Bee Gees Rhino Reissues

What is really upsetting about the Rhino reissue/remaster program is that we have had Bee Gees 1st through Odessa, SNF, Greatest, Ultimate, and Mythology. That means we now have 4 remastered versions of Stayin' Alive and the other big hits from Fever, but none of their albums from the 70s or 80s have been remastered yet. If they were going to abandon the project midstream, then Mythology should not have contained any overlap with Ultimate hits or any of the other already remastered albums, and the space should have been filled with great songs like "Living Eyes" and rarities like the remaining Kick in the Head tracks and the ignored 80s solo albums.

 

Reprise Japan very quietly released a jewel cased CD of ONE NIGHT ONLY in December. I have it but haven't played it yet, so I don't know if it's remastered or not.

 

Yes, I saw it a while back. A limited budget priced release as far as I could tell. Remastered or not I'll pass. The high res audio on the Blu-ray is fine by me plus it is complete unlike the new CD.

 

Yes, well said, and I also said something similar earlier on. I picked up the remastered GREATEST instead of ULTIMATE, because "Greatest" has the Staying Alive promo version and Warm Ride. Rhino also remastered NUMBER ONES...which I have passed on as well.

Yes, I had no idea that Rhino was going to stop their reissue program and leave so many albums out! I just don't get it?? How could they NOT remaster ONE...that is a super album! Also, ESP and HC could certainly use remastering as well, and no LIVING EYES CD, yet again...simply incredible!

As for MYTHOLOGY...I have not picked it up yet, and still not sure if I should, but it is tempting for the Maurice and Andy discs. The Barry and Robin discs, unfortunately, are the problems with that boxed set, and the reason I still haven't picked it up...it's all the same stuff from them. Yeah, no Living Eyes...and where's When She's Gone from HC...THAT is a killer track!

Yes, if they're not going to remaster and reissue ESP, ONE and HC...at least include some of the best tracks from those albums on a comp or on MYTHOLOGY!

Oh well, I guess Rhino's word is final...we can forget anything else apparently?

 

The Rhino releases looked promising. Similar to the Paul McCartney ones which are currently being treated with such reverence. They're taking eons to come out, but they're doing them right!

All the albums you mention, I wanted too. I'm lucky enough to have copies of 'ESP', 'One', 'Living Eyes' etc on CD but still would like expanded editions. I suppose the best we can hope for now is that another record company will take an interest in the Bee Gees phenomenal back catalogue. Just hope they don't take too long about it!

 

Would it take a great deal of involvement on Barry's part though? Surely it's simply a case of making their albums available again. It's a ridiculous state of affairs that one of the world's most successful bands don't even have a large part of their catalogue on the market. Okay, they're on itunes but I'll always favour physical product over downloads. It's about time Warner sorted out Fleetwood Mac's back catalogue as well.

 

Barry's okay with putting out all of his solo demos, but polished, completed unreleased Bee Gees gems are bad?

 

One of my all time favorite pop songs ever.

 

A great song, no doubt.

 

I liked the b-side too; 'Road To Alaska'. I bought it about three months after it came out at my local sweet shop as an ex-juke box single. Just realised that would have been THIRTY EIGHT years ago.

 

headscratcher, isn't it?

 

The brothers liked that song too. It shows up on most early to mid 70s set lists.

 

I've been waiting for years for Main Course to be remastered, not to mention Children of The World and Here At Last which is impossible to find on CD, it's a real shame.

 

Hard to recommend Mythology to a big fan such as yourself, since discs one and two are so redundant and worthless. But the Maurice and Andy discs get a lot of play on my stereo and are quite enjoyable. Also, I don't know how you feel about lossy downloads, but if you haven't heard Andy's last song "Arrow Through the Heart" it is absolutely beautiful and haunting. Definitely worth $1.29 at iTunes - one of the lyrics has Andy singing "I'm too young to die" and it gets me everytime. It must have gotten to his brothers too because that song stayed in the vaults much longer than "Man on Fire" did.

 

"Children of the World" has been readily available on CD since 2006. Amazon link
For "Here at Last" and "Main Course" there are the Japan mini-LPs but, personally, I'm not that in love with them. I'd rather try to find the Polydor CDs.

 

Yes, I have heard bits of Arrow Through My Heart and maybe heard the whole thing on Youtube...it is a nice track! Might still get MYTHOLOGY one day...we'll see.

I can also highly recommend the Too Much Heaven: Songs Of The Brothers Gibb 3-CD Warner promo set (2004)...it's worth it just for the unreleased track Love Is Blind, and of course, the entire disc 3, which contains all of the other songs they wrote for other artists!

 

Forgive me if this is dealt with on another thread what's the deal with the Warner Bros. Years box Rhino is putting out? I'm confused as to why they have leaped over the mid 70s-mid-80s output...

 

I meant Here At Last, where can you find that Japanese mini lp? Children Of THe World and Main Course have never been remastered.

 

I'd never heard of this release until your post, so thanks for the info. Looking at Amazon, this appears to be a pretty good summary of the Warner years with single versions, b-sides, extended remixes, the "lost" great song "Shape of Things to Come" that was wasted on an Olympics album, and an excellent double album from the OOP "One For All" concert video.

 

Has there ever been an 'audiophile' mastering of Main Course?

-Roberto

 

As far as I know this album has never been touched or remastered. I've never heard of the Japanese mini LP mentioned here.

 

I preordered this box. I like the Warner years. If it sells well enough, maybe more will be forthcoming. I still would love to see an Audio Fidelity issue of Main Course or Children Of The World.

 

more info on the WB Years box from the always excellent The Second Disc...


http://theseconddisc.com/2014/02/18...premieres-unreleased-tracks-complete-concert/

 

Wow, this is EXACTLY what I hoped Rhino would re-release one day, but it's even better! All three WB albums (presumably remastered) with bonus tracks and a 2-CD concert (looks like it is from the ONE tour).

Do we know anything about the packaging though? Perhaps a MYTHOLOGY type package, CD jewel cases or cardboard sleeves (I hope not)?

 

The Polydor CD of Main Course is as audiophile as you are going to get, imo.

As for the mini-LPs you can find them, among other places, at CD Japan. Link
Amazon also sells these as imports but cost more. The titles issued by Rhino beforehand utilizes those remasters (minus mono mixes and outtakes of course) but the "exclusive" to the mini-LP set (Cucumber Castle, Mr Natural, Main Course, Here at Last) are remastered, just not for the "audiophiles".

The Warner Years 1987-1991 thread