Eighth Wonder: Peter Gabriel / “So” reissue box set details

Peter Gabriel tweeted today about how details on the forthcoming So25 reissue would be revealed next week.

However, thanks to an early listing on amazon.com we can reveal that the super deluxe edition, or Floydian “Immersion” edition, will include EIGHT discs. Four CDs, two DVDs and two 12-inch vinyl discs plus a book. As announced on this blog the release date has been pushed back to October (23rd in the US, 22nd everywhere else). Details of contents below:

A Limited Edition Deluxe box set comprises the re-mastered So album, the 2CD Live in Athens 1987 album, So DNA CD which gives a unique insight into the writing and recording of So, experienced via a track by track evolutionary process leading you from the early moments when rhythms, melodies and lyrical ideas were discovered through the various stages of song development and recording.

Two previously unreleased DVDs :
Live in Athens 1987 , Directed by Michael Chapman, Executive Producer Martin Scorsese. This was the first filmed Peter Gabriel concert, now fully restored and pieced together from over 150 reels of original 35mm negatives and remixed in 5.1, this concert is made available for the first time on DVD.

So: Classic Album documentary. The latest addition to the acclaimed & award winning Classic Album series tells the story behind the making of Peter Gabriel s 1986 album So and features contributions from many of those involved in the album and videos, with interviews with Peter Gabriel, co-producer Daniel Lanois and many more.

12 AA vinyl
An 180grm So LP mastered at half speed to maximize the audio quality & the track listing, unlike the original, is that favoured by the artist.

Double A side 12 vinyl collectible containing two previously unreleased tracks Courage and Sagrada plus Don t Give Up (alternative version piano and bvox mix) and a 60 page case bound book including an introduction and So DNA summary by Peter Gabriel, new liner notes and an extensive collection of rare and never before seen photographs.

Assuming Amazon have it correct, it seems that we will not be getting a 5.1 version of the So studio album, and there is no place in the box for B-sides or 12″ remixes. The only unreleased material are three tracks on the bonus twelve inch vinyl and possibly some on the So DNA CD. It is also surprising that the box is set to include the documentary which is getting a standalone release on Blu-ray, but looks to be here just in DVD form. A three disc version of So 25 will also be available with the two Live In Athens CDs.

What’s your view on the eight-disc box specification?

Pre-order the So Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set here (UK) or here (US)