L-H@cup.portal.COM (04/12/91)
Hi Lionhearts,
I _finally_ got the Japanese boxed set this afternoon from fellow Katefan
and fairly fair dealer Tom Richards at C-Side Records (P.O.Box 8456
Clearwater,FL. 34618 USA-get on his extensive KTlist), and all I can say is:
BOYCOTT THE ENGLISH BOX! PAY THE EXTRA COST FOR THE JAPANESE BOX-IT IS
CERTAINLY WORTH IT!
John Relph asked:
>..is there a difference..?
Oh, my Kate, is there ever! For openers, the "rarities" disk booklets
CONTAIN ALL THE LYRICS TO THE SONGS ON THE DISKS! You read that right!
Well, how could you miss it since it was in all caps? :-) Not counting the
insides of the front and back covers, the booklet for Vol. 1 is contains 16
pages; Vol. 2 has 12. I can't compare these to the UK box since I have
not purchased it (although I did get the album boxed set in England during
Kon week (sigh..). I have seen Ed's set, but I don't remember how the
rarities booklets looked.
Before getting into the individual releases, I'll try to describe EMI Japan's
presentation, which in a nutshell, makes the UK box pale in comparison.
Yes, you've got the strip on top of the lid as Japanese releases do, but
one thing I found interesting is another strip pasted on the lower part
of the box. It has the UPC strip, but among the Kanji is the number 16000,
which also appears on the top strip. But in parentheses after it (on
my box) is the number 15,534. This makes me wonder if at least the
initial boxing was limited to 16,000 for the Japanese boxed set. If anyone
else buys this, please post the number on your box to Love-Hounds.
Each CD in the box is a white plastic base compared to the typical black
jewel boxes on other CDs. On the upper left hand corner of the back of
each CD are the words KATE BUSH BOX 1 (through 7). As previously reported
here and elsewhere, the _The Kick Inside_ and _Never For Ever_ CDs have
different covers than the UK box. _TKI_ is the "pink top" picture, and
_NFE_ has an interesting cover-it is a blowup of part of the cover art
which appears on other releases. If you look at your cover, it is the
area approximately from the whale's snout going right, including the
white bird, the swan, and some of those weird-looking characters riding
or hanging around them. You don't see the drawing of Kate with her dress
blowing up at all in the blowup, nor the title of the album below Kate's
feet. But when you open the first page of the booklet, you see the normal
cover! REally cool. Oh, another thing about all the CDs-each one shares
the same design. What I mean is that each of the CDs themselves is
black, with kind of a goldish colour lettering, somewhat similiar to the
colour of the _The Sensual World_ CD, though not as nice a gold, IMHO.
The CDs are manufactured by TOSHIBA-EMI LTD., and the matrix numbers run
from TOCP-6460 through TOCP-6467. I had read some allegations that EMI UK
was using their box to rid excess KTstock, and I wouldn't doubt it, but
it appears that EMI JAP hasn't done this.
The Japanese box contains two booklets (no sticers, alas. Wonder why?
Maybe they thought it was a teensy bit dumb, but that's only one man's
opinion ;-). One booklet has the nice small pictures; I suspect it is no
different from the UK booklet, but I'd like to put them side-by-side for
a clarity comparison. The other booklet looks special. It has the design
that the sticker on the lid has, with the border. It has 28 pages, and is
presented in a 2-column format, all in Kanji. The title of the document
is:
THIS WOMAN'S WORK 1958-1990
----The Biographical Notes Of Kate Bush----
It starts out with 1958, and appears to be a chronological biography of
Kate. Entries are dated for reference, and a bibliography at the end
includes 18 sources, including NME 1978-1990, Homeground #22-#39,
The Amazing Pudding #39, the Vermorel, Cann, and Mayes books, even the
bootleg discography Hot Wacks XIV 1990?! The compilation is credited
to one Hideyo Itoh (copyright September 1990).
