being a completist is an interesting thing.

we want everything by an artist: every song, every duet, every little appearance on any tribute or soundtrack album and....we want it on CD.

and we want it even more if it hasn't been issued on CD yet, or even worse, was once out on CD, in ethiopia, and is now OOP and a son of a bitch to find.

we continue to buy new product by artists we have kept up with, unheard and, sometimes now with online purchases, unseen. even though said artist last few albums have been very weak, or personally do not suit us at all. case in point for me: van morrison. morrison hasn't had a really good album, from top to bottom, IMHO since "enlightenment". many albums have come since then and they are basically all the same record, a few good tunes and a few bad tunes, but no standout tunes, not a one. but i know i will still buy the next new van morrison album the day it comes out!

another good example, mccartney. i have been waiting for "band on the run II" since "band on the run" came out. i have every mccartney album since, some of which ( and i know some will take offense to this) basically stink, with nary even one tune worth a second listen. will i buy the next new mccartney?...you betcha, the day it comes out? hey it just might be "band on the run II"!

how many of us have bought an album 3, 4, 5 even 6 different times in different formats and different remasterings? hell i bought neil young's greatest hits only because "needle and damage done" has the clapping and just fades out instead of going right into "alabama" yep, bought a CD to get the clapping!

so why do we completist's do this to ourselves?

because we love the music, that's why.

and i will continue to do this probably until the die i die.

now where are those last 2 nicolette larson CD's???

Renny, I'm afraid to tell you how low the number 6 seemed when I read your post.

I've never bought an album six times, but I know I've bought the Allman Brothers' Fillmore East about five many times in various configurations.

And I'm sure there's a forum member or two who knows about buying something six times...at least.

Everything Zappa - 2 copies each - (one to play/one to save) both LP (those that are LP's) - CD's - DVD's - each release (domestic and some imports) - every guest appearence (LP and cd) - Most alumni releases (Grandmothers, JC Black, L George & Little Feat, Jean Luc Ponty, George Duke, Steve Vai, Adrain Belew, Ed Mann, Don Preston. Ike Willis, NM Brock, Captain Beefheart, JG Watson,Flo & Eddie, Sugarcane Harris, L Shankar, others) - tribute bands (ZPZ, Muffin Men, Ed Palmero) - over 800 concerts on tape AND CDR - also rehearsals, soundchecks, out takes, interviews and radio shows as a DJ)...still I always am in search of new releases from the vault, new shows on tape/cdr - or same shows - better/ different source or lower generation -

Still can't get enough Zappa - (anyone here have any tape not in circulation?

Guess I am hooked (since Only Money was released)

I'm not as obsessive as I once was but I know that feeling.....needing the newest grandest remaster.

I don't sweat remasters as much...but those damned bonus tracks!

Yes, not as bad as I used to be, but...

I bought Zappa's "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore" sampler LP because it has something like 2:00 of audio not on the CDs. I have two separate versions of "Thing-Fish" (one w/Johnny Watson overdubs), at least four different copies of "You Are What You Is", three versions of "Joe's Garage".

But the king of my collection? The first New England album. On 8-track. Vinyl. Cassette. And CD. Oh yeah, and with a 12-inch promo of live tracks from the album. That and City Boy's "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" - I think that's 2x vinyl, 2x cassette and a CD.

No, I take that back. Kiss "Alive II". 2x 8-track. Cassette, original CD, remastered CD, box set CD. That's six.

Just glancing at my database, I found several others that I'd bought at least 4 times.

Why did you have to bring this up???

Alan

Anytime Alan Parsons Project, Supertramp or Hendrix get an updated release, I'm in. Have at least 3 versions of each of their albums. Boz Scaggs' "Silk Degrees, I must have at least 5: CBS Mastersound, Japanese version of that, US remaster, Japanese DSD remastering, mini-lp, blu-spec disc is all I'm missing.

My purchases of Crosby Stills & Nash (the couch album):

1. standard LP reissue, late 70s
2. half-speed mastered Nautilus LP
3. cassette (Christmas gift for my brother)
3. standard (original) CD
4. special edition gold CD with expanded booklet
5. remastered CD
6. remastered CD with extra tracks
7. used vintage LP, mostly to get the insert that wasn't in my original reissue LP

Am I in the club?

How about buying multiple copies of the exact same CD edition? I bought THREE copies of the Lorraine Ellison 3 CD set, just to be safe!

Me too. Unfortunately, nothing's come close.

