Queen and Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a newly-expanded edition of their unforgettable Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert this fall, on DVD and, for the first time, Blu-Ray Disc. Five months after the tragic passing of one of rock’s greatest frontmen from complications due to AIDS, surviving Queen members Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor gathered dozens of famous collaborators and famous fans at London’s Wembley Arena on April 20, 1992. Some 72,000 people were in attendance, and worldwide broadcast audiences hovered around the billion mark. David Bowie, Annie Lennox, George Michael, Elton…
So…Peter Gabriel to Release “Live in Athens” on Blu-Ray
Peter Gabriel’s So box set, released last year, was the subject of much controversy. Many fans wondered why Gabriel’s team would offer “DNA” tracks of the songs from the album coming together instead of the many B-sides and remixes that have yet to be anthologized on CD. They bemoaned the lack of 5.1 surround mixes and questioned the decision to not release the accompanying Live in Athens concert – remixed and re-edited from live footage recorded for the P.O.V. documentary – on Blu-Ray, but DVD only. The unfortunate dull roar that permeated the atmosphere after the…
Release Round-Up: Week of June 25
The Beatles, Help! (Blu-Ray Disc) (Capitol/Apple) The Fab Four’s second film gets the hi-def disc treatment. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) The Three O’Clock, The Hidden World Revealed (Omnivore) Early works by power-pop legends The Three O’Clock shine on this new compilation, featuring cuts from their early works on Frontier Records and 10 unreleased tracks. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Omnivore) Released on limited colored vinyl for Record Store Day this year, the soundtrack to this new Big Star documentary features 21 unreleased outtakes and new mixes…
Release Round-Up: Week of June 11
Paul McCartney and Wings, Rockshow (Eagle Rock) Macca’s newly-restored live show may not be in the Wings Over America box, but that means you can buy it for that much less now. (DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.; BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) ZZ Top, The Complete Studio Albums 1970-1990 (Warner Bros./Rhino) So not only are you getting all of ZZ Top’s London/Warner-era albums in one convenient box, but you’re getting a fair amount of them in their original mixes for the first time ever on CD. Win? Win. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Various Artists, The…
WE HAVE OUR WINNERS! Judas Priest’s “Epitaph,” on DVD and Blu-Ray from Legacy Recordings, Are YOURS (and There’s More!)
CLICK THE BANNER ABOVE TO FIND OUT WHO WON!
Hi-Def “Help!”: Beatles Film Coming to Blu-Ray
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TPE-VRXaQw] The Beatles’ second feature film, 1965’s Help!, is making its Blu-Ray debut this June. Reuniting with A Hard Day’s Night director Richard Lester with a bigger budget (for one, they shot in color), Help! finds The Fab Four in yet another set of wacky predicaments – this time, Ringo can’t seem to get a ring unstuck from his finger, and an evil cult want said ring for their own purposes. Silly stuff, for sure – and, at perhaps the most grueling heights of Beatlemania, not as fun a shoot for the band as A Hard…
We Rock! “Sacred Heart”-Era Dio Show Remastered for CD, DVD, Blu-Ray
A reissue of Magica isn’t all Dio fans have to look forward to this summer on the catalogue front: Eagle Rock is remastering and expanding a 1986 live show from the legendary metal band across multiple formats. Finding the Sacred Heart: Live in Philly 1986 captures Dio’s full show from Philadelphia’s grand departed arena, The Spectrum, on June 17, 1986. The band’s most recent studio album, Sacred Heart, had been out for almost a year, but this leg of the tour featured the first of many lineup changes, with guitarist Craig Goldy replacing Vivian Campbell….
Attention All Planets of the Solar Federation: Rush’s “2112” Returns in Deluxe Editions
2011 wasn’t a bad year to be a Rush fan, with the legendary Canadian band offering a deluxe edition of 1981’s Moving Pictures and three Sector box sets covering Rush’s entire 1974-1989 Mercury Records tenure. Now, Geddy Lee (bass, keyboard, vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitar) and Neil Peart (drummer) are preparing to close out this year by celebrating 2112 (yes, 2112 in 2012!) in a variety of deluxe formats. Amazon.com has confirmed December 18 as the release date for three editions of the classic 1976 album: CD plus Audio DVD; CD plus Audio…
Vocalists Corner: Sinatra and McCartney on DVD, Christine Andreas’ “Carlyle” Reissued
In 2010, Shout! Factory and Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE) released an impressive DVD box set collecting 7 discs and over 14 hours’ worth of Frank Sinatra’s television performances from the 1950s through the 1980s. On November 13, one of those discs from The Concert Collection will be available as a standalone DVD following similar releases of other DVDs from the set. Primetime includes three programs from 1968, 1969 and 1977, respectively, in which Sinatra welcomes a bevy of guests. In 1968’s Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing, the legendary entertainer welcomes Diahann…
Review: The Beatles, “Magical Mystery Tour” on Blu-ray and DVD
“Paul said ‘Look I’ve got this idea’ and we said ‘great!’ and all he had was this circle and a little dot on the top – that’s where we started,” Ringo Starr recalls in one of the special features included on Apple’s new DVD and Blu-ray of The Beatles’ 1967 BBC television film Magical Mystery Tour. That McCartney-drawn circle, later transformed into a pie chart, is included in the accompanying booklet. It epitomizes the loose, freewheeling nature of this largely improvised musical journey directed by Macca and his bandmates. The new video…
WE HAVE A WINNER of The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” Blu-ray!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER: SEAN TANNER!
