Rating:
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 08/02/2005
Run Time: 220:34

A limited-edition five-CD box set comprising both albums that Janis Joplin made with Big Brother & the Holding Company (Cheap Thrills and Big Brother & the Holding Company), both of her solo albums (I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! and Pearl), and a bonus EP with five previously unreleased recordings. Each of these four albums includes previously unreleased bonus tracks (including live material), and each is available separately with the same bonus cuts. The tracks on the bonus EP aren't available anywhere else, and if you're devoted enough to consider laying out for this deluxe box, you're probably most interested in what's on that fifth disc. There are a couple of Cheap Thrills outtakes, "It's a Deal" and "Crazy Once You Know How," with a garagey feel and some typically scorching, uninhibited Big Brother lead guitar; it can be seen why they may not have been deemed strong enough for the album, but they're pretty cool to have. The live versions of "Maybe" (April 1969) and "Raise Your Hand" (October 1969) are OK, but not essential; of greater curiosity is the raw live charge through "Bo Diddley" (also October 1969). In the original long-box shaped release, each of the CDs is packaged in a mini-LP-type jacket, which would be really cool except for the fact that, cheapskates that Sony management is, none has an inner-sleeve, so the CDs tend to roll out of the sleeve once they're unsealed, unless you put them back in the box very carefully; additionally, the producers didn't re-create the gatefold design of Cheap Thrills; there are two subsequent versions of the set, a domestic wide CD-sized box containing full, jewel-cased versions of the five discs, and a Japanese version in mini-LP sleeves (with inner sleeves) and with two accompanying booklets. Note that this box does not include a good deal of material that has shown up on the Janis box, the Janis movie soundtrack, In Concert, and Farewell Song, so it's not a complete collection of Joplin's recordings.

~Richie Unterberger & Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

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Sam Andrew - Liner Notes
Richard Kermode - Organ
Lonnie Castille - Drums
John Byrne Cooke - Choir, Chorus
DuBose Heyward - Composer
Tom Weir - Photography
Bobby Womack - Guitar (Acoustic)
John Byrne Cooke - Vocals
Janis Joplin - Arranger
Abe Gurvin - Paintings
Vince Mitchell - Vocals (Background)
Clark Pierson - Drums
David Getz - Drums
Patti Matheny - Artist Coordination
Gabriel Mekler - Organ
Peter S. Albin - Guitar
Janis Joplin - Engineer
Janis Joplin - Vocals
Edwin H. Kramer - Engineer
James Gurley - Assistant Engineer
Peter Albin - Bass
Big Brother & the Holding Company - Band
Bobbye Hall - Bongos
Janis Joplin - Choir, Chorus
Steven Berkowitz - A&R
Richard DiLello - Back Cover
Kozmic Blues Band - Band
Roy Segal - Engineer
Sam Houston Andrew III - Guitar
Yoram Kahana - Photography
Jerry Hochman - Engineer
David Gahr - Photography
L. Hart - Composer
David Getz - Composer
Sam Houston Andrew, III - Bass
Sam Houston Andrew, III - Guitar
Paul Rothchild - Producer
Big Mama Thornton - ?
Vic Anesini - Mastering
Joe Lizzi - Mixing
Gabriel Mekler - Composer
Paul Rothchild - Audio Production
Vince Mitchell - Choir, Chorus
Phil Badella - Vocals
Tom Wilkes - Photography
Ken Pearson - Organ
Tom Wilkes - Design
Mark Feldman - Project Director
Richard DiLello - Photography
Bob Irwin - Producer
Baron Wolman - Photography
Janis Joplin & the Full Tilt Boogie Band - ?
Sam Andrew - Composer
Janis Joplin & the Full Tilt Boogie Band - Choir, Chorus
Vince Mitchell - Vocals
Phil Badella - Choir, Chorus
James Gurley - Composer
Abe Gurvin - Cover Illustration
Fred Lombardi - Back Cover
Peter Albin - Composer
Big Brother & the Holding Company - Various
Brad Campbell - Guitar (Bass)
Sam Houston Andrew, III - Vocals (Background)
Sy Mitchell - Engineer
Sandra Crouch - Tambourine
Bob Shad - Producer
Bruce Steinberg - Cover Photo
Luis Gasca - Trumpet
Lee Osborne - Engineer
Michael Friedman - Back Cover
Alex Kazanegras - Engineer
A. Isbell - Composer
Gabriel Mekler - Audio Production
Abe Gurvin - Illustrations
Smay Vision - Art Direction
Elliot Mazer - Producer
Yoram Kahana - Tray Photo
Robert Crumb - Artwork
John Simon - Piano
Bob Shad - Audio Production
Robert Crumb - Cover Lettering
James Gurley - Guitar
John Simon - Producer
Terry Clements - Sax (Tenor)
John Simon - Audio Production
Kozmic Blues Band - Various
Daniel Kramer - Photography
Elliott Landy - Photography
Adam Block - Project Director
Jud Cost - Liner Notes
Phil Macy - Engineer
Gabriel Mekler - Producer
Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers - Sax (Baritone)
Baron Wolman - Back Cover
Sam Houston Andrew, III - Liner Notes
David Getz - Liner Notes
Big Brother & the Holding Company - Performer
Maury Baker - Drums
Janis Joplin - Guitar (Acoustic)
Terry Clements - Sax (Tenor)
Brad Campbell - Bass
James Gurley - Engineer
Phil Badella - Vocals (Background)
Peter S. Albin - Guitar (Bass)
John Byrne Cooke - Liner Notes
Nicholas Bennett - Packaging Manager
David Getz - Author
Fred Catero - Engineer
Sam Houston Andrew III - Guitar (Bass)
Vic Anesini - Mixing
Gabriel Mekler - Arranger
John Cooke - Vocals (Background)
Sam Andrew - Guitar
C. Taylor - Composer
Bobbye Hall - Conga
Richard Bell - Piano
Lil Hardin - Composer
Bob Irwin - Compilation Producer
Barry Feinstein - Photography
Michael Friedman - Photography
Janis Joplin - Assistant Engineer
Jim Marshall - Photography
John Till - Guitar
Sam Houston Andrew, III - Vocals
Sam Houston Andrew, III - Arranger
Barry Feinstein - Design
David Gahr - Back Cover
Smay Vision - Design
Janis Joplin - Composer
Sam Andrew - Vocals
Fred Lombardi - Photography
Jen Wyler - Mixing
Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers - Vocals (Background)

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
    The Paul Butterfield Blues Band / CD / 1965
Crossroads
    Eric Clapton / CD / 1988
Pearl/Cheap Thrills
    Big Brother & the Holding Company / CD / 1968
Led Zeppelin [Box Set]
    Led Zeppelin / CD / 1990
Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix
    Jimi Hendrix / CD / 1998
Live at Winterland '68
    Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Co. / CD / 1998
Ultimate!
    The Yardbirds / CD / 2001
The Essential Janis Joplin
    Janis Joplin / CD / 2003

Release Date: 08/02/2005
Genre: rock
Run Time: 220:34