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The Rolling Stones in Mono / 16LP vinyl and 15CD box sets due in September

By Paul Sinclair

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CD and vinyl boxes for the mono studio recordings

ABKCO Records will next month release The Rolling Stones in Mono, a 15CD and 16LP box set of all mono studio recordings released by The Rolling Stones.

This collection brings together 14 studio albums plus Stray Cats, a newly compiled collection of songs from singles and EPs issued in the 1960s. In total, The Rolling Stones in Mono delivers 186 tracks, 56 of which, it is claimed, “have never before been heard in mono since the advent of the digital age.”

rs_monoCD

The Rolling Stones in Mono 15CD box set

The Rolling Stones in Mono spans the era between 1963 and 1969 when most rock and pop recordings were originally mixed to mono, and as we know with The Beatles, stereo was often an afterthought, often completed far more quickly than its mono counterpart. This doesn’t mean mono is always ‘better’ than the stereo versions, but it can regularly be the case, with mono often more ‘powerful’ than a hastily mixed, and sometimes dubiously panned, stereo version.

These new sets start from the band’s 1964 debut and run through to 1969’s Let It Bleed and include the US and UK versions of both Out of Our Heads and Aftermath. The Stray Cats compilation (think The Beatles’ Mono Masters) is a double vinyl LP and a single CD, which accounts for the vinyl set being one disc more.

rollingstones_monoLP

The Rolling Stones in Mono 16LP box set

The Rolling Stones in Mono was mastered by engineer Bob Ludwig. For the project he utilised Direct Stream Digital (DSD) transfers from the original master recordings, with a sampling rate of 2,822,400. Lacquer cutting for vinyl was performed at Abbey Road Studios by Alex Wharton and Sean Magee.

All vinyl box sets will be numbered and pressed on 180-gram vinyl. The CD box also boasts high quality ‘mini-LP CD’ vinyl replica packages, much like the Beatles mono CD box.

The Rolling Stones in Mono will be released on 30 September 2016.

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track_listing

In The Rolling Stones In Mono box

  • 1)  The Rolling Stones (UK, 1964)
  • 2)  12 X 5 (1964)
  • 3)  The Rolling Stones No. 2 (UK, 1965)
  • 4)  The Rolling Stones Now! (1965)
  • 5)  Out of Our Heads (US, 1965)
  • 6)  Out of Our Heads (UK, 1965)
  • 7)  December’s Children (And Everybody’s) (1965)
  • 8)  Aftermath (UK, 1966)
  • 9)  Aftermath (US, 1966)
  • 10) Between the Buttons (UK, 1967)
  • 11) Flowers (1967)
  • 12) Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
  • 13) Beggar’s Banquet (1968)
  • 14) Let it Bleed (1969)
  • 15) Stray Cats (a new collection of single A & B sides plus E.P. tracks)

The Rolling Stones (UK)
1.Route 66
2.I Just Want To Make Love To You
3.Honest I Do
4.Mona (I Need You Baby)
5.Now I’ve Got A Witness
6.Little By Little
7.I’m A King Bee
8.Carol
9.Tell Me
10.Can I Get A Witness
11.You Can Make It If You Try
12.Walking The Dog

12 x 5
1.Around And Around
2.Confessin’ The Blues
3.Empty Heart
4.Time Is On My Side
5.Good Times, Bad Times
6.It’s All Over Now
7.2120 South Michigan Avenue
8.Under The Boardwalk
9.Congratulations
10.Grown Up Wrong
11.If You Need Me
12.Susie Q

The Rolling Stones No. 2
1.Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
2.Down Home Girl
3.You Can’t Catch Me
4.Time Is On My Side
5.What A Shame
6.Grown Up Wrong
7.Down The Road Apiece
8.Under The Boardwalk
9.I Can’t Be Satisfied
10.Pain In My Heart
11.Off The Hook
12.Susie Q

The Rolling Stones, Now!
1.Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
2.Down Home Girl
3.You Can’t Catch Me
4.Heart Of Stone
5.What A Shame
6.Mona (I Need You Baby)
7.Down The Road Apiece
8.Off The Hook
9.Pain In My Heart
10.Oh, Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin’)
11.Little Red Rooster
12.Surprise, Surprise

