So, what's with those credits? Two V-Y credits via Alberts - correct. Two "Russell" via Leeds. Correct. Two "Russell" via Alberts. Er...?
Previously Unissued Easybeats Track To Be Released Easybeats collectors and completists will be most interested to learn of the upcoming release, “Making Time: A Shel Talmy Production,” a 25 track compilation on Ace Records (UK). The collection was assembled by Alec Palao, noted for previous work with recordings by Big Star, The Zombies, The Music Machine and others. For this collection, Palao has sourced many of Talmy’s own personal copies of his master tapes to feature carefully chosen offerings by the many successful artists with whom the producer is associated. The American ex-pat is well-known to fans of ‘60s British Rock for his successful work as one of the few independent producers during that era and his work with The Easybeats is an essential part of their output. “Making Time” includes a previously unheard recording of The Easybeats’ track “Lisa” which boasts an entirely different set of lyrics. The title character (who happens to share her name with that of Harry Vanda’s real-life mother) is cast here as an unapproachable ‘Girl Next Door.’ (“Lisa is a good girl but her daddy just don’t trust me / every time I go there he waves his fist and shouts at me”). A noticeably different backing vocal arrangement also highlights the track which offers a fascinating glimpse into the writing methods of Vanda and Young. The recording is licensed from Albert Productions. The collection, planned for release on 26 May, also features an unissued recording by David Bowie and includes a 28-page illustrated booklet with annotations by Alec Palao. The material is mastered by Palao with input and consultation from Talmy himself. Further information on the release can be found at the link below – Various Artists (Shel Talmy) - Making Time - A Shel Talmy Production - Ace Records
Coincidentally I am on a bit of a Creation kick at the moment, of which this release is clearly titled after.
also have to add about Shel Talmy Harry Vanda crediting him for showing them how to produce records . very underrated producer . anyway with Lisa I am glad they did change the lyrics to the simpler ones . anyway long time since I contributed to this thread I am still reading it but not much to say these days no real reissue campaign is really starting to annoy to me they are starting to remind me of DC5 and it looks like its at the end of cds I doubt we are going to see anything now in our lifetime.
Playing now. Nice promo copy of this eighties reissue. Side 1 cut by Don Bartley, side 2 by Allan Parsons (-2 recut). MAXICUT pressing.
Welcome back “fitzysbuna.” Seems like I read someplace that it was Talmy who suggested the boom, ba-boom drum beat near the end of “Friday” as a signal to disc jockeys that the song was ending. If so, quite a clever idea. As for reissues, the 2-Part Australian Playmaker Television Series is supposed to go into production next month with a target air date at the end of the year. Hopefully that might provoke some new Easybeats product on record store shelves, possibly in the form of a soundtrack!
Glenn A Baker used to claim that boom, ba-boom was a first for The Easybeats. Obviously he's never heard Be My Baby
Far out. Of course, Kamahl has another Easys connection too, which will pop up on the Solo Years thread very soon. Promise.
Vigil (Special Record Store Day LP) Released 22 April 2017 Varese Sarabande 302 067 466 1 (mono) (US Release but widely imported overseas) Uncomfortable with the advent of psychedelia going on in London around them, The Easybeats resolved in 1968 to fashion an LP with an matured approach to lyrics and rhythms. Thus was born “Vigil,” their most sophisticated album. It now re-appears as a one-day, special release, vinyl facsimile copy with its mono Australian mixes and track running order, in a limited edition of 2200 copies. Pressed and distributed by US label Varese Sarabande this release is also made available in foreign territories. Availability is for one day but of course, shops that still have copies will continue to sell them until they are gone. The cover is an exact recreation of the original Australian cover art. The front is identical and the colours match perfectly. The rear sleeve likewise replicates the original Australian back cover art. Original logos for Albert Productions, EMI and Parlophone are omitted and replaced with Varese Saraband logos, the new US release label. At the bottom left on the back, in tiny print, it is stated “Reissue Produced by Cary E. Mansfield and Andrew Sandoval. Art Direction for Varese Sarabande Records: Bill Pitzonka.” At the lower left a legend claims “℗ BMG AM Pty Limited, Under License to Varese Sarabande Records, LLC.” (serving notice of the new global copyright owners). The record label itself, however, mimics the original light blue and silver of an original United Artists British record label. The label font is of course, slightly changed. The mono mixes of the tracks presented here all sound slightly different than their more familiar stereo counterparts and are easily detectable to those very familiar with this album. The respective mix volumes of lead and backing vocals, the various instruments, reverb and compression all combine to make the mono version of “Vigil” a different listening experience to its stereo counterpart. The results reveal a more rocking effort and the songs are more “in your face.” Reissue Producer Andrew Sandoval has gone to great lengths to reproduce the original mixes from the mono Australian album despite the fact that mono tapes for some of these titles were lost. In these cases he has used the best possible alternative sources. Careful listening however, makes it impossible to determine any differences among sources as the record plays through. This heavy vinyl edition is actually a sonic improvement over the original Australian Parlophone pressing in both clarity and frequency range. "Vigil" was originally discussed on this Thread here: The Easybeats: Album by Album Thread Original production art for “Vigil” from the George Crotty collection:
Bill Pitzonka did a great job on the artwork replication. You'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise but the back is not a copy of the Aussie sleeve but a recreation (fortunately the fonts used on the original Aussie release are easily available in digital form, albeit with some slight differences that give it away). Steve Marriott also gets a credit this time around. Plus the individual band members are listed. It is very impressive, especially when compared to the poor sleeve recreations used in the booklet of the recent Easybeats 45 CD. I haven't opened mine yet but I am interested to hear how the tape sources sound compared to the "alternative" (obviously vinyl) sources, given how the original Australian release had limiting (ie decreased dynamics) applied somewhere along the mastering line whereas the UK release didn't. Having said that, the original Aussie release varied so much in sound quality (noticeably worse than the UK release) -- from the sublime "Land Of Make Believe" right through to the "under-a-blanket" sounding "Hello How Are You" -- that there is no doubting that this will sound infinitely better. Looking forward to playing it later today or tomorrow! Some artwork comparisons (my original Aussie pressing and RSD 2017)...
