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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2008 10:08:43 GMT
It's good to know that there are some tempting plans afoot with the Beatles' catalogue, Peter! As well as the CDs of their entire catalogue needing re-doing (a total re-mix though - as was done with the Yellow Submarine songtrack CD - is really what's needed for optimum sound quality, rather than just remasters) the DVD / visual side of things needs urgently looking at.
There is so much TV, video and film material that cries out for release (e.g. even a basic "best of" video promos DVD, containing restored versions of such items as the colour VT clips made for the Ed Sullivan of Paperback Writer / Rain etc., is notably absent from the shelves). Other items that also deserve release (e.g. Paris and Mebourne concerts, NME Pollwinners, Drop-In, RSG, Blackpool Night Out and Lucky Stars surviving appearances, Shea Stadium, The Music Of Lennon & McCartney and Around The Beatles TV specials etc.) will hopefully all be tackled eventually. The proposed MMT DVD release is an encouraging first step in this direction though.
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Post by Peter Elliott on Oct 31, 2008 11:47:14 GMT
But will Jeff Jones be able to persuade Paul and Ringo to allow "Let It Be" to be officially released? It appears both Macca and Starr are determined to keep that one in the can since they don't like it's honesty and want to preserve the myth that The Beatles were always good chums full of "peace and love". This is absurd because lets face it, anybody who has wanted a copy of that film will have got one by now anyway, so why pretend it never happened? It's a piece of Beatles history and no matter how they try to censor or re-write that history, there will always be a demand for a remastered version of that film.
MMT was always going to be done anyway and was next in line, but unfortunately this Christmas, the present from Apple is that documentary of the Vegas show which is a truly pointless piece of product considering what could and should had been given priority. I think Aspinall's refusal for a greatest hits DVD at the time of "One" because he feared it would "harm sales" was very short sighted... Beatles fans would had happily lapped up the DVD more than the album but the album would still had sold about the same. Maybe he felt it would had had to have the same songs on the DVD as the CD so many would had complained about the absence of Strawberry Fields... a criticism many made against the CD.
I also hope that Apple make use of what technology we now have to restore archive clips, like VidFire, and surely they must have a better print of Penny Lane somewhere.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2008 12:01:34 GMT
Definitely agree that the visual history of The Beatles needs a dedicated team behind it utilising state of the art restoration techniques (in the way that the Dr.Who restoration team do) such as Vidfire and other specialised tools. Will it get it though? If we can get past the primary stage (the basic albums catalogue remastered to the standard we expect nowadays) then maybe ther's hope for the visual heritage too. We can only hope - I also remain sceptical until I see results. Definitely agree that the Vegas show is only of marginal interest to Beatles fans when key material of the group themselves remains unreleased.
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Post by Ray Langstone (was saintsray) on Oct 31, 2008 12:34:58 GMT
As a side note, in the last few years all four Beatles (with varying amounts of footage released) have had 'solo' videos/promos released on DVD. This may bode well. The Lennon releases have the handiwork of Yoko Ono on them, but it was still good that something came out (not enough THOUGH). Some of Harrison's promo films (glaring exceptions being 'True Love' and 'Blow Away') came out on a Dark Horse compilation. Some copies of Ringo's recent compilation had an extra disc with some promo films (but way less than 50% of what he released), and 'the McCartney Years' included a good proportion of McCartney promos. Also, note the releases of the Wilburys DVD disc, and the remastered Bangladesh, showing that the Fabs (and their estates) are starting to wake up to the fact that the promo films are worth releasing. However please note, that I would love almost ANYTHING half-decent to be issued....
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Post by Peter Elliott on Oct 31, 2008 13:13:06 GMT
Some of Harrison's promo films (glaring exceptions being 'True Love' and 'Blow Away') came out on a Dark Horse compilation. Some copies of Ringo's recent compilation had an extra disc with some promo films (but way less than 50% of what he released), and 'the McCartney Years' included a good proportion of McCartney promos. The McCartney set was awful since it was processed for widescreen. So, I just hope that Apple leave 4.3 material as it is. I hope they do not give MMT the widescreen format... and if they feel they HAVE to do that, then they should at least allow the option of being able to screen it in its original format. The widescreen on "Help!" was at best, questionable, but MMT was shot on 16mm 4.3 and should be left that way. Same goes for all the promos and TV appearances. I get very upset and offended when vintage 4.3 material is butchered by widescreen simply because it is believed to be more "up to date" and compatible with widescreen TV's. Never owned a widesecreen TV nor do I ever intend to. As for Yoko and her treatment of the Lennon archive, it would be easier for her to flood the market and I actually admire her restraint. The "Lennon Legend" DVD had some questionable material within in but at least there were some items that made that a must buy, like the 1970 TOTP clip. She has kept a steady trickle of Lennon product coming out, like the remixed remasters, perhaps trying to lead the way for Apple to follow suit with The Beatles catalogue. Most of those new remixes have been tasteful as well and not clipped to death. It would be a tragedy if when The Beatles albums get remastered and remixed they end up getting maxed out loudness wise like the "One" CD was.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2008 16:45:11 GMT
Yes, but it doesn't automatically follow that "remasters" equals "remixes". Very different things. The eventual re-releases of the Beatles catalogue could end up with one and not the other!
What I say about a dedicated team working on the material with care and attention to detail; doing it in a way that the general public AND the fans will respond to. Things like respecting original aspect ratios are a part of this attitude.
