The NOW remix series continues next month with Now That’s What I Call 12″ 80s: Remixed, a 4CD set of extensions that includes enough new-to-CD and rare remixes from the 1980s to be worth picking up.
Hidden at the end of this 44-track collection is a remix of a Paul McCartney song that has never been issued on CD. It’s the Extended Mix of his 1987 single ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’. Paul’s last UK top 10 single, ‘Once Upon A Long Ago’ was the only new track on the All The Best compilation of that same year, and was issued as a single in the UK to promote it (the song didn’t feature on the US edition of All The Best).
Once Upon A Long Ago was also Macca’s first CD single. There are three versions of the song, the standard single version (4.12) which featured on the seven-inch and CD, a Long Version (4.34) which was on the first 12-inch single and an Extended Mix (6.06) which was included on the second 12-inch single. The Long Version was a bonus track on the 1993 ‘Paul McCartney Collection’ version of the album Press to Play, but the Extended Mix has remained unique to that second 12-inch vinyl single.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_16cp7B8s0
Another new-to-CD remix is the Special Dance Mix of Eurythmics‘ ‘There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)’. Like the McCartney track, there were two 12-inches of this UK number one single: the first featured the 5.24 album version and the second, the 6.15 Special Dance Mix. Obviously, it’s the latter which features on this compilation (CD 1, track 2).
The other two new-to-CD tracks are Elton John’s ‘Wrap Her Up’ (Extended Mix) and Red Box’s ‘Lean On Me (Ah-li-ayo) (Dogmatix)’.
Of course there are plenty of relatively rare extended versions, including the brilliant Latin Rascals Mix of Duran Duran’s ‘Notorious’ (not included on the Notorious reissue from 2010 and only on CD in The Singles 1986-1995 box set), the 12″ Version of Blondie’s ‘Call Me’, the 1987 Extended Remix of The Pretenders ‘Kid’ and the Dance Mix of The Police’s ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me ’86’, which featured on some – not all – editions of the Message in a Box 4CD set (and not labelled as such on ANY edition).
Other selections include the Jellybean 12” Dance Remix of Boogie Box High’s ‘Jive Talkin”, Malcolm McLaren’s ‘Waltz Darling’ (in Extended Mix form), the 12″ version of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday 88’ and the Consensus Mix of Arcadia’s ‘Election Day’ (the song was a transatlantic top 10 hit, let’s not forget!).
The four-CD Now That’s What I Call 12″ 80s: Remixed will be released on 25 February 2022.
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Various Artists
Now Thats What I Call 12-inch 80s remixed - 4CD set
Howard Jones’ 1984 mini-album, The 12″ Album will be issued as a 2CD deluxe edition in March, paired with another collection of extended mixes, 12″ers Vol 2, that was only issued in Japan and South Korea in 1985.
The 12″ Album was released in late 1984 between Howard’s debut Human’s Lib (issued in March of the same year) and his second album Dream into Action (which was released in March 1985). It featured a ‘new version’ of ‘New Song’ and various remixes, including the International Mix of non-album single ‘Like To Get To Know You Well’.
The original 12″ Album is paired with Howard Jones’ 12″ers Vol 2 for this new deluxe (click image to enlarge)
The album was issued in Japan as Howard Jones’ 12″ers, albeit with a different running order, however there was then a Vol 2 of 12″ers which included remixes from both the Humans Lib and Dream Into Action albums, including extended versions of ‘Look Mama’ and ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ plus the Extended Mix of ‘Hide and Seek’.
It therefore makes a perfect companion to the original 12″ album as part of this new deluxe edition. It’s worth noting that the ‘Bounce Right Back’ remix on the original was a mislabelling of the seven-inch mix, however Cherry Red have used the full 7.27 ‘AKA Cause & Howard Jones Effect Remix’ version which was what was originally intended.
The audio is remastered and this set includes sleeve notes by Stephen W Tayler who mixed the tracks on these compilations and Glenn Kelly (Howard Jones archivist).
This 12″ Album 2CD deluxe set will be issued on 18 March 2022 via Cherry Red.
On the eve of what would have been his 65th birthday, Sony Austria are to issue a new Falco best of called The Sound of Musik. This presents the singles in chronological order from 1981’s Ganz Wien to 1998’s Out of the Dark.
There’s a few notable rarities, including the radio version of ‘Body Next To Body’ which was only used on a German promo seven-inch in 1987. This version loses Brigitte Nielsen’s moans before the verses (!) and Falco’s rap at the end. This has never been made available digitally or on CD. Also ‘Data De Groove’ is the full length version which was only on the first edition of the 1990 German CD.
The Sound of Musik – a new best of (click image to enlarge)
Probably the most interesting inclusion as a bonus track at the end is a brand new edit (extended Canadian/American 2022 re-edit) of Falco’s best known hit ‘Rock Me Amadeus’. There are so many versions of this song that to be honest, I’ve lost track, but using only original elements this new edit presents a kind of ‘best of’ of the various versions. It runs for 5.26 and I’ve had a preview and it’s very good.
The Sound of Musik is available on CD and 2LP vinyl. The latter includes a bonus track of ‘Brillantin‘ Brutal’ (which a bonus track on the German 12-inch of ‘Junge Roemer’ and featured on the album of the same name).
Falco is a 4LP coloured vinyl box set (click image to enlarge)
In addition to this new best of is a Falco a limited edition collector’s 4LP vinyl box set. This includes Falco’s first three albums (Einzelhaft (1982), Junge Roemer (1984), Falco 3 (1985)) and an LP of original remixes from the 1980s (see full tracklisting below).It’s similar, but not the same as, the Falco vinyl box from 2016.
