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The Alan Parsons Project / Pyramid super deluxe box set

4CD+blu-ray+2LP box set

By Paul Sinclair

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The Alan Parsons Project / Pyramid 4CD+blu-ray+2LP super deluxe edition

The Alan Parsons Project’s third album, 1978’s Pyramid, is being reissued in a number of formats including a massive seven-disc super deluxe edition box set.

Pyramid was a concept album centred on the pyramids of Giza. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with a variety of different lead vocalists employed including John Miles, Colin Blunstone, Lenny Zakatek, David Paton, Jack Harris and Dean Ford. Musicians included guitarist Ian Bairnson and drummer Stuart Elliott with arrangements by Andrew Powell (all three contributed to Kate Bush’s debut The Kick Inside, released only three months before Pyramid).

The album reached the top 30 in many territories (although not the UK) but couldn’t repeat the top 10 success in America of the previous album, 1977’s I Robot.

The limited edition super deluxe edition contains is a 4CD+blu-ray+2LP set which comes with a 60-page hardcover book. Across the four CDs are a new 2024 remaster of the album (by Miles Showell) and 67 bonus tracks, with 54 of them previously unreleased, including studio session out-takes and Eric Woolfson’s demos or ‘Songwriting Diaries’ as they are referred to.

First 500 boxes ordered via the official shop come with a signed print (click image to enlarge)

The blu-ray features the first ever Dolby Atmos Mix of an Alan Parsons Project album along with a 5.1 mix created from the original multi-track master tapes by Alan Parsons, plus a new stereo HD remaster of the original album by Miles Showell. The 2LP 45PRM set included also offers the remaster cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road.

The 12″ x 12″ book offers interviews with Alan Parsons, the Woolfson family and the musicians/lead vocalists as well as full lyrics and commentary on the bonus tracks. The final element of content is a replica original press folder containing an A1 sized poster and postcard of the album artwork plus a reproduction of the original biography, press photo and a hand typed ‘Prologue’ and ‘Preamble’ about the Pyramid album by Eric Woolfson.

There are other formats, including a clear vinyl half-speed mastered pressing which is 33PRM and therefore is a single LP, and an Alan Parsons Project shop exclusive half-speed pressed on ‘gold nugget’ vinyl. A single ‘expanded’ CD edition offers four bonus tracks, which is a bit stingy given CD 1 in the box has seven bonus tracks).

Pyramid will be reissued on 23 August 2024, via Cooking Vinyl.

APP shop highlights

Tracklisting

The Alan Parsons Project / Pyramid 4CD+blu-ray+2LP super deluxe edition

Pyramid The Alan Parsons Project /

    • CD 1: Original Album 2024 Remaster
      1. Voyager
      2. What Goes Up…
      3. The Eagle Will Rise Again
      4. One More River
      5. Can’t Take It With You
      6. In The Lap Of The Gods
      7. Pyramania
      8. Hyper-Gamma-Spaces
      9. Shadow Of A Lonely Man
      Bonus Tracks
      1. Voyager/ What Goes Up…/ The Eagle Will Rise Again (Instrumental Version)
      2. What Goes Up…/ Little Voice (Early Version Demo)
      3. Can’t Take It With You (Early Version Demo)
      4. Hyper-Gamma-Spaces (Demo)
      5. The Eagle Will Rise Again (Alternative Version Backing Track)
      6. In The Lap Of The Gods Part 1 (Demo)
      7. In The Lap Of The Gods Part 2 (Backing Track Rough Mix)
    • CD 2: Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diaries
      1. Pyramid Structure Talking (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      2. Little Voice/ What Goes Up… (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      3. The Eagle Will Rise Again (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      4. One More River (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      5. In The Lap of the Gods (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      6. Pyramania (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      7. Broken/Pyramania (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      8. Shadow of a Lonely Man (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      9. Start of writing Gemini for Eye in the Sky (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      10. Start of writing Nothing Left to Lose for TOFC (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      11. Start of writing Snake Eyes for TOFC (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      Previously unreleased songs
      1. Pyramid Instrumental (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      2. Pyramid Clavichord (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      3. Little Voice (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      4. Broken (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      5. On It Goes (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      6. Open Your Eyes (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      7. If I Could Do It All Again (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      8. We Can Do It (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      9. Taking It All Away (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      10. Elsie’s Theme (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      11. Hazel’s Theme (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
      12. My Name Is Lorna (Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diary)
    • CD 3: Bonus Studio Recordings Vol.1
      1. Voyager (Backing Track Out Take)
      2. Voyager (Early Stage)
      3. Voyager (Vocal Experiment)
      4. Voyager (Light Relief Jam)
      5. Voyager (Early Mix)
      6. Voyager (John Leach Kantele Take)
      7. What Goes Up…/ Little Voice (Demo)
      8. What Goes Up… (Dean Ford Vocal Take)
      9. What Goes Up… (Isolated Choir Take)
      10. What Goes Up… (Early Rough Mix)
      11. What Goes Up… (Choir)
      12. The Eagle Will Rise Again (Colin Blunstone Vocal Take Excerpts)
      13. The Eagle Will Rise Again (Rough Mix Featuring Backing Vocals)
      14. The Eagle Will Rise Again (Orchestral Strings)
      15. The Eagle Will Rise Again (Rough Mix Backing Track)
    • CD 4: Bonus Studio Recordings Vol. 2
      1. One More River (Intro Takes)
      2. One More River (Lenny Zakatek Lead Vocal Takes)
      3. One More River (Lenny Zakatek Vocal Gymnastic Takes)
      4. One More River (Experimental Break)
      5. Can’t Take It With You (Rough Mix)
      6. In The Lap of the Gods (John Leach Cimbalom Takes)
      7. In The Lap of the Gods (Choir Takes)
      8. In the Lap of the Gods (Backing Track Takes)
      9. In The Lap of the Gods (Orchestral Strings)
      10. In The Lap Of The Gods (Hail To The King Choir)
      11. Hyper-Gamma-Spaces (Projectron)
      12. Shadow of a Lonely Man (Eric Woolfson’s Piano Take)
      13. Shadow of a Lonely Man (Alan Parsons’ Experimental Demo Vocal)
      14. Shadow of a Lonely Man (Eric Woolfson’s Demo Vocal)
      15. Shadow of a Lonely Man (Orchestral Woodwind)
      16. Shadow Of A Lonely Man (Olive Simpson Backing Vocals)
      Miscellaneous
      1. Pyramid US Radio Advert 1
      2. Pyramid US Radio Advert 2
      3. Pyramid Bob Harris Cinema Playback  Introduction
      4. Pyramid Audio Guide Alan Parsons Commentary
      5. Pyramid Audio Guide Eric Woolfson Commentary 1
      6. Pyramid Audio Guide Eric Woolfson Commentary 2
    • Blu-ray Audio (region-free)
      Blu-ray Dolby Atmos/5.1 Surround Sound remixed by Alan Parsons 2024
      Original album remastered in Stereo 2024
      1. Voyager
      2. What Goes Up…
      3. The Eagle Will Rise Again
      4. One More River
      5. Can’t Take It With You
      6. In The Lap Of The Gods
      7. Pyramania
      8. Hyper-Gamma-Spaces
      9. Shadow Of A Lonely Man
    • 2LP half-speed vinyl
      Side 1
      1. Voyager
      2. What Goes Up…
      3. The Eagle Will Rise Again
      Side 2
      1. One More River
      2. Can’t Take It With You
      Side 3
      1. In The Lap Of The Gods
      2. Pyramania
      Side 4
      1. Hyper-Gamma-Spaces
      2. Shadow Of A Lonely Man

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