The wait is over: Blondie's career-spanning box set will finally be released this summer. Actually, make that box sets.
Against the Odds 1974-1982 has been in development for years; The Numero Group says in their product description that the catalogue number was assigned in 2016. Several Record Store Day releases tied to the project have been released, but few concrete details about the set - until now. The New York new wavers, who crossed into the pop charts on a wave of disco and post-punk with hits like "Heart of Glass," "Call Me," "Atomic," "Rapture," "The Tide is High" and others, will go deep with Against the Odds, billed as "the first ever authorized and in-depth archive in their history" - 126 tracks, 36 of them never before released, all remastered from the original tapes, with 180-gram vinyl lacquered at Abbey Road in London.
The biggest edition - a black or "Platinum Blonde" vinyl box, limited to 500 copies encompassing 10 LPs, a 10" EP, a 7" single and two books - will feature the six albums the band issued for Private Stock and Chrysalis between 1976 and 1982, plus a host of bonus material. The vinyl set boasts four LPs with as-yet unannounced track lists of B-sides, demos and rarities; their names are Plaza Sound, Parallel Beats, Coca Cola and Home Tapes. The 10", Out in the Streets, features additional outtakes from the group's pre-history, including a rehearsal tape from 1974 and demos cut with producer Alan Betrock a year later; on the 7" single, there's an unissued cover of The Doors' "Moonlight Drive" backed with an "at-home sketch" called "Mr. Sightseer." The first of two books feature a new set of liner notes by Erin Osmon, commentary and essays from members current (singer Debbie Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, drummer Clem Burke) and former (keyboardists Jimmy Destri, guitarists/bassists Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison, and Gary Valentine) as well as producers Mike Chapman and Richard Gottehrer, all across 144 pages; the second cover's the band's discography in visual form: picture sleeves, labels, and formats aplenty on 120 pages.
Now, from there, you've got a few choices of formats. An 8CD set includes the six original albums and two bonus discs (Home Tapes and Out in the Streets); note that despite the absence of two of the bonus discs from the deluxe set - and a product description from Amazon touting "the very best of the out-takes & rarities from the Super Deluxe Collectors' Edition," Numero notes that all 124 tracks appear here (along with a 128-page hardcover book). Now, if you just want the bonus tracks (52 in total), you've got that opportunity as well, thanks to a 4LP set with 128-page hardcover book (featuring the same four bonus LPs as the deluxe set) or a 3CD set with 164-page booklet.
You'll find the track listing below. We'd suggest buyers get in quick due to the limited nature of the sets. They're all on Amazon and they're all due August 26. It's all a gas, and it seems like the real thing!
Against the Odds 1974-1982 (Numero 070, 2022)
10LP/10"/7" Super Deluxe: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
8CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Blondie (released as Private Stock PS 2023, 1976)
- X Offender
- Little Girl Lies
- In the Flesh
- Look Good in Blue
- In the Sun
- A Shark in Jets Clothing
- Man Overboard
- Rip Her to Shreds
- Rifle Range
- Kung Fu Girl
- The Attack of the Giant Ants
Plastic Letters (released as Chrysalis CHR 1166, 1978)
- Fan Mail
- Denis
- Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)
- Youth Nabbed As Sniper
- Contact in Red Square
- (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear
- I'm on E
- I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No
- Love At the Pier
- No Imagination
- Kidnapper
- Detroit 442
- Cautious Lip
Parallel Lines (released as Chrysalis CHR 1192, 1978)
- Hanging on the Telephone
- One Way or Another
- Picture This
- Fade Away and Radiate
- Pretty Baby
- I Know But I Don't Know
- 11:59
- Will Anything Happen
- Sunday Girl
- Heart of Glass
- I'm Gonna Love You Too
- Just Go Away
Eat to the Beat (released as Chrysalis CHE 1225, 1979)
- Dreaming
- The Hardest Part
- Union City Blue
- Shayla
- Eat to the Beat
- Accidents Never Happen