Out Of Our Heads (US)
1.Mercy Mercy
2.Hitch Hike
3.The Last Time
4.That’s How Strong My Love Is
5.Good Times
6.I’m All Right
7.(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
8.Cry To Me
9.The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man
10.Play With Fire
11.The Spider And The Fly
12.One More Try

Out Of Our Heads (UK)
1.She Said Yeah
2.Mercy Mercy
3.Hitch Hike
4.That’s How Strong My Love Is
5.Good Times
6.Gotta Get Away
7.Talkin’ ‘Bout You
8.Cry To Me
9.Oh, Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin’)
10.Heart Of Stone
11.The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man
12.I’m Free

December’s Children (And Everybody’s)
1.She Said Yeah
2.Talkin’ Bout You
3.You Better Move On
4.Look What You’ve Done
5.The Singer Not The Song
6.Route 66
7.Get Off Of My Cloud
8.I’m Free
9.As Tears Go By
10.Gotta Get Away
11.Blue Turns To Grey
12.I’m Moving On

Aftermath (UK)
1.Mother’s Little Helper
2.Stupid Girl
3.Lady Jane
4.Under My Thumb
5.Doncha Bother Me
6.Going Home
7.Flight 505
8.High And Dry
9.Out Of Time
10.It’s Not Easy
11.I Am Waiting
12.Take It Or Leave It
13.Think
14.What To Do

Aftermath (US)
1. Paint It, Black
2. Stupid Girl
3.Lady Jane
4.Under My Thumb
5.Doncha Bother Me
6.Think
7.Flight 505
8.High And Dry
9.It’s Not Easy
10.I Am Waiting
11.Going Home

Between The Buttons (UK)
1.Yesterday’s Papers
2.My Obsession
3.Back Street Girl
4.Connection
5.She Smiled Sweetly
6.Cool, Calm & Collected
7.All Sold Out
8.Please Go Home
9.Who’ s Been Sleeping Here?
10.Complicated
11.Miss Amanda Jones
12.Something Happened To Me Yesterday

Flowers
1.Ruby Tuesday
2.Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?
3.Let’s Spend The Night Together
4.Lady Jane
5.Out Of Time
6.My Girl
7.Back Street Girl
8.Please Go Home
9.Mother’s Little Helper
10.Take It Or Leave It
11.Ride On, Baby
12.Sittin’ On A Fence

Their Satanic Majesties Request
1.Sing This All Together
2.Citadel
3.In Another Land
4.2000 Man
5.Sing This All Together (See What Happens)
6.She’s A Rainbow
7.The Lantern
8.Gomper
9.2000 Light Years From Home
10.On With The Show

Beggars Banquet
1.Sympathy For The Devil
2.No Expectations
3.Dear Doctor
4.Parachute Woman
5.Jig-saw Puzzle
6.Street Fighting Man
7.Prodigal Son
8.Stray Cat Blues
9.Factory Girl
10.Salt Of The Earth

Let It Bleed
1.Gimme Shelter
2.Love In Vain
3.Country Honk
4.Live With Me
5.Let It Bleed
6.Midnight Rambler
7.You Got The Silver
8.Monkey Man
9.You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Stray Cats (new compilation)
1.Come On
2.I Want To Be Loved
3.I Wanna Be Your Man
4.Stoned
5.Fortune Teller
6.Poison Ivy (Version 1)
7.Bye Bye Johnny
8.Money
9.Poison Ivy (Verison 2)
10.Not Fade Away
11.I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
12.The Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man (Single)
13.19th Nervous Breakdown
14.Sad Day
15.Con Le Mie Lacrime (As Tears Go By)
16.Long, Long While
17.Who’s Driving Your Plane?
18.We Love You (Single Version)
19.Dandelion
20.Child Of The Moon
21.Jumpin’ Jack Flash
22.Street Fighting Man (Single)
23.Honky Tonk Women
24.You Can’t Always Get What You Want (Single)

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120 Comments

120 thoughts on “The Rolling Stones in Mono / 16LP vinyl and 15CD box sets due in September”

  1. Any word about these albums being made available individually? I would like the UK releases but have no need for the US versions.

