New Wave Outpost Forum

On January 29, Universal is going to re-release all 4 of the recent Siouxsie and the Banshees reissues in yet another new edition. Apparently the complaints about the quality of the reissues, (see, you can occasionally make a difference), has prompted them to supposedly not only re-remaster them again, but they are also said to be coming in the far superior standard jewel case format. As eager as I am to hear if they've been given the respect they deserve, I will be ready to pull out the bullhorn once again if the screw up. In unfortunate news, the JuJu 2CD set appears to have been canceled.

Scott

[quote]Originally posted by Rubellan
[br]On January 29, Universal is going to re-release all 4 of the recent Siouxsie and the Banshees reissues in yet another new edition. Apparently the complaints about the quality of the reissues, (see, you can occasionally make a difference), has prompted them to supposedly not only re-remaster them again, but they are also said to be coming in the far superior standard jewel case format. As eager as I am to hear if they've been given the respect they deserve, I will be ready to pull out the bullhorn once again if the screw up. In unfortunate news, the JuJu 2CD set appears to have been canceled.

Scott
[/quote]

So Scott, what would you recommend to a S+B fan? Could you compile a list of the best issues/reissues? I bought the 2 cd Scream, but no other of the reissues yet. Sounds like I should wait until Jan 29

Yes, wait. The Double "Scream" CD had excellent sound. "Join Hands" was quite good as well, though "Kaleidoscope" and "JuJu" were not very good. It's all over Amazon UK that the "Scream" single CD is complete distortion so that's one everyone should avoid. Besides being remastered, the new batch is ditching those super-cheap non-glossy single fold digipacks.

The comment on the errors on the remasters being corrected is vague in how they went about doing it. If it is to be done properly then they would have had to pull the masters out and start all over. I'm assuming this is what they did since trying to "touch up" the problem areas could make matters worse.

Scott

Rubellan, do you happen to know if we can return the old remasters in for the new ones coming out? Or are we stuck with them and have to buy them again?

I've only heard limited details of the re-remasters. I seriously doubt there will be any sort of trade in type of thing. The last thing Universal are going to do is blatantly admit that they screwed up the first time around. There hasn't even been an "official" statement about the re-remasters yet, though they are listed on most online shops.

Are you sure they are being remastered again? The digipaks were always meant to be a limited edition to be replaced by jewel-case versions when they sold out.

It was mentioned that the known errors are expected to be corrected with this pressing, whether that means brand new transfers or just someone's attempt at a clean up job remains to be heard. There was never any announcement that the digipacks were limited editions. Severin keeps very aware of what goes on in the Banshees online community, and the major complaints were regarding the poor mastering and the cheapy digipacks. That being said, I'm being sceptical myself.

I always wondered how those Japanese Mini LP remasters of the same 4 CD's sounded?!?!? Anybody have them?!!?!? Usually the stuff from over there is pretty good on the mastering end of things.

[quote][i]Originally posted by Rubellan[/i]
<br> I seriously doubt there will be any sort of trade in type of thing. The last thing Universal are going to do is blatantly admit that they screwed up the first time around.
[/quote]

Universal should absolutely allow for a trade-in. DVD companies do it all the time; they usually ask for proof-of-purchase and the actual disc.

Otherwise, this woud be a devious double-dip scheme: bilk fans out of money for the same product twice within a year.

And if the band itself is getting a piece of the sales (and I assume they are), Severin and company should DEMAND that trade-ins will be accepted. When sub-standard -- in this case, DEFECTIVE -- mastering is sold to the public, the label should be obligated to replace it free of charge.

You know I really wish they would have had a deal with Rhino or something to handle the remasters. They have done a pretty good job with the Cure reissues and they did handle the Glove cd. I don't think Universal has been all that supportive. In fact, I am suprised that they have remastered them at all. They dragged their feet with the b-sides box; and now no Juju 2 cd remaster. Sucks to have to pay for them again!! It's sad because when these were all originally announced over a year ago. Severin had speculated that they would all be released by sometime in 2007.

On a sidenote, I heard a rumour that the reason why Kraftwerk's Catalogue boxset isn't available is because *they* (not label) were not happy with the remastering, so they're going to do it themselves.

Well, that sucks to hear!! I really wonder if the band even cares anymore. Severin did seem to take charge of the project when it first got underway. But now, he isn't even addressing the issue on his website. Siouxsie seems to be concerned with her solo album these days. I mean if they are not going to do them right then why do them at all!!

Rubellan, is there any way you can repost that link? I tried to download it to hear the exact problems for myself, but it seems to have expired. Also, had you (or anyone else) posted the songs that have problems, and where they occur? I'd be curious. I have all the remasters (except for the single disc version of "The Scream") and haven't been aware of the remastering problems, mostly because I hadn't listened on headphones.

I will have to say though, on the remastered edition of "Juju", it is the ONLY time that I have heard the extended version of "Spellbound" on CD without any edits to it. I'm glad to see they got that right, at least; and for me, it was worth having the disc just for that.

I updated the link above with a new one. There are several reviews on Amazon, both U.S. and UK, that acknowledge the limitations of the remasters, specifically pointing out some of what is in the file I have available.

Scott