Finally, a 12-inch vinyl picture disc of 1986 hit ‘Jeanny’ will be released. This utilises the original artwork and presents a ‘Jeanny’ best of, since it brings together all three parts of the song: ‘Jeanny’, ‘Coming Home (Jeanny Part II, One Year Later)’ and ‘Bar Minor 7/11 (Jeanny Dry)’. The B-Side features the original Extended Version and the ‘Girl is Missing’ English Version of ‘Jeanny’.
The Sound of Musik will be issued on 4 February with the vinyl box set and the ‘Jeanny’ picture disc following on 11 February 2022. The main issue at the moment is the availability of some of these releases. Because these are being issued by Sony Austria, there doesn’t appear to be any UK distribution although they might end up on Amazon in the UK at some point.
Rock Me Amadeus [Extended Canadian/American 2022 Re-Edit] ****
* on vinyl and tape version of this release only
** first-time digital release (was only on a 1988 promo 7“)
*** out of print since 1990 (was only on the first pressings of the German CD version)
*** unreleased (new re-edit from two existing 1986 remixes)
Tracklisting
JeannyFalco/12-inch vinyl picture disc
Side A
Jeanny 5.53
Coming Home (Jeanny Part 2, One Year After) 5.28
Bar Minor 7/11 (Jeanny Dry) 3.45
Side B
Jeanny (Extended Mix) 8.52
Jeanny (‘Girl is Missing’ English Version) 5.30
Tracklisting
Falco limited edition collector’s vinyl boxFalco/4LP coloured vinyl box set
A new T. Rex box set called simply 1972 brings together studio recordings, broadcasts and performances by Marc Bolan and T. Rex and is available to pre-order in 6LP coloured vinyl and 5CD editions, with limited quantities being available with a print of The Slider SIGNED by producer Tony Visconti.
1972 saw T. Rex chalk up two massive selling number one singles with ‘Telegram Sam’ and ‘Metal Guru’. Both feature on The Slider which was issued in July of that same year.
1972 6LP coloured vinyl box set with The Slider Toni Visconti signed print [click image to enlarge
In March 1972, T. Rex played two sell-out concerts at Wembley’s Empire Pool which later featured in “Born To Boogie”, a feature film directed by Ringo Starr that included guest performances from Elton John and Ringo.
The band toured the US twice in 1972, and Bolan took the opportunity to perform solo acoustic sessions for local radio stations. The band featured regularly on the BBC throughout the year, recording special sessions for Radio 1 and Top Of The Pops. T. Rex ended the year with the singles ‘Children Of The Revolution’ and ‘Solid Gold Easy Action’ and the T. Rex Fan Club 1972 Christmas Record Flexi Disc, which is included in the boxsets in its entirety.
1972 5CD box set with The Slider Toni Visconti signed print (click image to enlarge
The 1972 boxincludes The Slider album, Live At Wembley The Matinee Show (with two previously unreleased 1972 mixes from The Evening Show), Born To Boogie: The Soundtrack Album (issued in full for the first time), Marc Bolan’s US Radio Sessions, T. Rex on the BBC in 1972, featuring a rare version of Telegram Sam from the Christmas Top Of The Pops, and more!
The accompanying booklet with 1972 contains a specially written 1600-word introduction by Tony Visconti, and a brand new 12,000-word essay by Bolan authority Mark Paytress. It also includes many previously unpublished photos taken by Keith Morris during 1972.
The vinyl box set is a lift-off design with a 24-page booklet. The Tony Visconti-signed print of The Slider is a large 12×12″ print for the vinyl box and a small rectangular-sized print for the CD set.
These T. Rex 1972 box sets are released on 22 April 2022 via Demon Music. Both of the signed limited editions on Amazon UK should be purchase-able if you are in the USA.
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T.Rex
1972 - limited 6LP coloured vinyl box with Tony Visconti signed print
Curated by SDE! The first two Curiosity Killed The Cat albums and more bonus tracks and remixes than you can shake a stick at. The demos on CD 4 are all unreleased as are a few of the remixes. Criminally cheap!
Various Artists/Now Yearbook ’834CD standard edition
Since the deluxe Now Yearbook ’83 is out-of-print you don’t need to feel guilty about picking up the standard version for this bargain price of just £5!
Released last Friday, SDE opens up the large deluxe CD book edition of Elvis Costello & The Imposter’s new album The Boy Named If.
Unfortunately, I can find no links for this deluxe book CD edition anymore, suggesting that they may have sold out. The links to the official stores are below
Ennio Morricone / Musique De Films: Original Soundtracks 1964-2015 Vol II
50 years of music from the legendary soundtrack composer Ennio Morricone, across 14 CDs. Includes classic, rare and previously unreleased scores. Includes 48-page book (volume 1 also listed below).
The mono version of Pink Floyd’s debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, will be reissued in March. The classic 1967 album was remastered in 2017 from the original mono analogue tapes by James Guthrie, Joel Plante and Bernie Grundman and was reissued in special packaging for Record Store Day in 2018.
This 180g vinyl reissue offers exactly the same audio as the RSD edition but in standard vinyl packaging with a bespoke sticker on the front.
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn mono vinyl is released on 4 March 2022.
Cherry Red continue with their long-running Remixes and Rarities series (kicked off in 2013 by the SDE-curated Paul Young set) with a forthcoming Matt Bianco double-CD package.
The recordings included come from the 1984-1990 era when the band released four album: Who’s Side Are You On? (1984), Matt Bianco (1986), Indigo (1988), and Samba In Your Casa (1990).
There’s 24 tracks in total, including a Steve Anderson remix of ‘Half A Minute’ (‘The Quica Frenzy’) that the label say is commercially unreleased, a previously unissued version of ‘You’re The Rhythm’ featuring Kym Mazelle and the original version of ‘Blame It On That Girl’. This audio is remastered “from the original master tapes stored in the Warner archives”
Remixes and Rarities will be released on 15 April 2022 (was 25 March) via Cherry Red.
