Buying CD for bonus tracks

[Rare Bird]

Everyone knows bonus tracks are supposidly for the fans but in reality a selling point! I've always sniffed at bonus tracks as there's never really been to much worth bothering with.A reason i try to buy Japanese card sleeve editions as they are generally what you got on the original album, nothing else..

Enter the last Remaster of Van Der Graaf Generator 'H To He, Who Am The Only One' CD.A certain bonus track on there called ''Squid I/II/Octopuss'' changed everything in my life! Some may recognise the title originally from their debut album 'The Aerosol Grey Machine''..This recording was originally recorded at the begining of the 'Pawn Heart' sessions, it's absolutly mind boggling to say the least & probably the greatest thing i've heard from the band in a studio situation, it's 15 mins of raw driving power..(You have to really have good speakers that can recreate amazing bass depths to appreciate Van Der Graaf Generator from this era, especially these re-masters IMHO).. i play this particular track almost every week for a long time now..The sound quality is just staggering.

Anyway 'Pawn Hearts' as some may know was roumered to have originally been planned as a double album which would include some in studio recorded live favs, 'Squid I/II/Octopuss'' was one of their live favs & this is quite posible one of the proposed tracks for the 'Pwn Hearts' album.

Everyone must have these remasters anyway, it's like someone's taked a veil away from past issues.

http://www.amazon.com/He-Who-Am-Only-One/dp/B0009F9O6M

[DSJR]

I never got Pawn Hearts at the time and still am unsure (I think i have the LP somewhere). I ought to locate it and give it another go, but this kind of music making's a bit dated for me... :scratch:

I'll have to try to adjust my mentality back to the eleven year old who was having his musical mind expanded hugely......... :peace:

[Rare Bird]

If you have the Ameriacn or Canadian issue of 'Pawn Hearts' vinyl it includes George martins 'Theme One' track omitted from our issue. I've always prefered 'H To He, Who Am The Only One' fuzzy warble tho

[Spectral Morn]

I love Theme One(years of listening to the Friday Rock show) but I must confess to struggling with VDGG other music....its... well... frankly too avant garde for me.

I will give the albums I have another go though just to be fair.

Just checked I have Pawn Hearts the EMI remaster 2005 (CASCDR1051) extra tracks on this are Theme One, W, Angle of Incidents, Ponker's Theme and Diminuations


Regards D S D L

[John]

I never buy Cds for a bonus track; a bonus live DVD or an etxtra live CD is another matter

[Rare Bird]

I love Theme One(years of listening to the Friday Rock show) but I must confess to struggling with VDGG other music....its... well... frankly too avant garde for me.

I will give the albums I have another go though just to be fair.

Just checked I have Pawn Hearts the EMI remaster 2005 (CASCDR1051) extra tracks on this are Theme One, W, Angle of Incidents, Ponker's Theme and Diminuations


Regards D S D L

Avant Garde! You might have been listerning to the tripe from 1975 onwards.

Aerosol Grey machine (1969) German issue debut album
'The Least We Can Do Is Wave' (1970) UK debut
'H To He, Who Am The Only One' (1971)
'Pawn Hearts' (1972)

Thats it.. i can just about stomach 'Godbluff' but it's in reality to straight forward compared to previous work.

Die hards who can't get enough of Pre 'Godbluff' VDGG can always buy Peter Hammill's solo's.. the band is stil VDGG.. 'Foolsmate', 'Chameleon In The Shadow Of The Night' & 'Silent Corner, Empty Stage' are good.

Aye they are the bonus tracks on present remasters which are 2005 your right. how tme flies only seems two mins since i bought these issues.

[The Grand Wazoo]

My opinion Neil - if you own no other VDGG album it should be 'H to He...' even if it's only for the first two tracks.

'Killer' is just that: a killer track & the I think the best they ever did. The feel is very much like '21st Century Schizoid Man' - dense & heavy, great dynamics - it gets a bit blurty in the end!.
'House With No Door' couldn't be more different - gentle, melodic.


Mostly I feel that bonus tracks were left off the original albums for good reasons - usually they weren't as good as the ones that made it to the final cut. there have been some exceptions though. So I treat them as bonuses rather than something to seek out.

Cheers

[Rare Bird]

Mostly I feel that bonus tracks were left off the original albums for good reasons - usually they weren't as good as the ones that made it to the final cut. there have been some exceptions though. So I treat them as bonuses rather than something to seek out.

