It's obvious the major labels are ALL ABOUT marketing the same album to consumers multiple times. Upgrade your vinyl to CD, but wait...here's a 20-bit remaster, but oops, we just found the original multi-track masters so here's the REAL definitive version now with unreleased bonus tracks. All of a sudden, it's the 25th anniversary, so here's a 24-bit remaster in a digipack. And if you're REALLY a fan, you better pick up the German import, because it's a completely different mix for the European market. And we just realized that every previous release was mastered 1 ips too fast - here's the correct version. And, now, c'mon - you really want to hear it in surround, don't you? Just your luck, it's the 30th anniversary!
Now - I'm not specifically talking about Pink Floyd (this goes for the Stones, the Who, Elton and just how many times has Bowie reissued his albums?? hee hee). I think the bottom line is the music industry relies on us listeners to be obsessive-compulsive with our fave artists and I'm pretty damn sure March 25th is not the final release of DSTOM. There's still the 35th, 40th, 69th anniversaries to go.
What needs to happen is the right set of circumstances - i.e. multi-channel explodes and infects the masses, stereo becomes what mono became (a form appreciated by purists and afficianados, let us not forget Billy Corgan actually remixed a Pumpkins album in mono for vinyl release), and finally the buying public demands multi-channel mixes. Nothing against mono, I've heard mono that moves air, and nothing against stereo for that matter - multi-channel, as wonderful as it is, does not invalidate 1 or 2 channel recording. It's a beautiful thing all unto itself.
My point (I swear I'm getting to it!!!) is that if we finally achieve surround-kismet, there will be future DSOTM releases, more than likely one of them will be the time-respected and rare original surround mix. Until then, frankly, I'll eat whatever they're serving up on the surround-buffet.