I am pleased to announce that SuperDeluxeEdition.com, in collaboration with the band and Concord Records, is taking pre-orders (via the SDE shop) for a very special blu-ray audio of Tears For Fears forthcoming album The Tipping Point, which features two spatial audio or surround sound mixes, including a Dolby Atmos mix of the album by musician and remixer extraordinaire, Steven Wilson.
The Atmos mix should surface at some point in the future via streaming services, but this is your one and only opportunity to own a physical copy on blu-ray. In addition to the Dolby Atmos mix, the blu-ray audio will also feature a 5.1 DTS-HD mix (also by Steven Wilson) which will not be available anywhere else, even on streaming.
The blu-ray is exclusive to the SDE shop and is a limited edition product. Only 2000 copies will be available. If you recall, we SOLD OUT of the same quantity of the SDE-exclusive deluxe CD of The Tipping Pointin 24 hours, back in October, so secure your pre-order in at the earliest opportunity, to avoid any disappointment.
The Tipping Point blu-ray features Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes (click image to enlarge)
I’d personally like to make it clear that this product was not planned from the very beginning and therefore hasn’t been ‘held back’ for any kind of strategic reasons. It came about after discussions between SDE and Concord towards the end of last year, following the success of the SDE-exclusive deluxe CD (Steven Wilson completed his mixes in December). This blu-ray edition exists because SDE believes there is still a market for physical product when it comes to surround sound (or spatial audio mixes) and Concord Records and Tears For Fears share our enthusiasm, in this regard.
Reasons you should own this blu-ray!
The album is truly stunning and the Dolby Atmos / 5.1 mixes take it to the next level
It’s the only way to enjoy these spatial audio mixes of The Tipping Point via a physical product
The DTS HD 5.1 mix of the album is totally exclusive
You don’t have to subscribe to a streaming service like Tidal or Apple Music to hear the spatial audio mixes
It’s yours to keep forever. You own the product, you are not renting it from a ‘DSP’ (digital service provider)
You love ‘Holding the Music in Your Hands‘, so here’s your chance!
You enjoyed Steven Wilson’s remix work on Songs From The Big Chair and The Seeds of Love
The blu-ray audio is a great format for audio and you don’t want to see it die off
Supporting SDE with this venture could lead to similar collaborations with labels/artists
I know that you’ve only heard a couple of tracks so far, but let me assure you that The Tipping Point is a genuinely superb album and Steven’s surround sound remixes are wonderful and make full use of the rear channels for a truly ‘immersive’ experience. Being a blu-ray audio, this is not region-locked in any way, although without wanting to state the obvious you do need a blu-ray player and appropriate kit to enjoy these spatial mixes (see technical notes, below).
The Tipping Point blu-ray will be released on 25 February 2022 and is available to pre-order ONLY from the SDE shop using this link or the button below. The shop ships internationally, and all international orders will be sent tracked to ensure speedy and reliable service (we have kept international shipping prices as low as possible).
TECHNICAL NOTES: This blu-ray audio requires a blu-ray player. Decoding the Dolby Atmos mix requires a Dolby Atmos-certified soundbar or a Dolby Atmos-compatible AV Receiver/Amp. The Dolby Atmos mix will ‘fold down’ to 5.1 or stereo if a Dolby Atmos decoder is not detected. The DTS HD 5.1 mix should work with virtually all home cinema set-ups.
ADDITIONAL SHIPPING NOTES: Many of you will have already pre-ordered the SDE-exclusive CD. Unfortunately the SDE shop will be unable to combine shipping with your previous order. There are logistical challenges which prevent this, so the orders will remain separate and ship individually.
Tracklisting
The Tipping PointTears For Fears /SDE-exclusive blu-ray audio
Originally released back in 2013 but out-of-print for many years, Music On CD will reissue the Cheap TrickComplete Epic Albums Collection box set later this month.
The 14CD box set contains all the band’s studio albums from 1977 to 1990, with many including bonus tracks. It also contains the full At Budokan concert (originally issued in the USA in early 1979) and the rare ‘Found All The Parts’ E.P.
The Complete Epic Albums Collection (click image to enlarge)
‘One On One’, ‘Standing On The Edge’, ‘The Doctor’, ‘Lap Of Luxury’ and ‘Busted’ were all newly remastered especially for this box when The Complete Epic Albums Collection was issued eight years ago.
This box set comes in a big, chunky clamshell box and includes a 32-page booklet. It will be released on 28 January 2022. You can see below, that prices vary, but Amazon France is great value. Check out discogs for a detailed track listing.
What we think is Elvis Costello’s 32nd studio album is out on Friday. It’s available on vinyl and that “inferior sonic storage system” (Costello’s words) known as CD.
The Dream Syndicate / Out of the Grey (3CD deluxe)
The Dream Syndicate’s 1986 album is remastered and reissued on CD with two bonus discs of demos, outtakes and a previously unreleased live album. 51 tracks in total, 34 previously unreleased.
The fourth studio album from China Crisis, 1986’s What Price Paradise, will be reissued as a 3CD deluxe edition later this month.
Produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley it features the singles ‘Arizona Sky’ and ‘Best Kept Secret’, the latter of which scraped into the UK top 40 (peaking at #36).
What Price Paradise 3CD deluxe edition (click image to enlarge)
This new expanded, 3CD deluxe edition features a new remaster (by Andy Pearce) and contains bonus material including B-sides, unheard four-track demos and a 1987 live performance at the Liverpool Empire.
The reissue has been produced in co-operation of that band and indeed the booklet features new interviews by Daryl Easlea.
What Price Paradise will be reissued on 28 January 2022.
Peter Jackson’s acclaimed Fab Four documentary, The Beatles: Get Back, will be released on blu-ray and DVD in February.
A 3-disc blu-ray collector’s set is now available to pre-order on Amazon in the UK and this mirrors the three episodes that premiered on Disney+ last November and includes Dolby Atmos sound. A ‘not final’ pack-shot of the product is below.
