Go-Betweens' Early Years Chronicled in Box Set

The Vinyl Villain's timing is perfect. He has a post this week on the classic 'Clash on Broadway' box. There is also a larger theme to his piece: Who is the audience for these expansive sets? If you are already a fan, chances are you have most of the material. If you have always wanted to dip your big toe, the price is probably too much for a band you haven't invested in before. So, it really comes down to extras such as well-done booklets and how much bonus material/unreleased tracks are included. I don't know about you, but goodies like posters, badges and stickers will never move me one way or another. It always comes down to the music.

All of the above criteria has had me seriously pondering the recently announced 'G Stands For Go-Betweens - Volume One.' Extensively covering the years 1978 to 1984, the meat of this beautiful box is the remastered vinyl of the first three studio albums, 'Send Me A Lullaby,' 'Before Hollywood' and 'Spring Hill Fair,' as well as a fourth compilation album that covers the band's first five singles. Yes, that includes "I Need Two Heads" from Postcard. The real eyebrow raiser for me is the four compact discs of rare, hard-to-find and unreleased demos, recordings, radio sessions and a complete live concert radio broadcast from 1982. Domino Records has the complete tracklists here.

There is an 112-page book, a silkscreen of the promotional poster for “Lee Remick" and a reproduction of the band's first press release from their own Able Label. The box itself looks beautiful, and all of the packaging seems to have been curated with much care.

So, as the Vinyl Villain intimated, with a box like this it comes down to price and the material not already owned. I have the three studio albums, although not all of the trio are on vinyl, and I have some (but not all) of the songs on 'The First Five Singles' because I have the four-track 'The Able Label Singles.' I have all but two of the singles Postcard released, but one of them is "I Need Two Heads." Truth is, I know I won't be satisfied with a Domino reissue of the song. It's gotta be the Postcard 7", and I know I will get it eventually. What really intrigues me are the four CDs, but is that worth the $160 price tag? That's a lot of used records at the local mom-and-pop shops... but I do love Go-Betweens so. Domino is taking preorders until the end of the month, and 'G Stands For Go-Betweens - Volume One' will be out in January. I may have to think about this one a little further.

What do you think about this box set in particular and box sets in general? Have you ever forked over $160 for one of these?