Sting: Dreaming of an expanded Blue Turtles deluxe edition
Sting’s debut solo album The Dream of the Blue Turtles turned 30 this week and while I’d love to bring you news of an expanded deluxe edition, I’m afraid it’s not happening. At least not yet. Of course this won’t be the first time the opportunity to issue an anniversary edition of an album full of Gordon Sumner songs has been and gone…
All five Police albums are now over 30 years old none of them have ever been reissued and expanded with bonus tracks and Sting’s apparent disinterest in archival projects appears to carry over to his solo work.
This is such a pity, because he has put out some fine albums over the years, and barely put a foot wrong in the 1980s. It was also an era that saw a multitude of singles, b-sides, and remixes all of which deserve to sit alongside albums within deluxe sets.
The Dream of the Blue Turtles opitimises this with A&M managing to squeeze SEVEN singles from the 10-track album (if you count the Japanese release of Shadows In The Rain). There were at least four period non-album versions of first 45 If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, including a Jellybean extended ‘dance’ version, a William Orbit ‘Torch Song’ mix and a three minute edit unique to Argentina. None of these have been issued on CD, with the exception of the Jellybean dance mix which turned up on the 1990 CD single of the Ben Liebrand Mix of Englishman In New York.
If you wanted to include 1994 remixes of this track with ‘your’ deluxe (not sure I would…) you can find a least a further five versions including a ten minute ‘A Brothers In Rhythm Soundtrack’ remix. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free had a non-album B-side called Another Day, so one single in and we’ve got potentially TEN tracks for inclusion in a deluxe set!
Similarly, the follow-up, Love Is The Seventh Wave, was remixed for both seven-inch and twelve-inch backed with a live version of Consider Me Gone.
Russians and Moon Over Bourbon Street both had new B-sides (Gabriel’s Message and The Ballad of Mack The Knife, respectively) and the former was issued in Australia as a ‘Special Tour Souvenir’ seven-inch double-pack which included a Night Mix Medley which was audio taken from Bring On The Night (this also appeared on the Japanese 12″ of Shadows in the Rain).
Fortress Around Your Heart didn’t really offer up any new material when released at the time, but Hugh Padgham did remix it for the When We Dance single in 1994 so that is certainly worthy of inclusion.
While we’re ‘in’ the early nineties, one of my favourites from Dream of the Blue Turtles, We Work The Black Seam – a single in Germany – was completely re-recorded in 1993. This is a classic example of a fantastic Sting rarity that’s all but obscured by the passing decades and the fact that it was hard enough to find at the time! We Work The Black Seam (1993) only ever appeared in two places: the B-side of the UK seven-inch of Fields of Gold and on the US CD single of If I Ever Lose My Faith In You. It didn’t even have the ‘1993’ suffix on the UK release! Anyway, that is certainly worth including even if we are time-shifting a little bit.
Finally, five tracks from The Dream Of The Blue Turtles were remixed for Sting’s 25 Years 4-disc anthology that was issued in 2011 (photos here). The box was a fantastic missed opportunity, since it was largely just an inflated greatest hits with virtually nothing in the way of rarities, but these remixed tracks are an exception. All five should be included on a deluxe Blue Turtles, but hey, since there is only ten tracks on the album, why not ‘finish’ it off and have a completely remixed version as a bonus disc?
Sting is an artist that clearly likes to look forward (Don’t Stand So Close to Me ’86 not withstanding). The anthologies that have been issued for both The Police (Message in a Box) and his solo work (25 Years) have offered virtually nothing for die-hard fans and surely it’s about time someone persuaded him to loosen up and offer up some goodies via expanded editions of his long-players. Deluxe reissues are an opportunity to celebrate after all and Sting has created a superb body of work over the last 30 years or so. Not wishing to issue scratchy guitar demos is one thing, but leaving b-sides, remixes, alternate versions, and live performances exclusive to old vinyl and CD singles and is bordering on the perverse.
Anyway, if you’d like to see a deluxe edition of The Dream of the Blue Turtles, leave a comment encouraging Sting and his management to get on with it. In the meantime here is what an SDE deluxe of the album might look like. Obviously you could add 5.1, and videos and perhaps even combine with Bring On The Night for a Super Deluxe Edition!
