...Picking up on the new announcements from over the weekend, a non-label DVD release of "The Complete ARMS Concert" proshot video from the December 2nd, 1983 San Francisco show at The Cow Palace will make it's way to shelves this week. Out of the chute it isn't completely clear just what 'new' or additional footage makes this complete over the commercially released version many years ago but it's certainly a nice chance to get this on a silver DVD, running 159 minutes and features the greatest line-up of british rock musicians who support main sets by ERIC CLAPTON, JEFF BECK and JIMMY PAGE - all in an effort to create an awareness for, and raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis in honor of their friend and fellow musician, former SMALL FACES and FACES bassist/vocalist RONNIE LANE...Also, Virtuoso will release GENESIS "Spectrum 1983" 4CD, a pre-FM master stereo soundboard recording of the bands live sets at the Philadelphia Spectrum on November 26th & 27th, 1983...

...(EDIT Dec.9) Some scuttlebutt and scoop information for you this week...it appears that Silent Sea will be releasing a new PINK FLOYD title called "The Great Gig In The Sky: An Alternate Take On Dark Side Of The Moon - For Rick 1943-2008" which features a 'skim' tape of Side 2 of Dark Side Of The Moon, obtained by the operating tape engineer of the '94 remasters.  Apparently he pushed 'up' on all the fader channel buttons on the mixing board and caught things on the tape that didn't translate to the final product... included will be some of the Finsbury Park tape source material from The Rainbow Theater, London on February 20, 1972 (aka 'Best Of Tour '72'), and some common outtakes to supplement the new DSOTM skim tape...Look for a special BOB DYLAN 2LP colored vinyl collectors' edition of that October 26, 1963 Carnegie Hall soundboard tape to start showing up around the net, etc very soon. It's is also called "Unraveled Tales" after the Hollow Horn CD release and will be issued on te Whispering Soul Label...pictured above is the budget version of the recent LED ZEPPELIN Nassau Coliseum '75 soundboard tape from Eelgrass Records, a 3CD set called "At Nassau Coliseum" this is a direct copy of the original Empress Valley "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" deluxe japanese set...Dog N Cat Records next ROLLING STONES release will be the 4CD "Europe '76" which packages both the audience source tape with the common soundboard tape of their June 7, 1976 Paris performance at the Pavilon de France...

...Well, have you picked up "Chinese Democracy" yet? Maybe the new GNR title "Spirit Of '88" set from the Japanese See No Evil Label strikes a more favorable response...this 2CD/DVD package documents the bands' third Japanese concert on December 7, 1988 at Nakano Sunplaza with a stereo soundboard audio tape and audience-shot video via DVD...Thinman Records have got to be acknowledged as being one of the most active labels in the fourth quarter of 2008 and they keep the momentum up this last week with 5 new BOB DYLAN releases...the most recent first here at the top of the week with 2 Gospel-period shows; "Blood Of The Lamb" 2CD presents an audience tape of the December 5, 1979 concert at Kiva Auditorium in Albequerque, New Mexico...and "Pawn And Gamble" 2CD contains the Nashville show a couple years later at the Municipal Auditorium on November 14, 1981. Late last week Thinman issued the incredible 2CD "Iron Waves" (pictured below), the November 12, 1980 concert at The Fox Warfield in San Francisco..."Masters Of The Bluff" 2CD is the December 4, 1980 audience recording from the Paramount Theater in Portland..."And Hit Too Hard" 2CD features the November 11, 1997 show at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois...

...Finally, a couple of new JOHN LENNON titles from His Master's Choice Label to freshen up the release news a bit for this Monday night..."Revolution Take...Your Knickers Off!" 2CD and "John Lennon At Home" 2CD are said to bring previously unreleased demo recordings that span from early 70's through 1980 into collectors' hands here in December.  So it seems we will likely end the year pretty strong and I feel some more titles coming down that will create a buzz before we ring in the new year, stay tuned...and have a great week!

Svengi, December 8/9, 2008