The ‘not final’ mock-up supplied to retailers shows off what the packaging might look like (click image to enlarge)
The blu-ray set is region-free and comes with four collector’s cards. But there’s no bonus features, no original-cut of Let It Be (which was promised when Get Back was announced) and there appears to be no UHD 4K edition.
The home video release news was almost a footnote yesterday, alongside the announcement that a 60-minute special: Get Back: The Rooftop Concert has been created for theatrical presentation in IMAX theatres in North American on 30 January. This will roll out globally on 11-13 February. If you are in America the link for tickets is here.
The Beatles: Get Back is issued on blu-ray and DVD on 28 February 2022.
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Walt Disney
The Beatles Get Back 3-disc blu-ray collectors set
The Now That’s What I Call Music team step back to the year of 1982 for a third full volume of their popular Yearbook releases. NOW Yearbook ’82 comes as a 4CD deluxe hardcover book edition and a 3LP set pressed on yellow vinyl.
1982 was the year before the first official Now That’s What I Call Music release (i.e. NOW 1) which makes this set rather interesting and while, of course, the material is full of big pop hits, it inevitably feels a bit ‘fresher’ than the perhaps over-compiled 84/85 era.
The 4CD package offers 84 tracks (four more than Yearbook ’83 and six more than the ’84 set) and includes 16 UK number ones from 1982, including Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’, Paul McCartney’s ‘Ebony and Ivory’, Madness’ ‘House of Fun’, The Jam’s ‘Town Called Malice’, Dexys‘ ‘Come On Eileen’ and Musical Youth’s ‘Pass The Dutchie’.
The 4CD deluxe edition of Now Yearbook ’82 comes in hardcover packaging (click image to enlarge)
But it’s more than just chart-toppers; there’s some great selections here such as both of ABBA’s last two singles (‘Under Attack’ and ‘The Day Before You Came’) neither of which appeared on their last studio album,The Visitors as well as early work from bands like Duran Duran (‘Hungry Like The Wolf’), Spandau Ballet (‘Instinction’), Tears For Fears (‘Mad World’) and Culture Club (‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’). It’s also cool to see choice cuts like Malcolm McLaren’s ‘Buffalo Gals’, The Associates‘ Party Fears Two, Dollar’s ‘Videotheque’, Bow Wow Wow’s ‘Go Wild in the Country’ and New Order’s ‘Temptation’.
The full track listings are below, but in true 80s pop fashion there’s an eclectic mix of styles and genres with dance, disco, soul, pop, post-punk and even – deep breath – two entries from the year’s Eurovision Song Contest (including Nicole’s number one ‘A Little Peace’). As a brief sidebar, I can tell you that the contest was held in Harrogate in the UK, in 1982, and 12-year-old me lived there and so I went down to the International Conference Centre and saw the acts arrive!
The 3LP coloured vinyl set of Now Yearbook ’82, like previous vinyl, is ‘strictly limited’ (click image to enlarge)
As with previous editions, there’s also a standard 4CD in a card sleeve, but the hardcover book deluxe comes with a 28-page booklet with a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz and original singles artwork. The translucent yellow 3LP set features just over half the selection on the CD package – 44 songs.
Now Yearbook ’82 will be released on 4 February 2022.
Marillion’s new album, An Hour Before It’s Dark, will be released in March and there’s plenty of physical editions to choose from.
A deluxe CD+DVD edition offers the album on disc one and a DVD with a 48/16 stereo mix and a DTS surround mix. The DVD also includes a documentary on the making of the album and in-studio live performance.
The CD+DVD edition of An Hour Before It’s Dark
It’s good to see a standalone blu-ray audio as an option as well. In terms of content, this mirrors the deluxe CD+DVD but this time the stereo mix is 96/24 and it comes with a DTS Master Audio surround mix. The blu-ray includes the same documentary/video content.
Vinyl fans can pre-order a 2LP orange vinyl edition as well as a 2LP black vinyl option and of course there’s a standard CD edition as well.
An Hour Before It’s Dark will be released on 4 March 2022.
Welcome to the traditional SDE reissue preview for the year ahead! As usual we will start with the first three months of this year where we have confirmed releases and then move on to what we know/think/presume/hope will be reissued later in the year. Of course they’ll be plenty of things not covered, so please as well as offering your thoughts on reissues mentioned below, do chip in with forthcoming products you know about that SDE hasn’t mentioned! You can do this via the comments section.
January is looking a little bit more healthy than last year which suffered badly due to the COVID pandemic. There’s nothing ludicrously expensive and plenty of cheap products that have appeal like the Nik Kershaw and Frankie Goes To Hollywood ‘Essential’ collections.That much-delayed Peter Cetera 6CD box will finally be released, I am assured, and don’t forget about the coloured vinyl edition of Paul Young’sThe Secret of Association. Not only does it have bonus tracks but the SDE shop is selling signed copies!
Reissues, box sets and albums of interest in January include:
The big news in February is that Tears For Fears will release their first album in over 17 years! That’s one helluva wait but I can assure you it’s excellent. On the reissue front, the Dodgy 8CD A&M Years box set is one I’m really looking forward to.
Reissues, box sets and albums of interest in February include:
Confirmed releases are thinning out a bit, by the time we get to March, but the Suzanne Vega box is one that stands out for me. It has that wonderful front cover photo (an improvement on the plain cover used on that limited CD box), is pressed on four different coloured vinyl records and comes as an attractive ‘bookset’. There are still SIGNED copies available via Suzanne’s shop priced at £120. If that’s too much, then unsigned versions are available on Amazon in the UK for £85.
Reissues, box sets and albums of interest in March include:
Now let’s looks ahead to the rest of the year with some featured artists and more reissue summaries, below.
