25 Years ago:The Chain

[guillamene]

I'm sure that this has been up before, but it's hard to believe that it is 25 years since The Chain Boxes set came out in 1992.
Any memories of getting it,first impressions, favourite tracks etc?
I'll star with mine.
Remember going into my local record store in early December and the owner telling me that it had come in and she had pat it aside for me.Thrilled! Couldn't wait to get home and play it.
LOVED -and still love- Paper Doll,Love Shines,Heart of Stone, exetended Gypsy and (for me) my first Silver Springs. HATED Make me a Mask,Teen Beat etc!
Couldn't figure out the non chronological order of the tracklisting or why there were so few unreleased live tracks. Not sure about the blues material, but as it was 25 years I guess they had to include them.
Booklet was disappointing : too many pics and not enough text. Obviously little imput from the band, which is not surprising given the fragmented state it was in at the time.
How was it for you?

[FuzzyPlum]

I loved Love Shines (and especially the accompanying video) and Heart of Stone. I was still a teenager and hadn't discovered a lot of the back catalog, so whilst I was familiar with a lot of the blues-era material it was my first introduction to the Bob Welsh era music. Loved and still cherish the likes of Why, Heroes Are Hard and Come a Little Bit Closer. In retrospect its pretty disgusting more of Bob Welsh's material wasn't included.

My greatest memory is hearing Trinity. Love, love, love that song. Love you Danny, old boy. To this day one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac songs.

[FuzzyPlum]

PS
I can't understand why The Purple Dancer was not included.

[jcalzaretta]

I loved this because it was the first CD with Silver Springs. Loved extended Gypsy. Loved Paper Doll. I actually liked Make Me a Mask. Not a fan of Teen Beat. I liked Love Shines. I loved live Standback. And I really loved Disc 4. I adore Come a Little Bit Closer. This was such a great set.

[Hungieman]

Goodbye Angel became and is still is my favorite Mirage era song.

[HomerMcvie]

By the time the box set came along, I was in college, and had really walked away from my FM fandom for a few years(after being told in my freshman year, that it was really UNCOOL to like them. Although I DO remember being privately in love with BTM - Do You Know will forever be tied to a big heartbreak...pardon the reminiscing!).

Anyway, I found my boxed set in a pawn shop, probably 95-96. It was okay. I loved Love Shines and Teen Beat, and even Paper Doll! Love Shines makes every greatest hits disc I've ever made.


If any Nashvillians are reading this, the 4 discs(no box, no booklet) have been at McKay used books for a few months now. I haven't checked the condition of the discs(since I have it), and I think they're $9 per disc.

[sleepless child]

I still have it. the cassette box. thank goodness I still have a cassette player. I remember taking a train ride from Connelsville pa to Washington dc and playing it the whole way down and back.

[Macfan4life]

I still have it. the cassette box. thank goodness I still have a cassette player. I remember taking a train ride from Connelsville pa to Washington dc and playing it the whole way down and back.
Hey there. I am from Westmoreland county too. I bought my Behind the Mask cassette tape and Greengate Mall, Greensburg :)

[ricohv]

Having the extended-Gypsy on CD was great! Love Shines & Heart of Stone were pure Christine brilliance! Make Me A Mask=uggh! :shocked:
But the order of the songs & the booklet left a lot to be desired (another missed opportunity that left me frustrated).

[Villavic]

Happy 33 birthday The Chain boxset! It was my first opportunity to hear alternative versions (Tusk, Isn't It Midnight, Gypsy, etc.) and my first approach to the Peter Green years. Plus very cool pictures.

https://goldendiscs.ie/cdn/shop/products/MUS000355901.jpg?v=1690469602

[HomerMcvie]

LONG LIVE THEEEEE.........



Never mind. :woohoo:

[FuzzyPlum]

Sharing one of my favourite songs...

'I am the Resurrection' by The Stone Roses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY9g-PgSiGA

[Street_Dreamer]

A few of the alternate versions are very weak. Tusk comes to mind immediately. There are some curious choices as to what wasn't on the album like Hold Me. The track listing is also strange. It would have made more sense for each discs 1-3 to be sequenced chronologically while leaving disc four for the alternates, b-sides, lives and new songs. On the whole though, it is a really great release and Christine's new songs from it are two of her very best.

[WalkAThinLine.]

Looking at newspaper reviews at the time, some of the central points of discussion was the non-chronological sequencing, the presence of the four "new tracks", the alternate mixes, and the saturation of pictures in the liner notes at the expense of detailed information about each track on the compilation. I agree that some recording dates and a personnel section for each song would have been appreciated. I'm generally pleased with the track selection on this collection; the presence of the new songs and alternate mixes makes it a compelling collector's item, especially seeing that certain songs on the album like "Heart of Stone" and "Make Me a Mask" have never been released elsewhere.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-sound-advice-a-q/185532869/

[Villavic]

Of all the alternate versions included in the boxset, my favorite is Isn't It Midnight. I liked it much more than the alternate in the Tango Deluxe (the original is the best, anyway). The Christine new songs aren't on my favorites list, but I like them more than Temporary One.

My first thought is that I didn't mind the sequence not in chronological order, but I think it's because I'm a fan so that doesn't confuse me. I have had bought only 3 boxsets. 25 Years The Chain, Enchanted, and Storyteller.

Enchanted is not in chronological sequence either, a bit confusing; but Disc 3 is dedicated to demos and side Bs, that was cool. And for a casual fan of Rod Stewart, Storyteller in chronological sequence and Rod words about each song, tha was very good.

[jbrownsjr]

Happy 33 birthday The Chain boxset! It was my first opportunity to hear alternative versions (Tusk, Isn't It Midnight, Gypsy, etc.) and my first approach to the Peter Green years. Plus very cool pictures.

https://goldendiscs.ie/cdn/shop/products/MUS000355901.jpg?v=1690469602

Great topic to bring back. I remember loving the alt versions on this particular box set.

Although, they cut Mick's drum solo on NTF!