Happy New Year and the CDRWL turns 10 years old!

It's hard to believe that the CDRWL is now already 10 years old. The project started in January of 2003 simply as a public place to store my personal CD reissue wishlist. It was originally a straight text list of albums with no descriptions or priority levels. It has since grown to this uncontrollable mess of obscurities. In 2009, I moved it from my personal website to Blogger, as it made more sense to report the data in this fashion.

While we no longer have daily postings of obscurities to talk about, I still have a few items I have yet to report on. Some are due to my constant laziness, while others are being held under wraps for a variety of reasons. And God knows there are plenty of albums we have yet to hear. I suspect we will continue the pace of 2012 - with more news postings and less discoveries. If interested, there's a bit more detail about the history and contents of the CDRWL in the FAQ (see link above this entry).

While 2003 may have been my first time to publish a list on a website, it wasn't the first time I had compiled a list for discussion. I have been making various lists ever since I started collecting in earnest around 1983 or so. And my first CD reissue wish lists probably go back to the early 1990s when CDs were first taking hold as the predominant medium. I recall having bands such as Algarnas Tradgard on CD reissue wish lists, and that was reissued in 1995.

So for fun, I fished out an ancient CD Reissue Wishlist I had posted in the old Usenet (remember Usenet?) group rec.music.progressive which had just recently proceeded alt.music.progressive. Unbelievably the RMP group still exists, though it seems strictly fodder for spammers anymore.

This list was published on June 18, 1996. What's most interesting to me is the kind of albums that were most important to me then, and how my tastes have changed some (though many are still favorites!). As well, many of the items I have listed in the CDRWL are albums I've owned long before 1996 - right from the top: Automatic Fine Tuning (bought in 1985), Achim Reichel and Machines (I bought "3" in 1985, and most of his remaining catalog in the late 80s), and many others I can spot immediately. Why I left albums like that off, I'm not sure. Back then I considered bootlegs as being reissued, something that is abhorrent to me now.  But even many of those titles didn't have a bootleg at the time. So it may have been a priority thing, or most likely it was never intended to be a comprehensive list. Just a quickly drawn up one for discussion. Now, to be clear, I certainly didn't know as many obscurities as I do now. The list has grown exponentially since 2006. Interestingly, this list did indeed draw quite a bit of comments (which was its purpose of course), mostly from folks I still correspond with today (yes, including you Laser Ken!). The hardcore collector guys I suppose. Also, you may be surprised by how many of these still haven't been reissued!

Here's that 1996 list with an update on each:

Ache - De Homine Urbano / Green Man (Denmark)
---Reissued together by Philips (2000). Recently reissued separately by Esoteric (2012)

Airlord - Clockwork Revenge (Australia)
---Well I figured out that they were from New Zealand. Still in the CDRWL! Priority 2

Archaia - same (France)
---Reissued by Soleil Zeuhl (1998)

Arlequin - same (aka Gerardo Batiz) (Mexico)
---Still in the CDRWL. Listed correctly here on the site as Gerardo Batiz. Priority 3

Arpa Derba - L'Aleph (Italy)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Artcane - Odyssee (France)
---Unbelievably still in the CDRWL. Priority 1
 
Avalanche - Perserverance Kills our Game (Netherlands) PLEASE!!!!
---They ignored my plea. Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1

Azahar - Elixir (Spain)
---Reissued by Fonomusic in 1997 (not long after this list!). Also released again in 2003 on Fonomusic.

Bock, Wolfgang - Cycles (Germany)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Brave New World - Impressions on Reading Alduos Huxley (Germany)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1. I can't believe one of the great German reissue labels haven't done this one yet! Lots of pirate editions though.

Caja de Pandora - same (Mexico)
---Here's a good example of something I really don't care about anymore. However it did come out on CD shortly after this on Sol & Deneb (1997).

Cathedral - Epilog (USA) Unreleased second.
---One type of album I have yet to cover in the CDRWL is those that were never released. I don't have that many of these to report on, but Cathedral's second would be one of the first I'd publish. I transferred the cassette I had to a CD-R. It really needs to be issued at some point. Almost as good as "Stained Class Stories"!

Cohen-Solal, Jean - Captain Tarpathom (France)
---Reissued along with "Flute Libres" (an album I hadn't heard at the time or I would've asked for it!) on the much missed Israeli label Mio (2003) run by friend Meidad.

Cosmic Debris - same (USA)
---Never reissued properly, but you can get a CD-R from the band direct. Or that used to be the situation as I'm not sure anymore. So it's still in the CDRWL.

Dervieux, Franck - Dimension M (Canada)
---Wow, this just got reissued in 2012 by ProgQuebec!

Eela Craig - same (Austria)
---This was on Garden of Delights coming soon list at the time, and they did reissue it one year later (1997)

Ejwuusl Wessaqhan - same (Germany)
---Reissued by Garden of Delights (1996). This must've come out right after I published this!