What they could have issued – The SDE Deluxe Edition of “The Dream of the Blue Turtles”*
*CAUTION: product doesn’t actually exist.
Disc 1 – Original album mx (remastered)
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free 4.14
Love Is the Seventh Wave 3.30
Russians 3.57
Children’s Crusade 5.0
Shadows in the Rain 4.56
We Work the Black Seam 5.40
Consider Me Gone 4.21
The Dream of the Blue Turtles 1.15
Moon over Bourbon Street 3.59
Fortress Around Your Heart 4.48
Disc 2 – B-sides, Remixes and Edits
Another Day 3.59
Gabriel’s Message 2.10
The Ballad Of Mack The Knife 2.43
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (edit) 3.01
Love Is The Seventh Wave (New Mix edit from 7″) 3.47
Consider Me Gone (Live – Mogador, Paris 1985) 4.45
I Burn For You (Live Mogador, Paris 1985) 4.35
“Night Mix” (Medley) 4.49
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (jellybean dance mix) 8.0
Love Is The Seventh Wave (New Mix from 12″) 4.5
Fortress Around Your Heart (Argentinan edit) 2.59
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (special dance remix) 4.18
We Work The Black Seam (1993) 6.0
Fortress Around Your Heart (Hugh Padgham Remix) 4.10
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (william orbit / torch song mix) 4.52
Disc 3 – Dream of the Blue Turtles (2011 remixes, with the other tracks remixed to complete the album)
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (2011 remix) 4.14
Love Is the Seventh Wave (2011 remix) 3.30
Russians 3.57
Children’s Crusade 5.0
Shadows in the Rain 4.56
We Work the Black Seam 5.40
Consider Me Gone (2011 remix) 4.21
The Dream of the Blue Turtles 1 15
Moon over Bourbon Street (2011 remix) 3.59
Fortress Around Your Heart (2011 remix) 4.48
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ok this june it will be the 35th anniversary of STING’S first masterpiece solo album the dream of the blue turtles and still no remaster or SDE compilation! is it really any skin off sting’s back to authorise such a release? after all hes not shy with making money!
is there any better sounding versions of the original album out there? has the album ever really been remastered? or is this just a music industry con? here’s hoping…
The MSFL CD is the best sounding version. No it won’t be reissued because Sting has no interest in doing so (for whatever reason).
I just listened to the original edition CD from 1985 and wondered why on earth this has never been remastered – I’m well familiar with the “loudness wars”, but the original is quieter than the following “…Nothing Like The Sun…”, and as cited here there’s an opportunity to expand and include the enjoyable “Another Day”, etc. So, BUMP to this thread basically.
A&M I know you’re asleep at the wheel, but how much effort could it take to just remaster the studio tracks? Include “Bring On The Night” perhaps? Make it a 2CD release? This is still his second most popular album on streaming services from what I can glean.
Hi Chrispy what do you mean the ” loudness wars” please explain? :)
Yes please!
As to Dan’s comment about William Orbit being the original producer of Stings first solo album, that is absolutely correct. I was a huge fan of The Police in high school, and I remember reading an article about the recording sessions in a Rolling Stone article in 1984. I distinctly remember it because it was the first time I had heard of William Orbit, who I later became a fan of.
I don’t know how many songs they completed in those sessions — all I know is the that they scrapped everything except the original recording “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”, which they ended up releasing on the 12-inch as “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free [Torch Mix]”.
If it were up to me, I’d make it 6 disc set – adding the 2-disc live album Bring On The Night, as well as a blu-ray containing Michael Apted’s film of the same name with the videos from the album. Perhaps there might even be some other footage that would fit on there as well. If not, I’d like to fantasize an hour-long fly-on-the-wall style present day conversation between Sting and his Blue Turtles band mates looking back at that album. It could even lead to some concerts to promote it. But that’s probably a long shot given Sting’s attitude about looking back at his work. Which is too bad, given the nature of his re-releases to date. I’ll take a thoughtful retrospective over a quick cash grab any day!
Some good templates to emulate include the recent deluxe box sets for Peter Gabriel’s SO (http://amzn.to/2b7b7CZ) and Paul Simon’s GRACELAND (http://amzn.to/2b7behF).