Madonna
We know that the long-awaited Madonna reissues will start this year because Warner Music Group and Madonna told us in August 2021. The good news is that this will be a the start of a “multi-year catalog series” (similar wording as was used in 2010 for the start of Paul McCartney’s still running Archive Collection series), but the bad news is that Madge herself will “personally curate” the physical deluxe reissues. When the artist themselves take the reigns, it normally doesn’t end well (hey there, Phil Collins). Hopefully, this is marketing guff and someone who knows what they are doing will be behind the wheel. We were told the first release would be announced “soon” five months ago, so surely we’ll get some news…er, soon. The big question is which album they will start with. SDE readers voted by a large margin for the first album, Madonna, but we’ll have to wait and see. If we’re talking anniversaries, then Erotica is 30 this year, but it’s fair to say that it’s very unlikely that they’d start with that album. Madonna’s debut is 40 in 2023 so could they – would they – hold fire on that album for a further year? If so, then what will happen this year? The first single ‘Everybody’ is 40 in October, but that’s nearly a year away. There was talk of “unique releases for special events” which suggests we may get something for this year’s Record Store Day. Labels do like to start ‘big’ to generate momentum and excitement so one of the ‘Likes’ – “… A Virgin” or “…A Prayer” – is a distinct possibility.
The Beatles
Everywhere you look there’s Beatles-related anniversaries so really ANYTHING could happen in 2022. It’s the 60th anniversary of the UK release of Love Me Do, in October, for example. The most popular reissue for fans would almost certainly be a super deluxe edition of the Revolver album from 1966. This would see Giles Martin start to work backwards from Sgt. Pepper. There has been plenty of debate about whether the technology exists (‘de-mixing’ and the like) to allow for a worthwhile new stereo mix (and by extension a 5.1/Atmos mix) and indeed when SDE spoke to Giles last year we covered that topic. I get the feeling the decision has probably already been made (in the affirmative) but they are keeping their cards close to their chest. That doesn’t mean it will happen this year – there is no longer any pressure to keep to a 50th anniversary – so we’ll have to wait and see what transpires. Now that The Beatles: Get Back documentary has been available for six weeks or so, fans might be hoping for some kind of Let It Be part 2 reissue that includes the documentary and perhaps some audio that wasn’t included in the 2021 box set – in particular, the entire rooftop concert as an audio-only experience. I think Apple might sanction a standalone rooftop concert release on CD and vinyl (with perhaps a deluxe edition with surround sound etc.), given that it was omitted almost entirely from the Let It Be box, but I don’t see them revisiting any further sessions from Let It Be.
John Lennon
The John Lennon reissue campaign has been a revelation and so far we’ve had three stunning deluxe sets: Imagine, Gimme Some Truth (a greatest hits) and the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album. SDE expects 1972’s Some Time in New York City album to be next, with most likely an autumn release date. This is a double album, part studio and part live recordings (the latter dubbed Live Jam). It features the band Elephant’s Memory and was produced by John and Phil Spector. Very political and not particularly well received – or even that well known these days – it will be interesting to see what the team do with the source material on the way to their ‘Ultimate MIxes’. Fun fact: John Lennon was reportedly annoyed when Jethro Tull’sThick As A Brick hit the shops three months earlier (in the USA) as it used the same newspaper cover idea and therefore lessened the visual impact of his own album.
Paul McCartney
Last year was the third year since Paul McCartney kicked off his Archive Collection campaign over a decade ago that no reissue for forthcoming (the other two were 2019 and 2016). This means that in the three years since the December 2018 double whammy of Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway we’ve had just the one reissue: Flaming Pie. The problem is that Paul McCartney is always so busy on other projects, as this year has shown. In 2021 there was The Lyrics book, a cookbook, two documentaries (the Rick Rubin 1-2-3 min-series and of course The Beatles: Get Back) a Royal Mail stamps initiative, the Let It Be box set and the McCartney III Imagined remix album. Still all this lack of activity on the Archive Collection front means SDE is fairly confident that we will get a reissue this year and the smart money is on Paul ‘finishing’ the 1970s by re-releasing 1978’s London Town and 1979’s Back to the Egg at the same time. There are no guarantees in life, but I can’t see Paul prioritising any other album above these. Press to Play (1986) we know was a commercial disaster and not an album Paul is likely to look back fondly on and while it contains a couple of Elvis Costello co-writes, Off The Ground (1993) is rather an inferior sequel to Flowers in the Dirt, delivered no major UK or US hits and has aged particularly badly. Everything else was issued post 2001 and feels too recent. One thing we should consider is that Paul might be tempted back to Band on the Run for what would be a fourth reissue for its 50th anniversary, although if that were to happen it wouldn’t be until 2023.
David Bowie
With no David Bowie ‘era’ boxes to worry about in 2022 (the rights to the post-millennium albums don’t revert to Warner Music for a few more years) the label are likely to focus on Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars this year. We’ve already had the announcement about the vinyl picture disc but expect a Conversation Piece style multi-disc deluxe package that will cover both albums. These will be CD sets, although whether Warners have the capacity to put out big vinyl boxes as well, with the current production challenges, remains to be seen. We may well get an announcement on this in the coming week with what would have been David’s 75th birthday approaching.
The Police
Andy Summers told SDE last August that there is “gigantic 10-year plan to release Police material” which sounds great, although he didn’t say when this 10-year plan would start! However, we do know that the first album to be reissued as a box set will be 1979’s Regatta De Blanc and while there’s no ruling out Blondie-style delays, Summers was quite specific, telling this site that “There’s a four-disc version of Regatta De Blanc coming… with a lot of extra tracks”. Police reissues are so long overdue, this is going to be a big deal when it finally happens. The one threat is that Sting solo projects seem to automatically take precedent so let’s hope Mr Sumner isn’t planning an album of covers or some such nonsense for 2022!
