lunes, 17 de diciembre de 2018

Blur - "Starshaped" - (Canceled 1993 album).



“Starshaped” was a documentary film, running time 60 minutes, by English band: Blur. Released on video tape in September 12.1993. Directed by Matthew Longfellow and produced by Ceri Levy. Distributed by Parlophone & Ventura Distribution. This film It became a collection of live performances, videos and band interviews.

Food Records agreed to release a CD/LP with some songs included in the documentary, already known songs except two: The 1992 promotional single:“The Wassailing Song” or the hidden track: “When Will We Be Married”; although the non-album tracks "Popscene" and "Day Upon Day" are also included.

But the CD/LP “starshaped” project was finally canceled, because the band did not want to be interpreted as a “greatest hits” or a bad and opportunistic compilation without much sense of: the previous albums: “Leisure” & “Modern life is rubbish”, and  the material they have recorded live was not entirely acceptable for a disc.bit.ly/93BAY The original track listing from this documentary had 18 songs, not all complete and seven video clips, only 14 on CD/LP, in this way:

Side A: (22:51)

1.Intermission - 2:30
2.Explain - 2:45
3.There's No Other Way - 3:24
4.Inertia - 3:49
5.She's So High - 3:50
6.Colin Zeal - 3:16
7.Popscene - 3:14

Side B: (22:22)

1.Sunday Sunday - 2:38
2.The Wassailing Song - 3:24
3.Coping - 3:24
4.For Tomorrow - 4:21
5.Chemical World (Rwk) - 4:04
6.Advert - 3:45
7.Commercial Break - 1:44
hidden track: “When Will We Be Married”.

The reception was not very good, some critics and fans described it as boring, reason why the documentary was almost forgotten and not reissued until 2004. The new version of “Starshaped” was re-released now on DVD with extra footage: Live In Kilburn & Live At The Princess Charlotte. But even with this reinforcement, the movie is still boring. What do you think about it?. 
Ok, enjoy it and see you soon, if you want!.

Photo: Original cover for “Starshaped” Lp/Cd, used too VHS tape.

Genesis – “Duke”. (Reconstructed early version).



"Duke" was recorded in a difficult period, especially for Phil Collins, he was trying to salvage his first marriage, After his ended, Collins wrote a significant amount of material, some of which was used for "Duke" and some was laterused on  his first solo album, " Face Value". Also Tony Banks, on October 1979, made his solo album: "A Curious Feeling";  and Mike Rutherford did the same with: "Smallcreep's Day", on February 1980.

Duke was the tenth studio album by Genesis, released in March 1980. This album it´a great work of rock progressive with experimental pieces, of individually-written songs with a lot of feeling put that evolved from jam sessions.
It became Platinum album in both the UK and U.S., with hit singles  as "Turn It On Again", "Duchess", and "Misunderstanding".

On December 3, 1978 ended in Tokyo Japan the tour with which Genesis promoted their previous album: “And Then There Were Three”; moment in which the band took a deserved rest, because they had been ceaselessly either recording albums or playing concerts so that this was the first longer pause for the band, something that had come to pass personal bill, as was the case of Phil Collins with his wife.
In late 1979 They got together again at Polar studios in Stockholm, Sweden, to recording new songs for next album, with the producer David Hentschel ;in December the  new work was ready  to mixed and mastered in London at the beginning of the following year.

So in January, at Maison Rouge in London,  the album was  mixed and structured in two parts: On Side A, they were places the most personal songs, as: "Please don´t ask"  or ""Misunderstanding"", intended for "Face Value"; while in the other, side was a long musical piece called “The Duke Suite”. Bit.ly/80GEN3 divided into six parts, or six tunes united by one same argument.  This is the way the album was structured:

Side A: (21:18):

1.Missunderstanding.(3:24)
2.Heathaze.(5:00)
3.Alone Tonight.(3:57)
4.Cul.De-Sac(5:04).
5.Please Don´t Ask.(4:02)

Note: “Man Of Our Times” was temporarily outtake; as: “Open Door” & “Evidence O Autumn”.  Then included in the final lp and the other two songs as B sides of the singles: "Turn It On Again", "Duchess" and "Missunderstanding".