Ellufant - Release Concert (Netherlands)
---Still in the CDRWL. I'm not so keen on this title anymore. Priority zero.

Emergency Exit - Sortie et Secours (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2. I know Mio was looking at this title too! :-(

Eskaton - Ardeur / Fiction (France)
---"Ardeur" reissued by Soleil Zeuhl (2003); "Fiction" Soleil Zeuhl (2005)

Et Cetera - same (Canada)
---Reissued by Unidisc (2001). That's the date from RYM, but I thought it came out in the late 1990s? I just looked at the CD and there's no date beyond the original 1976 copyright. My database entry only shows the original purchase date which was for me the original LP in the early 90s.

Falsini, Franco - Nasso Fredda (Italy)
---Well, it's been reissued, but just barely. It's part of those 6 CD Italian box sets that are pretty crappy. This one's on Volume 6 (2010). It would be nice to get a solo CD of this out by a specialty label. For some reason, I didn't ask for the Sensations' Fix albums later on. An obvious oversight, since I've owned those albums back to the 1980s. And they suffer from the same problem as this. The exception being "Fragments of Light" which was reissued a long time ago.

Fantasia - same (Finland)
---Fantastic reissue by Rocket Records (2010). We have the translated liner notes from Finnish to English on the UMR blog for those that are interested.

Fermata - same (Czechoslovakia)
---Reissued along with their second album on Bonton (1997)

Fine, Pete - On a Day of Crystalline Thought (USA)
---Reissued by Shadoks (2000)

First Aid - Nostradamus (England)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Flame Dream - Calatea / Elements (Switzerland)
---Might as well add Out in the Dark while we're at it. All 3 still in the CDRWL.This is a travesty that these still sit without a CD. Priority 1!!

Flamen Dialis - Symptome Dei (France)
---Reissued by Mio (2004)

Fusioon - Minorisa (Spain)
---All 3 Fusioon albums were reissued in 1997. The first 2 on Divucsa, and "Minorisa" on BMG/Ariola.

Galie - 1986 (Mexico)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority none (lost my interest in this title)

Gemini - Counterbalance (England)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Gloria's Children - Schutten (Germany)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority none (another one that I eventually sold the original LP of. To no regrets...)

Gnidrolog - In Spite of Harry's Toenail (England)
---This was first reissued by Audio Archives in 1999. And has since been reissued a few times, including a Japanese mini-LP and one from Esoteric. It was slow to market, but now is relatively common. Great album. As is Lady Lake, which I think did have a reissue prior to 1996.

Golem - Sand (Germany)
---I have the title and album backwards here. It's Sand - Golem. Reissued by United Durtro as part of "Ultrasonic Seraphim" in 1996 (another one that must've been reissued right after this list).


Gorizont - Summer in Town / Portrait Boy (Russia)
---Both reissued by Boheme Music (2000)

Gunesh Ensemble - Looking at the Earth (Turkmenistan)
---Reissued along with their first album (also great) by Boheme Music (1999)

Gutura - Des Etres Au Cerveau Apparent (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Haikara - same / Geafar (Finland)
---The first album was reissued by Fazer (1998) and has recently been reprinted by Warner Finland (2011). "Geafar" was reissued by Ektro (2000) and recently by Arcangelo as a Japanese mini-LP (2011).

Hero - same (Italy)
---Reissued by BTF/AMS (2006)

Het Pandora Ensemble - III (Netherlands)
---Reissued by Modulus just this past year (2012) in a fantastic mini-LP sleeve. Let's hope this initiative by Ken doesn't stop here!

Hydravion - same / Stratos Airlines (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. I love these albums, but even in 1996 some folks gave me the thumbs down on them. Oh well. Priority 2

Ilijin, Djordje - Zabranjino Prisivskivonje (Yugoslavia)
---Reissued by Mellow (2002)

Jupu Group - Ahmoo (Finland)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Kaczynski, Charles - Lumiere da le Nuit (Canada)
---Reissued by ProgQuebec (2006)

Kaseke - Poletus (USSR)
---Reissued by Boheme Music (2000) along with the EP "Sonum"

Kebnekaise - same / Elefanten (Sweden)
---The self-titled second album came out on parent label Silence in 2001. "Elefanten" is still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Kedama - Live at Sunrise Studios (Switzerland)
---Reissued by Black Rills  (1999)

Kracq - Circumvision (Netherlands)
---Reissued by the band (2004). At first, they did CD-R's but were talked into factory presses. And I own one so I know that's what they did!

Kvartetten Som Sprangde - Kattvalls (Sweden)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

L.S. Bearforce - same (Germany)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1!!

Lady Lake - No Pictures (Netherlands)
---Reissued by Musea/Musiphyle (1997)

Laura - same (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Loch Ness - same (Mexico)
---This is the 1988 album that never did get on CD. Priority 2

Lorentz, Yves et Alain - Espaces 2 (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Lotus - same (Sweden)
---Reissued by DuckYourMusic (2002). The also excellent "Vero O'Flera" was reissued by DuckYourMusic (2004).

