Whitesnake • Box Of Snakes
Box O’Snakes: The Sunburst Years 1978-1982
EMI November 2011. 9CD / 1DVD / Book
Early indications for this left us less than overwhelmed. The CDs are just the regular track listings, NOT the latest extended editions (albeit in mini LP card covers). So if like many (and me) you picked up the remasters over the last few years (and probably the original CD editions too), you’re now being asked to buy them all a third time – in editions which are shorter! Yes, two of the CDs are new – the 1979 and 1980 Reading broadcasts from the BBC. The box does have a DVD in, with promotional videos and some footage off the BBC (Top Of The Pops we assume), though we’re not sure how many are new to DVD, and what is being called an ‘official bootleg’ from 1980 US show.
To me it would be far fairer to have issued the DVD and both BBC shows together as a lower price option, by all means in a nice box with the book. But the DVD content does smack of poor research as there’s lots more they could have dug out with just a bit of effort.
Which just leaves a 90 page book, a 7″ single and a flash flight case looking outer box to entice buyers. But I assume most old-time Whitesnake fans will already have the white vinyl Snakebite EP (and if not it’s hardly a difficult one to find). Artists really have very little idea when it comes to their own history. Early indications are that price wise it will be around £150+ (less if you shop with the tax dodgers) in part due to it being so flipping heavy!
Of course if you don’t have the albums and fancy a quick catch up then it will make a fine Xmas pressie. It is limited to just 5,000 copies world wide. You can order at the DTBOnline Store.
tracklisting: CD One: Trouble (1978) ’Take Me With You’ ’Love To Keep You Warm’ ’Lie Down (A Modern Love Song)’ ’Day Tripper’ ’Nighthawk (Vampire Blues)’ ’The Time Is Right For Love’ ’Trouble’ ’Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick’ ’Free Flight’ ’Don’t Mess With Me’
CD Two:: Live At Hammersmith (1978) ’Come On’ ’Might Just Take Your Life’ ’Lie Down’ ’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ ’Trouble’ ’Mistreated’
CD Three: Lovehunter (1979) ’Long Way From Home’ ’Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues’ ’Help Me Thro’ The Day’ ’Medicine Man’ ’You `N’ Me’ ’Mean Business’ ’Love Hunter’ ’Outlaw’ ’Rock `N’ Roll Women’ ’We Wish You Well’
CD Four: Ready An’ Willing (1980) ’Fool For Your Loving’ ’Sweet Talker’ ’Ready An’Willing’ ’Carry Your Load’ ’Blindman’ ’Ain’t Gonna Cry No More’ ’Love Man’ ’Black and Blue’ ’She’s A Woman’
CD Five: Live…In The Heart Of The City (1980) ’Come On’ ’Sweet Talker’ ’Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues’ ’Love Hunter’ ’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ ’Fool For Your Loving’ ’Ain’t Gonna Cry No More’ ’Ready An’ Willing’ ’Take Me With You’
CD Six: Come An’ Get It (1981) ’Come An’ Get It’ ’Hot Stuff’ ’Don’t Break My Heart Again’ ’Lonely Days, Lonely Nights’ ’Wine,Women An’ Song’ ’Child of Babylon’ ’Would I Lie To You’ ’Girl’ ’Hit An’ Run’ ’Till The Day I Die’
CD Seven: Saints & Sinners (1982) ’Young Blood’ ’Rough An’ Ready’ ’Bloody Luxury’ ’Victim Of Love’ ’Crying In The Rain’ ’Here I Go Again’ ’Love An’ Affection’ ’Rock An’ Roll Angels’ ’Dancing Girls’ ’Saints An’ Sinners’
CD Eight: Live At Reading Rock ’79 (1979) ’Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues’ ’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ ’Steal Away’ ’Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick’ ’Mistreated/Soldier Of Fortune’ ’Love Hunter’ ’Breakdown’
CD Nine: Live At Reading Rock ’80 (1980) ’Sweet Talker’ ’Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues’ ’Ain’t Gonna Cry No More’ ’Love Hunter’ ’Mistreated/Soldier Of Fortune’ ’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ ’Fool For Your Loving’
DVD : Come On / Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City / Bloody Mary / Steal Away / Day Tripper / Long Way from Home / Fool for Your Loving / Don’t Break My Heart Again / Would I Lie to You / Here I Go Again (promos) / Lie Down (A Modern Love Song) / Trouble [Old Grey Whistle Test 1978] / Bloody Mary (Top of the Pops 1978) / Here I Go Again (Top of the Pops 1982) / Come On / Sweet Talker / Walking in the Shadow of the Blues / Ain’t Gonna Cry No More / Love Hunter / Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick / Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City / Fool for Your Loving [Live at Capital Centre, Washington 1980]
Actually one I’d like to see, as a lot of those early promos and clips were very good.
Our thanks to Chris Poustie for the DVD listing. Oh and not forgetting….
Snakebite EP (1978) 33rpm seven inch white vinyl
Side One ’Bloody Mary’ ’Steal Away’
Side Two ’Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ ’Come On’
UPDATE • This box set was deleted after just twelve weeks by EMI. Limited indeed. DTB Online store have a few left in stock at the time of writing, so do get in touch. There is some suggestion that the remastering on these editions is different to that done for the individual CD remasters EMI released earlier. If anyone can confirm do get in touch.
darker than blue 
October 23, 2012 at 12:40 pm |
Got the package for Eur 60, was in a sale here in Finland. Did not plan to purchase but what the heck. For this price I got another boxed bundle!