  2. Received my Japanese 7″ edition and can confirm with significant disappointment that the Satanic Majesties 3D cover is NOT replicated. However, everything else about this release is spectacular, from image crops to inner sleeves to, most importantly, the vibrant audio. I was originally sceptical of the inclusion of Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed, but the “drop-down” mono is nowhere near as bothersome as I was led to believe it might be. Final verdict: as much as I hate to admit it, perhaps the domestic edition would have sufficed. This is an extremely overpriced set…the 2010 Greatest Albums from the 60s Japanese box seems like greater value overall (although with far too much duplicated
    material).

  4. I just checked the japanese version of the CD box and everything will be faithfully replicated. From cover texture to inner sleeves to poster. Does anyone know if Universal will include Their Satanic’s inner sleeve and Let It Bleed’s inner bag and poster for the American/European release? For the price I’d expect that.

  5. I wonder how faithfully the covers will be replicated. The first albums came with those fold overs on the back. A bit like the Beatles mono box. From the picture that shows the vinyl version of the box, I can see the red Decca label sticking out of “Between the Buttons”. No high hopes for 3D picture on “Their Satanic..”. That would be extremely costly.

  6. Just wondering which version of “Tell Me” they’ve included. The long version (with the guitar solo and the abrupt ending) or the short version (without the guitar solo and fade out)…

  7. There are reports that Universal has given the vinyl re-release project to GZ Media in czechoslovakia. I do own the first two RS box sets, the box set by THE WHO and the BLACK SABBATH vinyl collection and finally the “1969 Archive Box” by CCR, all gzs media products. The record covers and labels of all sets are reproduced by phototypesetting, horrible!! Fingerprints and papercut remains on all records of the BS Box. Glue rests on th all covers of my WHO box set and again fingerprints and hairlines. That happens to quite a number of buyers. I do think that this was the reason why UNIVERSAL gave “sensitive projects” like the BEATLES mono vinyl box, the RAMMSTEIN vinyl box to OPTIMAL in Germany. Also there are rumours that gzs is unable to transfer analogue to digital because they don´t have a suitable RTR taperecoder. If it become true that gzs will produce the RS mono vinyl box set, I won´t buy one!

    1. should read: “Also there are rumours that gzs is unable to transfer analogue to analogue because they don´t have a suitable RTR taperecoder”, which means that gzs uses digital music storages as sources . This is problematic because digital music files are not compressed like the original tapes from the 60ies,

  8. I have all the ABKCO albums from 2002 (except the US versions of “Between The Buttons” and “Aftermath”). The box looks great, but still expensive…I think I will buy the The Rolling Stones (UK, 1964) and The Rolling Stones No. 2 (UK, 1965).

    Or – should I buy the box?

    Is it a big difference between the later stereo version and the mono version?

  11. I agree the Japanese SHMs are the ones to go for….EXCEPT for the 7″ packaging! 7″ packaging works fine on the Elvis FTDs but I can’t see it working with mini lp replicas – if the discs are smaller than the sleeves then surely they no longer replicate the originals.
    As to the price, I’ve just checked with CD Japan and they seem to be only offering fully tracked/insured shipping which together with the theft tax – sorry “import duties”, this’ll be one pricey box.

    1. I proudly own all titles from ELP and King Crimson made as 7″ replicas recently, and I must say, I am very happy with those. Original 12″ artwork reduced to 7″ works better than to 5″ actually… Small typefaces remain readable, and the overall artwork doesn’t look shrunk, as it obviously does when reduced to 5″.

  13. Universal Japan has just announced the release of a Japanese SHM version of the mono box set.
    Pricey but in my opinion always worth the extra.

  14. The reason why most 1960s popular music stereo mixes sound so awful is because of the very limited amount of tracks available to mix from. Early 1960s state-of-the-art recording studios had 2 track tape machines, by the mid-1960s they were equipped with 4 track, and by the late 1960s 8 tracks were installed. Having so few tracks means you have to record multiple instruments/vocals to the same track. So when you make a stereo mix of a music recording and choose to pan a track from the tape machine left, centre or right you simultaneously move several instruments/vocals together. Ideally you need 16 or more tracks to record popular music, so they’re all recorded on their own separate track. By having more tracks you can then pan each individual instruments/vocals out across the stereo soundstage to the desired position.

