[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Who Upgrades



<<Tommy and Quadrophenia will be left untouched, meaning neither get bonus
tracks.>>

I'm not surprised that they aren't touching Tommy, although personally, I was
hoping they'd release a 25th Anniversary box set this Christmas (similar to
the Layla box released a few years ago) that would include the original album
digitally remixed, a CD of Pete's original demos, and a third CD containing a
complete Tommy performance from '69.  I suppose that the release of the
Broadway soundtrack means we'll have to wait another a few more years for yet
another Tommy package :-)  

As for Quadrophenia, there's less of a need for an expanded version, since
the movie soundtrack (with outtakes like Joker James, Four Faces, etc.) has
finally been released domestically on CD.  I agree with Roger, however, that
the album should be remixed.  Not only are Roger's vocals buried on several
tracks (presumably the reason why he wants the album remixed), but judging
from the soundtrack mixes, there's a lot of material (particularly piano and
synth parts) that never made it onto the finished version.

One thing MCA should do is restore all the missing artwork, but even then
I'll probably just stick with my MFSL Ultradisc versions.

As for the live material, I'd much rather see a two-CD full-length Live at
Leeds and a 4CD "Stages" set.  Still, an expanded single CD of Leeds and a
two-CD live collection is much better than what we've got now.

Finally, does anybody know what MCA plans to do with the Kids are Alright
soundtrack?  IMHO, this ranks as one of the all-time worst CD reissues.
 Virtually all of the artwork found on the original release is gone, as is
one of the live tracks exclusive to the set (on the other hand, they kept
some common studio material).  I wouldn't group this with all the greatest
hits sets, since it does contain a lot of unreleased live material.