The Traveling Wilburys were one of the most amazing bands of the past two decades. The group was made up of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, so not succeeding was never a possibility. If you've never heard the group, they sound just the way you might imagine a super group of rock gods might sound. The result of so much talent is a completely effortless sound that sounds incredibly polished and breezy at the same time.

The deaths of Roy Orbison and George Harrison have made it impossible for the group to reform, though there were some attempts after Orbison's death. The Traveling Wilburys originally released albums from 1988 to 1991, but as the group stopped recording, they dropped off the public radar, though the band's loyal fans continued to keep the Wilburys' memories alive. Despite the efforts of fans, the Traveling Wilburys' albums stopped being released about 10 years ago, leaving fans without any new pieces of the Wilburys. But, the fans have finally been heard. The classic rock market has recently been flooded with Wilbury paraphernalia of all types.

The re-release has included new CDs with CD extras, DVDs and at least one book being released in conjunction with the music releases. Box sets of the entire Wilbury repertoire are now available, as are the single CDs. The deluxe edition is a beautifully bound CD set that includes a collectible book. It also contains a bonus DVD that serves as a documentary about the group and the making of the albums as well as a few music videos. Due to the small release numbers for the deluxe edition, they sold out quickly to eager fans, and the few that are now available are being hawked on eBay for several times their original value. There is now talk about a second release of the deluxe edition to meet consumer demand. If the second re-release is as small as the first, it might be a good idea to snap up copies while you can.

Along with the re-re-release hoopla coming up, there will also be postcards, posters and another book coming out. The explosion of new memorabilia is sure to bring in a new generation of fans who never heard the Traveling Wilburys when they were recording. And, with new fans there may be even more new releases. It's a Wilbury wonderland out there.


The Traveling Wilbury's CD/DVD Set