Any thoughts on the Albert Ayler box, Holy Ghost?

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Anyone a fan of this? It's about 10 discs worth of material. I'm pretty happy with it, I think it's pretty sad that I managed to read about its release in an issue of Spin magazine, but nevertheless, I like it. What did you guys think?

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Saturday, 7 January 2006 04:46 (twenty years ago)

why is that sad?

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 7 January 2006 04:48 (twenty years ago)

Well, I really don't like Spin and generalyl like complaining about it. So I guess I owe it something for introducing me to an artist I like and will feel mildly guilty over bitching about it..

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Saturday, 7 January 2006 04:55 (twenty years ago)

there have been some thoughts, yes--

omg wtf Albert Ayler fans brace yourselve

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 7 January 2006 04:59 (twenty years ago)

I still don't have it yet :(

I got Live On the Riviera from this year tho and it rocks hard.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 7 January 2006 05:00 (twenty years ago)

I'll check that out then. This box set has really gotten me interested in his stuff..

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Saturday, 7 January 2006 05:01 (twenty years ago)

You intro to Ayler was a 10-CD box set?

― Mark (MarkR), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:27 (twenty years ago)

I carefully arranged the very pretty plastic box on my dark-finish rustic end table from Cost Plus World Market, next to a lamp. It adds a lot of character to the room. The CDs it came with are good too.

― adam (adam), Saturday, 7 January 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

"You intro to Ayler was a 10-CD box set?"

Yeah..Kind of weird I guess. But it sounded really interesting, so I thought, why not?

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Saturday, 7 January 2006 17:08 (twenty years ago)

because it's weird to buy a box set of an artist you've never heard before? what if you hated it?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 7 January 2006 17:09 (twenty years ago)

i always thought of boxed sets as a sort of clearinghouse, e.g., "the complete [insert label or era here] recordings of so-and-so." obviously, such an approach wouldn't have worked with ayler, as he often recorded for different labels concurrently. so the idea of a box of all-unreleased stuff (although some of the copenhagen material had come out on an ayler records release) makes some sense, but the presentation implies that this is the definitive and/or last word on albert ayler (something that was definitely true of revenant's charley patton box). it's neither, and there's nothing wrong with that -- revenant is at its best when focusing on unreleased work, and this box deserves all the praise it's gotten. but i wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to ayler's work; it's really more for the obsessed fan. i actually think some of the material was best left unheard (the new grass sessions). but hey, if it was yer first exposure to ayler, and it makes you want to seek out more of his stuff, that's cool.

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Saturday, 7 January 2006 17:12 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, there was a risk of hating it. Fortunately that turned out not to be the case. And yes, I'm usually a bit more thoughtful when I'm purchasing music. This was more of a, what the hell, this might be cool kind of buy. And I had the money to waste, at the time..

― Harrison Barr (Petar), Saturday, 7 January 2006 17:19 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

heyo this thing is on sale over at ESP! a STEAL: http://espdisk.com/official/catalog/RVN213.html
love this box, keeps on giving and giving.

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:19 (fifteen years ago)

this box is great
love the interviews w/ him

― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:21 (fifteen years ago)

other cool things on sale over there too, like that Bird in Time 4 CD set for $30.
Anyone have the Billie Holiday box set? http://espdisk.com/official/catalog/4039.html Worth it?

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:21 (fifteen years ago)

holy shit didn't know about that Billie set but the samples sound fucking unbelievable - prime Billie with jumping bands

― gross rainbow of haerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:29 (fifteen years ago)

yeah, sound quality on those samples is better than i expected ...

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:36 (fifteen years ago)

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