VA - Trash Box (5 CD) (2004)

Trash Box is a 5-CD box set of mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock recordings, primarily by American bands. This box set is similar to the earlier Pebbles Box (a 5-LP box set) and includes almost all of the same recordings in that box set (and in the same order), along with numerous bonus tracks at the end of each disc. Supposedly, the Trash Box collects the first five volumes of the CDs in the Pebbles series (i.e., those released by AIP Records, not to be confused with the 4 earlier CDs that were issued by ESD Records). However, as is generally true of the CD reissues of these five volumes (though not nearly to the same extent), the tracks differ significantly on all five discs as compared to both the original Pebbles LPs and the later Pebbles CDs in the corresponding volumes; and the surf rock rarities on Pebbles, Volume 4 have been eschewed entirely.

Overall, there are 111 tracks in the box set (excluding the introduction and ending cuts) as compared to 101 songs on the individual CDs and 72 tracks in the Pebbles Box. Although most of the recordings on the Trash Box were released at some point on one of the individual Pebbles albums, several of the songs have not appeared elsewhere in the Pebbles series. Inexplicably, one of these songs is the well-known hit "I Fought the Law (but the Law Won)" by the Bobby Fuller Four (on Disc Four) – which is also included in the Pebbles Box – in place of the much rarer "Wine Wine Wine" by Bobby Fuller that appears on Pebbles, Volume 2.

Nearly all of the tracks in the Pebbles Box are included on the corresponding disc in the Trash Box, with the bonus selections at the end of each disc. However, there are a few exceptions. On Disc Two, the second recording by the Inmates is "Fakirs and Thieves" rather than "I Can Make it Without You"; both songs are not otherwise available on Pebbles albums. The recordings by GONN and the Dearly Beloved are in reverse order on Disc Three in the Trash Box, as is also true of the songs by the Bethlehem Exit and Edgin Inds on Disc Four. Finally, the song on Disc Five of the Trash Box by the Bitter End is "Find Someone to Love" instead of "If You Want Somebody"

When AIP Records reissued the first five volumes in the Pebbles series on CD, a few tracks were omitted. While most of these tracks are also among those that are omitted from both the Pebbles Box and the Trash Box, there is a single exception: "Cracking Up" by the Wig was inadvertently left off the CD reissue of Pebbles, Volume 1 – although it is listed on the printed material for the CD – and is included on both of these box sets (on Disc One).

Additionally, the two best omitted tracks from the Pebbles, Volume 3 LP are on the Trash Box but not on the Pebbles Box: "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time" by the Third Bardo is a bonus track on Disc One, and "Voices Green and Purple" by the Bees is a bonus track on Disc Two.

For the most part, however, this section concentrates on the bonus tracks on the CDs as compared to the Trash Box. There are many more bonus tracks on the Trash Box than on the Pebbles CDs:

Other than Pebbles, Volume 4 (which is completely omitted from both box sets), there are 19 bonus tracks on the individual Pebbles CDs that are not on the individual Pebbles LPs, as compared to 37 bonus tracks on the Trash Box that are not on the Pebbles Box. Although less than one-half of these 19 tracks are included on the Trash Box, most of those are also on the Pebbles Box. Regarding Pebbles, Volume 1, "Ain't No Friend of Mine" by the Sparkles is a bonus track on Disc Two; while the classic "Blackout of Gretely" by GONN is not included, the band's "Doin' Me In" is on Disc Four of both box sets.

Among the bonus tracks on the Pebbles, Volume 2 CD, the second song by the Choir is a bonus track on Disc Four of the Trash Box; "She'll Lie" by Satan & D-Men is on Disc Four of both box sets; and "Crazy Things" by the Quid is on Disc Three of both box sets. Only one of the six bonus tracks on the Pebbles, Volume 3 CD is included in the Trash Box; "Rattle of Life" by Oshun is on Disc Three on both box sets. Finally, one of the Pebbles, Volume 5 CD bonus tracks, "Stop and Listen" by The Shag is on Disc One of both the Pebbles Box and the Trash Box.