The Beatles "White Album" Super Deluxe Speculative Box / Remix*

IF Apple issues a deluxe anniversary White Album (a possibility but still an "if" rather than a "when"), then it's conceivable that the box set would be nothing like the Pepper box. The two albums are, in many ways, diametrically opposite from one another. In that sense, it would be a step backwards to follow the same template for both. I can think of what I'd like to have on a White Album set, but speculating about it is rather pointless (unless anyone can confirm that Apple is following this thread to gather ideas about what the fans want).

 

I don't know why a White Album box that followed the Pepper example would be a "step backwards." Just because the albums are very different doesn't mean the 50th anniversary boxes have to go in totally different directions. But hey, if you want to compare album to album and use that to map out the deluxe reissue ... the White Album was twice as long as Pepper, so it's box should be twice as big!

Again, I make no claims and make no predictions -- as I said in an earlier post, if I had to guess I'd say there's a 60% chance a WA box happens. If you look at the past few years, Apple has accelerated its releases of new product, not slowed down -- and the simple fact is, they need a product for 2018. The Pepper box, by all accounts, was a success -- why WOULDN'T they repeat the process for the White Album?

One other thing about the White Album: Pepper was a massive cultural touchstone, and beloved by boomers. But present-day Apple is always looking to keep the Beatles looking hip and "current" to the kids out there, always looking for that next generation of Beatles fans. And whenever they do marketing for a new venture (the remasters, going to iTunes, the Sirius channel, etc.), they ALWAYS use imagery from 1968 and 1969. Indie rockers worship the White Album, not Pepper. It may not have the glitz and glam of Pepper, but the WA is every bit as beloved -- and by the younger generations that Apple is forever chasing.

 

Would love to see this happen--(probably) my favorite Beatles LP.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a deluxe box for the White Album - and for most of the other albums as well. At least everything from Rubber Soul forward. (And maybe an "early years" box for the rest, if that wouldn't be too much of an Anthology 1 redux.)

And if the White Album box is twice as big as Pepper, that's fine with me too.

I was just idly speculating that, given how different the two albums are, it wouldn't surprise me if Apple chose to go a different direction rather than "like the Pepper box, but with the White Album." Not necessarily in terms of musical content - remixed stereo plus mono plus boatload of outtakes works for me - but in terms of presentation. (A 3-D lenticular featureless white field is kind of a waste of lenticles.)

What, if anything, will we see? Who knows. I was pleasantly surprised by the Pepper box and would love to be pleasantly surprised again, so I can enjoy listening to it while people complain about how Giles effed up the saxophones on "Savoy Truffle."

 

I DON'T!...WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS A BOX SET OF ALL WHITE ALBUM outtakes!

 

...on a blu ray disk

 

that'll work in the CD box set!

 

yes that, and pretty much everything else in the box...and you'll be really be having a ball! LOL.

 

What you've said is *exactly* why I think SJB's idea (White album box that doesn't exactly mirror the Sgt Pepper box) is a good call.

Sgt Pepper is more of a 'time capsule' than the White Album - beloved of boomers because it captures that summer of love.. but the White Album appeals more to younger generations because of it's "chaos theory" & "back to basics" approach - and the songs stand up better outside the album as individual tracks. (It's a great album to put on shuffle).

Because a remix would take two discs, that's already a lot of space. Add a disc for Esher demos & (conservatively) two for outtakes, and you're at 5 discs already. You could make an argument for adding the original mono mix (Bringing that to 7 discs), but the original stereo mix is un-necessary. It's already out there as a stand-alone 2-disc set.

Personally I'd leave out the original mono AND stereo mixes, and just have a stereo remix, Esher demos, and as many discs as outtakes as they wanna release (with little Anthology 3 overlap). As for marketing, just say its "The Beatles embracing chaos theory", because that's 1968 all over.

 

Well, if I agree with you, and you agree with SJB ... I guess we all agree! Maybe his "step backwards" comment threw me -- I mean, I certainly wouldn't expect a lenticular cover for the White Album, but other than that, I'd still want EXACTLY the same thing done as Pepper. Same size box, a book, a DVD, and as many CDs as they can load into it. I'm on the fence about including the mono mix -- I know it would just increase the price by $20-40, but it's otherwise only available in the Mono Box. I wouldn't mind a remaster just a TOUCH louder and punchier than the 2009, but if it's going to be a clone of that one, yeah, they can leave it out.

And I like your "chaos theory" theme -- Giles, if you're listening, that means lots of studio chatter, and leave all the sloppy endings unfaded.

 

But it's the only way you can actually see the polar bear in that snowstorm... you know, the one holding "The Beatles" in one paw and a number in the other..?

PS. Today's word of the day is: Lenticel

 

Here's an idea, which goes along with making the White Album a different experience from Pepper:
Instead of a straight stereo remix that splits the difference between the 1968 stereo and mono mixes, a la Pepper, remix the master takes but take a few more liberties - full endings, no crossfade between the first two tracks, etc., and intersperse key outtakes like "Not Guilty" and "...Mary Jane." Essentially re-compile the White Album without the time limitations of vinyl. Put additional outtakes on separate discs. Maybe the way the recent Fleetwood Mac reissues have included alternate versions of the album. (And Pepper, but so what. Do it.)

A lenticel is a pore on certain types of plant. A lenticle is a small lens. I stand by my orthography!

 

I would LOVE this approach. It seems like it could suit the nature of the material (assuming it’s done well).

 

I'd love that!

 

Particularly if they could strike the proper balance between “adventurous” and “weird for its own sake.”

 

Indeed. It's actually what I had hoped they were going to do with Pepper -- mix it up, add more live "atmosphere" to make it seem like a real performance, add "Strawberry Fields," "Penny Lane" and "Only A Northern Song." Instead of just giving Boomers the warm fuzzies, a completely reworked Pepper would have blown their minds all over again. Alas, it was not to be -- but their loss is my project!

Anyway, a happy medium for the White Album could be what SJB proposed -- same track list, same takes, but throw in the outtakes and leave the unfaded endings and studio chatter. Take a glorious mess and go bigger and messier!

 

It’d be great if they used the A Doll’s House artwork for the cover of this set. But no, they will almost certainly base it on the far more familiar cover (non) design.

The artwork has been used before. But I doubt any potential buyers will mistake it for a Super Deluxe Edition Of The Beatles Ballads.

 

Where did they use this before?

 

In varying quality, some of this material does circulate. And just going by what we do have, it's tantalizing to imagine what we don't!

Also, it's funny that we have a version of Revolution not only sans Nicky's overdub, but also without the guitar overdub that'd you want to hear in full. I don't believe that outtake was circulating (or at least not in high quality) when your list was made.

 

There's some interesting elements in the circulating monitor mixes of 'Happiness is a Warm Gun' and 'I'm So Tired' - especially the organ - that's missing or buried in the final mix. There's scope for an alternate mix there.

 

How about a set of all outtakes, rehearsals etc. of all songs penned in India. It can be called Rishikesh Revisited.

 

Anthology 3 has some great acoustic guitar White Album versions.

 

...and just imagine, Sean based this on what Lewisohn thought were exciting alternatives. There's bound to be some outstanding session takes and interesting alternatives from the sessions that remain unheard by the general public. An expanded set with two discs (at least) of sessions, demos and outtakes would be awesome. I do hope that some more stereo upgrades from the Harrison Archives are found. Ron

 

No

 

The Escher Demos are good enough to be presented on their own, maybe as an adjunct double-album to the (possible) White Album box. It could be called The Beatles Unplugged. Those Escher Demos from Anthology 3 were so good that I think they'd even hold significant interest for casual listeners.