A Life Less Lived: The gothic box

Puppet Master · 10-07-2006, 02:33 AM

I dont know if anyone here has heard of this MTV produced boxset. But I recent;y purchased it, and throught it was great.

The presentation of this boxset is really great, and the selection of music I thought was well done.

Since I have only recently started listening to gothic rock (went through listening to NFD). I found this boxset a great introduction for myself.

If anyone if wondering about this, here is a link to a picture of it http://extrawack.blogspot.com/2006/0...ed-gothic.html

EDIT: Yeah I know a few of the bands are not considured gothic (like AFI, Ministry, and Misfits for example), though it does make up for that.

HumanePain · 10-07-2006, 09:28 AM

Yeah, I've had my bloodshot, yellowed eye on that set for a while, and have been perusing the song samples from it online. It would be worth adding to one's collection.

Slap Your Love · 10-20-2006, 05:30 AM

Aha! I've being meaning to metion this. =] I just bought it last weeked. <3 I think it's great. I love the videos it has...well I love everything in it. It's a definate buy.

Cicero · 10-20-2006, 05:49 AM

I saw it on Amazon and once I have the money I'll definitely buy it (even if I already have most of the songs on it... I want the videos!).

It's great to see a gothic set that doesn't stick solely to the classics.

And also, in my extremely humble and opinion, AFI was goth. The Misfits and Ministry had their definite moments of gothiness, too... 'Everyday (Is Halloween)', anyone?

Anyway, yes, it seems like an excellent set.

Delkaetre · 10-20-2006, 06:42 AM

It does look very good... it's rare to find such a compilation that actually works and sums things up so neatly, but this looks like it's managed the impossible. if I ever have money, I may check it out.

Acushla · 10-26-2006, 01:57 PM

Davey from AFI did a spot on Live 105's Black Planet about a week ago when they gave a copy of the box set away (he actually asked the trivia question.) That show was about the funniest thing I've ever heard, I was cracking up the whole time. I think the highlight was when they started talking about Fields of the Nephilim wearing ponchos.

Here's a download link if anybody wants to listen to it. I'd recommend it even if you don't particularly like AFI, just because it's so damn funny.

Morrigan_Dubh · 11-02-2006, 09:12 AM

They saw you lot coming a mile away! It's overpriced, over-packaged, skin-deep stuff... like magpies to milk bottle caps, posuers to pret-a-porter "gawth"... It's fuckin' MTV, kids! What's wrong with ye? bleh... Save your money for Siouxsie's new album or the Neph's latest...

*cringes at how pretty she finds the packaging, really*

HumanePain · 12-22-2006, 05:23 PM

I don't care, I bought it anyway, and it rocks! And the Music Video DVD was an added bonus. And the included book that describes the bands and songs is a great historical reference too. Hell, the book alone is worth the $44. But I bought it for the tasty tunes.

Mick Ignis · 12-27-2006, 04:05 AM

Just got it today. WOW! What a great collection of tunes, in an amazing package. Well worth the money.

This is my new favorite box set. That's right "Brain in a Box", you just got bumped down to #2!

SKot · 12-28-2006, 01:59 PM

I have to admit, this box set is one of the best representations of goth music ever created, all done in the right spirit as well, with a nice pretty package to seal it up in. Sorry Morrigan... I know it's like goth-in-a-box, but what a box it is.

What's great about it is that it has most of the important big names that normally don't wind up on 'goth' compilations, like Siouxsie, the Sisters, the Cure, etc.

What's also great is that it's not just strictly goth bands, but also a lot of music that goths just happen to like. For instance: Cocteau Twins, Love And Rockets, Echo & The Bunnymen, Jesus And Mary Chain, etc. Even Throbbing Gristle falls somewhat under this category (though they really belong more on a comprehensive 'industrial' box set).

My only complaints:
- AFI. WTF?
- The inclusion of Ministry was great, but they should have put 'Everyday is Halloween' on there instead.
- The Misfits are kind of a misfit here, even though I love them.

But otherwise, I love this set. The only reason I didn't buy it is because I already have everything on it and couldn't justify it. But still, I was tempted.

--SKot

cradle · 12-28-2006, 02:16 PM

...AFI?
Anyway, I wanted to purchase this right after I saw that it had Fatman on it.
Absolute must have for anyone into this kind of music.

