BOC: ST, AoF remasters

[Steven Tice]

In a message dated 07/01/2001 11:56:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
email at ANDYGILHAM.COM writes:


> Well, I think the remastering is well worth it - both of these sound very
> crisp and new, and a definite improvement.  (I expect Steve to say he thinks
> the original mastering was better though :))
>
> Extra tracks - I do tend to feel a bit of trepidation about the tracks which
> weren't considered good enough for the original release; I mean, the track
> was wasn't as good as "Debbie Denise"?  The "proper" extras, the finished
> tracks, though, are really good - "Boorman" probably the pick from the two
> albums, a Joe classic with a real "Hot Rails" vibe.  "Fire of Unknown
> Origin" definitely is better than "Debbie Denise" and should have been on
> the album - a bit of a Brain Surgeons feel to the arrangement, maybe?
> Though "Sally" isn't as good as the Brain Surgeons' version!
>
> The demos on AoF are a bit poor, though, as are the rather tinny "Born to be
> Wild" and the utterly unnecessary single edit of "Career of Evil."
> Interesting, yes, but you'll get up and change the disc before these most
> times you play it.
>
> Still, very high marks for these, if rather overdue, and at a good price
> too.  I'll definitely pick up the other two, and see who wants to buy the
> BOC/T&M disc I've got... :)
>
> So, are there plans to remaster the entire catalogue?  Not that I'm
> absolutely certain I want a remastered MIRRORS, with the rough demo of
> "You're Not the One," but you know... :)
>
> -- Andy
>

To respond to the latter observation first...if nothing else, Mirrors would
present an opportunity for everyone to hear The Devil's Hangnail, which is
the original song that metamorphosed into The Vigil and had some nasty Patti
Smith lyrics.  As for rejected songs being lesser than songs that make an
album, that is not always the case.  There are any number of reasons a song
might be dropped from an album.  Sometimes the song just doesn't quite fit in
with the rest of the songs...so no matter how good it is, it gets cut.  This
happened fairly frequently with Jethro Tull, for instance...and where BOC is
concerned, both The Girl Love Made Blind and the version of Gil Blanco County
intended for Imaginos are great tracks but both a bit different in style from
the rest of Imaginos.  I personally am hoping that both of those tracks plus
Albert's demo of Half Life Time will appear on a remastered Imaginos...if
they DO remaster Imaginos.

Steven Tice
Calliope Comics
519 Valentine Hill Road
Bellefonte, PA 16823
814-355-9830
Musings Online: <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/calliopecomics/index.html">www.geocities.com/calliopecomics/index.html </A>