  15. Frank, the best breakdown stereo / mono list of the 2002 stuff I have seen so far. Just realsied that excluding compilations, most of which I don’t have, the only full album duplications of stuff I already have in the box is OOOHs UK/US, so it still represents good value to me compared to say the Beatles US box which I bought for a dozen or so unique mixes.
    I played OOOHs UK last night and I cannot see how the sound could be improved upon but thats always subjective and depends on your system etc..

  16. ““ABCKO released most of these albums in 2002. Is these versions stereo or mono?”
    Stereo. The big deal about the 2002 ABCKO releases were that they contained an SACD layer. No indication on the packaging whatsoever.”

    According to the http://www.highfidelityreview.com/guide-to-the-rolling-stones-remastered-sacds.html – the ABKCO – releases from 2002 are:

    Mono Tracks Only

    England’s Newest Hitmakers
    Out of Our Heads
    Out of Our Heads – UK Version

    Mono and Stereo Tracks

    12×5
    The Rolling Stones Now
    December’s Children
    Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
    Flowers
    Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)
    Hot Rocks
    More Hot Rocks
    The Rolling Stones Singles Collection – The London Years

    Stereo Tracks Only

    Aftermath
    Aftermath – UK Version
    Got Live If You Want It!
    Between the Buttons
    Between the Buttons – UK Version
    Their Satanic Majesties Request
    Beggars Banquet
    Let It Bleed
    Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out
    Metamorphosis

    The question: will the mono-albums and mono-tracks be identical in the new mono box?

  18. “ABCKO released most of these albums in 2002. Is these versions stereo or mono?”
    Stereo. The big deal about the 2002 ABCKO releases were that they contained an SACD layer. No indication on the packaging whatsoever.

  21. I am aware that these albums are not owned by the Stones and they don’t make any money from them! I wonder if our community should support this endless release of their catalog? The same goes for Roland Bolan who has never made a penny from his Dad’s catalog

    I will be passing on this set’

    1. Since you keep asking… no is the answer. Just mono versions (from the box) pressed onto replica vinyl 45s. That either appeals or it doesn’t!

  23. I think I’ll wait to see what the Japanese market comes up with before making a commitment. With any luck the mono CD box will be released in SHM-CD format which, while more costly, is worth it (in my opinion). If nothing materializes from the Land of the Rising Sun, I’ll go with the UK version.

  25. In the small print it does say the 7” will be available in shops anyway, sort of blows out their deal, when you can pre-order for much cheaper and just buy the 7” separately. All very strange.

    ”The 7″s will be available individually in stores across the world, with a very limited quantity of all 9 x 7”s available only on uDiscover when preordering the Rolling Stones In Mono boxsets.”

  26. This is so cool, their first UK album released on CD and in MONO, so I hope to have the same nice experience as I have with The Mono Beatles box from some years ago.

    This one I hope to get through a regular shop and not through the internet.

  27. No shit Sherlock! Probably people who want 7 inch vinyl singles too, huh? But WHY?! Is it because they contain some version or songs not available elsewhere? Is it the packaging? Again, I’d really like to know if there is something to it or not so I can decide what to do!

    1. It’s not so much “The Rolling Bones” issuing this boxed set. It’s ABKCO re-packaging already released material as they wish. But what they can’t do without Jagger & richards’ O.K. is release vault material.

  30. Thanks for the reassuring comments guys. The deposit scheme you mention sounds like a good idea for these expensive items. Think i’ll take the plunge for the deposit and start saving!

  31. Hi Dan.
    I buy from What Records on a occasion ,thay are totally trustworthy,thay will however charge your card straight away rather then at time of dispatch.packeging and dispatch are first rate though.Never had to send stuff back ( bent …damaged sleeves etc..) Hope this helps.

  32. I know that it was a fold down mix from the stereo (and released on a different label from all of the above) but it is shame that the DJ Sticky Fingers Promo Mono mix was not included with this set. That would have been a nice touch. No doubt label politics got in the way or just a reluctance to re-release it.

