THE CHAIN box set
 

I never picked up the box set THE CHAIN upon original release, but I did just win it on eBay.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? I paid a pretty penny for it, so I'm hoping these alternate mixes and unreleased songs prove worth the cash.

Can some explain further what unreleased songs are here, what era they are from, and possibly mention any B-sides that are included?

What about Paper Doll, Love Shines, Make Me A Mask, Goodbye Angel, and Teen Beat? Were these all new songs recorded for this package? Is Lindsey playing on these tracks? (I thought "Teen Beat" was an outtake from MIRAGE.)

What's the booklet like?

Any details are appreciated!

Let's seee... Paper Doll, Heart of Stone, Love Shines, & Make Me a Mask are advertised as new songs for the collection however, discussion on this board has shed light on the possibility that some of these songs were not necessarily originally intended for the boxed set. There are numerous "alternate" versions of songs (mostly from Rumours) with subtle differences from the originals. There are some previously unreleased outtakes (Teen Beat and a synth heavy version of Isn't It Midnight) and some oddities (a weird remix of Tusk). The biggest deal for me was the inclusion of Silver Springs--this boxed set was the first time SS was released on CD.

The book has a ton of pics, but very little info about the songs IMO.

All in all, I'm glad I have the set.

John

I liked it. I thought it was well presented in the black box with the booklet. I also enjoyed the prior Rumors line up songs as well. I guess they could have included additional rare gems and some demos, but I like it the way it is.

Well Teen Beat sucks, but I really liked all the "new" songs that were added, especially "Goodbye Angel." I like the boxed set because you can throw a disc in and just have a cool "mixed" CD of old and new. If you aren't a big pre-Rumours fan, you can skip through most of disc 4...although I do like the Christine tracks a LOT--like Why, Heroes are Hard to Find...

The Chain box set is very worthwhile but could have been done better. I would have liked to have seen more pre Buckingham/Nicks stuff on there. The only Rumours line up song that should have been on there was "Hold Me" which for some strange reason was left off. The booklet has some interesting pictures but not very specific liner notes.

"Love Shines" & "Heart Of Stone" were both new songs that were recorded for the box set. In my opinion, they're terrific. "Make Me A Mask" is an OOTC outtake and "Paper Doll" was originally worked on during the Greatest Hits sessions. I think Lindsey & Richard Dashut then worked on it for the boxed set."No Questions Asked" eventually went on the Greatest Hits album instead. "Teen Beat" & "Goodbye Angel" were both Mirage outtakes, I believe. I don't like "Teen Beat", but "Goodbye Angel" is terrific-better than any of Lindsey's other songs on Mirage, in my opinion.

I got this from a BMG catalog or something in 1998. I LOVED it because it had a booklet with pictures and 4, FOUR cds!

The "old" one has alot of the old school FM. Songs like Green Manalishi, Man of the World, Why ....it indroduces you to songs that maybe you haven't heard if you are only a Rumours fan.

Teen Beat is great!!!!! I listened to that OVER and OVER. What I hated was Make Me A Mask. I thought that song was horrible, still do LOL.

They had a live Stand Back which is fun.

Love Shines is great and so is Paper Doll.

Its all fun but its a way to get lots of songs together in a different way.

Oh, they also have an alternate Isn't It Midnight with a scream I only hear on that. And a longer Gypsy.

It sounds to me like all they did with "Isn't it midnight" was take out Lindsey rhythm guitar part to imply it as a "different mix".

The audio of "Stand back" is taken from the "Tango in the night" video concert release (which is apparently coming out on DVD in Oct. :) )

"Trinity" was another good unreleased track probably from the FG sessions but could be from the BT sessions.

Please take note though that what is billed as "I believe my time ain't long" (version wise) is actually "Dust my broom" from the "Mr. wonderful" album (and not from FM's first single as the notes claim).