George Michael
On New Year’s Day, the official George Michael twitter account tweeted: “2022 marks an exciting year for George and his music and we can’t wait to share it all with you”. Before you get your hopes up, they also told us in May last year that “There’s also something very special to come later this year…” regarding Older and that didn’t happen. Let’s not forget that a 25th anniversary edition of Listen Without Prejudice was supposed to be released in 2015. It was eventually announced in September 2016 for release in November of that year, only to be delayed to March 2017. Tragic events then intervened and it didn’t come out until October 2017. Even the Faith reissue, which was originally scheduled for September 2010, was delayed until the end of January 2011 because George was jailed after admitting driving while unfit through drugs and possessing two cannabis cigarettes. In late 2019, SDE reported on a vinyl reissue of Symphonica which we independently had confirmed was in the works, but it now appears to have been shelved or at least put on the back-burner. Everyone who pre-ordered it via Amazon in the UK got a cancellation email recently. All this should serve as a reminder that anything George Michael-related is cursed to be delayed, often repeatedly. Unlike Prince, whose untimely death served to remove all the reissue-roadblocks, George’s passing has made no difference at all. His reluctance to green-light reissue campaigns, and his dithering when he was eventually talked into them, has set the tone for the last five years where no major reissue projects have been delivered (LWP doesn’t count since it was effectively done before George’s passing). Activity these days is mostly around legacy and brand rather than reissues and physical product. While this is intensely frustrating for fans, the irony is, all this faffing around and doing next to nothing is probably WHAT GEORGE WOULD HAVE WANTED. Having said all of that, SDE is expecting Sony to deliver a belated Older 25 reissue in 2022 and we can only wait to see what form this takes. Anyone hoping for any Wham!-related reissues (like Make It Bigger) is likely to be disappointed.
Prince
Welcome 2 America was a fantastic surprise, but 2021 was still disappointing in that there was no major reissue of a classic Prince album, as had been the case in 2018 (1999) and 2020 (Sign O’ The Times). SDE understands that the vinyl production chaos played a big part in this, given that 13 vinyl records were required to service the Sign O’ The Times super deluxe. We should have been enjoying a 30th anniversary Diamonds and Pearls reissue but that is now likely to emerge in 2022 although we may have to wait until summer/autumn for this to be delivered.
The updated Animals cover for the forthcoming box set (photo by Mikael Vinyl)
Pink Floyd
Despite all the bitching, it does appear as if, four years later, the new stereo and 5.1 remixes of Pink Floyd’sAnimals will finally be released this year. This is confirmed by the Mortal Remains exhibition in LA which has a large print of the ‘new’ album cover with a card underneath saying that the “anticipated release” for the Animals box set is June 2022. Of course that’s not exactly legally binding and we could see further delays. Also, Dolby Atmos is where it’s at these days, so I wonder if they’ve been tempted to create an Atmos mix as well as the standard 5.1 version? Probably not.
The Who
We already know that the next Who box set will be the 1971 classic, Who’s Next. It contains two trademark Who songs in ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ and ‘Baba O’Reily’. Expect demos / outtakes from the Lifehouse project, surround mixes and more. Pete Townshend posted some behind-the-scenes videos of some of the tape transfer/restoration work last year, which confirmed the project was happening.
Blondie
Blondie are clearly using the George Michael ‘bumper guide to reissuing back catalogue’ as their playbook, since fans are still waiting for the box set that they told us in 2018 was “coming in 2019”. Here’s a quick reminder of the timeline:
Oct 2018: ‘Heart of Glass’ 12″ issued to whet fans’ appetites
Aug 2020: No news for nearly two years, then the band post on their website that “The first Blondie archival box set coming in 2021”
Feb 2021: A graphic novel (by Z2 Comics), Against The Odds is announced. The $500 super deluxe pre-order includes a “very special Blondie music bundle”. This graphic novel is expected “in the fall of 2021”
May 2021: Clem Burke tweets that the box set is “definitely” coming out in August 2021
July 2021: Clem Burke tweets that “Unfortunately due to vinyl production delays it looks like release date moved to 2022”.
We did get the Yuletide Throwdown single late last year, which was pretty cool and shows some creativity and a commitment to physicalproduct absent from team George Michael, right now.
Other reissue news, rumours, new albums and musings
China Crisis have confirmed a 2CD reissue of their 1986 album What Price Paradise is coming this year andLloyd Cole has told fans that 2003’s Music in a Foreign Language will be his next reissue this year and it will come with 10 bonus tracks of “rough mixes before other musicians were brought in”. This will be available on vinyl and CD. Erasure’s 1995 self-titled album is expected to be next in their two-CD reissue campaign and Tori Amostold SDE that “we will be doing something” around the 30th anniversary of her solo debut Little Earthquakes.
Despite talk of an Anthology, it seems likely that Duran Duran will stay focussed on touring and promoting their well-received new album Future Past. The band are on something of a high and are surely going to be looking to make the most of the positive vibes here and now, rather than focusing on the past. Not that physical reissues are off the table completely, since BMG Rights Management USA have the rights to Medazzaland, Pop Trash, Astronaut and Red Carpet Massacre so they’ll be looking beyond streaming to recoup their investment. Also, don’t rule out a further edition of the new album later in 2022 with remixes or more bonus tracks.
a-ha will release a new album in 2022 called True North. This was recorded inin Bodø, Norway in November 2021. It’s a filmed live-performance with The Arctic Philharmonic and there will be a film and an album in the autumn. It’s not clear whether these are entirely new songs, or old songs or a mixture of both.
The New Order reissue/box sets should continue with Lowlife and Slash has confirmed that a Guns N’ RosesUse Your Illusion box set will happen in the summer of 2022 with bonus content to include the warm-up gig from The Ritz in 1991 and a Vegas show.
