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For people of a certain age, who love music, we are going through our golden period. I never thought I’d be Living in the Past so much but it’s fun.
Besides all the Beatles news this morning comes more info about Joni Mitchell reissues. There’s a big Archives. Vol. 2 coming in November which looks back at Joni’s Reprise years, 1968-71. Now, in addition to that, there’s a separate box set of Joni’s Carnegie Hall debut in 1969. This “Chelsea Morning” comes from that collection.
Now, follow this: the whole Carnegie Hall concert will be in the CD box set. But if you love it, you can get the Carnegie Hall concert as a special LP set on white vinyl. You know, Rhino Records is going crazy making all this Joni stuff extra great. If you get the white vinyl set, white doves fly out of the package as well. Graham Nash comes a day later and picks them up in a VW bus. (Just kidding.)
But doesn’t this video sound sparkling? Joni wrote this song when she lived on West 16th St. I’ve lived six blocks away for decades and the only song I wrote was a comedy rap record about my landlord. No one is reissuing that!
Yes, yes, yes. we’ve been talking about the “Let It Be” 50th anniversary edition for eons. And now it’s finally on its way.
Even though the actual 50th anniversary was a year ago in May, at last the gang at Apple Records has announced a 5 CD set that includes engineer Glyn Johns’s much bootlegged but never officially released original mix of the Beatles’ final release. This is what we’ll all be buying this box set for. I listened to the title track “Let it Be” last night and it really is the best of all the versions we know.
The box set has 57 tracks including a new stereo mix of the original album (12 tracks); 27 previously unreleased outtakes, studio jams, and rehearsals; the previously unreleased 1969 Get Back LP mix by Glyn Johns, newly mastered (14 tracks) and an EP of 4 tracks that includes Glyn Johns’ unreleased 1970 mixes: “Across The Universe” and “I Me Mine” and Giles Martin & Sam Okell’s new stereo misxes of the “Don’t Let Me Down” & “Let It Be” singles.
Whew!
All of this comes October 15th, three weeks before Peter Jackson’s documentary, “Get Back,” which expands the original “Let it Be” movie into a multi-parter that shows how cool the making of this penultimate album was in 1969.
It also coincides with the release of Paul McCartney’s two volume memoir, “The Lyrics,” which covers 154 songs from his career.
And then…that will be it. We’ve reached the end of Beatles anniversaries. Apple might serve up new editions of “Revolver” and “Rubber Soul,” but basically all the albums have been remixed, remastered, boxed up, and so on. It’s been a phenomenal run, really. The only thing left would be a bootleg series, something like the Stones or Springsteen do now for themselves.
Just a PS about “Let it Be”: It’s still the weirdest story how they made the album and the movie, kind of walked away from the whole thing, and then went back and made their masterpiece, “Abbey Road,” which they then released right away. And held “Let it Be,” letting Phil Spector mix the final release. And also, that all of this was made between, say 1966 and 1969, just three whole calendar years, from “Revolver” through “Pepper,” “White Album,” “Let it Be,” “Abbey Road,” “Magical Mystery Tour,” all the singles like “Hey Jude,” “Penny Lane,” and “Strawberry Fields.” It’s completely insane when you think about it. Amazing, brilliant, and insane.
LET IT BE SPECIAL EDITION
Tracklists
SUPER DELUXE [5CD+1Blu-ray + 105-page hardbound book in slipcase | digital audio collection]
CD1:Let It Be(new stereo mix of original album)
1: Two Of Us
2: Dig A Pony
3: Across The Universe
4: I Me Mine
5: Dig It
6: Let It Be
7: Maggie Mae
8: I’ve Got A Feeling
9: One After 909
10: The Long And Winding Road
11: For You Blue
12: Get Back
CD2:Get Back– Apple Sessions
1: Morning Camera (Speech – mono) / Two Of Us (Take 4)
2: Maggie Mae / Fancy My Chances With You (Mono)
3: Can You Dig It?
