Eight of John Lennon’s solo albums and other recordings have been digitally remastered and will be re-released in October to celebrate his 70th birthday on Oct. 9, Capitol Records/EMI announced Tuesday.
The reissue project, overseen by Yoko Ono, is called “Gimme Some Truth” and will be launched on Oct. 4 in most of the world and Oct. 5 in North America with the release of eight remastered studio albums and several new titles.
The highlight will be the re-release of "Double Fantasy" in a newly remixed 2-CD set with a new "stripped-down" version remixed and produced by Yoko Ono and Jack Douglas, who co-produced the original mix with John Lennon. The release will pair the new version with Lennon’s original remastered mix. News of the project had been floating around for some time.
“'Double Fantasy Stripped Down' really allows us to focus our attention on John’s amazing vocals. Technology has advanced so much that, conversely, I wanted to use new techniques to really frame these amazing songs and John's voice as simply as possible. By stripping down some of the instrumentation the power of the songs shines through with an enhanced clarity. 'Double Fantasy Stripped Down' will be complemented by the original album in the 2CD format. It was whilst working on the new version of this album that I was hit hardest emotionally, as this was the last album John released before his passing," Ono said.
Also announced for release: a hits compilation in two editions titled "Power To The People: The Hits"; a 4-CD set of themed discs titled "Gimme Some Truth"; and an 11-CD collectors box with the remastered albums, rarities, and non-album singles, titled "The John Lennon Signature Box." All of the remastered albums and collections will be available on CD and for download purchase from all the major digital download services.
Also being reissued are the Lennon albums "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" (1970); "Imagine" (1971);
"Some Time in New York City" (1972); "Mind Games" (1973); "Walls and Bridges" (1974); "Rock ‘n’ Roll" (1975); "Double Fantasy Stripped Down" (2010) / "Double Fantasy" (1980) and "Milk and Honey" (1984).
The albums have been digitally remastered from Lennon’s original mixes by Yoko Ono and a team of engineers led by Allan Rouse at EMI Music’s Abbey Road Studios in London and by George Marino at Avatar Studios in New York. All of the remastered titles will be packaged in digisleeves with replicated original album art and booklets with photos and new liner notes by noted British music journalist Paul Du Noyer, according to EMI/Capitol Records.
John Lennon. Photo: Iain Macmillan. © Yoko Ono.
"Power To The People: The Hits" gathers 15 of Lennon’s songs, and will be available as a 15-track single-disc and digital package, and as an Experience Edition with additional content. Both versions will be packaged in digisleeves with booklets including a new liner note essay by Du Noyer.
"Gimme Some Truth," which will be packaged in a slipcase with rare photos and a new liner notes essay by American music journalist and author Anthony DeCurtis, presents 72 of Lennon’s solo recordings on four themed CDs: "Roots" – John’s rock ‘n’ roll roots and influences, "Working Class Hero" – John’s socio-political songs, "Woman" – John’s love songs, and "Borrowed Time" – John’s songs about life.
The "John Lennon Signature Box" is a deluxe 11-CD and digital collection of the eight remastered albums, a disc of rare and previously unreleased recordings, and an EP of Lennon’s non-album singles. The CDs will be housed in digisleeves within a deluxe box including a collectible limited-edition John Lennon art print and a hardbound book featuring rare photos, artwork, collages, poetry, and new liner notes by DeCurtis.
“In this very special year, which would have seen my husband and life partner John reach the age of 70, I hope that this remastering / reissue programme will help bring his incredible music to a whole new audience. By remastering 121 tracks spanning his solo career, I hope also that those who are already familiar with John’s work will find renewed inspiration from his incredible gifts as a songwriter, musician and vocalist and from his power as a commentator on the human condition. His lyrics are as relevant today as they were when they were first written and I can think of no more apposite title for this campaign than those simple yet direct words 'Gimme Some Truth,'” Yoko Ono said in a statement.
Announcements of updates and additional events to celebrate Lennon's birthday will be at John Lennon's website www.johnlennon.com.
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Comments (37)
This is all pretty exciting, but of course the disc of rare and previously unreleased recordings is only available as part of the 11CD set... With the several different releases, they couldn't have thrown the long-time fans a bone and released this one separately?
Between the eight individual remasters, the full set, the hits set and the thematic set, that's 25 discs - for 121 tracks, that's quite some overlap. Who is really going to buy it all?