Also be aware that what they claim to be an "unreleased FM track" called "String a long" is wrong. Though it could easily masquerade as one since PG, JS, DK, JM & MF are all playing on it, it still only was released to the world as a Jeremy Specner solo track and yes, this same exact version of this track WAS previously released as it was taken from his seltitled 1970 Reprise album.

The audio of "Not that funny" is (sort of) the same version that appeared on the Mirage video concert release (as there are parts of the song here that aren't in the video version and there are some parts of the track that are in the video version that aren't on the one on the box set).

I think everyone else covered all the other major stuff so...

Hope that helps. :)

John

I hate that thing. I got it right when I was first getting into Fleetwood Mac, and I figured it would have all the albums, well, all the "rumours line up" ones anyway (self titled -> tango in the night), but I find it very oddly chosen, then again I guess that'll all you can expect as it was done at a time when neither Lindsey nor Stevie were in the band!

Fireflies
Seven Wonders
Hold Me
I Don't Want To Know

Did it not occur to Mick & Co that maybe people would like to hear these popular songs instead of soem of the other junk they put on there?

I received mine when it first came out as a gift....and it is a must for any Fleetwood Mac fan.........however...


The booklet was filled mostly with pictures that I had already seen before, so I didn't think you were getting any 'rare' photos. Still there are a few cool ones (including Christine in a black leotard...looking rather 'dolled up' and i think she looked stunning)

I agree that "Love Shines", "Heart of Stone" and "Goodbye Angel" are probably the best of the "unreleased" songs....I could've done without "Teen Beat" and "Make Me A Mask". As for Stevie's "Paper Doll"...I dunno, the jury is still out on that one...Lyrically, I love what it says, but I think it should've been done differently....maybe a bit slower or maybe as a ballad or something......the words and the meaning to the song just don't go with the music....but that's just my opinion.

The "old" Fleetwood Mac stuff has the "classics"....Albatross, Black Magic Woman, Oh Well pt 1, Rattlesnake Shake, Heroes are Hard to Find.....etc...and it really is a great listen for a bit of a change of pace.

All in all....it's not a bad package. Enjoy and let us know what you think!

I bought the cassette and CD versions when the set came out. Remember tapes?

I like all the new songs with the exception of Love Shines (though Heart of Stone is good).

I don't care for this version of Isn't It Midnight, but I'm glad to get the extended version of Gypsy.

I agree with the other poster, Seven Wonders is inexplicably neglected by this band.

As a side note, I think the written messages on each CD cover are a bit peculiar. I like Christine's (and her handwriting, too), but Stevie's is oddly selected. For somebody who typically speaks of being sensitive to jealousies within the band, why draw attention to your pride that Dreams is the bands only #1? (Bitter feelings over the Silver Springs/TimeSpace thing?) And why would the band put that message on the one CD that has no Stevie songs, not even Dreams?

I would rank this set between Greatest Hits, which is good, and The Very Best Of, which is great. (Of course, The Pre-Rumours stuff sets this set apart & contains some great tracks.)

- Jake

That's exactly what I did, gotta love the old c.d. burner.

Gotta get me one of those so I can edit out all of Lindsey's weird songs on the other albums--Family Man, Empire State, etc. LOL

I totally agree, and what's up with Lindsey's quote? He says something like, "wouldn't have missed it for the world" or something, it's like, well DUH!!!, now tell us something interesting! He should've thought a little harder on that one...

I think Lindsey's comment was sarcastic...and Stevie's was probably directed towards Mick for leaving SS off Rumours and the fact that this was right around the time when he wouldn't give her the track for Timespace. I like the others' quotes though...very thoughtful...

The irritating thing about that box is that several of the tracks that are labeled as alternate mixes don't seem to be any different, while several others clearly ARE alternate mixes and aren't labeled as such. For example, the mixes of "Tusk" and "Brown Eyes" are completely different from what's on the original albums - "Tusk" even has a different drum pattern!