Side B: The Duke Suite - (Parts I to VI) -  (21:47) :

I.Behind The Lines.
II.Duchess.
III.Guide Vocal.
IV.Turn It On Again.
V.Duke´s Travel.
VI.Duke´s End.  

Although, They liked this early version, The band thought that "Duke" could evolve more towards a conceptual album like "Tommy". But the problem was the material, it had was not much; and there was not enough time for new sessions. So they So that, they decided reworked over the master tapes and extended “The Duke Suit” to both sides using a new mixes, integrating the rest of the songs in it, trying to follow the same storyline.

At this point, "Duke" was a double album, because they used the rest of the material that had been rejected weeks ago. But for economic reasons, this option was forgotten and two of the songs "“Open Door” & “Evidence O Autumn” were finally removed from the final result,so that  this new version remained in one only disc. But they were wrong to compress it so much,it should have been left in two Lp, because the sound quality was not very good. 

Finally, in March 1980 "Duke" was published; this album became to the top of the UK charts, and “Misunderstanding” turned out quite a successful single in the USA. But Phil could not to save his marriage. but he gave us another great album: "Face Value", published in February 1981.
For my taste, I prefer this early version from "Duke" What do you think about it?.
Enjoy it. See you soon with more.

Photo: Alternate cover. Later used on "Misunderstanding" single. March 10.1980.

The Doors - "The Celebration Of The Lizard" - (Rejected Version)..



"The Celebration Of The Lizard" is the lost album of the Californian group “The Doors”, officially began recording at the Sunset Sound Studios in november 1967 with the song: "The Unknown soldier"; followed by "Spanish Caravan" in January 1968.

The sessions continued on February 19 & 20 at the TTG Sound Studios in Hollywood, Ca. with what should be the main theme of the album: "The Celebration Of The Lizard". A long piece, about 17 minutes, although it seems that there were versions that far exceeded that duration, composed of seven poems with musical accompaniment of the band. 

The original plan was that this poetic musical piece to occupy one side of the album: B, while on the other would be the rest of the tunes, the two previous and others that would be completed until April : "My Wild Love"; "Five to One" or "Wintertime Love". After making a acetate, with what the boys wanted, the producer Paul Rothchild decided that this did not have enough quality and convinced the group to abandon definitely the idea of "The Celebration Of The Lizard" song and LP. Note: All songs are MONO versions.

Side A:(17:50)

1- Five To One.(4:28)
2- My Wild Life.(Alt.).(2:35)
3- Spanish Caravan.(2:59)
4- Wintertime Love.(1:54)
5.-We Could Be So Good Together.(2:25)
6- Unknown Soldier.(3:25)

Side B:(17:01)

1- The Celebration Of The Lizard.
  a.Lions In The Street.
  b.Wake Up!.
  c.Little Game.
  d.The Hill Dwellers.
  e.Not To Touch The Earth. 
  f.Names Of The Kingdom.
  g.The Palace Of Exile. 

However, the fact that the original project was abandoned; brought discontent among the members of “The Doors Bit.ly/68DRS4 Rothchild was becoming ever more perfectionist demanding take after take. Jim stopped being interested in the process of recording after his masterpiece is rejected. He retired and revolted and took refuge in alcohol.The sessions were getting worse and worse. Jim left the others waiting for hours and hours or wasn´t going to the studio.But the problems not finished here, Electra Records release a single: "The Unknown Soldier"/"We Could Be So Good Together",many radio stations avoid playing the song due to its war anthem.

The recording sessions were extended until the end of May, with a new song: "Waitting for the sun" that would give title to the new version of the album, although it was not included either; in addition to the update of two old themes from September 1965: “Hello, I Love You” and “Summer almost gone”; because there was not enough material to complete the album.