  33. Hi Guys, it gets on my nerves when I read the comments that amazon sell their vinyl box sets at ridiculously hiked prices. Practically holding us to ransom. It happened on the Zeppelin, Floyd and now the Stones. I’ve found a business called What Records to be considerable cheaper than the £390+ (at £249.99). Has anyone used these before before I go ahead and buy through them? Here’s their offer http://www.whatrecords.co.uk/items/73427.htm
    Thanks in advance for any advice given to me
    Dan

    1. Vinyl box was 250 pounds originally on amazon (210 shipped to Canada after VAT removed), I pre-ordered at that price. May cancel before shipping date though.

    2. They have been pretty good for me in the past and you can pay a deposit now and start saving for the balance that’s not a bad choice. They don’t charge too much for postage either, which is often my deciding factor, though I would recommend avoiding some retailers who don’t charge postage as they may not be reliable in my experience.

    3. What Records are great, I’ve been buying stuff form them for years and have never had any issues with them at all. Prices vary, but they are generally competitive, post and packaging is good, and they have a loyalty (points) scheme you can use off future purchases. They pay UK tax too.

  35. I would prefer to have all UK editions + Around and Around GER LP + reissue of 4LP “The Rest of the Best” – possibly with some unreleased stuff, like : Chess Studios masters, Looking Tired, etc. https://www.discogs.com/Rolling-Stones-The-Rolling-Stones-Story-Part-2-The-Rest-Of-The-Best-Single-Tracks-And-Rarities-From-/release/3105290.

    Also I would prefer to have a compilation LP with ALL STEREO tracks from releases up to Aftermath UK LP + all available STEREO versions of SP tracks.

  36. I’d be thrilled beyond words if these CD’s actually turned out to be SACD hybrids. Not holding my breath, but seeing “DSD” has me hopeful.
    I’d also be curious if these’ll have individual releases and, if so, will they be the same mini-LP packaging. Again, not holding my breath, but hopeful.

    1. “Metamorphosis” is not included because there was no mono edition. The album is a combination of true stereo and simulated stereo.

  38. Totally stupid collection. The first album has always been in mono as has all the 12X5 and Now tracks recorded that way. Flowers is only interesting for the different mono mix of the edited Out of Time (which I bet they’ll stuff up anyway) and Beggar’s (except for one track), Let it Bleed and Aftermath (US) are all fold downs. Lots of European copies of Aftermath (UK) have fold downs on side two so all the audiophiles will be listening to the piano intro of Flight 505 very carefully when this comes out.

    PS. Hey Universal … how about a ‘Serge Gainsbourg in Mono’ box.

  39. Same photo used for the CDs and LPs? Hmm. But based on that, looks like Beggar’s Banquet is a gatefold but Satanic Majesties is not. What gives?

  40. uDiscoverMusic lists a “download card” in their limited edition set.
    Is this also being included in the other retail sets? Don’t see it mentioned.
    Anyone know the resolution of the downloads?

  41. Oh. Did I mention that I hate, hate, hate, hate cheap ass environmental protective “digi-packaging”. I guess it is what is cheapest so The Rolling Stones can’t get a high grade box set out either…like The Beatles with theirs concerning the c.d. versions.

  42. Any complaints will be rectified with re-issues in the future! Out of curiosity does this have the words (and in this order) “Limited Edition” on it? If not is it understood to be one? Thank you all for the information! Wow! Holy shit J! Lol. That was great though! :) Soooo why would I or anyone buy the nine 7 inch singles? I’d like to know so I could make a decision. I also think the cover is rather shady to say the least. I wonder if it should even have been in black and white. Maybe my mind will change. We shall see, eh.

  43. I will probably buy the CD version at some stage but I wish they had taken a completely different approach to this and released the songs year by year, session by session, along with the best out-takes etc. Still no BBC sessions (except on CDs of rather dubious provenance). Stones mid 60s LPs, UK and US versions, were hotchpotch collections of tracks recorded at different times in different studios, in different countries. Some of the early tracks were very badly recorded – e.g. those on first EP – I wonder if they have been able to improve them at all.

