I recently ordered the 13th Floor Elevators box set, Sign Of The 3 Eyed Men, directly from the UK label that put it out, International Artists. It showed up in the mail today, so I grabbed a coworker and had him handle the camera as I opened it up. Voila — box opening video.
A really nicely constructed set, it features a great coffee table quality book by Paul Drummond (the guy who wrote the official band biography) full of album info, amazing images of the band, their releases, show posters and handbills, etc. All 10 discs are inside the book, which is accompanied by an envelope full of stickers and reproductions of handbills and posters from the Austin, TX group’s heyday.
As I opened the set I noticed — but failed to mention in the video — the reference to “phonographic records” on the back of the box, and it set me to thinking that the only thing that could have made this set cooler would have been the inclusion of some vinyl. I understand that pressing all 10 discs on to 180 gram vinyl would have been cost-prohibitive, but reproductions of a few of the old 45s would have been nice, and I definitely would have paid a few extra bucks for that kind of thing.
All nitpicking and vinyl fetishism aside, I’m still extremely stoked on this…
Whiny bitch voice: “I hate you I hate you hate you!” Um, can I burn a few copies?
i’ve almost pushed the paypal button on that thing twice. the bad thing is as far as i know i only like 2 elevators songs. the thing just looks so magical.
i’m with you though. i am hoping for some mastered vinyl issues in the future.