Now on to the albums. Pardon me if I wander or digress-I'm using a
straight line editor and can't go back all that easily. I'll describe
them, plus compare them to the CDs of the same albums that I already own:
_The Kick Inside_: Booklet is 16 pages. Times of the songs are listed
on page 1, unlike the UK C with only the titles listed. After this is
a 4-page article presumably about Kate, dated Feb. 1978. Then the lyrics
in English and Japanese. The back cover of the booklet has the drawing of
the kite. Song titles on the back include a type on "Wuthering Heights."
The spelled it "Wethering Heights." (hee hee). I can't compare it to
my UK CD, since it is currently out on loan (yes, I'm hooking yet another
one). On the spine is written THE KICK INSIDE/KATE BUSH - unlike the
UK CD which I remember says only KICK INSIDE.
_Lionheart_: Yes, the wonderful _Lionheart_, a beautiful album.
Times of songs listed on page 1. Then, another article, this one is 3
pages long, with no date listed. The lyrics are next, both in English
and Japanese. I don't have my UK _Lionheart_ to compare. It too is
on loan to the same guy. Has he got a treat in store when he feasts his
ears on the fantastic, horribly maligned and misunderstood incredible
effort which is the historic _Lionheart_ album. Kate only said some
lies about it being less than perfeKT because she was influenced by
stupid reviewers and people who are easily influenced by what they read.
_Never For Ever_: Booklet is 16 pages. Lyrics are first presented in
English. Note that the page that has the lyrics to "Violin" and "The
Infant Kiss" is the page which is used as the back picture for the UK CD,
with Kate flying around. Neat. After this is a 2-page article dated
Dec. 1986. Then the lyrics in Japanese. I just noticed something. On
page four of the UK CD booklet is the same blow-up picture that is used
as the cover for the Japanese boxed set CD! Only not nearly as sharp.
The UK CD booklet has 10 pages.
_The Dreaming_: Compared to my EMI AMERICA (hoot-snicker) CD, which has
10 pages, the EMI JAPAN booklet has 20. The clarity of the pictures
makes me want to throw the American booklet away (just kidding-but i
think I would if it wasn't a Kate CD). Page one: times listed of course,
not on the American CD (of course). The _only_ thing the American CD
has that the Japanese CD doesn't is the blowup of the cover picture on
page 6 (just Kate's face with the key in the mouth is all you see).
That's interesting. I'd bet that this was simply an oversight. After
the lyrics in the Japanese booklet is another 4-page article. After
the article is a discography of Kate's singles, EP, and albums up to
_The Whole Story_, with dates of release. The article is dated Dec. 1986.
_Hounds Of Love_: I'm comparing the Japanese boxed set CD, the EMI AMERICA
CD (hoot-holler-snicker), and the UK CD, which was printed in Holland and
which has a CD inside which was made in Japan. Oh yeah-it was purchased
in Germany-maybe that's why it was printed in Holland, I don't know.
Anyway, the EMI AMERICA booklet is 7 pages long and simply a fright to
behold. So I'll put it away, for what it's worth. UK CD booklet has 10
pages, and the Japanese booklet is 20 pages long. After the English
lyrics is a 4-page article which looks like an interview, but not with
Kate (but I could be wrong, of course). After that you get a BLACK AND
WHITE copy of the picture that is included in the LP record release of
_HOL_, with Kate and the hounds, but Kate has her eyes closed. In the
LP album, the picture is in colour. Neither the American nor UK CDs have
this picture, in colour or black and white. So that's something extra.