Latest Sting Dsicography – 1370 tracks !
http://stingme.dk/Sting%20Discography.pdf
Sting,
I have EVERYTHING you have released in 5.1. The early 5.1 releases trump the latter as far a surround mixes. Do it RIGHT henceforth and release and RE-release ANY and ALL forthcoming MUSIC in hi-Rez, discrete 5.1…that is aggressive 6 separate – or hey even 8-channel surround sound via BLURAY (7.1)/hybrid, multi-SACD (5.1) COMBO or each separately AND/or on DVD-A. All in hi-Rez. All in stereo and SURROUND! We don’t live in 2D, so surround us with your art – all of it including the Police years – no more faux 5.1 (e.g. “Synch II” et al). Sell it and they will come – and buy it.
Cheers mate!
A well-compiled and remastered deluxe version of his solo catalogue would be a Day-1 purchase for me (and yes, I already have all his normative releases, on CD and record).
Maybe to coincide with the release of his duo with french singer Mylène Farmer ? ;-)
[…] and earn him next to nothing. Er, no thanks. Hence we haven’t seen a 30th anniversary Dream of the Blue Turtles reissue and none of The Police‘s albums have ever been celebrated with individual deluxe or […]
At least the 12 tracks from the dvd release that was not put to the cd:
01 Bring On The Night
02 The Flinstones
03 Consider Me Gone
04 Driven To Tears
05 Shadows In The Rain [Live]
06 Fortress Around Your Heart [Live]
07 We Work The Black Seam [Studio and live mix]
08 I Burn For You [Live Mogador Paris]
09 Childrens Crusade [Studio and live mix]
10 Need Your Love So Bad [Live]
11 Roxanne [Live]
12 Down So Long Set Them Free Demolition Man [Live]
Ken
I made a playlist with the following songs, and that will satisfy my desire for a deluxe edition:
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free 4.14
Love Is the Seventh Wave 3.30
Russians 3.57
Children’s Crusade 5.02
Shadows in the Rain 4.56
We Work the Black Seam 5.40
Consider Me Gone 4.21
The Dream of the Blue Turtles 1.15
Moon over Bourbon Street 3.59
Fortress Around Your Heart 4.48
Another Day 3.59
Gabriel’s Message 2.10
The Ballad Of Mack The Knife 2.43
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (Jellybean dance mix) 8.00
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (William Orbit / torch song mix) 4.52
Love Is The Seventh Wave (New Mix from 12″) 4.05
Consider Me Gone (Live – Mogador, Paris 1985) 4.45
I Burn For You (Live – Mogador, Paris 1985) 4.35
I honestly don’t need an official Super Deluxe Edition if nothing new is added (demos, rehearsals, unreleased live recordings or unreleased period alternative mixes). Sadly, today’s trend of compiling SDE of any album is to gather all (and not always) the previously released material related to the album in object and put it together in a box.
If all the material is still easily available, like Sting’s case, it’s not really that difficult to create your own SDE programming a playlist. That’s what i did for The Dream Of The Blue Turtles.
Hi there my friend. I have submitted a similar proposal to Sting’s management, with whom I have a good friendship and collaboration (for example I have been asked to give a list of people/fans to invite at Il Palagio, Sting’s house in Tuscany, for a private show on September 11th 2001). My suggestion was a 4 disc set intitled ‘The Dream Of The Blue Turtles + 30’, that means 30 years as well as 30 bonus tracks.
You already know the reply.
Giovanni from Milano
Interesting. The next time they ask you who to invite to Sting’s house you know how to get hold of me ;)
One of the rarest tracks I ever had trouble finding was the radio version of “Nothing Bout Me”. It had horns in it and I liked it better than the album version and only heard it once. But I knew I heard it. I spent a decade tracking that down. Finally found it. Can’t remember what the official title was (as I’m not at home and can’t look it up).
Totally agree and would totally invest in a re-release. I remember hunting down all those CD Singles and collecting every Sting track known to man. Good times.
I wouldn’t include “We Work The Black Seam (1993) 6.0” on the Dream re-release though. While the song was written for Dream, it was recorded during the Ten Summoner’s Tales sessions and therefore would be out of place sound-wise.
