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As the founding drummer of Yes and a prominent member of King Crimson in the 1970s, Bill Bruford was a key figure in the developing prog rock scene. Now, he’s preparing a box set devoted to the first band he ever created: the aptly-titled Bruford.
Seems Like a Lifetime Ago 1977-1980 will include Bruford’s complete output, with some exciting extras as well. The group’s first two albums, Feels Good to Me (1978) and One of a Kind (1979), have been newly remixed in both stereo and 5.1 surround by Jakko Jakszyk; One of a Kind also includes a previously unreleased outtake of “Five G.” Next up is the band’s third album, 1980’s Gradually Going Tornado, and the live Bruford Tapes. Finally, two unreleased discs include a live show recorded in London in 1980, as well as sessions for the band’s aborted fourth album.
Released this past Friday, October 27, the set also includes a 16-page color booklet featuring interviews and an essay by Sid Smith, a reproduction of a concert poster, two black and white photo prints and a signed, numbered certificate of authenticity. It’s limited to 2,000 copies.
Bruford formed out of the band the drummer enlisted for Feels Good to Me, technically a solo album. Keyboardist Dave Stewart (not to be confused with the Eurythmics co-founder), guitarist Allan Holdsworth (who’d played with Bruford in U.K.) and bassist Jeff Berlin served as the core lineup on the largely instrumental Feels Good to Me and One of a Kind. Holdsworth was replaced by “The Unknown” John Clark for Gradually Going Tornado, and Berlin began contributing lead vocals; this is the lineup on every subsequent disc in the box.
Amazon is out of stock as of this writing, but pre-order links and the full track list are below.
Seems Like a Lifetime Ago 1977-1980 (Winterfold WFBOX1, 2017)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
DVD-A 1: Feels Good to Me (originally released as Polydor 2302 075 (U.K.)/PD-1-6149 (U.S.), 1978) – 5.1 surround and original mixes
CD 1: 2017 remix
- Beelzebub
- Back to the Beginning
- Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part 1)
- Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part 2)
- Sample and Hold
- Feels Good to Me
- Either End of August
- If You Can’t Stand the Heat…
- Springtime In Siberia
- Adios a La Pasada (Goodbye to the Past)
DVD-A 2: One of a Kind (originally released as Polydor POLD 5020 (U.K.)/EG LP40 (U.S.), 1979)– 5.1 surround and original mixes
CD 2: 2017 remix and bonus track
- Hell’s Bells
- One of a Kind (Part 1)
- One of a Kind (Part 2)
- Travels with Myself – and Someone Else
- Fainting In Coils
- Five G
- The Abingdon Chasp
- Forever Until Sunday
- The Sahara of Snow (Part 1)
- The Sahara of Snow (Part 2)
- Five G (Outtake) (previously unreleased)
CD 3: Gradually Going Tornado (originally released as EG LP 104 (U.K.)/Polydor PD-1-6261 (U.S.), 1980)
- Age of Information
- Gothic 17
- Joe Frazier
- Q.E.D.
- The Sliding Floor
- Palewell Park
- Plans for J.D.
- Land’s End
CD 4: The Bruford Tapes (originally released as EG/Polydor BRUBOOT 28 (Canada), 1979/EGS-106 (U.S.), 1980) and bonus track
- Hell’s Bells
- Sample and Hold
- Fainting In Coils
- Travels with Myself – and Someone Else
- Beelzebub
- The Sahara of Snow (Part One)
- The Sahara of Snow (Part Two)
- One of a Kind (Part Two)
- Five G
- Manacles (from One of a Kind – Winterford BBWF004CD (U.K.), 2005)
Tracks 1-9 recorded live at My Father’s Place, Roslyn, NY – 7/12/1979 for WLIR 92.7 FM
Track 10 recorded live at Lupo’s, Providence, RI – 7/19/1979
CD 5: Live At The Venue (previously unreleased)
- Hell’s Bells
- Sample and Hold
- Land’s End
- Joe Frazier
- Gothic 17
- Plans for J.D.
- Age of Information
- Five G
Recorded live at The Venue, Victoria, London – 5/5/1980
CD 6: Fourth Album Recording Sessions (previously unreleased)
- Hell’s Midriff
- Sketch 1
- Restless Spirit
- Hope
- Consequential Circuits
- Matching Green
- Should’ve Been Something
- There is No Reward
- Hooligan Juice 1
- Hooligan Juice 2
- Flat Bells, Claptrap and Trills
- Sketch 2
- Bedrock
- Plotting the Heavens
- Marrowbones and Cleavers
- Prophet Motive
- Sketch 1 (Reprise)
- Saturday, No School
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In the end, the limited edition was too limited…and they have all been sold. I tried ordering a month before the release date through “Pop Market”, but ultimately, they never had the item in stock and never supplied it to anyone. When I enquired by e-mail, Pop Market claimed that they couldn’t verify my billing address…but that was a lie. It is the address where i have lived for 55 years, and the address that I supplied in my one previous purchase from Pop Market. Pop Market cancelled my order.
There’s one Ebay seller (in Japan) scalping the Bruford box at two and a half times its intended selling price. At that price, I’ll pass.
The problem with independant label limited editions such as this, is it is not possible for the consumer to determine who is or isn’t an authorized dealer. Before an internet merchant lists a limited edition item for preorder, they need to ask the manufacturer if they are willing to supply the item to the dealer. If the answer is “No”, then the internet merchant has no business offering the item for pre-order. Unfortunately, there are some dishonest scoundrels on the internet. It is apparent that I won’t be able to have the Bruford box in my collection.
Take my advice: Steer clear of “Pop Market”
Couldn’t agree more! Even Amazon.ca does that. They take your prebooked order and then don’t get the stock or at least not enough. They send some lame email said they are awaiting more stock, only to get a email a month later saying they can’t get it. All these companies are always bitching nobody buys products anymore, then they treat the people who support the industry with no respect. Thanks for the post!
I got mine through Burning Shed, which is a great dealer, but when I unsealed my box, the discs were there, but no poster, booklet or any of the extras. I wonder if other people got an incomplete box. By the way, Burning shed is trying to get me the rest of the innards and I wonder if that is possible since it seems to be sold out everywhere.
A second pressing(available January 2018) has been announced. The official dealer is http://www.burningshed.com, who will accept preorders through November 30th.