The music of Van Morrison is returning to CD - and about to make a splash on digital platforms, as well. Rolling Stone broke the news today that Sony Music's Legacy Recordings has recently acquired the rights to 50 albums, videos and compilations from the venerable Northern Irish troubadour. The vast majority of Morrison's albums have been out-of-print on CD since the plug was abruptly pulled on a U.K. series of remastered and expanded editions. Legacy's very welcome campaign kicks off this Friday with the release of the 2-CD, 37-song The Essential Van Morrison (check out our entry in the Release Calendar for the full track listing of that anthology!) and will continue with deluxe Legacy Editions of select records as well as a succinct single-disc compilation.
The label will release Legacy Editions of 1972's Saint Dominic's Preview, 1973's Hard Nose the Highway, 1974's It's Too Late to Stop Now and 1990's Enlightenment to kick off the series. On the digital front, the following 33 albums will be made available for download and streaming as of this Friday. Note that the list below does not include Morrison's four solo albums originally released between 1968 and 1971 - Astral Weeks, Moondance, His Band and the Street Choir, and Tupelo Honey. His 2000 duet album You Win Again with Linda Gail Lewis and 2012 Blue Note release Born to Sing - No Plan "B" also appear to be excluded. Morrison's solo debut, 1967's Bang Records release Blowin' Your Mind!, is already under the purview of Sony.
- Saint Dominic's Preview (1972)
- Hard Nose the Highway (1973)
- It's Too Late to Stop Now (Live) (1974)
- Veedon Fleece (1974)
- A Period of Transition (1977)
- Wavelength (1978)
- Into the Music (1979)
- Common One (1980)
- Beautiful Vision (1982)
- Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (1983)
- Live at the Grand Opera House, Belfast (Live) (1984)
- A Sense of Wonder (1984)
- No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1984)
- Poetic Champions Compose (1987)
- Irish Heartbeat (w/the Chieftains) (1988)
- Avalon Sunset (1989)
- Enlightenment (1990)
- Hymns to the Silence (1991)
- Too Long in Exile (1993)
- A Night in San Francisco (Live) (1994)
- Days Like This (1995)
- How Long Has This Been Going On? (1995)
- Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison (1996)
- The Healing Game (1997)
- The Philosopher's Stone (2-CD outtakes compilation, 1998)
- Back on Top (1999)
- The Skiffle Sessions: Live in Belfast (Live) (2000)
- Down the Road (2002)
- What's Wrong with This Picture? (2003)
- Magic Time (2005)
- Pay the Devil (2006)
- Keep it Simple (2008)
- Astral Weeks "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (Live) (2009)
Morrison's most recent studio album, Duets - Re-Working the Catalogue, appeared earlier this year on Sony's RCA Records label. You can order The Essential Van Morrison here at Amazon U.S. and here at Amazon U.K.! It's due in stores this Friday, August 28!
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Conspicuously absent are "His Band and Street Choir" and "Astral Weeks"
Perhaps they will put out deluxe of those 2 like Moondance, although Van threw a fit when that came out. I'm happy to get some of what I've wanted from VM, up until 1977.
Those, along with Moondance and Tupelo Honey, are owned by Warner Bros. in the U.S.
I love Van Morrison's music. I hate the way Van Morrison's music exploits the music buying public. Yet another "Greatest Hits" released as he moves labels once more. It is a "Greatest Hits" not "Essential" or "Best Of", there's some glaring omissions.
The reason his first few solo albums are missing is because they are owned by Warner who seem to want to keep a tight hold on them. Its funny that Morrison played holy hell about the "Moondance" re-issue calling it a money making object yet is quite happy for another compilation to be released that means absolutely nothing to his fans.
As for the "Legacy Editions" how long before he pulls the plug again because they are not selling?
All I want for Christmas is a deluxe edition of Hymns to the silence. I promise to be good until then.
My God Tom don't you think there were enough duff tracks on "Hymns" to prevent anymore being inflicted on us!!
Why would Warners still own the '68 - '71 albums but not subsequent albums released on the same label (St Domenic's, etc)? Really, other than the recent Analogue Productions vinyl remasters (excellent!) of "Astral", "His Band", & "Moondance" this catalog has been neglected for decades. Vic Anesini & Bob Irwin at Legacy usually do good work (i.e catalogs of Sly Stone, Jefferson Airplane, etc), so I am hopeful.
would love to hear van's commets on this deal?
Do you honestly think Van would comment on this? Over the years getting Van to discuss his output is nigh impossible. His whole catalogue is based on hypocrisy towards his fans. Lets just look at one example "The Philosophers Stone PART ONE" Still waiting for the next part 17 years later! You could never call him altruistic.
People get so worked up about comps. You don't have to buy it. Of course Sony is going to release one since they now have (most) of his catalog. And also people get worked up about comp names. How can one be into music and not know that Sony has an entire "Essential" series that this will be another entry.
Nice try, Van Morrison
huh?
"It's Too Late To Stop Now" remains one of the best live albums EVER! Can't wait for the new version!
This is so true. I also look forward to the Grand Opera House reissue, hoping it might be expanded...
Its always been rumoured that the full concert recording does exist but Morrison has blocked its release.
Have to say, was a bit awed by 'The Great Deception' at the time - good old Van for saying it like it is. Now I'd say 'give it up Van'. You're in the business and its like you've become the great deceiver, of the fans most of whom never go ........oh forget it. Just grow up.