Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Hello there!

Sorry for such a massive post. Long-time member - mainly just been dropping by here to keep up on news, but felt compelled to ask:

What do we all think about the possibility of a Riverrun boxset (or making some noise in hopes of furthering the idea for one)?

...

With Drift being the focus now, it feels like the potential remaining album sets wouldn't be released for several years until things settle down again, if at all. They seem to have found their groove together and are in purely forward-looking/creating mode.

It will be the 20th anniversary for Everything, Everything in 2020 (which definitely deserves its own thread), and as much as I had hoped for a multi-disc set for it and for AHDO (especially with the rumored 4-hour archive of ambient material to pull from), I don't think that will happen with the constant focus on new Drift tracks.

(And to be clear, I'm definitely more excited and appreciative of getting so much surprising new music, rather than mainly remasters of stuff we already have, but...)

...

Riverrun is the main item missing from their catalog, though. We have all the albums, and the first three boxsets made available a large majority of the non-album tracks. World of Underworld has resurfaced a lot of the classic remixes done for others along with odd gems, but I have not seen Riverrun tracks around.

With the 4-disc boxset format, it seems like a great opportunity to finally get those songs remastered in high quality and released in a worthwhile format (and also easily available for streaming services). There's a lot to talk about for that busy time period and the Book of Jams to pull from as well.

We know there were more tracks and a rumored fourth release that was considered. Seeing how they are willing to add unreleased tracks onto the Drift EPs for their boxset discs, it seems like adding the extra tracks onto the three Riverrun EPs would be a good alternative, along with a fourth disc of all the remixes.

...

Riverrun is an obvious parallel and first iteration of Drift, and it's some of their most diverse and interesting tracks. Now seems like a great time with all the Drift momentum to shine a light on them as well. Thoughts?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

I've been dying for and asking for a Riverrun Series reissue for a while now. Even commented it and messaging UW about it on their social media.

I also really do wish we got an Everything Everything Everything reissue. Yes, 3x Everythings. The original live album/DVD was an highly edited mix of multiple shows together. Be cool to have each individual show used and possibly an updated video quality release on Blu-ray. But mostly, I'd love some full, uncut, live recordings from this period.

I wish some of these unreleased bits and recordings they been putting up on crappy Soundcloud and Mixcloud were available for download in higher quality. I'd easily pay for them.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

I'll be sad if we don't get AHDO and OWB boxes in the long run like they promised. I'd love a Riverrun box too, although I doubt we'll get one. Maybe it'll be part of the OWB box (they have said in the past that OWB was part of the Riverrun experiment). CD1: remastered album. CD2: LovelyBrokenThing / Pizza for Eggs. CD3: I'm a Big Sister, Misterons Mix. CD4: Outtakes and remixes.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

You're right - that's probably a lot more realistic as part of OWB (and actually how I had originally thought that boxset would probably go for it). Just seemed like the BF boxset barely made it out and momentum was lost for any more with Drift taking over.

I had not heard that AHDO and OWB were actually promised by them anywhere, just anticipated by us. Barking doesn't really need one given the boxset already released for it and don't see it happening (though there are still tracks and versions from that time period we would definitely like).

Also didn't know they had mentioned OWB as part of the Riverrun experiment - it felt that way at the time as part of the build up all together, but interesting that they have said that. Here's hoping they all continue before too long...

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Definitely - I'm with you on all of this! Seems a shame if they miss the 20th anniversary for EE without putting out an expanded version. I know we'd all love quality versions of the web site tracks from it as well.

Thanks for making some noise about Riverrun, glad I'm not the only one. :)

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

No interviews to hand, although I imagine someone here could probably provide more details. Certainly the full catalogue was said to be on the re-release cards originally.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Don't have time to look it all up at the moment, but yes, these are both correct. At the time OwB came out, there were interviews where they said they considered it to be part of the RiverRun Project.

