Question(s) for The Beatles experts

[apes3978]

I own the 2009 CD box set that features the thirteen original albums plus the "Past Masters" CDs, the first release of "Live at the BBC", and I plan on buying the three "Anthology" sets and "Live at the BBC Volume 2"... That said, do the songs on those various CDs make up all the "officially released" Beatles music (on CD), or are there any other compilations/CDs that have music not featured on those CDs? If so, what is the title/what are the titles?

Also, at various times when I looked at eBay, I noticed there are some different "live" CDs from different countries (most seem to be from Russia)... Does anybody have any of those CDs and if so, what is the sound quality like on them? I know they're not from the "official" Beatles canon so I am not expecting the sound quality to be top notch, but are they "listenable"? And, if anybody owns any of them, which ones are the best in your opinion?

Thanks...

PS: I remember that in December of 2013 there was an iTunes only release, but since I can't download anything, I'm not counting that in my question... I'm asking about CD releases only...

[Mikey]

Personally, I would rather own the Ultra Rare Trax boot CD's over the Anthology series.

The Ultra Rare Trax (at least vol 1 & 2) sound terrific and are untouched by modern hands.

Good stuff ---- make sure they're made by The Swingin Pig

Also, remember the Capitol Albums release (first issue) has some different mixes mostly heard in the US and Canada

[apes3978]

Thanks a lot for the tip Mikey...

[Mikey]

Here's vol 1 for free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCG2keaJ5cg

m

[EmergencyIan]

The Anthology set is good because is has different versions, demos or live versions of some Beatles songs. It does not have all Beatles songs on it. I don't think that it's even close. If you're a major Beatles fanatic, the Anthology CD's are worthwhile. However, I would say if you're not it's probably a flip of the coin as to whether or not the enjoyment you would get from the set would be worth the price you pay for them. I got them when they were released and haven't priced them since...maybe they're very inexpensive, at this point in time. I was a Beatles fanatic and really enjoyed the Anthology CD's.

However, I would dare to say that huge fans and lesser fans of the Beatles would both really enjoy the Anthology DVD's/Videos. It's 8-10 hours long and excellent (broken up into several parts).

- Ian

[jayraytee]

The Thirteen albums plus past masters are all the original officially released albums and singles.

There are Mono versions of some albums and stereo versions of the first four albums out there which have slightly different mixes.

They also put out the "Let It Be" nakid version a few years ago which is the Let It Be album stripped of all the strings parts added by Phil Spector. Originally the band intended the album to be live in the studio and raw like their first album was.

The BBC CDs, vol 1 and 2 are from the BBC radio, of course.

There was a record put out years ago called the Silver Beatles which included most of the rejected demo tape submitted to Decca before they signed with capitol. It can be found on some bootlegs.

The Anthology CD set has some previously unreleased songs like "Whats The New Mary Jane", stuff recorded for other artists to record such as McCartney's version of "Come And Get It" that he gave to Badfinger to record and a bunch of early takes and goof ups. A lot of this stuff can be found on bootlegs like the Swingin' Pig's Ultra Rare Trax and Yellow Dog's Unsurpassed Masters, but not all of it. And there are things on bootlegs that were not included in the Anthology.

You can even find some stuff like McCartney's "Hot Hits and Cold Cuts" on bootleg, which was a set of throwaway songs he planned on releasing on a compilation before it was leaked and bootlegged everywhere. Between my brother and I, I think we have somewhere around 150 "import" bootleg Beatle CDs. I have a few live ones, for example the somewhat famous, "Les Beatles A Paris" and a few others. They really are only interesting if you are a die hard Beatles fan, at the time when they toured the sound was pretty terrible and the audiences were extremely loud. I bought a few, just to have them, but in my opinion the BBC CD set is better, it is essentially them live in the studio without the audience noise.

[Mikey]

Why is it taking so long to release The Hollywood Bowl on CD ?

I know the recordings aren't very good but you'd think Capitol wouldn't much care as long as there was money in it for them.

[EmergencyIan]

I'm still waiting for "Let It Be" to officially be released onto DVD/Blu-ray.

- Ian

[Mikey]

Never happen until Paul dies

I don't think Ringo much cares at this point

I think Paul is the big blocker on this one

[Nostalgiabuff]

yeah but Ringo said in an interview last year that Let it Be would get released. it's just a matter of time

[EmergencyIan]

yeah but Ringo said in an interview last year that Let it Be would get released. it's just a matter of time

Thanks. I knew that one of them said that. I just couldn't remember which one and I didn't want to post the wrong info. It seems like he (or maybe both) mentioned several years ago that it was going to be released. And, there is a heck of a lot of footage that wasn't in the "movie." It could really be a great release. At least, that's my take.