Cheers

Nop i've explained (copied below) why the bonus track in question wasnt on it:

***Anyway 'Pawn Hearts' as some may know was roumered to have originally been planned as a double album which would include some in studio recorded live favs, 'Squid I/II/Octopuss'' was one of their live favs & this is quite posible one of the proposed tracks for the 'Pawn Hearts' album***

[The Grand Wazoo]

Nop i've explained (copied below) why the bonus track in question wasnt on it:

***Anyway 'Pawn Hearts' as some may know was roumered to have originally been planned as a double album which would include some in studio recorded live favs, 'Squid I/II/Octopuss'' was one of their live favs & this is quite posible one of the proposed tracks for the 'Pawn Hearts' album***

Yup!
I read that bit, which is why I said:


Mostly I feel that bonus tracks were left off the original albums for good reasons - usually they weren't as good as the ones that made it to the final cut. there have been some exceptions though. So I treat them as bonuses rather than something to seek out.

[Rare Bird]

But But But. This bonus track is better than anything on 'Pawn Hearts' i don't really understand why it is on 'H To He' as a bonus when it was recorded for the 'Pawn Hearts' sessions..Can i also point out that the master tapes for 'Pawn Hearts' material including a lot of other work for the proposed double album is said to be missing no one nows where they are...

[The Grand Wazoo]

But But But. This bonus track is better than anything on 'Pawn Hearts' i don't really understand why it is on 'H To He' as a bonus when it was recorded for the 'Pawn Hearts' sessions..Can i also point out that the master tapes for 'Pawn Hearts' material including a lot of other work for the proposed double album is said to be missing no one nows where they are...

Andre's 'but(t)' - so good he used it thrice!
So you think it's worth getting then?

[Rare Bird]

Andre's 'but(t)' - so good he used it thrice!
So you think it's worth getting then?

'H To He' yes

[Rare Bird]

Andre's 'but(t)' - so good he used it thrice!
So you think it's worth getting then?

Here goes Chris a bit there about it..What an awesome web site

http://www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk/pawnhts.htm

[DanJennings]

so to clarify, I have the bog standard editions of pretty much all the albums,

H To He remaster is a must have..... duly added to the list....

are any of the others?

[Rare Bird]

Well the uk debut 'The least we can do is wave' is a beauty IMHO..I'm not too sure you may like the very first album 'Aerosol grey machine' as its more VDGG in protoprog mode, kinda a short song album..not as adventurous as what came after. i love it tho.

'Godbluff is the newer sound which i don't like., actually i don't know why i recommended peter hammill 'silent corner' album as it has the 'godbluff' come 'still life' VDGG sound to it in places.

[DanJennings]

I meant the bonus material.... as I said I have pretty much all the albums, bar aerosol grey machine....

are any of the others worth upgrading?

[Rare Bird]

It's not so much the bonus stuff it's the overall sound improvements.I always found VDGG a bit dull see on past issues even the japanese imports.

[DanJennings]

furry muff! I'll buy em all then! eventually.... so much to buy, so little money...

and it's always upsetting to spend money on albums you've already bought....

on the list to replace:
Everything by Black Sabbath
almost everything by king crimson
and soon, everything by XTC (again)

[DanJennings]

oh and some Beatles too

[Beechwoods]

The best 'bonus track' re-releases for me have been:

1. Pink Floyd - Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (40th Anniversary Edition).

The alternative version of Matilda Mother on Disc 3 was a revelation. Much written about alternative lyrics, and unbootlegged too. It blew me away on first listening.

2. Caravan - Live At The Fairfield Halls

OK, not a seminal album, but expanded from a single LP to a full disc containing the whole show. It'd be nice if all bands were so generous with rereleases of old Live albums.

The worst 'bonus track' releases have to include Voiceprint's repeated use of tracks from old OOP albums as filler for new ones. Soft Machine 'Live 1970' is a case in point. Those 'Live At The Proms' tracks have been hacked about as bonus tracks on at least 2 of their releases. It'd be nice if they'd just re-release the original complete performance on one disc without messing about :)

[Rare Bird]

furry muff! I'll buy em all then! eventually.... so much to buy, so little money...

and it's always upsetting to spend money on albums you've already bought....

on the list to replace:
Everything by Black Sabbath
almost everything by king crimson


Well make sure you buy those super ace King Crimsons which are the latest 40th Anniversary they sound amazing. Watch out for three different packages available for the first album offerings

http://www.king-crimson.com/album/inthecourt

Black sabbaths are gradually coming out as De Lux editions well worth buying