_The Sensual World_: Interesting stuff here. I'm comparing it to a
UK CD made in Austria which was also purchased in Germany. The UK CD
booklet has but 5 pages; the Japanese booklet has 16 (actually 17, since
I'm counting the inside back covers this time). The layout is quite
different, for instance: Page 1 of the Japanese booklet has song times,
the other doesn't even list the titles, much less the times. The
layout of the Japanese booklet is better. One thing that surprised me
was in the lyrics to "WSDTM." In the UK booklet, you can plainly make
out the fuzzy, lightening-bolt line and curved line which follow the
note symbols, all in quotes, in the last three lines of the song. In
both the American booklet (which I don't own, but have seen), AND the
Japanese booklet, these characters are not visible. Ha ha, I know
some of you must be thinking "Jesus, why go to such detail in describing
the differences?" Well, it's terribly interesting to me, obviously.
And of course it is related to Kate, so it's terribly important. Anyway,
onward. After the English lyrics (in the Japanese booklet I talking about
again) come the credits. The layout is the same except for one thing:
At the very end where Kate says Thank You! KATE BUSH (London 1989) in the
UK CD booklet, the exclamation point DOES NOT APPEAR after the word You
in the Japanese booklet! Now _THAT_ is interesting! :-) Does the
exclamation point appear in the American CD booklet, anyone? Knowing
Kate as I do, I'd guess that she used the exclamation point in the original
submitted draft. After this remarkable omission are not one, but TWO
articles! One is 1 page long written by one Mayumi Chiwaki on 30th Aug.'89.
At the end of this article in English in ALL CAPS are the words:
TAKE A DEEP BREATH! Boy, can't wait to get that one translated. The
second article is 3 pages lg. It was written by one Michinari Yamada
on Sep 3, 1989.
Isn't this all just so NEAT? And doesn't it PISS YOU THE HELL OFF THAT
EMI UK PUT OUT SUCH A RELATIVELY POOR BOXED SET? I can't believe the
differences between the two boxes. IMHO, EMI UK should be ashamed. Kate
being from England and alll. The Greatest Artist The Civilised World
Has Ever Known being cut-cornered. The disgrace of it all. Please, if
any of you are still contemplating getting the boxed set (and you
definitely should now if you were at all undecided), don't get the UK
set. Especially if there are only a limited number. Maybe, just maybe,
EMI UK may see the shift in sales and learn a thing or two how to honor
a deserving artist with a boxed set. Just the little extra of putting
articles in the booklets-forever and ever, wherever those CDs may go in their
lifespan, people in the future have the opportunity to learn thatmuch
more about Kate. Issues of Melody Maker and Tower Pulse! will last only
so long before the pages yellow and are forgotten about or tossed out. I
sure feel lucky that I held out and waited for the release of the Japanese
boxed set. A Japanese guy at work has offered to try to translate all this
stuff for me. As soon as I get it done, I'll post all the articles.
She really IS!
Larry (l-h@cup.portal.com)
(oh, one more thing-John Relph, send me your mailing address and I can send
you photocopies of the rarities booklets for your booklet project. I hope
you continue with it because the detail you provide is excellent. Even
though I have the Japanese booklets, I sure would like a copy of what you
produce. Thanks. Larry )
nrc@cbema.att.COM (Neal R Caldwell, Ii) (04/13/91)
From article <9104120250.1.23668@cup.portal.com>, by L-H@cup.portal.COM: > on Sep 3, 1989. > > Isn't this all just so NEAT? And doesn't it PISS YOU THE HELL OFF THAT > EMI UK PUT OUT SUCH A RELATIVELY POOR BOXED SET? I can't believe the > differences between the two boxes. IMHO, EMI UK should be ashamed. Kate > being from England and alll. The Greatest Artist The Civilised World > Has Ever Known being cut-cornered. The disgrace of it all. Um, no it doesn't particularly bother me. The Japanese edition has clearly been tweaked to make it more attractive to the fans. That's nice but much of the material that has been added is simply