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In 2010 - not even a year after this site was founded! - Paul McCartney announced the arrival of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection, a catalogue project involving his post-Beatles works (as a solo artist and Wings) in partnership with Hear Music/Concord. A baker's dozen of his works, from solo debut McCartney (1970) to the acclaimed Flaming Pie (1997), were given the box set treatment, occasionally baffling fans with omissions, from non-LP B-sides only being digitally available on the Flowers in the Dirt box to the lack of love for cult favorites like Back to the Egg.
Now, 14 years later (and no Archive Collection release since 2020), McCartney's moving on to a new archival project: another reissue of 1973's beloved Band on the Run, here featuring the original album alongside a set of vintage alternate mixes of the project. These "underdubbed" versions, lacking the expansive orchestration of the final album, will be released on February 2, 2024 - arguably the first high-profile reissue of the new year.
As an access point to McCartney's output beyond The Fab Four, it's hard to argue against Band on the Run: it was the biggest-selling British album of 1974, and the title track topped the Billboard Hot 100 just shortly after "Jet" earned Paul another Top 10 single in the States (his seventh). It's also no stranger to reissues: in 1993, it arrived as an expanded edition with two bonus tracks. Then, in 1999, Capitol expanded the album for its 25th anniversary as a quirky mini-box set with an audio documentary comprising live versions, spoken word reminiscences, and more. The 2010 Archive Collection deluxe version - the first title in the series - reprised the audio documentary, added a disc of B-sides, U.S. addition "Helen Wheels," and audio highlights from the One Hand Clapping documentary, while the box's DVD had music videos, promo films, and One Hand Clapping in full.
The upcoming 50th anniversary version is considerably slimmed down, to 2 CDs or 2 LPs. The U.S. version of the album is on Disc One of each format. The previously unreleased "underdubbed" presentation of the album on the second disc of each has its origins in a tape of rough mixes made by Geoff Emerick, assisted by Pete Swettenham, at George Martin's AIR Studios on October 14, 1973. These were made before Tony Visconti added his lavish orchestrations; Visconti later recalled having three days to write the charts - including one with 60 players for the title track! - which he did in collaboration with McCartney. The unique track sequence of Emerick's rough mixes has been replicated from the original analog tape. The 2CD set has a foldout, double-sided Linda McCartney Polaroid poster while the slipcased 2LP version has two posters.
In addition, a half-speed-mastered 1LP edition (also mirroring the U.S. track listing with "Helen Wheels" included) will arrive as mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road. Finally, a Dolby Atmos mix by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard will hit digital services. (The basic 2-disc configuration will, of course, also be released digitally.)
Look for Band on the Run (50th Anniversary Edition) to hit stores on February 2, 2024. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Paul McCartney & Wings, Band on the Run (50th Anniversary Edition) (MPL/UMe, 2024)
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Paul McCartney U.S. Shop
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD / Paul McCartney U.S. Shop
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Paul McCartney U.S. Shop
CD/LP 1: Original album (released as Apple PAS-10007 (U.K.)/SO-3415 (U.S.), 1973)
- Band on the Run
- Jet
- Bluebird
- Mrs. Vanderbilt
- Let Me Roll It
- Mamunia
- No Words
- Helen Wheels
- Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)
- Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
CD/LP 2: "Underdubbed" mixes by Geoff Emerick (previously unreleased)
- Band on the Run
- Mamunia
- No Words
- Jet
- Bluebird
- Mrs. Vanderbilt
- Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
- Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)
- Let Me Roll It
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As much as this new reissue is appreciated, and as one who bought multiple copies of the aforementioned 2010 super deluxe edition, the lack of an audiophile blu-ray disc is a major error, and is, along with the missing blu-ray disc on the Revolver super deluxe edition, another disturbing slap in the face to long time Beatles and McCartney fans.
Where are remastered versions of London Town and Back To The Egg?
Yeh - what gives??? And Band On the Run rarities that should have been included in SDE version first time around...?????
What????? No Blu-ray containing a new 5.1 and Atmos mix along with the original quad??? What a missed opportunity.
Amen, Bob!
You could say this is the campaign of 50 Years Half-Speed Masters, as this is the 4th entry in the series but the first to add a bonus disc.
How many copies of the original version do you need? Gouge.
I'm still waiting for Let It Be movie to be re-released.
A: I second the lament of continually delaying “London Town” and “Back To The Egg” for constant reissues of either “Band on the Run” or “McCartney I-III”
2: I could swear the press release had “Helen Wheels” in this reissue.
I second these! Good as BOTR may be, how many variations do we need, especially at the prices they usually ask?
“Helen Wheels” is on the “original” (US) version but I don’t remember seeing it on the “under” version.
There wouldn't be an "undermixed" version of "Helen Wheels" since Geoff Emerick didn't make one in 1973.
I totally agree Rob M., and since your post it was just announced that McCartney III is yet again being reissued with random colored vinyl for its "third anniversary". How ridiculous.
It feels like since his catalog reverted to Capitol/Universal, that’s when the Archive Collection stopped dead, and the constant recycling of the same 3 albums began in earnest. When Hear Music/Concord was the administrator, that’s when the real fans got more varied product.
Capitol also killed The Bee Gees reissue campaign that was bearing good fruit on Rhino. And Universal also killed the excellent Elvis Costello Rhino deluxe editions when they took over.
I’m sensing a pattern here…
SuperDeluxeEdition shows the 10-track US version of the album as the first disc.
Boy am I glad I purchased the DVD-Audio version of this some twenty years ago or so; would have loved to get a stand alone Atmos of this, however, I guess that will never be offered just like Back To The Egg will apparently never see the light of day.
Sad News.Denny Laine has passed away at age 79.
He died on the 50th anniversary of the US release of Band of The Run.
well yet another reissue cashing in? I have the 3 disc 2018 version, which includes the original & bonus audio tracks 1 Helen Wheels 2 Country Dreamer 3 Bluebird 4 Jet 5 let me Roll it 6 Band on the Run 7 nineteen hundred and eighty five 8 Country Dreamer 9 Zoo Gang 34:19 Dvd 84 minutes long.