Mick Ignis · 12-28-2006, 10:15 PM

I fully support the inclusion of AFI. They have the look and the attitude of Goth, and their old material is amazing (I've loved everything but the last album).

SKot · 12-29-2006, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick Ignis

I fully support the inclusion of AFI. They have the look and the attitude of Goth, and their old material is amazing (I've loved everything but the last album).

AFI are a decent band, but nothing I've heard by them has ever sounded remotely like goth music to me. How someone decided they should be on this compilation is beyond me. One of these things is not like the others... can you guess which one?

The only advantage I can see to their being included here is that maybe it drew in some of the kids who might otherwise not have been interested.

--SKot

Acushla · 02-01-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick Ignis

I fully support the inclusion of AFI. They have the look and the attitude of Goth, and their old material is amazing (I've loved everything but the last album).

God knows I love them to death, and they certainly have many goth influences, but I was a little confused by their addition to the set as well. They started out strictly as a hardcore band, and although they've definitely acquired a darker sound since about Black Sails onward, I'm not sure that I'd call them a Goth band. They're just a rock band to me, I guess, since for me they're kind of hard to classify, especially without wading through the murky seas of "OMGZ wut iz Gothic musik rly" and/or playing the Goth Points Game.

I'm going to say that it counts in this particular situation because it's a cover of "Hanging Garden."

LegendGirl · 02-01-2007, 07:09 PM

It's my new favorite boxed set, mostly because of the book. And that "corset" cover looks FANTASTIC on the coffee table. Packaging is important, after all.

darkness before dawn · 02-01-2007, 08:31 PM

Yes, it looks absolutely fantastic with some prime choice of songs. I asked for it for Christmas, instead I received the Left Of The Dial boxset, which also has some great tunes on it. Alas, I'm sure I'll be buying this for myself sooner than later.

killer_asian_Dax · 02-01-2007, 10:34 PM

Got the set for xmas- I love it! Overpriced? Ya, but I didn't pay for it. It may be 'goth in a box', but the presentation is very nice!

Morrigan's comment makes me think "so goth it hurts"

*dances and sings along to 'she's in parties'*

ArtificialOne · 02-01-2007, 10:41 PM

I love compilations... always ... geuss it started when i was a we brat and my parents bought me best of cd's for my first couple cd's I ever had. Not to mention most of the are cheap and good "ie Metropolis"

Yeah I'ma geek.. Whataya gonna do about it? lol

killer_asian_Dax · 02-01-2007, 10:48 PM

Can't beat cheap!

Johnny Gnar Gnar · 02-01-2007, 10:51 PM

I just bought Goth Anthology: Underground Anthems From Rock's Dark Side. Also very, very goth in a box, but there are some very good tunes on it. Oh well, if I lose points, it's ok. I can deal.

*jams out to From the Fire*

Born Again · 02-01-2007, 11:54 PM

I downloaded the torrent a few weeks ago, one of the best compilations I've ever seen.

HumanePain · 02-02-2007, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtificialOne

"ie Metropolis"

"You get what you pay for" does not always apply. I have the Metropolis 2000 compilation too, and still listen to it after all these years! Best $1.99 CD I ever picked up.

helmerfr · 09-03-2007, 05:46 AM

Hello everybody.
Can anyone tell me where I can find the Torrent file of "A life less lived - the Gothic Box"?
Born Again, you've downloaded it, can you help me?
Thanks

KontanKarite · 09-03-2007, 07:36 AM

I own this box set. A friend of mine used to pepper me with the most old school of goth bands here and there and some of today's more modern or less than popular industrial bands. At the time, the only goth group I even remotely knew was Joy Division and The Cure.

I found this box set and strongly recommend it for ANYONE, goth or not. Especially outsiders who thinks that goth is Manson and devil worshipping doom cookies.

Bete Noire · 09-03-2007, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KontanKarite

I found this box set and strongly recommend it for ANYONE, goth or not. Especially outsiders who thinks that goth is Manson and devil worshipping doom cookies.

I'd agree with that. It's VEERRYY good for showing people the more common goth bands/tracks.

For someone who actually knows what "goth" music is, I think it's more than a little overpriced, and it's a very basic collection. The main problem is that all the tracks are by well-known (in the goth scene anyway) bands and the tracks are usually the ones everyone expects.
It would have been nicer to see less common tracks, even if they kept the same bands.

Not gona be buying it, mostly because I have pretty much everything on there already...