In June, the single: "Hello I Love You"/ "Love Street" is released, but is seen by many as a cheap way to reach positions in the “billboard” list,became the band's first hit album in the UK. Finally, “Waiting For The Sun” is officially released on July 12th, 1968 in stereo and mono mixes. This is the final album in which a complete mono mix is produced and released in the U.S.

As revenge, The Doors decide from then to include in the concerts “The Celebration Ofr The Lizard”.
Ok.., until here, this quick story.., the artwork: photos from three different places: black and white -TTG Studio February 19, 1968 "The Celebration of The Lizard” recording sessions. Booklet, an outtake "Waiting of the sun" photo sessions; and two more from Westbury Music Fair 1968, on April 19. The cover design from Bob Mage The Forum, Inglewood, Ca. Dec 14.68 poster concert. 
Enjoy it.

The Beatles - "Magical Mystery Tour".(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).



Here I bring you a new version, different from the soundtrack of "Magical Mystery Tour" that I put about a year ago improved, corrected and with the themes that were actually included in the film; but not all for two reasons. or I have not found them or the quality was not good. 
I have divided it into two parts, following the pattern of “Yellow Submarine Lp” Side A is dedicated to the Beatles and the other to instrumental themes, except the song that closes the album. The soundtrack would be divided like this:

Side A: (21:10)

1. Magical Mystery Tour. (2:51).
2. The Fool On the Hill. (3:00).
3. Flying. (2:16).
4. I Am The Walrus.(Stereo RM23). (4:41).
5. Blue Jay Way. (3:56).
6. Your Mother Should Know. (2:25).
7. Magical Mystery Tour.(Reprise). (1:57).

Side B: (21:11)

1. Aerial Tour Instrumental.(Excerpt). (1:56)
2. Jessie´s Dream.(Full mix). (3:22).
3. She loves you. (1:32).
 (Performed by George Irvin & Sons)
4. All My Loving. (3:08).
 (Performed by Arthur Wilkinson and his Orchestra).
5. Zampa Overture. (6:21).
 (Performed by The G.U.S Fottwear Band)
6. Shirley´s Wild Accordion. (1:53).
7. Death Cab For Cutie. (2:56).
 (Performed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band).

With just a couple of days of separation between the end of the sessions of the "Sgt.Pepper", on April 21, began the Magical Mystery Tour sessions. So on April 25, in Studio 3 of Abbey Road, while working on the 2nd (control room monitor mixes) in the final cuts of the album "SGT.PLHCB", the first 3 takes of the song that would give name to the album, EP and movie, were recorded.

1967, is recognized, in the history of the group, as the one of its greater creativity, the zenith of its race and also the one that would mark the beginning of the end, by two punctual facts; the death of his mentor Brian Epstein on August 27 and the fiasco of the premiere on BBC-TV of ​​the film MMT; where the general public realized that The Beatles were not infallible, they made mistakes.

During this time, the second "grace period", from the end of "Sgt.PLHCB" to the publication of EP MMT, with part of the songs included in the telefilm, the Beatles recorded some of the most popular and successful songs: "All You Need is Love", written for "Our World", a special program that inaugurated satellite broadcasts, an appearance that could be seen in 30 countries simultaneously with an audience of some 400 million viewers. It was June 25, 1967, a date to remember. After which the Beatles took a deserved vacation until August 22, when they returned to the studios, but this time to the "Chappel Recording Studios" in London, because the usual Abbey Road, were momentarily occupied by other artists , so with "Your Mother Should Know", Unfortunately, this return to work brought with it very bad news, the death of Brian Epstein.

Still shocked by Brian's sudden disappearance, on Tuesday, September 5 at Studio 1 on Abbey Road, they recorded 16 Tk´s of "I Am Walrus", followed in successive days by "The fool on the Hill", "Blue Jay Way"  and "Aerial Tour instrumental - working title of" Flying ", and its corresponding reductions and mixes in monaural and stereo.

