BUY IT! But not on Amazon.

I adore every part about this set! Luckily I was able to find it for less than $200 at a local independent music store. This set is a must for a music fan. I already had all of the albums (except for the exquisite singles collection), and I still bought it. Just what ever you do, if you buy it here you're getting ripped. I love you Amazon, but on this item, you lost a buyer.

Pink Floyd celebrates its 25th in style

Pink Floyd released their 9-CD box set Shine On in November of 1992.

The box was released to commemorate the band's 25th anniversary as a recording act.

Compiling a box was not an easy task. Instead of pulling songs from each album, the band(mainly guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboardist Rick Wright) with some help from estranged bassist/vocalist Roger Waters and the extra help from longtime friend James Guthrie and Doug Sax remastered seven chosen albums which represented the best of the band's history.

The classics were picked(Meddle, The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall) and one transition album(A Saucerful of Secrets) and the band's comeback(A Momentary Lapse of Reason) all from the original master tapes.

Since there were no outtakes, the band released their first five singles on a bonus disc called The Early Singles which uses the mono mixes of the songs. Four of the songs had not ever been released on album in the US(Candy and a Currant Bun, Apples and Oranges(unreleased in the US), It Would Be So Nice and Point Me at the Sky(unreleased in the US)), three not ever on CD(Paintbox, Julia Dream and Careful With That Axe Eugene) and three had been on CD in the US(Arnold Layne, See Emily Play and The Scarecrow). I first got this box set for Christmas in 1992 and was a great box set and made the original late 80s CDs and the Mobile Fidelity discs sound pale in comparison.

Also, the book was excellent as it had some rare photos and historical info about each album and the artwork was superb.

This box set went Platinum immediately but is unfortunately out of print in the US as the band is no longer on Columbia(the band nullified its contract after Columbia complained about lack of new material as the band was about to release The Wall Live Is There Anybody Out There? in 1999 so Pink Floyd manager Steve O' Rourke switched licensing rights of the band's music back to Capitol/EMI worldwide since the band owns the master tapes to their music and not the label).

Highly recommended if you are a newbie to Floyd!

Sublime

Monetary quibbles aside, despite the fact that I payed only a very small margin of Amazon's list price by buying off of ebay, this box set is possibly my most valued possession and worth the money, period. Nothing can describe actually holding it in your hands as it precipitates an appreciation Pink Floyd that can't compare to anything else.



It is true that it is cheaper to buy the original albums, most of which I already own, both on vinyl and compact disc. But this themed set, which is supremely packaged, is not just a collection of compact discs. It is a tribute to Pink Floyd, both their music and their historical significance. The hardcover book that comes with the set is wonderful in covering the history of the albums themselves and the band. And to boot, everything has the "Shine On" logo printed on it, which only adds to the coolness. And... if you look closely enough at the logo, you might notice the original title for the set ("The Big Bong Theory"), discernable among the text surrounding the logo. Your appreciation of this set is all the more sublime if you can appreciate the subtleties, like this.



Owning this set is something you will not regret. But, then perhaps, maybe Pink Floyd just gets me off in a way that nobody else can understand... But the bottom line is, this set is cool, and will stand out among your music collection as one of your most valued possessions.