SDE Reissue Preview for 2021
Welcome to SDE’s now traditional peek into the future as far as physical music reissues and box sets are concerned.
The usual provisos apply. This post will start off with things we know about – confirmed releases for the early part of 2021 – and then morph slowly into a smorgasbord of educated guesses, speculation, conjecture, near certainties and perhaps even a bit of wishful thinking. Enjoy!
JANUARY 2021 (view on the SDE release calendar)
I guess the first thing to say is that compared to previous years, this January is looking fairly quiet in terms of already announced projects. This time in 2020, we had fifteen or sixteen reissues or box sets in the list and as you can see below, there’s significantly less than that right now. This is undoubtedly down to the COVID19 pandemic, with projects being pushed back due to uncertainties around lead times for vinyl (for example). There’s still some good things to look forward to though, including Steven Wilson‘s The Future Bites finally coming out and the massive John Mayall box set which looks tremendous.
Reissues, box sets and albums of interest in January include:
- Marc Almond / The Stars We Are deluxe edition
- David Bowie / Station to Station 45th anniversary vinyl
- Steven Wilson / The Future Bites (new album)
- John Mayall / The First Generation 1965-1974 box set
- Morrissey & David Bowie / Cosmic Dancer 7″ (UK link • US link)
- PJ Harvey / Is This Desire? (demos/album reissue)
- Bob Marley / Songs of Freedom (box set)
- Paul McCartney / McCartney III (Japan CD with bonus tracks)
- Eminem / Music to be Murdered by Side B (2CD set) (UK link • US link)
- The Doors / 13 vinyl reissue
FEBRUARY 2021 (view on the SDE release calendar)
February is a bit more like it, with Level 42, Black Sabbath and The Band box sets all on the schedule. The Bob Dylan 1970 ‘Copyright Collection’ is also one to look forward to, as is the continuation of PJ Harvey‘s reissue campaign.
Reissues, box sets and albums of interest in February include:
- Foo Fighters / Medicine at Midnight (new album)
- Gene / Riding For Sunset (black vinyl)
- Nancy Sinatra / Start Walkin’ 1965-1976 (compilation)
- Black Sabbath / Vol 4 (box sets)
- Phil Collins / Face Value (vinyl pic disc)
- The Band / Stage Fright (50th anniversary reissue)
- Bob Dylan / 50th Anniversary Collection: 1970
- Level 42 / The Complete Polydor Years 1980-1984 (box set)
- Classix Nouveaux / The Liberty Recordings 1981-1983 (4CD box)
- PJ Harvey / Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (reissue)
- The Black Crowes / Shake Your Money Maker (reissue)
- 10cc / Essential (3CD set)
MARCH 2021 (view on the SDE release calendar)
A few months after the CD was released, Reprise Records issue their £100 vinyl album – a 50th anniversary reissue of Neil Young‘s After The Goldrush. If you’re a fan and you’ve also ordered the Archives II box, then it will be an expensive month. Make that an expensive year, because Young is planning a series of six official ‘bootleg’ albums for 2021. In his words, this will be a “mass release” of classic bootleg albums from his original masters, which will start with Carnegie Hall 1970. The five others will be “real close” behind. He’s releasing them like this because “there are many more things waiting in the wings”. Of course, we know to take anything Neil Young says with a cupful of salt. Sting‘s delayed Duets probably won’t be worth the wait, but the Al Stewart box sounds very promising.
Reissues, box sets and albums of interest in March include:
- Neil Young / Archives Vol II ‘retail edition’
- Japan / Quiet Life reissue
- Sting / Duets
- Neil Young / After The Goldrush 50th anniversary vinyl
- Al Stewart / Year of the Cat (box set)
- Luke Haines / Setting the Dogs on the Post Punk Postman
APRIL 2021 & BEYOND
The John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album will be released as an ‘Ultimate Mixes’ box set, with an enormous amount of outtakes and George Harrison‘s All Things Must Pass has been remixed and will be reissued this spring.
While on the subject of former Beatles, with McCartney III out of the way, there’s a good chance we will see more archive reissues from Paul McCartney. The clever money is on London Town and Back to the Egg. They were released consecutively in 1978 and 1979 and if there were indeed reissued, it would mean that every Paul McCartney solo or Wings album up to 1983’s Pipes of Peace has been released (although of course a few after that have also been tackled). Having said all of that, Press to Play is 35 in August, so that cannot be entirely ruled out although I’d be very surprised if McCartney gave his 1986 flop much priority. Talking of flops, Give My Regards To Broad Street has the potential to be a great archive reissue if Paul could acquire or license the rights to the film, but again despite the success of the soundtrack, it’s hard to know whether enough time has passed for him to look back fondly on this enterprise and shrug off the critical panning the film received.
And as for the The Beatles, we know that the Let It Be happy-cut, The Beatles: Get Back, is scheduled for August by Disney. One presumes Universal Music will be given permission by Apple to reissue Let It Be for a belated 50th anniversary edition. If so, expect a new Giles Martin stereo mix, plenty of outtakes, a 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mix and an accompanying book. I can’t see how it will contain either version of the film, since Disney will have its own plans for the post-theatrical release roll out (think home video and Disney+) which surely won’t include bundling it as ‘disc four’ of a music box set.
2021 is the 40th anniversary of Duran Duran‘s self-titled debut and although Nick Rhodes confirmed to SDE that he and John Taylor have been “going through some of the old tapes for the anthology that we’re planning at some point”, it’s not clear whether anything will come out this year. It seems unlikely. The long-awaited new album is in the can, so that will be the priority, although the group will not release it if they are unable to play live and despite confirmation of a London Hyde Park ‘British Summer Time’ headlining slot, nothing is a safe bet yet, due to the worrying situation in the UK with the COVID-19 pandemic. That could in turn open the door for some archival activity which other acts (The Divine Comedy being one) have found is a good use of ‘lockdown’ time.
A 1990s-era David Bowie box set will be released in 2021
The official David Bowie website has already confirmed – albeit in a rather convoluted manner – that a 1990s-era box set will be released in 2021. For most artists, you’d think, well, ‘that’s that’, but with the David Bowie Estate and Parlophone, you never know. We already have three Brilliant Live Adventures live albums coming soon, plus the 45th anniversary ‘random coloured vinyl’ Station to Station and no doubt they’ll be a least a couple of Record Store Day releases (although what the status of this year’s RSD event is anyone’s guess). Hunky Dory is 50 in December, although even Parlophone surely wouldn’t try to squeeze in a major ‘Conversation Piece’ type box right at the death of 2021. Some kind of special coloured vinyl anniversary edition seems more likely.
SWINE: Animals reissue held up by ‘relations’ between Waters and Gilmour being sub-optimal
Pink Floyd‘s Animals reissue is long overdue. As reported on SDE last year, Roger Waters said in a radio interview in 2018 that it had been mixed for 5.1 and even went into specifics of how Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell had new photos of Battersea Power Station for the cover. Speaking of Pink Floyd, whatever happened to the Analogue Productions SACD of The Dark Side of the Moon that was announced ages ago? It has been listed on the Acoustic Sounds website for at least 18 months and it still reads: ‘Arrival Date To Be Announced’! Since Roger Waters made some barbed remarks last year about David Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson – while complaining about not getting access to the official Floyd channels for promotion of his solo work – it’s probably fair to say he’s not in the Gilmour family’s lockdown ‘bubble’ and relations appear to be at an all time low. This is undoubtedly a major obstacle in the path of getting this reissue work completed. A 5.1 surround sound mix of The Wall, which James Guthrie said was in the works at the end of 2011 (!) still hasn’t emerged, so only a fool would hold their breath for anything that involves Gilmour and Waters having to come together to agree ‘things’.
Will Warners opt for Parade as the next Prince reissue?
Warners are on a great run with their Prince reissues. 2019’s 1999 was superb and last year’s Sign O’ The Times really upped the ante, in terms of content (and price). I have a feeling they will remain in the classic era of the 1980s and perhaps step back to the Parade album. Whatever happens, Michael Howe and team have a reputation for doing the job in a thoughtful and robust manner and another Prince reissue is an exciting prospect.
Cherry Red will continue with their recently kicked off Toyah reissue campaign. The Blue Meaning is next and the big one – 1981’s Anthem – should follow later this year.
Will U2 be tempted to revisit Achtung Baby for that album’s 30th anniversary in December? Apart from the always absent 5.1 surround sound mix, it’s hard to see how they could improve on the super and ‘uber’ deluxe editions from 2011.
a-ha‘s Scoundrel Days is 35 in October, and The Police‘s Ghost in the Machine is 40. Neither seems very likely to be reissued. The former already received a very comprehensive two-CD deluxe in 2010 and unless someone creates a 5.1 mix and/or brings together a DVD of videos, TV appearances and live performances – or creates a new stereo remix of the album – it’s hard to find a reason to do such a project. As for The Police… well, I give up, frankly. The rumours are that Universal have been ‘ready to go’ on various projects for years, only never to get the green light from all parties – perhaps one party in particular.
https://twitter.com/BlondieOfficial/status/1336713222196514816
At least the Blondie box set should happen in 2021. They announced it in late 2018 saying it was going to be released in 2019 – and then it wasn’t. Nothing happened in 2020 except that Debbie Harry posted on twitter at the very end of the year, telling us to “GET READY” for a Blondie Archival box in August 2021! That’s a weird month to release a box set, but we shall see.
What about Kate Bush? For what it’s worth, this year is the 35th anniversary of her compilation album The Whole Story, a collection that is in desperate need of updating (it only contains tracks from half of her entire output). It’s truly amazing that a major artist like Kate has had no compilations released into the commercial marketplace for over three decades! Especially when you consider that there have been large gaps with no new albums (for example, the 12 years between The Red Shoes and Aerial). In all probability, NOTHING will happen in 2021, but if that proves to be incorrect, it will be either a new album (it has been ten years since Director’s Cut and 50 Words For Snow) or an updated hits collection (hopefully with a DVD or blu-ray of restored promo videos). I don’t think Ms Bush will ever release the video footage of Before The Dawn, for what it’s worth, and while we all want a Hounds of Love box set it’s pretty clear that Kate doesn’t.
It’s been almost a couple of years since Universal Music Catalogue acquired the ZTT catalogue (and all assets). Late last year we saw the first official releases with standard CD and vinyl reissues of both Frankie Goes To Hollywood studio albums and the Bang! compilation, but expect to see some more interesting reissue activity in the next 12 months. You may think “what more can be released?” but don’t underestimate the breadth and depth of the ZTT archive. It should be interesting.
ABBA‘s last studio album, The Visitors, will undoubtedly get the 40th anniversary reissue treatment, probably late in 2021 to tie-in with the November 1981 release date. Expect the usual 2LP half-speed master, picture discs and seven-inch box set. Talking of ABBA, we’ve all been waiting for this new material. In April, it will be three years since they announced that they’d recorded two new songs. In 2019 Benny Andersson confirmed they’d written eight new songs and recorded five of them. The ‘Avatar’ tour project is now delayed until at least 2022, and although the new songs/album had been promised for 2021, it’s hard to see them wanting to do this while the world is in the grips of this global pandemic.
Howard Jones‘ last album for Warners, 1992’s In The Running, should complete Cherry Red’s reissue campaign this year and we will also see ‘Volume Two’ of the Level 42 Polydor Years box set which will follow-up the soon-to-be-released first volume.
SDE would love to see some proper Wham! or George Michael reissues, but this isn’t very likely. ‘Team GM’ seem to proceed at a pace that a snail in charge of ‘time and motion’ studies would have a problem with. Example? They’ve been ‘working’ on a vinyl reissue of the George’s 2014 Symphonica album for OVER A YEAR. This is an album that has already been issued on vinyl, which means that artwork exists, original stampers exist, the track listing exists, etc. So if it takes over a year to make this happen (and it still hasn’t been reissued), how long is it going to take them to put together, for example, a new product, like a Wham! anthology? This is putting to one side the wisdom of actually reissuing Symphonica in the first place. Do fans really want that above an Older vinyl reissue, for example?
Actually, Wham!’s The Final is 35 years old in 2021 and that would work really well as a super deluxe edition box set (of course, it was an early example of the form) but I can’t see it happening. David Austin’s stewardship of George Michael’s ‘legacy’ has not been impressive, thus far. We’ve had event-based projects such as the sycophantic ‘Freedom’ documentary (read the SDE review), the awful ‘Last Christmas’ film, the high profile flogging of George’s modern art collection but nothing in the way of reissues that offer a serious examination of THE MUSIC, whether that be based on an album, or an era.
Andrew Ridgeley’s book confirmed what, frankly, I always suspected, that GM was kind, generous and talented but also a contrary pain in the arse, at times; a controlling and challenging person to work with. The prevarication over the 2017 Listen Without Prejudice reissue dragged on for so long that George didn’t live to see it released. Of course, it is sad that George is no longer with us, but in later years it seemed as if he was incapable of making a decision and could often be a spanner in the works. That spanner has now been removed, but it sometimes feels as if Austin & co feel honour-bound to thrust it back in! It has now been over four years since George Michael’s untimely death and Sony must be frustrated. Someone needs to put together a roadmap of reissues and get to work.
After a ‘rest’ year in 2020, R.E.M.‘s reissue campaign should continue in 2021 with a 25th anniversary of the fine New Adventures In Hi-Fi album. This will be one to look forward to and while the content is normally predictable (remaster, demos, live, 5.1) the presentation isn’t, since the last three deluxe editions (Out of Time, Automatic For The People and Monster) have each been delivered in different styles and shapes of packaging. We will have to wait and see what Concord Music ‘do’ with New Adventures in Hi-Fi.
As usual, there will inevitably be plenty of releases that will come as if from nowhere, to surprise, delight (and maybe disappoint) us along the way. That’s part of the fun. If you are aware of some great impending reissue then leave a comment about it. Please enjoy expanding your physical music collection in 2021 and keep holding the music in your hands!
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For me 1991 was the year of the ‘Jellyfish’, so a 30th Anniversary vinyl box-set of the ‘Bellybutton’ album gathering together the demos, instrumentals and live recordings would be top!
+ of course ‘London Town’ and ‘Back To The Egg’… but let’s hope McCartney’s team can do it right! Pretty much all of the archive box sets could have been done better (with the exception of maybe ‘McCartney II’). ‘Back To The Egg’ should include demos recorded in Lympne Castle and the full gig that saw the version of ‘Coming Up’ released in 1980 on the flip of Paul’s solo studio recording of the same song, as well as the 1979 stand-alone Top 10 single ‘Goodnight Tonight’ in it’s Disco-12″ extended version (which I’m sure has not made it on to CD yet!!!)
For me 1991 was the year of the ‘Jellyfish’, so a 30th Anniversary vinyl box-set of the ‘Bellybutton’ album gathering together the demos, instrumentals and live recordings would be top!
+ of course ‘London Town’ and ‘Back To The Egg’… but let’s hope McCartney’s team can do it right! Pretty much all of the archive box sets could have been done better (with the exception of maybe ‘McCartney II’). ‘Back To The Egg’ should include demos recorded in Lympne Castle and the full gig that saw the version of ‘Coming Up’ released in 1980 on the flip of Paul’s solo studio recording of the same song, as well as the 1979 stand-alone Top 10 single ‘Goodnight Tonight’ in it’s Disco-12″ extended version (which I’m sure has not made it on to CD yet!!!)
Mark Ronson has been quietly working with the legendary Diana Ross on what will be her first all-new studio album in 22 years (her longest stretch ever). This is important because our icons are getting up in age (she’ll be 77 this March), and though she’s thrilled audiences for SIXTY YEARS, I’m sincerely hoping her last release (the soggy covers album I LOVE YOU) isn’t the ending career note from The Supreme Supreme.
I was wondering if Queen are planning any releases to mark their 50th anniversary this year?
I can’t believe I forgot the “very real” (we’ll see, right?) news of a KLF reissue campaign this year. Physical or digital only? Who knows. Considering the band “walked away from the music business” and “closed the door on the KLF story” long ago, I’d be happy to get digital releases of the many vinyl-only mixes they did.
My “dreamlist”:
The Beatles – Let It Be
Deep Purple – Made In Europe (deluxe edition)
Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers (deluxe edition)
Depeche Mode – Singles 81-21 (with new songs)
Dire Straits – Sultans Of Swing [1998] (vinyl edition)
Jethro Tull – A (book-edition with Wilson remix)
Jethro Tull – Benefit (book-edition with Wilson remix)
Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick (book-edition with Wilson remix)
Led Zeppelin – live album (https://www.loudersound.com/news/jimmy-page-hints-at-new-led-zeppelin-live-release)
Pink Floyd – Animals 5.1 mix
Pink Floyd – The Wall – concertfilm
Procol Harum – The Well’s on Fire (expanded edition)
Queen + Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rolling Stones – Voodoo Lounge (deluxe edition)
The Who – Who’s Next (50th anniversary edition)
Hi all,
Big thanks to the team at Super Deluxe Edition for all the Deluxe albums released to date!
Some of the historical recordings that I am most longing for would be:
Derek & The Dominos – Complete Fillmore Tapes/Concerts 1970
Free – Isle Of Wright Concert 1970
The Rolling Stones – “Ladies & Gentlemen” with expanded live 1972 tour recordings
Roxy Music – “VIVA” with expanded 1973 – 1975 live recordings
Santana – “Abraxas” with official Tanglewood 1970 recording (and others if available)
The Who – ANY LIVE 1969 > 1973 live concert recordings (particularly live Quadrophenia)
I consider these of historical significance due to the moments in time that they capture. For the majority of the bands listed here, these periods were often their most influential, creative, and authentic (with the band line-ups at the time being their absolute best….Claptopn, Kossoff, Taylor, Manzanera….). Any live recordings from these periods should be released while they can still be enjoyed, appreciated, and thoroughly cherished!
My reissue campaign to happen would be endless but as ever i’d start with Madonna!
Many of these won’t happen and many will though… I’d love new albums from…
ABBA
A-ha!
Tom Bailey
The B-52’s
Blondie (Final album)
Def Leppard
Duran Duran
Eurythmics
Happy Mondays
Human League
James
Kraftwerk
Level 42
Madness
Gary Numan (21 May)
Sinead O’Connor (2022)
The Prodigy
Soft cell
SWR (Shaun William Ryder)
Tears for fears
Then Jerico
I’m still waiting for:
Eurythmics (lots of previously unreleased material in CD and still BGM/Sony does not care about).
