CD reissues - time for some 'Deluxe editions'?

N

nibblet

Invader
I am aware that there have been at least 2 major re-issues of the bands back catalogue on CDs.
But neither the 96 or 98 re-issues are a job done well.

The common 98 re-issues have some nice(ish) booklets and some multi-media stuff but which is mostly redundant now. The 96 re-issues had a lot better content with each albums b-sides and non-album singles, but the packaging was lazy to say the least. Still, in my opinion, the 96 re-issues are the better of the two as these 96 versions have some great b-side material not available on Best Of The B-sides.... But alas, they are very hard to find and quite expensive.....And, since I don't have a complete set, it's left me feeling that there is scope for the band to re-issue their back-catalogue as deluxe CD editions.

Other acts have been releasing their classic albums as 'deluxe' editions for several years now with great packaging and content. (e.g Def Leppard's Pyromania, Michael Jackson's 'Bad', U2's 'Achtung Baby', Nirvana's 'Nevermind'.....) Surely Maiden could do so like wise???

I've often felt that 2005 should have seen the band go out and perform the first album in full, and document it with a re-issue of the debut album featuring a bonus disc of the live performance as well as other live archive material from the time. The band could/should have done something similar in 2007 for TNOTB. Maybe also for SSOASS in 2013.

Though they have done very well with their 'history' tours, I think the band have missed a couple of opportunities in not doing more 'album' specific mini-tours.

Still, I think there's still a great opportunity for the band to put out deluxe CD editions of their classic albums as I am sure there's plenty of rare and previously unreleased studio/live material that can be pieced together.

But, alas, it seems the band are opting to just keep re-issuing vinyl formats.
 
I'd love deluxe editions of each album. CD 1 - new remasters of the album; CD 2 - all assorted bonuses from that era.
 
nibblet said:
I've often felt that 2005 should have seen the band go out and perform the first album in full, and document it with a re-issue of the debut album featuring a bonus disc of the live performance as well as other live archive material from the time. The band could/should have done something similar in 2007 for TNOTB. Maybe also for SSOASS in 2013.
Click to expand...

They did pay tribute with re-releases of The Number of The Beast single (with new live tracks and videos) and a re-release of The Trooper single. And they did the A Matter of The Beast summer tour (which could have been better on the set list part, but at least they did honor the album) For SSOASS we've got a three year tour and release of Maiden England, so they also honored that one I'd say....

Honestly, I don't need another edition that collects the bonus tracks and b-sides (again, again). And re-re-mastering has no interest to me. Actually, I'd much rather see the original albums get a re-release, as they were, with original booklets. Perhaps in a box set. Because the original albums are the ones that are hard to find now :D
 
SixesAlltheway said:
Honestly, I don't need another edition that collects the same bonus tracks again. And re-re-mastering has no interest to me. Actually, I'd much rather see the original albums get a re-release, as they were, with original booklets.
Click to expand...
I presume you already have 2CD editions? They are incredibly hard to find nowadays and are super expensive... why not re-release them so that people can buy them at a fair price? Doesn't hurt anyone. I generally prefer buying latest remasters/deluxe editions over original stuff tbh.
 
Yeah and I have almost all of the Castle 2CD editions and all of the 98 remastered CDs...and Eddies Archive with Best of The B-sides and I have all of the First Ten Years CDs So for me personally, another release that collects all of the same "bonus" stuff again has no interest :)

I would like a CD boxset maybe that collects all of the original albums with original booklets, could be a slipcase box or something similar :) There's something very cool about the original booklets with the original pictures, lyrics and liner notes!

Perhaps deluxe editions, with original album and then a remaster IF they somehow included rare photos that's never been seen for and something written by Steve or Birch or someone about the time the album was made it and how they recorded it...ie make an interesting booklet - that might be interesting then!
 
It's something I gave quite some thought lately, and I think I'd be up for it. The '98 reissues were avant-garde for 1998 with the multimedia section, but the problem is that this sort of thing gets outdated with time, and I have trouble running them properly on my computer now. It was a great idea, but just didn't pass the test of time. Personally, I'd like to have a CD reissue of all albums (not just the 'classics') based on the 1996 issue - the same master, the same bonus CD. It would be nice to include more extensive liner notes, but they aren't necessary to me personally. If they had decent booklets that look somewhat like the recent album ones, that's already fine with me.

