The thing is, when has Sony ever released a live album that wasn't from either connected to the previous tour (Live 75/85, Plugged, Dublin, NYC) or connected to a box set (Hammersmith)? I used to think Roxy '78 would be a slam dunk for a full release on Sony some day. But now with the Archive series I'm not so sure. Using your example, Passaic '78 (night 2) is certainly of value to us hardcore fans. But if Sony might only sell 50k units of it (a number I just made up), even with heavy promotion, is that considered valuable to them? This is a sad notion to think about because a 1978 show is one that many would consider his live peak. I don't have the answer, but I'm sure the calculations have changed in recent years.
With few exceptions Sugarland and Drop On Down And Cover Me are better than everything on Tracks and on BITUSA
A while back I made an own Born In The U.S.A. digital box set with a very similar tracklist as you have. Plus, I have two artworks, couldn't decide which one would be the front and the back one. The Springsteen staff should use something like that for a box package (with no words on the pic).
This early version of the album should be part of the box set, like The Ties That Bind was on the River set.
I bet The Album Collection Volume 3 with have The Rising exclusive to the box set and not released individually just like Wildflowers was exclusive to volume 2 of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Album Collection.
I disagree. Of those tracks had come out and stuff like Downbound Train, I'm on Fire or Born in the USA had remained unreleased then I suspect your opinion would be reversed.
From the evidence I've seen, I don't think that this "Murder Incorporated" album ever got as close to being seriously considered for release as The Ties That Bind did. There were many proposed track listings for the album that became Born In The U.S.A. during 1983 and early 1984. Bruce even had band members and members of his management/production team vote on the songs they thought should make the album, and he carried around cassettes of the various possible album sequences for several months, playing them to people whose opinions he was interested in. I certainly could be wrong about this, but I doubt (a) that this tracklist was any closer to becoming an actual album than several other possible track lineups from the same time period, and (b) that the versions/mixes of these songs were any different from the versions that eventually saw release, which would make their inclusion on a box set redundant. The problem with lending serious credence to material that has leaked via bootleggers or other avenues is that it is never the complete picture; it's only a little piece of it. Which is why I tend not to prescribe canonical truth to anything that has come out via these "unofficial" channels.
Yep I think you're right. If Sony could make a buck off archival live shows, I'm sure they would be doing it. They're not, which tells me the demand is no longer there. There is tons of archival Live Springsteen now available thru Nugs. I guess it's just simple Supply/demand. Again, after forking over $101 million, I'm just surprised Sony allowed him to cut this side deal with Nugs, which appears to be in direct competition. But what the hell do I know.
I always thought the artwork for BITUSA really was terrific. Great images. So visually striking (Too bad it got so horribly misunderstood, twisted and exploited.) But from a purely merchandising standpoint, it was brilliant.
Btw, like many folks here, I've had those '83 LA garage demos for years. I understand that they are just demos and were never meant for public release. But I find them really tough to listen to. They just sound flat. For me, I'm hoping we eventually get more video of the band rehearsing, a la Save My Love '76 from Holmdel. For whatever reason, I find that stuff really fascinating. According to Thom Zimny there's a ton of rehearsal video still in the vault. Hope it eventually comes out.
When you look at the gems he passed over, and how he kept pushing for new sessions beyond reason, you seriously have to question his sanity during this time period. I mean...as soon as "This Hard Land" and the revised "Frankie" were in the can, he had two bookends of a terrific release right there. I love Bruce, but...no wonder Steve quit. OCD or whatever, he was lucky everybody didn't bail on him.
This Hard Land and Frankie are great, great songs. But there were commercial considerations at play. That's how DITD made the cut and neither of those gems didn't. And yes, I think it's one of the main reasons Steve left.
I think it only makes sense for Nebraska and BitUSA to be combined as a box because not only do they share a bunch of the same songs--in different versions--they are thematically very similar and the sessions for both were pretty much one long recording enterprise. Also, is there really enough material that can be released as a stand alone Nebraska box? There was no tour to support that album, so that would negate the need for a live CD/DVD to be included--and I'm sorry, I don't think "complete album live" recorded decades after the fact is the same--although I did like the one that was included in the Darkness box. Release a box that covers the scope of the entire Nebraska/Born in the USA period ( not saying every scrap has to be on it) in order to get the complete story.
Yeah, agree completely. Maybe they can include a scrap of fabric from the American Flag backdrop embossed on a commemorative key chain.
Another question. Does Electric Nebraska even exist? What I mean by that does it exist as a finished complete entity is releasable form? I'm one of those who hates anachronistic , latter day overdubbing and re-recording --but then we are told that it was necessary as most of the tracks were "unfinished" or that vocals were never recorded. So does this mythical Electric Nebraska exist as a complete recording---like the original Ties That Bind -- or is it just a bunch of demos that need to be essentially re-recorded to make them releasable? It's two totally different things as far as I'm concerned. I want Electric Nebraska as recorded in 82/83. I don't want 2018 re-creations --sold as "historic"--years after both Danny and Clarence have both passed on. If it doesn't exist from the era being commemorated, I don't want it.
I agree with this too. I suspect it doesn't 'exist' in the form you (and I) would like. If the past is any guide, he'll likely take these raw tracks and embellish them with modern vocals, etc. (Thus ruining them..)
They have screen videos from the 2005 tour where every(?) Nebraska song was done. Some 1995 videos as well. Plus ESB version over the years. Compile those on a DVD with Bruce talking in-between(DVD having music only option) and you have a nice deluxe release along wi whatever Electric Nebraska they can put together.
If Electric Nebraska doesn't exist, fine. But I hate how we are led to believe that mythical albums exist when they really don't. Now if Bruce was clear and said , "Here's some new recordings of older songs I never got around to finishing...." Then that would be great. But pretending that there is a vault with all these finished, unreleased tracks just waiting to be released is just wrong. That's what frustrated me about the Darkness box---he called the out takes , " from the Darkness sessions"......um, no. They are from (probably) The Working on the Dream Sessions. And please, if anyone wants to remind me that "It's Bruce's music, he can do what he wants", no one is disputing that. But we have a right to expect him to be upfront about what he expects us to buy.
