). I compared prices and it's much much cheaper (by about 15 bucks) to buy it through Amazon.co.uk. (about $22 for six discs? Can't beat that.) I can't wait to see this. I have some of the other multi-disc EMI compilations (Swinging Blue Jeans, Gerry and the Pacemakers, etc.), but this one beats them all in completeness and size.
I would muchly appreciate it if you use this link if you order it: j.mp/uP35D4 as it's my affiliate link.
I'll let you all know when this shows up and what I think, though I'm very very excited. I have several Hollies comps already, including the 40th anniversary one which I thought was the best. This beats that.