ooh mr. guardian/observer you are *spoiling* us with your free 5 track cds that feature 5 tracks we already have.

Les Inrocks this week also has a free 3-track Björk CD. I wonder if it's the smae 3 "exclusives" haha*

Plus, the box set has been out for over a week already anyway.

(*I can't tell you since the copies that I've seen in Belgium don't actually have the CD attached for some reason)

What do you expect, altruism?

It's called marketing.

I imagine the object is to persuade Guardian / Observer readers to go out and buy the new Bjork compilation (rather than to encourage Bjork fans to rush out and buy up all of this weeks copies of the Guardian / Observer, which would be the likely result of if they were to include a free CD full of rarities).

I first got into Orbital, and therefore into techno and electronica, through a free CD on the front of the Guardian (featuring Belfast, Impact USA, Sad But New and The Girl With The Sun In Her Head) in about 1996, so I wouldn't necessarily knock it...

Looking back, I was quite an astonishing rock-bigot until around then. That, Born Slippy and Higher State of Consciousness were what did it for me, I think.

matt that was the one u couldnt get oop north.
have seen it though,
it's worth about £15 now.
the version of 'girl with the sun...'
was different to the lp i think too.

Nope, THWTSIHH was the same as the album, but Sad But True and Impact USA were different (and better) versions of older album tracks.

In defence of The Guardian/Observer (who pay my wages while I'm spending time on here) it's a straight numbers game. The only things that boosts circulation more than a decent free CD are elections, dead princesses or planes flying into skyscrapers.

Stewart is obviously right about the record company's objectives in doing the CD (boost sales of the Greatest Hits). From The Observer's point of view it's more the casual Bjork fan that's going to rush out and buy the paper rather than someone who's got all the albums.

Then the marketing department would also argue that it's about branding. In theory it gives The Guardian or Observer kudos with young folk (who they need as future buyers of the paper) if they're being associated with Bjork, Orbital or Blur (particularly if papers like the Telegraph are giving away David Gray CDs).

And piscesboy, pleased to hear your comments about the Orbital CD now being worth £15. And I'm glad people still remember it's the Manchester Guardian.

i used to work 4 the guardian in manchester.
u don't know emma wright do u james ?

No, I've heard the name but I don't know her personally.

When did you work in Manchester and which dept? I know a few people up there. In fact I once went for a job with the MEN but they turned me down!

And what's your real name?

damien johnstone.
worked for education advertising sales
for about 7 months in 1997.
sat next to paula barker
who was dead nice and i missed a lot
when i left. MEN were allowed to wear
normal civvy clothes which used to annoy
the pish outta me in my shirt and tie.

Well Damien, I can't remember speaking to you but I must have at some point as I've been in classified down here for about 9 years. I know Paula, she's still in the Manchester office. Also, do you remember Alister O'Connor, Caroline Williams, Jo Goring, Steve Erskine, Neil Meredith or the lovely Tina Batkin?

caroline + me got the job on the same day
from the same all-dayer interview !
2 of us out of, what, 15 or so.
i had to high-tail it to glastonbury festival
after it aswell.
me + caroline used to know each other pretty well.

tina b*tk*n ? well *where* do i begin ?
what's yr e-mail james -
i can't talk in any detail on here about this stuff.

anyway, home time now.

Hey, Damien I'm out of here myself now. But e-mail me next week (james.ball@guardian.co.uk) and I'll give you the latest on our favourite Stoke-born manager (heh, heh).

Caroline's living down in London now and I see her every now and again. She's a lovely lass.

Good to speak to you mate, I'll catch you next week.

my dad (= 71) found he liked bjork after a freebie that came w.the times (poss.the sunday times)

so not dud

if it had a track from the 'dancer in the dark' soundtrack then Kewl!!