4: I Don’t Know Why I’m Moaning (Speech – mono)
5: For You Blue (Take 4)
6: Let It Be / Please Please Me / Let It Be (Take 10)
7: I’ve Got A Feeling (Take 10)
8: Dig A Pony (Take 14)
9: Get Back (Take 19)
10: Like Making An Album? (Speech)
11: One After 909 (Take 3)
12: Don’t Let Me Down (First rooftop performance)
13: The Long And Winding Road (Take 19)
14: Wake Up Little Susie / I Me Mine (Take 11)
CD3: Get Back – Rehearsals and Apple Jams
1: On The Day Shift Now (Speech – mono) / All Things Must Pass (Rehearsals – mono)
2: Concentrate On The Sound (mono)
3: Gimme Some Truth (Rehearsal – mono)
4: I Me Mine (Rehearsal – mono)
5: She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (Rehearsal)
6: Polythene Pam (Rehearsal – mono)
7: Octopus’s Garden (Rehearsal – mono)
8: Oh! Darling (Jam)
9: Get Back (Take 8)
10: The Walk (Jam)
11: Without A Song (Jam) – Billy Preston with John and Ringo
12: Something (Rehearsal – mono)
13: Let It Be (Take 28)
CD4:Get Back LP– 1969 Glyn Johns Mix
1: One After 909
2: I’m Ready (aka Rocker) / Save The Last Dance For Me / Don’t Let Me Down
3: Don’t Let Me Down
4: Dig A Pony
5: I’ve Got A Feeling
6: Get Back
7: For You Blue
8: Teddy Boy
9: Two Of Us
10: Maggie Mae
11: Dig It
12: Let It Be
13: The Long And Winding Road
14: Get Back (Reprise)
CD5: Let It Be EP
1: Across The Universe (unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 mix)
2: I Me Mine (unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 mix)
3: Don’t Let Me Down (new mix of original single version)
4: Let It Be (new mix of original single version)
Blu-ray: Let It Be Special Edition audio mixes
Dolby Atmos
96kHz/24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
96kHz/24-bit High Res Stereo (2019 Stereo Mix)
SUPER DELUXE VINYL [limited edition 4LP+12-inch EP + 105-page hardbound book in slipcase]
LP One:Let It Be(new stereo mix of original album)
Side 1
1: Two Of Us
2: Dig A Pony
3: Across The Universe
4: I Me Mine
5: Dig It
6: Let It Be
7: Maggie Mae
Side 2
1: I’ve Got A Feeling
2: One After 909
3: The Long And Winding Road
4: For You Blue
5: Get Back
LP Two:Get Back– Apple Sessions
Side 1
1: Morning Camera (Speech – mono) / Two Of Us (Take 4)
2: Maggie Mae / Fancy My Chances With You (Mono)
3: Can You Dig It?
4: Don’t Know Why I’m Moaning (Speech – mono)
5: For You Blue (Take 4)
6: Let It Be / Please Please Me / Let It Be (Take 10)
7: I’ve Got A Feeling (Take 10)
Side 2
1: Dig A Pony (Take 14)
2: Get Back (Take 19)
3: Like Making An Album? (Speech)
4: One After 909 (Take 3)
5: Don’t Let Me Down (First rooftop performance)
6: The Long And Winding Road (Take 19)
7: Wake Up Little Susie / I Me Mine (Take 11)
LP Three:Get Back – Rehearsals and Apple Jams
Side 1
1: On The Day Shift Now (Speech – mono) / All Things Must Pass (Rehearsals – mono)
2: Concentrate On The Sound (mono)
3: Gimme Some Truth (Rehearsal – mono)
4: I Me Mine (Rehearsal – mono)
5: She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (Rehearsal)
6: Polythene Pam (Rehearsal – mono)
7: Octopus’s Garden (Rehearsal – mono)
Side 2
1: Oh! Darling (Jam)
2: Get Back (Take 8)
3: The Walk (Jam)
4: Without A Song (Jam) – Billy Preston with John and Ringo
5: Something (Rehearsal – mono)
6: Let It Be (Take 28)
LP Four: Get Back LP– 1969 Glyn Johns Mix
Side 1
1: One After 909
2: I’m Ready (aka Rocker) / Save The Last Dance For Me / Don’t Let Me Down
3: Don’t Let Me Down
4: Dig A Pony
5: I’ve Got A Feeling
6: Get Back
Side 2
1: For You Blue
2: Teddy Boy
3: Two Of Us
4: Maggie Mae
5: Dig It
6: Let It Be
7: The Long And Winding Road
8: Get Back (Reprise)
12-Inch Let It Be EP
Side 1
1: Across The Universe (unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 mix)
