Anthology Revival
Leaked packshot
There are many hints at the moment that something more is going to happen with the Beatles’ Anthology than just a reissue of the book. Will there be a volume 4 in the album series? Will “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” be reissued in new editions where Peter Jackson’s team has worked their magic to enhance Lennon’s voice? What about the old TV series, will it be revamped and released on a streaming service near you, such as Disney+? Stay tuned to thebeatles.com, where there’s a countdown going on, to the publication of the details.
I’m quite hopeful for a Volume 4 since the countdown on the email newsletter they sent yesterday says “1, 2, 3… 4?”
I’ve been hopeful for a Rubber Soul Super Deluxe for a couple of years now, but it doesn’t seem to happen. Maybe the outtakes that would potentially fit on Super Deluxe editions from Please Please Me until Rubber Soul will be crammed into an Anthology 4?
When ‘Now And Then’ was released I thought it was a no brainer but I got slagged off for even suggesting it. I hope he has.
I have been a Beatles fan for a long, long time and I think Now and Then was a big mistake. First of all, Lennon’s voice can hardly be heard and it winds up sounding like a Paul solo song. Listening to it, one can see why it was non-existent for all those years. The songwriting is mediocre at best and seems all too apparent why Lennon lost interest in it. If this had been the release of another band, it would have made the band a one hit wonder, except it would never have been a hit in the first place. Like Long and Winding Road, sickening mucky mess of a tune, we would have been better off not having these poor songs in the Beatles catalogue.
Several channels are talking about a 12-LP Box as well, 4 volumes at triple vinyl. As assumed before, the Vol 4 artwork here indicates that one will run from start to finish, and a sensible idea would be to take ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ and put those, and ‘Now & Then’, at the end of Vol. 4.
Given that it will need to run 2 discs, possibly the full ‘Helter Skelter’ my appear, and one wonders if Olivia will sanction ‘Carnival Of Light’, since she overrode George’s veto on “Let It Be” being reissued. Lewishon – anyone remember him? – has stated that the former is ‘just a jam’ and the latter “You’ll listen to it once… and then that will be it”, but it’s nice to have the legendary stuff out, meh or un-meh.
Personally, the one I want them to find is the tape of the song Bob Dylan and John wrote together and recorded at Weybridge, but given its historical, and financial, value, if it hasn’t come to light now, one suspects it never will.
Hopefully, Disney will have nothing to do with this. And, unfortunately, we’ll probably get another hatchet job from Giles Martin, the guy that doesn’t like analogue because it’s inconvenient.
As well as this. What Twickenham sessions Third Man Theme. That in the past Paul liked. Songs from the triple dvd set of Get Back. Could be included. There must be a demo of John singing Goodnight for Ringo for the white album. Not heard about about the demo of John & Bob Dylan.
That’s a new one on me. Don’t expect Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport to be included. Although it’s available on semi legal ep vinyl release.
After Lennon,s Woman Is The (censored ] Of The World. Not going to be on Power To The People box set. There will be objections if Rolf Harris bbc track is or not included.
I hope the TV series is also expanded, but not like a Ron Howard like or Scorcese-esque borefest with blabbering from celebrity talking heads. The only other interviews I would welcome are peers of the Beatles. Like Roger McGuinn or Mick and Keith and their stories of knowing the boys.
We will all be speculating about what’s on ‘4’. We will all have our hopes too, of course. Me? The full length ‘It’s All Too Much’ and ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ with backwards guitar solo would be great. I am not too fussed about ‘Carnival of Light’ though.
From a reliable source – UPDATE: Anthologies 1, 2, and 3 will be remastered. Anthology 4 will have “Now & Then” and material from the Special Deluxe Edition boxes. No new material. Official announcement tomorrow, Thursday, August 21 at 9am EST / 8am CST.”
NO NEW MATERIAL. SO STOP DREAMING.
My fear is that Volume 4 will consists of material that’s already been on the Pepper, White Album, Abbey Road, Let It Be, and Revolver SDEs. I’d love to be wrong.
