> the ART BEARS BOX SET is now available and it's simply amazing.

i concur wholeheartedly. bob drake's remastering job is superb (as it has
been for other recent ReR releases) and has made me realize how excellent
Winter Songs is after years of treating it as a poor cousin to Hopes and
Fears. weirdly, i enjoy the remix disks more than the originals in many
ways. they eek out the best parts of the work and leave some of the awkward
things behind. not all of them work but the vast majority are superb
experimental pieces on their own.

it IS strange that Dagmar hasn't contributed anything to the booklet. her
later experiences in the band (carbon monoxide poisoning whilst on tour) may
have coloured her relationship with the others?? i don't know but it does
leave a hole in the story - her vocal interpretations are of great
importance to how the band was perceived.

> HOPEFULLY sometime within the next few months I will be redesigning
> the site with new scans of everything (including the subscription
> material with the boxset)...if i don't someone hit me in the head and
> remind me

i shall

regards,

philT