Something I'm Actually Excited About: The Orange Juice Box Set

I'm one of those people that still buys things new, yeah, brand new, not used; box sets, cd and vinyl reissues etc. I'll admit it, I'm thirty years old okay? In fact I actually have a saying about thrift stores and dumpster diving: "If I hate most things new, why the hell would I like them any better used?" But that's just me. I received some pub mail today that made me do something I have never done in almost five years of working on this site: Install the HTML code for a "promotional widget." You see, one of my favorite bands of all time, Orange Juice, is releasing a definitive box set on Domino Records called Coals To Newcastle, and I couldn't be happier.

Orange Juice is what I would consider a "tattoo worthy band,"; that may be self explanatory but more specifically they are one of the few bands (and definitely one of the few pop bands) that exist in a small category of acts for which if you've taken the giant leap of getting their name or logo tattooed on you, I can't make fun of you. Other candidates include Swans, Savage Republic, The Ex, The Fall, Throbbing Gristle, and maybe the Magma logo, though that's pretty dorky. Cholas in Los Angeles with décolletage tats that say simply "MORRISSEY" in Olde English are also acceptable. This distinguished distinction is only for people with complete and impenetrable career arcs that never started wearing hockey jerseys onstage.

The group will be heavily featured in a new BBC documentary focusing on Scotland's underground scene during the Post Punk Era called "Caledonia Dreaming," and you are probably already aware of this band's influence on everyone from The Smiths to some modern acts that I won't taint this rare promo post with by mentioning.

This monster set has seven discs and also comes with promo clips for "What Presence?!" and "Rip It Up," as well as their complete performances on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Finally, it also includes the sought-after concert vid entitled "Dada With The Juice," as well as a ton of unreleased tracks. The set is out on November 22nd and will probably be the first Christmas gift I buy for myself.