Hip-Oselect Rare Earth 3cd collection

Finally, it has arrived. I think i read a blurb in ICE about 3 yrs ago regarding this release. This set contains their 5 studio albums from '69-74. I liked their first and second albums, plus the concert release; the others kinda left me bored. Kinda straddling the fence on this one; wish they had included the concert release.

 

Should be interesting.

 

I'd like to have some live Rare Earth, but this release should be a cause for celebration. They've really been underrepresented on cd.

Maybe the live album will be forthcoming soon, and who knows, maybe they'll dig up some unreleased material, too.

 

how much? too much...

 

Really? Seems average for a Hip-O Select release to me. Granted, it is being released with the completist in mind. The jackets and notes are also being reproduced too (a concern of mine with releases like these).

The 2 disc anthology is still probably the best place to start (if you can get past the use of the single edits in many cases), but this might be the place to go for those who can't get enough.

Given what OOP Rare Earth cds seem to be going for these days, I'm kinda glad to see this release. Now, let's just hope it sounds good...

 

Per Harry Weinger it'll be 3 cd's containing 5 albums & related singles...Get Ready, Ecology, One World, Willie Remembers and Ma. I have to say that the old John Matousek mastered cd's of Get Ready & Ecology will be hard to beat.

It appears they aren't including the single mixes of Born To Wander, I Just Want To Celebrate, Hum Along & Dance plus the single edit of Hey Big Brother.

AS for unreleased material, that'd be nice but don't hold your breath. You'd be amazed what is in the vaults

 

I'll take the unreleased live album they recorded @ Arie Crown Theatre in late 73/early 74.

 

Those are the individual cd's (i.e., one album per disc), and not the more widely available 2-fer, right? Or did Matousek's mastering make it onto that one, too?

 

at last, an ideal companion set to the 1995 double-cd "Anthology: The Best of Rare Earth"

 

http://www.hip-oselect.com/scr.public.product.asp?product_id=8893C217-A6A5-4542-8038-206B777FF75A

 

It looks more like it would supplant that set than that it would complement that set...Or is there a lot of material on that double CD that is not going to be on this set??

(Of course, that set was available for about $20 in the stores, and this set will be $60).

 

The double disc anthology uses mostly single edits. In many cases, the album cuts were a lot longer, and these will be on this set, not the single edits. For example, the Anthology has "Get Ready," "I Know I'm Losing You," "What'd I Say," and "Ma" in much shorter versions than they are on the albums.

Plus, the double disc is a great sounding set. Worth getting on those merits too.

 

Album length tracks? Man am I ever there.
The Sunliners live!
(repeated from the about to be closed thread)

 

Well, glad you asked:

I Just Cried (The Sunliners)
King Of A Rainy Country (Dreams Answers LP)
Born To Wander single mix
I Just Want To Celebrate single mix
Hey Big Brother single edit w/different intro * This has never been issued on any cd comp yet.
Ma single mix
Hung Along And Dance single mix
Fun House (1974 Frank Wilson sessions outtake)


All of those above plus all post 74 stuff on the 1995 Anthology will not be on this set, near as I can tell. Keep the 1995 set!

I'm curious who is mastering this set.

And as Phil Cohen said in a previous thread, this set does not touch the outtakes in the vault. I've seen the list and what still gathers dust is impressive.

Perhaps Hip-O will soemday reissue "In Concert" as part of a 3 disc set w/outtakes. The full version of "Thoughts" runs for an hour. In addition, they could include the unreleased live album "Live In Chicago" which would've included:


hey big brother
born to wander
were gonna have a good time
big john is my name
ma
(I know) i'm losing you
I just want to celebrate
get ready *I've a tape of this very performance/song and it is stunning...really brimming w/energy.

hum along and dance & tobacco road were played at the chicago show but not intended for that album.

That doesn't include the stuff they recorded during 69-74 that was left in the can...many covers of great songs.

 

I hope Hip-O eventually releases everything, the first album on Verve, the Live album, even the Prodigal label albums.

 

We're getting way ahead of ourselves with that kind of wishing. The "acid test" will be whether or not this one sells enough copies to make future cds like this <which, by the way, I want too!!> even make it out of the planning stages.
If you want the rare stuff, help make it happen by buying one of these sets they're being kind enough to release. I am!

 

Well, let's not hold our breath

The vinyl of the Prodigal albums sound very good. In Concert...best to track down an old Motown cd (made by MCA IIRC). As for Dreams & Answers, good luck snagging a decent copy on vinyl...I had to use 3 different LP's just for needledrop cd.

We'd be best served with unreleased material. If this set does well, we just may get that. I emailed Harry Weinger about the "Live In Chicago" album from March 74 and he said:

"we may get there, we'll see how this release goes". Anything is possible.
So, if you want unreleased stuff like I do, buy this set.

 

If Motown & Universal Music can release vault-emptying compilations on the most obscure no-hit-wonder artists(who never had more than one or two singles released back in the 1960's) than why not do similar archival trawls on Rare Earth, a group who had quite a number of hit singles and albums.

Unless artist permission issues are the problem. I don't know how much(if any) hostility exists between sax/flute player Gil Bridges(who owns the "Rare Earth" name,and continues to use it in conjunction with guitarist Ray Monette) and drummer/lead singer Pete "Rivera" Hoorelbeke who tours with his own band. He's not able to use the "Rare Earth" name, but his voice is the sound of "Rare Earth".

 

Phil,

I agree with you 100%. The band didn't get respect from Motown in their heyday. They don't get it now. Plain & simple.

It has nothing to do with Pete or Gil. There is some "history" between Pete & Gil but neither of them are holding back any sort of archival material. How do I know? I've asked them both. They'd both love to see unreleased material come out of the vaults. Ray Monette who is a very good friend of mine & has nothing to do with it either. He's in the same boat as Pete & Gil.

Who holds it back? UMG & Harry Weinger...they're in control.

 

Hip-O say it's in stock.

Has anyone heard it? How is the sound?

 

lets hope the live album comes out -- I was hoping to see an expanded issue of that..

Any word on how this set sounds?

 

I've listened to the first CD and think it sounds fine...no DCC, but OK.

 

Any other thoughts you might have on the box, Dennis? Thanks for sharing.

 

This will be released next Tuesday 9/9/08 according to cduniverse.com.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7738055&cart=769357322