There’s the usual silence from Kate Bush, but SDE feels like something could happen in 2022, most likely a new studio album. Having worked on that rather flawed reissue campaign as recently as 2018 we can’t see Kate spending her time on individual album super deluxe package, much as we’d like it. The Dreaming is 40 years old in September if you want to get your hopes up! Kate REALLY needs to do something with her video archive, which has been languishing on VHS/laserdisc for decades.
We are currently seeing tentative ‘baby steps’ when it comes to UMC’s custodianship of the ZTT label and, in particular, the Frankie Goes To Hollywoodcatalogue. We had some ‘vanilla’ reissueslast year and in a few weeks the Essential compilation hits ‘the shops’ but SDE understands that, all being well, fans can expect something more weighty and interesting later in 2022.
Talking of ZTT, new music from xPropaganda – Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag – is on the way. The new album is produced by Stephen Lipson, which I’m sure you’ll agree is all very exciting.
The Pet Shop Boys‘ second album is Actually 35 years old in 2022! Not that we should expect a box set. Their debut Please was not afforded the same treatment for either it’s 30th (in 2016) nor its 35th (last year). I think we can conclude that super deluxe type box sets are not Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s ‘thing’. A remix collection is long overdue, mind, so it would be nice to see something like that surface, although the smart money is on the guys “working on the new album”.
It’s not like Demon Music to pass up the opportunity to reissue a Suede album, which means SDE must conclude that despite band and fan reservations over 2002’s A New Morning, we are likely to see a reissue in the now familiar DVD-sized casebound book. Since the album was issued in September, expect this later in the year.
The Lilac Time’sAstronauts album from 1991 will be reissued this year (via Needle Mythology). It will be a 3CD set and feature the album (remastered), a demos and outtakes album and a live album from the Dreaming tour of 1991.
As well as the new album, Marillion should this year deliver deluxe reissues of Seasons End and Holidays in Eden. In related news, Fish is said to be working on a deluxe reissues of his first two solo albums (Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (1990) and Internal Exile (1991). Expect similar packages for both artists with surround mixes and bonus material.
It’s a shame to note that after a whirlwind of activity a few years back, all seems quiet on the INXSfront. 20 years after Kick was first issued as a 2CD deluxe edition, there have still be no serious reissues of any other INXS album! Instead, we’ve had plenty of greatest hits and two more Kick reissues: Kick25 and Kick30. INXS manager Chris Murphy was always a man with a plan, but his sad passing almost a year ago has perhaps left the campaign – which struggled for traction even with Chris’ enthusiasm – rather rudderless. It’s terrible that great albums like Shabooh Shoobah, The Swing, Listen Like Thieves and Welcome to Wherever You Are have been ignored and are in danger of being forgotten.
R.E.M. didn’t release an album (Up) for another two years after New Adventures in Hi-Fi, so Concord may well either need to pause the 25th anniversary reissue campaign and will perhaps re-focus on an earlier part of the band’s career in 2022.
Ultravox’s 1981 album Rage in Eden will be reissued in 2022 and will be very much in keeping with the excellent Vienna set of 2020 and it is likely that BMG will move on to Supergrass’ self-titled album from 1999 having done a fine job with In It For The Money last year. Just over four years after their debut was reissued as a super deluxe edition, there is still no sign of Roxy Music’s second album, 1973’s For Your Pleasure, being given the box set treatment. I feel we are in for a long wait on that one.
David Bowie’s unreleased Toy album, which formed part of the Brilliant Adventure box set issued in November last year, will be released as a standalone Toy:Box on Friday as a 3CD set and a 6×10-inch vinyl box. It has now been revealed that a limited cassette version will also be made available, but only via the various Bowie 75 physical stores that are currently open for business.
The Toy album was recorded in 2000 following David’s Glastonbury 2000 performance. Bowie entered the studio with his band (at the time Mark Plati, Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Holly Palmer and Emm Gryner) to record new interpretations of songs he’d first recorded from 1964-1971. For reasons unknown, it was never released.
The Toy cassette is only available via the Bowie 75 physical stores (click image to enlarge)
The cassette release will actually be the only version, outside the pricey Brilliant Adventure box set, that is ‘album-only’. There is no standalone CD or vinyl version available – just the 3CD and 6×10-inch box sets which come with bonus alternative and ‘unplugged and somewhat slightly electric’ mixes.
Unfortunately, the packaging for the cassette is a disappointingly basic – an ‘O-card’ sleeve, which is how many cassette singles were packaged back in the day. Bowie’s team say that “Any left after the stores close will be made available online in the Bowie Official Store at some point”. There are currently on two Bowie 75 stores, one at 14 Heddon St in London and the other at 150 Wooster St. in New York.
Toy is released this Friday, 7 January 2022, via Parlophone.
Happy New Year to you! Before we get started with 2022, let’s look back at SDE’s favourite reissues of the last 12 months. There were many great box sets and reissues this year, of course, so let’s hear what your picks would be, via the comments section.
Reissue of the year: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (super deluxe)
A forensic examination of John Lennon’s best solo album, the 6CD+2xblu-ray super deluxe edition offers you everything you could possibly want AND MORE. The album is remixed into both stereo and Dolby Atmos and examined from different perspectives with the goals varying, from highlighting how the ideas and recording progressed (Evolution Mixes) to showcasing a specific aspect/instrument on the multi-track (Elements Mixes). There are also outtakes, demos, raw studio mixes and jams. The 130-page hardcover book does an amazing job of making sense of all this material and the packaging is excellent. Probably overkill for most records, but for an ex-Beatle’s first solo album, it’s warranted and very welcome. These Lennon super deluxe editions don’t comes with a silly price tag and are now the yardstick by which others are judged.
Level 42 / The Complete Polydor Years (10CD box sets)
After years of missed opportunities (Running in the Family box set, anyone?) the two Complete Polydor YearsLevel 42box sets issued this year finally delivered fans something comprehensive. There’s 10 CDs of albums, remixes, B-sides and rarities in each box and these are band-approved with contributions in the booklets from Mark King, Mike Lindup et al. Well-priced and smartly packaged, these come highly recommended.