U2’s “Rattle And Hum” and “POP” deluxe !!!!
The Fixx back catalog remaster program.
I think my requests would be:
Big Country – Driving To Damascus box set
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down box set
Nik Kershaw – Radio Musicola expanded set
The Silencers must surely be due a reissue and remaster for their great output
Tears For Fears – Elemental
I just don’t understand why Janet Jackson hasn’t had any kind of deluxe editions. The colored vinyls and picture discs were nice last year, but most of the artwork looked horrible and the releases didn’t really feature any new content. She should take charge of her legacy.
Also, I hope the Madonna Like a Prayer deluxe box set finally happens this year.
And last but not least, Gloria Estefan needs some deluxe editions. The Into the Light colored vinyl was great, but it would be great to get some deluxe versions of her 80s output. Perhaps the abandoned Primitive Love deluxe 2CD could be revived?
I would love to Blur release a new album, that would be a real treat…
Also hoping for Smashing Pumpkins MACHINA reissue to finally appear…
Hope Super Furry Animals continue their stellar reissues with Rings Around The World…
Would love to see some kind of reissue program for The Flaming Lips more out there releases…particularly their 2011 EP releases, 24 hour Song etc…the years worth of releases could be presented on a Memory Stick in some kind of snappy box & booklet detailing the creative process etc…
[deceased]
It has been nearly three years since Robert Smith announced he had completed the Deluxe Edition for Wish. Paul – are you able to shed any light on its current status? Is there a reliable or even projected release date?
Paul, the countless replies to this post suggest that People’s Wishes and Needs might become a stand-alone section to your (already excellent and essential) site.
I subscribe most of what others have already wrote, and will make just one addition.
Genesis Boxes have gone deleted long ago and are now fetching stellar prices on the net. I think it’s about time for an album-by-album expanded and updated re-release. I am solely interested in their 1967-1978 output.
A last remark: I know many people love vinyl reissue. I respect their point of view, but I AM NOT GOING TO BUY reissues that mix CD/DVD/BR with vinyl and other obsolete formats.
Hi Paul and all your lovely followers. Just to let you know we have lots of releases planned for 2021/2022 including the long awaited Finn. Exact date TBC but likely to be after the CH tour in the summer (fingers crossed that actually happens)
Looking forward to it Will. I forgot to mention the new Crowded House album on the preview… very remiss.
Thanks Paul so much for all you do…..i always look forward to this list every year, especially all the comments from everyone…..my wishlist is as follows….
Bowie-A 90’s box may be interesting but I would love another box a la Conversation Piece….plus its time to start compiling the video archives….there is a ton of live footage out there….plus release the 5 Years/Last 5 Years docs in a nice set.
Roxy Music-For Your Pleasure box…..in fact the whole back catalog needs a revisit, with all the bells and whistles.
Queen-Since this is their 50th anniv with the official lineup, I hope we get something. I guess it will be the Miracle box. I rather see the long rumored Live Killers box with the 1979 Hammersmith show throw in. But for Christ’s sake, no new compilation!!!! We have enough of them!!!
Jethro Tull-Yes, to the Benefit book….would love to see a reissue of the Aqualung book for its 50th!!
Prince-Would love to see Parade or Around the
World In A Day deluxe….better yet Dirty Mind or Controversy
Talking Heads-Complete overhaul of the back catalog
Siouxsie/Banshees-Every year I hope that we get the long rumored Ever After complete singles collection complete with all the promos…..plus a deluxe version of Juju which had been talked about.
Hello, yes, more from siouxsie is on my wishlist. I would like to see The complete recordings box that I believe whas planned a few years ago. The same goes for echo and the bunnymen and Talk Talk. Best regards hans
1991 will be the 30th anniversary of Tin Machine II. Plenty of remixes, outtakes, concerts, and radio appearances to pull from to create a sensation Deluxe Edition.
I feel a little jipped that The Beatles’ Revolver wasn’t given the 50th anniversary treatment that Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road received. Maybe something at the end of the year to celebrate 55 years, once the Let it Be hoopla has passed.
As much as I would like Parade given a Deluxe treatment, I’d love it more if we could see Prince’s Batman Soundtrack get that kind of attention.
Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour 1978 box set should be out on 1st February
Wishing for a 10th anniversary reissue of Starsailer Love is Here- one of the best debut albums in recent memory
Sorry…meant 20th anniversary
I would love to see a full career Prefab Sprout super deluxe CD box set this year! All the albums were remastered for the vinyl re-releases last year, but CDs were strangely ignored… I suspect Paddy must feel the same way as Elvis C, but it didn’t prevent him using the medium for his remastered solo album.
Also, the box set would be the perfect home for his b-sides, previously unreleased archival tracks, and live recordings… Paddy could model the set on the fine example set by The Divine Comedy.
We will hopefully get some new Prefab material this year too, so does Paddy really need a better excuse than that to do his archive the full respect it needs?
Van Der Graaf Generator had their first LP released as an SDE in 2019 by Esoteric. I’m really hoping that they will continue with the rest of their catalogue.
Tears for Fears-Elemental would be essential right now. Let It Be without the new movie and older version seems like a missed opportunity. How about a deluxe Mott The Hoople set for the Columbia years with outtakes (yes I know we got one set from Columbia). Where is the deluxe Roxy Music For Your Pleasure?
I’ll continue to yearn for a reissue of A Life Full of Farewells by The Apartments, to go along with the previous reissues of Apartments albums The Evening Visits, Drift, and Fete Foraine.
@ Phil Cohen
Phil, re DP(O) legalities now settled. Is Made in Europe now a possibility? Fingers crossed!
Happy New Year! Here’s my deluxe etc wish-list for 2021:
ABC catalogue
Kate Bush new collection – 35 years!
Cocteau Twins
Depeche Mode Singles 1998-2018
Duran Duran especially ‘Rio’
Bryan Ferry Boys and Girls
Grace Jones Slave to the Rhythm
OMD new best of/singles to cover the ‘reunion’
Portishead deluxe issues
Scritti Politti Cupid and Psyche
Scritti Politti Provision
Seal debut
Yello compilation/Anthology
That should set me back a few $$$!
OMD have already had a best of that takes in their reunion. A 2CD set “Souvenir” was released in 2019 which included 40 of their singles from 1979 to 2019. https://www.discogs.com/OMD-Souvenir/release/14219779
That’s right Denail about OMD singles. You are undoubtly right !!!!
Sometimes people just wish things to happen but with a little surch they can discover the desire has already been relesed and NOT long ago !!!!! What a shame !!!!!
Neil that is a particularly spot on list! Well done!!!
Hey Paul,
what is the long box or booklet, pictured with Abba’s The Visitor’s Album and CD’s?
Just curious. haven’t seen that before.
Thanks in advance.
It’s the music book.
Ah ok. It’s a nice alternative cover, with more information in the frame.
Thanks for this report, by the way. Looks like a few additions for my collection.
Can’t add much to things already mentioned, but will definitely be buying the Beach Boys, Who and Prince boxes. Hope the Genesis Lamb box appears too…
Does anyone know what happened to Paul Simon’s Alternate Tunings album? This was a collection of some of his original demos. Six tracks were previewed as a download with the tour programme for his farewell tour in 2018. The full album was supposed to follow In The Blue Light, but since then, nothing.
Can I throw Electric Light Orchestra’s Out of the Blue into the mix? I would love to see a 6 x CD Super Deluxe Edition box set of this fantastic album and one of my all time favourites.
Metallica will be celebrating their 40th anniversary, as well as the 30th anniversary of the Black Album. I think it’s likely we get a SDE set like the first four albums, probably in the late summer or fall.
Very nice read, Paul.
My hopes for 2021:
Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell SDE. Loved the SACD’s they made of each album about 15 years ago – those short films were brilliant – still watch them every now and then. So let’s hope for a new film, retrospective essays, b-sides, later remixes from the remix albums, maybe some live shows, demos, etc…
For us Swedes 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of diLeva’s best album ‘Noll’. Would very much like a reissue of that one, perhaps as a 2-vinyl edition with b-sides and remixes.
The Cure’s ‘Wish’ of course…
Marilyn Manson reissue campaign would be glorious. His standout trilogy of ‘Antichrist Superstar’, ‘Mechanical Animals’ and ‘Holy Wood’ really must see new vinyl reissues. The latest reissues from some years back sell for obscene amounts of money…
Catherine Wheel’s ‘Wishville’ would be great. The other CW albums have been reissued, so this would be next. Or has it been released with me missing it?
Adorable’s debut was reissued a few years back. Maybe time for a reissue of ‘Fake’ as well?
Speaking of British ’90’s music – would love to see reissue campaigns of much-underrated acts Strangelove, Temple Cooper Clause, Puressence and South. Might not happen, but would be dearly welcome!
Definitely happening this year and looking very much forward to them:
SDE of Porcupine Tree’s magnificent ‘Deadwing’. If this year’s ‘In Absentia’ box set was anything to go by we’re in for a treat.
Bowie’s 90’s box set – will definitely pick that up.
New Order’s ‘Low Life’ Definitive Edition. ‘Movement’ and ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’ have been stellar, so very keen on the deluxe treatment for what I consider to be their masterpiece (when it comes to regular albums, nothing beats ‘Substance’).
Sure there are lots more in the works. Cheers!
Want Chung are reissuing their entire catalog this year. The first three albums in the spring and the last three in the fall.
I would pay serious money for a PSB multi-disc set of Please with all the official mixes, b-sides, demos etc.
Hope that Marillion – Fugazi will released this year. Maybe Sade will release a new album this year. The space with the question mark inside the vinyl box announce something like that. The 10 years between the last record now gone and this was the last time between two records.
Thanks Paul for your 2021 preview! Hopefully a year with beautiful releases for everyone to enjoy!
I’m looking forward to all Prince (related) released, from both WB and Sony!
Other vinyl reissue wishes:
REM – New Adventures In Hifi
George Michael – Older
Van Morrison – Back On Top
Paul Simon – Songs From The Capeman
Lewis Taylor – Lewis Taylor
Any change the last 3 will see a release this year?
New Crowded House album seems to be coming in February or March.
My never ending wet dream is Led Zeppelin’s Bootleg Series programme of live performances. Multi-cd volumes I-VI (1969-70-71-72-73 and -75).
od I wish Jimmy Page would do this, but I’m not sure he ever will. There were rumblings of a LZ streaming service a year or two ago that was rumored to have high quality unreleased live recordings. I would kill for this.
I just want a new studio album from the Fleetwood/McVie/McVie/Nicks/Finn/Campbell version of Fleetwood Mac!
My modest wish-list:
A Shot In The Dark – Same
Joe Egan – The map
Jakata – Light the night
Torch Song – Wish thing
Ian Thomas – Add water / Riders on dark horses and
Mike Rutherford – Smallcreep’s day as SDE
Good call on a Smallcreep’s Day SDE – especially if were to feature a 5.1 mix on (ideally) blu-ray.
I wonder if Esoteric have already tried to do this and been ignored/knocked back?
I’d particularly welcome a special edition of Japan’s Quiet Life and would welcome the same treatment for Gentlemen Take Poloroids and Tin Drum also. A Pink Floyd Animals box set would be a real dream as well. I wonder if there’s any chance of further Smiths boxsets to go alongside TQID? With stuff from Bowie and The Beatles as well this is going to be an expensive year! I look forward to reading your updates throughout the year Paul, and thanks for this article.
This long global lockdown ought to enable Mr Gore and Mr Gahan to formulate the next brand new Depeche Mode LP.So expect it late 2021 or Spring 2022.Probably come out when they can announce their next global tour.So Covid will need to be gone for good as they will not release anything if they cannot tour!I am guessing tons of touring acts will just wait until the crisis is officially at an end before releasing anything new.
Personally, I would love a remastered and restored reissue of the self titled album by ‘Peace and Love’ from 1970.
I would love to see something interesting done with Japan’s “Tin Drum”. But this remains a dream I fear…..
Re: Pet Shop Boys.
My interest over the decades has been sporadic. ‘Behaviour’ was the first album I bought before catching up with the earlier stuff. I then stopped at ‘Bilingual’ and didn’t buy ‘Nightlife’ because I hated ‘New York City Boy’ and the other singles from it. It was a decade before I caught up again realising that songs chosen for A side singles were generally inferior to the other album tracks and B-sides. I lost interest again after ‘Elysium’ but via Spotify & Audacity, I have (naughtily) burned my own versions of ‘Electric’, ‘Super’, ‘Agenda’ EP & ‘Hotspot’ plus related B-sides. I’d now really like to buy the official CD albums but I want the essential B-sides as well. So Paul, what do you think is more likely to happen in the future, re-released extended versions of the albums or an ‘Alternative’/’Format’ type of compilation covering the period 2013-2020?
I think they’re done with reissues for the foreseeable future, but perhaps a remix collection might happen. Outside remixes rather than the in-house PSB ones on ‘Further Listening sets’.
Time for my annual request/wish for a comprehensive Danny Wilson and associated acts (Gary Clark / King L / Transister / Swiss Family Orbison) collection.
So many b-sides…
Ones that mayish come about
Belinda Carlisle Live Your Life Album, released in 1991, she has done others in a box set with signed photo.
Simple Minds, Real Life, again released in 1991.
Per Gessle said in an interview, that he is looking at doing what they did with Look Sharp (boxset) with Joyride.
Adam & The Ants, Prince Charming released in 1981 (wishful thinking) – that would be another interview for Paul with Chris Hughes!
I hoped that Mike Oldfield would continue with his reissues, we are up to Islands, but nothing has happened for over 4 years!!
Enya Shepherds Moons was released in 1991, but I don’t believe there will be anything from Enya, bit like Kate Bush.
I hope Goldfrapps reissue of Felt Mountain happens.
I am also keeping fingers crossed for any INXS reissues, again we are promised a few years back something would happen
I would expect that Marillion would complete the release of their Fish era box sets with the release of Fugazi in 2021. I would not be surprised by the Rolling Stones releasing the studio album they teased one track from during 2020.
Two you didn’t mention that are supposedly coming soon:
CSNY Deja Vu 50th Anniversary Box == rumored coming from Rhino/Atlantic on April 2nd. Hopefully, it will include a full September ’69 Fillmore East show, featuring a lengthy, electric “Down By the River”.
Beau Brummels complete ’60s recordings — an 8-CD box set coming from Cherry Red. Will be great to have all of the ’60s stuff (hopefully including some previously unreleased stuff) under one roof!
Paul, please furnish whatever info you may have on these two releases — thanks!
This may be just wishful thinking but this crisis has given Benny and Bjorn more than enough spare time to meet up for some serious song-composing.All they need is about 6 more decent songs to add to what they have already done and voila they have a whole ABBA lp they could offer the world.If they cannot create an ABBA lp during a global lockdown then alas they never will.So it is now or never for ABBA fans!The fact the ABBA machine is utterly quite is ironically a good sign,not a bad sign,that they might be up to something big.We all know they hate ABBA hype so would much rather drop something unexpected than have to endure the never-ending ABBA chatter and media hype that comes with a pre-announcement.
I’d like to hear Agnetha & Frida interpret ‘I know him so well’, ‘You have to be there’ and the Gemini version of ‘Just like that’. There’s also a Benny & Bjorn song ‘Slowly’ that was on Frida’s 1984 ‘Shine’ album that not many people are aware of.
I’d love to hear the girls sing ‘Another You, Another Me’ with Frida taking the lead. I could also imagine them doing an amazing version of ‘Nobody’s side’ from Chess.
Dreaming if you’re thinking Radio Musicola would ever get SDE.
I mean what is there that’s not on the album?
Radio Musicola (Extended)
Nobody Knows (Extended)
Nobody Knows (Phil Harding Remix)
Radio Musicola 7″
James Cagney German 7″ Mix
One Of Our Fruit Machines Is Missing
arguably:
When A Heart Beats (Extended)
Wild Horses (Extended)
and that’s it isn’t it?
I’d love to hear demos, but do they exist? Not more live versions please….
Yes, that’s probably about it, with the DJ 7” Edit of Heart Beats potentially – the Radio One In Concert show from Feb 87 is quite listenable as long as Nik isn’t allowed within 10 feet of the tapes! And we all know what he thinks of Wild Horses (Extended)! I’d be more interested in The Works, with full Peter Wolf version as disc two – but I doubt he would allow that either.
Put together my own Nik SDEs several years ago, after Universal dropped the ball with the Human Racing and Riddle. Wild Horse (ext’d) ended up on my Riddle SDE (since it was from that album) and I spun off the 7″ mixes to a singles compilation.
My Radio Musicola “SDE” filled one CD – not much of an SDE, I know – although I do think the gig that the BBC recorded around that time would make a good second disc (if I could ever find it).
Not familar with that Phil Harding remix of Nobody Knows, though – will have to track it down? Any idea where I might find that?
As well as this and the works including the terrific Japanese remix of One World, would love to have all of Nik’s releases on re-released vinyl. My big wish is that Nik and his labels would follow the release examples of a-ha; i have every a-ha re-release on Cd and vinyl. Thanks a-ha; but more vinyl re-releases please :)
In addition to everything mentioned here, Bruce Springsteen is expected to release ‘Tracks Vol. 2’ this year. I would also welcome ‘complete albums’ collections by Don McLean and Sting, plus a CD version of the SDE of ‘Armed Forces’ by Elvis Costello and more in the Cat Stevens remastered series, with ‘Teaser & The Firecat’ and ‘Catch Bull at Four’ being the obvious candidates (unless he’s going to stick to the 50th anniversary concept and make us wait until next year for the second one). On the face of it, this year should be less exciting but correspondingly less costly than 2020 as far as box sets are concerned!
Thank you for sharing the Good News re. The Beatles Let It Be to be released in 5.1 surround sound. It will be a delightful addition to The Beatles Abbey Road surround sound release which was nothing short of phenomenal! What a pleasure to experience the album in surround sound, eons after its initial release….
Please keep us informed as to whenever the two blokes of Pink Floyd get their differences put aside and decide to release The Wall in surround sound. I have been eagerly waiting for a surround sound mix of this album for 15 years!
Sad to hear that surround sound will not be a part of 30th Anniv edition of U2 Achtung Baby.
