What are some decent box sets out there that are all-encompassing?

We just had someone sell in a used copy of the Simon & Garfunkel box set, The Complete Studio Recordings, 1964-1970 to our store today. My manager and I had both never heard of it. It contains the remastered, with bonus tracks, versions of all five of their studio albums in miniature vinyl sleeves. Basically a one-stop purchase to owning everything Simon & Garfunkel did.


So, I was wondering if there are any others out there, similar to that? I think Velvet Underground have an all right box set?

The Cure- Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rareties

(title says all. B-Sides & unreleased stuff from 1978-2001)

Joy Division- Heart & Soul.

That's pretty much everything (save a few live things)...

The Buffalo Springfield box is all-encompassing as well, from what I can remember...

Other than a (great) live album that came later, the Galaxie 500 box had everything.

The Wire box has (in my opinion) all the worthwhile material - the first three albums with a superior remastering job (versus the Restless reissues).

i'd recommend the led zeppelin complete set. The Bob Dylan SACD hybrid collection is available at BMG for a reasonable price ($120 for 16 cd's). One really neat one to get would be the complete recordings of Hank Williams, also at BMG. Other nifty ideas would include the Anthology of American Folk Music, and the alan lomax field recordings.

That Joy Division one is excellent. I forgot about it. For the longest time, I've had 'Unknown Pleasures' on my shopping list but never got around to buying it.

I won't bother at all now, I'll just wait til I come into some money and buy the box set.

I have the "Complete Studio Recordings of the Doors". I like the Doors fine, but I honestly don't know where I got it (a gift maybe?). Anyway, along with the studio recordings it comes with a bonus "The Doors Essential Rarities (The Best of the '97 Box Set)".

James Brown- Star Time


4 discs of ridiculous r&b and funk. Emcompasses the early years as an r&b vocalist, the 60's soul power anthems, and the 70's funk.

The birth of funk.

no lemon song, therefore I walk.
no, i actually haven't listened to Zep in about 8 years, but that was a major disappointment with the box set for me.

I don't think that James Brown thing is what he's looking for. He wants ALL encompassing. I think that's more of a 4CD greatest hits.

The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions are pretty encompassing for the recording of the album.

While not "comprehensive" The Cult's "Rarities" is swell. It's got all the b-sides from "Dreamtime" through the end, some radio sessions, and best of all, the lost album "Peace" in its entirety. For those who don't know, "Peace" was the record that got shelved in-between "Love" and "Electric". Several of the songs made it to "Electric", but the original versions were produced by Steve Brown and are much more similar to the stuff on "Love" than to the heavier Rick Rubin produced stuff.

robert johnson box set is all-motherfucking-encompassing.

I've got The Jam box set which i think covers it all. At least all the studio versions.

It's quite nice.

I was thinking about getting the talking heads box set. I don't know what's on it, but it looks so cool.

Beat Happening - Crashing Through

Everything they ever recorded, pretty much. Great stuff.

bort

....To answer Cotton: You are thinking of the original Zep box set (subtitiled I believe "The Great Jimmy Page Jizzes on Your Face, Rock Swindle)

They released a more comprehensive box with ALL the albums later. Bastards. By then I didnt care and I like my 1988 Cd versions of their catalogue. And the vinyl. The sweet sweet vinyl.

Anywho, I bought the Pink Floyd box set in '93 or '94. It is not comprehensive but does include most of their "important" albums. In fact, this many year later I've lost all of my Floyd besides the box set and The Final Cut and I'm happy to have all I will EVER need.

side note: the inclusion of Momentary Lapse of Reason in that boxset is a FUCKING TRAVESTY. Jesus.

Yeah, it's on my list to buy... luckily I get it for $25 from a lovely friend who works for Rhino. I just ordered the No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion box set.

I'm also looking to get New Order- Retro boxed set.

No, you're thinking of a different one, the one that's called "Complete Studio Recordings" or some such contain -- indeed -- all studio recordings, including Coda, on separate CD's, no less.

Steely Dan, Citizen contained everything before they got back together for Two Against Nature.

Police, Message in a Box contains all 5 albums on 4 CD's, plus the occasional rare track.

I wanna get the Audioslave box set. I hear it's pretty cheap.

fp

:thumbsup:

The Samhain box set is all-encompasing, I believe. The Misfits box set has everything (save one album you can buy on the side, and all the ones they recorded later under the name AFI).

Plus, it's in the shape of a coffin. What's better than that?
Oh, I know...

NAZR MOHAMMED!