| Author | Message | ||
     tbowed Member Username: Chameleonz Post Number: 22 Registered: 05-2005 |
Any one know if Robert would be into doing a collection of rare and unreleased material? There are boatloads of stuff floating around and I am sure Grant's family could use the money,let them make the profit not the bootleggers! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 768 Registered: 05-2005 |
Good suggestion tbowed. I'm sure we all hope that happens. I'd love to see the Botany Tapes released. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 796 Registered: 04-2005 |
How much is left that's unreleased, I wonder? Between the Lost Album and all the bonus cuts on the Jetset reissues, there can't be too much left. Though Padraig is right--"official" releases of the Botany St. sessions and the 16LL acoustic demos would be nice. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 419 Registered: 10-2004 |
Yeah, I think they scraped the bottom of the barrel for unreleased stuff when compiling material for the bonus discs on the most recent reissues, or at least they did for the 2nd half of the 80s. The first three albums' bonus discs had a few glaring omissions. I'd still love to see a strictly b-sides and non-album a-sides comp. I suppose I could just make one for myself, but still... I was always annoyed by the omissions of the original "By Chance" from the BH bonus disc, and the b-side version of "Just a King in Mirrors" from the SHF bonus disc. A BBC or radio sessions comp might be nice too, as I'm not sure that everything has been made available. Again, the omission of the Peel versions of 5 Words and Rare Breed from the SHF bonus disc was downright criminal. That Peel Sessions EP remains one of my very favorite Go-Betweens releases. I'm *very* pro the idea of an official release for the Botany Sessions. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 36 Registered: 08-2006 |
I second the idea of a B-sides comp. I have all the official releases on CD, but I can't bring myself to buy the 2-CD re-re-releases. I know there's great stuff on there I haven't heard, but I hate buying remasters of CDs I already own, even if the sound quality of the original CD is sub-par. My CD budget isn't limitless - although it's larger than is healthy - so I'd much rather check out something new than get a little more clarity out a kick drum and a few B-sides tracked on to some recording I've heard 1,000 times. If the Bs are worth hearing, they're worth hearing in their own context. | ||
| Donat Member Username: Donat Post Number: 199 Registered: 11-2004 |
I personally think the remasters of the first six albums have only brightened up the sound for modern-day listening, and therefore not giving you a perfect and straight digital copy of the master-tapes. The mastering done for the 2CD sets are brightened versions of the six Beggars Banquet releases from the mid-90s, unless my ears are playing tricks with me. They sound like a remaster of those CDs, not of the actual master-tapes. The original mushroom CD version of 16LL and the Red Eye Records CD releases of the first two sound a lot more like the vinyl (and in fact better - Rough Trade pressing of SMAL is terrible, no wonder so many people hate it!). The CD of 1978-1990 is worth getting for its superior sound as well. I know I've ranted about this before, but I thought I'd try to resurrect the discussion a little. Here's what I'd like to see issued at some point: 1979 ZZZ live to air 1980 Postcard demos & live in Glasgow 1981 5 New Songs Cassette in its complete form & Very Quick On The Eye 1982 Live At The Mosman Hotel, Sydney [the sound quality of 'Distant Hands' on the 2CD version of SMAL really lets the performance down, though there is a desk recording of it. The best known live tape of the CLASSIC line-up of RF/GM/LM] The list goes on, 16LL demos, Botany Tapes, complete Teeki tapes, demos from Spring Hill Fair... There'd be enough material for a 10CD box set with a thick booklet and some piccies. The only question is - who'd buy it? David McComb thought the same thing regarding the Triffids, thinking it would be too self-indulgent and as some of you know, The Triffids have 100s of cassette-only and unreleased tracks. So at the end of the day, he settled with their 19 track comp 'Australian Melodrama' which only scratches the surface of the band's back-catalogue - much like 'Bellavista Terrace' does, I guess. Sure, even B-side comps are a little indulgent, but if you have fans who want to hear it, then why not? That's why the internet's good in this aspect. A band like the Gobs should have all of the songs I've mentioned and them some online at 192+ sound quality and sell the songs to those who want them, as opposed to dumping 5000 CDs on the market and finding out the hard way. | ||