And when Dubno box was released, there was a statement that they intended to reissue the whole catalog, though there were no details to indicate whether they considered EE and RRP to be part of that effort. Presumably Barking probably wouldn't happen since it already has a box set.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

RRP, OWB, Breaking & Entering, Sunshine, the Lemonworld tracks, probably other stuff I’m forgetting...in my memory this was all one very long, sustained period of creativity from UW. It’s by far the material I listen to most even today. I would love to see some kind of formal presentation of this material.

What would make a AHDO reissue really worth it for me would be to offer an almost entirely different version of the album using the earlier, more leisurely and expansive versions of the songs that we ended up hearing on broadcasts or in concert. It’s something of a transition album in its present form, and when I listen to it now I feel like I’m hearing UW trying to shape these esoteric, ambient and organic sounds into something resembling their earlier albums. I’d love to hear something less restrained.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Mm, I was really disappointed with AHDO at the time (although it's grown on me massively since then), but 2005-2008 was maybe the period I was most excited about being an Underworld fan. It's probably their least appreciated era, certainly on a broader level, so it'd be great to have it re-evaluated and shown for what an amazing batch of material it all was.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

only going from memory, but seem to recall interviews stated the re-issue process was focussed on the studio albums, therefore we're unlikely to see everything or RRP part of this.

Seem to recall someone posting screenshots of social media posts from people working on the AHDO deluxe edition?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Karl posted the AHDO cover on his diary last year at some point, I believe, which led to a lot of speculation.

Re: collectors' corner
 

Riverrun is its own album / box set. End of.

Re: collectors' corner
 

Agreed! I want an entire boxset dedicated just to Riverrun. Include a live CD from the era with it.

Re: collectors' corner
 

Yeah I'd love to have all the studio recordings, remixes and Live in Tokyo 2005 in a box.

Re: collectors' corner
 

I still think inclusion in the OwB is more likely - especially as they've said they consider the album to be part of the overall Riverrun project - but it does mean that they'd either have to make it up to 5CDs, or scrap a potential remix disc and just have album / outtakes / Riverrun. I can't imagine it getting a bigger box than STITI and BF.
A Riverrun box in its own right would be wonderful, but I can't see it happening. It's just too obscure a set of material - I'm still slightly sceptical about them doing an OwB box, given how badly the album fared in terms of charts and reviews.

Re: collectors' corner
 

They did include 3x tracks from the Live In Tokyo on a bonus disc for the Dubnobasswithmyheadman Japanese reissue boxset. So it would make sense to give it a proper full release with a Riverrun set.

.

Karl mentioned Riverrun in a recent Reddit Q&A and how it needs a reissue, but didn't go into specifics.

To be honest, Riverrun doesn't fit with Oblivion With Bells. It feels like its own thing. It doesn't sound connected to OWB at all.

Re: collectors' corner
 

The only obvious link is Peach Tree being a Crocodile b-side, although I think I'm a Big Sister is, tonally, not too far off OwB. The first two are pretty different, though.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

The other link's the webcasts, which were also a part of Riverrun. Quite a few OwB tracks were demoed in those shows, like Cuddle Bunny vs Celtic Villagers, Faxed Invitation (Geezer), To Heal and Restore Broken Bodies, Biro the Leggy.


Glam Bucket was originally written for Sunshine, that and Breaking and Entering were also part of Riverrun. You can also point to Globe (early Holding the Moth) and Crocodile getting played out in 2005 live sets.


Virtually all the OwB tracks were developed and finished during the Riverrun sessions themselves.



You could make the same argument for Barking, which was all demoed more or less in those webcasts etc, but with all the guest producers on Barking, it tells a much different story.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

I've personally always seen the output from the launch of underworldlive.com in (i think) 2000 through the release Oblivion With Bells and the Oblivion tour as one long era. They were incredibly prolific during that time, release two studio albums, the RiverRun project, loads of stuff in the broadcasts, loads of live albums (most of which are very different from each other), the web store stuff like Phonestrap etc.. Sunshine, Breaking & Entering... the Beautiful Burnout art jam in NYC (which I visited). I'm probably forgetting stuff.

The band may see it differently, but that's definitely all one big thing to me.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Anyone have a list of all the Riverrun era tracks?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Just the officially released ones?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Speaking of RiverRun does anyone have the quicktime file that came with
"I'm a Big Sister, and I'm a Girl, and This is My Horse"? I can't seem to find mine...

