Time is tight today – no posting on the thread, but yesterday Simple Minds did the big reveal of their “Sparkle In The Rain” reissue program, and it came in at what I’d call a low-ball figure for a 4xCD+DVD-A set: £40 from the Simple Minds Store. This equals $62.65 and is a good $20 less than I was anticipating. Interested parties should order before regretting; the 2xCD of “Big Music” is already sold out! So the product lineup looks like this:

• Remastered CD
• Remastered CD + B-side/Mixes CD
• Remastered LP
• Remastered 4xCD + DVD-A box

I’d like to report on the prices of the other formats and maybe give links to purchase, but the SM shop is currently experiencing technical difficulties. I swear it was working yesterday! And I think I remember seeing a stand alone Blu-Ray disc with the 5.1 but don’t quote me on that until the shop goes back up. If that is the case, it’s a really generous, granular offering that should make anyone happy. No official word on who did the remixing, but scuttlebutt has it that the ubiquitous Steven Wilson [XTC, King Crimson] of Porcupine Tree was behind the 5.1 remix. If this follows the modus operandi of his King Crimson work, the basic CD itself [and probably the vinyl] may be a new 2.0 mix by Wilson made in the process. Fortunately, his method is to replicate the original mix from the master tapes as closely as possible with no attempt to make it a new experience. We’ll see if this is the case later. Meanwhile, the Rock G.P.A. moves onward tomorrow.

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