- Ian

[Blue Meanie]

Like Mike said, as long as Paul is still alive I don't think you are going to see Let It Be re-issued. Paul looks to be the Ahole in the film. Trying to get the guys to rehearse and get songs perfect. The scene with George saying "I'll play what you want or I won't play at all" is in the original release of the movie and that was bad enough....could you imagine an expanded version with stuff that was cut out??!!??

IMHO the 2009 remasters aren't that good. It suffers from what is called the "Loudness Wars". Almost all re-issues/re-masters are badly done these days. They are done by newer engineers that basically can't hold the jock of the old engineers from years gone by...especially when it comes to the old Abbey Road crew of engineers. The sad part is that Geoff Emerick is still alive and can still probably do a hell of a lot better job than was done on the remasters from '09. I have the set, only recently within the last 6 months did I buy the set, and have not listened to it all the way through. Being highly disappointed with Yellow Submarine I played the essential 4 (Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, and Abbey Road) and wasn't blown away at all. Then again I am in the process of going back to vinyl and doing 'needle drops' of my LP's. I can tell you that the few that I have done from the old "Blue Box" set that came out in the late 70's early 80's blows away the remasters. Much richer and fuller sound.

They came out with a mono box set at the same time that they did the '09 remasters. There are 2 albums in that set that I would have wanted because the mono mixes are that much more different than the stereo mixes and those LP's would be Pepper and The White Album. Both of which I have Japanese CD bootlegs of and for now I am very happy with. If you are interested in Vinyl they are coming out with the Mono Box set in September...but it is the remasters and NOT the original masters from the 60's. One thing that people need to know about remastering is that you aren't getting what you had back when you first bought the album...you are getting a new version of the record...and most likely not a better version of the album. Again, that's just my opinion.

To answer the original question: it looks like you are covered with whatever you already have. Like someone already has stated...it depends on how big a fan you are? If you have to have everything then there are some bootlegs you need to seek out. Backtracks/unsurpassed masters is a set I would look into if you want to get into the unreleased stuff. Also might want to look into the Get Back Journals. It's probably an 8 disc set. My LP box I bought 30 years ago was a 11 LP set. You get early versions of All Things Must Pass, Jealous Guy, and a few songs off of Paul's first solo album. But there is a LOT of filler that is hard to get through. BTW, there are no good live Beatles LP's/CD's. The sound on them is awful. That's the main reason why Hollywood Bowl hasn't been released. It's just a really bad sounding album.

Hope that helps.

[apes3978]

Thanks to everyone for their input...

While we're on The Beatles topic: In your opinion(s), what is the best available version of "Hard Days Night" on standard DVD (or even VHS)? Or, since I'll probably get a Blu-Ray eventually, what's the best release in that format?

[Nostalgiabuff]

Like Mike said, as long as Paul is still alive I don't think you are going to see Let It Be re-issued. Paul looks to be the Ahole in the film. Trying to get the guys to rehearse and get songs perfect. The scene with George saying "I'll play what you want or I won't play at all" is in the original release of the movie and that was bad enough....could you imagine an expanded version with stuff that was cut out??!!??

I don't know. we have discussed this issue before. I mean the scene you refer to was included in the Anthology series. if Paul was really that embarrassed or whatever about it, he would not have included it there. plus there are plenty of old VHS copies and foreign bootlegs of the original out there to be had.

Paul has molded his persona very carefully over the decades so even if he feels the movie does not show him in a very positive light, he will figure out a positive spin on it. plus there is money to made in giving it a long awaited release

[EmergencyIan]

I don't know. we have discussed this issue before. I mean the scene you refer to was included in the Anthology series. if Paul was really that embarrassed or whatever about it, he would not have included it there. plus there are plenty of old VHS copies and foreign bootlegs of the original out there to be had.

Paul has molded his persona very carefully over the decades so even if he feels the movie does not show him in a very positive light, he will figure out a positive spin on it. plus there is money to made in giving it a long awaited release

I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. Paul has spoken about it more than once and most in depth in the Anthology. Maybe he is embarrassed about it, but probably not any longer (but I've been wrong before).

My impression is that they just weren't getting along well, at that point. Every little thing any of the four of them did or said was magnified. And, this moment in time, of their lives, was captured on film.

- Ian