  44. AleKx, a stereo fold down is when they took the original stereo mix and pushed it into both channels so it gives the impression of being mono rather than being an actual true mono mix.

  45. Nice idea but not a good cover.. I agree with the other person who said it – Beatles vs. Stones with who has the worst reissue cover!

    Shame they didnt make this complete and add the live tracks issued during the London/Abko years…

    Would have rather they did a complete 60s album set that had both mono and stereo on the same disc.

  46. Does anyone know what a “stereo fold down” is? Also did anyone see my question of and as to why would I or anyone choose to purchase these nine 7 inch singles? Is there something unique to them?

    1. Alex
      All it means is that a master was made for 2 channels (stereo) is then merged (folded) into 1 channel (Mono). Arithmetically M=Ls + Rs. Mono (monoaural) was common from 1920’s to late 1960’s since most playback devices only had 1 speaker. In the late 60’s some radio stations used magnetic mono cartridges (AM stations) & others used moving coil cartridges (FM). There were tracking, distortion and all kinds of issues. Atlantic records used a proprietary (CSG) process to turn stereo into mono. That is why 45s in this period have a mono side and a stereo side. Why would one do this today? Good marketing & it is really inexpensive to do vs remixing a mono tape master to stereo. In this case, they used a genius engineer and a top of the line studio. My guess is that it sounds great.
      Hope this helps
      J

  47. Surely it would make sense to do a straight ahead ‘as they were originally released’ box quite a bit of this, including the whole of the last two albums are stereo fold downs rather than true mono mixes?

  49. Lots of debate elsewhere about this, about fold downs, stuff we have already (especially if you have the existing Uk and US versions, compilations etc) and other limitations…
    Personally I would have liked the US BTBs included for completeness as well, but you can’t always get what you want:) A big plus for me is I can buy a pure CD box (no bluray, vinyl) and at the preorder of £96 on Amazon UK, which I fortuitously bagged earlier in the week, I am more than happy with it.

  50. Can someone tell me what the significance of the nine 7” singles is? Are these versions of songs not available elsewhere? Why would someone want those and especially for the price they are selling them? I don’t get it.

  51. Udiscovermusic just posted the CD & Vinyl “limited edition” set with the 7 singles in the US. When I saw the price, including a ridiculously expensive shipping charge, I decided that I’m just going to wait for an alert from Paul and forget about the 7 singles. It is hard to justify almost $200 extra for the “limited edition” that is only 7 singles tacked on to the standard edition. No special packaging. No autograph. No hi-res downloads. This thing is not likely to be worth more than its asking price any time in the future and I venture to guess it might be worth less a year from now. I just don’t see the value.

  52. I would have been more interested in a stereo boxed set; one which would have (where possible) debuted true stereo versions of those pre-1967 songs which have, to date, been released only in mono. Unfortunately, when the “London” label released a 1985 West German CD release of “Hot Rocks”(with the 2-CD set divided into two separate releases “Hot Rocks 1” & “Hot Rocks 2”), and this release had first time ever true stereo releases of “Get Off of My Cloud”, “Play With Fire” & “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, Keith Richards was reportedly upset, and so, these CD’s were rapidly withdrawn by order of ABKCO’s Allen Klein..

  54. I don’t like the idea of including some of the US releases like they did with the SACDs. Think I will stick with the 2010 pressings in the 1964-1969 boxset which are highly regarded and most of the early ones are in mono anyway.

  56. Some have questioned the UK/US verlap. Does anyone know if there’s a difference, significant or otherwise, between the the mono mixes from each country? Like with the Beatles, for instance.

    1. No musical differences between Rolling Stones mono & stereo mixes, except on their 1966 Live album “Got Live If You Want it”(no relation to the UK E.P.of the same name), but ABKCO has opted to not include any live material in this boxed set.

    1. I was thinking the very same thing. I’ll be keeping an eagle eye out for one of Paul’s fabulous SDE Deal Alerts. Hell, I waited six years to find the Beatles Stereo Box at around $110 US thanks to Paul. I bought the mono box almost immediately thinking it was going to be more limited than the stereo. After that, I was willing to wait.

