It wasn't easy for Vince Clarke when he set out to form his latest project in 1986. The synth-playing songwriter had a lengthy amount of credits to his name in the previous five years, including the first album by Depeche Mode (of which he was a founding member), two albums with singer Alison Moyet as the synthpop duo Yazoo and a collaboration with producer Eric Radcliffe under the name The Assembly. When he put out an ad in Melody Maker for a singer for a new project, though, lightning struck
Weekend News Round-Up: Doobies, Peter Gabriel, Stax and Kansas
It was such a busy week that reporting has spilled over into the weekend! Enjoy these tidbits from around the rest of the catalogue music world. Eagle Rock is releasing a vintage live CD/DVD by The Doobie Brothers, from their 1982 farewell tour. Live at the Greek 1982 sees a lineup that included sole original member Patrick Simmons on guitar, longtime co-drummer Keith Knudsen (who shared the kit with Chet McCracken, a member since 1980's One Step Closer), guitarist/violinist John McFee,
Are You Hangin' on the Edge of Your Seat? Second Round of Queen Remasters Have Track Lists
With all the excitement in and out of Second Disc HQ, we couldn't dare let the revelation of confirmed bonus content on the second wave of Queen reissues pass you by. The track lists for each bonus EP for the next batch of remasters - News of the World, Jazz, The Game, Flash Gordon and Hot Space - were posted to Queen's website Thursday. And they're pretty much what you might expect, with a little bit of what you might not. Once again, each EP has about five or six tracks, drawing from either
This Charming Man: Artists on Their Reissues
vHere's some food for thought regarding a trend that seems to be popping up here and there on the reissue front. One can never expect Morrissey to shy away from expressing his opinion on anything, and he won't let anything - even the sake of his relationships on the catalogue side of things. The mercurial singer recently took to his beloved fan site True to You to vent about, among other things, the poor presence of his latest compilation, The Very Best of Morrissey. "To top off all the
Long Live Rock and Roll! Dio Compilation Due in U.K. This May
Ronnie James Dio passed away in 2010, but his spirit has lived on rather nicely in the world of reissues. In recent years, Universal in the U.K. has released expansive deluxe editions of the vocalist's work with Black Sabbath and Rainbow, not to mention a few archival releases through his own estate's Niji Entertainment Group. Now, Universal Music Catalogue will add another compilation to the mix for U.K. fans - one which covers, in two discs, all of the artist's major-label acts. Mightier Than
In Case You Missed It: A Full Spectrum of U.K. Compilations in May
The Spectrum family of labels in the U.K., which includes the catalogues of what Americans count toward Universal Music Group, have a few affordable compilations on the market in the coming month from a diverse crop of artists. On May 23, the label will release compilations from Styx as well as both Fleetwood Mac and Rod Stewart. (The latter two artists, whose catalogues reside with Warner Music Group in the U.S., will focus on each act's "early years.") It's also worth noting that Spectrum has
"Lifes Rich Pageant" Gets Richer for 25th Anniversary
It's always good to see a band focusing on their catalogue while they're still putting out fresh, new music. This year, R.E.M. is one of the acts to have a foot in both camps, releasing their 15th studio album, Collapse Into Now, in March, and will release another 25th anniversary edition of an album this summer, with Lifes Rich Pageant (1986) getting the deluxe treatment from EMI/Capitol. R.E.M.'s fourth LP, which was produced by Don Gehman (producer of John Mellencamp's '80s hit records), was
More Intrada Obscurities Arrive
This week's soundtrack reissues from Intrada are an underrated '70s soundtrack album making its CD debut and the premiere of a '50s World War II score. First up, the score to Sleuth, a 1972 film adaptation of the Tony-winning play by Anthony Shaffer. The British playwright adapted his own work for the screen, and All About Eve director Joseph L. Mankiewicz was at the helm, with a stellar cast anchored by Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, both of whom were nominated for Oscars for their
Release Round-Up: Week of May 3