Hi, here is some inspiration – The Sting Discography.
Go visit my page and at the top there is a link to a pdf download.
Ken
Hi, here is my latest Sting Discography. pdf 10.06.2105.
Go to http://www.stingme.dk and you will find the pdf to download.
Ken
Ken, I have used your discography many a time. Thank you for all your hard work!
It’s ok, we just have to prime the pumps, because the TRULY SPECTACULAR anniversary remaster, reissue bonus super deluxe vinyl hdcs blu-ray would be “Bring on the Night”, the live album from the tour with Branford and the gang!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi from Russia!
Great idea, Paul, thanx. I’m in. And of course I need 5.1 Blu-Ray or SACD of this great album!
MFSL did a remaster of this album as well as Nothing Like The Sun. This album sounded nearly identical to the standard a&m release, perhaps due to the digital recording done at the time, though I believe Love is The Seventh Wave had a howl at the end that was not on the original.
Perhaps this is why a full remix was done for the box, though I found the stripped down 2012 remixes to sound a bit raw, or in actuality, too clean that it seemed more like rough mixes, with the exception of Consider Me Gone, they did not really improve anything, in fact most of them made me think Sting needed to clear his throat. I did however like the 1994 remix of fortress done for the USA edition of Fields Of Gold.
I’m a great fan of Sting since the early 80’s. His concert in Rio in 1987 was fantastic and for me he was on his best moment. That mix of pop and jazz really opened my mind and helped me to refine my opinion about popular music. In addition of the rare versions, “Another Day” is a fantastic tune and it’s a pity that the studio version was never released on digital audio. Please Sting, let Paul release the special edition of this fantastic album and fix this three decade of injustice with one of your best songs.
Meh. I’m already tired of the parade of “30th anniversary” reissues. Imagine if our parents had been buying multiple reissues of old Benny Goodman albums when we were kids—we’d have thought they were nuts!
I say leave this album alone, at least in terms of remastering. It was never a bad-sounding record to begin with.
If a deluxe edition were to be released, I’d say a proper mastering of the album (like MFSL does—i.e., without added compression), plus a bonus disc. But skip the 12″ mixes—very few 1980s 12″ mixes were all that notable after 1982 or 1983—and focus on live tracks, alternate mixes, or even a proper Bring on the Night soundtrack (“Flintstones…Meet the Flintstones…” “Yeah, he started singin’ in the wrong key!”).
Better yet, how about a proper reissue of The Soul Cages WITHOUT all that Qmix crap that rendered it mostly unlistenable?
I’d be interested in buying this – subject to price!
This is especially interesting to me because “The Dream Of The Blue Turtles” is one of my favorite albums of all time. No fooling! I settled for the 1998 digitally remastered version, including an enhanced cd video version of “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”. But, I have always dreamed of a MAJOR remastering of this album, which sold 3 million copies in the United States alone. Sting has always put out phenomenal b-sides, and at this point, the only way to own the brilliant studio version of “Another Day” is to own the 7″ single or own the Extended Mix of “…Set Them Free’ which I bought back in the 1980’s (on cassette–it was a Canadian import). Plus, there is the video remix version of “Love Is The Seventh Wave”, which is far superior than the album version, and you can only get it with the 12″ single (which as you probably guessed I also have). I was hoping that such things would pop up on “25 Years”, but no such luck. So, I wait… and wait…
Oooh… I like this topic – it’s got me thinking about a good number of albums which I’d love to see re-released as super deluxe sets.
I’d start off by doing a proper job of The Chameleons’ second album ‘What Does Anything Mean? Basically’. The 2CD set from a few years ago was let down by its inclusion of the second disc featuring only demos from the period – no live tracks, no b-sides – and frankly poor packaging. I’d love to see that release handled with a little more “care”.
Seriously, continuing the conversation from last week, Sting is the artist who needs the complete CD singles boxset. There was also a 7″ jelleybean remix of “If You Love Somebody” that was released as a promo in the USA.
I have a small CD single of Englishman in New York which is great. It includes Someone to Watch Over Me and Up From The Skies with Gil Evans And His Orchestra. The 10 minutes of Up From The Skies is worth alone putting out …Nothing Like The Sun in a deluxe format.