I have been a fan of surround sound for the previous 15 years and my library is yearning for surround sound versions of albums like:
Boston (their first release)
Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Prince & The Revolution — Purple Rain
Meat Loaf — Bat Out of Hell
Guns N’ Roses — Appetite for Destruction
Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin IV
Bob Dylan- Desire
Deep Purple – In Rock plus Fireball
Queen – A Day At The Races
Santana – Santana III
Steely Dan – Countdown To Ecstasy
and Jesus Christ Superstar!
Appetite has a 5.1, released a few years back. Sounds great!
Anything from Prince’s ‘70’s / ‘80’s releases would be welcome – particularly ‘Around The World In A Day’ and ‘Parade’.
Would also like a Duran Duran release.
A Rubellan issue of Visage’s ‘Beat Boy’ would be great.
Hopefully The Doors 50th Anniversay releases will be concluded this year with ‘LA Woman’. I really wish they had used the same format for ‘Strange Days’ as with the other releases.
Really….. !!!! Beat Boy is shockingly poor in my opinion.
I’ll give you Love Glove which is mediocre but the rest is awful IMHO
The one I’d like to see this year and not mentioned is a 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition remaster of The Dude, by Quincy Jones. 12 grammy nominations, 3 wins and a whole host of amazing artists, this has to be being considered by someone surely?
I picked up an original press of this after watching the Quincy doc on Netflix and it instantly became one of my demo LP’s, the production on it is superb so if they could better it I’d be in heaven.
Teenage Fanclub – would be nice to see an official CD release of B sides / Sessions. I understand they were all remastered before the vinyl reissue campaign. New album “Endless Arcades” out in March.
SECONDED!!!!
I’m at the age where the next few years are going to be very expensive.
I’d love to see a Go West deluxe edition, anything by Prince maintaining the quality of 1999 and SOTT, Soft Cell 40th and other Marc Almond deluxe editions – Trails of Eyeliner was amazing.
As usual great site Paul, my wife would block it if she knew how much I rely on it!
Another request for a Go West SDE – glad to see I’m not the only one :)
Paul – do you know if record companies look at your predictions lists and act on them at all? If not, they are leaving money on the table – there are some great ideas in the comments…
I’m sure they do. One thing people should bear in mind is that even with reissue projects, not being able to play live has an impact. The Go Wests of this world would want to do an anniversary tour with any box set or reissue and at the moment they can’t.
Third’ing the Go West requests!
As one of my first experiences of a remix album “Bangs and Crashes” was imprinted on my mind back in the day, was there anything similar at that point? I know FGTH were the remix kings but they hadn’t done a whole album of them like Go West did.
Pet Shop Boys Disco and Howard Jones’ The 12-inch Album are the two obvious ones that come to mind.
Imagination did Night Dubbing in 1983 and The Human League (The League Unlimited Orchestra) did Love and Dancing in 1982.
Yup. I think it goes…
Howard Jones, then Go West and thirdly PSBs.
I should have thought of the other two as I bought them all on release.
I would guess the Phil Collins 12″ers would be in the mix somewhere but I can only find year of release for all of them no actual dates of release. Doesn’t matter I guess, but it was a lovely idea for it’s time.
Has the b-side of Goodbye Girl, Dreamworld ever been issued on cd? There’s also some U.S. remixes by The System of Eye To Eye which haven’t made it to CD yet.
Thanks, Paul, great article! A few things that weren’t mentioned, but I’m expecting / hoping for –
a) Bob Dylan Bootleg Series Volume 16 – but sure what it will be, but surely something will arrive towards the end of the year? Maybe the Desire / Street-Legal years? All Dylan archive releases find an ecstatic welcome in my home.
b) Frank Zappa – again, don’t know what, but I expect multiple deluxe releases, as is in recent years.
c) Joni Mitchell Archives Vol 2 – volume 1 was released despite Covid/lockdown, so hopefully Vol 2 will follow this year. Unless she’s adopting the Neil Young Archive box set release schedule? In which case, 2031 it is.
d) Cat Stevens – Teaser & the Firecat – I assume that this series of multi-format (boo!) reissues will continue.
e) Jackson Brown – new album coming soon, I think (a couple of tracks already released). Maybe one day we’ll get a nice Jackson Brown box set?
I also expect Cherry Red (and associated labels) to churn out a good quantity of quality reissues in 2021, including some more Al Stewart (after Year of the Cat in March).
And finally, my dream release – Buckingham Nicks deluxe! I remember Stevie Nicks talking about this a few years ago, but have no idea when or if it will ever arrive.
I‘m looking forward to many titles mentioned here.
Esoteric Recordings have already announced that Al Stewarts‘ Time Passages will be reissued similar to YOTC and that the excellent Alan Parsons Project Box Set series will continue.
At least I hope the long promised Wish Deluxe with 5.1 Mix and Vinyl will see the light of day by The Cure!
Every year I post the same comment here…..where is the Deluxe Reissue of ‘Wish’ by The Cure?! This is well over a decade overdue and Smith said a few years ago it was done and ready to be released.
I have up The Cure. You should do the same.
It’s a joke to believe in Robert Smith words.
I’m not sure what extra stuff REM can put on a ‘New Adventures’ reissue as they didn’t tour that album or demo the material (most of it was recorded at soundchecks on the ‘Monster’ tour). I suppose we could get another live show from the ‘Monster’ tour and, possibly, alternate versions of the tracks from soundchecks. It will be interesting to see how they approach this one.
Well there were at least 9 b sides and that other version of Leave from a soundtrack. 10 tracks to start with for at least a 2 cd set.
A deluxe Grace Jones “Living My Life” to complete the trilogy and a reissue of The Creatures “Boomerang” please…
Great idea! And include a DVD of A One Man Show in the SDE.
Here is my some of wishful thinking (not comprehensive list; top of my head highlights):
The Alan Parsons Project “Pyramid” SDE: 3xCD + BD (5.1 mix by Alan Parsons) + 2xLP (album at 45rpm), i.e. the same formula as previous SDEs from the band.
Alphaville “Afternoons In Utopia” 35th anniversary SDE with the same formula as “Forever Young”: 2xLP + 3xCD (album; single tracks; demos) and DVD.
Apollo 440 “Electroglide In Blue” 25th anniversary SDE with remastered album, all era mixes, and an instrumental version of the album.
The Art Of Noise “Below The Waste” DE, planned number 3 in “The Art Of Noise Adventure” series, on 2xCD and (later) on 2xLP. Including remastered album, a plethora of demos, and era mixes.
The Art Of Noise “Kiss” DE, planned number 4 in “The Art Of Noise Adventure” series, and yet to be released too…
Blank & Jones “so80s 14” and “so80s 15” 2xCD sets.
Cabaret Voltaire “#8792 Collected Works (1987-1992)” box set compiling the albums “Code”, “Groovy, Laidback & Nasty” and “Technology: Western Reworks 1992”, as well as all related mixes and B-sides, as well as a full disc of Western Works version of GL&N.
The Chemical Brothers “Exit Planet Dust” SDE, including all era mixes, early ‘Dust Brothers’ tracks, and hopefully some unheard material.
The Cure “Wish” 2xCD DE: remastered album on disc one, demos on disc two, as with previous reissues. And a reissue of the original album on 2xLP.
Daft Punk “Homework” 25th anniversary SDE, including all era mixes, early Soma Quality Records tracks, a 5.1 mix, and original videos.
David Bowie “so80s” 4xCD set with “Dance” as CD1, missing era mixes and dubs on CD2 and CD3, and new Blank & Jones 80s style reconstructions on CD4 (for e.g. Modern Love, China Girl, This Is Not America, Dancing In The Street).
Depeche Mode “Speak & Spell” 40th Anniversary SDE, including era mixes, official post-era mixes, original demos, era live tracks, 5.1 mix, era videos. This would be the start of a SDE campaign, releasing two SDE/year, chronologically.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood 25xCD single boxset, consisting of original tracks/versions spread over two CD per single, plus all post-split single re-releases (93/94, 00, etc.)
Grace Jones “Living My Life” SDE, to complete the Compass Point sessions reissues, as multi-CD box set, multi-LP box set and Blu-ray audio, in the same fashion as “Warm Leatherette” a few years ago.
Grace Jones “Slave To The Rhythm” SDE, including 5.1 mix.
The Human League “Dare” 40th anniversary SDE, including “Fascination”, “Love & Dancing” and all other era mixes and B-sides; as well as demos and 5.1 mix to complete it all.
The Human League “Early Years” box set, including the first two albums remastered in stereo and 5.1, all era mixes and B-sides, as well as The Men and The Future material… all in one place.
Mike Oldfield “Islands” 2xCD+2xDVD deluxe edition, including album remastered by MO on CD1, and era singles (album and non-album), mixes and B-sides on CD2. New 5.1 mix and original video album on DVDs.
Orbital “(Green Album)” 30th anniversary SDE, including newly remastered album, all mixes and B-sides covering 1989-1991, the two 1992 “Mutations” EPs, and hopefully some unheard material.
Pet Shop Boys “Please” 35th anniversary SDE, including “Disco”, original mixes and remixes, B-sides, demos, BBC recordings, a 5.1.mix, original videos, and new video interviews. This would be the start of a chronological album reissue program.
Seal “Seal (I)” SDE, including all era mixes, official post-era mixes, demos/sessions, 5.1, era videos. This would be the start of a chronological reissue program.
Simple Minds “Real Life” SDE, in the same formula as with previous reissues. Ooh, and with a 5.1 mix this time.
Soft Cell “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret” reissue program. The 2020 reissue program for “Cruelty Without Beauty” was great – 2x colour LP with bonus tracks, 2xCD with new Dave Ball extended versions, 75-track USB keyring (!), white vinyl EP – I hope for the same richness of material for NSEC.
Underworld “Everything Everything” SDE, including previously unreleased live tracks from the tour on an additional CD, an EP CD with all era remixes from Cowgirl, and of course the original full length video on Blu-ray.
Visage “Beat Boy (Special Cassette Remix)”, for the first time on CD, and this on the Rubellan Remasters label of course, to add to their string of perfect Visage reissues.
Xymox “Phoenix” 30th anniversary reissues, as comprehensive as the 2xCD and 2xLP reissues of their previous album “Twist Of Shadows”.
Toward Visage “Beat Boy” (special cassette remix) I suppose it won’t happy anymore after reading what Scott (owner of Rubellan Remasters) said about major lables and rights stuff. What a pity !!
Let me clarify my earlier comment, it’s not that I’ve thrown in the towel, I just don’t have any clearances at the moment. I have about 30 requests in at Universal and about 5 at Warners, so it just depends on if/when I may receive clearances on any of these titles.
Let’s hope your requests come through. I love the end result. Keep hoping for more re-releases in the future.
Aside from the above – I’d like to see World Party release a new album and their vinyl reissues come out (or have I missed them?)
A new Peter Gabriel album would be good too but ha ha… can’t see that. 10 years between us and up, so reckon he is going for 20 years between albums!
Gabriel drops hints that he’s been recording from time-to-time. He’s working on something, but when/if it is released is anyone’s guess.
Were the recent(ish) compilations and live album releases a clearing of the decks before something new, or a tidying up because he’s unlikely to add to his catalogue? (Please not the latter).
He said he was working on “new stuff” during his performances on the So tour of 2014…he’s making his great mate Kate look positively prolific!
I wouldn’t say no to long overdue reissues of Tony Martin’s albums with Black Sabbath, those are criminally underrated !!!
Great list – some exciting stuff to look forward to.
Id love to see a new World Party album, its been mooted for years and the reissues on vinyl (or have I missed them)
A new Peter Gabriel would be great too…
You can say that again…
Here are a few more 40th anniversaries. Adam And The Ants Prince Charming, OMD Architecture And Morality (they are doing a tour to celebrate this, but I can’t see another reissue happening this year, and JOHN FOXX THE GARDEN. Time for a vinyl ( 2 discs) reissue for this superb album. Also, are we going to finally get Warriors by Gary Numan reissued on vinyl this year? Then hopefully Living Ornaments, Tubeway Army and The Plan.
Still waiting on Deep Purple’s Made In Europe Super Deluxe earmarked for 2015. I know DP(O) are in liquidation and there are legalities etc but hey, it’s been 5 years now and it’s already mixed!
A solo (quiet) album by David Coverdale would be nice in similar vein to Northwinds & Into The Light. Talking of DC, a proper release of Donnington ’83 (both audio & video) would be super.
A career retrospective box set of Paul Carrack and anything from Paul Rodgers
What about the new Stones album?
Any thoughts Paul
I’ve heard an SDE of INXS’s ‘X’ is due soon which is good news. Some terrific b-sides and remixes from this era. Hopefully a live show too (not Wembley). Also, could they do an SDE of the MAX-Q album? I think its long out of print (£59.95 on Amazon UK right now!) and deserves a wider audience. Some great remixes of ‘Sometimes’.
I would like to see Slade albums from the period of 1976 to 1987 being reissued on vinyl.
Why have they skipped Bowie’s 1990 Sound and Vision years. Maybe that will be the RSD.
What is his ‘Sound and Vision Years’? It was a tour and a reissue campaign. His Sound and Vision years are Tin Machine, basically, and that’s going to be done separately, I’d imagine.
I assume Brian means a live album from the S&V tour from 1990, Paul. Best of all would be a combined CD/DVD set like Glastonbury 2000 received. There were suggestions that an audio release from the tour might come out last year for RSD but it never materialised. Nicolas Pegg’s Complete Bowie book suggests several shows were filmed and a Paris show was even expected to be released back in the day but the man moved on to other projects and the moment passed. Also maybe Bowie himself didn’t remember the tour fondly. I hope they don’t just go for the easy option of only releasing the Milton Keynes show audio from the Radio 1 live broadcast. Let’s have something we don’t already have.
Personally, I don’t think the S+V shows were very good. I went to the Milton Keynes gig and then listened to – and taped – the Radio One ‘Simulcast’ the next day. It really wasn’t a great band or sound for me, anyway.
Wonder if we’ll ever get that “Cure at the BBC” compilation that Robert has mentioned over the years. Unlikely to be this year if the new album is coming I guess.
For me I’d like to see Duran Duran’s debut properly remastered with bonus non-album b sides and night versions and the BBC Ham Odeon 1981 live show on vinyl (half speed across 4 disc), CD and 24/96 FLAC.
But only if they are remastered dynamically.
If not I’ll stick with my original master 1981 vinyl and 1994 CD (includes To The Shore) both sound very good.
Paul, let’s hope the gods are reading SDE and hurry much of these wish list reissues along. Anything Wham!/GM is long overdue. Prince’s Parade is an absolute masterpiece and deserves the SDE treatment. And finally, New Adventures HiFi is an essential 90’s album!
There are strong rumours of a 5 cd/2 7 inch set of Who’s Sell Out. Next to that a LA Woman SDE is very likely looking at the Doors reissue campaign.
As for ZTT I hope they continue the Art of Noise deluxe editions.
Any word on new Blank & Jones so80s releases?
Maybe this is too much to ask for (or even wish for) : that the contractual/legal issues that halted archival CD projects from Immediate Records artists could finally been resolved. The release halt is nearing 7 years. And 1963-mid 1966 Yardbirds archival activity has been halted since the mid-1990’s. I seriously doubt that further unreleased material actually exists.
It appears that the bankruptcy/liquidation issues surrounding Deep Purple’s 1968-76 catalog and outtakes may have been resolved, and it has been suggested that the anniverseries of the group’s “Fireball” & “Machine Head” albums may be marked by some releases.
This year is Queen’s 50th Anniversary. Im hoping they have something BIG planned. Id love to see a complete Live Killers box with all surviving footage etc. I expect we will see the already planned The Miracle box. I would also very much hope that we will get a new Complete Greatest Hits DVD/Blu-ray with all available videos in their different versions remastered in their correct aspect ratios and in 5.1 surround. That would be a big deal and I would definitely get it.
Lots more Id love to see released. A complete Whole Story updated CD and DVD greatest hits from Kate Bush would be incredible (and an incredible surprise!).
Fingers crossed
Wow so much to see here. Love the idea of Soft Cell doing deluxe “Cabaret” for the anniversary…an album that REALLY deserves one. New album great too! Hoping that Marc Almond continues the vinyl reissues too with remastered/expanded Enchanted, Tenement Symphony, Fantastic Star, Open All Night, and Stranger Things. Fans really want these! Also, news of a Diamonds & Pearls box is great but where is the damn Gold Experience album/box?!
I’m going to say it again…What on earth is being done with the last couple Kirsty MacColl albums? We just passed 20 years since her death and still no Titanic Days or Tropical Brainstorm reissues. Her legacy deserves better treatment!
Is this the year we get the Sade album? I know we won’t get anything from Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, or the Cure…surprise me!
Am I crazy, or wasn’t there’s supposed to be some sort of Psychedelic Furs reissue campaign by now? I seem to recall some sort of mild announcement of that 3-5 years ago.
INXS!!!! Others have mentioned this, but we’re at least 2 years beyond the big announcement that Giles Martin would be overseeing a big reissue campaign with deluxe editions, etc. What happened Paul??
Not sure. Despite all the encouraging noises coming from the label they’ve done the usual thing of reissuing Kick and ignoring everything else!! I’m as frustrated as you are…
At some point in 2021, expect a 5-CD + two 7″ singles boxed set of “The Who Sell Out”. For unknown reasons, though the recordings were mixed and mastered a year aqo, the set has not yet proceded to the manufacturing stage. A decision by the group’s management, perhaps?
Mike Scott (Waterboys) is working on a Room to Roam box set similar in style to the Fisherman’s Box which was spectacular in content & price. Think it is due April/ May time.
Oh, Dear Mr. Smith,
Can we kindly find a CURE for a Deluxe remastered ‘Wish’ reissue on vinyl & CD???
Lovingly signed, An Impatient Fan
Future re-releases that I would look forward to:
The Cure – Wish
Tears For Fears – Elemental
Soft Cell – some one mentioned this. is this so?
Any others possibly..
Another future re-release from Prince in 2021 would be nice. It seems that the main vote should be “Diamonds and Pearls” instead of “Parade”.
But, the anniversary for “Parade” is this year 2021. (It was a 1986 release) “Diamonds and Pearls” was originally released in 1992. (Anniversary is for next year 2022.)
I would prefer Parade but let keeps our fingers crossed for any type of re-release. Previous re-releases “Purple Rain” and “Sign O the Times” were excellent.