Still, I'm looking forward to hearing the Stripped Down Double Fantasy, and, at some point years down the road, the disc of rare and previously unreleased recordings...
I agree Booyah, didn't the albums just get remastered a couple of years back ?
With Lennon Legend and Working class hero, do we need another hits album ?
And most important, why not release the rare disc by itself, some of us are tired of buying the same albums all over again.
I would love to hear the Double Fantasy album stripped down, should be interesting.
I have Lennon Legend and the Working Class hero collections. I see no reason to buy any of the rest of this, and further pad Yoko's bank account.
During the early years of John's passing Yoko was nice enough to make sure that the fans were taken care of by releasing just about everything in the vault, which must have been hard to revisit considering the circumstances regarding John's death.
Because of that what you have here is a catalog that has seen the light of day leaving very little unreleased material. I can't see anything of any real value coming out of the box set, maybe some early takes and unfinished demos even though it'll be nice to have some freshly remastered CD if they don't take the same road taken in the Beatles remastered CD project and hopefully clean up the individual tracks just like they did for Yellow Submarine soundtracks.
Can't wait to see the unreleased track listing.
Happy 70'th John
RS
What about the Live concert at Madison Square Garden? CD and DVD!
Previously unreleased recordings? I wonder what and why they won't get their own CD outside the box set. Must not be too many or the quality might not be great for that.
The stripped down DF sounds exciting but I agree with others scratching their heads about more comps and the original solo albums being re-issued.
Of all of the ex-Beatles, John's catalog was in the best shape with all of his solo albums(and the ones with Yoko) having been remastered and some cases remixed. I thought the remixed Mind Games was very impressive and likewise Rock-N-Roll. Those two came sonically alive on the remastered and remixed versions.
I don't see the need for yet another John comp. I can't wait for Paul's solo catalog to be gloriously re-issued with improved sonics!
I'm sorry but this seems quite cynical...just another way to resell the catalogue...particularly if the rarities disc is not available as a standalone item
I agree that another compilation is redundant and kind of ridiculous, especially when EMI-Capitol couldn't get it right with Harrison's 2009 "Let It Roll" (should have been 2 discs with ALL his hits)... How many Lennon reissues and new projects have to come out before even getting remastered "Dark Horse" or "Extra Texture"? This avalanche of rare Lennon material, wasn't it already covered in the Lennon box set?
I will probably pick up Double Fantasy and Rock and Roll, but that's about it. Also, we have Paul embarking on an ambitious reissue campaign this year, so I suppose Yoko wanted to be sure to compete with that!
It's also looking very prudent for Olivia H./Scorsese to wait until 2011 for the Harrison documentary and soundtrack.
Michael Raz:
Great point, It's more than past time for John's Live in NYC dvd, and add Ringo's VH1 Storytellers dvd ,the Beatle's Let it be dvd and Paul's Rock Show dvd too.
The rare disc looks good, waiting fror the track list.
I feel that most of Lennon's solo work is eminently skipable. He's got his first classic album, Plastic Ono Band, and after that, there are good tracks on each of his albums along with a lot of mediocrity. All you need is one or two of the compilations that have already been released. This is just another money grab aimed to sucker people into purchases purely for the sentimentality of honoring Lennon's 70th birthday and the 30th anniversary of his death.
Thanks but I have enough possessions to commemorate his life.
I hope the new Some Time in NYC will restore the full 2-cd set with John & Yoko's mix of their set with Zappa/Mothers. I also hope that the joyous, free-for-all jam track 'We're All Water' will be restored to full-length.
Smitty, I don't want to get into any Paul v. Yoko stuff, but the Lennon releases are for his would-be 70th birthday year. It was well-known that some John releases were planned. Paul and his new label decided to go ahead with some of his reissues this year too. I just wish people would buy what they want - or don't buy - just enjoy the wonderful music!
Also, it's common music biz practice to repackage & reissue even living artists' "best-of" every few years. It gives new appeal to younger buyers compared to the older releases that have been sitting in the bins for several years.
I know this won't change the minds of those who hate Yoko. But I think she is sincere in trying to keep John's music fresh & alive. She'll make some $, but less with broken EMI in charge!
I'm willing to bet even the "rarities" have been (mostly) released before. Do I really need to buy all these albums that I've already bought twice? That already had been sonically improved just a few years ago? The only thing that seems of genuine "new" interest is the stripped down Double Fantasy. And that, cynically, (I usually go easier on Yoko but can't justify it here) has been packaged with the original album. So if I want it I have to buy Double Fantasy for a third time? It should be released on its own if it is so worthwhile.