The Marillion reissue campaign continues to impress. This year, four years on from the 2017 reissue of Misplaced Childhood, the band’s second album, 1984’s Fugazi, was re-released. The 3CD+blu-ray package offers so much for around the £30 mark, including new stereo and 5.1 remixes, a live concert, bonus tracks, documentary and a great book. The packaging is excellent and pleasingly consistent with what has come before.
Dance Masters: Shep Pettibone The Classic Master-Mixes (4CD set)
A brilliant four-CD compilation featuring the work of legendary producer/remixer Shep Pettibone. The variety of acts Shep worked with makes this so interesting, so amongst the relatively obvious selections – Level 42, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Thompson Twins – are things like Pia Zadora, Elton John, The Psychedelic Furs, George Benson and The Flirts! No Madonna, which seems ludicrous, but welcome to the wonderful world of licensing, where labels simply refusing often innocuous requests BECAUSE THEY CAN.
Cat Stevens / Teaser and the Firecat (4CD+blu-ray super deluxe edition)
These Cat Stevens reissues are admittedly rather expensive (at least initially) but they really are quality packages and of course the music speaks for itself. With this particular reissue Universal Music gave fans so much choice in terms of physical packages and actually offered TWO different super deluxe editions one of which was ‘just’ 4CD+blu-ray without the vinyl. This set is what SDE highlights in this list since it offers a crazy amount of content and is still well presented in a large format package and a softcover book. There’s 50 bonus tracks including demos, ‘Live on Air’ and Live in Montreux. The blu-ray not only contains a hi-res stereo mix but a wealth of videos and TV appearances.
Third time lucky for Garbage. After rather perfunctory 2CD ‘deluxe’ editions of their first two albums, they’ve finally GOT IT RIGHT with the reissue of 2001’s Beautiful Garbage. In terms of audio, this 3CD set is perfect, with the remastered album on CD 1, a generous selection (19 tracks) of B-sides and demos/rough mixes on CD 2 and then 16 remixes on CD 3. Packaging is improved too, as this comes in clamshell box form, although the booklet is rubbish with no indication that this is a reissue and absolutely no words or notes from the band about the recording of what is a rather underrated album.
The Brilliant Live Adventuresfiasco was probably the nadir of Warner’s ongoing David Bowie reissue programme – a campaign that seems to delight and annoy fans in equal measure. But amongst the endless picture discs, ‘random’ coloured vinyl pressings and empty boxes for sale, the label do occasionally hit the sweet spot with their physical packages. In 2020, the brilliant Conversation Piece deluxe set deservedly won plaudits and this year it was The Width of a Circle. The 2CD package (a companion to Metrobolist, the Tony Visconti-remixed version of The Man Who Sold The World) has everything going for it: It includes plenty of unreleased tracks and the packaging is wonderful, and not overblown. It’s presented as a DVD-sized bookset which includes fantastic notes/commentary and is full of fascinating images and scans of documents/letters. Best of all, The Width of a Circle is really good value at under £20. More like this, please.
The super deluxe editions of Howard Jones‘ first two albums included great bonus audio but were very expensive while not feeling particularly ‘deluxe’. However, from One to One onwards, Cherry Red have been doing a fantastic job, putting out wonderful 3CD+DVD deluxe editions of Jones’ solo records, that offer great value. Now the Warner-era studio album reissues have reached an end, the label have turned to the BBC archive and issued a this superb 5CD set. It’s a revelation listening to these early live sessions (some from before the first album was released) with Jones describing them both as “terrifying” and “the most stressful performances to do”. There’s a rough, almost punk-ish vibe to the early Kid Jensen and Janice Long (RIP) sessions and it’s great to hear different, sometimes embryonic, versions of the familiar early singles. Virtually everything here is unreleased and it’s hard to disagree when Howard describes this set of radio sessions and live concerts as “a really valuable, historical document”.
Sometimes a reissue’s job is just to highlight a great ‘lost’ album and that is very much the case with Lloyd Cole’s 2021 re-release of Antidepressant, which comes with just one the bonus track. There is quiet style and class with this reissue of the 2006 album, with the CD coming in a gatefold card wallet with inner sleeve and slightly rejigged version of Susan Logoreci’s artwork. ‘Coattails’ is appended to the original track listing, but the vinyl version delivers it as a bonus seven-inch single.
The NOW team will issue a new various artists four-CD in the new year. Now That’s What I Call Electronic is a “celebration of the rise of electronic anthems” and offers a largely Eighties-based selection of 78 tracks.
This collection includes big pop hits such as a-ha’s ‘Take On Me’, Duran Duran’s ‘Planet Earth’, Queen’s ‘Radio Ga-Ga’ (track one, disc one – naturally) but there’s enough variety to keep things interesting including Flock of Seagulls, Yello, Malcom McLaren, Trans-X, Art of Noise, Joy Division, The Associates, Furniture and more.
There’s a few appropriate ‘long’ versions of appropriate tracks including Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’ and New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’. The ‘Performance Mix’ of Dead Or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)’ also features.
Now That’s What I Call Electronic is a 4CD set with 78 tracks (click image to enlarge)
The official line is that this compilation “focuses on the emergence of synth-pop as a dominant sub-genre of new wave” although no doubt fans will discuss the merits of individual selections. It’s great to see an ABBA track here but does ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)’ really qualify?
There are loads of tracks that do fit the bill perfectly, of course, such as Ultravox’s ‘Vienna’, Visage’s ‘Fade to Grey’, Japan’s ‘Quiet Life’, OMD’s Enola Gay, Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’, M’s ‘Pop Muzik’ and more.
As usual, any quibbles can be easily shrugged off when you consider that this four-CD package is available for pre-order at under £9.
Now That’s What I Call Electronic will be released on 7 January 2022.
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