You’re not wrong, wardo.
Over half of ‘4’ is already issued ‘outtakes’ including the brief and throwaway ‘You’re So Square.’ Even the 95 ‘Free As A Bird’ B-Side (‘This Boy’) has been re-hashed. Three of the ‘newies’ are instrumentals. So that’s about ten or eleven new releases with vocals. Barely enough for a single CD. Yet they want us to pay for the lot just to get those tracks? Yer jokin aren’t yer. as John might have said.
Wait, “Let It Be” has been reissued?
It’s on Disney+ but no physical release (yet)
Gotcha! Thanks for clarifying. I’m wanting a DVD.
Actually, there is (or was) a DVD and Blu-ray release of Get Back, three discs full, yes sir yes sir. 😁. I spotted it on Amazon sometimes back and have watched the streamed version on Disney+, but I would love to get the Blu-ray release.
There was no Region 2 DVD of ‘Get Back’, and buying the NTSC version at HMV was difficult if not impossible.
US version of Get Back is still available on Amazon.
Amazon UK has a region free blu-ray.
Plenty of archives to plunder, but I hope they focus on material from “Help!” onward.
Wouldnt mind finally hearing Thingummybob/1966 or CarnivalOfLight/1968 (if they even exist).
I’ve heard the supposed 2025 remix of FAAB and I am so disappointed. It sounds like one of the many fan-made remixes, John’s voice is now totally detached from the rest of the track, it sounds like someone forgot to process it with and EQ, reverb, ADT or anything.
I’m hoping it’s just a fan mix too. Not only is Lennon’s voice overly dry, the phrasing is out whack. And the backing vocals are pretty much lost in the process. And the horrid choice to change George’s lyrics in the 2015 version has been maintained.
The extra drum fills by Richie are very nice. That’s about it really.
Whatever is included, will be great. Not everything can be. I know Goodbye for the white album for Ringo, did not have John,s version.
There must be a demo somewhere. How many Twickenham songs if any will be included. Third Man Theme which Paul liked.
Although Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport is on semi legal vinyl release.
I would be surprised if this bbc recording is on Anthology upgrade.
The ending of the Anthology TV series/VHS/DVD was awful anyway.
A bunch of black and white photos to snippets of ‘Abbey Road’ tracks, a ‘philosophical’ word from each of the boys and a bit of grainy camcorder footage from Tittenhurst.
The break up isn’t even touched upon. No mention of any of the following…
Ringo and Paul’s row at Cavendish Avenue.
Yoko’s bed in the recording studio.
John’s Toronto gig and making his decision to leave.
The Capitol signing with Klein.
The September 20th 1969 meeting and John’s announcement.
The ‘McCartney’ album press release.
The Don Short Daily Mirror cover story.
How TV stations and press worldwide reported the split.
Derek Taylor’s ‘FA Cup Final’ press release.
Paul suing the other three and Klein.
The final sign offs and dissolution.
The break up of the biggest and the best, of course was huge seismic news in 1970. But if any fans think Apple and Disney will cover any of it in the ‘extra’ episode, then they have got another thing coming.
Those mammoth vinyl sets aren’t going to shift. Not after the 2015 mono vinyl fiasco (faulty LPs and all that). Once bitten as they say. Also, Beatles fans are loyal, but they aren’t made of money.
2025 mono vinyl fiasco, that should be.
My apologies.
Fans and those who do this sort of thing have dabbled in making ‘new’ Beatles tracks.
George’s vocal to the backing track of Jackie Lomax’s ‘Sour Milk Sea’, John’s ‘Child of Nature’ vocal to his ‘Jealous Guy’ backing’. ‘It Don’t Come Easy’ with a George vocal and so on. OK, I know many ‘purists’ will call this blasphemy, if Giles and Co ever did an ‘official’ version of this stuff. But, is it any worse than ‘Now and Then’ and this re-hashed Anthology cash-in?