Are Esher demos the greatest out-of-nowhere gift to fans in rock history?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by spice9, Nov 8, 2018.

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  1. spice9

    spice9 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I cannot believe what I'm hearing with these. It's like the Beatles suddenly reformed and went on MTV Unplugged. When the White Album remix, etc. was announced with demos I figured they'd be song snippets, lots of talking, etc. This is better than the real White Album in many ways. When everyone gets theirs, please chime in. What could ever beat this as a surprise find for all us Beatlemaniacs?
     
  2. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    They’re ok, but a far greater gift would be The Who’s December 13, 1971 San Francisco concert, uncut and complete.
     
  3. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Yes,
    It’s good stuff
     
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  4. A lot of Beatles aficionados have long championed the value of these tapes - a set of off-the-cuff performances far more coherent than most of the unreleased stuff that came out of Twickenham and Apple a few months later - with a great spirit about them as well. I think most however had given up on the idea of them ever seeing the light of day officially at least.

    I guess the surprising thing is it took Apple so long to see it. Or maybe not so surprising...
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2018
  5. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    The only release that might rival it would be “The Beatles Live At The BBC” — a fantastic album that by all rights should not exist, given that virtually all of the original session tapes were erased or tossed by the BBC in the mid-‘60s. It’s only through the grace of God that a BBC producer was able to secretly archive (steal?) these recordings by smuggling out of the BBC numerous transcription discs of the broadcasts.

    Thanks to him and some listeners who had the foresight (and the equipment!) to tape some of these historic programs, we now have a full three dozen songs the band never even recorded for EMI, but committed to tape in a BBC studio, along with dozens of BBC versions of more familiar songs — and almost all of these exist in very good quality. Something of a miracle, really.

    What makes Esher so special is that unlike the BBC recordings, the Esher demos have never been bootlegged in good quality. So this new release is a real revelation even for those who have long possessed the “unofficial” version.
     
  6. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...


    I certainly wish that would come out because... I was there! :goodie:

    The loudest bloody concert I've ever attended, but an incredible visual, as well as musical, show!

    .
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2018
  7. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    A little exaggeration from the OP..........
    I think most of us are glad about the decision to release the Esher demos! I'm looking forward to hearing them once I scrape up cash to buy the deluxe edition.
     
  8. spencer1

    spencer1 Great Western Forum Resident

    Most of us Beatle freaks have had these for years.
    Frequently trading and upgrading them and ending up with some pretty clean great sounding stuff.
    Contrary to what a previous poster said they have been bootlegged in surprisingly good quality.

    Getting a beautiful first generation nicely mastered version is a HUGE gift.
     
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  9. Jerquee

    Jerquee Take this, brother, may it serve you well.

    Location:
    New York
    In addition to the boots, seven of the Esher tracks came out legitimately on Anthology 3 in 1996.
     
  10. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Ehhh. I bought all the unofficial CDs of the Esher material over the years, then made a point of downloading all the more recent fan-made upgrades that tweaked the sound and even attempted a pseudo stereo effect, but they always left me disappointed. Oh, I listened to them, and enjoyed them in small doses, but the sound quality was always just a bit too rough for me. Now, thankfully, we have all the tracks gathered together in near-perfect quality.
     
  11. moops

    moops Senior Member

    Location:
    Geebung, Australia
    I think some Beatles fans think this forum is the greatest gift to Beatles fans in rock history.
     
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  12. The Elephant Man

    The Elephant Man Forum Resident

    I wouldn't call these 'out-of-nowhere'. As stated above, Beatles' fans have known about these for years (decades even).
    It's great that they are available in better sound, but saying this in the best gift to fans in rock history
    is an exaggeration. It's great that you are excited about hearing these but absolutes in music and art really
    don't exist.

    :--)
     
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  13. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    The title says "in rock history" and then your post says "for all us Beatlemaniacs." Consistency, please.
     
  14. Reid Smith

    Reid Smith Forum Resident

    Location:
    N Ky/Cincinnati
    I'm looking forward to these,even though i have heard them,have never owned them.There may be many that this will be a very special surprise,like the OP.
    This will be that extra bonus,The White Album Unplugged,they could have done this on it's own and sold like crazy.
     
    John Porcellino likes this.
  15. windfall

    windfall Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    All up on Spotify, incidentally. I only got through a couple. But then I struggle to sit through quite a few songs on the actual album.
     
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  16. Deek57

    Deek57 Forum Resident

    I've never been able to get through the Esher demos, just so boring imo. I'm hoping the 5.1 will be available on it's own at some point.
     
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  17. DLeet

    DLeet Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chernigov, Ukraine
    Well, it's a great gift, but the one many fans have been clamoring for for ages.
     
  18. englishbob

    englishbob has left the SH Forums...19/05/2023

    Location:
    Kent, England
    Needs another thread obviously
     
  19. Babysquid

    Babysquid Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    I had them on bootleg for years and found them rather boring to be honest. I haven’t heard how much they’ve cleaned them up but even so they’re not high on my to get list
     
  20. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    I’m thrilled to have them on an official release.
     
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  21. DumbMagician

    DumbMagician Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    That Van Morrison Live in Boston 68 was quite the fleeting gift.
     
  22. Thomas Casagranda

    Thomas Casagranda Forum Resident

    I think The White album, as re-mixed by Giles Martin, sounds fantastic. I've heard some of it on Tidal, but will be picking up my deluxe copy from HMV later today.

    However, I always think that these archive sets wouldn't have existed were it not for Bob Dylan clearing the decks with Biography in 1985, and The Bootleg Series Vols 1 -3 in 1991. Where Dylan leads, most follow.

    Even now, what with some great gems like Making A Liar Out of Me, Take 1 of Simple Twist of Fate with band, Angelina, I'm Not There, "Boiled guts of birds" Desolation Row, it's hard to follow Dylan.
     
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  23. puddingdish

    puddingdish Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    They were hardly out of nowhere, since they've been bootleged for years, and even a few tracks were released officially. I don't see the appeal myself beyond the historical value. There's nothing in there that doesn't sound better in its finished version; the doubled tracked vocals are especially annoying.
     
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  24. JozefK

    JozefK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dixie
    Please elaborate.

    Is this the Astral Weeks band? That tape has been released? I thought it was in Peter Wolf's closet.
     
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  25. I don’t find them that much fun to listen to. I haven’t heard most of he newly released ones, but the demos included in Anthology 3 never grabbed me. I have heard samples on Amazon too, meh.
     
    Jimmy B., Frank, Crimson jon and 3 others like this.
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