Even though the Diamonds and Pearls tour was when I first saw Prince play live, I don’t think it’s a particularly good album. I’d say six good-to-great tracks on a 13-track album. I know it’s a cliché, but the 1980s was the container for Prince’s genius.
Agreed Paul. Personally I’d rather see his 80’s vault focussed on first, including Controversy, Dirty Mind, Prince and For You. As well as Around The World, Parade and Lovesexy. Prince’s creative juices were in full flow in the 80’s…. I’d imagine his vault tracks from this whole period would be more interesting than those later on.
I would doubt there would be big box releases of the pre 1999 LP’s as the vault material and 12” mixes are thin on the ground, they could instead combine For You + Prince and Dirty mind + Controversary as boxes, which would make better sense. Personally prefer ATWIAD to Parade, but ultimately have to wait till 2024 for a proper Purple Rain box set.
With covid I think many of all upcoming boxes will be delayed to the middle / end of the year.
This year is the 50th birthday of ALICE COOPER’s – Love it to Death and Killer albums.
We need a box for those!!!
Karl Hyde has repeatedly hinted at Underworld working on a box set for A Hundred Days Off. Next year would be the 20th anniversary, but Beaucoup Fish wasn’t an anniversary version so that could be due this year. That and they might start Drift Series 2.
The Manics should be doing a Know Your Enemy reissue.
I think New Order can be counted on for their next reissue box set.
I REALLY HOPE we see some Scritti Politti expanded reissues, especially as they’re planning to tour Cupid & Psyche ’85.
Prince – I’d be happy with either Parade or Around the World in a Day.
Art of Noise – waiting for the next album reissue. I want it! I can see them wanting to tour, but hopefully they push forward one way or another.
O.M.D. – terribly looking forward to a deluxe of Crush. They finished their anniversary celebration and gave us a great (and accurate!) singles compilation, but they seem as reliable as The Cure as to when the next reissue might come out. I think they didn’t like some of the criticisms on the Junk Culture reissue – but hey, we don’t want to wait until the 50th anniversary to get all of the basic 12″ tracks. And use the original album mixes!
INXS – Listen Like Thieves expanded would be ideal, and any album before that. It sounds like they have someone at the helm who is considering projects. But how extensive and when??
Someone mentioned The The… there’s much, much more that could be done for expanded reissues. They also need a decent singles compilation. They threw a few single versions on the last one, but give me the all of the single versions, not a hodge-podge of edits, album versions, and remixes.
ABC – We’ll probably see 10 more compilations before we see another expanded reissue.
Some of this looks like your wish list of reissues you would personally like Paul. But to be fair i’m with you on most of them.
Incidentally the Vinyl reissue of George’s Symphonica was supposed to be this January (2021). I pre-ordered it on Amazon but when I click on my order I get one of those annoying error messages. I’d guessed a long while ago the release date had been cancelled/put back till who knows when!
I would certainly be well happy if the Broad Street film/soundtrack was reissued in some way, especially as it has not had a DVD release outside the USA yet. I Do have it on DVD but it was a transfer from VHS and a better quality reissue would be very welcome indeed. I don’t think we have herd the last of McCartney III either. Look out for a RSD 2021 Picture Disc or some other kind of MIII Deluxe Edition in 2021.
Did anyone manage to grab a 7″ of David Bowie covering John Lennon’s Mother. Released on Friday which would have been Bowie’s Birthday, It was available to order over this weekend from DIG! and a few other Indie retailers and Amazon but sold out very fast. I’m not a big Bowie fan but as with the duet with Morrissey 7″ this one interests me being a Lennon cover!
Another nugget of info. The Double Fantasy vinyl Lennon signed for ‘a fan’ moments before the same fan shot and killed him went on sale for only the 2nd time in December last year. It was expected to fetch over 1.8 Million $ after the original owner sold it for $850,000 to it’s now (private) owner.
12 months after John Lennon was murdered, having been used as evidence in the case of John’s murder, the Police returned the vinyl (complete with case number written on the front cover above Lennon’s signature) to the member of the public who had handed it in to the Police in December 1980 after finding it in a planter near the Dakota building. They said it belonged to him as he had handed it in. Not knowing what to do with it, he kept it under his bed for 18 years when he decided to sell it for $850,000 to it’s now (Dec 2020) owner who has now also decided it is time to sell it on again. Some fans want it burned, but if you owned it would you move it on or burn it. If you already knew all this folks i’m sure you stopped reading this a few paragraphs ago! Cheers.
Happy New ‘Collecting’ Year Everyone!
Symphonica definitely isn’t coming out this month, I know that much.
@ Col., personally, I would say, do not burn it, but keep it in a museum as the final known autograph signed by John Lennon. If the LP only had the name of the monster who murdered him on it, then yes, burn that. Still hard to imagine such a senseless act as obtaining a prized autograph, then tossing it into a planter on the street, and then doing what he did. But the signed LP itself is innocent, and I’d vote to keep it in a museum.
@George glazener – I really like the museum idea, but not sure if the owner would go for it or if the security would be up to it and Paul Sinclair I did write that I’d guessed a long while ago the release date [Symphonica Vinyl] had been cancelled/put back till who knows when! I very much doubt it will be in 2021 myself. It also seems a world away now that you ‘had’ some of us with your MAKE IT BIGGER April fools joke of a few years ago. now that was funny (well by June of that year it was!!).
If I were in charge of the George Michael estate (and I’m not) I’d probably wait out most of 2021 (because, you know, Covid) and look to kick off a properly-curated deluxe reissue campaign (beginning with the first Wham! album) towards the Christmas season (to mark the fifth-anniversary of George’s untimely passing – because record companies love an anniversary).
If they’ve got any sense they’ll be working on the track-listing and mastering NOW.
Re ABBA, I’m really disappointed that in light of what has happened in the world they couldn’t have put out one new song. The new material appears to have been made with one motive, to make money, which along with the other ventures i.e. Mamma Mia film, restaurant, kebab shops…is tarnishing their legacy.
I’d really like to see a box set of the band Telex, it’s such a shame they don’t get the same amount of attention as Kraftwerk, which is criminal. Plus comprehensive box sets of Patrick Cowley and Talk Talk.
I’m not sure I’d be quite so harsh. Seems like they are trying to create an album out of the material. Also, I imagine to stop it being like it was in the 1970s they are deliberately taking their time and working at a relaxed pace. If they tried to ‘push it’ too much, everyone might just get fed up and say ‘this isn’t working’.
I dont believe ABBA’s motivation for the new material is to make money at all, they have enough already. As when they started out together in 1972, I believe it’s part of their natural progression. They’ve reached a point where all 4 are happy to create new music together again and enjoy it. Something I for one thought would never ever happen again. If it takes longer than expected, for whatever the reason, then that is their perogative. ABBA worked so hard at their craft back in their heyday and I’m sure their composing and recording today will need to meet their very high standards before anything is made public. I’m almost over the edge with excitement for what might be but I’m happy to wait til everything is to Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Frida’s satisfaction.
The songs were initially recorded for the Abbatar hologram tour which is being produced to make money. Spending over four years on these songs is not a good sign and from the interviews I get the impression that Benny is less interested than Bjorn in seeing them come to fruition. They also know that as much as the fans will love the new songs, the general media is going to be hyper critical because they aren’t Dancing Queen. Remember when The Beatles released Free as a Bird? My point was that in the last 12 month as a gesture to bring some happiness into the world they could have mixed one of the tracks and released it and it would have been really exciting and cheered up their (remaining, alive) fans, but they want to keep them so they can be used as a promotional tool for the hologram tour. So yes they are, if not made for but certainly being used to make money. Also since the original announcement confirming two songs there hasn’t been any official confirmation of further songs. From what I’ve read and heard there is more interest in a new ABBA album than the hologram tour. The rumours and excitement have just intensified with fans thinking there could be three to five and now eight songs. So if ABBA announce the tour and just two songs they are going to have a lot of upset fans.
The tour is about making money, granted. The new songs are wholly unnecessary to the success of the tour and therefore are more of an artistic statement. That’s about keeping it interesting for Benny and Bjorn etc.
Personally, I’ll be happy even if just one song see’s the light of day. Even that would’ve been inconceivable a few years back. Exciting times.
Paul, True the songs won’t really impact the tour at the end of the day, there was supposed to be a big T.V. special which would air on both sides of the Atlantic to induce some excitement with one or both of the new songs getting its first play. The tour is being produced by Simon Fuller and its likely ABBA or Universal have entered into an agreement not to release the original two new songs or any new material until they are ready promote the tour, which may not be this year.
It could turn out to be a good year for collectors-the Blondie box is long overdue. I will certainly be picking up some of the Bowie stuff-the 90s box in particular. I do wish Parlophone would stop with the ‘available only at the Parlophone/Warners outlets’ business and give items wider releases. As for STS on coloured vinyl, I do have the superb 2010 box, so I have yet to decide on that, but with an updated mix, I could see myself getting it.
It’s promising to see the ZTT catalogue going to a major distributer. A nice Propaganda reissue would please me, as would all of the Art of Noise material in need of a makeover.
There seems to be a lot to look forward to, but we’ll see what the year really brings us!
Hopes for 2021, based on nothing more than ‘I wish’;
Marillion – Fugazi and Seasons End SDEs to continue their excellent series
Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska/Born In The USA SDE
Metallica – Metallica SDE
Ultravox – Rage In Eden SDE
Fish – Internal Exile and Vigil 3 disc sets to carry on the series
The Cure – basically to get the finger out and carry on the deluxe editions following Mixed Up
Depeche Mode – Mode box ‘re-run’
Rush – Moving Pictures 40th…but with a better remaster than they gave Permanent Waves
Finally, the return of the excellent Bob Dylan Bootleg series
Of course everybody knows the meaning of limited edition but Depeche Mode “Mode box” was so so so limited that half (or even more) of the fans couldn’t get a copy. The test press release was desaproved by the band and the release date was posponed and then comes the pandemic which turn the world upside down. I made my order by a local shop and it never arrived due to mail retrains and I lost the opportunity to get mine. I think Depeche Mode should take it under consideration and reissue Mode box once more since many many diehard fans wishes it.
My wish list
Deluxe/Expanded Editions
OMD – Crush
Nik Kershaw – Radio Musicola
Kraftwerk – Computer World
Mike Rutherford – Smallcreep’s Day
Scritti Politti – Cupid & Psyche ’85
Simple Minds – Real Life
The Housemartins – The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death
Christians – Happy In Hell (Cherry Red?)
Jon Anderson – Animation (Cherry Red?) previous CD versions were clearly needledrops
Nick Heyward – Postcards from Home and I Love You Avenue (Cherry Red?)
Michael McDonald – WB/Reprise era solo albums
XTC – English Settlement, Mummer, and Apple Venus CD/BR SDEs with Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix
Yes – Going For The One, Tormato, Drama CD/BR SDEs with Steven Wilson 5.1 Mix
SDEs
Bruce Springsteen – Given the wonderful treament of BTR, DOTEOT, and The River, I sure would like to see a Born In the USA SDE
Human League – Dare full on SDE with BluRay 5.1, Promo Videos, Live Video, Making of type Documentary, Love & Dancing, etc.
Catalog Reissue Campaigns
Steely Dan – serious audiophile reissue campaign (5.1/Quad/Stereo Remasters) of Can’t Buy A Thrill through Gaucho
Beautiful South – reference Deacon Blue’s reissue campaign
The Police – reference Deacon Blue’s reissue campaign
The Psychedelic Furs – Columbia/CBS years reference Deacon Blue’s reissue campaign
A long overdue deluxe of ‘Second Coming’ would be a great reissue.
It could feature the album in 5.1, also the original Paul Schroeder mix of the album, Breaking Into Heaven with the ‘Can’t See Me’ bassline, Driving South with Reni’s drums instead of loops and other outtakes and unreleased stuff. The debut Stone Roses album has been done to death, but the second one has never been given the deluxe treatment.
Weren’t the B-52’s supposed to release à boxset soon?
Also I can’t wait for the next part of the Joni Mitchell’s archives, I hope it will be this year
Still no deluxe of the long promised reissue of The Autumn Stone by Small Faces. Rob Caiger and the Small Faces back catalogue has been a disaster.
A reissued deluxe of U2’s Achtung Baby which hopefully would be less pricey than the original reissue from 2011 would also be cool.
As with Goats Head Soup, a Paul Hicks remix of ‘It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll’ would be nice.
My kingdom for a full Wham! and GM reissue campaign… I won’t bother holding my breath!
good article Paul, thanks. Bit niche, but I would love a Super Deluxe Duck Rock…any rumours?
I think there are issues around Duck Rock, which might explain why it’s never been reissued…
I remember seeing listings for a re-release of Duck Rock on Amazon several years ago, which got pulled. I think it was for a two cd set.
Buffalo Gals: Back to Skool had more material and there was the Would Ya Like More Scratching tape I had from just after the album release with more material on it – none of it as good as the original.
Duck Rock is still one on my favourite albums – it is quite brilliant.
Rubellan Remasters released reissues of the first three Missing Persons albums on CD in expanded editions just this past week (on the 8th). You can buy them individually or as a box set, though I went for the box set and kind of wish I had just bought them individually and saved the extra five bucks–the box is just a slip case with the three CDs in it, nothing else extra.
Nothing official from them as of yet, but there have been hints that they will be releasing an expanded edition of Berlin’s Count Three and Pray as a follow up to the first two albums. Hoping they might continue with their Visage reissue program as well and release Beat Boy. They’ve already done the S/T debut, The Anvil, and The Singles Collection Remix Album.
Hi all
I see no mention of the acoustic Under A Mediterranean Sky by certain former guitarist of Genesis and one who should by law be the only guitarist to play FOF, at least DS should be banned.
Anyway,
Where is the description for this upcoming album on 22nd Jan Paul?
Also perhaps you could comment on the ridiculous nature of JPC.de still not accepting orders from UK.
Perhaps we should collectively not give them any credence by including them on this august site.
Incidentally has anyone got their ATGR cd if ordered via Greedy Hand but along with the LP. Mine hasn’t shipped. Maybe still caught in the Brexit cluster xxxx or maybe will be shipped with the vinyl? Again similar to Archives 2, no communication.
Carl
My label, Rubellan Remasters, just released on January 8, as a website exclusive, a 3 CD slipcase/box of the three Missing Persons albums from the 1980’s: Spring Session M, Rhyme & Reason, Color In Your Life. Dynamically remastered from original master tapes and all with bonus tracks. I’ve also released on the same day my second Divinyls expanded CD reissue for 1985’s What A Life! with 10 bonus tracks.
Other than that, I have no currently scheduled reissues, and here’s a little insight why 2021 seems fairly dry on the reissue front. The major labels have continued to make it harder for third party labels to license their catalog in which they have no interest in doing reissues for. It takes a lot of persistence and effort to get anything through, but there are many roadblocks.
-Sony in the USA stopped licensing to most third party labels a couple of years ago for physical reissues, so that’s a large portion of the world’s catalog that’s off limits. The UK branch of Sony still seems to allow licensing but that doesn’t extend to USA based labels like mine.
-Several years ago, Warners in the USA stopped licensing any artists whose catalog was not a USA signed contract, so for my genre of focus (80’s New Wave and Alternative), that left me with very little to choose from.
-In 2020, Universal USA changed their licensing format from ‘finished goods’ deals, in which they handled most aspects of a third party’s reissue to completion, to a new licensing format similar to what has been done in the UK for a long time. So for those USA licensees who may not be savvy enough to figure out all of the related technicalities, it may not seem worth it. Plus, there’s a load of new paperwork and accounting required with the new format rather than the one-price-covers-all format of old.
Although my label started late in the game, I’ve heard from others that it’s much, much harder to get a title licensed than it was just five years ago. There are a lot of non-responses to questions and inquiries, and some people are not very friendly, and this is where the persistence is required. In the streaming world, there seems to be little interest in continuing to allow any sort of ongoing physical release stream and catalogs are essentially being held prisoner behind lock and key.
One thing streamers don’t seem to understand is that without physical releases there will be no remasters or uncovered previously unreleased gems (which from my experience seem to exist in abundance) for anything considered remotely non-hit makers. The versions of albums on streaming, which many times may have been mastered in the 80’s or 90’s, often without bonus content, will be the end all unless the ability to continue to release physical media and source masters for reissues continues.
On a potentially positive note, I was contacted by Warners in late summer 2020 and told they are also looking to possibly start allowing third party reissues similar to Universal, license deals rather than the usual ‘finished goods’ deals, and that includes UK catalog. And while I submitted a number of UK owned titles for review and possible clearance, I’ve not heard anything yet.
And while Universal is still allowing titles to be requested under the new licensing format, which was originally advertised to me as a way to get clearances faster, it’s proven just as challenging and lengthy as in recent years. Emails often have to be followed up and followed up in the hope that something will result in a response and maybe eventually a clearance. The uphill climb is getting steeper.
So if you want to keep reissues coming, support your third party labels who are fighting the good fight to keep uncovering rare material and polishing up old favorites, because there’s absolutely nothing easy or fast about getting permission to do a reissue.
@ Scott – just wanted to say “thanks” for doing what you do in not only making some of these fantastic releases available + affordable again on CD, but the care, attention, AND results you’ve consistently yielded…the audio quality has been superior to any other prior released version for the titles I’ve purchased thus far from Rubellan Remasters. That includes these 7 titles in my collection:
Ric Ocasek “Beatitude”
Berlin “Pleasure Victim”
Visage “Fade to Grey”
Visage “The Anvil”
Visage “Visage”
Visage “Fade to Grey – Special Dance Mix Album”
Missing Persons “Spring Session M” [purchased today :) ]
I suppose owning about 35% of your total catalog output is proof of my admiration, but I thought I’d extend some genuine appreciation for the man responsible who clearly shares my passion for music! The fact that Paul Sinclair makes it possible to post comments like this on his site that includes very loyal SDE followers/fans is just another reason why music collecting is so amazing.
The work you do is great – your reputation as a curation business seems to have firm roots and I hope you thrive.
I wrote to Rubellan only yesterday regarding the lack of stock of the remaster of Visage’s first LP pretty much every where, which is allowing prices to reach scalping level. Will you be pressing more copies (if it’s Rubellan who makes that decision)?
I own almost every Rubellan Remasters release, even purchasing several titles that I had never heard before, because the quality of their remastering is so stellar.