not the sort of thing that Kate would put in one of her albums. Biographies? Articles about Her? When has Kate ever done such a thing? This is a Kate collection by Kate fans (or perhaps Kate promoters). I wanted a Kate collection by Kate. To me, much of the extras in the Japanese set (most of which appeared to be in kanji anyway) are very much a case of guilding the lilly. Still, anyone still considering a boxed set should have a look at the Japanese set before buying. Personally, I'll take the simple English rose over the guilded lilly. I do wish she'd included the B-side lyrics but I can be kind to that mistake... "Don't drive too slowly." Richard Caldwell AT&T Network Systems att!cbnews!nrc nrc@cbnews.att.com
lazlo@TRITON.UNM.EDU (Lazlo Nibble) (04/15/91)
nrc@cbema.att.COM (Neal R Caldwell, Ii) writes: >> ...doesn't it PISS YOU THE HELL OFF THAT EMI UK PUT OUT SUCH A >> RELATIVELY POOR BOXED SET? > Um, no it doesn't particularly bother me. The Japanese edition has > clearly been tweaked to make it more attractive to the fans. That's > nice but much of the material that has been added is simply not the > sort of thing that Kate would put in one of her albums. Biographies? > Articles about Her? When has Kate ever done such a thing? This is > a Kate collection by Kate fans (or perhaps Kate promoters). Um...no, it's a Kate collection put out in Japan. I have a dozen or so Japanese-issue records and CDs by assorted artists (Art of Noise, a-ha, Kate, Berlin, Dead or Alive...) and without exception *every one of them* includes full lyrics as well as a biography, recording notes, and sometimes discographic information on the artist. None of them are special-edition releases...in fact, several of them are midline pressings of the sort where you're lucky to get the names of the tracks on US pressings. Even the Japanese 12" single of "Close Up" by The Art of Noise has an insert with a history of the band, notes on Trevor Horn's earlier work with The Buggles and ABC, and some nice bonus artwork. My one Japanese Kate disc (THE KICK INSIDE, with the "pouty-pink-tanktop" cover) has a twenty-page booklet not counting covers: page one has the full track listing and timings in English and Japanese, followed by a six-page bio in Japanese, and thirteen pages of full lyrics and credits, again in English and Japanese. It also sounds *glorious*. So: the "extra information" in the Japanese THIS WOMAN'S WORK box isn't a fan-perk, it's just their way of doing business. It was all probably included with the original Japanese pressings of Kate's albums anyway. US record companies would do well to follow Japan's example in this respect, but I doubt they really care one way or another . . . they're making enough money as it is that they don't need to care much about the product they're pumping out. What's the price (in yen) on the cover of the Japanese box? The current exchange rate is floating around 130 yen to the dollar. ...Peace. Lazlo (lazlo@triton.unm.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Save the dolphins? What about the *tuna?*"
nrc@cbema.att.COM (Neal R Caldwell, Ii) (04/16/91)
From article <1991Apr14.205304.15770@ariel.unm.edu>, by lazlo@TRITON.UNM.EDU (Lazlo Nibble): > nrc@cbema.att.COM (Neal R Caldwell, Ii) writes: > >>> ...doesn't it PISS YOU THE HELL OFF THAT EMI UK PUT OUT SUCH A >>> RELATIVELY POOR BOXED SET? > >> Um, no it doesn't particularly bother me. The Japanese edition has >> clearly been tweaked to make it more attractive to the fans. That's >> nice but much of the material that has been added is simply not the >> sort of thing that Kate would put in one of her albums. Biographies? >> Articles about Her? When has Kate ever done such a thing? This is >> a Kate collection by Kate fans (or perhaps Kate promoters). > > Um...no, it's a Kate collection put out in Japan. It's salad dressing _and_ a floor wax! > I have a dozen or so > Japanese-issue records and CDs by assorted artists (Art of Noise, a-ha, > Kate, Berlin, Dead or Alive...) and without exception *every one of > them* includes full lyrics as well as a biography, recording notes, and > sometimes discographic information on