Sting listen to your fans and put out those early records out in deluxe formats and dig into the vaults for something really special. Do the same for the Police, it would be appreciated.
Yes please! I LOVE that album.
Guess what, folks. Sting could care less. I loved the man for 35 plus years and have lots of those rare cd tracks you guys have mentioned above. And I too wanted a deluxe box set with demos, out takes, etc. But it has long since dawned on me that the man himself could care less. His many projects over the last few years, with the exception of the Last Ship, have been rehashes of his catalog songs. I got disgusted watching him having to read the lyrics of Fragile off a TelePrompTer.
I think the remixes of Turtles were great but I don’t expect anything to come of it. And I really don’t care. YouTube has brought many, many amazing remixes and demos that I enjoy, maybe download, and move on. I hope I’m wrong, but don’t hold your breath for any anniversary sets. The 25 was a huge letdown
I think you meant to say he couldn’t care less which would be correct. It’s not as if he needs the money is it ?
Yes exactly. Thanks for the correction.
On the CD-single
“Englishman In New York [The Ben Liebrand Mix] [CDS]” from 1990
you can find
“If You Love Somebody Set Them Free [Dance Mix] (1985)” 7:58
Remixed by Jellybean !
A&M Records – 390 562-2
Yes, sure, and it is also a very well mastered cd edition, long before the loudness war even started.
I believe an eventual deluxe edition would hardly sound that good.
I guess it’s better sticking with the older sources for the ‘extra’ tracks, because if a deluxe edition ever turns up we could be very disappointed by its sound quality.
Indeed… I did reference that in the article :)
Hey there,
Thanks so much for the tip, and insight, I have already purchased this after reading your post!
Couldn’t believe my eyes, that I would finally be owning the Jellybean extended version of this song.
Kind regards,
Chris
I love every Sting album up until Brand New Day but after that he has been rubbish with all those stupid collaborations and The Last Ship was dreadful unless you like that kind of thing. I must say though his masterpiece was Nothing Like The Sun an amazing album. He had the perfect opportunity when that 25 years box set was released to include rare stuff like b sides or remixes but never bothered.
I’m glad you’re pushing for this, as it’s obvious there’d be a great demand for deluxe treatments of much of this music. It’s admirable to look forward, but as you say, he’s created a tremendous body of work.
I’m with you Michael. I am sure we’d have a great time talking music. My first reaction was 30 years ??? Wow. Great album, one I have since been able to find with a West Germany pressed disc. Any used CD store always has a ton of Sting. I even have the MFSL disc from a used bin for next to nothing. Regardless, I would happily pick up a deluxe edition of this with the b-sides, mixes, etc. I loved the Police and then this came along. Borrowed the LP from the town library and recorded to cassette, making my own cover. Picking up 7″ singles for the b-sides and taping them. Then came Bring on the night, broadway, amnesty stuff, Sting was on fire during this period and to hear the jazz opened up a whole new world for me at that age. Would be a welcome deluxe ed.
Sting back catalogue is criminally neglected. I think it probably has something to do with how busy he is with other projects/commitments. He is a person who excercises a great deal of control, so most likely he is not keen on handing this over for someone else to do, but would rather be involved himself.
Having said all that, I would love to see a comprehensive reissue compain of all his albums. The Dream of the Blue Turtles tracks in the 25 box sounded great, and I always wondered if the rest of the album was remixed at the same time. It would have been silly not to, but who knows?
Let’s face facts and sorry to be a gloom merchant but this is not going to happen in the foreseeable future christ we still haven’t had a DVD with all his videos yet.
Good point regarding a complete video compilation on DVD. That’s another one I have been waiting for.
I was seventeen in 1985 and that year was and remains my favourite year musically. Releases 85 included: Arcadia “So Red The Rose”, The Power Station “The Power Station”, Dire Straits “Brothers In Arms”, Bryan Ferry ” Boys And Girls”, Dead Or Alive “Youthquake”, The Cult “Love”, Tears For Fears Songs From The Big Chair” and of course Sting’s fantastic “The Dream Of The Blue Turtles”.
I have been waiting and waiting and continue to wait for this to get a loving remaster. Please Sting, let’s do this.
