I mentioned this earlier but could have easily been missed - it really depends on how this box is presented, doesn’t it? The book that was released loosely in conjunction is called John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band. If the box set is titled and presented as such, it only makes sense Yoko’s material is included as it’s celebrating this era of the Plastic Ono Band. And I hope the irony isn’t lost on only Yoko’s last name being in the name of that ‘band’ and not ‘Lennon’.
I can understand that viewpoint. I don’t think of it as paying extra, because the set is going to cost what it costs as a set, regardless of what is on it. I still contend that most box sets I own have at least one whole disc I rarely or never touch after the first listen, so I don’t see the inclusion of Yoko songs as any different from the inclusion of demos or alternate takes of John songs, in that regard. But that’s me. I know some of you guys dive real deep into the bonus material and perhaps don’t regularly find discs in a set superfluous the way I do. As for whether Yoko tracks belong, this is where I say it depends on the intent of the release. If they are titling it using John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, then it makes all the sense in the world to just keep it to John’s album, and make it a SDE treatment of that single album. But then I don’t want to see “Instant Karma!” on there, either, which appears to be included on the unofficial track listing somebody posted here. What I, personally, would have found to be a fun and interesting anniversary release, would have been a set that finally puts the two albums together in one package. Nobody has to buy it, and it’s possible fewer people would buy that, for all I know. I am but one voice in the market. But I would not then expect to see the title stylized as John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Seeing that as the title killed that possibility in my mind, anyway, which is fine. I’m not actually all that excited about having a few Yoko outtakes sort of thrown on the end, as appears to possibly be what we can expect here. Either do it or don’t, IMO.
I think you may something there. Based on how the outtakes on Imagine were mixed in 5.1, it’s likely that Yoko’s vocals will be mixed to single speaker (likely center) and so in theory, you could listen to only the instrumental jams (with some bleed given the live vocals).
Great post, and make that two voices in the market wishing it was putting both albums together in their entirety in this package. Personally, I view these albums as two sides of the same coin, and they compliment each other nicely. Primal scream and all that. Although I have to admit these days when I listen - and even then it’s not that often - it’s to Yoko’s ‘half’ and not John’s. Not saying I don’t like John’s work but I’ve heard it too many times over the years. And that’s on me, not a fault of the music at all. But they were born of the (mostly) same sessions musically and conceptually. So to me they belong together.
In that case we will see torrent downloads of the "instrumental backing tracks" soon enough after the release. Sort of like a poor man's "Apple Jam" from ATMP?
Do we even know at this point if Yoko's vocals will be included on these recordings? Were her vocals recorded live as the band were playing or added later?
Hey you’ve got three Beatles involved on that track! And a 5.1 mix of that would be exceptionally cool IMO. Certainly more interesting than a 5.1 mix of God (which I think would benefit more from a mono mix).
I’ve seen your posts praising some exceptionally mundane McCartney material so your opinion doesn’t surprise me.
Can you make it through Double Nightmare! I've done something that has been in the back of my mind for decades. John Lennon POB and Yoko Ono POB were done at the same time with the same players and John layed out the template with Double Fantasy, so I just combined the two albums alternating tracks and it worked really well. Some of the transitions from song to song are just magical. If you want a truly different listening experience to some songs that you have heard in the same order for years, this might be refreshing, challenging or both for you. John Lennon & Yoko Ono - POB - Double Nightmare (1970), a playlist by Dr. Pepper on Spotify Disc one "Mother" – 5:34 Why - Yoko "Hold On" – 1:52 Why Not - Yoko "I Found Out" – 3:37 Greenfield Morning I Pushed an Empty Baby Carriage All Over the City Greenfield Morning I Pushed an Empty Baby Carriage All Over the City "Working Class Hero" – 3:48 AOS - Yoko "Isolation" – 2:51 Touch Me Disc two "Remember" – 4:33 Paper Shoes - Yoko "Love" – 3:21 Open Your Box (Alternate Version) - Yoko "Well Well Well" – 5:59 Something More Abstract - Yoko "Look at Me" – 2:53 Why (Extended Version) - Yoko "God" – 4:09 The South Wind (Bonus Track) - Yoko "My Mummy's Dead" – 0:49
Depending on which Yoko tracks are being played, and the type of drinks consumed at this party Serve the right drink, and the Two Virgins album cover alone could do the trick
The box set is titled, “John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (The Ultimate Collection)” not “John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band”. The Plastic Ono Band name was used on all of John’s releases from 1969-74. It was included on albums he made while they were separated, so it doesn’t mean Yoko has to be on it. Also, John legally became John Winston Ono Lennon in 1969. So his name IS there. And I’m thankful he never felt the need to release records as John Lennon & The Lennon Ono Band or anything like that.
I know. I think we are all just bored and waiting for the announcement. The track list is set, it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be. Nobody’s gonna make Yoko lovers hate her and nobody’s gonna make Yoko haters love her. We will buy the set, we will find whatever we like best and enjoy it and there will be things that are better than expected and things that won’t live up to our expectations. That’s what we do. Peace.
Except Ono is included in the name of the band and Yoko tracks are on all this band’s B sides of their 45s
A 5.1 mix of God, IMO, has nothing to offer. But that track?! MY GOD that would sound awesome! I think that song is more interesting than most of John Lennon/Plastic Ono band. Imagine if he put that on his album. POB would actually live up to its reputation.
I actually listen to YO/POB often. It’s an amazing record. One of the things that I’m MOST excited about are the 5.1 extended mixes of the Yoko jams.
Is the title of this set official yet? I didn’t think it was but I could have missed it. And I said her last name, and not his last name (not ‘middle’ name).
Not on Imagine or Mind Games or #9 Dream or Whatever Gets You Thru The Night. He loved his wife to the extent that he took her name as he gave her his, and he also implemented it into the band name. That’s all. What are you guys trying to say? That she has to be on every release just because it says Plastic Ono Band?