I always look forward to Lennon releases and I am a bit let down with today's announcement, but not very surprised. However I look forward to more information, particularly about the box set.
I'm wondering why I seem to be the only one who is excited about this. First of all, the rarities disc says "rare and previously UNRELEASED recordings". If you don't want it, don't get it. Secondly, with the exception of "Double Fantasy" and "Milk and Honey", John's other albums were all remixed a couple years ago. These reissues are remastered using the original mixes, remastered for the first time since being originally released on CD in 1990. This is DIFFERENT. Thirdly, if you listened to George's 2009 "Let It Roll", you'll find that (for instance) "Give Me Love", a track which had been remastered a couple years prior in 2006, sounded even better when it was remastered by Giles Martin in 2009. That means that there can still be room for improvement, especially over the 20-year time span these original mixes have had between their initial 1990 CD outing and this new 2010 remaster.
Mike, fair comments about remastering improvements by Giles Martin. Don't know if that's enough to again buy reissues I just bought a few years ago.
I guess I will reserve judgement on whether things like the box set deserve consideration to buy until I see more detailed information.
And Leon, Lennon had plenty of excellent solo material. I would add "Imagine" to your brief list of classics.
I guess I'm finding it hard to believe that there could be something/anythig in the vaults never before released. I mean Yoko, bless her heart, has reissued the material so many times in so many formats with only the smallest of changes that one loses track of what's what. She does what she can to keep his name out there. I guess I didn't know...until now...that Mind Games had been remixed. I may buy that...even though I didn't think it was a particularly good album. But if Giles Martin is involved in any of this, it will be a good thing.
What I would really like to see is the Shaved Fish album remastered and released. As I do not have Instant Karma, Cold Turkey nor Give Peace A Chance. I do not want to pick up Lennon Legend nor Working Class Hero as the three tracks do not demand that sort of price tag.
Jon, Giles Martin is not involved in any of this. I was using his remastering of George's CD to show that even though material has been remastered recently, a new remaster can still yield an improvement a couple of years later (if done correctly, however). Allan Rouse is the one heading the remastering team and he did a fantastic job on the Beatles' 2009 remasters so I believe we will be getting a high quality product.
Thanks Mike. My mistake. Didn't read everything carefully enough. Allan Rouse will do as well, although I thought he and the Apple team were busy on updating Badfinger's catalog? Guess there's enough people to do it all. I'm not sure I'm keen on John's "Double Fantasy" being stripped down to the vocals. And since Yoko was on side two, is she "stripping down" to just her vocals? Really not sure that's a good idea even though she didn't scream her way through the material on that album.
Just to get a detail correct, Yoko wasn't only on side 2 of Double Fantasy. She and John alternated tracks on both sides. Same with Milk and Honey.
Well, I don't know any of these remasters will be good or not, but I will check them out before buying.
It's the best way, don't you think?
A few more Greatest Hits collections by John? FINALLY! Yahoo!!!
But seriously, isn't Lennon in the Guniess Book of World records for the most Greatest Hits packages issued ever?
The diamond in the rough for sure is Double Fantasy stripped down, I guess it will be Acoustic Volume II. The signature boxset sounds good to me for the rarities disc but I am sure the price will be "sky high" and something out of most of us "working class peoples" budgets.
What is this gonna cost to the collector ?
How many times will they remaster those cd's ? The same goes for Paul by the way !
Yesterday I found in a shop loads of black and white Beatle boxes, at ...cheaper prices ....didn't "they" say the white box was a limited edition. "They" are fooling us !
I hope that they will leave Yoko's songs out, she ruined a lot of John's albums ! all the best
I would of liked to of seen a Lost Lennon Tapes box set. all his home demos/alt takes.
A Greatest hits package is something that to me seems very redundant after all we have had
1. Shaved Fish
2. John Lennon Collection
3. Lennon (4 cd box set 1990)
4. Legend
5. Working Class Hero
6. Lennon Legend DVD/CD Package
Then there was the Lennon Anthology which was a tip of the iceburg for Lennon solo rarities back in 98.
Thinking of the Experience Edition for the hits CD, what could the additional content be? I almost feel like some of those songs could be made playable for Rock Band or something like that so maybe there will be a download for some of those tracks. I admit to be being a little more excited about all of this than I was yesterday.
