Were the Scholz-vetoed "Boston" expanded/remasters released in Canada?

There seems to be some reason to think that Sony/BMG music of Canada actually manufactured the expanded/remasters of Boston's "Boston" & "Don't Look Back" with Sony/BMG's own remasters & the live concert bonus tracks(both subsequently vetoed by Boston leader Tom Scholz).Were these discs actually released,and if so,have they now been withdrawn? If so,we could be looking at the making of two high-priced collectors items.

 

Hmmmm.

I await a response because I'm a mere 4-hour car ride from Ontario

 

I purchased both 'Boston' and 'Don't Look Back' yesterday. 'Boston' has two live bonus tracks and 'Don't ...' has one live bonus track. Both are mini replica LPs. Are these the albums you're referring to? Both were "produced" by Bruce Dickinson and remastered by Mark Wilder, I think. I'm at work right now; I'll check when I get home. I don't recall Scholz's name mentioned in regard to their remastering.

 

I picked up the Don't Look Back in digipak today, already have the Boston SACD so I didn't bother with the first.

To these ears, a quick listen today to the remastered DLB is not encouraging... the bass guitar for instance on the title cut sounded, well, weird, certainly not as I remember it.

Will listen some more tonight and compare it to vinyl, but I'm about to give up on any new CD remasters and just begin hunting for the best vinyl I can.

Mike

 

Why would they have been released in Canada? Was it a mistake?

 

For some reason, www.amazon.ca seems to have the self-titled album but not Don't Look Back.

 

I noticed my order from CD Universe has not shipped yet.

 

Both of these re-issues were released in Canada yesterday. (I too noticed that amazon.ca isn't carrying 'Don't Look Back' but does have 'Boston'.) I bought both at a local brick 'n' mortar.

'Boston' includes the bonus live tracks "Smokin'" and "Foreplay/ Long Time". 'DLB' includes the bonus live track "Help Me". All three bonus tracks are credited to King Biscuit Flower Hour and were recorded on December 18, 1976, at The Spectrum in Philadelphia.


The re-issue credits for both albums are as follows:

Produced for Reissue by Bruce Dickinson
Mastered by Mark Wilder at Sony Music Studios, New York
Legacy A&R: Steve Berkowitz

Project Direction: John Jackson
A&R Coordination: Darren Salmieri, Jeremy Holiday and Stacy Boyle


I don't know if these are the discs of which the original post is inquiring. There is no mention of Tom Scholz's involvement in the re-issuing or remastering process. I bought them for a budget price and there was plenty of stock.

 

I'm pretty sure these are the remasters of interest - the bonus live song 'Help Me' on DLB sounds atrocious, I can see why Scholz was concerned to say the least...

 

I thought he had these pulled ... weird.

 

Guess I'll pick up the Boston S/T remaster tomorrow if there's any chance these will be collector's items... it was only 13.99 CDN$.

 

http://www.cd-plus.com says out of stock for the S/T one ... so maybe it was.

 

I got mine at Sunrise (not sure if they have these stores in NS) for $9.99 CAD each.

 

No Sunrise, but we do have one of the last 'Sam The Record Man' stores in Canada...

 

I asked at a store in town and no recall notice as of yet. I put aside the last copy of each just in case these do become collectors items. If not they are fairly cheap.

For those in the USA who do not want to take a chance and wait. They are in stock here.
http://www.mymusic.com/search2.asp?curr=1&cboSearch=Artist&txtSearch=Boston&org=new

 

Thanks guys

Thanks for letting me know about "My Music".I went to their website and ordered the discs.And,of course,when the Scholz-approved U.S.A. discs appear(if ever),I may buy them too.May the best remastering win.Funny,I thought that the King Biscuit Flower Hour recorded on Boston's first tour was from Santa Monica,Calfornia,and the onstage talk confirms that.I've got both versions of that show on a set of two reel to reel syndication tapes(2 reels each,2 track/2 channel,seven and half IPS).The song line-ups differ,with the first version of the show(for airplay June 12,1977) containing an untitled blues song,and an edited "Long Time"(omitting "Foreplay").The second version of the broadcast(for Airplay November 6,1977) omits the blues song,presents "Foreplay/Long Time" complete and adds "Something About You".I'm not saying that there couldn't have been another KBFH on the same tour,but the one that I have(bootlegged on vinyl as "The Band From The Platinum Basement") always seemed to be the only one.Was there a Philadelphia "Boston" concert taped by King Biscuit Flower Hour?

 

THE Bruce Dickinson? ...heh...

 

I always thought that the Biscuit recorded the Long Beach show. Thanks for the new info.

 

Thanks! Hope they ship before Tom puts out a cease and desist...

 

Maybe that's why Tom complained - I guess he doesn't have to have more cowbell...

 

There WAS a Boston show recorded for/by KBFH in Long Beach. The show was at the Long Beach Arena and the date was October 16, 1977. It seems like I remember reading somewhere that there was also a show taped at Philidelphia too, though, so maybe we are talking about two different shows that were both taped for KBFH.

I still enjoy hearing this show immensely, it was the first time I heard "A Man I'll Never Be", well before it came out on Don't Look Back.