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Post by Peter Chadwick on Nov 3, 2008 9:26:21 GMT
AFAIK, the plans for the Beatles remasters are two-fold. Basic CD releases followed by expanded sets. The latter would comprise the original mono and stereo mixes of each album with 5.1 mixes wherever possible (the catalogue has undergone two separate 5.1 mixes, the first presumably was rejected). As for the 'Let It Be' film, a VERY expanded version was completed several years ago. It took a long period of time to go through all available material (sometimes two or three different camera shots of the same scene, then there was the return of the Nagra reels seized in Holland (around 100 of them, which all had to be gone through for damage, etc.) and the footage was restored to the same standard as seen in 'Anthology'. From what I understand, the soundtrack was re-done, so that now what we would see actually matches the takes that were recorded at the time - NOT the case with the original film). Unfortunately, one member of the Apple board has vetoed its release every time it has come up for discussion (no, I'm not going to name her). The original plan was to issue the film on DVD to tie in with the 'Let It Be.......Naked' CD. Ironically, Neil Aspinall approved of the idea but the Apple board only needs one 'no' vote for a project to be dropped (for the time being, at least).
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2008 12:25:13 GMT
Very interesting stuff, Peter. This is the first i've heard of anything concrete as far as what is planned for The Beatles catalogue is concerned! So the 5.1 mixes seem to indicate there will be actual re-mixes of the albums eventually then. Great news! I hope it isn't too long in coming.
Interesting what you say about the plans for Let It Be too; all that restoration work put on hold by one person (no need to guess who it was either).
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Post by Peter Chadwick on Nov 3, 2008 14:33:45 GMT
Hi Laurence,
The remasters will come. When, I don't know, but everything seems ready for the first half of next year; the 'White Album' was considered for it's 40th anniversary this November, but it was decided not to rush things just for the sake of one album, which I think is fair enough. Apple knows that the CD market isn't as strong as it was and that this is the chance to finally get things right. As for the remixes/remasters themselves, the best info I have is that they were completed to everyone's satisfaction around a year ago. It may seem like a long delay to some, but don't forget that Paul and Ringo (and George's wife Olivia) aren't just occupied with all things Beatles. They DO have other things to do. The good news is that the remasters have been done by people who have heard the original multitracks and know how amazing they still sound. Also, the proper vintage equipment and machines have been used to play back the tapes while remixing/remastering; mono tape machines for the mono tapes this time!. They're not going to be ruined by drowning them in no-noise and maximising them. Part of the team also worked on the 'Love' CD and the George Harrison remasters. All is good, just a little patience is required. IIRC, the Apple board is getting together sometime this month, so it may just be a case of dotting 'I's and crossing 'T's. Don't forget that the little matter of downloads has had to be sorted out, too.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2008 15:07:21 GMT
You're saying "remasters" though, Peter. Does this mean not remixes after all then (i.e. going back to the multi-tracks, laying out all the different stages of separation and re-compositing the songs from scratch, as with the Yellow Submarine songtrack, which would be much better quality)?
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Post by Peter Chadwick on Nov 3, 2008 16:06:23 GMT
From what I've heard, Laurence, the remasters will have the original mono and stereo mixes REMASTERED and new (obviously) 5.1 mixes. I know that in the case of 'Rubber Soul' at least (which has that awful 'instruments left/vocals right' stereo) that the original stereo mix will be included as well as a NEW stereo mix. If that does appear, I don't see why all the other stereo albums wouldn't be remixed, either (apart from the first two albums, which were only recorded on two-track stereo. Not a lot you can do with those!).
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2008 16:55:35 GMT
OK, thanks for that, Peter.
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Post by Peter Elliott on Nov 3, 2008 17:35:53 GMT
It is encouraging to hear about the stereo/mono and 5.1 remixes bundles plan. It is long overdue and better still there won't be any futzing about with maximising the loudness. The remixes we have heard on Anthology. Yellow Submarine Songtrack and Love have been sonically amazing, testament to the Abbey Road team that recorded them in the first place. Rubber Soul will certainly benefit greatly from a new remix but will also be great to finally have the mono mix officially since I much prefer that mix to the stereo on that album. It is great that EMI did preserve 97% of the multitracks enabling the stage tapes to be synched up and remixed anew. I disliked the mash up elements of "Love" but when the material was left to stand on its own, such as "A Day In The Life", it sounded mindblowing.
It is after all, The Beatles... it's timeless music that still inspires and it deserves and demands the best possible quality and treatment. Just frustrating it has taken so long to get it done but something to look forward to.
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Post by Peter Chadwick on Nov 3, 2008 18:07:18 GMT
It is after all, The Beatles... it's timeless music that still inspires and it deserves and demands the best possible quality and treatment. Just frustrating it has taken so long to get it done but something to look forward to. Indeed. The big difference now is that there's a head of Apple who is also a Beatles fan and collector. I don't think the remasters will be the end of things. Not by a long chalk.
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Post by joewisbey on Nov 7, 2008 23:11:27 GMT
Brilliant discussion which I felt compelled to join!
One thing that struck me from the Anthology, that really excited me, was the Ed Sullivan rehearsal footage ("Shut up while he's talking!"), how much of this survives? Has anymore ever been made available? Was this standard practice of the US shows at the time to tape and archive all rehearsal footage?
The MMT DVD also sounds great, I wonder if it will include outtake footage, like the tantalising clip in the Anthology (Fat Jessie singing, a clearly tired and emotional Lennon sat sweating just behind her), how much of this exists? They basically filmed everything they did over the shooting, it took Mcartney over a month to edit it all down to an hour. there's no reason to suggest any of this would be destroyed, is there? On a similar note, the "Magical Mystery Tour Memories" DVD which came out a few months ago has some nice candid footage, for those interested in this period.
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