| John B. Member Username: John_b Post Number: 38 Registered: 10-2006 |
I couldn't agree more, Donat, making the unreleased stuff available on the internet would be the perfect solution - although some people would probably also like at least some of it on a cd or two. | ||
| Guy Ewald Member Username: Guy_ewald Post Number: 183 Registered: 02-2005 |
Donat is on target. There are a LOT of wonderful unreleased recordings and a number of fine unreleased songs. With the 2-disc reissues the focus was on The Songs, with only one recorded version offered of each (OK, there were exceptions to that rule in the second half of the series). I found this approach frustrating… I’d love to have all three released versions of ‘Rare Breed’, the full ‘5 New Songs’ cassette, etc. And while it’s fun to hear the occasional BBC recording, those things sound much better when digested of-a-piece. While the Teeki Tapes, Radio 4ZZZ, Mosman Hotel and other early recordings have heightened my appreciation of their early work, I think the most viable material for commercial release would be an acoustic compilation. The Botany Tapes ‘Freakchild’ demos are a wonderful listen and the recordings I’ve heard from Robert and Grant’s acoustic tour in 1999 are fantastic (as were the shows I was lucky enough to attend). The Munich radio broadcast from 27 May, 1999 also offers a wonderful portrait of the friendship the two men shared. God knows the “unplugged” gambit has been over-played, but The Go-Betweens’ songs are so sturdy; their stripped-down acoustic presentation offers a virtual tutorial in song composition. They’re wonderfully satisfying recordings on their own merits and offer the dedicated fan a revealing alternate view of the work. If Grant made demos of his final songs that would be the golden heart of the project. All in due time. I don’t care if there is or isn’t a “market” for such a project (although I think there is)... the point is it should be a labor of love. I hope it’s something Robert feels “right” about at some point in the future. | ||
| Duncan Hurwood Member Username: Duncan_h Post Number: 68 Registered: 05-2005 |
From Robert's recent successes in the writing field, I think any more records - whether retrospective, or new - are a long way in the future. | ||
| Guy Ewald Member Username: Guy_ewald Post Number: 184 Registered: 02-2005 |
I tend agree. Robert is very grounded-sounding in his writings and statements about Grant's death and the friendship and working relationship they shared. If he decides that an archival trawl is the right thing to do artistically, I have to believe he could face the task comfortably on an emotional level. | ||
| Austin McLean Member Username: Bruegelpie Post Number: 29 Registered: 09-2004 |
Duncan, perhaps it isn't as long off as you might think. I just posted an article where Robert talks about thinking about how to record next year. | ||
| Duncan Hurwood Member Username: Duncan_h Post Number: 69 Registered: 05-2005 |
Well that's good news. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 161 Registered: 04-2005 |
In terms of unreleased stuff, how about radio sessions from all over the world? Obviously some of the UK ones have ended up on the rereleased CD two-fers, but do people know of other stuff? In terms of solo radio appearances I like the Grant BBC Scotland couple, with stripped down acoustic versions of Fireboy and HS songs and the RF one from Mark Radcliffe is priceless. First ever hearing for 'She Sang About Angels' and much witty banter involving Runrig. | ||
| Andy Member Username: I_am_andy Post Number: 5 Registered: 08-2006 |
I would love to see the release of the ABC TV 'Studio 22' session of Grant and Robert (1999 I think). Head Full of Steam is contained on the Studio 22 CD compilation and its fantastic. (The ABC in Australia is the government funded free to air TV network. Studio 22 is/was a live in studio session, with the smallish audience sitting/standing on all sides around the performers. I suspect that Clinton Walker was the host of the series at the time (Series 1 of 4 or 5), which possibly had something to do with Grant and Robert being invited to be on the show.) ABC2 (on cable) has recently been re-playing the Studio 22 series' but if they played the G&R session recently, I missed it. I emailed and asked if it could be replayed but was told they had no plans for it to be broadcast in their schedule. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 501 Registered: 08-2004 |
Yes, a definitive, cleaned up & concise version of Botany sessions would be nice. ... and with all these Peel Sessions albums appearing from nowhere. How about a Go-B's version. I'm sure there's plenty to chose from. |