Sade, The Ultimate Collection (Epic) The sultry British soul band anthologized across two discs, featuring several brand-new tracks - the perfect teaser for their long-awaited summer tour. (Official site) Loudon Wainwright, 40 Odd Years (Shout! Factory) The witty singer/songwriter is anthologized across four CDs and a DVD. Check for Joe's review later today! (Shout! Factory) Rush, Moving Pictures: Deluxe Edition (Blu-Ray) (Mercury/UMe) Already available at Best Buy since April, the
Reissue Theory: John Wayne, "America, Why I Love Her"
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. With a bold development in international relations beginning today, we look at an American actor and patriot who put his beliefs into an unusual record. Let's be honest with ourselves: I'm a music writer, first and foremost. I'm not 100 percent sure what pithy commentary I can (or should) offer on the massive news of last night - that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the
Reissue Theory: Bell Biv DeVoe, "Poison"
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they may someday see. One of the biggest R&B hits of 1990 is still an earworm today - but is there more lurking underneath the surface? The debut of Bell Biv DeVoe is reassessed. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcbMW2-Goog] Girl. I. Must. Warn youuuu...that if you listen to "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe one too many times, those herky-jerky New Jack beats will affix themselves to your
Even More "ICON" Titles on the Way
Mark your calendars, friends: a new batch of ICON budget compilations are due from Universal. Between May 3 and 24, UMe is releasing a clutch of ICON sets that run the gamut from country (Willie Nelson, Hank Williams) to R&B (New Edition, Kelly Price), from classics (The Mamas & The Paps, Louis Armstrong) to modern day heroes (Gin Blossoms, Rob Zombie). As usual, there's not much in the way of brand-new or rare material, although some titles have some one-off tunes to their credit.
Keeping Score on a Soundtrack Label Controversy
Anyone who thinks the world of soundtrack reissues is a simple one hasn't been keeping up with the tempest brewing over Perseverance Records. The indie soundtrack label is coming under heavy fire for what many perceive as an improperly licensed release of Elmer Bernstein's score to Slipstream. Interestingly, the charge is being led not by fans but by another label head: Film Score Monthly's Lukas Kendall, who posted on his label's message board a pair of messages pulling the curtain back on
Beware! La-La Land Expands "The Blob" Remake Score
It can fill up a room in seconds, gets unexplainably bigger every day and can consume anything it touches. No, not your music collection - The Blob! The ectoplasmic entity - as remade in 1988 - is the latest expanded soundtrack to come from La-La Land Records today. A remake of the classic 1958 sci-fi/horror flick, The Blob finds the titular monster consuming the helpless population of a California town - but rather than some space creature, this blob is a military bio-weapon gone horribly
The Aeroplane Flies Higher: EMI Preps Three Years of Smashing Pumpkins Reissues
For Generation X, fewer names inspire emotions quite like Smashing Pumpkins. The Chicago-based alt-rock outfit, anchored primarily by singer, songwriter and sole remaining original member Billy Corgan, made rock music that was dark, atmospheric and ambitious - and yet somehow maintained commercial as well as critical success - before splintering in 2000 and reforming some six years later. While Corgan continues to lead Smashing Pumpkins through some interesting projects - he's been working on a
LAST CHANCE REMINDER! Contest: Win Bob Dylan's "The Other Side of the Mirror" on Blu-Ray
Hey, friends! Our Bob Dylan contest ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. EST. Mike and I couldn't be more thrilled to give you the opportunity to win The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live at the Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965 on Blu-Ray! Don't delay; details are below. Enter now! We've got some very exciting stuff for fans of Bob Dylan: a contest to win a reissue of a Dylan documentary on Blu-Ray from Legacy Recordings! We're giving away a copy of The Other Side of the Mirror - Bob Dylan
Second Disc Advisory: Joe Takes Over!
Hey there catalogue enthusiasts! Just a quick note that Joe's got the reins of The Second Disc while I'm on vacation for a few days. We've made pretty sure that there shouldn't be much problems in transition, so business will continue as usual - likely with less '80s and soundtrack news, but still strong! I'll see everyone back here around Tuesday.
