Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we take a look back at notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. 2011 marks 41 years of Comic-Con International, and record labels like La-La Land and Shout! Factory are joining the traditional publishing houses and film studios this weekend on the show floor. But the comic biz and the music world have long been intertwined, on screen, on stage and on record. Today’s Reissue Theory spotlights one of the most bizarre albums ever based on a comic book! In deference to…
Reissue Theory: Live Aid on CD
Twenty-six years ago today, on two different continents, the music world came together for a worthy cause: to raise awareness of famine in Ethiopia. Live Aid, a pair of concerts organized by Bob Geldof in London and Philadelphia on July 13, 1985 and broadcasted live on the BBC, ABC and MTV, was seen in person by some 172,000 people and on television by nearly 2 billion across the globe. And, if you can believe it, none of it has ever been released on LP or CD. Granted, it’s not entirely unsurprising. Geldof…
July 4 Special Reissue Theory: “1776: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”
Happy 4th of July! Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we take a look back at notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. In 1969, a Broadway musical about a most unlikely subject became the toast of New York. Three years later, a movie mogul in the twilight of his years shepherded it to the big screen, and while the film has lived on, its soundtrack album has all but disappeared. Today’s Reissue Theory, pulled from The Second Disc archives, imagines a long-overdue expansion of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack…
Reissue Theory: WHAM! “The Final: Live at Wembley”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we take a look back at notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. Twenty-five years after one of pop’s guiltiest pleasures said goodbye to a packed live audience, we wonder what a release of that show would look like. On June 28, 1986, twenty-five years ago today, WHAM! became a past-tense pop act. It wasn’t your typical pop meltdown, however; it was a breakup for the ages. What other group bids their fan base (80,000 attendees worth) farewell with a handful of…
Reissue Theory: Michael Jackson, “Bad: The Remixes”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. As the world reflects on the two-year anniversary of the loss of the King of Pop, we take a look at some of Michael Jackson’s most accessible vault material and envision a simple way of getting some of that material into the awaiting arms of the public. It’s hard to believe Michael Jackson’s been gone two years this Saturday. We’ve all mourned together, and we’ve all watched with varying degrees of interest…
Reissue Theory: Bette Midler, “The Divine Miss M”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we take a look at notable albums and the reissues they may someday see. Long before “Wind Beneath My Wings” and “From a Distance,” Bette Midler was blazing a path like few others before or since with her blend of outrageous comedy, musical invention and pure showmanship. Yet despite a treasure trove of unreleased material, Midler’s platinum debut, The Divine Miss M, has never been expanded on CD. What might such a reissue be like? “One bathhouse. We played one bathhouse….No, it was only…
Reissue Theory: The Smiths, “The Queen is Dead”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we take a look at notable albums and the reissues they may someday see. Has the world changed or have we changed? Whatever the answer, The Smiths’ The Queen is Dead, which recently hit the quarter-century mark, is a classic of British rock – and, like all of The Smiths’ albums, it would make a prime candidate for a deluxe reissue. It wouldn’t be enough to someday see remasters of The Smiths’ core discography (the four studio albums, the Rank live album, and Hatful…
Reissue Theory: Two for the Big Man
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. As we wish a speedy recovery to one of rock’s most beloved sidemen, we present a special look at a rare moment in the spotlight for the Big Man, Clarence Clemons. To many, the saxophone is just one of those embellishments that can can spice up a pop song or dull its taste. It’s hard to deny, however, the tastiness of a tune garnished with the saxophone work of Clarence Clemons. The…
Reissue Theory: Bob Dylan, “New Morning: Legacy Edition” Including “Dylan (1973)”
Happy Birthday, Bob! Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. To celebrate Mr. Dylan’s 70th birthday, we’re taking a look at one acclaimed LP and the controversial collection drawn from its outtakes. Can these albums be reissued and expanded in the proper context? One answer follows! Greil Marcus famously asked, “What is this shit?” in his review of Bob Dylan’s 1970 Self-Portrait. Dylan’s tenth album for Columbia Records remains as controversial today as it was then, and Marcus’…
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 mastermind behind the American terror attacks on…
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 brain. And they won’t let go. Since its release more than two decades ago,…
Reissue Theory: Majosha, “Shut Up and Listen to Majosha”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. As a modern-day piano man starts digging through the archives, we take a look at one of his steps on the path to critical acclaim. Exciting news seems to be developing for fans of singer/songwriter/pianist Ben Folds: he recently tweeted a picture taken at his Nashville home of what appears to be the beginning of some research for an archival project. Folds’ wife, Fleur, elaborated that the artist was digging through tapes…
Reissue Theory: Aretha Franklin at Arista
The music industry is littered with careers that crashed after a second chance at the spotlight. This could have easily befallen even a legend like Aretha Franklin; the Queen of Soul had in fact risen on a second chance at Atlantic after a largely unsuccessful career with Columbia, but by the late 1970s, Aretha’s attempts to fall in with the trends of rhythm and blues were frequently derided, and ultimately she would sever her ties with the label. Against all odds – not counting the fact that she’s Aretha Franklin – the…
