Another cool looking package coming soon from Darker Than Blue is the DEEP PURPLE 6CD set, "Live In Japan Complete" which documents their historical string of performances in Osaka on August 15th & 16th, and Tokyo on August 17th, 1972 and provided the incredible selected pieces that made up their official 1973 double-LP, "Made In Japan"...the title boasts excellent audience source tapes and the set also comes with a replica concert programme from the Japanese Tour.  More titles announced this past week from Vintage Masters Premium Series that includes...ROLLING THUNDER REVUE (BOB DYLAN) "Rolling Thunder Hurricane" 2CD that will present the December 8, 1975 soundboard tape from New York's Madison Square Garden...and...THE FACES "Take A Look At The Five Guys" 1CD which is essentially a re-issue of the classic CD boot from Oh Boy! called "Rhythm & Booze" and is a partial stereo soundboard of a great 1975 performance from the Swing Auditorium in San Bernadino, California on March the 7th.

The Beatles Master Works (BMW) Label has been quiet for quite awhile but announced the PAUL McCARTNEY 2CD "Goodnight Vienna" this week, the title will feature his concert at the Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria on September 6, 1993 and it should be released sometime early in April...on a related note, an update on the MisterClaudel DVD, "Rockshow" from last week - it appears that title will also be streeting next month.  Perhaps a bit mysterious or at the very least, unusual, is the quiet trickle of titles being issued on The Swingin' Pig Label...the latest is a new MORRISSEY disc that features the December 17th, 2006  show at Arena Treptwo in Berlin, via FM broadcast and called "How Soon Is Berlin?"...unusual in the sense that anybody utilizing that famous moniker would simply place titles on the market without any sort of communications to create awareness but, maybe that's the whole point...who knows.  In ROLLING STONES boot news...that Detroit '78 soundboard from Masonic Hall on July 6th sure seems to be the latest focus - but not from the usual suspects!...there's a generic Japanese silver disc issue of the recording coming on a single disc called "Rolling Stones '78" with bonus tracks from Houston on July 19th, plus the Vintage Master Premium Series will issue their own 2CD version called "Can't Forget The Motor City" which will also be supplemented with other 1978 soundboard tracks from other locals, likely Memphis and/or Lexington as we have seen in the past on the Handsome Girls box sets from TSP and Dandelion, etc...Idol Minds' release of "Acetates" from last Summer must be a high mover as the label is now issuing a 3rd edition with alternate cover in a jewelcase version...

The crowd of LED ZEPPELIN-devoted labels has a new member, Bumble Bee...and their initial batch of releases offer nothing new and leaves this collector a bit puzzled with thier rationale for going down this path...I will say that their "Blue Flame" 2CD set features what I believe is the most wonderful shot of the band in action at one of the Fillmores anyway (I'd love to have a full-size poster of this photo!) and contains the April 27th, 1969 soundboard tape from The Fillmore West...also on the March schedule are "BBC Rock Hour" 1CD containing the June 27th, 1969 Playhouse Theater session and "Love And Peace In Hiroshima" 2CD providing yet another rehashing of the September 27th, 1971 audience tape that has recently seen 2 other releases that too were just as meaningless.  What is up with these labels?  They release hundreds and hundreds of really good shows from dozens of other artists on CDR and DVD-R but decide to start new LED ZEPPELIN labels and reissue the hell out of tapes that are way over-represented on the market.  I am totally baffled by the complete lack of any logic in the approaches by all of these producers.  In closing, I find the news today out of the UK a bit peculiar about Jimmy Page flying up to Scotland to testify against an admitted bootleg vendor, supporting in the full prosecution of his dealings over the last 15-20 years.  Given all the infamous Japanese trips Jimmy makes and being such a collector of his own bands' bootlegs, it does leave me a little baffled at the situation...but then again, the articles I've read are so void of context and are slanted completely from the point-of-view of the recording industry that it's evident we are not given the whole story there. It appears that the Condor Label's "Unstoppable Metal Machine" DVD will definitely be arriving at month's end and has yet to ship out anywhere...Hollow Horns' BOB DYLAN Performing Artist Series final Volume 7 is streeting this week...and look for that new PINK FLOYD Sheffield '70 recording to see a nice presentation/release sometime around the first of April. 

Anyway, that's it for this week and thanks for your continued support.  Have a good one!

Svengi, March 19, 2007