The Long Beach show included:
Rock and Roll Band
Shattered Images (also referred to as "Help Me")
More Than A Feeling
Man I'll Never Be
Smokin'
Guitar Solo - Tom Scholtz
Don't Want To Lose It Now (also referred to as "This Time"; this was the blues number someone else mentioned above)
Long Time
Television Politician

 

And here's why:

BOSTON'S TOM SCHOLTZ SAYS WHAT'S UP?:
This message from Boston's Tom Scholtz was just posted to the band's website: www.bandboston.com:

What the Deuce IS UP With Boston?

"My apologies to you all for the unintentional silence about Boston activities and plans, especially concerning a reissue of the first two Boston albums. Oddly enough I was just beginning a letter like this, when that topic jumped onto my computer, forcing me to drop everything, including communicating with all of you.
So now you know I do see postings on these sites! Not all of them, but enough to know your collective feelings about Boston, and btw, thank you.

Fortunately I'm now doing much better and back to full strength, and full speed in the studio...OK, I know what you're thinking, just keep it to yourself!

I had to hold up recording for a couple of weeks last year for some overdue studio repairs; three months later I was nearly finished soldering, drilling, and banging when I discovered the announced Sony Legacy Boston reissue on line. (Funny how ex-band members who haven't played in Boston for 25 years knew about these plans ahead of time...) I was mildly surprised to find out that two albums embodying all of my writing, performing, producing and engineering work from the 70's had been "remastered" by someone I didn't know, with added live recordings mixed by someone else I didn't know, and I hadn't even heard it! When I finally did hear it, I wished I hadn't.

Although I got used to getting screwed royally by business types in the music world, the audacity of this particularly inconsiderate liberty with my art got my attention very quickly.
Although I was pretty sure there had been a violation of my rights using the name Boston for this abomination, I decided to try the diplomatic, peaceful approach, averting another war and creating something really valuable in the process A comprehensive remastering of the two oldest albums to bring the old mixes up to the standards of 21st century recordings.

Fortunately my real manager did a great job of quickly getting Legacy to see my point of view, and change their plans.
Now I know there are those of you who would go out and spend good money (oxymoron) for anything that says "new unreleased Boston," but before you go off on me for committing new releasus interuptus, I want you to know you owe me BIG TIME! The so called new material consisted of two Philly KBFH (despite what you may have read elsewhere) not-our-best-night renditions of Smokin' and FPLY/LT, plus a trashy discard I used to toss in on the first tour 'cause we didn't have enough music for a full set! They didn't even have the name right!

These "bonus" track mixes were obviously not made by Boston. Hearing the huge stereo Boston mix style suddenly disappear when the live cuts started was a little scary (even our live sound is carefully mixed in wide stereo, as most of you know first hand). But the real kicker was a technical problem with Brad's vocal track that showed up as a very distracting constant, weird phasing.
And that wasn't the worst part the studio recordings were just transfers to digital using the same EQ moves I prescribed for mastering them 30 years ago when everything had to be done manually, and not very precisely by modern standards. Not only could I hear no improvement, the overly hot sibilant portions that were listenable on vinyl and tape were now nails-on-blackboard piercing. Anyway, if you haven't figured it out yet, I didn't like it.

One good thing though, thinking about live Boston made me realize I have to dig out some tapes and put together some high quality mixes of our tour arrangements; some of them were totally cool. Dude.
So, we got Sony to retransfer from the original stereo analogue mix tapes (not the EQ'd 2nd gen copy companies tend to use) to 24 bit digital, and went to work in Protools going over every second of those mixes til we were nearly batty. It took Bill Ryan and me eight straight LONG days of work, which btw was precisely when I was supposed to be in the FL Keys celebrating my birthday. Finally we made the final adjustments with Toby Mountain at Northeastern Digital, then I joined Kim Hart and Gary Pihl working on the photos and booklet layout revisions. I think you'll like the new pics. When that will be possible via actual release Sony is not saying, but they were in enough of a hurry to ruin my b-day vacation, so presumably it will be very soon. Most recent rumor mid May.
Btw, lest you think I'm trumpeting here to get sales up, be assured Brad and I don't get treated any better financially from this than we did form the original release. You don't think that just because we wrote it, performed most of the tracks, and produced it we get most of the money do you?

But it was worth taking the time for this. I've always wanted to make those albums sound good on CD, and the chance arrived. It's good to work on your birthday. Tom Scholz."

[To add to this - I have had one report of these two titles being available today in Canada (and a Canadian online retailer does list them as April 4 releases). So keep an eye out for these now.>

 

Take it easy, fellas--he puts his pants on one leg at a time.

 

Boston Remasters

I picked up these two CD titles today at a local record shop for 9.99 Cdn each. Every if Scholz doesn't like the reissue that Legacy put together, still a great deal for two classic albums.

 

Found this tidbit of new information on Musictap.net.


Before I do go off in a stupor, I have a few items to make it having been worth your while for stopping in. The first concern the Boston remasters that have been put on hold because of bonus changes. The discs are now rescheduled for June 13. We'll have more on the changes as we get a little closer. Additionally, the Legacy reissues for David Gilmour, which have been pulled from schedules for other reasons are now Dates TBD (to be determined). But don't worry, The Boston reissues were that same designation a week ago.