I wish all third party labels would put as much care into their product. (I’m looking at you, Cherry Red…who recently sold me a CD-R!)
Scott, I’d love to buy that Missing Persons box set and other cds of yours. However, it’s just too costly to get them delivered to Britain, unfortunately.
Wow! I always thought it would be difficult to deal with the music companies to license – but this really explains why… Pre-ordered your Missing Persons box – and the work you did on the two Berlin re-issues was phenomenal.
Scott,
Good news about the release of the Missing Persons titles, Spring Session M, Rhyme and Reason, Color in Your Life, on cd. These titles are quite hard to find and quite expensive as well.
Bad news is that these three titles were released some time ago on One Way Records, which I have, and originally released on Capital records on vinyl and cassette, which I have as well. I am wondering if the three titles contain any different material from the previous releases so not to continue buying the same same ole from before.
Also, you state that Rubellan Records does not any any scheduled releases. Ok, what about Berlin “Count three and Pray”? The first two “Pleasure Victim” and “Love Life” were both released in 2020 with some time in between. So one would venture a guess that the third one will follow shortly. (probably in Spring or Summer of 2021 – if the same timetable is followed from the previous two)
I really loved the first two Berlin cd’s, great job on that, and looking forward to the third one. As for Missing Persons, I would like more info.
Thanks for the insight Scott. I have bought five of your titles so far and the remasters and bonus materials are great. I hope you get to continue doing more with the music you love. It is so strange that companies cannot be bothered to allow third-parties like yourself to do this work that they themselves are not doing. But not surprising, given the ways of corporate bureaucracy I suppose. Best wishes! I plan on getting some of that Missing Persons material soon, too.
Scott, thank you for taking the time to provide that detailed update. And keep fighting the good fight!
Hi Scott,
Waiting fir my Missing Persons 3 CD set to arrive, can’t wait.
So does this mean Duran Duran’s debut may now be a potential release for you?
The album (U.K. original vinyl with To the Shore) plus b sides would be great and then perhaps Rio next year…..
Thanks all for the kind words and support. Here’s hoping I’m able to eventually get further clearances and keep the high quality reissues coming. And yes, that includes the often requested Visage ‘Beat Boy (Cassette Remix)’ and Berlin ‘Count Three and Pray’, both of which were submitted in the first part of 2020.
@Scott – I purchased the two Berlin titles two weeks ago and will be purchasing the three Missing Persons titles just as soon as they show up on Amazon. Keep up the great work!
Some accurate predictions there I think. For what its worth, here’s a summary of items I’d buy or expect/want to see happen:
Frankie – a 12 inch and cd single box set, original artwork, 8 discs inc War, and maybe a rarities disc. I dont think thee’s much left to do other than that.
ZTT UMC reissues – maybe a series of singles reissues? maybe everything up to Seal. after that it lost its way.
Sade – its been hinted at but a rarities collection, maybe there’s enough for a 2CD SET.
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love box. never going to happen. but maybe an expanded 2cd Whole Story
New Order – Low Life box, with rarities disc. this will definitely happen. and singles 1985-1987 reissues. and then on to Brotherhood and technique. but Substance also needs a reissue, maybe as 3CDs?
Talk Talk – all 4 EMI albums as 2cd or lp sets? long shot
Black – a 2CD version of “Comedy” would be amazing.
Tears for Fears – Elemental. I imagine this is in the works, although I dont think it can ever match The Seeds of Love.
Marc Almond – Tenement Symphony 2cd , his best solo album and its 35 years. plenty of rarities. would buy that.
Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms deluxe. never going to happen is it?
oh, one final though, Band Aid deserves some sort of compilation. I know only the 1984 original is much good, but there was an extended version, and there much be so much potential for video content.
my 2p. great site btw, an oasis of information!
Tenement Symphony is an underrated masterpiece – totally agree! Still want it in vinyl as well…
Wish-full thinking indeed!
Come on Robert, please release it as a packed reissue, earlier than 2022.
With regard to future George Michael legacy re-issues I would love to see the 30th anniversary of the “Cover To Cover” Tour be finally given an official CD/DVD release. An official release of the “Trojan Souls” sessions form the early ’90s would be much welcomed (in my opinion “This Kind of Love” is one of the greatest unreleased tracks) and we also need a “1” album (similar to the Beatles & Elvis releases) of UK/US number one singles to include both Wham!, solo and duets (that would now be an 18 track album taking into account “Last Christmas” finally reaching number one recently in the UK). However, based on releases so far from the GM Legacy Team I am not sure if this will happen any time soon. For example the 2017 re-issue of “LWP Vol 1” in my opinion should not have included the “Unplugged” sessions as these were recorded in 1996 at the time of the release of the “Older” album (it’s own 25th anniversary coming up in 2021 as well) . And finally George’s career deserves to be documented in a Mark Lewisohn styled book covering George’s musically legacy (recording sessions, concerts, hand written lyrics, etc).
Musically, I hope 2021 will deliver us…
A new Kate Bush album
Heard there is a Waterboys Room To Roam box in the works
Some SDEs would be nice for
Terence Trent Darby ..Introducing…
Housemartins..People Who Grinned…
INXS…The Swing/any
Nik Kershaw..Radio Musicola including this radio broadcast concert (Inc 6 songs from album)
https://www.discogs.com/Nik-Kershaw-In-Concert-404/release/13695361
Nik Kershaw…The Works
Cyndi Laupers Christmas album
Madonna…Like A Prayer
Malcolm McLaren…Waltz Darling
Max Q
Van Morrison….any
Jane Siberry…When I Was A Boy
Sting….Dream of Blue Turtles
U2 Rattle and Hum
Yes please to the following (I think only the Phil Collins is a true anniversary edition, but a guy can dream):-
ABC – Lexicon of Love 5.1 SDE
Big Country – The Crossing 5.1 SDE
Peter Gabriel – III 5.1 SDE
Phil Collins – Face Value 5.1 SDE
Genesis – The Lamb… SDE (this was apparently originally scheduled for 2020)
Go West – Go West 5.1 SDE (yeah, like THAT’ll happen – though I’d happily suggest a track-listing)
Nik Kershaw – Radio Musicola + The Works expanded re-issues (but PLEASE keep Nik away from the Track selection)
Tears for Fears – The Hurting 5.1 SDE (you know, to match the other two)
…plus any further Jethro Tull, Marillion and XTC 5.1 reissues coming our way :)
Another Marillion box(“Fugazi”) and more Jethro Tull boxes (“A” and a new,more expanded edition of Benefit”) coming in 2021 from Warner/Parlophone. COVID-related manufacturing delays caused these sets to bot appear in 2020.
As for Phil Collins surround mixes, Collins’ first three albums were mixed for surround many years ago by an engineer named Allen Sides, but Collins vetoed their release, and he shows no sign of a change of heart. Collins recent catalog license to Warner/Rhino included Collins’ video programmes, but their reissue (or in some cases first release on DVD) was never to be. Collins insistence on doing his CD reissues “his way” (rather than give his fans what they wanted) was poorly received. I don’t think that Collins will swallow his pride and do a new reissue series.
Hi Phil – yes, I heard there were some 5.1 PC mixes already in the can, although I was under the impression that Collins nixed the campaign because Warners had remixed the first, third and four albums but had refused to pay for the remixing of the second. To be honest, at this point I’d probably settle for a blu-ray of the singles videos in 5.1 (although it doesn’t sound like we’ll get THEM either).
Looking forward to the Tull and Marillion at any rate.
Expecting a RUSH 40th Anniversary Deluxe edition of Moving Pictures as has been the pattern thus far.
Quite a few great albums by Van Morrison, during his ‘classic’ period, are unavailable on any physical format. Would be nice for these titles to be made available once again.
There have been a couple of attempts in the past to re-release Van’s back catalogue but they just seem to peter out. Perhaps it’s time to release volume two of “The Philosophers Stone”, now 22 years since volume one.
How about moving beyond the ‘usual suspects’?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen mentioned: Men At Work, Hothouse Flowers, Love & Money, Men Without Hats, Hothouse Flowers, The Fat Lady Sings, Mike & The Mechanics, This Picture, The Devlins, Air Supply. (Immaculate Fools got a box set this year!!! And new music!! YAY!)
Did I mention Hothouse Flowers? Years ago, they announced deluxe editions of their first two albums and a release date and…nothing.
to DonS with reference to the Hothouse Flowers I’m a massive fan if there were/are deluxe editions of their stuff coming out I’d be very interested!
As for “Back to the Egg,” I’m hearing lately through the grapevine that this one is in stasis because of issues involved in getting rights to feature all the superstar musicians involved in the Rockestra project (both studio and live). The rumor is that the audio for BTTE and London Town are ready to go, but these rights glitches could delay at least BTTE for some period of time.
Is there any more news about the proposed Camel (30 Cd) Box Set, originally scheduled for November 2020?
Hi Peter,
it isn’t Camel 30 discs box set but Caravan instead.
I don’t know about any Camel box to be release, I suppose mixed the names ha ha. So lets go: Due to Covid-19 the release was posponed to May, June or July of 2021, I’m not sure about the month. So stay tune and do not miss it. Lots of previously unreleased material ever !!
Isaisas, you have spotted my error It is Caravan, not Camel I really had looked forward to the Caravan Box, which I believe to be on Madfish I had best start saving again as always have, wisely in my opinion, ordered the John Mayall Box Set
Looking forward to the new Duran album. Erol Alkan has produced it and he’s done a good job producing Ride, as well as being a fan of the band. I hope Mark Ronson isn’t too involved as I think they should move on from his influence. Nothing against him, just they they need new ears.
No mention of 30th anniversaries of Grunge albums. Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger and Pearl Jam’s Ten. I would like to hear Badmotorfinger remixed, similar to the Temple Of The Dog album, but doubt it’ll ever happen as SG guitarist Kim Thayil is not a fan of remixing albums.
I think Depeche Mode will revisit Ultra next year for a 25th anniversary. Meanwhile, singles box set a maybe.
INXS’ “X” album. I would love a deluxe version of this as well as a vinyl copy.
Am I the only person alive that likes Jughead?
Simple Minds have recorded a new album, so hopefully that will see the light of day this year. And – of course – fingers crossed for that new Tears for fears album finally being released.
I see a deluxe edition of Alice in Chains debut album “Facelift” will be available to order through Warner Music on January 29th ,the box set contains some vinyl and cassette editions of the album but no dvd/Blu Ray or cd versions are included in the box set which is a shame,as it’s a cracking album,I’ll give it a miss,Hopefully “Dirt” will get a proper full deluxe treatment soon….
This year marks the 21st anniversary of the debut album by Daphne & Celeste. In 2021 I am expecting it to get the full super deluxe treatment on 10 different coloured vinyl discs, 5 CD versions (each with a different bonus track of D&C belching), and the box set comes complete with a set of U.G.L.Y. masks and some D&C chewing gum to ooh stick on you.
Hi Paul, what chance of a 50th half speed remaster of McCartney’s RAM possibly for record store day?
Placebo should finally have a new album out this year as they’ve been working on it for a while.
Hopefully we’ll finally get the new album by The Cure but I won’t hold my breath, also hoping for more vinyl reissues and would love for Madonna to finally celebrate her back catalogue.
With Del Amitri readying up for a new album at the end of April, it would be great if they would finally reissue their back catalogue properly, hopefully in a nice, comprehensive vinyl box set that would include their complete output from 1985. But maybe I’m a year ahead in wishing so.
Wish Waters and Gilmour would just cut the crap and get along once and for all. Forty years is enough already…
The Steve Wilson singles have me worried this new one won’t be up to snuff, but he’s pulled through before, so here’s hoping he can again.
Also, we’re getting the new Ramones box set, right?
Did anyone mention the Blondie Anthology set for release in August? Also, one clear contender for a 50th anniversary SDE is Carol King’s ‘Tapestry’, a landmark album if ever there was one.
Here we are again, always an interesting time of year for this:
I really want –
1, Duran Duran “Wedding album box but it’s not going to happen while they are still on Warner’s. But, they cannot let the year pass without some great reissues / stuff for the fans,their loyal fans, concerts or no concerts this year.
2, INXS “Welcome to Whereever you are” . B sides, demos, live stuff , photo book. There must be a huge amount of content this great album could have.
3, Bryan Ferry . Anything from the 80’s, demos, 12” versions, a Bete Noire concert, good book with it. Can’t see that happening though.
4, Goldfrapp “Felt Mountain”. I think if the Spring concerts go ahead, we will have audio / visual content for this reissue. Bring it on. It’s a great album!
5, Radiohead – “Kid A / Amnesiac” proper detailed reissue, either together or separate there must be some serious content here. I think the band have to do something as I think Colin has mentioned it in the past.
6, Prince.”Parade”. This would be my preferred issue, especially audio and visual of the tour, perhaps a London date from the summer of 1986. If it’s done as well as the SOTT box it should be brilliant.
Looking forward to the Japan thing & how they stretch that onto 3 CD’s
It seems that Parade reissue has been abandoned one more time….pushed back again…Diamonds @nd Pearls SPDLXE Box is planned instead by WB to be released somewhere this year !
That is too bad for me. I would like more from that 80s period between Around the World in a Day and Parade. I love that period of his work most of all.
When George Michael passed away, four years ago, the family issued an immediate press release asking fans not to expect a flood of material from his vault. They made it clear this would not happen. The Listen Without Prejudice reissue and the Last Christmas film were projects George had already approved. The fan community stands with the family’s wishes – so should everyone else.
2021 will see Sony complete the Prince re-issue campaign with final titles; the Crystal Ball box set, Xpectation, NEWS, Chocolate Invasion, Slaughterhouse and 20Ten.
The Gold Experience won’t be re-issued due to the on-going plagiarism case in Italy.
This year the estate will release Originals 2 – delayed from 2020.
Warners won’t be releasing Parade deluxe as they have no rush to reissue the film soundtracks which they will continue to own. Warners will be releasing the Diamonds & Pearls deluxe as they are on a time limit to get that out – it also happens to be Prince’s most successful album after Purple Rain.
So 2021 will be another expensive year for Prince fans – assuming the pandemic doesn’t delay the schedule again.
I don’t know who appointed you as the spokesperson for the fan community but you certainly don’t speak for me, a fan since the first Wham single.
George Michael was the only artist I can think of who makes even Kate Bush seem prolific. The family need to ditch David Austin and get a team on board who actually do something.
Dragonfly: They don’t even need to go to the Unreleased material they can re-release stuff that has long been out of print or on better modern media i.e Blue Ray of Live Concerts that were televised before so must of been sanctioned by George previously. The fans are so frustrated that they resorting to buying bootleg releases. The estate is not taping into the fans and they need to keep GM legacy alive. We not expecting GM to have same amount of output as Prince, but something should be available to keep us going as we never see him live again and he was one of best songwriters and vocalist of our time and a British treasure.
PS: Definity looking for to Prince – Parade deluxe release, one of my favs
Excited if Princes Parade is the next box…the fan forums seem to suggest it will be Diamonds and Pearls.. would also love if Bowie’s albums get a 50year super deluxe treatment starting with Hunky Dory…i’m guessing Beatles will do go from Let it Be to first albun for a 60th anniversary from next year
Hope the long awaited new Grace Jones album will see the light of day this year as it’s been 13 years since the release of her brilliant HURRICANE album and she has been working on the follow up since 2011…. Her SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM album was released on ZTT and that album just screams for a 5.1 surround mix and deluxe CD issue with all b-sides, edits, 12″ and whatever there may be available. Also a Blu ray audio with the 5.1 SACD mix of Frankie goes to Hollywood’s RAGE HARD – THE SONIC COLLECTION would make many people happy as SACD players are becoming a rarity so a blu ray transfer would make it available again.
And finally, Rob Zombie issues his new album [THE LUNAR INJECTION KOOL AID ECLIPSE CONSPIRACY]in march in not less than 15 vinyl variants worldwide including a deluxe boxset. Alice Cooper keeps it a bit more modest when he releases his new album late february in a few vinyl variants and 1 box set including a live blu ray exclusive to the box [DETROIT STORIES].
Looking forward to the Bowie, Lennon, Beatles, REM and Prince (hope it’s Parade!) sets.
There’s talk of a Robert Fripp box based around his 1979 solo album Exposure and the surrounding period later this year.
Paul, have you heard anything about the Genesis The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway reissue “with all the bells and whistles” which was mentioned in Mojo ages ago? I thought I read somewhere that it was ready to go but delayed by the pandemic but I’ve not heard anything for ages…
I just listened to a wonderful podcast from a few days ago hosted by Bill Murphy (www.murphonics.com) which features Alan Parsons as its guest. A host of topics are discussed including some fascinating stuff about AP’s work with Pink Floyd on Dark Side Of The Moon and his experience as Al Stewart’s producer/engineer on the Year Of The Cat album, which as noted above will have an SDE released in late February. Among other things AP did say that he’s putting together a couple of live shows from 2019 (Holland & Tel Aviv) which will contain 5.1 mixes. As for the next APP archive releases (apparently for 2021) it will be I Robot followed by Pyramid as he is awaiting for some material from Eric Woolfson’s estate.
New U2 studio album expected in autumn, so Pop SDE highly unlikely. Bowie album of unreleased covers due in late spring.
News of the Bowie covers album makes sense given the 74th birthday 7″ single that was released last week with covers of Lennon’s “Mother” and Dylan’s “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven.”
Bananarama hinted that there was something in the pipes for their 40th anniversary in 2021
It’s clearly a time for wish lists so.. (all on CD)
second issue of R&L Thompson boxed set please – with well made CDs!
a good remaster of Stephen Stills / Manassas including the 2nd album
Nic Jones – The Noah’s Ark Trap
Individual Rolling Stones UK early LPs from the mono boxed set, and the Stray Cats compilation
Viv Stanshall complete Peel sessions including all full-length episodes of Sir Henry at Rawlinson End
All Beatles Xmas records on one CD
‘Season Of Glass’ 40th Anniversary by Yoko Ono would be a nice re-release. Just a straight reissue of the original album would be good. It’s currently out-of-print on any format. I hope 2021 can kiss goodbye to the multi-issue release, with extra songs confined to this-or-that release. Paul McCartney springs to mind with the multitude of coloured vinyl releases. It was a record industry disgrace. He got to number 1, so he knows how to play the game but blimey……
Does Yoko have a contract for reissues at the moment? I know she worked with a label to reissue a few of the 70s albums a few years ago, an I thought more would be coming, but nothing seemed to materialize. I have the ONObox and the Rhino reissues, but it would be great to get expanded editions. I don’t know if anyone sees there being a substantial enough market, though, unfortunately.
