FPSHOT
Jan 21, 2001, 01:43 PM
Monday 23rd January 2001 sees the release of the "new" George Harrison album, the digitally remastered 2 CD set including bonus tracks and though EMI are licensing it from George, this time around its not on Apple but on GNO Records! There will also be a 3 disc vinyl issue but this has been delayed - but all things going well - will be released soon.
Not only have the tracks been re-mastered (not remixed - George : "It was difficult to resist re-mixing every track") but you get 5 never before released tracks (details below), excellent packaging and a 20 page booklet
with new notes by George himself! And to top all this, is the fact that it is "competitively" priced.
Order No. (UK) is 530 4742 for the CDs and for the vinyl (when released):530 4741
The presentation box is a cardboard one similar to the original vinyl release 30 years ago! The front photo has been colour tinted and given a
purple edge. The back lists the tracks and - a nice touch this one - the bar code and number etc is on a removable sticker which is easily removed so as not to distract from the style of the box. This inside is purple paper with
the OM sign in purple ink. No sign of the Apple logo since this release is on the GNO label (the OM sign forms the "O") and you'll find the GNO logo on the box and the contents.
The discs themselves come in cardboard sleeves which bear a similar photo to the box, as does the booklet cover but each is significantly different illustrating the point that George reiterates in the booklet - George : "I
thought we'd have a bit of fun with the package. If you haven't already noticed, our planet has been concreted over at an alarming rate .". The
progress (?) from the original suburban/rural landscape of the front cover to the urban concrete jungle of the last picture! A good visual joke which would be funny if it wasn't so serious. The back shows a photo of George
with a brolly (actually a sun shade) and is from the original photo session (with amendments).
The booklet features notes by George (this is the first that Eric Clapton is given credit for appearing on this album); some more photos from the original sessions (including the full one that was used for the original single release at the time); the lyrics (and no, George still has not put down the lyrics about the Pope and General Motors on "Awaiting On You All" -
you'll have to buy the "Songs of George Harrison Book Volume 2" for those), and some info on the new tracks.
Ah! The new tracks - what have we here? After "Run Of The Mill" (which was the end of disc one in the original vinyl release) we have 5 bonus tracks all previously unreleased (officially). First we have "I Live For You" (with some new "improvements" to the drum track) an outtake from the sessions that produced the album. The next 2 tracks are from George's run-through for Phil Spector at Abbey Road (27th May 1970) which George says he did not know
were being recorded : "Beware Of Darkness" and "Let It Down".Beware of ABKCO!. The next track "What Is Life?" is a rough mix of the backing track with some original overdubs (piccolo trumpet & oboe) not used. The last
track is "My Sweet Lord 2000" a new recording over the old with Sam Brown providing the co-solo voice (the backing singing usually by the George O'Hara Smith Singers!). Dhani Harrison overdubbed some backing vocals and keyboards onto "I Live For You" as well as acoustic guitar on "My Sweet Lord 2000". This last track features some soulful vocals from George as well as a new slide guitar signature and "crowd noises".
CD 2 comprises of disc 2 and disc 3 from the original vinyl release. The labels feature a photo of one of the stone gnomes. A nice photographic touch included in the booklet, is the fact that George has retaken the photo in
the doorway originally as poster with the 3 disc vinyl set.. So you can compare - a "then" and "now". The booklet from the original CD was used to try and get the same angle (you can see this on the window sill) whereas the
original was dark the new shot is light and breezy.
There will be an official website open on Monday with lots of goodies!
Though operational at the moment, access is only with a password but will be available to all then.
"My Sweet Lord" original version will also be available on an EMI promo sampler highlighting current EMI releases. Look out also for adverts in "Mojo", "Uncut" and "Record Collector"
------------------
We're all Apple Scruffs
Not only have the tracks been re-mastered (not remixed - George : "It was difficult to resist re-mixing every track") but you get 5 never before released tracks (details below), excellent packaging and a 20 page booklet
with new notes by George himself! And to top all this, is the fact that it is "competitively" priced.
Order No. (UK) is 530 4742 for the CDs and for the vinyl (when released):530 4741
The presentation box is a cardboard one similar to the original vinyl release 30 years ago! The front photo has been colour tinted and given a
purple edge. The back lists the tracks and - a nice touch this one - the bar code and number etc is on a removable sticker which is easily removed so as not to distract from the style of the box. This inside is purple paper with
the OM sign in purple ink. No sign of the Apple logo since this release is on the GNO label (the OM sign forms the "O") and you'll find the GNO logo on the box and the contents.
The discs themselves come in cardboard sleeves which bear a similar photo to the box, as does the booklet cover but each is significantly different illustrating the point that George reiterates in the booklet - George : "I
thought we'd have a bit of fun with the package. If you haven't already noticed, our planet has been concreted over at an alarming rate .". The
progress (?) from the original suburban/rural landscape of the front cover to the urban concrete jungle of the last picture! A good visual joke which would be funny if it wasn't so serious. The back shows a photo of George
with a brolly (actually a sun shade) and is from the original photo session (with amendments).
The booklet features notes by George (this is the first that Eric Clapton is given credit for appearing on this album); some more photos from the original sessions (including the full one that was used for the original single release at the time); the lyrics (and no, George still has not put down the lyrics about the Pope and General Motors on "Awaiting On You All" -
you'll have to buy the "Songs of George Harrison Book Volume 2" for those), and some info on the new tracks.
Ah! The new tracks - what have we here? After "Run Of The Mill" (which was the end of disc one in the original vinyl release) we have 5 bonus tracks all previously unreleased (officially). First we have "I Live For You" (with some new "improvements" to the drum track) an outtake from the sessions that produced the album. The next 2 tracks are from George's run-through for Phil Spector at Abbey Road (27th May 1970) which George says he did not know
were being recorded : "Beware Of Darkness" and "Let It Down".Beware of ABKCO!. The next track "What Is Life?" is a rough mix of the backing track with some original overdubs (piccolo trumpet & oboe) not used. The last
track is "My Sweet Lord 2000" a new recording over the old with Sam Brown providing the co-solo voice (the backing singing usually by the George O'Hara Smith Singers!). Dhani Harrison overdubbed some backing vocals and keyboards onto "I Live For You" as well as acoustic guitar on "My Sweet Lord 2000". This last track features some soulful vocals from George as well as a new slide guitar signature and "crowd noises".
CD 2 comprises of disc 2 and disc 3 from the original vinyl release. The labels feature a photo of one of the stone gnomes. A nice photographic touch included in the booklet, is the fact that George has retaken the photo in
the doorway originally as poster with the 3 disc vinyl set.. So you can compare - a "then" and "now". The booklet from the original CD was used to try and get the same angle (you can see this on the window sill) whereas the
original was dark the new shot is light and breezy.
There will be an official website open on Monday with lots of goodies!
Though operational at the moment, access is only with a password but will be available to all then.
"My Sweet Lord" original version will also be available on an EMI promo sampler highlighting current EMI releases. Look out also for adverts in "Mojo", "Uncut" and "Record Collector"
------------------
We're all Apple Scruffs