BOC: News

[John A. Swartz]

> I just a saw a Tyranny & Mutation amd Secret Treaties together in
> black colored deluxe looking package. It said it had
> bonus Tracks. Do you think this will have the same tracks as you list
> below? It was called something like Back in
> Black. That is not rally the title, but it is something like that. The
> 2 CDs were $30.00. I should have looked at the
> label, but I did not. I was going to buy this. Has anyone seen it yet?
> Chris

O.K., here's the deal on the "Back To Black" package (I have a copy).
This was released by the French label AXEKILLER, and has both Tyranny &
Mutation and Secret Treaties -- these are remastered presumably from the
original source - you know that current flaw on "Cagey Cretins" on the
Secret Treaties CD?  GONE!  The liner notes are pretty cool, and contain
lyrics -- only problem is that they took these from the fanclub website,
and used them without permission or proper credit.  It appears that it
was not done maliciously - the liner notes do mention
www.blueoystercult.com, and Melne has speculated that they must have
thought this information was public domain stuff - in actualilty though,
Melne create those notes on BOC's early history (which are much more
well-written than the history section of the BOC FAQ).  Still, it is a
nice product.

Now, as for the "Bonus Tracks", they simply took a track from the first
BOC album and added one to each CD - so Tyranny & Mutation has "Cities
On Flame With Rock And Roll" at the end, and Secret Treaties has
"Stairway To The Stars" -- but these are just the same tracks from the
first BOC album, albeit remastered.  SO, the new SONY remasters will NOT
be this package - and, with the remasters coming out, there is really
little need to get this package (although it is well done).

John