Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09T77B7N6/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09T77B7N6/?tag=imwanca-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09T77B7N6/?tag=imwan-21

Description
On June 3, the U.K. label Madfish will release a massive, 50-CD box set anthologizing the career of celebrated singer-songwriter Al Stewart. The Admiralty Lights: Complete Studio, Live, and Rare 1964-2009 spans five decades of the artist behind "Year of the Cat," "Time Passages," "Midnight Rocks," "Bedsitter Images," and "Nostradamus" via his complete released live and studio recordings and over 300 previously unreleased bonus tracks.

The set, limited to 2,000 copies (with the assurance that it will not be subsequently reissued), includes the following treasure trove of Stewart's works:

21 CDs of studio albums from Bedsitter Images (1967) through Sparks of Ancient Light (2008), Stewart's last studio LP to date, all remastered from original tape transfers and presented in mini-LP-style jackets with original artwork elements preserved;
18 CDs of live recordings;
3 CDs of BBC Sessions from 1965-1972 (including a handful of cuts featuring Richard Thompson);
8 CDs of Demos, Outtakes and Rarities from 1964-2008;
160-page hardcover coffee table book featuring comprehensive liner notes by author Neville Judd, an in-depth interview with the artist, and rare memorabilia and ephemera;
24-page softcover Collectors' Book detailing all the Rare Recordings in the set;
Year of the Cat print individually signed by artist Colin Elgie;
Colin Elgie original art print;
Last Days of the Century poster; and
The Early Years

The Admiralty Lights follows Esoteric Recordings' recent deluxe editions of Stewart's landmark Alan Parsons-produced LPs Year of the Cat and Time Passages. The box is due on June 3. The lavish collection promises to be a comprehensive assessment of Stewart's varied recordings over the years, from his historical epics to his enduring radio favorites.

My thoughts? Releases like this drive the OCD completist in me crazy. I don't need another copy of ALL of his prior recordings that have been released. Yet, "over 300 previously unreleased bonus tracks," and "limited to 2,000 copies (with the assurance that it will not be subsequently reissued)" Opening bid at Amazon is $500, or $10/CD. Yet, yet, if I get it, I'll likely play through it once and then it'll go to the vault for posterity. Hmmmm.

Holy ****! I love Al Stewart, but this is too much for me. I already have all of those studio albums and I'm sure a share of some of the other stuff. I'm going to have to pass.

What would Jimbo do?

NOTE: this is advertised as complete studio recordings - IT IS NOT!
i own the commercially released 4-track cd-single for "King of Portugal" with remixes for that song.
are they great remixes?... i don't think so. but they ARE part of AS's studio catalog and should have been included.

none of the tracks from the 'fan-club-only' cd "...seemed like a good idea at the time" are missing.

can anybody tell us what the "Sign of the Scorpion" versions are?

I wouldn't be surprised if they passed the extra mixes of "King Of Portugal", though they could be included in the demos, outtakes and rarities. Hopefully those will also capture the tracks from "Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time" and the extended version of "Class Of '58" that's over 13 minutes long. Additionally, I hope they get all of the extra tracks from the various reissues.

This could be done right and it could be awesome. My biggest concern though is the involvement of Neville Judd. I'm not a fan.

How come? (I don't know who Neville Judd is.)

Neville Judd managed a lot of Al's affairs for a long time, he may still do so. At the time, he and Al were selling a lot of things on the side, collections of the kinds of stuff that will likely appear on the "Demos, Outtakes and Rarities". Long story short, he was a sleazy person to deal with. Made a lot of promises, many of which he never fulfilled and any time I purchased something from them, I constantly felt like I was having to chase them down. I didn't expect Al to handle this kind of stuff and I don't believe it was his job. In the end, I paid them for a number of things that were never delivered. At a certain point, I gave up trying. In this case, I know that there's a company involved and it's not just Neville Judd creating this package. I hope it comes out great for everyone who purchases it.

Neville Judd is mentioned in the video at the 53 second mark as "Author Neville Judd", but he did a lot of Al's business ventures at some point. Most of the stuff I mentioned was purchased directly from Neville. On the Amazon site, the book "Al Stewart: Lights... Camera... Folk Rock: A Life In Pictures" by Neville Judd mentions that Neville "is a freelance writer who is also involved with Al Stewart's fan club." My guess is that this was an authorized fan club, which is why he had so much access to Al's recordings that hadn't been sold previously.

Here are some of the CDs that I purchased directly from Neville:

Al & Dave - "Live In Cleveland 2005" (2CD)
Al Stewart & Peter White - "Live In Philly 1991" (2CD)
Al Stewart - "LA Storyteller" (2CD)
Al Stewart - "Treasure One"
Al Stewart - "Treasure Two"
Al Stewart - "Dark Side"
Al Stewart - "Unreleased Masters Volume 1"
Al Stewart - "Unreleased Masters Volume 2"
Al Stewart - "Unreleased Masters Volume 3"

Sign of the Scorpion was a recording studio in Studio City, CA. The albums Down in the Cellar and Between the Wars were recorded there.

50 albums of al stewart..........that, is quite a lot.

Al gets around, his camp has been putting out a lot of his legendary works and he is slated to appear on this years Cruise To The Edge where you can buy even more product (and hear his stories in person). Maybe even have breakfast or lunch with him.

I guess if I were a rabid Al Stewart fan, I'd be all in on this. But I sorta feel like, Al Stewart deserves a 50 CD box set?! REALLY?!?!

I certainly get what you're saying and can't disagree, but what's more amazing to me is how this was put together given how many different labels his albums have been released on. I'd love to know how they got everyone to agree with so many labels involved.

Good lord. 50 cds? Wouldn't it just be easier to have him move in?

ok... i did it... i pulled the trigger... hope i don't have to 'smell' that trigger finger anytime soon.

Disappointed to see that "The Class Of '58" appears to be missing. That should have been an obvious since it was commercially released.

I've been borrowing this from a friend since I couldn't get myself to pull that trigger. I haven't heard that much yet, but I'm actually disappointed with the sound quality of some of it. Some of the "Demos, Outtakes & Rarities" sound really bad. Maybe these will get better in the later years, but the ones in the earlier years are not at all enjoyable to listen to because of the poor quality.