Chris Bell (Big Star) Retrospective Release?

Looking Forward shipping from Deep Discount.

 

Maybe I was mislead, maybe I misunderstood, but that track "Oh My Soul" has nothing to do with the "O My Soul" from Radio City.

Looking Forward is up on Streaming services. Most of it was already available.

I don't know. I think Chris' songwriting skills were improved by the time the Big Star project started.

 

Nice to see I only had 3 of these tracks already. 19 tracks for only $ 10.19, not too shabby. Sounds great too.

 

This is a question in regards to the track 'Feeling High'. Who recorded this track? Was it the band Icewater (pre-cursor to Big Star) or was it the Wallabys or Wallabies?

The new Chris Bell CD entitled, "Looking Forward: The Roots Of Big Star" lists the song 'Feeling High' by The Wallabys (track 4). Chris Bell - Looking Forward: The Roots Of Big Star - Amazon.com Music

This same track originally appeared on a 2008 CD by various artists called "Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story" - issued on Big Beat CDWIK2 273.

Except in 2008's CD, the track is credited to 'Icewater', a band that Chris Bell had with some members of Big Star right before they re-named themselves 'Big Star'.

*special note that the amazon link acutally lists the song Feeling High by neither The Wallabys or Icewater but credits the track to a band called "Christmas Future" - in which the name Christmas Future is a known name Chris Bell used for a band name but why would amazon use that name when it wasn't used on the trayliner for "Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story".

Also 2008's CD lists other tracks (on the CD) by the band 'The Wallabies' - different spelling than 'Wallabys' - but same band as far as I can tell. Which spelling is correct?

In 2012 a CD by various artists was released on Big Beat called "Feeling High: The Psychedelic Sound Of Memphis" CDWIKD 311. On that CD, the track "Feeling High" appears and is credited to 'The Wallabys'.


Who has the correct information here? 2008's "Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story" (as Icewater) - issued on Big Beat CDWIK2 273 or 2012's "Feeling High: The Psychedelic Sound Of Memphis" (as The Wallabys) also issued on Big Beat CDWIKD 311. http://acerecords.co.uk/feeling-high-th ... of-memphis or is the new Chris Bell CD "Looking Forward: The Roots Of Big Star" (as The Wallabys) correct?

Is anyone else confused?

 

Booklet says...Feeling High, was recorded by The Wallabys.

 

So who were the Wallabys and what connection did Chris have with the band?

And why would one release on Big Beat from 2008 credit the track to Icewater and then 4 years later (on the same label) credit it to The Wallabys?

And now Omnivore credits it to the Wallabys. Did some new info come to light over the past handful of years?

I don't remember Rob Jovanovic mentioning the band 'The Wallabys or Wallabies in his Big Star tome.

 

No idea, you're the one with the Big Star website.

.

 

Trailer up on Youtube! Looks really cool! I wonder what will the Outtakes discs contain.

I'm still crossing my fingers for the 7'' rereissue.

 

More info now up on the Omnivore webpage:

I Am The Cosmos

http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/the-complete-chris-bell/


$126 for the 5 LPs + the interview.

 

That Complete box set looks pretty sweet. (I just pre-ordered it, despite me being a little skint at the moment due to unexpected home repairs.)

From their press release:

The Complete Chris Bell was produced and compiled by Grammy®-Award winner, Cheryl Pawelski, Ardent Studios’ Adam Hill and Grammy®-nominated producer, Alec Palao. It was freshly remastered by Grammy®-Award winning engineer, Michael Graves, and the vinyl cut on the original lathe at Ardent Studios in Memphis by Chris Jackson and Adam Hill.


Liner notes are by co-producer, Alec Palao, and Bob Mehr (music critic for the daily Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal, and author of the New York Times Best Seller Trouble Boys: The True Story Of The Replacements). The booklet also features previously unseen photos and memorabilia, plus a special excerpt from the forthcoming HoZac Books release There Was A Light: The Cosmic History Of Chris Bell And The Rise Of Big Star by Rich Tupica.