A new Abba album would be great. Come on B&B, just ONE extra composition and release „Opus 10“ – nine new tracks like 1977 The Album.
ABBA could always dust off ‘Just Like That, ‘Just A Notion’, Rubberball Man’ or remix some of the old tracks they weren’t happy with like ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You’
Enough already about “Opus 10.” There was never such a title. That aside, a new album would be highly anticipated all over the world.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Hard Promises is 40 this year and it would be nice now that the Estates Quarrels are finally over if they bring out a Deluxe re-issue once they have stopped Milking the Wildflowers cash cow…… and Long After Dark 40th Treatment Next year and as they didn’t do a Full Moon fever 30th a couple of years ago, maybe we can look forward to that having 35th Deluxe Treatment too in the distant future?
Must admit to looking forward to REM New Adventures anniversary set, the production is superb and Stipe’ s voice is on top form.
Rush’s (timeless) Moving Pictures is 40 years old this year so I hope it is re released as a set but I don’t think there were any extra tracks or outtakes so maybe a 1981 live gig will have to suffice.
I always loved Dylan’s Street Legal which I hope may get some form of reissue, there must be some outtakes?
… and I was playing Rainbow ‘Rising’ which musically still sounds great but thinking it needed remastering.
I hope for new albums by Seven Mary Three, Filter and Our Lady Peace and Steve Vai has been missed as it’s been a while
2021, a year of hope.
And don’t forget, that in Late February, Cherry Red’s “Esoteric” label will release a 4-CD/2-DVD edition of “Be Bop Deluxe-Drastic Plastic”. A post from me about upcoming Cherry Red boxed sets was squelched because you intended to write articles about the Al Stewart & Level 42 sets, you never did mention the Be Bop Deluxe set. In the end, I did order the Be Bop Deluxe and Al Stewart sets from the record company website (Amazon companies have difficulty obtaining discs on Cherry Red labels ), I had to pass on the Level 42 ten-CD set. It has only four “new to CD” tracks, and the Royal Mail’s harsh surcharges on packages destined to North America are a major factor. Shipping charges to North America have recently (at least) quadrupled, if not quintupled.
For UK boxed sets that don’t contain video or surround sound content, I will have to (for the duration of the Covid crisis) make do with CD-R’s “Burned” from unofficial downloads. Only British citizens can use Britain’s NHS socialist medical system, so foreigners shouldn’t be expected to fund it, yet Cherry Red persists in not waiving the VAT when selling to overseas customers. Amazon.co.uk does waive the VAT. Too bad that Amazon.co.uk has great difficulty reliably obtaining Cherry Red product.
A great read, thank you. Looking forward to REM and would like to see Dare get the SDE treatment. I’d really like to see Swing Out Sister get a reappraisal. do I remember maybe reading Paul mentioning something about this quite some time ago?
Totally agree with on the George Michael/Wham stuff the estate releases of existing stuff that was released previously never mind any unreleased stuff had been very frustrating as a GM fan. I can think of a lot of stuff that can be released that will us fans engaged and happy, like even blu ray dvd for Wham in China, Symphonica full concert on Blu Ray (one shown and sanctioned by GM for tv ). Even when it comes to Wham they can release some live stuff as well as say Blue the full vocal studio version etc. That will keep us happy or maybe even release modern remixes to get these great tunes back in the limelight and gain some new younger fans too. Hopefully this can get resolved and the estate will realise that keeping the legacy and music alive is important for the GM legacy.
All Things Must Pass in 5.1?
Surely Robert Palmer is due some love and attention. Anyone, heard anything?
This year marks the 30th anniversary of so many amazing albums:
1) Van Halen – F.U.C.K
2) Metallica – Black Album
3) Gun’s n Roses – Use your illusion
4) U2 – Achtung Baby
Not waiting a reissue for the first but for the others prepare your wallet…
RHCP blood sugar
PEARL JAM ten
SOUNDGARDEN badmotirfinger
Potentially there is a lot to look forward to as a Beatles / solo fan, but ai have reservations….
Plastic Ono Band – my favourite album of all time, but if the main album and extras are compressed to oblivion on CD like most of the tracks on Gimme Some Truth I am out.
All Things Must Pass – hopefully it won’t fall into the Lennon trap sound wise, but I increasingly find that the original album was somewhat overrated and it must have been the first box set on release with superfluous content. I still can’t play the jam stuff all the way through.
Let it Be / Get Back- the movie looks like a sugar coating job, so no interest whatsoever and I suspect the musical tie in with that will be a soundtrack album rather than a lavish box set but I hope I am wrong.
London Town / Back to the Egg – very excited, but worried about how much these will cost, plus if there’s a Wings 71 – 73 style box with a complete 79 gig it’s going to be uber expensive judging by the cost of Flaming Pie. The Wings 71 – 73 box was about £330 and I can’t see London Egg, plus a live gig being anything like as ‘reasonable’ as that.
As Chrysalis seem keen to start deep-mining the Ultravox catalogue to uncover the few unreleased live sets and work in progress tapes, into I’m hopeful that we’ll see a box for Ultravox’s Rage in Eden, which will (unbelievably) be 40 years old this year. Definitely looking forward to the Japan Quiet Life box, if what I’ve seen of the contents is accurate, too!
I’m just praying for The Beautiful South catalogue to be remastered. Is that really too much to ask?
Yes
Hoping for remasters from them as well, preferably expanded to include all the b-sides that were released as well. I’ve been listening to a lot of their work lately, and they were such a great band. Really want some polished up albums, and they’ve barely scratched the surface of their b-sides.
I was really hoping that we would see the deluxe edition of Roxy Music’s For Your Pleasure this year.
It’s been three years since the release of the debut album deluxe edition and you would think that three years would be enough time for the second album. At the pace Ferry works at though it’s probably not going to be this year.
Still glad to have the new Live at the Royal Albert Hall from last years U.K. tour coming out in a few months.
I’m with you on this, Scott. Steven Wilson’s 5.1 mix of FYP has reportedly been ready for ages. Then again he also did a stereo remix of the debut album which wasn’t included in that box for some inexplicable reason so who knows?
Please someone/anyone release the David Ackles box set that was on the cards many moons ago.
Stay well in 2021 everyone :-)
A 50th anniversary set of THE WHO SELL OUT expected? Ooh, I sure hope so as there are so many rumored versions of that album. I must admit that John Astley’s remix/remaster of that album is so fine, but I’d love to have that along with the mono and stereo versions of the original mix, even possibly again “correcting” the “error” on “Rael” and a reimagining of a proposed follow-up album that never quite got finished, called ANYONE FOR TENNIS or something like that? Also, let’s not forget A QUICK ONE! After the fantastic MY GENERATION box, I almost expected the same treatment for A QUICK ONE, as I might have said in these comments last year–mono and stereo versions of the album as well as rehearsal takes or the American version of the album. And I must mirror that comment above, asking why have Squeeze are no longer mentioned when it comes to possible reissues. Years ago, there was a box set called SIX OF ONE, compiling the first wave of albums, each with two bonus tracks each; so why not HALF DOZEN OF THE OTHER? Or how about a completist box? Of course, I’m always still wishing for an ultimate “holy grail” box of the Rolling Stones’ albums from the London years, similarly detailed like the various Beatles boxes, this time with careful stereo remixes. There are so many of thsoe albums that only have a mono master. What kind of red tape are those masters tied up in? Or do master tapes still exist? Why are they reluctant to revisit those albums? Therer are probably all kinds of rare rehearsal versions of any of those songsw! And my comments about Who reissues would be similar for the remaining Cream recordings. I liked the box set around FRESH CREAM and so hoped that they’d tackle DISRAELI GEARS and WHEELS OF FIRE, if there is enough material there to warrant such an expansion. Anything else I could come up with would probably mirror my comments here from last year. Thank you, Paul, for all that you do to keep music history alive. All in all, I just wish for more things to really surprise me, rather than just rebuying what I already have, aside from the projects that I hinted at here.
The only things that could be added to Cream’s “Disraeli Gears” and “Wheels of Fire” are live recordings, though a “Wheels of Fire” box is said to be under development. For any Cream Studio recordings partly or totally recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City”, the multitracks are long gone, due to an early 1970’s vault fire.
Surprised to see nobody mentions what could be the holy grail of all the 2021 boxes and reissues, the Bruce Springsteen very desired and awaited for decades “Tracks II”. Some days ago he said he has great news for the fans in 2021 and, since he specifically mentioned he had made a recording (the great “Letter to you”) and a film (in Apple TV), and he can’t tour for obvious reasons, it only can be a boxset. I don’t think it will be the BITUSA one because it don’t seems 2021 is a proper date to celebrate a 1984 LP. And we know the band was rearranging and recording parts of dozens of old songs (incidentally some of them ending in “Letter To You”, the great “Janey needs a shooter”, “If I was a priest” and “Song For the Orphans”). So, I bet in 2021 we will see a gigantic Springsteen box set with all the songs he has been lefting in the Vault these decades. Crossing fingers for that.
And another two boxsets I will buy instantly are third in the series of The Go-Betweens anthologies, with the albums they released in the 00s, three absolute masterworks when nobody was awaiting for them, and something Greg Dulli said months ago he was working in, a complete anthology with all The Twilight Singers albums, rarities and more.
2021 will be a great year for SDL editions, no doubt about it. With all artists incapable of touring they have the time and finantial motivation to do it.
Cheers and happy year. Take care anybody.
Where on Earth are the Beautiful South reissues? Blue is the colour was planned now seems to be shelved?
Quench and Gaze are long overdue too…
Can’t believe you didn’t mention the 6-Disc box set of Be Bop Deluxe’s Drastic Plastic in February. It’s the last of the studio based releases, with rumors of a Red Noise Sound on Sound box being in the works. This also leaves one Be Bop release missing, Live in the Air Age – so perhaps we’ll get that too (yes please!).
I think we’ll see another pair of Depeche 12”box sets inside of 2021 – possibly back to being released together? I say that because with Ultra and Exciter, we reach an era where the number of commercially released 12” singles per album begins to drop down again, unless they augment them with the odd recreated 12” promo as with the Violator set. I’ll be interested to see if BMG continue with their Erasure expanded remaster series, which they resumed after a long gap in 2019 with Wild! and 2020 with Chorus. Next would be I Say I Say I Say (if they keep going chronologically) and Vince Clarke is said to have done one or two new remixes of album tracks for it, but the band have heavily hinted there are more releases still to come from the current album campaign (which they are referring to so far as ‘Alt Neon’ – not necessarily the title, mind!) with reworkings from Vince plus Andy Bell has been doing new remixes of Neon tracks with long-time collaborator Gareth Jones – so I don’t know if they’ll hold off on back catalogue projects til later, for now. Very much looking forward to the Howard Jones ‘In The Running’ set – I didn’t quite ‘get’ that album as an 18 year old wanting synths, banging and dance-oriented direction from him in the early 1990s – instead he subverted my expectations and went piano-driven ‘singer-songwriter’ mode instead – but I love it now. There were no 12” versions or remixes for the singles with that one, so I wonder if it might be a slimmer set for that one – 2 discs perhaps? – but he’s surprised me with how much vaults stuff he found for One to One and Cross That Line so let’s see!
This year is the 50th anniversary of Philadelphia International Records. Sony has not done much with the catalogue since that box set of 20 albums a few years back so this year would be the perfect time. So many unreleased tracks in the vaults so here is hoping Gamble and Huff allow some of them to be released as well as some of those albums yet to see a CD release.
Hopefully finally get a Super Deluxe of Smashing Pumpkins’ Machina/Machina II this year. Would love to see the farewell Chicago show from 2000 on Blu-Ray at last!
Much as I’d love to hear a SDE of Ghost in the Machine, didn’t The Police suffer substantially from the Universal Studios fire?
It is known that the first generation mixdown master for “Ghost in The Machine” is gone, but the recording survives as a DSD transfer for a SACD release. The group’s multitracks may be gone (though I’m not certain), but this is a group who basically released everything they recorded. The non-L.P. B-sides were typically recorded at the end of sessions, and by A&M Records executives request. Luckily, the group’s hits were mixed for surround for a SACD compilation many years ago. Generally, most A&M Records multitracks are gone (for “The Carpenters” & Rick Wakeman, it is certain)
Teardrop Explodes box set out in Autumn. Source: Mojo magazine in their 2021 preview.
Does anyone know anything about a MODERN LOVERS box?
This classic should deserve a well packaged box with mixes demos and live recordings imo…. And same goes to Jonathan Richman’s 80″s Rough Trade LPs’
That would be a great release. And sensational album which is currently out-of-print.
1 – For real Beatles’ fan : buy John, Paul, George… and Ringo. The Peace & Love Man will offer us new songs in March with « ZOOM IN » on CD, black vinyl and limited red vinyl.
2 – Rhino’s Start Your Ear Off Right, January 2021 :
Friday, January 8: The Cars, Shake It Up, 1-LP, neon green vinyl – 3,500 copies / k.d. lang, Invincible Summer: 20th Anniversary Edition, 1-LP, yellow flame vinyl – 3,000 copies / Talking Heads, Speaking In Tongues, 1-LP, sky blue vinyl – 4,500 copies /Talking Heads, The Name of the Band Is Talking Heads, 2-LP, red opaque vinyl – 4,500 copies
Friday, January 15: Billie Joe + Norah, foreverly, 1-LP, orange vinyl – 3,000 copies / Buffalo Springfield, Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield, 1-LP, 180-gram black vinyl – 4,000 copies / Curtis Mayfield, Superfly, 1-LP, red opaque vinyl – 3,800 copies / Danny Elfman, Batman: Original Motion Picture Score (1-LP, turquoise vinyl – 3,000 copies) and Dick Tracy (Original Score) (1-LP ,transparent blue vinyl – 3,000 copies) / Talk Talk, It’s My Life, 1-LP purple vinyl – 1,920 copies
Friday, January 22: Dire Straits, Brothers In Arms (2-LP, 180-gram black vinyl – 5,000 copies), Communiqué, Dire Straits, Love Over Gold, Making Movies, and On Every Street (each 1-LP, 180-gram black vinyl – 4,000 copies) / Genesis, A Trick of the Tail (1-LP, 180-gram Easter yellow vinyl – 3,350 copies) and Duke (1-LP, 180-gram white vinyl – 3,350 copies) / Various Artists, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (2-LP, 140-gram black vinyl – 4,000 copies)
Friday, January 29: John Prine, Bruised Orange, Pink Cadillac, and Storm Windows (each 1-LP black vinyl – 2,500 copies)
Happy Collecting!
With the 50th Anniversary of “Electric Warrior” in September, expect something. The website, FB page etc., are all using a new “T.Rex 50” profile pic/logo.
They have been using that ‘T.Rex 50’ logo for a year now. 1970 was the year the name shortened to T.Rex.
Just speculating, Madonna has uploaded at least one video with an early recording and her older maxi singles have started to appear again on streaming plus her videos are being remastered. Maybe some compilation or box set comes out of it.
Talk Talk albums need some special edition versions:
The Colour Of Spring = 35th anniversary
Spirit Of Eden = 33th anniversary
Laughing Stock = 30th anniversary
RIP Mark Hollis
Fully agrees. Not the same, but I Wish for a blue nile complete set. Best regards hans
I hope the Joni Mitchell Archives series produces another box this year.
Not sure ABBA’s avatar project should be deferred. This looks like an ideal year for an avatar band to play to an avatar audience.
Mix of expectations/wishes for 2021:
Believe Metallica’s Black Album is ‘due’ this year.
More New Order SDEs
The Cure’s Wish? New album…?
The Sisterhood – The Gift (Sisters of Mercy[ish]) was to be reissued late ’19/early ’20
U2 should release a Pop SDE
Giles Martin’s INXS reissues…
Psychedelic Furs box that was highlighted several years ago in MOJO…
Michael Hutchence Mystify doc on 4K/Blu-ray/DVD
Continuation of OMD album reissues
Continuation of The Alarm’s original album reissues
Housemartins People Who Grinned… reisssue
More The Cult box sets
More Big Audio Dynamite deluxe editions
Madonna, Pet Shop Boys, Oingo Boingo, Beautiful South SDEs
Blondie Box, R.E.M., Prince, George Michael/Wham, Police reissues as highlighted by Paul
Hi Glenn- Love your list, if even a quarter of that happens it would be amazing. Question- can you share any more insight – however vague- on the following? Housemartins ‘…Grinned…’, INXS reissues (I would especially like to see Listen Like Theives), B.A.D (Tighten Up Vol 88 would be AMAZING), and finally OMD- I think next would be Crush and Pacific Age yes? Cheers.
Hi Kevin,
For the Housemartins it is just a hope of mine given that they did the debut album as a 2-CD set back in 2009 (link below). Would be great to get all the b-sides rounded up some of which haven’t been released on CD.
Link: https://www.discogs.com/The-Housemartins-London-0-Hull-4/release/1837272
For INXS, my comment is based on post from here on SDE back in June 2018 (link below). Agree it would be great to get Listen Like Thieves as well as The Swing and Shaboo Shoobah as deluxe editions especially given how many times Kick has been reissued already:
https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/giles-martin-to-work-with-inxs-as-creative-lead-on-future-projects/
B.A.D. is also wishful thinking based on the debut album’s deluxe reissue back in 2010 (link below). Would love reissues of their next three albums for sure. They played a few shows with the original lineup around then including one in LA the night after I returned from a trip to Disneyland. Regret not taking an extra day to see them. Assume you can still watch some of the footage from that tour on YouTube.
https://www.discogs.com/Big-Audio-Dynamite-This-Is-Big-Audio-Dynamite/release/2266890
OMD is also wishful thinking based on the prior reissues that have come out to date. Last one was Junk Culture in 2015 (link below). Crush and Pacific Age would both be great. Would want unedited versions of all remixes and a full set of b-sides before they start adding demos etc. I know last time they got some heat for re-editing some of the remixes (similar to B.A.D. reissue above).
https://www.discogs.com/Orchestral-Manoeuvres-In-The-Dark-Junk-Culture/release/6748449
We can always hope…
Well if we get with caution Mr. Smith words (as almost usual with him) new album must came this year. In fact he was recording the last song for it when Gorillaz called him to do an appearance on their latest project.