I think The Stripped Versions of DF sounds pretty good. I'd prefer Just John's "Double Fantasy Sessions" which would include the "Milk And Honey" Tracks. But even more than this where is the REMASTER for "John Lennon Live In NYC" CD (or DVD for that matter). The live 1972 concert has never been Rereleased, remixed, remastered or Re anything, as this CD stands now it's awful, it sounds like a crappy bootleg, recorded in the bottom of a well. Get it together Yoko, doesn't seem all that difficult to remember all of the John solo releases and attend to ALL of them before you start the next go 'round.
And the DVD BOX with ALL video clips??????
I read somewhere that these albums are coming out minus some of the instrumentation, which is OK. I just hope Yoko doesn't again try to rewrite history: the original CDs (albums) sound good enough and I hope they aren't deleted from the catalog.
BTW, the US Economy is still in the crapper. Who can afford all of this new stuff so soon after 9-9-09?
Smitty, I'm still saving for the 09/09/09 black stereo box! I did get the white mono box. Be careful RAPH, there were many fake sub-standard black & white boxes from overseas. Apparently, the printing & packing is crap, some cds have packing glue on them, etc. I know this is off-topic & old news to some, just saying.
grapeape
There's a big difference between the Lennon and McCartney reissues. McCartney's last remaster was 1993, and he has yet to dip really into the vaults. And Band On The Run's reissue won't be evaluated until we see the track list (because the iTunes bonuses left something to be desired).
Ono, on the other hand, gave us the "definitive" hits package with Legend, Anthology, and then proceeded to remaster the albums with additional extra bits. Are we now to believe that the mastering from five years ago is no good? Are we now to believe that there is something so significant that it's worth dropping albums fans have just replaced (in some cases as recent as, what, a year or two ago)? That's a little TOO close for comfort.
(And "experience edition" is now meaning with bonus video content.)
I understand Yoko's desire to keep the Lennon legend celebrated, but at one point there has to be a feeling of a pause between celebrations.
I never thought I'd say this because I am a huge George Harrison fan and for years was ticked at Paul for his bossiness of George. But I have softened considerably in the last 10 years toward Macca -- he either is the greatest actor in the world or he truly cares about the Beatles legacy and all of his former bandmates (I just saw last year's Citi Field DVD and it is unbelievable). Meanwhile, I know John isn't around, but it just seems as though Yoko is going way overboard on reissues, hits packages, etc. and I am tired of it. I'm sure there will be a 75th Birthday celebration, too!
Brian from Canada, what you and others don't seem to grasp is that these new remasters are remasters of the ORIGINAL mixes which have not been remastered since 1990. The mastering from five years ago was (with the exception of "Double Fantasy" and "Milk and Honey") actually a REMIX. There is definitely a difference in what we are receiving now and what we got five to ten years ago. With the exception of "Plastic Ono Band", I have never heard the original mixes and am very excited to hear them! I got the John Lennon Singles Bag vinyl set on Record Store Day and I absolutely loved how "It's So Hard" sounded in it's original mix.
MIKE FROM CANADA - I don't understand the issue when people make this particular point. The solution is simple - don't buy what you don't want. Someone mentioned that they didn't want to contribute to Yoko's bank account. Fine, but that pretty much eliminates any Lennon or Beatles purchase. Also Yoko split John's non-Beatle publishing royalties between herself, Julian and Sean. That's why there was a public announcement a year or so ago that the three were allowing 'Give Peace A Chance' royalties to go to a charity (I forget which) for a certain amount of time. Or maybe it was that the charity could use the song for a time without paying royalties. I forget!
I don't recall making a comment on John reissues v. Paul reissues, but I comment on a lot of things. If you can pull up that quote of mine, I'll comment on that, too.
Sorry, I meant Brian from Canada!
I am (like others) very wary about this. JL is my alltime hero, but I already have bought the catalogue on LP, CD, CD again. Allan Rouse and George Marino were also involved in th eJohn Lennon re-issues of 2000-2005. I will wait and see if they realy use the original mixes now. Please, no bonus tracks, they spoil the listening experience, are often sub par or from different years. Plastic Ono Band begins with the slowed down church bells of Mother and ends with the chilling My Mummy's Dead. Period.
What is the point of remastering the entire Lennon catalog but not releasing it in SACD or Blu-Ray audio? Those are the two surviving high resolution digital formats that offer the best sound. It is crazy that Love and even Ringo's 5.1 are on DVD-Audio but none of the rest of the Beatles music or solo material is available in hi-rez.
What do you think?
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