I'm not so keen on bonus tracks, because I think there is very little worthy of inclusion that I don't already have. I'm just not hot on demos or anything like that, and I have plenty of Deep Purple/The Who/Younameit albums with those on, and I never saw the point. I don't listen to them and they're annoying if you forget to turn the CD off on time. About the most interesting thing would be some rare and well-produced live versions, e.g. a live recording of each track on the album played on tour. I guess you could have all that on one CD (although I prefer the two CD solution). Another idea that would be perfectly doable these days is a bonus DVD for each album with the promo videos, some rare live footage, etc.... but that's just fantasising.
 
Night Prowler said:
I presume you already have 2CD editions? They are incredibly hard to find nowadays and are super expensive... why not re-release them so that people can buy them at a fair price? Doesn't hurt anyone. I generally prefer buying latest remasters/deluxe editions over original stuff tbh.
Click to expand...

Agreed. The 96 FOTD re-issue has a load of live material not available elsewhere (other than the singles from the era which are also long deleted).
The same applies to the 96 re-issues of LAD and SSOASS.

But, to argue the case even more, the deluxe editions don't just have to be about just collecting old b-sides. Just as an example....

IM Deluxe - why not include early radio sessions, soundhouse tape versions, audio of live at the Rainbow...
Killers - why not include Maiden Japan E.P, Women in Uniform, early demo versions such as Killers with alt. lyrics...
TNOTB -why not include Bruce's audition tapes...
and so on....
 
So I think they should release all albums 1980 - 2000 as the deluxe edition versions with remastered sounds and interesting commentaries in booklets. No need another multimedia section at all. I would like them to rlease the whole collection as thr 40th anniversary contribution and special offer to the fans. They have remastered classic stuff from the master - tapes for 180 g vinyls, so I think they could do the same for further Deluxe CDs release!
 
But I agree they definitely need to sell a more up to date product to the new fans buying their discography....Those remastered multimedia CDs are horribly outdated!
 
Perun said:
I'm not so keen on bonus tracks, because I think there is very little worthy of inclusion that I don't already have. I'm just not hot on demos or anything like that, and I have plenty of Deep Purple/The Who/Younameit albums with those on, and I never saw the point. I don't listen to them and they're annoying if you forget to turn the CD off on time. About the most interesting thing would be some rare and well-produced live versions, e.g. a live recording of each track on the album played on tour. I guess you could have all that on one CD (although I prefer the two CD solution)..
Click to expand...

A new full live recording from the album tour on each deluxe edition....Now we're talking. Sort of like if Beast Over Hammersmith was the bonus content on a Number of The Beast re-issue.
 
Yeah, something like that, exactly. I'd already be happy if they only included the album songs they played.
 
RALFPL said:
So I think they should release all albums 1980 - 2000 as the deluxe edition versions with remastered sounds and interesting commentaries in booklets. No need another multimedia section at all. I would like them to rlease the whole collection as thr 40th anniversary contribution and special offer to the fans. They have remastered classic stuff from the master - tapes for 180 g vinyls, so I think they could do the same for further Deluxe CDs release!
Click to expand...
SixesAlltheway said:
A new full live recording from the album tour on each deluxe edition....Now we're talking. Sort of like if Beast Over Hammersmith was the bonus content on a Number of The Beast re-issue.
Click to expand...

For IM, there's the Rainbow show, for POM there's that German TV concert, for Powerslave there's Rock-In-Rio 85..... And there's the Wembley show for NPFTD and various Blaze shows too for his albums.
To repeat, I do think the band could have done some full play album tours in over the years and this remains a missed opportunity...

BUT, on that note, why on Earth didn't the band release a 1st year anniversary deluxe edition of AMOLAD. They could still bring out a mastered edition of this album on disc 1 supported by a live concert version of the album on a 2nd disc with the2007 Abbey Road sessions and the unreleased material they had originally set aside for b-sides. Can't believe this was not done!
 
Last edited:
A CD that knows when Back In The Village has finished and Powerslave has started is all I need to make me happy.
 
I think this kind of stuff should come out whenever they retire. Right now i think it would be overkill and because of that it would also be, funny enough, a missed opportunity
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top