The Complete Chris Bell boxed set will be a one-time pressing with individual volumes potentially broken out in the future as demand warrants (excluding the 1975 London Interview LP which will be exclusive to the boxed set)."

So, I Am The Cosmos on vinyl is definitely going to be a different mastering from the old 4 Men With Beards vinyl version. That's very good news. The Beards version wasn't all that bad, honestly, but any chance I get to push a 4 Men With Beards pressing off the shelves and get it out of the house, to replace it with something better, I'm all in favor.

I wonder if the version of the Cosmos LP in the box set is going to be on the clear vinyl, or on regular black?

 

Sometime around 1984(?) I can't remember exactly, David Bell and John Fry reviewed some of Chris' recordings at Ardent; I was lucky enough to have a connection to get a cassette copy...at the time, nothing was in print from Big Star, much less Chris Bell solo..until the '92 Ryko issues..and then the Chris bell rhino 2 disc several years ago... Chris' solo worked floored me just as Big Star had...and felt that Chris' solo work was even more tragic than Big Star, as it never came out in his lifetime, except for the solo single...and it was practically a miracle that, that came out in his lifetime...not that long before he passed,...now the deluxe treatment that Chris deserves....so wonderful. I didn't know Chris, but knew Van Duren, Rick Clark, Richard Rosebrough and Tommy Hoehn since 1981...just a few years after Chris died...Back then, I couldn't help thinking..wow...I just missed Chris by a few years..now, that seems so long ago. I do remember hanging out at Richard Rosebrough's after a gig and Richard having a framed 45 of Chris' "I am the Cosmos" on the wall in the center hallway. Really looking forward to this re-issue and the upcoming book, which is going to be really great from insight that I've had.

 

They have a rep of mastering from CD. I have a version of Radio City from them that looks beautiful but sounded thin. When i found an Ardent reissue there was a huge difference in sound.

 

Now that the track listing for the new 2CD set of I Am The Cosmos is available, I wanted to do a comparison between the two versions to see how the track listings vary.

Here are the songs that each version has that the other version does NOT have:

Rhino 2CD Version:
Looking Forward
Sunshine
My Life Is Right
(Note: All three of these tracks are now on Omnivore's "Looking Forward" CD)

Omnivore 2CD Version:
I Am The Cosmos (Acoustic Mix)
You And Your Sister (Acoustic Mix)
Look Up (Acoustic Movie Mix)
Untitled Acoustic Instrumental (Movie Mix)
Speed Of Sound (Alternate Version Backing Track)
Fight At The Table (Outtake with Partial Vocal)
Get Away (Outtake Track)
Better Save Yourself (Outtake Track)
I Am The Cosmos (Alternate Back Track With Piano)
Untitled Electric Instrumental (Movie Mix)
Though I Know She Lies (Movie Mix)

One oddity is that the Rhino set contains an acoustic version of "You And Your Sister," but the acoustic version on the Omnivore CD is listed as previously unreleased. The Omnivore set has another version called the "Country Underdub Mix" that is NOT listed as previously unreleased. It's possible this might be the acoustic version from the Rhino set, but it's hard to say for sure.

Also, it's possible the mixes will vary any from the two releases. There were some variations between the original Rhino CD and the later Rhino 2CD set. Most notably a completely different version of "Better Save Yourself," with different vocals and lyrics, appeared on the 1992 CD that hasn't appeared since (other than the 4MWB vinyl). Perhaps further variations may occur between the Rhino and the Omnivore CDs. I guess we'll find out in September.

 

As a retiree on a pension (limited income), I really appreciate you doing the heavy lifting for me @Trashman . Since I already have the 2014 Rhino 2 CD, and the new Looking Forward CD, I can safely and confidently put a copy of the upcoming Omnivore set on my wish list. Spent $24.00 on the Rhino less than a year ago, so the wish list is as far as it will get, for now.
Thank you.

 

Any word on the 6 lp box set? The omnivore page for it is gone..

