This adds to the proof that those folks at Varese have lost it:

1. Star Trek digitally recorded first
   
2. LXG released, but not in the USA
   
3. Branded merchandise

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Originally posted by jonathan_little:
Star Trek digitally recorded first

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Originally posted by Jeron:
LOL, Jonathan, have you actually examined the recording dates and proven that it wasn't recorded before The Black Hole? Or are you just biased?

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There are somethings money can't buy, for everything else, there's a Visa ( ) card.

As far as I can tell, you are the only person I have seen so far who feels that way. I guess it all depends on how you feel about compilations. If you like ‘em, then this is a really nice set, especially if you have the first one. Personally, I’ll order it. I like compilations. I think a compilation is a better way to go because anyone who wants to celebrate this anniversary can find something on here to get excited about.

The ‘burbs is not going to be re-released by Varese. They have stated that club releases are a one shot deal. Your best hope is for someone else to license the score fully and release it like that. Although, I am not sure what the status of the score is. It maybe that it can’t be licensed by anyone else.

Tai-Pan – I am sure that this is not re-released because they probably feel there isn’t enough market to justify printing up 5000 copies or so. Plus, it would probably require remastering. A pity, because I would certainly buy one, but there are many scores I would buy.

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Originally posted by MWRuger:
I like compilations. I think a compilation is a better way to go because anyone who wants to celebrate this anniversary can find something on here to get excited about.

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I certainly enjoy compilations for the most part, but most of the ones I own are composer themed. Gerhardt conducts <Golden Age Composer>, Williams conducts Williams, Goldsmith does his thing, and etc.

This sort of "all over the map" compilation is just a bit strange to me. Like I said, I just would rather see some reissues of old titles (if they can't go into the old club releases, that's fine, but still quite silly) instead of 4 disc "teaser" albums containing music that Varese apparently still holds the album rights to.

It's amazing that Varese has gone from "oh the longest album we released this year, On the Beach, has sold only 150 units" in the summer of 2000 (or whenever that was) to "Here's a 4 disc set... oh and here's another one. And with the other one we're just going to trash the excess copies we have at the end of the year, so buy them up real fast now, ya hear?"

I also have the Cinema Century Sets from Silva, and I enjoy those as well. Still those are rerecordings so you do get a new versions of old favorites. (Although they really chew up Cain Mutiny march on Cinema Century 2000. Missed notes. (Sounds awful compared to the Gerhardt)

Regarding the Varese Sets - I would guess that this is a basically a sampler and that Varese hopes people will hear a track or two and buy some of the scores that are still available.

One interesting thing though, not much Horner on these sets. Just one track from Brainstorm. Surely they could have included a track from Vibes. I know many fans who would have loved to get that.

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Originally posted by jonathan_little:
Am I the only person who just feels that these 4 disc sets aren't much to get excited about? I hate getting teased with a good clip of music to only find out that the rest of the album is no longer available (except for very inflated prices on the used market, which I refuse to pay.)

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Approximately 40% of this new set of discs I don't have on CD already; a small amount of that 40% I do still have on cassette. That means it's probably going to be worth picking, but not until my finances are in slightly better shape.

The other advantage of a sampler disc, surely, is if you hear a cue from, say, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING or DROP ZONE, and dislike it, you've then saved yourself however many $$$$ by knowing not to buy the full CD. (Though how on Earth anyone could possibly dislike a Hans Zimmer action score is beyond me...)

As for the inflated prices on the used market - some are overpriced, some aren't. I've picked up a lot of used CDs at the equivalent of $7 or $8, sometimes less. Some have been great and would have been worth double.

Yes, a JAGGED EDGE or a BURBS at $150 is too expensive. But that's the going rate, take it or leave it. Varese aren't going to re-issue them - if memory serves, they can't, because they licensed them for a once-only release. Maybe someone else can license and reissue them (Prometheus put out FLESH AND BLOOD), but if they don't....live with it.

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Originally posted by jonathan_little:
This sort of "all over the map" compilation is just a bit strange to me. Like I said, I just would rather see some reissues of old titles (if they can't go into the old club releases, that's fine, but still quite silly) instead of 4 disc "teaser" albums containing music that Varese apparently still holds the album rights to.

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Is it really worth Varese's while to repress scores such as ZELLY AND ME, TAI-PAN and CAREFUL HE MIGHT HEAR YOU? I really doubt it. Maybe as limited club releases, but since there are existent (though long OOP) releases of those, even that's unlikely unless there's a substantial amount of new music on them.

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Is it really worth Varese's while to repress scores such as ZELLY AND ME, TAI-PAN and CAREFUL HE MIGHT HEAR YOU? I really doubt it. Maybe as limited club releases, but since there are existent (though long OOP) releases of those, even that's unlikely unless there's a substantial amount of new music on them.

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All I can say is... Varese finds a lot of stuff that doesn't appear to be "worth the while" to release, but it seems they're still making money off of something. (Probably crap like T3)

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If they get a lot of feedback saying "Zelly And Me is great, where's the album it comes from?" maybe Varese might do the math and decide it's worth reissuing it. But this second set, listed amongst the club titles, seems aimed more at the soundtrack collector than the general record buyer, so any feedback they do get will be from dedicated score enthusiasts anyway...

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Their club CDs are 100% aimed at "the soundtrack collector," so I'm not quite sure what this argument is trying to state. I think the prices show that demand is obviously around for The 'burbs, and I can't see who it would hurt to release the damn thing again-- besides the people who want to sell their copies for an outrageous amount on eBay. They appear to have some sort of licensing deal that allows them to release four minutes on the latest 4 discer, so where's the rest of it?

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Yes, a JAGGED EDGE or a BURBS at $150 is too expensive. But that's the going rate, take it or leave it.

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No thanks.

Happily,
Jonathan "Tight-ass" Little

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Originally posted by BMikeJ:
I will be buying this set for one reason... SKY BANDITS by Alfi Kabiljo. Great little score released by Varese Sarabande only on vinyl to a movie that most people have never heard of nor will ever see in their lifetime, performed by one of the big orchestras, either the London Symphony or Royal Philharmonic. While I would love to have the entire score on CD, I am happy to have what they are putting on the set because the score can really be distilled down to one really awesome theme. I think people should buy extra copies of both of these sets for one reason and one reason alone... To give as gifts to people who are either into film music or curious about it. Thanks to the gang at Varese for putting out this second set with great oddball stuff on it like SKY BANDITS, BLOODLINE and TAI-PAN.

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I agree. I got the set this morning and there's a ton of outstanding and (to me, anyway) unfamiliar stuff on there, such as HUCK FINN, ZELLY AND ME and THE BURBS. But SKY BANDITS is one of the real gems. I really hope the full score shows up somewhere.

Also, I'd forgotten just how good MAN ON FIRE is.

I wondered what they did with them once December 31, 2003 came around... just destroy them? Apparently not.

"the Burbs will never be released again"!!!

Oh well, it was fun to get the 30th Anniversary one signed by all the composers there.

Seriously though, I was passing along info I got from people in the business. but things change.