The second and last phase began on Monday, October 2, with 14 Tk´s from "Hello, Hello - working title " Hello Goodbye "and eight of "Shirley Wild Accordian ", on Thursday, October 12; along with more remixes that They spread throughout the month and the following .

The single "Hello Goddbye / I Am Walrus", published on November 24, followed by the Ep "MMT", on Friday, December 8, almost put the end point to a successful and incredible year of not having existed the film to premiere at the BBC, and of course the disappearance of Brian. 

The film, supposedly a comedy, devised by Paul McCartney, began filming on September 11 until the 25th. The Beatles and a group of invited artists toured different parts of the U.K, the so-called "West Country", visiting Devon and Cornwall, as the old RAF air base (West Malling) in Kent; although there were other scenes recorded in Nice,France, for "The Fool on The Hill" and the song of the "striptease" in London.

After reviewing the more than 10 hours of material, a film was mounted that after several reductions was in 52 minutes, a movie made for television that was the most "in" of the moment turned out to be the most grotesque, although supposedly it promised, since the own Staley Kubrick lent some scenes discarded of the still to release "2001: a space odyssey", in "flying".

Broadcast by the BBC on December 26, 1967 in black and white, and a few days later in color for the second channel, it accumulated so many negative reviews that the North American television channels deprogrammed its broadcast and could only be seen a projection of it in New York in the Fillmore East during 1968 and in special pass. Falling into oblivion until the year 1974, in which he was rescued for certain passes by the United States due more to the curiosity and morbid aroused by this damn movie.

Prior to the completion of the EP, Capitol Records released an Lp with the same title to the American market; on the A side were the songs conceived for the film and on the B part of the material only available on singles, such as "Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane", "All You Need Is Love / Baby You're Richman" and Hello Goodbye ",whose publication the Beatles authorized. But not the previous original soundtrack, where apart from the music of the Beatles, some in adapted versions, included other additional themes. 

This side opens with an extract of "Aerial Instrumental Tour", working title of "Flying" and that has also been called "Jessie's dream", without really being, but which are associated with each other because this extract appears during a psychedelic dream of this "happy fat woman". The novelties of this version follow on this side with the complete and stereo mix of the real piece of "Jessie's dream", something that it has cost me a while to find, but here it is.  
The next two tracks "She loves you" and "All my Loving", are not those of George Martin and his orchestra, here are performed by George Irwin & Sons, taken from EP: “Irvin's 89 Key Marenghi Fair Organ Plays Lennon and McCartney -  EP Decca DFE8635 (1965)” - released in U.S by Northern Songs 1964).bit.ly/67BTMmt And “All My loving” is performed by Arthur Wilkinson and his Orchestra) taken from the EP: “Beatles Cracker-Ballet”,EMI Records 1965. “Zampa Overture” is performed by The G.U.S Fottwear Band.

Finally, “Shirley´s Wild Accordion”, theme from Lennon & McCartney, recorded: October 12, 1967 by Shirley Evans, Reg Wale, Paul and Ringo for the "MMT" film, but not used in it. Shirley Evans does play some accordion in the film.

And the non-instrumental theme that will close the album and that you already know is: “Death Cab For Cutie”. (Vivian Stanshall / Neil Innes) Performed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band; taken from the LP: “Gorilla”, released by Liberty Records,october 1967.
There are a couple of tracks to include that I have not found as: “Bullfight music (unknow artist); or the quality was not right: John Philip Sousa piece and “The Vogla Boatmen”. I hope someday find.

 Ok, I hope you like it.

Sly & The Family Stone - "The Incredible and Unpredictable". (Unreleased 1970 album).



After the publication of "Stand!" in May 1969, the record company Epic told Sly Stone that there was sufficient footage to get a couple more albums, given the quality of many of the recordings that he had left unpublished,

Sly Stone began to select material for a new album at the same time that composed and recorded new songs like: "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"; "Hot fun in the summertime" or "Everybody Is a Star".

