Sunday, September 07, 2008

DO Think Twice, It's NOT Alright



The good news, for Dylan fans, is that Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 will be released next month. The two-disc set includes demos, live versions, alternate takes and several songs that didn't make it onto albums such as Oh Mercy, Time Out of Mind and World Gone Wrong. 2 discs, 27 songs and a 60-page booklet for $16.99 on Amazon.

The bad news is that you can get the deluxe edition for the super-deluxe price of $135.99. (Hey, the retail price is $169.98!) Yikes! So what do I get for that extra $119?

One more disc with twelve songs. A 150 page, 8" x 8" hardcover book of Bob's singles artwork. A 60 page booklet with rare photos, essay, credits. Is this the same 60-page booklet included in the $16.99 version?

Okay, we've got an extra disc; add another ten bucks to the price tag and I'll buy it for $26.99. But the only other thing you're going to give me is an 8" x 8" hardcover book? THAT constitutes a $100 price increase? That sucker better be signed by Bob himself! Sorry, Columbia, I'm not buying. That's outrageous. I've seen Bob live six times and God bless him, I don't know how he's still on this earth, but I'm not paying $135.99 for a dozen more tunes and a book of singles covers I can probably find on the Internet anyway. Give me the $16.99 version. World Gone Wrong indeed.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I noticed that too and was not amused. Worse, there's no telling the quality you might get. I remember when the anniversary edition of "London Calling" came out, it had a companion CD called "The Vanilla Tapes," which was a collection of rare studio tracks that had never been released.

I got this for my birthday ("London Calling" has been stolen from me at least twice over the years) and found that "The Vanilla Tapes" was fascinating--for a listen or two. The tracks were interesting but not great. The great ones made it onto "London Calling." I've listened to it maybe four or five times all the way through in a couple years.

That bonus disc would have to be the best thing in the history of the planet to warrant that kind of price. And I'm not buying.