It was a really good year, wasn’t it? Don’t know about anyone else, but I always think Blue Turtles was earlier than it actually was. In my mind I have it down as ‘early’ eighties but of course it was right slap bang in the middle.
Yes this would be a worthy expended edition. But one more track must be added. The Video Mix of “Fortress”. That mix is longer than the album version with the intro much longer.
Lesson to all budding career pop/rock stars….take more notice of what’s being released under your name, because in 20 years the fans are going to remember even if you are not!
I totally agree with Paul S. about some acts’ attitudes to back catalogue – if they weren’t precious about B-sides and stuff back in their pomp, why try and rewrite their own history now.
The Jellybean remix of If You Love Somebody Set Them Free is wonderful in my opinion, the William Orbit Torch Song Mix not so much, always in my opinion.
Anyway, i would include both of them.
I would also include Another Day (incredible song, maybe the best of the whole session), Gabriel’s Message and The Ballad Of Mack The Knife, and i would also include Love Is The Seventh Wave New Mix (only the longer one).
The live version of Consider Me Gone, even if different than the one on Bring On The Night, doesn’t differ much from the other one, so i don’t feel the need to include it.
Where can be found I Burn For You (Live Mogador, Paris 1985)? I don’t remember it as part of any period 7” or 12” single.
All the other ones i would not include, sorry.
In particular, the new mixes released for the 25 Years collection add nothing to the table, in my opinion of course.
I Burn For You (Live) is from the Russians 12″, and a great version it is, too!
All the songs you mention would be great on a reissue!
I don’t understand the craziness of having all the existing remixes. It has been always a question for me why labels make DJs to remix a track, which rarely is played on radios (due to the lengths) . I once had the chance to ask Sting himself, sometime in the early 90 in Argentina about b-sides and remixes. He said that he was completely unaware of who is doing the remixes. He was unaware of the release of singles and unaware of how the label fills the B-side of the single or the bonus tracks on the CDs. He also seemed to not remember one of the b-sides (a studio track) from the Soul Cages album. I think the track (instrumental in this case) was just something picked up by the sound engineers while Sting was jamming in the studio. So, for me, filling up deluxe editions with remixes in which the artist is not involved is a rip off. Therefore, I only like those recordings in which the artists has been working, even if it was co-produced by a DJ. But if the remix was done while Sting was drinking tea at home, why is it so important for fans?
I would prefer to have demos or whatever that shows the artistic process or live stuff (if the known songs sound something different). I also like ‘sound check ‘ recording that used to appear as B-side many times during the CD single era. But I still respect that others expect differently from an upgraded edition of an old album. Anything that adds artistically will be welcome.
It’s so important to fans because that is what they bought at the time, and that is what they listened to. If Sting wasn’t paying attention to what was going on that’s his lookout to be honest. It doesn’t mean it’s okay to rewrite history and decide on behalf of your fans what is important and what isn’t. The Jellybean remix of If You Love Somebody Set Them Free was released under his name. Anyway, artists need to get over themselves with reissues. They are for FANS not for them. Sting isn’t going to buy his own releases, so it’s not supposed to be what HE would like, it’s supposed to be compiled to please fans, so they will buy it.
Paul, you hit the nail on the head. Many times we hear apologists say, “If the artist doesn’t care, it’s his/her prerogative that a reissue doesn’t happen.” Fair enough. An artist should have some control over the dissemenation of their work.
That said, as you rightly point out, these reissues aren’t for the gratification of the artists, who often don’t listen to their old work anyway. It’s for the fans. It’s the fans who want it, and the fans who buy it.
A different discussion is whether to aim for a broad market or a narrow market, but honestly, which of these artists hasn’t had a handful of pointless Best Of compilations put out already. Do labels believe the general public cares about a reissue of an album they allowed to go out of print 30 years ago? Probably not. It’s the fans! Take care of the fans, please.
Paul,
I may be mistaken about some of the following comments, but this is how I remember things from my 16 year old 1985 brain.
The Torch Song version of If You Love Somebody was a William Orbit produced recording and not a remix of the Pete Smith produced album track. That explains the rock instead of jazzy sound of the recording. I do not know if there are any other William Orbit produced recordings, but I would definitely like to hear any that exists. I remember bits of a story about William Orbit being the original album producer and Sting not being happy with the sound, but that may be completely wrong. Hey my memory 30 years on…who knows?