A Bigger (and Bigger) Bang: Rolling Stones Deliver Limited “Brussels” Boxes and Vinyl “Some Girls” Concert, Release Vintage Documentary [UPDATED WITH TRACK LISTING]
If you feel like you’ve been caught in a crossfire hurricane…you’re not alone. A rolling stone gathers no moss, and neither do The Rolling Stones. After making headlines throughout 2012 for not celebrating their 50th anniversary with a massive tour, retrospective box set or something of the sort, the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band can’t seem to keep out of the headlines lately with a bevy of upcoming projects, including rumored performances in New York and London, two distinct documentaries, another repackaging of 2011’s Live in Texas: On Tour 1978, and…
When the Music’s Over: The Doors’ “Live at the Bowl ’68” Gets a New Lease on Life
Though Jim Morrison died more than 41 years ago, the fire of The Doors continues to burn bright. The past year, once christened The Year of the Doors, has brought a number of projects to light, such as the DVDs, CDs and LPs pertaining to the 40th anniversary of the seminal L.A. Woman album, and the campaign from Analogue Productions that will eventually encompass both 45 RPM LP and multichannel SACD reissues of the core catalogue. On October 23, The Doors’ July 5, 1968 performance at the Hollywood Bowl will receive the…
Weekend Wround-Up: Barbra Streisand Joined by Bennett, Wonder, Krall on DVD and BD; Pixar Compiles More “Favorites”
On February 11, 2011, Barbra Streisand joined some illustrious company, including Bono, Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin and her “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” duet partner, Neil Diamond. That was the evening Streisand was recognized as the MusiCares Person of the Year, following in the footsteps of those above-named artists. Streisand was a natural candidate for the honor, as the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences annually bestows it upon an artist with significant artistic achievement in music and commitment to philanthropy. Part of the MusiCares tradition finds that person being celebrated…
Isn’t It Time! Beach Boys Reissues Confirmed For U.S., Two “Greatest Hits” Sets Also Arriving! [UPDATED 9/10]
UPDATE 9/10: It appears that the mono/stereo catalogue remasters for The Beach Boys will now arrive from Capitol/EMI on October 9 in North America, alongside the two greatest hits sets, not the previously announced September 25. As of today’s date, we have not confirmed any change of date for the international releases. Watch this space for any further updates! BREAKING NEWS 8/8: The Beach Boys have announced plans for the CD and digital release of two new commemorative hits collections by Capitol/EMI on September 24th outside of North America and on October…
The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” Is Coming to Take You Away
The Magical Mystery Tour is coming to take you away on October 9 when The Beatles’ 1967 feature film arrives on DVD and Blu-ray in a completely restored new edition! Initially aired on BBC1 television in December, 1967, The Beatles starred in the film opposite a motley crew of performers including Ivor Cutler, Victor Spinetti, Jessie Robins, Nat Jackley, Derek Royle, and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Both the DVD and Blu-ray will sport a fully remixed soundtrack (5.1 and stereo) as well as special features such as three new edits of…
Review: Johnny Cash, “The Greatest” Series and “We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash”
Saddle up! This week has brought a veritable Johnny Cash bonanza from Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, and a trip to the Ponderosa isn’t even required! As the Cash 80th birthday train continues its ride, the late artist’s longtime home is celebrating his career with four newly-curated compilations on compact disc as well as an all-star tribute concert available in DVD/CD and Blu-ray editions. The new series The Greatest (the rare hyperbolic title that can stand up to scrutiny) premieres with four titles, each designed to illuminate a different aspect of Cash’s lengthy…
Review: Jimi Hendrix, “Jimi Plays Berkeley” and “Live at Berkeley”
When Jimi Hendrix asked from the stage of the Berkeley Community Theatre on May 30, 1970 that his audience of approximately 3,500 patrons “forget about yesterday or tomorrow…this is our own little world tonight,” he wasn’t making such a request idly. Just outside the walls of the intimate theatre, fans were trying to crash the gates, scale the walls and even gain entry via the roof. For many, the pure, unfiltered and raw music created by Hendrix and his Experience was much-needed escapism, as the shadow of the Vietnam War loomed large. Berkeley…
