Hostage Singles

[clamp]

I figure I'm not the first to mention this so so sorry if this is a repeat...

I love a band from album one to the day of death, faithfully buying every official release in their functioning lifespan. Then the career death knoll rings and they release either a best of or boxed set.
Although a base of faithfully obsessed fans has watched for and bought on every release date, the band/record company decides to hold a hostage or two. A $120 boxed set containing all of the songs previously bought also contains 2 songs previously unreleased. Or a $14 best of contains one unreleased song.
If you were a casual radio listener who never bought a single album but always loved the radio singles you go and buy you're 'faves' and get the extras. If you are a long time fan you rebuy everything you already have just to get two new songs. Fan abuse.
To get Zeppelin's "Traveling Riverside Blues" you buy a boxed set.
To get the new STP song you've got buy a best of.
Even Peter Gabriel makes you buy a best of to get "Shaking the Tree".
These songs should be released as purchasable singles or EP's on the cheap. This practice has got to stop.

[A.L.]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!

Oh wait, what was that?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Tacked on singles / eps drive me insane, too. How many times must I buy the same album?