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Now I really wish Underworld had gone back to doing those old broadcasts last year. What a salve that would have been in 2020.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Yes. I have this. PM me if you still need it.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

No-one speculating what would be on the box set?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Give me a 12" of Bamboo and I'll be happy. Food for the brain cells.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_oBYFHFXsA

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

The 3 RiverRun releases, plus the Misterons Mix (first time in lossless), a disc full of the remixes, and the final touch is an all-new 4th RiverRun release from unreleased material from that period.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

+ a live album

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

hell yeah. the live version(s) from the live here now cds are awesome. I was fortunate to be at the birmingham show where it was played.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

random: whats the cleanest version of Bamboo that we have? is it the one from the 2008 radio show? I kinda remember there being one that was all choppy at the end, and then a release to clear that up?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

The 2007-11-13 Oblivion Ball Radio Special has the cleanest and longest studio version of Bamboo.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

I hope to god there's a box set for riverrun . Even a double cd, " I'm a big sister" is probably my favourite piece of music by underworld or anyone else. How on earth could that not have a physical release?

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

It did on a couple of promo CDs.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

I've got the riverrun promo but doesn't play on any cd player. It plays pizza for eggs and lovely broken thing. Even if it did it's only mp3 quality. That's not good enough for me.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

CD sources seem to be this one (I'm a Big Sister), this one (Pizza for Eggs) and this one (Lovely Broken Thing).

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Hello mate, I'm new to this site but been an Underworld fan since the early 90s without really delving majorly into every single release. However after upgrading my Underworld CDs to the Super Deluxe issues & discovering some great, new 'old' tracks I'd never heard before I have been trawling the net to add more recordings to my collection. Yesterday I heard the track 'Peach Tree' from the Riverrun series for the first time. I Absolutely love the track, even more so the new version with the guitar running through it thats on youtube (from an 2007 Underworld v Misterons Radio show). Obviously I couldn't find either version of the track anywhere other than on a rather expensive Japanese only CD single. I Agree it is strange that such a large body of work which seems to be highly regarded by fans is not readily available to buy especially at a time when many people are sitting at home looking on the net for something to spend their money on. I'd of thought Underworld would have their own download site for their extensive body of work, much of which has never been released.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

The dj broadcast version I uploaded on YouTube is the best studio version. Live I love the Birmingham Academy 9.10.2007 version available on liveherenow.

https://youtu.be/b_oBYFHFXsA

https://youtu.be/vpJGGqF_0Vo

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

ah thanks. yeah both LiveHereNow versions i love.

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Stirring this thread up again - I know we all would love a big Riverun boxset and Karl has acknowledged the need, but maybe it just needs to be simplified. Looking at the compact repackaging of Drift Series 1, I think a similar set would be easier to pull off for Riverrun (and don't think we're still getting AHDO and OwB sets at this point).

Specifically: just use what's already originally done for it, no extra tracks, no remastering, just all the items that came out for it in full CD quality and full 320 Mp3 digital. That wouldn't take extra time/money processing and it isn't really needed. Would just be the much smaller effort of assembling it all (and they self-released, so there's no rights/label concerns).

• Paper CD wallets in compact box using the original 2-panel foldable PDF covers for each release.
• Similar 50-page compact book of all the included B&W photos (in compact grids as there's 500+ to work with and images are probably low-res).
• 2-pages at end of book for track list and credits, maybe 2 at start for someone to write an overview for it (minimal new things to actually create).

CD1. Lovely Broken Thing + its 5 main remixes
CD2. Pizza For Eggs + its 5 main remixes
CD3. I'm A Big Sister + 20 min Ancient Phat Farm Coat
CD4. Misterons Mix + remaining remixes

Main task is giving it a small box cover design for the series, then get it out into the world...


...after the new album cycle of course, but mentioning it now while there's a lull, knowing it would take time to ramp up. It could be given to someone else to assemble and be ready to go this time next year. We can always dream...

Re: Possible Riverrun Boxset?
 

Yess, I want it!