A few other tracks worth including in a SDE are other Sting recordings that have been released and were recorded at the time (85-86) including Russians live (Grammy’s Greatest Moments), Down So Long live with Jeff Beck (Live! For Life) and the Sting’s haunting interpretation of Strange Fruit (Rock For Amnesty).
Reaching here…no one else mentioned and none may want the audio recordings from Live Aid (possibly including Money For Nothing) and better yet the solo (pre-Police reunion) Conspiracy of Hope Amnesty shows. Since Amnesty already made their money off of the 86 Police reunion tapes, these will never otherwise see the legit light of day.
On a side note there’s all those Sting concerts released either to video or networks. How about audio versions of those? Soundtrack to the Bring On the Night documentary (1985), which are not just completely different recordings but different songs than the Bring On the Night double live CD, HBO’s Sting live in Japan (1988), Unplugged (1991), Soul Cages Concert (1991), 40th Birthday live at the Hollywood Bowl (1991), BBC/PBS’s title escapes me Sting live (1993), Brand New Day live Universal Amphitheater (1999), A Winter’s Night live from Durham Cathedral (2009), The Last Ship live at the Public Theater (2013).
Now for the hate from the rest of those that comment…let me tell you what I don’t want in a Blue Turtles SDE.
The videos. I doubt I’d watch them even once, unless the video mix of Love is the 7th Wave is not included in the audio. The long video of Fortress Around Your Heart? Mr. Sting, Mr. Sting, wakey wakey! Shoot me. There’s no Sledgehammer there.
Please sell the 5.1 separate. I don’t want to have to pay for those in a box set. I own a 5.1 Nothing Like the Sun DTS that was released in the early 2000’s. I listened to it once. Fun. Once. Immortals may have the time to sit around a zone out to albums that they have heard 100’s of times but now in exciting 5.1!!! But I, as a grown man with a job and a family, do not. Please convince the record companies to not make me pay for 5.1 in a box set. Release that stuff exclusively separately, and charge what it takes to make a profit. Everybody comes out ahead.
I’m sure he took notice when the The Ben Liebrand Mix of Englishman in New York got to number 15 considering the original release in 1988 flopped and only got to number 51.
Er… Where can i buy that? :)
All of Sting’s albums are great, so deluxe re-issues (as per that Paul’s imaginary listing) is a must buy for me!!!
I’d absolutely get this! But here’s the question: Is there anyone at home at UME? I know for a fact that they have little or no respect for their catalogue & potentially lucrative re-releases. They’ve fired a lot of people who worked on these despite the fact they still bring in a high percentage of UME revenue year after year after year. They disrespect the heritage radio stations they used to work with to promote these, concentrating mostly on current pop product. That’s not the case as much at other labels, like Sony Legacy. It starts at the top & UME brass aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer when it comes to their catalogue.
I too, would be delighted at the thought of potentially owning a deluxe version of this album. We can only Dream in Blue!
I love the “specials” from Sting! My most loved cd-single is “This Cowboy Song”
1. This Cowboy Song (remix featuring Pato Banton) 4:02
2. If You Love Somebody set… (Brothers In Rhythm Edit) 4:17
3. If You Love Somebody Set… (Brothers In Rhythm Soundtrack) 11:32
4. Demolition Man (Soulpower Edit) 3:41
Number 3 and 4 are 5-stars-superb!
This single is from 1995. It was 20 years ago…
Hope he will bring this versions (and all the others) back to his fans!
Looks good and another vote for 5.1 please.
His albums have been released on a&m now universal when I remember correctly and this label wasn’t interested in re releasing remastered cds. Bryan adams chris de burgh styx etc.wasn’t chris rea also on a&m? Might not blame sting then.
Have been waiting for Sting reissues as well. At the time of the Police reunion I recall a ‘plan’ to issue the excellent Police Around the World video on DVD but it never happened.
They didn’t even release the remasters that came out ~1998 in the US…
I’d pick this up in a heartbeat!
A very good idea. Let us hope someone is listening/reading. Sting in highrez would really be something I would love to buy.