Reissue Theory: Aretha Franklin, “Sweet Passion: The Lost Atlantic Years”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on great albums and the reissues they could someday see. Aretha Franklin began her groundbreaking stint at Atlantic Records in 1967 and it wasn’t long before a legendary star was in the ascendant. Yet the final chapter of Aretha’s Atlantic story has been all but forgotten. Today’s Reissue Theory takes us back to 1974 as we revisit the “lost albums” of Aretha Franklin. There are plenty of adjectives that can be used to describe Aretha Franklin. Columbia Records used a great many…
Reissue Theory: Duran Duran, “Medazzaland” and “Pop Trash”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable albums and the reissues they may someday see. With a new album by Duran Duran receiving deserved critical acclaim, let’s take a look back at the band’s years as a trio in the late ’90s and see what gold could stand to be dug up from the vaults. As current electro-pop music goes, all you need now is All You Need is Now. Duran Duran’s 13th studio album was first released independently (through the band’s new Tapemodern label) as a…
Reissue Theory: Elton John, “To Be Continued…1992-2010”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they may some day see. It’s been over two decades since Elton John released his career-spanning To Be Continued… box set, and so much has happened with his career since then. How do you cover such ground? Simple – make another one! It’s only appropriate that Elton John titled his 1992 album The One. It was a major first for the superstar: his first album recorded in all too many years without any drugs or alcohol. It…
Reissue Theory: Stevie Nicks Solo – and Beyond
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. With anticipation running high for a new album from Stevie Nicks in a few months, we bring you a special look back at her first two solo albums – which have never been expanded – and that one record she’s on that fans have been anxiously waiting for an official CD release… This post is dedicated with love to Stephen Sears, a good friend of The Second Disc. Today is his birthday!…
Reissue Theory: R.E.M., From Start to Finish
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. With a new R.E.M. LP in stores today, we think about something that’s missing from their extensive discography: a full, career-spanning compilation. Today is the day that R.E.M.’s fourteenth studio LP, Collapse Into Now, hits stores. I haven’t bought it yet myself, but I have been keeping the Athens, Georgia-based rock icons in heavy rotation today; their lengthy, Rock and Rall Hall of Fame-inducted catalogue is full of plenty of strong moments….
Reissue Theory: Debbie Harry, “Rockbird”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. What does the most ridiculous celebrity meltdown at the moment have to do with the second solo LP by the leader of Blondie? The answer may shock you. “Fools and trolls.” “Gnarly gnarlingtons.” “Winning!” The ongoing, eminently quotable, six-cylinder meltdown of Charlie Sheen is a bizarre conversation starter around the world. (Your mileage may vary of course: to this author, the whole thing is slowly decaying from funny to funny-sad – though…
Reissue Theory: Philip Bailey, “Chinese Wall”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. Despite the presence of a hit single with a famous singer/songwriter/producer and a killer soul vocalist, Philip Bailey’s hit sophomore record remains unexpanded on CD. What would such a project look like? This article is the only way you’ll ever know-oh-ohh… What does it say about Philip Bailey that his biggest hit wasn’t entirely his? It’s not like Bailey only had so much talent. Quite the contrary: as the lead singer of…
Reissue Theory: Bobby Darin, Compiled: “The Motown Years”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on great albums and the reissues they could someday see. At the time of his untimely death in 1973, Bobby Darin was signed to Motown Records, where he recorded one solo LP and enough material for a posthumous second LP. Despite their high quality, Darin’s Motown recordings have long been unavailable. Today’s Reissue Theory takes us back to 1970 and the final chapter in the life of the great Bobby Darin. Bobby Darin was so much more than just “Mack the Knife.”…
Reissue Theory: Madonna, “Like a Prayer”
By now, you’ve likely heard the 1,000th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 – Lady Gaga’s new single “Born This Way.” The dance anthem has come under a bit of fire for critics thanks to its striking similarity to another dance-pop icon’s hit, Madonna’s “Express Yourself.” The Madonna-Gaga comparisons have been wildly obvious from the start – Italian-American, dyed blonde singers with decent if not fantastic voices, a flair for the visual and a desire to control every aspect of their iconography – but it’s the same damn chord progression…
Reissue Theory: “Purple Rain”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on great albums and the reissues they could someday see. One of the biggest-selling albums of all time. A rock and roll classic. Soon to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Still un-reissued in any way, shape or form. This is Purple Rain. With the Grammy Awards on Sunday, there’s been some thought at Second Disc HQ regarding some of the Grammy Hall of Fame inductees. While there are more single recordings on the list than actual albums, one LP…
Reissue Theory: George Michael’s Different Corners
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on well-known albums of the past and the reissues they could someday see. With the reissue of George Michael’s most flawless pop album, today’s installment takes you into the corners of the world pop music scene to prove how part of the musical culture he really was. The reissue of George Michael’s iconic Faith album has your humble catalogue correspondent excited. Really excited. So excited that today’s Reissue Theory talks about two albums from the same time period he managed to contribute…
Reissue Theory: Cher, “A Woman’s Story: The Warner Bros. Years”
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on well-known albums of the past and the reissues they could someday see. Before Madonna, before Lady Gaga, there was Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPiere Bono, better-known as Cher. Today, we look at a largely forgotten period of the diva’s career, now entering its sixth(!) decade. Cher’s latest hit song may be titled “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” but really, who thought we had? We listeners don’t need a modest little Diane Warren power ballad to remind us that Cher isn’t going…