Most extensive purchase: Who's Next.

1. Original Decca album (gave to a girlfriend).
2. Replacement Decca album.
3. Replacement copy on MCA after the Decca copy wore out.
4. Original MCA CD
5. MCA gold CD.
6. Astley remaster.
7. Deluxe 2 CD version.
8. SHM Astley remaster.
9. Deluxe SHM 2 CD version.

As well as: Layla.

1. 8-track
2. Original album.
3. Mobile Fidelity Album.
4. Original CD.
5. Remastered CD.
6. Layla Sessions Box.
7. Mobile Fidelity CD.
8. Clapton Remasters Edition.
9. SACD Edition.

My worst repurchasing usually seems to be Jefferson Airplane (I've detailed ABAB here before), but I'm sure there are several others. One of the reasons I get so angry about overpriced sets with lame packaging (see Beatles & Neil Young as current examples) is because I've already spent a fortune on their "PRODUCT" that they're now "improving". How about a discount for us frequent flyers who actually BOUGHT all the previous versions............

they got us.....and they know it.

Great Post !

I can relate 100% to this.

I have a habit of getting everything from an artist on CD then DVD.

It took me for example 2 years to get every 'Love' CD until special editions etc such as Forever Changes came out and I got that as well.

Neil Young knows all about people such as us and is releasing a plethora of CDs/DVDs as (in my opinion) an exploitation of collectors such as us.
He has cleverly released the 1st 4 solo albums on CD only. Just wait they will be re-released again on either DVD-A or Blue Ray soon enough for us to buy all over again.

We are being taken for a ride by these companies guys.

Ok

Here's one I have a few versions of

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland

I have:

Electric Ladyland - UK (Nudes) 2LP
Electric Ladyland - USA Reprise 2LP
Electric Ladyland - UK (Nudes) 2CD
Electric Ladyland - USA (Experience Hendrix) 1997 Re-Master (1 CD)
Electric Ladyland - USA (Experience Hendrix) 2008 Re-Master (1 CD & 1 DVD)

Are You Experienced - UK Mono LP
Are You Experienced - UK Stereo LP
Are You Experienced - USA Stereo (Reprise) LP
Are You Experienced - UK Stereo LP (1980 Re-Issue)
Are You Experienced - UK Stereo CD
Are You Experienced - UK Stereo (HMV Box Set 1 CD)
Are You Experienced - USA (Experience Hendrix) 1997 Re-Master (1 CD)

Axis Bold As Love - UK Mono LP
Axis Bold As Love - UK Stereo LP
Axis Bold As Love - USA Stereo (Reprise) LP
Axis Bold As Love - UK Stereo LP (1980 Gatefold Re-Issue)
Axis Bold As Love - UK Stereo CD
Axis Bold As Love - USA (Experience Hendrix) 1997 Re-Master (1 CD)
Axis Bold As Love USA (Classic Records) 2002? Re-Master (LP)

I refused to get the Alan Douglas Re-master CDs when they came out in the mid 1990s. They are probably the rarest Hendrix CDs now.

Albums I only buy four times max.

Comics....

I have the JLA/JSA Silver Age crossovers in...

Original comics
Reprints in Super-Spectacular and similar Giant formats
Archives
Showcases
Crisis on Multiple Earths TPB's

You should get the SHM releases as well, as I have. I also have all of the Alan Douglas remasters you speak of.

God, I used to collect the heck out of Kate Bush back in highschool in '89. Man, variations on variations. I'm glad I lived w/Mom & Dad so I could at least afford my habit back then. Of course, its all worth nothing now thanks to e-bay. But it was a fun ride.

TKI - Japan leotard cover LP
TKI - US 2nd pressing red sox LP
TKI - US EMI America CD
TKI - US EMI Manhattan reissue (skimpier books, same CD AFAIK)
TKI - UK CD from TWW boxset

didn't have but wanted:
TKI - 1st & 2nd issue pic disc LPs WAYYYYY out of my range back then ($200?). Can probably be had now for like $30.
TKI - US 1st pressing Harvest label & diff cvr LP
TKI - Canada diff. cvr. LP
TKI - grey vinyl (hungarian?).
probably missing a few, too.

"and we want it even more if it hasn't been issued on CD yet, or even worse, was once out on CD, in ethiopia, and is now OOP and a son of a bitch to find."

Those got eaten back in '86, making them even rarer! (sorry, in EXTREMELY bad, er, taste).

DW