But this work never was released, why?. The project, was composed of a double album with unreleased material, outtakes from the last works with something new, but already published in a couple of singles, during the months of August and November.Bit.ly/sls760b on Sides A,B and C. Meanwhile on last side, it would be included a selection of the best moments of Sly and The Family Stone in Woodstock. at least this was what was wanted at first.  

Side A: (19:42)

1.Soul Clapping I. (2:38)
2.Preassure. (3:45)
3.Hot Fun In The Summertime. (3:03)
4.Wonderful World Of Color.(Rmx-3). (2:19) (*)
5.Everybody Is A Star.(Edit). (3:06)
6.Thank You.(Edit). (4:50)
(Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

Side B: (19:20)

1.Seven More Days. (3:25)
2.I Can´t Turn You Loose. (3:34)
3.What Would I Do. (4:07)
4.Only One Way Out Of This Mess. (3:53)
5.Silent Communications. (4:18)

Side C: (19:46) 

1.The Incredible and Unpredictable. (8:22) (*)
2.Fortune & Fame. (5:35)
3.What´s That Got to Do with Me.(Rmx-1) (2:20) (*)
4.Soul Clapping II. (3:27)
(A.k.a: Soul Clappin´(reprise)

Side D: (22:26) 

Live at Isle Of Wight Festival.
(August 29.1970)

1.Stand! / You Can Make It If You Try. (11:08)
2.Medley: Dance To The Music / Music Lover  
              / I Want To Take You Higher. (11:17)

(*) Possibly unreleased. 

Planned to be published in the fall of 1969, before Christmas, was delayed to early next year by different reasons: Epic did not want it to interfere with the enormous success that these two singles had achieved, or at least that was what was said although the reality was different, because Atlantic Records did not authorize material recorded in this festival to be published independently outside the triple album that was being prepared with the soundtrack that was going to accompany the documentary film.

Besides Sly was also involved in other projects like: the Joe Hicks single, "I'm Goin' Home" b/w "Home Sweet Home - Part II", which was written and produced by Sly, and released on the latter's Stone Flower label. Little Sister "You're the One" release on Sly's "Stone Flower" label too or The 1969 A&M Abaco Dream single "Life and Death in G & A".

In late February Sly went back to the double album of “The Family”. Now  called: "The Incredible and Unpredictable", with new versions of some songs, but without abandoning the original idea of ​​a double lp with one of its sides recorded live and less after agreeing to appear at the Isle of Wight Festival that year.

In October of 1970,"The Incredible and Unpredictable" double Lp was ready, but never was published.Epic considers better made his own version of the double album  and reducing it to one,Bit.ly/SLSD70 something that displeased to Sly Stone. He got mad and disavowed its publication and forgot definitely this project and got into the composition, recording and realization of his next studio album: “There's a Riot Goin' On”. Epic released a “Greatest Hits” in November, archiving both versions of "The Incredible and Unpredictable".Here I include the two versions,  decide which one you like the most. Sly or Epic. 

Side A: (18:51) 

1.Soul Clapping I. (2:38)
2.Preassure. (3:45)
3.Hot Fun In The Summertime. (3:03)
4.Everybody Is A Star. (3:17) (*)
   (Full length version)
5.Thank You. (6:07) (*)
   (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
    (Full length version) 

Side B: (18:56) 

1.The Incredible and Unpredictable. (8:22) (*)
2.Fortune & Fame. (5:33)
3.What´s That Got to Do with Me.(Rmx-2). (2:10) (*)
4.Soul Clapping II. (Edit). (2:50) (*)
(A.k.a: Soul Clappin´(reprise) 
(*) Possibly unreleased.

Here you have a double reconstruction of what could have been and never was.
An extraordinary work, maybe it, could be the best of Sly & The Family Stone.

You will not say that I´m not generous.
Anyway, enjoy it!.