September 8, 2012 at 2:35 pm |
Coming in to the discussion quite late… Are these really the same remasters as the extended editions? It is said in the accompanying book that audio has been remastered by Dave Donnelly, the extended versions were credited to Peter Mew.
September 10, 2012 at 9:03 am |
Not having got the box I’d missed this Marko. Maybe they did do straight new remasters for this? If anyone out there has (go) compared do let us know.
November 17, 2011 at 10:50 pm |
Just looked for it at my CD store: 130 euro (175 USD). Are you kiddin’ me? What a joke. Any true fan already owns 95% of this box. That’s a lot of money for that other 5%.
November 10, 2011 at 1:30 am |
Got the import. DVD is multi-region. I love it. Book is very nice and being in the US, have never seen much of video stuff other than crappy web quality. Never a big fan of bonus tracks, so I think this whole set is great. 100% better than Ozzy Blizzard box I got a few months ago. That was a pile of brown stuff. No pics of Kerslake or Daisley.
November 9, 2011 at 8:41 am |
I miss “Come On” and “Might just take your Life” on the Reading 79 disc. It runs 60mins, so there would have been enough space.
October 29, 2011 at 12:51 pm |
If I get the import will the DVD play on US DVD players? I had that problem with Phoenix Rising. I am really looking forward to this release for the DVD (and the new DP and Thin Lizzy BBC box sets will be exciting).
November 4, 2011 at 8:26 am |
I’ll try and find out CJ. I would imagine this will be multi-region but you never know. It’ll one heck of a box I have to say, and if size were everything it would win hands down. I think ii must be the biggest physical release from the DP family ever.
October 20, 2011 at 7:59 am |
It’s even less of a package than stated. 4 of the Reading ’79 tracks are on the Ready And (sorry An’) Willing re-issue. Namely; Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City / Mistreated – Soldier Of Fortune’ / Love Hunter / Breakdown’
So that leaves new tracks as; Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues, Steal Away and Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick. All of these tracks I have on bootleg. So if I want to be a sad completist (which I am) I have to fork out for Reading ’80 and a dodgy bootleg video (judging by YouTube) of a quality equal to the awful Donnington 1990.
Not happy
October 24, 2011 at 5:31 pm |
I’d of course forgotten they’d already added some of Reading 79 to the album a while ago. I must admit we’ve had very little by way of positive reaction to the way this package has been put together. I’m saving my Christmas money for the Talking Heads Chronology DVD instead!
September 30, 2011 at 11:37 am |
Anyone know if the studio albums are newer remasters?
October 4, 2011 at 10:12 am |
EMI say they are the same remasters as released on the individual CD reissues over the past couple of years CJ.
September 30, 2011 at 10:48 am |
The DVD looks like a great way of collecting all of the old videos, until your do a search on youtube and realise there are others out there that are not included..ie Lady from the Whitesnake solo album
October 4, 2011 at 10:13 am |
My point exactly Phil. And what about that amazing slot they did on Revolver? Either spend some time and do it properly or don’t bother!
September 30, 2011 at 1:48 am |
A wasted opportunity to show the masses that the the pre hair metal Whitesnake was a far better band than any of the latter line-ups. Sometimes I really wonder who comes up with these ideas. Who in their right mind is going to buy this when you can get pretty much all of it on the remastered albums …with even more bonus tracks for probably less than a third of the price. Makes no sense. Chrysalis just managed to release half a dozen Frankie Miller albums on a four disc set for less than £12 ……. and a six disc UFO set of all their Chrysalis recordings for the same price.
September 30, 2011 at 9:15 am |
Interesting comments Martin. Chatting with people at some of the major labels, it seems the reissue market is kind of dividing into two areas – very good value collections of artists albeit in cheap and cheerful packaging, and higher end sets of one sort or another.
The value sets are designed to tempt people who might otherwise just grab pirate downloads, or who just want the music. The sets are aimed at the more limited fan market. By costing them out carefully and guessing at the likely sales, these can be quite effective. And let’s face it labels have to do what they can to keep going these days.
We have now worked out a price for the online order form, it took Ann about two hours as the set goes over the max weight for regular delivery, and she has also built in compensation.
Like Allen I hope the live Reading stuff goes out alone later, and I’d be surprised if not.
September 29, 2011 at 10:22 pm |
I’m all over this…even if I do have everything!
September 29, 2011 at 2:27 pm |
This is pretty sweet. Going through the pre-order process and I don’t see a price.
September 29, 2011 at 10:44 am |
Wonder if the unreleased content will find itself an official release on its’ own account at some point. Would like to have it but not by buying (again) all the albums
September 29, 2011 at 10:23 am |
Well said Simon!
I have also bought all of the extended remasters. I have copies of the Reading shows on CD (from tapes recorded from the original BBC Broadcasts & so of good quality). I too have the original 7″ EP. From the photo, the book would appear to be made up of copies of DTB Magazine features across the years, (without the panache of course!!)
As for the DVD… my boot of the concert suggests it wasn’t Cov’s finest hour & at that price, it will not be finding it’s way into my collection.
It’s about time they started thinking about the true fans. If they did, they would probably make even more money by issuing stuff we want. Simples!