the artist. If what you're saying is, "that's the way they do things," that's fine but that doesn't address my point. Kate has never put biographical information or interviews in her albums as they were released with her direct input. Everything she has ever said indicates that she considers all of that to be secondary to the music and I doubt that she would even find it particularly appropriate to put in an album. I don't know all the contract details between EMI, EMI America (and now Columbia) and her label in Japan but I do know that it is not at all uncommon for the overseas labels to release things in a form that is not what Kate has specifically identified as her vision for the work. > My one Japanese Kate disc (THE KICK INSIDE, with the "pouty-pink-tanktop" > cover) has a twenty-page booklet not counting covers: page one has the > full track listing and timings in English and Japanese, followed by a > six-page bio in Japanese, and thirteen pages of full lyrics and > credits, again in English and Japanese. It also sounds *glorious*. You've made my point for me. Kate specifically identified the cover she wanted for _The Kick Inside_, the cover that is found in the UK set (the so call oriental cover). Any other cover was someone else's idea, not hers. Except for the gross oversight of the B-sides the lyrics are not an issue and the sound of the UK disks (the good ones) are actually preferred by some. They are certainly much better than the EMI America releases. > So: the "extra information" in the Japanese THIS WOMAN'S WORK box isn't > a fan-perk, it's just their way of doing business. But I don't want their way of doing business. I want the work as close as possible to what Kate envisioned. I don't want packaging as produced by record companies, I want packaging as produced by artists. Others are welcome to choose what works best for them. In fact, if fans complain about the missing lyrics to the B-sides and cry out for more content perhaps the record company will encourage Kate to be more extravagent in her ideas of how her music should be packaged. Still, I hope it never gets to the point where EMI is throwing in odds and ends that Kate doesn't approve for the release. "Don't drive too slowly." Richard Caldwell AT&T Network Systems att!cbnews!nrc nrc@cbnews.att.com
L-H@cup.portal.COM (04/16/91)
Hi Love-Hounds, Neal states: >...The Japanese edition has >clearly been tweaked to make it more attractive to the fans. ... I agree with you, Neal. Especially since the Japanese box came out after the UK box. If the two had come out the same day, I still would have paid the extra cost for the Japanese box, I know that though. The Japanese indeed do what it takes to be more attractive to the fans. But my God, couldn't the English have at *least* put the rarities lyrics in their booklets? Simply inexcusable. Finally, I've experience the sheer eKsTacy of knowing all of what Kate sings. Stunning lines such as: "Who is the funny sex machine? (KEN)" Or: "It keeps me going and it keeps the ship away." "Doo-doo-n-doo-doo-no-doo dow" (Hey, they couldn't even translate that line) Lazlo said his Japanese _The Kick Inside_ sounds *glorious*. YES YES YES, doesn't it? After hearing some of these CDs from my Jap. box, I have to say that they ALL sound glorious. Maybe the best-sounding Kate I've heard. Lazlo and Jon wanted to know the price. It would help, wouldn't it? :-) I didn't pay by yen, plus I don't know the conversion rate. Tom at C-Side charges $164.99, plus $7 p/h; air/insured is an extra $5. Note that this information came from his last KTlist that I've had for at least a month and a half, so it may even be cheaper or more expensive nowadays. Steve Williams said that he saw it yesterday at the Austin Record Show for around $189.00, but also saw it in _Goldmine_ recently for $159.00 (not counting p/h if ordered in the mail). Thanks for calling and offering to pick up some KTstuff for me last weekend, Steve! I can almost guarantee that Tom at C-Side will match or better any price you can name. Those of you interested in the Japanese box can call Tom at 813-461-4327 and haggle. I advertise for Tom