Concord Music Group gets Paul McCartney Back Catalogue (Pt. 4)

I share the frustration of some here regarding the bonus tracks but again from a business standpoint, its the right move for MPL/Concord. Their job is to make Paul and his label maximum monies and this strategy is designed for that as the primary objective. It ensures that everyone buys the reissues (better remastering + hi-rez + nice book + few bonus cuts), subscribes to the cloud (for more bonus content) and an anthology style rarities project (for the cream of crop unreleased tracks).

I agree with Ron that Paul has barely milked his catalog like some other bands. A lot of his CD's are OOP and most of his focus has been on new product than reissuing old one. The archive collection gives chance to lot of newer fans like me to get his back catalog with improved sonics and nice packaging. The bonus tracks are just that - bonus!

So while I'm disappointed with the final track lists, I think its OK in grand scheme of things. From a pricing standpoint, the 1CD/1DVD edition should be cheap ($15ish) and hi-rez downloads should be under $20 which is not bad either. So lets keep our fingers crossed for the long rumored rarities box. Until then, I have a lot of core catalog catching up to do!

 

"Sitar"

1980/81 ?

 

More like 1973-1974 during his and Linda's 'Moon boots' phase.

 

Yeah, you got the spirit. "Imagine no possesions"

 

If this is the theory they are working on, I think they are doing a poor job. I suspect a big chunk of the potential market for a McCartney archive series is about where I am: eager to buy deluxe reissues with generous outtakes; able and willing to pass on meager morsels like these proposed McCartney and II bonuses; and 100% uninterested in paying for any kind of "cloud" subscription or any other non-physical media.

Edit: I already expressed my skepticism of any forthcoming rarities box, but if it is coming, I think some better outtakes could still be available for the "archive" series; otherwise, they make me wonder if there really is anything good to release.

 

In midst of all the disappointment regarding the inclusion of the 1979 tracks, I forgot to ask if anyone has ever heard tracks 6 and 7 before? Have these been bootlegged or is this new unheard material?

 

I am curious to see what the "cream of the crop" of McCartney's unreleased tracks will be after all the proper albums with bonus tracks are released. Honestly, I don't think there is going to be a treasure trove of great stuff. I would like to be proven wrong, but I can't imagine 4 discs or whatever of great unreleased McCartney. Are there really top shelf McCartney II outtakes we're not getting on the upcoming reissue? Most of the demos from BOTR were stolen. Maybe some alternate takes possibly, but McCartney is a perfectionist. I don't think he is going to just throw things out there because they were unreleased. Much of it is unreleased for good reason. It would be cool to get some 70's concerts on the cloud, but I would think he would put the best stuff on the bonus discs...I think he probably is.

 

Yes to #7. It appeared on a Piano tape from late 1973.

If he's releasing "Women Kind" anything is possible now.

 

What about Bernard Webb's other Woman ?

 

Apparently the demo of Paul's version still exists but I doubt we'd get a Beatles era track on a solo release. I was hoping to see "Goodbye" on the McCartney reissue...there's always next time.

 

I agree with you, look how much people here had difficulties with downloading the Hi Rez bonus tracks from Band on the run.

And if you call it The Archive Collecion, why so few bonustracks ? Like Harrison and Lennon did but they didn't call it Archive Collction.

 

Well the long version of Coming Up is not released, but nobody seems to care about that one.

 

It's also hard to judge what he's doing by just these 3 reissues. If something like London Town comes and goes without "Waterspout" or "One Woman" on it then it would suggest he's holding back his 'best' unreleased stuff for another platform.

Same for BTTE with "Cage" and RRS with "Night Out", etc...

 

We know George ("looked like old rope") Harrison dissed it, but if it's not welcome on a Beatles album.. Carnival Of Light would be most welcome on macca's self titled..even a 20 second snippet.

 

I'm not so sure about that. I just find it hard to believe that there are no alternate takes worth releasing from the BOTR or McCartney sessions. There gotta be unreleased takes or demos of Every Night and Maybe I'm Amazed that are better than live versions made with a band 10 years later. Unless the 1970 tapes have been lost, I think he's holding back some of the goodies (as indicated by the leaked tracklist for the rumored box set).

 

I agree you are probably correct, however, there is precedent for such a release. Remember the Songs by George Harrison release when it became available on iTunes...it included a demo of Isn't it a Pity, which, I believe was from early to mid 1969, making it a demo done while George was in the Beatles.

 

+ 1

Guess he's holding it back as the perfect opener to any future rarities box. Or maybe it's headed for the cloud!

 

Quite possibly taken during the sitar overdub on 'Tragedy' c. late 1973.

Chip Madinger
www.lennonology.com

 

I was hoping for that one on the McCartney reissue as well. I suppose it's considered a "Beatles" track.

 

True enough.

 

I don't know about you all but I'm not expecting a bunch of unreleased stuff on the cloud. I just don't think they're going to be doing the fantastic things we think they will in regards to that.

And yes, they obviously have some cool stuff for McCartney that they did not give us here, as evidenced by the potential tracklisting from Etcetera.

 

I'm not keen on the idea of The McCartney Interview being on the third CD, however it would likely cross the 3 CD set off the shopping list ifg it did work out that way, so that could save some money

 

Some people are saying that they still haven't seen these on Amazon so I thought I'd post the links for them. This is only the United States, though.

McCartney

Standard - http://www.amazon.com/Mccartney-Paul/dp/B004WJRF6C/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1303759914&sr=1-2

Vinyl - http://www.amazon.com/Mccartney-Paul/dp/B004WJRFYE/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1303759914&sr=1-9

Deluxe - http://www.amazon.com/Mccartney-Paul/dp/B004WJRDN2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303759861&sr=8-1

McCartney II

Standard - http://www.amazon.com/Mccartney-II-...=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1303759914&sr=1-4

Vinyl - http://www.amazon.com/Mccartney-II-...r_1_10?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1303759914&sr=1-10

Deluxe - http://www.amazon.com/Mccartney-II-...=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1303759914&sr=1-5

 

I feel that way for the DVD, it has to be really cool before I would spent extra 50 USD.