2: I Me Mine (unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 mix)
Side 2
1: Don’t Let Me Down (new mix of original single version)
2: Let It Be (new mix of original single version)
DELUXE [2CD in digipak with 40-page booklet]
CD 1:Let It Be(new stereo mix of original album)
CD 2: Outtake Highlights
1: Morning Camera (Speech – mono) / Two Of Us (Take 4)
2: Maggie Mae / Fancy My Chances With You (Mono)
3: For You Blue (Take 4)
4: Let It Be / Please Please Me / Let It Be (Take 10)
5: The Walk (Jam)
6: I’ve Got A Feeling (Take 10)
7: Dig A Pony (Take 14)
8: Get Back (Take 8)
9: Like Making An Album? (Speech)
10: One After 909 (Take 3)
11: Don’t Let Me Down (First rooftop performance)
12: The Long And Winding Road (Take 19)
13: Wake Up Little Susie / I Me Mine (Take 11)
14: Across The Universe (unreleased Glyn Johns 1970 mix)
STANDARD [1CD | digital | 1LP vinyl | limited edition 1LP picture disc vinyl]
The “Downton Abbey” sequel is shooting away, will miss the Oscar deadline and get released next March.
The second movie from the makers of the popular TV series is now called “Downton Abbey: A New Era.” It may be the finale for this whole enterprise, too. I’ll tell you why.
Undoubtedly, Maggie Smith’s Violet, the Dowager Countess, bites the dust in this one. She announced she had cancer in the last one. She’s also, as Maggie Smith says, 150 years old by now.
The timeline for “Downton” is not moving quickly. It’s still like 1926 or so. They’re not going to get into the worldwide economic crash of 1929. But the actors are getting older. Even with makeup, it’s going to get ridiculous soon.
We’re coming to the end of the story anyway. Branson is going to marry the illegitimate cousin, the daughter of Imelda Staunton’s character, reclaim the Downton legacy and money, and everyone’s going to live happily ever after. Or at least in our minds. When the markets crash, the Nazis come, and World War II starts, no one will be the wiser.
So let’s get ready for “A New Era” next March. We’re going to love it no matter what!
After spouting conspiracy theories about how the World Trade Center buildings fell on 9/11, Spike is re-editing the fourth episode of his documentary called “NYC Epicenters: 9/11-2021½.”
Through HBO Spike says: “I’m Back In The Editing Room And Looking At The Eighth And Final Chapter Of ‘NYC EPICENTERS 9/11-2021½.’ I Respectfully Ask You To Hold Your Judgement Until You See The FINAL CUT.”
Lee told the New York Times in an article: “The amount of heat that it takes to make steel melt, that temperature’s not reached. And then the juxtaposition of the way Building 7 fell to the ground — when you put it next to other building collapses that were demolitions, it’s like you’re looking at the same thing. But people going to make up their own mind. My approach is put the information in the movie and let people decide for themselves. I respect the intelligence of the audience.”
It turns out the fourth episode of the docu-series featured interviewed with other conspiracy theorists and a group called Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth. Presumably Warner Media, HBO’s parent, caught wind of this and asked for changes– to facts and not just crazy theories that are unsubstantiated.
If that’s the case, good for them. HBO documentaries since the exit of Sheila Nevins have included far out series like “Allen v. Farrow” and “Leaving Neverland” which have broken conventional documentary rules to include speculation and one sided allegations. Even their recent “Tina Turner” doc was kind of a mess. All we need is a 9/11 anniversary film that questions whether the US didn’t take down the WTC buildings, or some other nonsense.