- Die Young Stay Pretty
- Slow Motion
- Atomic
- Sound-a-Sleep
- Victor
- Living in the Real World
Autoamerican (released as Chrysalis CHE 1290, 1980)
- Europa
- Live It Up
- Here's Looking At You
- The Tide is High
- Angels on the Balcony
- Go Through It
- Do the Dark
- Rapture
- Faces
- T-Birds
- Walk Like Me
- Follow Me
The Hunter (released as Chrysalis CHR 1384, 1982)
- Orchid Club
- Island of Lost Souls
- Dragonfly
- For Your Eyes Only
- The Beast
- War Child
- Little Caesar
- Danceway
- (Can I) Find the Right Words (to Say)
- English Boys
- The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game
Plaza Sound (Outtakes & Rarities)
- X Offender (Intro)
- X Offender (Private Stock Single)
- In the Sun (Private Stock Single)
- Little Girl Lies (Private Stock Mix)
- In the Flesh (Extended Intro)
- A Shark in Jets Clothing (Take 2)
- Kung Fu Girls (Take 8)
- Scenery
- Denis (Terry Ellis Mix)
- Bermuda Triangle Blues - Flight 45 (Take 1)
- I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No (Take 1)
- I'm on E (Take 2)
- Kidnapper (Take 2)
- Detroit 442 (Take 2)
- Poets Problem
Parallel Beats (Outtakes & Rarities)
- Once I Had a Love (Mike Chapman Demo)
- Sunday Girl (French Version)
- I'll Never Break Away from This Heart of Mine (Pretty Baby)
- Hanging on the Telephone (Mike Chapman Demo)
- Will Anything Happen (Instrumental)
- Underground Girl
- Call Me
- Spaghetti Song (Atomic Part 2)
- Die Young Stay Pretty (Take 1)
- Union City Blue (Instrumental)
- Llámame
Coca Cola (Outtakes & Rarities)
- I Love You Honey, Give Me a Beer (Go Through It)
- Live It Up (Giorgio Moroder Demo)
- Angels on the Balcony (Giorgio Moroder Demo)
- Tide is High (Demo)
- Susie & Jeffrey
- Rapture (Disco Version)
- Autoamerican Ad
- Yuletide Throwdown
Home Tapes (Outtakes & Rarities)
- Nameless (Home Tape)
- Sunday Girl (Home Tape)
- Theme from Topkapi (Home Tape)
- The Hardest Part (Home Tape)
- Ring of Fire (Home Tape)
- War Child (Chris Stein Mix)
- Call Me (Chris Stein Mix)
- Heart of Glass (Chris Stein Mix)
Out in the Streets (Outtakes & Rarities)
1974 Session
- Out in the Streets (1974)
- The Disco Song
- Sexy Ida
Betrock Demo
- Platinum Blonde
- The Thin Line
- Puerto Rico
- Once I Had a Love (1975)
- Out in the Streets (1975)
Moonlight Drive b/w Mr. Sightseer
David says
Is there any news about the albums being released individually?
Douglas F Stone says
no plans to release them individually if you go to numero.com and read the release plans
David says
That is a major drag... thanks for letting me know, Douglas.
Stefano says
The bonus tracks divided over 3 discs are listed on a pre-order page on Qobuz:
https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/against-the-odds-1974-1982-blondie/j8bm3ymgsvalb
Douglas F Stone says
thank you for the link
Robert Lett says
Finally!
Douglas F Stone says
Only the white vinyl available at numero.com is limited to 500 copies. The regular black vinyl and other versions are not limited at all. Also at numnero.com, the prices are a lot cheaper than Amazon even after adding shipping fees.
Douglas F Stone says
red vinyl available at blondie website!
Galley says
Bummer that the discography book doesn’t come with the 8-CD box.
Drawde says
I'm sorry, 8 Cds of Blondie is NOT worth $139 dollars. I've for the new Robert Fripp set - 32 CDs in what turns out to be around $6 per disc. Sorry but that Blondie price is BS.
Edward Andrews says
No one is buying it for that price. On Numero Uno it is $100 or I read on JPC someone said they paid a total of $76. Shopping around is something people like collector's do.
Steven Smiss says
Does Parallel Lines have the original LP version of Heart Of Glass or the Disco Version?
David B says
Just a shame the 12 inch versions are missing and no "Wind in the Willows" set either .. that would have been interesting to add .. and with no live tracks are Blondie planning a live set later on?
I think i'll stick with my "Singles collection 1977-1982" double cd which is a very good set including 12 inch mixes .. well all A and B sides really ..
Robert Lett says
It says the CD version of the box is sold out on the Mumero site and in the Blondie official site. Must be selling really well.. Still active as a pre order on Amazon.
Robert Lett says
Numero (typo)