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.
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.
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.
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.