  58. I’m a HUGE Stones fan and a mono fetishist but even I’m having a hard time justifying the expense of this box. Hopefully the individual albums are parted out and released for more reasonable amounts next year; I just can’t countenance this much duplication of my existing collection.

    1. Be patient and the price will drop. Amazon.com often puts out some extortionate price at the start of preordering. They were still trying to get $700 for the “Pink Floyd-The Early Years” box, even after Pink Floyd themselves had lowered the price to $550.
      Many people will buy “The Rolling Stones in Mono” on CD only to briefly possess it and “rip” it to their computers or portable players, so clean condition used copies will appear on the market.
      As for the vinyl box, be aware that ABKCO & Universal have given the project to a pressing plant(GZ Media) with a reputation for erratic quality control. You’d think that Universal would have learned from what happened with the U.S.A. vinyl version of The Beatles stereo box, with its horrific pressings (by Rainbo). I’d hold off on the vinyl box till we hear customer feedback about the manufacturing quality.

    2. I believe the albums will be available individually in 2017, with the exception of the Stray Cats compilation, which will remain exclusive to this set.

  59. 400 euro for the LPS + 7 Inch box. Not too bad you might say!?

    But then you add on 57 euro for delivery to Ireland from Britain!!!

    Why oh why are Universal so dear with their courier charges?

      1. Hi Joe

        Universal never give you that option I’m afraid.
        You get whatever price and courier that they decide, no choice.
        That’s what really annoys me about them.
        And the fact that their stuff on their website is often more expensive.

  61. Come on… Seriously!! MORE Rolling Stones re-issues… but in mono!!

    Is mono releases the next cash cow idea the record labels are jumping on?

    It will cassettes next.. Saying that I still have my Nakamichi BX-1 :)

  62. About Fold down mono, I read that Beggars Banquest is a fold down, apart from one track. Let it bleed was recorded in stereo and is a fold down. Their satanic Majesties exists in true mono fold. Their masjesties is wel known in mono for a different mix. There are numerous RS blogs explaining it. Price is crazy, I remember buying the Stereo vinyl box for 160€ in a MediaMarkt.

  63. Most of the early CDs are 30-35 mins long so they could have reduced by doing “two-fers”

    The Rolling Stones/no. 2
    12×15/Now
    Out of our Heads (US)/December’s Children etc

    1. There are specific restrictions made in the final contracts made by ABKCO and the band in 1971 that prevent them for extracting the albums at any length. That’s why no original album has ever contained bonus tracks. When “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out was released with bonus tracks in 2009, they had had to put the bonuses on a seperate disc, because of this restriction.

    2. Why bother.
      First, they probably make more money if separated.
      Second, not all albums are under 40 minutes
      Third, a cheap way of doing things
      Fourth, RS super fans would probably object
      Fifth, people want to see the original art work

  64. On Bootleg I have heard stereo versions of singles like 19th Nervous Breakdown and the clarity and separation of the mix is incredible. Yes it’s not as heavy and as dense as mono, but why they don’t release all those 1960’s stereo versions at some point, I have no idea.

  65. Yes weird album selection really. The set contains all the 60’s UK albums, so it’s complete in that sense. What’s strange is the hotchpotch of US albums. They’ve included US Aftermath, which didtches 4 UK tracks and adds Paint It Black, but then not included US Between The Buttons, which loses 2 tracks and gains Let’s Spend and Ruby Tues. Also, 1st US album “England’s Newest Hitmakers”, loses one track (Mona) and gains Not Fade Away, but is also no there. Surely sticking those three albums in as well would have made all US and UK fans happy with one product. Anyway, that’s just completism as there would be lots of duplication, and because of Stray Cats no STUDIO track released in the 60’s appears to be missing. Yes Got LIVE EP and US Got LIVE LP are missing, through most of the Got Live EP tracks cropped up on US albums (December’s Children/Out Of Our Heads). I suppose it would have been sensible to put the missing couple on Stray Cats at least.

    If they put in Got LIVE LP, Get Yer Ya-Yas LP, and the 3 missing US albums and added 2 Got LIVE EP tracks to Stray Cats, it would be more special and complete and possibly sell for slightly more, but be a one stop shop.