Sounds like a worthy reissue all round - my only quibble based on tbe posts above is tbe decision to replicate the UA label colours; the original of THIS version came out on Parlophone.
Yes, agreed. Haven't opened mine yet so haven't looked at the labels but it will be odd to see UA-replica labels in a Parlophone-replica sleeve.
Notice on the live version at 2:09, George rakes out some chords over the "boom, ba-boom" part. Hope Snowy wasn't annoyed...
Interesting observation, team2. Your clip, from “Beat Beat Beat,” was broadcast in Germany on 10 February 1967 and contrasts with an earlier clip from “Beat Club” shown on 31 December 66 as shown below (also at 2:09). Perhaps, after repeated performances, George had come to add his own contribution to the to the “boom, ba-boom” hook which sets up the fade. (We know he liked those choppy rhythms, just listen to "Sorry.")
I guess within those five or so weeks, George added those chords to break up the monotony of having performed the song several times already. Also interesting in both clips are the "new" set of chords that act as a coda for the song (which obviously couldn't be faded out when playing live). No doubt they came up with that ending during the earliest rehearsals of the song, with the intent to use it for future live performances.
Darn it. I was hoping you already had . Looks like I'll have to play mine tonight and compare. Looking forward to reading the comparisons.
Anyone have any updates or thoughts on the sound? Just picked mine up but won't be able to get it until end of the week (referring to vigil RSD)
A mini-series on the Easybeats has been announced ! The Easybeats Mini-Series Announced A film has been given the green light about Australia’s very own first rock band The Easybeats. The two-part mini-series tells the story of five young newly-arrived immigrants who met living in a Sydney migrant hostel in the 60s who blew away the music world and influenced the future of Australian music. The mini-series, coming out on the ABC will tell an important story of the first internationally successful Australian band, fronted by Stevie Wright and the band who paved their younger brother’s to then create the biggest rock band of all time AC/DC. Playmaker Producers David Taylor and David Maher say: “We’re massive Easybeats fans so to be involved in bringing this incredible story to life is a real honour, and something we’re both proud and excited to be producing for the ABC”. The Easybeats will screen on ABC and ABC iview later this year. the fact this is on Australian ABC and not on commercial tv means a lot ! this should be pretty good ! maybe some new cd reissues are planned ? hope so!
Cameras roll on new Easybeats miniseries Filming is underway in Sydney on ABC’s upcoming music bio-drama The Easybeats. The two-part mini-series by Playmaker tells the story of five young newly-arrived immigrants who met in a Sydney migrant hostel in the swinging 1960s and went on to take Australian rock’n’roll to the world. Ashley Zukerman (The Code, Rush) will play record producer Ted Albert while relative newcomers comprise the band: Christian Byers as Stevie Wright, Will Rush as George Young, Mackenzie Fearnley as Harry Vanda, Du Toit Bredenkamp as Dick Diamonde and Arthur McBain as Snowy Fleet. Written by Christopher Lee (Howzat, Paper Giants, Gallipoli) and directed by Matthew Saville (Seven Types of Ambiguity, Please Like Me, The Slap), it will air on ABC later this year. Sally Riley, ABC’s Head of Scripted Production and Executive Producer, says, “The Easybeats are truly iconic and hold such a special place in our Australia’s musical history. The ABC is proud to team up with Playmaker, Screen Australia and Screen NSW to bring audiences this incredible home grown story which will no doubt be just as upbeat as the band’s biggest hits.” Playmaker Producers David Taylor and David Maher say: “We’re massive Easybeats fans so to be involved in bringing this incredible story to life is a real honour, and something we’re both proud and excited to be producing for the ABC”.” The Easybeats is a story of identity, re-invention and belonging, touching on themes of celebrity and redemption, with a powerful contemporary relevance and a killer soundtrack. While the members of the band each confronted their own sense of self and the loss of identity in pursuit of their success, they came to understand that though they were all from different countries, the sum of the musical parts was quintessentially Australian. Production Credits: ABC Executive Producers: Sally Riley and Kym Goldsworthy, Producers: Diane Haddon, David Maher and David Taylor Director: Matthew Saville, Screenwriter: Christopher Lee. Cameras roll on new Easybeats miniseries
Ugh, is this really needed? I imagine it's going to be as awful as that "INXS Never Tear Us Apart" film from a few years ago. I have a UK mono of Vigil and the back cover is different than this re-release. I think it's nicer personally.