Release Round-Up: Week of July 3
Jellyfish, Live at Bogart’s (Omnivore) A fine 1991 gig from the criminally underrated power pop band, captured on CD and three sides of vinyl. Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits (Audio Fidelity) The Bard’s first compilation gets the 24K gold disc treatment. Elton John, Classic Album Selection (Universal U.K.) Elton fans have a neat little budget compilation of studio albums to look forward to (from 1970’s self-titled album to 1973’s Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player). Small Faces, Odgens’ Nut Gone Flake: Deluxe Edition (Snapper Music) A triple-disc expansion of the seminal 1968 album,…
They Walk The Line: Johnny Cash Celebrated By Crow, Nelson, Kristofferson, Plus Four New Compilations Due
Much like the train Johnny Cash so often sang about, the celebration of what would have been his 80th birthday year rolls on. Following the issue of Bootleg IV: The Soul of Truth earlier this year, Legacy Recordings has just announced the CD/DVD and Blu-ray releases of We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash. Due on August 7, these preserve the concert held on Friday, April 20, 2012 at Austin, Texas’ Moody Theater in which a wide-ranging roster of musicians paid homage to the music of The Man in Black….
Review: The Beatles, “Yellow Submarine” on Blu-Ray and DVD
Picture yourself in a boat on a river…with tangerine trees and marmalade skies… Now, picture the evocative imagery of The Beatles’ most mind-bending lyrics transferred to a silver screen world where imagination and wonder run rampant. The result might be something like the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine. Out of print for some time on DVD, Yellow Submarine has just returned to DVD and Blu-Ray (5099962146098) in a painstakingly restored new edition from Apple Corps and EMI/Capitol. When Yellow Submarine arrived in cinemas, it wasn’t the first animated evocation of the Fab…
Return to Pepperland: We Have A “Yellow Submarine” Blu-Ray Winner!
We have a winner! Congratulations to Robbie Mercy of Clanton, Alabama! Robbie is the recipient of a brand-new, restored Blu-Ray release of The Beatles’ 1968 animated classic Yellow Submarine, courtesy of our friends at EMI and Apple! Robbie was one of many entrants who correctly answered this question: One of the screenwriters of Yellow Submarine received an Academy Award nomination as writer of the highest-grossing film in the United States of 1970. Name the writer and the smash hit film! The screenwriter was, of course, Erich Segal, and the film was Love…
Voodoo Child (Slight Return): Full Slate of Jimi Hendrix Releases Due in July on Blu-Ray, DVD, CD, Vinyl
Believe it or not, Jimi Hendrix would have turned 70 this year. Though the groundbreaking guitarist died at just 27 years old in the fall of 1970, he continues to leave behind an invaluable legacy. You don’t have to wait till what would have been his 70th birthday on November 27 to enjoy the latest releases in the partnership between Experience Hendrix and Sony’s Legacy Recordings. The original documentary film Jimi Plays Berkeley, derived from the two concerts Hendrix performed at the Berkeley, California’s Berkeley Community Theatre on Saturday, May 30, 1970,…
A SECOND DISC GIVEAWAY! Win The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” on Blu-Ray!
Here at Second Disc HQ, we’re excited about the June 5 DVD/Blu-Ray release of The Beatles’ 1968 animated classic Yellow Submarine! But one thing has made us even more thrilled: the opportunity to give one of our readers a trip to Pepperland in stunning 4K resolution! Yes, we have a brand-new Blu-Ray of Yellow Submarine courtesy of our friends at EMI, and it has one of YOUR names on it! How can the bonus-packed, fully-restored, deluxe Blu-Ray of Yellow Submarine be yours? We have a trivia question for all of you Beatlemaniacs:…
Under the Lavender Moon: Los Lobos’ “Kiko” Gets Deluxe Reissue This Summer
Their first compilation may have humbly seen them described as “just another band from east L.A.,” but Los Lobos have remained one of the most richly diverse bands in a nearly 40-year lifespan. And this August, one of their most acclaimed LPs is getting expanded by Shout! Factory. 1992’s Kiko was released some years after the band burst onto the scene with How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984) and their breakthrough contributions to the soundtrack to La Bamba in 1987. But many critics and fans – not to mention the band themselves – look highly…