 

The Amazon page for this box set, linked from my Amazon Orders page, is also gone:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WL9M6B/

I have $100 in Amazon gift credit invested in that box set, so if it's been canceled, I hope we will find out soon so I can cancel my order and re-allocate those gift credits elsewhere!

Craig.

 

The same thing happened to the Amazon page. I have had this thing pre-ordered for months so I got nervous - when I contacted Amazon they said they had already pre-sold the entirety of stock they would get, so they removed the page. Maybe Omnivore did the same thing, although it seems to make more sense to have done a ‘SOLD OUT’ notice.

 

Thanks for the update

 

Hmm..Geez, it's a bit mysterious..I hope it comes out, but I'm not sure now.

 

Bull Moose shows some already in stock. That’s encouraging.

Chris Bell - The Complete Chris Bell

 

This was only intended to be a in-store Black Friday exclusive and I assume not meant to be sold online.

RSDBF '17 Special Release: Chris Bell - Complete Chris Bell [Boxed Set]

I'm sure it's coming out, but just "sold out" online.

 

I see it still listed on the Omnivore site.
Here is a transcript of my Amazon Customer Service exchange:

Message From Customer Service
Hello,
Here's a copy of the chat transcript you requested:

Initial Question: ORDER # 112-1751173-5834604

I placed this preorder quite a long time ago and now I see the item has disappeared from the marketplace, but my order is still open. What will happen?

06:52 AM PDT Shashank(Amazon): Hello, my name is Shashank. I'm here to help you today.
06:53 AM PDT Shashank: I certainly understand your concern please do not worry let me check the order right away and I will solve your issue.
06:54 AM PDT Shashank: May i now if you're referring to The Complete Chris Bell (6-LP) it seems you have provided the wrong order number i guess.
06:55 AM PDT Andrew Dennis: oh, yes it IS the Chris Bell
06:57 AM PDT Shashank: Thank you for waiting.
06:59 AM PDT Shashank: I have checked with the marketing department and came to know that as of now manufacturer has stopped providing with more quantities to Amazon and hence we have blocked it in the website for further orders.
07:00 AM PDT Shashank: Do not worry the orders that has already been placed will be delivered to the customers as scheduled as manufacturer has already provided that much quantity to us.
We will son be opening the web page again within 1 week once we have more stock confirmation from the manufacturer.
07:01 AM PDT Andrew Dennis: great - thank you for the reassurance!
07:01 AM PDT Shashank: You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
07:02 AM PDT Andrew Dennis: no thank you
07:02 AM PDT Shashank: It was a pleasure to assist you with this. Thank you for contacting Amazon.com. We hope to see you again. Please click "End Chat" to close this window.
Thank you.
Amazon.com

It's just an RSD First release - it will be available online. This note from Omnivore:

Hi Andy

Thanks for writing. The Chris Bell set is a Record Store Day/Black Friday "first release," so that basically means, it’s listed in the RSD Black Friday releases, but is not an exclusive (since Black Friday is indeed a Friday, which is a regular release date, all sorts of things get confused).

While not an exclusive release, we are only making this boxed set once. So, while I can’t tell you what’s up with how Amazon is handling this, we are taking pre-orders at our site: http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/the-complete-chris-bell/ and I know that our allotment there has yet to sell out. So if you want to be sure, please pre-order a copy from us to be sure that you’ll get one.

Sorry for the confusion!

Thanks again for writing and hipping us to the potential Amazon issue!

Your friends at
Omnivore Recordings

 

Another reply from Omnivore:

Hi Andy

It’s being released next Friday for Record Store Day/Black Friday, thus, not through regular retail. Thereafter, it will be available from our site.

Your friends at
Omnivore Recordings

This seems to contradict their previous response on the issue.

 

Thanks for your research/communication, funknik. That Amazon chat transcript in particular is reassuring for me, since I pre-ordered from Amazon long ago.

 

My Amazon pre-order still hasn’t shipped yet, but customer service ‘assures me’ it will be delivered by Friday. We will see.