Lennon catalog to be remastered and reissued - again

Originally Posted by Badgirl66

and attention the stripped fantasy is not included in the box only as Double Cd with Double Fantasy.

I was wondering if you would be able to post some pics of the Walls and Bridges cover - I just wanna see if it has the picture flaps like the original LP. I noticed (and was pointed out earlier in the topic) that the promotional art for the remasters shows the three different strips on the cover, and it says in the press release that W&B gets its original cover reinstated... so I was just wondering if it is indeed the case that they were awesome enough to use the flaps like the original, or if the three strips are just printed straight onto the actual cover (which would be awful in my opinion, I've always loved the original 'football' cover, the flaps being a fun novelty).

Originally Posted by Traveller

Got stripped down today, in Australia

How did you like getting stripped down in Aurstralia?Do you think you will like it just as much somewhere else?

Originally Posted by Ivan P

I was wondering if you would be able to post some pics of the Walls and Bridges cover - I just wanna see if it has the picture flaps like the original LP. I noticed (and was pointed out earlier in the topic) that the promotional art for the remasters shows the three different strips on the cover, and it says in the press release that W&B gets its original cover reinstated... so I was just wondering if it is indeed the case that they were awesome enough to use the flaps like the original, or if the three strips are just printed straight onto the actual cover (which would be awful in my opinion, I've always loved the original 'football' cover, the flaps being a fun novelty).

No picture flaps like on the vinyl version. Just a straight cover with the three different flaps painted straight on.

Originally Posted by ABCKO

As "Taylor" once said, "... clue me in on something, will you ?"

On these (latest, LOL) remastered CD's and box-set...

... how many (and which) actually "new" songs (i.e. previously unreleased) ?

From what I could gather from the track list, I think I counted only one or two previously unreleased demos.

At first listen I think you're right. It's a bit disapointing but I don't notice any difference in between these home demo's and what I already have on bootlegs. Tho it's good that wonderfull tracks like "India, India" and "One of the boys" finally are available officiall and in the best sounding quality.

I've yet to compare these more carefully, but yes not so much new stuff as I thought and read there would be. But the versions of "God" and "I don't want to be a soldier" are new and real gems imo. Especially the version of "I don't want to be a soldier" is fantastic to hear.

So yes, I got the box set yesterday.

Originally Posted by Legs

No picture flaps like on the vinyl version. Just a straight cover with the three different flaps painted straight on.

Darn. That's actually really disappointing. I hated the 2005 reissue's replacement cover (I guess because at the time they were trying to figure exactly how to deal with it - flaps or not, original drawings, etc). I wish they'd have just included the original football painting, with the others in the booklet or something. The three strips just looks messy :(

Thanks for the info, Legs! Greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by samuel

How did you like getting stripped down in Aurstralia?Do you think you will like it just as much somewhere else?

Well I only added I was in Australia, because it was on store shelves early and I thought if some other Aussies were on here they may not of known they could go pick it up.

Oh and yes I liked it just as much as elsewhere :P

Originally Posted by Traveller

Well I only added I was in Australia, because it was on store shelves early and I thought if some other Aussies were on here they may not of known they could go pick it up.

Oh and yes I liked it just as much as elsewhere :P

Oh,you bought the album.When you only said you got stripped down I thought you meant.........

I just bought "Stripped Down" this evening. I'm currently giving it a first run through. I'm on Beautiful Boy. The first song I noticed not enjoying the "Stripped" version of is "I'm Losing You." Some of the added instrumentation gave it a great groove and John's vocals on the stripped version are not what I'd call great. Will post again after a couple runs through this weekend.

Just picked up a few more - Some Time In NYC (got it just so I don't have to worry about it down the track, doubt it'll get much play), Rock 'n' Roll and Milk & Honey. I noticed the covers on these are more like the Beatles remasters - very glossy covers, discs and booklets. Much different to the rough feeling on the Imagine and DF Stripped Down CDs. I'm thinking EMI (at least in Australia) must've changed something with the covers after already pressing a couple of the albums.