"Peace" Still Sells: Megadeth Album to Receive Deluxe Box Treatment
Dave Mustaine was determined not to become a footnote in heavy metal history. The guitarist had spent a mostly uneventful two years in the employ of a Los Angeles band named Metallica, who fired him shortly before recording their debut album, Kill 'Em All, in 1983. (Mustaine did pen four tracks on the record, including favorites "The Four Horsemen" and "Jump in the Fire.") Undeterred, Mustaine formed his own band, Megadeth, in 1985. Their debut, Killing is My Business...and Business is Good!,
Short Takes: Cars on Friday, INXS Live Show and Howard Jones Tidbits
Our friends at Friday Music have found a great way to celebrate the reunion of The Cars: a reissue of one of their albums! A straight reissue of the group's final album for Elektra, 1987's Door to Door, remastered by the label's own Joe Reagoso, will be available May 10, the same day as the band's brand-new studio album, Move Like This. In honor of the impending royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, INXS have released a digital album of their 1985 concert performed in honor of a
We Got the "Beat" Deluxe Track List
When you think of the canon of rock music, it's largely a man's world, from the most legendary performers to the (theoretically, mostly) male-dominated clique of music geeks. Sure, Elvis and The Beatles wouldn't have gotten anywhere without their screaming female fans, but it took until the early '80s for girls to earn a place in the hierarchy of rock. That glass ceiling was finally shattered with Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine and Gina Schock, better known as
Poison Double Dip with "Double Dose"
There comes a time in every music collector's life where we utter, "Another (name of artist) compilation?!" The time has come to put Poison in those parentheses; their latest collection is due in stores on May 3. Double Dose: Ultimate Hits does have a lot of worthy material for new fans. In addition to collating all the band's notable singles, it includes a fair amount of album cuts and at least one or two non-LP tracks that were scooped up on reissues or prior compilations. But for hardcore
Hip-o Select Preps Supremes' Final Sessions
The wait is over: Hip-o Select has finally anthologized the last years of one of Motown's most beloved groups - The Supremes - in their newest limited-edition set. Let Yourself Go: The '70s Albums, Vol. 2 1974-1977 - The Final Sessions fills in part of the story that hardcore Supremes fans know - that the group didn't just disappear when Diana Ross embarked on her stunning solo career. Jean Terrell replaced Ross on lead vocals on five Supremes LPs between 1970 and 1972. This era saw the last of
Intrada Premieres Scores to "Ravagers," "Stay Tuned"
Some small but significant premiere releases have bowed from Intrada this week: a dynamic sci-fi score from the '70s and a comedic action romp from the '90s. Ravagers was a brooding post-apocalyptic film featuring Richard Harris as a vigilante safeguarding against the titular band of marauders hell-bent on killing any survivors they can find. Art Carney and Ernest Borgnine co-starred in this forgotten thriller, and the score was composed by Fred Karlin, a jazz arranger who gained prominence in
Arcade Fire Goes Back to "The Suburbs"
Canadian indie-rockers Arcade Fire have had a pretty successful year. Their third studio album, The Suburbs (2010), was a critical and commercial smash, topping the Billboard charts and netting them a Grammy for Album of the Year. And while their victory may have turned some heads, it was well-deserved; The Suburbs is an appealing, sprawling rock epic the likes of which are all too rare these days. In case you missed it the first time around, the band is set to re-release the record on June 27
"1991" Documentary Featuring Nirvana, Sonic Youth Revisited
Thanks to Slicing Up Eyeballs for this neat tip over the weekend: 1991: The Year Punk Broke is making its debut on DVD later this year. This documentary of Sonic Youth and Nirvana's European tour of 1991 - a precursor to the breakthrough Nirvana would experience with Nevermind some 20 years ago - was released on VHS and laserdisc many years ago, and featured performances by both bands as well as other luminaries of the age including Dinosaur Jr., The Ramones and more. The DVD will feature a
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