Keep an ear to the wind on details regarding THE ROLLING STONES "Steel Wheels Sessions Outtakes" CD set...the buzz has started since they were shared over the net this past week and several labels like Sister Morphine and The Godfather Records will be getting their licks in on these super nice recordings from the Bahamas in late '88-'89...the Halcyon Label out of Japan will issue "Naked" as their next STONES release...this is a stereo soundboard of the Bigger Bang show at the Tokyo Dome on March 22, 2006...they are calling this one the first "authentic stereo soundboard".  What are those Dog N Cat titles then?  Feel free to chime in on that topic below.  More Stones from Rattlesnake...whoever is continuing with the RS Label will issue "Ride To The Rescue" 2CD from the Benefit Concert in New York's Radio City Music Hall this past March 14th, the set will feature bonus tracks from the March 6th L.A. Forum concert...also coming from Rattlesnake very soon is BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN "Midnight In Nassau" 2CD which will feature the classic New Year's Eve 1980 show from the Nassau Coliseum sourced from fully mixed tapes!...also rumored to be coming from The Boss is a proshot DVD from The Seeger Sessions Tour - no confirmation on the issuing label yet though.  In another blind release move, Empress Valley released the LED ZEPPELIN 6CD limited edition set, "Three Days After", featuring both a stereo version and a mono version of the TMOQ sourcetapes this past week - watch for a review on these pages mid-week...I have been told that a pristine version of the ZEP Earl's Court proshot video from May 24th, 1975 will see the light very soon...that'll be the hundredth time over the past 5 years - none of them are "pristine" so I guess there's room for one more version if indeed it is what they say...but don't hold your breath...and wasn't the source video for Scorpio's "The Story So Far" DVD supposedly provided by JIMMY PAGE?...and that isn't "pristine".  Whatever.  In a an even stranger move, EV issued the JIMMY PAGE & THE BLACK CROWES double-disc soundboard title "Pittsburgh" on CDR!...this is the first appearance of a soundboard recording from this performance (and first EV CDR release!) - though a very good audience tape has made the rounds since this June 28, 2000 performance.

Release news out of Japan this week...Tarantura will release YES "Live At Academy Of Music" 1CD, a numbered, limited paper-sleeve edition...and Seymour Records has released the YES 2CD set "Before The Birth Of Yes", featuring pre-YES various members solo studio recordings from 1963-1970...from Wardour comes RORY GALLAGHER "Pull Up Your Grip" 2CD of assorted soundboard fragments, featuring:  July 13th, 1972 Paris Theater, London on Disc One.. 5 tracks from Paris Theater, August 12, 1971, 3 tracks from Kings Cross Cinema on June 24 , 1972 and 1 track featuring TASTE live in Dusseldorf 1970...Trial also has the RORY GALLAGHER 2CDR title coming out called "Tokyo 1977" which features the excellent Nagano Sunplaza performance from November 5th, 1977...Sirene has a special MIKE OLDFIELD package streeting shortly, "Bells Of Remembrance" 2CD - plus bonus CDR called "Mirage"...the feature discs contain a Tokyo performance at Shibuya Public Hall on May 26th, 1982 and the bonus discs feature a July 20th, 1981 recording from Vienna, Austria...THE BEATLES "Complete Get Back Sessions" from Strawberry Records continues this month with volumes 10, 11 & 12 giving new collectors an opportunity to pick up these prime sounding Nagra Tape Rolls from Camera B audio, recorded at Apple Studios on Saville Row in London, January 27, 28 and 29, 1969...volumes 1-9 document the sessions from January 22nd-26th...and I have no idea how they compare to the excellent Yellow Dog series, one can only assume these are of the same quality - if not outright copies.  Power Gate will issue the newly surfaced BLACK SABBATH audience tape "San Bernadino 1972" 2CDR which was shared over the weekend on the internet and features the classic line-up from the Swing Auditorium on March 17, 1972...the label will also release DEEP PURPLE "Munich 1973" 2CDR, documenting the MK II lineup from a January 21, 1973 show at Olympiapark Sportahalle...MICHAEL McDONALD collectors should note that 2 stereo soundboard recordings will be featured on an "import" release called "Summer U.S. Tour 2006" 2CDR and captures his performances in Portland on July 27th and Seattle on July 28th...Look for the ABBA DVD "Kultnacht:  German TV Special", featuring 2 hours of vintage TV performances 1973-1984.

Finally tonight, a great line-up of DVD releases from Crime Crow Productions...new for August/September are: 

• VAN MORRISON "Christmas Special 98" PAL format
• DAVID GILMOUR "Blue Light Live" capturing an April 30th, 1984 show in proshot quality at The Hammersmith Odeon with bonus features that include "Beyond The Floyd" documentary and 2 video clips in NTSC format
• QUEEN "Don't Cry For Me", Buenos Aires, Argentina - March 1, 1981, PAL format
• TEN YEARS AFTER, ALVIN LEE, TEN YEARS LATER "All These Years Later" - Barrie, Canada 1988; Rockpalast 1978; Marquee London 1983; Gas Tank Sessions w/ Eric Burdon and Chris Farlowe; Frankfurt 1969;promos - over 4 hours of footage, NTSC format
• GUNS 'N ROSES "Rock In Rio" - May 27, 2006 Proshot, PAL format
• STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN "Playgold - And Your House Is Rockin' Too" featuring raw footage of the American Caravan 1986 w/ Lonnie Mack at The Orpheum Theater in Memphis; Pistoia, Italy 1988 w/Double Trouble; In Session with Albert King in Ontario, Canada, December 6th, 1983 - 272 minutes, NTSC format

One last note of disappointing news...it appears that the LED ZEPPELIN DVD "Knebworth Celebration" will be the Swan Song for Genuine Masters...confirming that all good things do end.  This looks to be quite the upgrade for ZEP collectors so look for more on this title and developing GM plans right here at HotWacks On-line.  Have a great week!

Svengi, August 28, 2006