  66. Avitom – Don’t worry: “You Better Move On” was included on US album “December’s Children”, which is already in the box set, which is why it’s not on Stray Cats.

  67. 56 tracks never released in mono since the digital age.

    Does anyone know how if there’s any drastic differences in the mono tracks compared to the stereo versions. i.e. overdubs only found in mono.

    1. No musical differences, except, oddly enough on the mono & stereo versions of the U.S.A. live album “Got Live If You Want It”(no relation to the UK E.P. of the same title)…..but ABKCO have opted to not include any live recordings in this new box.

      1. Got LIVE if you want it! (the US LP, aka Have you seen your Mother LIVE!) has been released in so many versions over the years it’s not true. Apart from not being recorded at Albert Hall, and not all tracks being live recordings, there are two takes of Under My Thumb on different releases etc.

  69. Beatles and Stones in competition again this September…to see who can produce the worst cover! That said, having missed out on the originals (would have helped to have been born I guess) I’ve been hoping for something like this for quite a while, but will wait for the price to fall again. Shame they’re not available individually as well.

    1. I was around when the originals but I foolishly spent my money on wine `n` beer, women and football. But as Dylan said “Don`t look back”.

  70. Lots of things have been said in many places about the Rolling Stones’ mono recordings. There are some diehards out there who have spent 24/7 of their more mature lives trying to figure out what happened. One big debate is fold downs vs true mono mixes. Some say: if it’s a fold down it doesn’t count and others say: yes it sounds totally different from the stereo mix. They cannot explain it, but they can HEAR it. In this context the debate “do we need this” is obsolete: some people do and some don’t. It will be released. You can buy it or not.

    1. Well are these fold-downs or true mono? I assume since they’re making a big deal out of it that these are true mono.

      If the stereo versions of the early albums weren’t done with all that much care (although the very early albums were not in stereo at all – my early copy of “The Rolling Stones Now” was in reprocessed stereo or “electronic stereo” as it was sometimes called which sounds absolutely horrible), then a fold down is not going to have the same relationships between instruments and between voices that a true mono would have. Just as singles sound completely different than album versions, especially in the U.S. where singles were generally mastered really hot and with distortion. It was that sound the Stones were seeking when they came to the U.S. and recorded some tracks at Chess Records.

  71. Vinyl rip-off Britain: £24.50 per album as box set is priced at present. £15.38 per album in the States – I wish I lived there!
    They won’t shift many box sets at this price in the UK, so stand by for price drops.

  72. They could have halved the size of the box by going with a either US only or UK only box with an expanded “Stray Cats” selection. Presumably there isn’t any difference in mastering between matching songs on 12×5 / RS no.2 / RS Now!

  73. A lot of songs duplicated over multiple albums. They could have stuck to the original UK album releases, and collected the “Stray Cats” over four LPs / three CDs to pick up the non-UK LP songs on Flowers and the albums released only in the USA in the ’60s. I guess the hardcore American fans need to have the USA album versions, or it wouldn’t be the same trip down memory lane? Fair enough, I guess. Nostalgia is important for most reissue projects, for sure.

  79. Now amazon uk’s price has jumped, the udiscover exclusive 9 x 7″ singles package looks attractive. It’s about £100 for 9 singles if compared to original amazon uk prices, which is steep, but at £195 CD + 9 x 7″ or £345 LP + 9 x 7″ the vinyl is now actually cheaper than amazon uk and the CD around £50 and you get the 9 x 7″ and very limited.

  80. Hmm, I managed to get in, as many others, on Amazon UK before the price hike.

    I`ll try to learn more about the mastering/sourcing before buying/cancelling.

    BUT, these do look quite nice I hope aurally also.

  82. There appears to have been a big jump in price today. I think the CD set was about £97 and the vinyl about £252 on amazon UK at its cheapest?

        1. Please note that the two songs exclusive to the U.S.A. edition of “Between The Buttons” (“Ruby Tuesday” & “Let’s Spend The Night Together”)and the two songs exclusive to the UK edition of “Between The Buttons”(“Please Go Home” & “Backstreet Girl”) are all included in the U.S.A. compilation album “Flowers”. Personally, I would have preferred to have the U.S.A. edition of “Between The Buttons” in this box.

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