only because I know he is not making very much profit. He really is a big Kate collector, and will deal if you have something he's interested in or can resell. Ahem, I should know. My raiding of HMV stores in London last November during Kon week (sigh..I DO wish my license plate would finally arrive) to scarf up the free mini Q magazines featuring Kate allowed me to get _quite_ a nice price for my Japanese box. Hey, you Brits. Tom'll even take pound notes. :-) I should add here that those still looking to buy a box should also seriously consider the UK box, because there is currently (and I wouldn't be surprised if Love-Hounds traffic had something to do with it) a price war going on, according to Tom. He noted in his last KTlist that he can now sell it for what he used to pay wholesale for it. I think Jon recently paid a good price for his. So, shop around! "Ooh you rolling matador, Kill in your eyes for the old Tauro That shut the door To Glory and gore The throw of the Rose That's all you live for Well, you've lost it all." Larry (Lion-Heart@cup.portal.com)
ed@das.llnl.GOV (Edward J. Suranyi) (04/16/91)
Larry Hernandez writes: >But my God, couldn't the English have at *least* put the rarities lyrics >in their booklets? Simply inexcusable. Finally, I've experience the >sheer eKsTacy of knowing all of what Kate sings. Stunning lines such as: > >"It keeps me going and it keeps the ship away." Well, of course you know that that's not REALLY what she sings in "Not This Time", don't you? The second to the last word is one letter off. :-) Ed ed@das.llnl.gov
L-H@cup.portal.COM (04/16/91)
Ed is nothing but kind as he tries to eduKaTe me and writes: >... >"It keeps me going and it keeps the ship away." > >Well, of course you know that that's not REALLY what she sings in "Not >This Time", don't you. The second to the last word is one letter off. :-) Hey, no shit? I've gotta listen closer next time. ;-) By the way, there's no "and" in the line, either, as far as my ears can tell. But my hearing is pretty funky sometimes... "C'mon, we all sing..." Larry (love-hound@cup.portal.COM)
evan@castle.ed.ac.UK (E Welsh) (04/16/91)
In article <9104151138.2.23668@cup.portal.com> Larry writes: >But my God, couldn't the English have at *least* put the rarities lyrics >in their booklets? Simply inexcusable. Finally, I've experience the >sheer eKsTacy of knowing all of what Kate sings. Stunning lines such as: > >"Who is the funny sex machine? (KEN)" Or: >"It keeps me going and it keeps the ship away." >"Doo-doo-n-doo-doo-no-doo dow" (Hey, they couldn't even translate that line) Perhaps some people don't know what they should be: funny -> funky ship -> shit By the way, I'm dying to see the results of your project Ron. Good stuff. As regards Ron's query about British spelling, z's are often substituted for s's when they get Americanised ;-) There are many other differences as well but I don't know if there are general rules... Does anyone know why the Americans had to go and change the spellings in the first place? Evan... -- / __ /\ evan@castle.ed.ac.uk /\ Are you selling your \ \ |_ \ / \/ rew@lfcs.ed.ac.uk \/ soul to a cold gun ? / / |__VAN \/\/ELSH /\ evan@tardis.cs.ed.ac.uk/\ \ \ ================ \/ ecwu86@ercvax.ed.ac.uk \/ Kate Bush. /
nrc@cbema.att.COM (Neal R Caldwell, Ii) (04/16/91)
From article <9603@castle.ed.ac.uk>, by evan@castle.ed.ac.UK (E Welsh): > > In article <9104151138.2.23668@cup.portal.com> Larry writes: >>"Who is the funny sex machine? (KEN)" Or: >>"It keeps me going and it keeps the ship away." >>"Doo-doo-n-doo-doo-no-doo dow" (Hey, they couldn't even translate that line) > > Perhaps some people don't know what they should be: > funny -> funky > ship -> shit I was aware of both of these but I wonder about their source. _Not This Time_ is actually wrong in _Kate Bush Complete_ so it may be that they got that from there. "Funny" rather than "funky" sounds like a typical wrong translation. It would be interesting to see the lyrics from Ken as written in the Japanese boxed set. Can somebody post them? "Don't drive too slowly." Richard Caldwell AT&T Network Systems att!cbnews!nrc nrc@cbnews.att.com