To follow up to my above post about the different album covers between Imagine/DF Stripped Down and the rest of the remasters - I had a look at the discs and it appears that Imagine and DF SD were produced by Regency Media, while the rest were produced by Optimal Media Production (the same company that pressed the Beatles remasters). Is this the same everywhere or is it only Australia? It seems very weird that EMI has chosen one company to manufacture two albums and another to do the rest, as the difference in quality (basically the fact that the Regency ones lack any kind of gloss and the covers are very thin cardboard, compared to the others' thick, glossy covers and discs) is very noticeable.

pretty crap all round if you ask me..very lacklustre from EMI as youve pointed out above..

the packaging on the new "power to the people" sets is abysmal..doesnt even approach the lennon legend minimal package a few years back..DVD only on greatest hits edition, stripped not in the box..they really are cashing in..

last weekend i could only find imagine and double fantasy and the various greatest hits packages (3 in total!) and the box..guess that stacks up if they are using 2 different companies, but is so lacklustre - sint the idea to reissue his entire back catalogue all at once? not some one day and then wait a week for the rest?

i will probably only buy 'stripped'..cant belive Yoko had anything to do with this rubbish and its an insult for his 70th birthday..the good old days of '98 and the 4CD lennon anthology are long gone..

Originally Posted by bobdude

I like your idea Gnome. For the sake of Yoko let's make it a 2 cd set with her songs on a seperate disc. The disc you wish for is actually available as the 4th disc in the LENNON box set. Add these 3 songs too: Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him, Forgive Me My Flower Princess and Grow Old With Me.
Oh, and Maia, I too have often thought that Jealous Guy suffered from the heavy hand of Phil Spector. George Martin IMO would've been able to make this one a classic.

Jealous guy IS a classic! (the spector version)

people seem to hate on the guy and his production, even though he has so many hits and such great sound..i mean "imagine" overproduced?

The guy even produced plastic ono band, Johns most stripped down work, despite what Ringo or anyone else mite say..

what next John lennon/plastic ono band..even more naked?!!

and what about Menrose Avenue, thats nowhere to be seen in this new remastered series..

I've delved a bit differently into the mystery of Australia's copies of Imagine and Stripped Down differing to the other remasters, and I think I've struck the jackpot - those two albums (produced by Regency Media) both state "Distributed by EMI Australia" and "Printed in Australia" in the copyright info on the back, while none of the other remasters (produced by Optimal Media Production) say this. I'm guessing at the last minute EMI Australia realised there'd be a delay getting stock from overseas, and were probably expecting success on the levels of the Beatles remasters from last year. So they did a rush job getting his most popular (Imagine) and most touted (Stripped Down) albums - as well as the PTTP compilation - quickly pressed through a different company so they'd be in Australian stores the same day the remasters launched in the US and UK. That'd explain why we only had those albums on the 5th and why the rest were nowhere to be found until a week later, and would also explain the terrible quality of the covers for those particular discs (thin, cheap, easily damaged cardboard).

Case closed!

I realized I dont have Milk & Honey so theres a chance I may be getting that one for Christmas

after listening to DF:SD many times over the past few days, I have decided that it is absolutely fantastic. even "I'm Losing You" has grown on me in it's own way, though it isn't nearly as haunting as the original. 2 Thumbs up for sure!

I really like the Cheap Trick version of im losing you on the lennon antholgy..rougher, rockier..

I was quite happy with the previous remix/remasters. How does the sound quality compare to those? I can't believe we should downgrade to cheap cardboard sleeves just for improved sound quality.

Originally Posted by Ringo77

I was quite happy with the previous remix/remasters. How does the sound quality compare to those? I can't believe we should downgrade to cheap cardboard sleeves just for improved sound quality.

I prefer to have improved sound quality, as it's the music that matters.
Anyway these remasters are certainly worth to pick up, at least a few of your favourite Lennon albums.They are sounding better then the original cd's and these are the original mixes as done by John thus different then the remixes that were released from 2000 onwards.

I think at this point it's time for another round of remasters, so I unstick it.

Originally Posted by Legs

I prefer to have improved sound quality, as it's the music that matters.
Anyway these remasters are certainly worth to pick up, at least a few of your favourite Lennon albums.They are sounding better then the original cd's and these are the original mixes as done by John thus different then the remixes that were released from 2000 onwards.

so the latest have vinyl reissued?

gk.