Bill Bruford - 2017 "Seems Like A Lifetime Ago" [6 CD Box]

Bill Bruford - 2017 "Seems Like A Lifetime Ago"

Limited eight disc (six CDs + two NTSC/Region DVDs) box set from the prog rock icon. This set contains previously unreleased, remixed, or remastered material from the Bruford band of the late 1970s, presented in a 12" box complete with 16-page color booklet and a signed, numbered certificate of authentication. Four gatefold sleeves contain two discs each: Disc 1 (DVD): Feels Good To Me: 5.1 surround sound mix and original 1978 mix remastered; Disc 2 (CD): Feels Good To Me: 2017 Jakko Jakszyk remix from original master tapes; Disc 3 (DVD): One of a Kind: 5.1 surround sound mix and original 1979 mix remastered plus additional audio; Disc 4 (CD): One of a Kind: 2017 Jakko Jakszyk remix from original master tapes; Disc 5 (CD): Gradually Going Tornado: remastered; Disc 6 (CD): The Bruford Tapes: remastered with bonus track; Disc 7 (CD): Live at the Venue: previously unreleased: recorded London 1980; Disc 8 (CD): The fourth Album Rehearsal Sessions: previously unreleased: eighteen sketches of new material recorded 1980. Also includes:16-page 12" booklet with a Sid Smith essay, new interviews with producer, engineer, band members, eyewitnesses and others, previously unseen archive visual material, and the complete band date sheet with contemporary critical reaction. Also two black and white 10" x 8" band photos, one A3 size color poster accompanying Live at the Venue, and one signed, numbered certificate of authentication. The boxed set is produced by Bill Bruford.

Superb music, but this set is for completists and audio snobs. Do the discs sound appreciably better than earlier versions? That's going to be very subjective. To my ears, probably a bit better, but not in the way that some re-masters really open things up into a very different experience with music you already know pretty well. One of a Kind and Feels Good to Me get a 5.1 Surround Sound Mix and a new 2017 non surround mix. These sound good, but it won't be comparable to something like the 50th anniversary Sgt. Pepper revelations.
Gradually Going doesn't get a new mix or 5.1 treatment. It is basically unchanged from the most recent Winterfold version. The Bruford Tapes was a 2 Track recording of a radio broadcast that never sounded that great, and it does seem here that may be a bit more listenable than it was before.
That brings us to the completist side of things. You do get the ideas for the potential 4th Bruford album and a new (to me, at least) live recording of a John Clark era show (circa Gradually Going). The 4th album set is a bunch of idea fragments that don't for the most part give a real sense of how a song might've fleshed out eventually. Jeff Berlin is only on one of the 18 tracks, so it's basically moog bass from Dave Stewart and a "let's see where this might go" kind of flavor to things. The Live at the Venue show is on a sonic par with multiple Bruford boots that might've appeared on a Highland release or a torrent site. That is to say, it's not even on a level with the Bruford Tapes recording.
Why Rock Goes to College, featuring Allan Holdsworth isn't included in this set is a bit odd, as it's probably more historically interesting than either of the live shows that are here.
The booklet and individual cd booklets are nice and have good notes. There's a poster, band photos, and a certificate signed by Bill too. These are all kind of a poor man's version of what might be familiar to those who have seen some of the King Crimson boxes.
I'm glad I've gotten this, but paid about $40 less elsewhere than the current Amazon price. Is this set in any way essential? I'd have to say no, but it is great music from a bygone era all in one place and that does have some appeal.

Containing the collected works of Bruford on one extraordinary 6cd/2dvd-v box set, Seems Like A Lifetime Ago is a magnificent testament to one of the UK's most inventive and important Progressive Fusion bands.
Featuring 2017 remastered versions of the albums Feels Good To Me (1978), One Of A Kind (1979), The Bruford Tapes (1979), and Gradually Going Tornado (1980), the set additionally includes the previously unreleased Live At The Venue, 1980 and the highly sought after 4th Album Rehearsal Sessions (also from 1980).

