Smashing Pumpkins - Aeroplane Flies High

Earlier this week I received this beauty! I bought it on Discogs. This release isn't that hard to find. What's so special about this one though is that it's still sealed! That's not too normal for a 17 year old release I think... 

This box set was re-released earlier this year and when a "rare" release like this is re-issued they either fall in price or increase even more. They fall in price as it's now available again for maybe a smaller price (the re-issue is quite pricey though...), or they increase in price as some collectors really want an original issue and are reminded of the record when the re-issue is out.

I've been wanting this box set for quite some time and as I finally found one that is sealed, I may still have to get one that is opened. I can't split the seal on this one! That's how a record collector thinks, and it's insane I know...

Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness

One of the greatest albums of all time has finally been re-issued on vinyl!

Billy Corgan is a busy man these days... Not only is he, as Smashing Pumpkins, releasing his 44 song project "Teargarden By Kaleidoscope", he has also released Smashing Pumpkins' best album in 14 years this year, "Oceania", but he is also re-releasing the back-catalog. Both "Gish" and "Siamese Dreams" has seen really cool releases and now it's time for the band's masterpiece, "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness".

The album is spread out over four vinyls, each housed in a separate sleeve. The box set is completed with two books. One book includes all the lyrics and the other one includes a forword and a very interesting track by track commentary by Billy Corgan on every song on the album, extremely pleasant reading!

Like I said, this is one of my favourite albums ever and this release just makes it even better!

Iron Maiden - Picture Disc box set.

A couple of days ago I received my copy of the latest box set release from Iron Maiden. I love the box sets from this band. I've got three of them so far.

This box set was printed in only a limited number and I bought my copy through Amazon together with the first two records in the series "Iron Maiden" and "Killers".

Iron Maiden is taking the wrong approach to the vinyl market though. Sure they have some of the coolest cover art ever and the picture discs looks great, but what about the sound quality? What they should do is release their entire catalogue on 180-200g high quality black vinyl, especially the albums from "Brave New World" until today that has only got a picture disc release.

Anyways, I'll be getting these records to complete this box set and hope for an audiophile box set next! 

The front of the box set, still in shrink wrap.

The back with all the covers and track listing. Such an amazing collection of albums. Seven of the greatest heavy metal albums there is and also the "Live After Death" double vinyl.

Together with my two other box sets on the wall in my new record room.

Iron Maiden box set.

I haven't really had a good experience with the Norwegian toll system. First of all they charge a 25% "merverdiavgift" on everything that costs more than 200 NOK, which really isn't a whole lot. You normally can't buy more than maybe one or two used records for that price. This limit has been the same since the 70's and we all know that you don't exactly get the same kind of goods for 200 NOK today as you did 40 years ago...

These last few weeks I've been even more frustrated than ever at the toll system. They have held a package there for over three weeks and I've sent them numerous e-mails and called them even more. I've spent three half hour breaks at work sitting in telephone line waiting for someone to solve this for me without an answer.

This week I finally got a note in the mail that my package was ready for pick-up at the local post office for a small fee. A fee that was smaller than expected since the reason why they hold my package seemed to be that they didn't have a invoice for the goods, which I've e-mailed them three times...

Anyhow... So I finally got my long awaited Iron Maiden box set. It's a compilation of the first ten years and it collects ten double 12" singles. This was released in 1990 and (taken from wikipedia) "each part in the series included a special voucher, all ten of which could be exchanged by mail order for a limited edition storage box.". I guess that there aren't that many boxes out there (considering it's an Iron Maiden release, one of the biggest bands in the world) so it's quite rare, this made it one of my most sought after Maiden records. A complete box set in good condition normally sells on ebay for somewhere between £150-200. I was lucky to get mine at about £75. A real bargain!! :)

So my Iron Maiden collection keeps growing. A very fun band to collect!