Madore, Michel - Le Komuso a Cordes (Canada)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Magdalena - Lanean Sartzen (Spain/Basque)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Mirror - Daybreak (Netherlands)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Mosaic - Ultimatum (France)
---Reissued by Mio (2003)

Nathan Mahl - Parallel Eccentricities (Canada)
---Reissued by the band (1997)

Netherworld - In the Following Halflight (USA)
---Reissued by Musea (2002)

NHU - Grupo NHU (Spain)
---Reissued by Zafiro/BMG (2000)

Nishin - Dai Dai (Japan)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Nuance - Il est une Legende (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Ocarinah - Premiere Vision de L'Etrange (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1!!

October - same / Second of (USA)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Octopus - Thaerie Wiighen (Norway)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Parzival - Legend (Germany)
---Reissued by EastWest (1998)

Pataphonie - Le Matin Blanc (France)
---Reissued by Gazul/Musea (1999)


Picaresque of Bremen - Tales of an Alchemist (Japan)
---Here's another title I could care a less about now. Anyway it's still in the CDRWL. Priority none.

Planet of Man - Code III (Germany)
---I got this backwards too. In case you're wondering why this happened with both this title and Sand is because the catalogs of the day listed these backwards. And it's not real easy to tell on the original vinyl. In any case, this is still in the CDRWL. Priority 2.

Polyphony - same (USA)
---After a gazillion bootlegs this was finally reissued (not very well) by GearFab (2011)

Progressiv TM - Dreptul de a Visa (Romania)
---One of the more bizarre reissues. This was released by a German beat label specialist (legit) called Rock in Beat (2002). I have no idea why they took this on, but they did a fine job here.

Ra Can Row - same (USA)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2. And I have some new data to report on this title, once I finally get around to researching further.

Rainbow Theatre - The Armada (Australia)
---Reissued by Aztec (2006). The also excellent followup "Fantasy of Horses" was reissued by Aztec as well in 2006.

Ram - Where? In Conclusion (USA) there's *got* to be unreleased material.
---And I *still*  say that. There's a dubious reissue on Akarma that we've rejected (it's case by case with that label). So this is one of our Priority 1's!

Ravjunk - Uppsala Stadshotel Brinner (Sweden)
---Reissued by Transubstans (2007) with a whole album's worth of unreleased material.

Red - same (England)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1!!

Rhamann - same (France)
---That should be Rahmann. Reissued by Musea (1998)

Rumpelstiltzen Commune - same (Switzerland)
---Reissued by Black Rills (2000)

Saino - same (France)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2

Saisai-Koubou - same (Japan)
---Should be Saisei-Koubou. Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Sepi Kuu - Rannan Usvassa (Finland)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1!!

Sepsis - Liturgia Bezumia (Russia)
---Reissued by Boheme Music (2000). Boy, there was a label that took care of business, right? All those Boheme reissues are great too!

Sirius - Running to Paradise (Germany)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 2


Stern Meissen Combo - Weisses Gold (Germany)
---First reissued by Hansa Musik in 1997 and many times since.

Surpreize - Zeer Oude Klanken... Geluiden (Netherlands)
---This is another album I've lost interest in. It's still in the CDRWL as a Priority none. There is a legit LP reissue for those interested.

Tantra - Misterios e Marahavilas / Holocausto (Portugal)
---Both of these came out from Musea (1998 and 1999 respectively)


Topos Uranos - Suite Mistica (Brazil)
---Wow, I totally forgot about this title. I sold the LP years ago. I don't think it ever did come out on CD! Well, Jeff is going to bring over his LP next time he's over to help jog my memory and I'll put up an entry then.

Tortilla Flat - Fur ein 3/4 Studchen (Germany)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 1!!! And the unreleased 1973 SWF Sessions is Priority PLEASE IN MY LIFETIME!

Travelling - Voici la Nuit Tombee (France)
---Reissued by Mellow (2000). Mellow also reissued the excellent Triode album which I hadn't heard by 1996.

Trikolon - Cluster (Germany)
---Funny that I requested this title. It's good, but not great. All the same, I do own the CD that Garden of Delights issued in 2003.

Vindication - same (USA)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Vortex - Les Cycles de Thanatos (France)
---Reissued (along with the also excellent first album) by Triton (2003)

Wurtemburg - Rock Fantasia Opus 9 (France)
---Reissued by Musea (2002)

Zartong - same (Armenia)
---Still in the CDRWL. Priority 3

Zyma - Thoughts (Germany)
---Reissued by Garden of Delights (1998). Unfortunately the very good "Brave New World" remains without an issue (Priority 3) though GoD still has it on their coming soon list.

Wow! That was fun going down memory lane. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I had putting it together!