Ronnie Wood has chimed in along with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards bidding farewell to their fallen Rolling Stone drummer Charlie Watts.
Woody writes: “I love you my fellow Gemini ~ I will dearly miss you ~ you are the best”
The Charlie Watts death at age 80 has hit everyone hard because it points up the fragility now of our beloved classic rock stars. Everyone is over 70, a few over 80, and there are no replacements for them. It hurts to say goodbye!
Nader famously appeared on “Dynasty” as Joan Collins’ lover, Dex Dexter, and on “All My Children,” as Dmitri Marick.
His earlier work included a stint on “As the World Turns.” Before that he had a recurring role on the TV series, “Gidget,” in the mid 60s (yes, opposite soon to be double Oscar winner Sally Field).
At the time of “Gidget,” Nader appeared as himself in a bunch of signature beach movies including the well titled “Beach Blanket Bingo” and “How to Stuff a Wild Bikini.”
Twenty years ago Nader was arrested when he tried to sell coke to an undercover cop in a New York club. That got him bounced from “All My Children.” He’d had several run ins with the law before that. He’d grown up in Hollywood, going to Beverly Hills High School. His uncle was B actor George Nader.
Reports are Nader of an inoperable cancer. Condolences to family and friends.
Now the great singer songwriter has been named Person of the Year by MusiCares, the Grammy charity. She’ll get a big tribute dinner in Los Angeles on January 29th. Joni won’t sing, but you can bet the list of superstars who want to sing her songs is long.
So who could be there? Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Neil Young– at the very least. And plenty of ladies including Brandi Carlile, Bonnie Raitt, and of course, Judy Collins singing “Both Sides Now” would be great, but who knows if that can be brokered?
It’s nice to know that the Recording Academy expects an in person event at the LA Convention Center next January. We are all longing to be there, or anywhere at this point.
Sting is back with a new album, a single and of course his Las Vegas residency.
The album of new songs is called “The Bridge,” and it appears on November 19th. The single is “If It’s Love,” and it’s a winner.
Sting wrote a lot of the new album beginning in early 2020 when he was performing his Broadway show, “The Last Ship,” on tour. When the show was anchored in Toronto for six weeks, he built a little recording studio into his digs backstage and started writing. Earlier this year, he was in the Bahamas recording the songs. Between the pandemic, and loss of his best friend and touring manager Billy Francis, Sting has a lot to write about.
Sting — who had a whole “Jeopardy!” category named for him last spring — hits Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas on October 29th for the first part of his Vegas residency, and it’s just about sold out. The run is named “My Songs,” and it’s all his hits from The Police and his amazing solo career. Finally, some music to look forward to!
The thing Jackson fans don’t like to hear about Michael is that he was sneaky, and lied a lot. He was willful. He was taught all this by his father. He broke agreements all the time, stole tapes from studios and held them for ransom, and so on. Does it make him a bad person? You can decide for yourselves.
In many ways, Michael was a musical genius. But he also depended on collaborators like Quincy Jones and all the songwriters who wrote his hits either on their own or with him. Michael knew a hit when he heard one. In the case of the Anka songs, he tried to get away with a few things. But read the story above.
In any case, Anka made a lot of money from the uncovering of the Jackson songs and tapes. So he can’t really complain. And he’s Paul Anka, for god’s sake, he wrote “My Way” for Frank Sinatra and the “Tonight Show” theme song for Johnny Carson. But he also wrote the worst Top 40 song of all time, “Having My Baby.” C’est la vie!
For Mick and Keith, there are no words. You have to think this is devastating for them, to lose their oldest mate. Charlie Watts goes back to the beginning with them, 60 years. Ronnie Wood, by comparison, is a late comer. (And Ronnie, who’s had his own health problems, hasn’t posted anything yet. I’m sure he’s wiped out by Charlie’s death.)
So Mick and Keith have each posted pictures. No words possible. Condolences to them.
