[Heeplist] New BMG releases review

Fri Sep 23 08:24:51 EDT 2016

I know Rob Corich has stuff he'd like to get out there, but can't get
permission to release :-(

Pete

Same old stuff being repackaged and sold to fans as new, that seems to be
the case nowadays. I guess the vaults have been pretty much emptied by now
so there aren't any unreleased stuff worth releasing anymore. I will still
keep buying all new released just as support for the band.

---
TapioM.
tapio at uriah-heep.fi
www.uriah-heep.fi

Bob Winward kirjoitti 22.9.2016 15:21:
> Tapio, thank you, I always have interest in what you have to say and 
> reply most of the time.  This fall marks 20th anniversary of the list.  
> I have no explanation other than maybe the novelty of the net and 
> being a Uriah Heep fan is waning.  The net was new to everyone back in 
> 1996 and prior to that, there was no communication between Uriah Heep 
> fans and many of us, thought we were what I have always called "Heep 
> Orphans"
> 
> Remember how I used to stir up some controversy on the early days of 
> the list, when things got quiet?  I called it "stirring the pots"!  In 
> the mid 70's I had a job at a state park and there were outhouses with 
> no plumbing.
> We had to pour a chemical into the toilet and stir it with row boat 
> oars.
> The duty was called "Stirring the Pots".  It was a horrible duty in 
> the summer, with the heat, the smell and the flies!!
> 
> As for the review, nice job!  It appears to be same stuff, repackaged!
> 
> Bob Winward
> 
> 
> On 9/22/16, 7:55 AM, "Tapio Minkkinen" <tapio at uriah-heep.fi> wrote:
> 
>> Hi
>> 
>> I haven't been posting to this lately because it has seemed that 
>> either my mails still aren't received by everyone or no-one is 
>> interested in what I post as there hasn't been any replys.
>> 
>> Anyway, I received the two new BMG releases this week: As it was 
>> already clear beforehand that on VEVU there wasn't going to be any 
>> unreleased songs, just "alternate versions" of album tracks this 
>> wasn't as interesting but I wanted to check these out anyway also 
>> because these are the first Heep CD releases by BMG who bought the 
>> rights to the back catalogue from Universal Music a few years ago. It 
>> would be interesting to see if BMG could match with the same quality 
>> as the previous remastered cd's released when Sanctuary was still an 
>> independent record company.
>> 
>> The packaging of both releases looks very nice. Double CD digipacks 
>> in gatefold sleeves, Lots of pictures, mainly album and single covers.
>> Perhaps too much pictures especially on VEVU as they take up over 
>> half of the booklet's 20 pages so there's not so much space for 
>> information.
>> The most interesting part is comments from Mick Box and Ken Hensley 
>> although they don't really include much new info that they haven't 
>> already told in interviews many times before.
>> 
>> About the compilation: What can be said about this? Just another 
>> best-of, nothing more. There have been tens of sets such as this 
>> released over the years but I understand that BMG also wants to 
>> release their own compilation. All songs (except one) are the 
>> original LP tracks and mostly the same best known songs that have 
>> been included on all earlier compilations - in chronological order as 
>> usual. The only special things is the single edit of July Morning 
>> that has not been released on CD before and released originally in 
>> Japan only. It looks like the compilation hasn't been remastered like 
>> VEVU, at least in the sleeve notes there's no mention of that. I have 
>> to check it out and compare if there are differencies to earlier 
>> releases.
>> 
>> On VEVU original album credits are not included, only one page with 
>> track listings. No info on line-up, who plays what, which of the 
>> three drummers is playing on which track, Colin Wood who plays 
>> keyboards on two tracks is not mentioned at all etc. This is the 
>> biggest fault in the sleeve notes. Corich's notes on previous 
>> remasters were excellent and very informative.
>> 
>> Then to the most important part: The music. I haven't listened to the 
>> first album in a long time and I guess I haven't appreciated it as 
>> much as the later albums because Ken Hensley joined in the middle of 
>> recording and didn't have as much input on the songs. I must say this 
>> sounds great, both original LP and alternate versions on CD2 that are 
>> said to be previously unreleased.
>> 
>> I haven't yet had time to compare these to the versions of these 
>> songs already released before but I have to check if there is 
>> something significantly different. I also have to compare the new 
>> remastering done by "renowned mastering engineer Andy Pearce" to see 
>> if this is better or any different from the masterings done earlier 
>> by Robert Corich.
>> Corich
>> has here only taken care of CD2. The addition of Spice recordings 
>> Born In A Trunk & Magic Lantern and the first version of Bird Of Prey 
>> among the album tracks brings more variety to the set and it's good.
>> 
>> As a roundup I would say that these releases are good if you already 
>> don't already own the 1990's remasters and/or 2000's deluxe expanded 
>> editions these are worth getting but you can live without buying 
>> these.
>> These are available - like just about all new releases these days - 
>> in streaming services like Spotify so you don't necessarily have to 
>> get the actual CD - or you can check it out beforehand if you're 
>> thinking of buying.
>> 
>> I took some pictures of the artworks and I've uploaded them here:
>> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B3ieVvskyTAlZnNJcHZnSHFnc00
>> 
>> I have prepared a page on my site dedicated to these BMG releases:
>> http://www.heepfiles.net/bmgre.htm where you can see track listings, 
>> cover images etc.
>> 
>> Salisbury is the next in the reissue series to be released in the end 
>> of October. This I believe will very soon be available for 
>> pre-ordering from Pledge Music like these two releases were. The link 
>> to the
>> project:
>> http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/uriahheep
>> 
>> 
>> ---
>> TapioM.
>> tapio at uriah-heep.fi
>> www.uriah-heep.fi
>> 
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>> http://www.uriah-heep.com
> 
> 
> 
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