Elvis Costello-Armed Forces-Super Deluxe 9LP Color Vinyl Box Set

Elvis Costello Curated Complete Armed Forces Explores the Album Across 9 Pieces of Multi-Colored Vinyl, Collecting Together B-Sides, Demos, Outtakes, Alt Versions and 23 Unreleased Live Recordings in a Lavish Box Set!

Also includes New 2020 Remaster of Original LP by Costello and Bob Ludwig from the Original Analog Tapes to Match Sonic Fidelity of 1979 UK Pressing!

Personally curated by Elvis Costello, The Complete Armed Forces is the definitive statement of the legendary songwriter and musician's revered and essential 1979 album, featuring the classic hits "Accidents Will Happen," "Green Shirt," "Oliver's Army" and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding." Leaving no musical stone unturned, no lyric notebook unrifled through and no detail left out, this new super deluxe edition vinyl box set is a thorough excavation of Costello's vault from this metamorphic period of his early beginnings, painting as complete a picture as possible of the events that led to the making of the album, its creation, and the wild success that followed for him, and his band The Attractions, and ignited his career. Armed Forces is explored across nine pieces of vinyl (colored 3 x 12-inch LPs, colored 3 x 10-inch LPs and 3 x 7-inch singles), including a new 2020 remaster of the album, B-sides, alternate versions and outtakes, demos, and a slew of live recordings – including 23 unreleased live tracks taken from three especially riotous concerts.

This lavish box set fully embraces iconic designer Barney Bubbles' epic pop-art packaging, including the paint-splattered cover artwork by Bubbles and Bazooka (used for the American release and included in the fold-out UK version) and features a unique origami cover that folds out to beautifully display the bold art and graphics and the six vinyl LPs, which are rounded out by three 7-inch reissues of the album's singles "Oliver's Army," "Accidents Will Happen" and Nick Lowe's "American Squirm" b/w "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?"

This treasure trove contains seven custom notebooks with newly updated liner notes from Costello, totaling nearly 10,000 words, facsimiles of first-draft, handwritten lyrics and examples of his lyrical working methods from his personal archive as well as rare photos, memorabilia and concert ephemera. The notebooks offer fascinating insight into Costello's songwriting process, showing the evolution from idea to finished work, while the liners detail the making of and stories behind the songs. The accompanying photos and memorabilia provide a vivid window into this exciting era. The comprehensive set also includes a print of the vintage grenade and gun poster and the four original postcards of each band member. Additionally, Costello commissioned acclaimed artist Todd Alcott to create pulp novel book covers of songs from Armed Forces starring himself as the protagonist in a variety of precarious situations.