Showcasing the prodigious talents of Bill Bruford, Dave Stewart, the late Allan Holdsworth (who the album is dedicated to), Jeff Berlin and The 'Unknown' John Clark, the set includes a 16 page colour booklet (with band interviews and an essay written by Sid Smith), a reproduction concert poster, two black and white photo prints of the band, and a signed and numbered certificate of authentication.

I personally wasn't happy with the remaster OR the $128.00 I paid for it. Crimhead420 :-(

Track listing:

Disc: 1
  1. Beelzebub (2017 Remix)
  2. Back to the Beginning (2017 Remix)
  3. Seems Like a Lifetime Ago: Part One (2017 Remix)
  4. Seems Like a Lifetime Ago: Part Two (2017 Remix)
  5. Sample and Hold (2017 Remix)
  6. Feels Good to Me (2017 Remix)
  7. Either End of August (2017 Remix)
  8. If You Can't Stand the Heat...(2017 Remix)
  9. Springtime in Siberia (2017 Remix)
  10. Adios a la Pasada (Goodbye to the Past) (2017 Remix)

Disc: 2
  1. Hell's Bells (2017 Remix)
  2. One of a Kind- Part One (2017 Remix)
  3. One of a Kind - Part Two (2017 Remix)
  4. Travels with Myself - and Someone Else (2017 Remix)
  5. Fainting in Coils (2017 Remix)
  6. Five G (2017 Remix)
  7. The Abingdon Chasp (2017 Remix)
  8. Forever Until Sunday (2017 Remix)
  9. The Sahara of Snow - Part One (2017 Remix)
  10. The Sahara of Snow - Part Two (2017 Remix)
  11. Five G Out-Take (Berlin / Stewart / Bruford) (2017 Remix)

Disc: 3
  1. Age of Information
  2. Gothic 17
  3. Joe Frazier
  4. Q.E.D
  5. The Sliding Floor
  6. Palewell Park
  7. Plans for J.D
  8. Land's End

Disc: 4
  1. Hell's Bells
  2. Sample and Hold
  3. Fainting in Coils
  4. Travels with Myself - and Someone Else
  5. Beelzebub
  6. The Sahara of Snow - Part One
  7. The Sahara of Snow - Part Two
  8. One of a Kind - Part Two
  9. Five G
  10. Manacles

Disc: 5
  1. Hell's Bells
  2. Sample and Hold
  3. Land's End
  4. Joe Frazier
  5. Gothic 17
  6. Plans for J.D
  7. Age of Information
  8. Five G

Disc: 6
  1. Hell's Midriff
  2. Sketch 1
  3. Restless Spirit
  4. Hope
  5. Consequential Circuits
  6. Matching Green
  7. Should've Been Something
  8. There Is No Reward
  9. Hooligan Juice 1
  10. Hooligan Juice 2
  11. Flat Bells, Claptrap and Trills
  12. Sketch 2
  13. Bedrock
  14. Plotting the Heavens
  15. Marrowbones and Cleavers
  16. Prophet Motive
  17. Sketch 1 [Reprise]
  18. Saturday, No School

Personnel:

Drums, Marimba, Percussion – Bill Bruford
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth (tracks: CD1 to DVD2), The Unknown John Clark* (tracks: CD3 to CD6)
Bass – Jeff Berlin (tracks: CD1 to CD5, CD6-9)
Bass [Additional] – Neil Murray (tracks: CD1, DVD1)
Bass [Minimoog Bass] – Dave Stewart (tracks: CD5, CD6)
Flugelhorn – Kenny Wheeler (tracks: CD1, DVD1)
Keyboards – Dave Stewart
Lead Vocals – Jeff Berlin (tracks: CD3)
Synthesizer [Prophet V], Electric Piano [Yamaha CP70] – Dave Stewart (tracks: CD5, CD6)
Vocals – Annette Peacock (tracks: CD1, DVD1), Jeff Berlin (tracks: CD5)
Voice [Electric Chat] – Bill Bruford (tracks: CD4)