But of course being him who knows, time will tell…
Might be of interest to Gerry Rafferty fans according Gerry’s Facbook Youtube page Warner UK will be issuing A new CD this year including new music also Vinyl and CD box sets of his remastered back catalogue later in the year subject to COVID I would add as there could be delays with most projects.
Oh yes please!
In principle, in 2021 we will have a definitive Low-Life box, from New Order. The Pet Sho Boys could re-release the albums Electric, Super and Hotspot in Further Listening versions, like the rest of the discography.
I think the New Order one will happen – the PSB ones are too soon in my opinion.
Trash Can Sinatras are releasing a deluxe reissue of I’ve Seen Everything on CD/vinyl in the autumn.
I believe Mighty Lemon Drops have a box set coming out on Cherry Red but haven’t seen any confirmation on the date.
Looking forward to the Trashcan Sinatras “I’ve Seen Everything” reissue in September – vinyl, deluxe CD and a book coming too from Late Night in Glasgow. If the Bluebells “Sisters” release is anything to go by, it will be gorgeously done – and in multiple versions!
Just wondered if anything is happening with Scritti Politti and Wang Chung rereleases?
wang Chung getting closer I was advised…maybe August 2021
I certainly wouldn’t put any hope on that happening. He announced these 3 years ago and since then has done nothing but tease people every 6 months and in fact even gave a release date of October 2019 at one stage . You will notice he has been working on other stuff as well that has never came to fruition.
My wish for 2021? The powers that be at Jethro Tull HQ deciding to re-release the “book” boxsets for some titles that have become close-to-unobtainable (unless creating a second mortgage on your house is considered a viable option). Namely “Minstrel in the Gallery,” “War Child” and “Stand Up / Elevated Edition.”
And Thick As A Brick. Please!
Yes, TAAB and War Child reissues please!
“The Man Who Sold The World” Boxset ??????
Possibly as part of a ”double header” 50 year anniversary with Hunky Dory in a similar format to Conversation Piece. Would have to be 6 months at least after the 90’s Boxie box-set so they don’t get in each others way for promo and optimal sales, so maybe at the end of the year.
I hope because it’s one of my favorite album and a Boxset in a similar format to Conversation Piece with singles, demos, alternate version, outtakes,…would be great !
They just released a remixed version of the album, so that is not happening. The album was never popular enough for that treatment, anyhow, I suppose… and probably lacks much bonus material that has not already been used elsewhere by now, I guess.
I have The Future Bites on pre-order along with Steve Hackett’s new album and Nils Frahm’s live album all at the end of this month.
Both A and Benefit by Tull are being prepared for bookset treatment. No dates, but A will be first if “reliable sources” at the Steve Hoffman forums can be believed. I’ll get both!
Springsteen has said fans can expect “a big surprise” in 2021, but no other hints. He has confirmed he won’t be touring.
Wildcard speculation:
Not sure if Andy Batt has any plans after his Bobbie Gentry and Richard and Linda Thompson deluxe sets. How about a Nick Drake box in the same format as those two.
According to MOJO, Andy Batt is preparing something by Bobbie Gentry for 2021 along the lines of the Hard Luck Stories box set. But we’ve already had the Complete Capitol Masters box set, so maybe they’re getting confused? Unless he’s working on a post-Capitol years collection which would be great! But I doubt there’s enough material to make into a box set.
Itll be a two horse race between Parade and Diamonds & Pearls, not sure anyone is sure what rights Sony and Warners have worldwide though. D&P will sell more but be less interesting than Parade. With Duane Tudahl’s upcoming book and SoTT mining the same era tapes, Parade would be sensible but bet its D&P!
As usual I wish for Duran, ABC and ver League, lets see if anything comes out. The sad truth is most Duranies would rather have the archive over the famous pensioner assisted new album to be honest.
How about a SDE curated Nik Kershaw’ Remixes and Rarities? Would hoover up the missing MCA stuff.
Following on from Acen’s “Trip To The Moon” vinyl box set recently released last month, Kniteforce Records will will be giving the same remastered/expanded treatment to his other old school classics – “Window In The Sky”/”Close Your Eyes”. This second vinyl box set is supposed to be out around June. Great to see these hard to find classics getting reissued. His new material is superb as well.
@Rik Skyline
Acen Trip To The Moon sampled Tongue N Cheek track Nobody,which was written by my friends Total Contrast
.. Great track :)
I hope you are correct , Back To The Egg and London Town are top of my ‘want’s ……and have been for some time.
Agreed! London Town and Back to the Egg are overdue for Archive Collection treatment, and I think your guess, Paul, is a good one (check out pickinguprocks.com for spirited defenses of those albums). Cross fingers!
The Residents are continuing their “pREServed” series with “Freak Show” due in February.
There was talk from Nicky Wire of a 20th anniversary edition of Manic Street Preachers “Know Your Enemy”, a curate’s egg of an album with b-sides and extra tracks strewn all over the place. That could be decent as long as they don’t let James Dean Bradfield master it…however with a new album and a Wire solo project on the boil, there might not be space.
The Zappa archives are getting plundered a couple of times a year at the moment – after the film soundtrack in February (3CD) and May (5LP set), we’ll probably see some further live boxes.
Will The Art Of Noise’s “Below The Waste” ever be reissued? How about the 2nd and 3rd albums by The House Of Love? Was the “Soundcloud dump” of a few years back all Aphex Twin is ever going to do with his archive? What of all those leaked Lana Del Rey outtakes of which we were promised a “best of”, curated by the woman herself? Are the rumours that the Miles Davis Official Bootleg series was set to continue after all true and, if so, is there really any unreleased recordings left that are worth hearing? Time, as ever, will tell.
Would love to see The The reissue some albums especially Infected and Mind Bomb
The The Live comeback from 2018 was recorded and meant to be coming out in various formats but Matt had complications from an operation so all delayed. Hopefully 2021 it will be released
I would love the see a 40th anniversary super deluxe edition of Human League’s Dare album. Perhaps one of the greatest albums of all time….a 5.1 DTS mix for once with all the b-sides, extended etc. remastered vinyls of both Dare! Love and Dancing and picture disc!
I fully expect to see something akin to what you’ve described for sale at the merch stands at the Dare 40th anniversary Human League tour next December, should it still go ahead.
Tina Turner’s Break Every Rule turns 35 this year – still amazes me that other than a couple of lackluster Private Dancer reissues, her peak career Capitol albums have never received a reissue or even a remaster. She’s well overdue for a reappraisal and reissue campaign (although 35 is a useless anniversary!).
Also, don’t laugh (!), but this year is the 40th anniversary of Céline Dion’s debut album, La Voix Du Bon Dieu. It always amazed me that even in her world domination period, no one ever issued her original Québec albums on CD (maybe there are rights issues at play?). Lots of random compilations, but never the albums proper. Would love to see a box set, or at least a 40th Anniversary release of the debut album – it would be its first release on CD.
Had forgotten about the CSN&Y Deja Vu set – really looking forward to that. Hopefully the Dylan/Harrison 1970 set in the spring is an ‘extra’, and the official Bootleg Series resumes in November – still waiting for the Supper Club set, which rumour has it was prepared for release a few years back. As an obscure one, how about (finally) the official release of Buckingham-Nicks from 1973 please, with bonus tracks/live disc. Lindsey Buckingham has been talking about this since at least 2013!
I am looking forward to anything Prince and Queen.
I also wish Aerosmith and ZZ Top would get it together and do something with their catalogs.
Cheers.
Chris
With Madonna seeming to finally acknowledge her extensive back catalogue given digital releases of contemporary remix packages, it would be good to finally see full and extensive deluxe editions of her albums, including all remixes, missing tracks and promo clips.
Madonna. Like a Prayer was supposed to be released & even had catalogue numbers. However was shelved as Madame X came along at the time.
As for the digital re-issues Warners are already cocking up that one. Vogue EP 12″ version has sound issues especially at 7.34 with a loud click like it’s taken from Vinyl.
Warners cannot be trusted with re-issuing her stuff, even her digital albums have incorrect mixes on them. They don’t have a great track record on her catalogue, just look at the rushed GHV2 & Celebration releases. Even her RSD releases are just a re-press from bad compressed copies, they have no soundscape & quite flat/muffled.
However we live in hope that someday somebody at Warners will listen. They did with Celebration & re-pressed the 2 disc version with some corrections but still left in Dress You Up missing the first few of beats.
I’d love a “Complete Studio Albums” for the New Order (all the Factory/London/Warner albums in cardboard sleeves, similar to what Warners did with Joni Mitchell; they were remastered for iTunes in 2015 by Frank Arkwright if I can remember correctly, but only “Singles” was re-released on CD and vinyl) and a remastered-expanded “Substance” set.
Steve Jansen mentioned the Quiet Life reissue when posting a couple of photos to mark the 10th anniversary of Mick Karn’s death. No details (other than the photos would be included in the booklet), but that’s the closest thing to an official confirmation that I’ve seen.
The Quiet Life Deluxe Edition is rather underwhelming IMHO. Information are available on the net.
@Kevin O: it’s coming. The QL track listings that are out there are correct, masters created & production samples exist
Let’s also hope that the Ultravox reworks continue along the lines of the Vienna box.
“Leave” by R.E.M. is one of their best songs ever. Can’t wait for a 5.1 mix.
A while back Esoteric stated they would be continuing with their Alan Parsons Project boxes. Turn of a Friendly Card was supposed to be next with I Robot after.
Hoping for that. TOAFC was 35 last year and would be good news to have those one in the way.
I was hoping that The Beach Boys Sunflower / Surf’s Up era Feel Flows multi-disc box set would be released last year. Since there was also no digital release (in contrast to the past 7 years) at the end of 2020, we can hope that there will be a physical release this year. A 5.1 surround mix would work really well for those albums. So fingers crossed.
And maybe Sade will release a new album?
A big YES to „Parade“ of PRINCE
Bowie – the 90ˋs could be interesting (with the two „New“ 1998ˋs tracks of Dylan & Lennon)
Still waiting for U2ˋs Rattle & Hum (big box please)
Peter Gabriel – SO – complete (Ha Ha, a joke)
Eurythmics…….
QUEEN 50 !?!?
My list is to long – but something is ever on Paulˋs wonderful SDE side!
Live long and in prosper
Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart sold off his song publishing AND his artist royalties years ago, and has no reason to cooperate with any Eurythmics archival release. He’s also still embittered at Sony Music’s U.S.A. company for not releasing the previous Eurythmics expanded editions in the U.S.A.
As for Zappa : fingers crossed for the full Fillmore East and Pauley Pavillion shows from 1971
Looking forward to continuation of the finest of reissue programmes: Jethro Tull’s. ‘A’ is up next. Hope they also find room to reissue ‘Benefit’ properly in the book format, and how about making ‘Thick As A Brick” available again.
The new album from the best progressive rock band going, Big Big Train, also due this year as well as an expanded reissue of their first nailed-on classic, 2009’s ‘The Underfall Yard’.
I have a preorder for what I think will be the Quiet Life box set sitting with Amazon at the moment. It has just been pushed back to March and I’ve seen rumors elsewhere on the web that it has been delayed from January until then.
Also would like to see the Fugazi deluxe edition and am I the only one hoping they do Real to Reel at some point?
Finally in the spirit of the Misplaced Childhood reissue I’d love to see Bowie’s Five Years box set get a reprint.
The word on the Prince forum is that Diamonds & Pearls is going to be the next Prince deluxe and given there is a big 30th anniversary box for REM coming (I know someone working on it) then seems unlikely New Adventures would come out too but who knows.
Prince:
Prince’s releases seem (to me anyway) to be offered in a 3 prong attack:
“Early” Warner brothers BIG boxsets…1999, sign o the times
“Later” releases, smaller in cost and scope…… one nite a,one, rainbow children
“Posthumous” …releases that did not exist as actual albums until being released. …originals, microphone 1984
The PARADE release would fall into the early warner bros category. It also avoids the lovesexy/black album period which would perhaps make a more interesting set.
Diamonds and pearls would fall into the later category, I think. 1980’s rules over the 1990’s in prince’s world.
I would like to see a proper black album release and lotusflow3r, but Parade is the safe bet. The only downside would be the price (£120+ on cd I am sure ). Parade is also a “and the revolution” album so maybe we will get “Around the world in a day” period material included also. Just gotta wait and see.
Then, perhaps in 2022…lovesexy and black album….hundalasiliah!
The release pattern you mention has partly been caused by 2 different labels having the rights to release Prince’s music:
The larger “Early” sets and the “Posthumous” releases you highlight are all distributed by Warner Bros (WB) and have contained a good amount of previously unreleased material.
The smaller-scope “Later” releases are all distributed by Sony and have been restricted to previously released material only (generally being straightforward reissues of previous albums or sets).
Things could change this year as some of the rights to Prince’s music change hands: WB lose the US rights to most of the ‘classic’ albums (1978-1995) to Sony – the exception being anything that is a soundtrack to a Warner Bros film (i.e. Purple Rain, Parade, Batman, Graffiti Bridge albums). It’s been suggested this was one of the reasons Sign ‘O’ The Times was released in 2020 despite work on Parade SDE already being completed before that.
It’s understood that WB retain the ‘rest of world’ rights to all of these albums, however. What this means in practice is unclear: a Diamonds & Pearls SDE would presumably have to be distributed by Sony in the US and WB everywhere else?
What’s even more unclear is what rights Sony have to distribute previously unreleased material – either for the WB era albums (1978-1995) or for the post-WB era (1996 onwards). The so-called ‘vault material’ wasn’t mentioned in any of the press-releases surrounding the Sony deal and, as noted above, Sony have yet to release anything that had not already been released previously. Obviously this has been a big draw for the large-scale SDEs so far, so would be a shame if this couldn’t be carried forward. It will also be interesting to see if WB and Sony will be content to issue one large-scale S’O’TT style SDE per year or whether we might get one from each company going forwards?
This could be the answer to the conflicting reports of either Parade being released this year (via WB) or Diamonds & Pearls (via Sony): we might be getting both!
Lol a little Roger C Carmel. Excellent!
A 30th anniversary box of Out of Time? That would be strange.
There was meant to be a deluxe box set of Felt Mountain by Goldfrapp out last year so I wonder if that will be released this year.
Did I miss the details on the upcoming B-52s box set?
Don’t forget Roger Waters reissue of Amused to Death on super duper heavyweight vinyl with apparently the ultimate mix that it could possibly be, due for release in Feb. Only two places to purchase it from though which makes it harder to get any price competition and will obviously make the scalpers job easier!
A bit of fireworks, please, for the upcoming deluxe box for Be-Bop Deluxe’s final studio album, Drastic Plastic.
4 CDs, 2 DVDs. Remix, original mix, 5.1, demos, John Peel, live, home movies.
February 26 on Cherry Red.
Then Red Noise,pretty please?
Rob F.:
Bill Nelson has said that the Cherry Red Be-Bop Deluxe reissue series will also include Red Noise.
With Drastic Plastic out so early in the year, maybe the Red Noise album will make it to market in 2021, though I am just as interested in an expanded edition of the BBD live album, Live In The Air Age.
Yes, the guys from Esoteric say that SoS is scheduled for the deluxe treatment, but may have to wait til 2022 as they’re working on Live In the Air Age which will follow the Drastic Plastic set coming shortly.
Lennon Plastic Ono Band Deluxe is due to announced this month with 159 new mixes.
I had 2021 nailed on as the time for a proper 25th anniversary reissue of George Michael’s Older, especially as the Older project was the one GM era with plenty of extra material to work with. Rare vinyl copies run at around the £600-1000 area. It’s a no brainer, really. However, I’m not sure what David Austin does with his time, but he clearly doesn’t spend any of it taking care of George’s musical legacy.
hi paul,
well i see the usual suspects, but hope there are more coming out this:
a lot have 40th anniversaries coming up
———-
kraftwerk – 40th for computer world
heaven 17 – penthouse and pavement 40th
already been reissued a few times
big country – maybe another compilation boxset
human league – 40th anniversary of dare, it has
been reissued several times, but maybe a super deluxe
depeche mode – maybe continue the vinyl boxsets,
or super deluxe of older ones? 40th anniversary
of speak and spell
simple minds – probably done with their boxsets, but maybe
they can reissue some other ones
tears for fears – who knows if that new album will make it out
new order – maybe low-life this year, maybe next,
definitely a live album release
duran duran – you mentioned them already
40th for duran duran album
u2 – maybe some record store day singles for
tracks from october – 40th anniversary
cars – 40th anniversary of shake it up
inxs – anything but kick or the other same old releases
men at work – business as usual 40th
would like see some other things from:
===============================
pet shop boys
frankie goes to hollywood
ultravox – although i don’t care for rage in eden, might be next
808 state
chemical brothers
underworld
blancmange – have tons of releases, and super deluxes have come out, so
not sure what they have in store
abc – i know of a possible release i’m working on, will post later on about it
several wang chung remasters are planned to come out also.
happy new year, and take care
thanks for all the great information.
later
-1
Oooohhhh……..ABC!
Yes, please!!
My deluxe dreamlist:
U2 – Rattle & Hum
Depeche Mode – Black Celebration (35 anniversary)
The Shamen – En Tact
Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion 1 & 2
Alphaville – Afternoons In Utopia
Prince And The Revolution – Around The World In A Day
Prince – Parade/Lovesexy/Batman
Duran Duran – Notorious 35
OMD – Sugar Tax
My deluxe dreamlist:
U2 – Rattle & Hum
Depeche Mode – Black Celebration (35 anniversary)
The Shamen – En Tact
Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion 1 & 2
Alphaville – Afternoons In Utopia
Prince And The Revolution – Around The World In A Day
Prince – Parade/Lovesexy/Batman
Duran Duran – Notorious 35
OMD – Sugar Tax
Hi Paul, very nice read! What about Jethro Tull reissues? And maybe the long-awaited Miracle box by Queen?
I wonder with UMC and ZTT if they’ll get the Standard Editions (vanilla is the term used at the time of the FGTH releases) out of the way first, then start to mine the catalogue in a hopefully much more ordered way than Salvo / Union Square Music ever did.
Some artist-specific exhaustive box-sets are well-overdue.
I think that Marillion will be continuing their EMI era rereleases with Fugazi the next in line. Thst only leaves Seasons End and Holidays in Eden. I have understood that Fish is thinking of rereleasing his solo debut Vigil in a wilderness of Mirrors in some form or other.
I believe The Who Sell Out is out in April 5 CD box set.
Give it to me straight I need it bad !
At some point this year there should be a deluxe Fugazi from Marillion and Queen have had an expanded version of The Works in the works for a long while now.
Non Stop Erotic Cabaret by Soft Cell has its 40th anniversary this year so it would be good to see a special reissue of this as well.
Good one! They should go on with their deluxe reissue campaign, including “Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing”, “The Art of Falling Apart” and the hard-to-find “This Last Night… In Sodom”. I hope that Cherry Red will consider “Enchanted” and “Tenement Symphony” after The Stars We Are.
I hear that Diamanda Galas is re-releasing her back catalogue, digitally remastered.
“Dare” (The Human League) will be 40 but it has already been reissued multiple times. Same goes for The Who’s “Who’s Next” (50), “Imagine” (50), “Tapestry” (50, again), Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” (50). “Nevermind” will be 30 but, again, it was already remastered and re-released. Maybe a 30th anniversary edition for Slint’s “Spiderland”?
The amount of “wanted” material that could be just copy / pasted from last year’s and the year before and the year before that would render original thought as pointless.
Kate Bush – Copy / Paste.
Some things I would like to see other than the obvious motherlode of KB.
The final arrival of “Cocksure” by Stephen Duffy that has been on the cards for a while now.
The continuation of Mike Oldfield’s archive with Islands and (IMHO) the brilliant Earth Moving. It’s been 4 years now since the disappointing Discovery release and I’d like to see where they are going with it. Discovery was the only poor effort so far and I can only believe it must have been down to a lack of available material. (Zombies – aaaargh!).
I won’t hold my breath for either though.
New Adventures could arguably be defined as REMs best album with The Visitors being the same for ABBA. Both could be very interesting.
Have you heard the 5.1 mix for New Adventures Paul? It really is stunning. Leave is one of the best 5.1 mixes I have ever heard.
What about Around the World in a Day for Prince? Any reason you’re imagining Parade will be ahead of it? I would argue that ATWIAD is a far better album although Parade may be more commercial.
I hope you have a great year Paul!
Yes, I have the ‘old’ CD+DVD of New Adventures… although must admit I haven’t studied the 5.1 mix in much detail. May now have to do so! I think Parade is better than ATWIAD myself, but would be happy with either, in terms of reissues. Same to you, Andrew!
I think the difficulty with ATWIAD is that there isn’t a huge amount of material from this period to collate into a specific SDE. Between the release of Purple Rain and ATWIAD Prince spent a huge amount of time on the road for the Purple Rain Tour (98 dates).
In addition, ATWIAD was one of the few albums from the classic period that he didn’t tour specifically for. A few of the tracks were played on various Purple Rain dates with some tracks also included in the Parade Tour the following year.
I’d love a nice remastered version of the album along with all of the extended versions and excellent B-sides but it might even make sense to combine these into a dual ATWIAD/Parade SDE.
Another release delayed from 2020 is Crosby Stills Nash & Young Deja Vu super deluxe box. There’s also The Who Sell Out box but if that comes out does it mean any 50th anniversary release of Who’s Next is put back. On my wish list is a box of the Stones It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll and following last years Richard & Linda Thompson box what about a box set of Ashley Hutchings from Fairport Convention to Steeleye Span to The Albion Band.
2021 should bring a 2xCD deluxe edition/vinyl reissue of Super Furry Animals’ ‘Rings Around the World’; the pattern has been for the 20th Anniversary with the other albums and they all but confirmed they were working on it when that MoV repress was announced then eventually canceled.
Hello Paul,
Big fan of your website for years and appreciate all the work you do. I am a fan of all types of music but particularly R&B, pop and dance music.
Do you have any insight to why Universal is so neglectful of its Motown catalogue? Things have slowed down to a snails pace since Hip-O Select shuttered. With the exception of Marvin Gaye, there are no releases coming. Occasionally they partner with Real Gone music to physically release Supremes expanded reissues that were only made available digitally.
Also, it is rumored that Madonna has re-signed with Warner Records. Over the last several months a boat load of older Maxi-CD singles have been made available for download and streaming with more promised for the new year. Also there is the forthcoming autobiographical film. Have you heard anything about possibly finally getting expanded reissues or super deluxe editions of her catalog.
Thanks again for all that you do.
Regards,
Frank
I would like to see the TheThe live show from the RAH issued. I thought it was due in 2020, but obviously did not make it so hopefully this year. Would also be good to see the albums reissued in extended versions, but not sure how likely, but Matt does seem to be active again which means there is some hope.
Parade I will certainly take, but would prefer lovesexy, but I guess we will get there if not this year.
Abba seriously need to release their new material this year: as you say, it will be three years in April since it was first announced. Eight songs – once recorded – are enough for an album and I for one would now rather see an album released than perpetually wait for the ‘Abbatars’ project. Also – and while this may seem a slightly macabre point – Abba’s original fanbase, myself included – aren’t getting any younger. For thirty-odd years we never dreamed there would be new music. Now it has been teased there are so many fans waiting, young and old. Sadly, I already know personally of older Abba fans who have passed away since the original announcement, and with coronavirus still rampant this could could get heart-achingly worse. Look, I know it isn’t as simple as that, and that current events cannot dictate business decisions, but with the mood in the world so low I cannot think of anything more uplifting and exciting than Abba releasing a new album worldwide. Just my thoughts of course.
Happy New Year, Paul, and thanks for a great website – one of my first ‘check-ins’ each day!
Excellent article Paul .. only one from above i’m interested in. McCartney’s “Back to the egg” .. would love to hear that one remastered. Am also looking forward to / hoping for a Beach Boy set built around “Sunflower” and “Surfs up” .. rumours of a release Feb last year, so maybe this year? Here’s hoping …
From the Beach Boys should be coming a box set called ” Feel Flows ” with material from 1970, it is in working as some members from the Beach Boys say. Maybe this year ?
I doubt that a 5.1 mix of “Achtung Baby” will be issued – if so, it will be the first 5.1 mix of a studio album U2 will have approved.
So do I.
So far, as big-name reissues go, I’m most looking forward to whatever Prince comes our way. I’d even venture to say it might be “Around The World In A Day” first, picking up with the Revolution post-Purple Rain before revisiting ‘Parade,’ but it’s all dependent on how much is in the Vault for each release era. (Also, it would be nice to get some Prince-related reissues, collecting Vanity, The Time, Sheila E., etc.)
Also keen on the deluxe of R.E.M.’s ‘New Adventures In Hi-Fi,” which deserves revisiting. It’s my second-favorite LP of theirs, after ‘Automatic For The People.’
Prior to the pandemic, we seemed to be on a three month cycle where we could have heard news of a Depeche Mode ‘Ultra – 12″ Singles” box set by now. I imagine both the size of the set and the pandemic are slowing down the speed at which these get released, but I would still anticipate some Depeche Mode 12″ box sets coming out this year.
Do you know something about next Marillion classic albums reissue?
Happy New Year!
Thanks for all you do to keep us all informed
I always seem to learn something from your posts
Stay Safe
There really is quite a lot to look forward to and hope for this year isn’t there. I do hope that the next Prince reissue is Parade, it’s my favourite album by him. I do hope Dare by The Human League gets the SDE treatment this year, there have been several different CD reissues over the last few years and the standard album on vinyl and picture disc. The stereo only Sacd is long out of print and is currently going for silly money on Discogs and Ebay.
Ah yes, I think Dare is a distinct possibility. Meant to mention that…
My understanding is the Prince catalog is moving to Sony in 2021, barring the “soundtrack” albums, although the definition of “soundtrack” seems a bit blurry. The SOTT album could be considered a soundtrack, as there was an accompanying film, but the label also said there was only going to be one run of the physical versions – I assume that was because of the expiry of rights, much as there was only a single run of the 1999 box. Parade might contractually defined as a soundtrack, but I hope the team stays on and the releases, no matter what label is involved, remain of the same high caliber.
Michael Jackson’s Dangerous is 30 this year. Its my favourite Jacko album so I am hoping for a deluxe reissue. The amount of remixes that were done for this would warrant a 4 disc set I am sure.
Sony in America seem incapable of putting together ANY decent Jackson reissue. Bad was terrible (Afrojack, ahoy), Off The Wall was awful (piece of chalk, anyone?) and Thriller was rubbish as well.
I think we are more likely to get a Gary Glitter sde than we are a Michael Jackson sde…for the same reasons that Rolf Harris was removed from a recent Kate Bush reworked release.
I bought them all, but you are right. Nothing like the sort of comprehensive releases we see from other major artists. They seemed much more interested in continuing the “cult” of Michael Jackson the megastar, than exploring the actual musical master at work. A triumph of packaging over substance.
Wasn’t the Ramones “End of The Century”-deluxe edition announced for March?
Hi Paul,
Great informative article as ever, I would only add that the “bookset” reissues of Jethro Tull’s Benefit (50th anniversary in 2020) and A (40th anniversary in 2020) are due this year, according to reports in FB fan groups.
Happy new year and all the best for 2021!
Ian
Be-bop Deluxe – Drastic Plastic is a Feb release too , hopefully Red Noise and solo after that.
I am still very much hoping to see a Fugazi Super Deluxe Edition from Marillion in early 2021. Would also be great for the XTC reissues to continue but I’m guessing that all depends on the master tapes.
Looking forward to seeing the Fugazi reissue also as well as virgil and internal exile from fish that he hopes to get access to.
A career spanning box set from The Christians would be welcome. 34 years now since they first stormed the charts.
I was going to try and do a ‘remixes and rarities’ for The Christians but it never happened unfortunately.
Any chance we will see a cd reissue of David Bowie Five Years box set?
Unlikely.
I’m wondering if the long discussed Scritti Politti remasters of “Cupid & Psyche 85” and “Provision” will ever see the light of day. They are supposedly touring next fall to play the former in its entirety so I suppose if it ever gets a release that would be a logical time. Also, I know Vinny Vero has been working on several projects for Wang Chung and Living In A Box deluxe reissues, but those seem to have fallen off the map as well.
I read somewhere that McCartney doesn’t want “Broad street” to be released on dvd in his home country because he is embarrassed by it. So a reissue of the dvd is very unlikely. However it was released on dvd in the USA on region 1. I have that dvd and at the time I bought it from eBay, I think I had a DVD player who could play all regions. Although not a masterpiece I enjoyed the movie and the soundtrack with the terrific ballad “No more lonely nights” and reworkings of some Beatles songs written by Paul. The region free DVD player is long gone so although I still got the dvd I can’t play it anymore. A reissue would be welcome but like I said earlier a reissue of this film is not very likely because Paul’s embarrassment with it.
There is a small device available on a certain auction site (ahem) that is advertised as able to reset region encoded dvd & blu-ray players back to “all region” (I believe that all players are manufactured as such and then encoded to specific regions in their supply chain). I was sceptical (to say the least) but it didn’t cost much and indeed did work. Thoroughly recommended as there are thousands of Region 1 movies available that will never make it to being released in Region 2 (mainly due to having to be presented to the BBFC for certification – a VERY expensive process), and it’s a shame that we in the UK are prevented from watching them.
You can rip/make a backup of these things with the right (free) software! Regardless of region encoding.
If Paul was happy to release the excruciating James Paul McCartney tv special and the downright awful ‘Womankind’ Why should he be embarrassed about Broad Street? Ok it gave the critics at the time an opportunity to put the boot in, but nearly 40 years on who cares? I thought that rights for the film had already reverted to him. He could make a new documentary like he did with Magical mystery tour and say how influential it has become over the years lol.
The Eleanor Rigby/Eleanor’s Dream sequence in Broad Street is worth the price of admission.
Still no Wedding album from Duran Duran. Sigh.
Metallica black album should be out in the big box format. must be so much live stuff from that era, will they top the justice boxset for sheer amount of content, i think so.
Would love to see a Blu Ray of a ” Symphonica ” concert, why not release one he did in Vienna after he´s taking to the hospital AKH Vienna, that would be great I saw both concert as I got two VIP tickets for both shows ?
CSNY 50th anniversary reissue of Deja Vu is planned for April 2021.
What about Metallica’s Black Album ??? No news about this now long overdue super deluxe !
well it was released in 1991.. that makes it 20 years old in 2021.. I very much expect “the big box” to be out this year!
Come on Roger! Don’t be a dick! I want Animals released in 5.1 in my lifetime please…
The Georgia Satellites will release a 3-CD collection called “Ultimate” on March 5th. It contains their three Elektra albums and numerous bonus tracks.
There’s been some buzz on a 2021 Paul Quinn Boxset via a reignited Postcard of Scotland label. Any info there, Paul?
How about the feted Beau Brummels boxset rumored to appear?
Any news about the Deluxe Edition of Ramones’ End of the Century?
Don’ know what you know already… ;)
What I heard is that the new mix of the album is done by Rick Rubin and that it will be released in March.
Let’s hope my sources were correct.
Surely Ghost in the Machine is 40 years old this year. Good work on the preview, potentially exciting stuff! Love the site. Happy new year and please keep on keeping us all informed. Richard.
You spotted the deliberate mistake :)
2 key 1981 albums due for 40th anniversary packages…the Human League’s Dare & Rick Springfield’s Working Class Dog…any word??
An what about Marillion? any news about the next one of the EMI SDE? Fugazi, Seasons Ends, Holidays In Eden (for which I would love to hear the demos, as it looks like they were quite different from what ended on the album) are the last ones.. but which is the next?
Any Jethro Tull left?
Several demos of Holidays in Eden were already included on the 2CD reissue from the late 90s. Given how inconsisten this series has been (e.g. no demos at all on Script), I wouldn’t put my hopes up too high.
New Adventures In Hi-Fi would be a must-buy for me. I have most of their albums, but this one is (or was) completely undervalued by the critics. I love it.
Guess there’ll be Ultra and Exciter boxes coming soon from DM? Maybe these ones won’t prove to be sell outs like the last two have.
Really fancy the John Mayall box but as I’ve already got all the studio albums two or three times over on vinyl and CD it would hard for me to justify buying it as it is quite pricey. Looks like a really great set though. Who knows, maybe.
I’d love to see all of Lynsey De Paul’s material reissued chronologically. I know there have been German Repertoire, Japanese reissues and two Cherry Red compilations, but a lot of her material has never seen the light of day on CD, including the correct version of Won’t Somebody Dance With Me and, as far as I know, the single mix of Sugar Me, plus B-sides and album tracks.
Also, It would be wonderful to have all of the back catalogue of Chris Rainbow, Christopher Neil and Ed Welch on CD, but I don’t see it happening. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
Thanks so much Paul for a truly wonderful site.
Facts but lots of rumours. Nice read.
Thanks Paul.
I’m hoping – no! I’m expecting great NEW albums in 2021 after all these Covid months.
Think all Bands and Artists had plenty time for writing and producing great music ;o)
It’s also the 40th anniversary of Spandau Ballet’s Journeys To Glory. Looking at some of the posted tracklistings and format releases online prior to the pre-Xmas greatest hits being officially announced, there were demos etc. shown. I’m hoping that this could hint at a confusion where releases were muddled and a box set is in the offing.
Ghost in the machine same age as scoundrel days??? Hum very unlikely, Paul?
Also, did you have any confirmation of the Japan Quite Life box (burning shed says March)?
Yes, it might be March actually…
While I loved and adored Pink Floyd in my youth (1980s) I find them to be pathetic individuals in this day and age – especially with all that’s going on in the world right now. Rich, pampered old men arguing over essentially nothing.
And these days, Roger Waters is more known for his politics and his vetoing of Pink Floyd surround mixes than for anything that he does musically.
I’ve been told by Esoteric that, as well as the Be Bop Deluxe erm . . . deluxe edition of Drastic Plastic, they are working on a Live In The Air Age set also due for release this year.
You would hope that if anyone from the George Michael is paying attention to how much vinyl copies of Older are fetching , they would get pro-active in putting a reissue out pronto
Not holding my breath though
Geoff, agree bootleggers and others are making a killing as the GM estate under David Austin is just sitting back, worse case give the money raised to GM supported charities.
With the legal issues seemingly sorted out, we should finally see The Smashing Pumpkins reissue campaign return in 2021 with an expansive reissue of Machina/The Machines of God.
I hope that Queen will release their “The Miracle” boxset this year. It was already finished and ready to go last year but Brian May and Roger Taylor chose for the “Live Around The World” album instead.
Why is Squeeze criminally neglected?
Great question. One of the all time best.
Wholeheartedly agree. Largely because Universal Music Group has been disinterested in making the material available themselves. After a few really nice expansions of Argybargy, Frank, Ridiculous and Sweets from a Stranger UMG abandoned the catalog 13 years ago. Sadly they also won’t work with Glenn and Chris to allow releases to happen outside with a boutique.
Midge Ure has all but confirmed that similar treatment will be afforded to the 40th anniversary of Rage in Eden as was Vienna, so expect another box set etc
I’m looking forward to the 5th BE BOP DELUXE album to get the deluxe reissue treatment from Cherry Red/Esoteric in February (‘Drastic Plastic’) then there’s only ‘Live! In The Air Age’ to come…have seen some rumours that the RED NOISE album ‘Sound On Sound’ is being considered too…hope so!
Expect, in the late first half of the year, a 6CD upgrade to the 2015 4CD ‘Pretty Things at the BBC’ from Repertoire. Roughly 60 ‘new’ tracks plus everything freshly mastered by Eroc (the previous mastering was by Jon Astley).
And expect in the second half of the year an 8CD BBC box set (with 4LP+downloads option) from a significant British singer/songwriter / guitarist, generally associated with the 1960s. I can’t say more at present.
Hello,, IF your surname is any indication of the artist with the second 8 cd set, hopefully it is a Roy Harper set that is planned,,,
Best regards hans
Pretty Things sounds interesting. Have a 1, 2 and 4 CD version. Any idea what sort of new items have been unearthed?
Donovan?
Sessions from 2009 and 2018 plus many hitherto missing items from 1964 – 75
40th anniversary of Soft Cell ‘s Non stop erotic cabaret this year, they are planning a deluxe edition and an album of new material
Underwhelming apart from Let It Be, so I think I will continue in lockdown for sometime yet.