I don't think there's any evidence that this record was released against the wishes of Elvis. I don't recall reading any behind-the-scenes accounts of Elvis being upset about the album. We can speculate that Elvis probably wasn't thrilled by this release because it makes him look stupid, but to my knowledge there's no specific proof of this. And as with all things the Colonel did that made Elvis look foolish, it WAS within Elvis' power to prevent the album being released if it truly had been against his wishes. I think most likely it was another case of something Elvis didn't really like but was not willing to confront the Colonel about to prevent from happening.
Huh, so that's the story. I really love "Elusive Butterfly" - one of the best 60s tunes to hear on an AM transistor radio watching the sunrise - but The Elusive Bob Lind is not a great album at all. I actually feel robbed of the time I spent cleaning it up before I gave it its first listen. I agree that the cover is awful, too. I assumed it was recorded after "Butterfly," and was confused how someone with such a perfect tune could go on to record a snoozer like The Elusive. Now I know! Thank you for cluing me in!
He did agree to write liner notes for the Bomp version of this album though. He's pretty critical of the recordings, but concludes by saying that "I like some of this stuff" and "So enjoy it, you collector of relics." I've seen it speculated that he agreed to write the liners in exchange for the deletion of the Summer 1972 version of "I'm Straight" which had appeared on the original pressing of the album on Mohawk Records prior to the Bomp version. It's a plausible theory, as that version of "I'm Straight" is not so hot.
Didn't he have a plan in place where he structured (if not in detail) how he wanted the reissues to be handled?
Throughout his life he'd asked record companies not to release certain demo's and unfinished songs ( even stuff the labels could have legally released)and within 5 years of him dying they're all out there.
But the major era-spanning box sets, at least up through 2018, I believe he arranged those in some capacity. (With the stuff they have released, the lack of "Too Dizzy" suggests he did have a hand up through at least Loving The Alien.) You do have a point about the copyright extension stuff, and I doubt he had any pre-determined plans for the super deluxe reissues. But not everything was against his will.
Well, those three songs (The Day We Fall In Love, Laugh, Auntie Grizelda), really bring it down, though.
Never quite understand why Heart signed with Portrait when they were still under contract with Mushroom.
You mark my words if Bowie knew about those 7" singles box sets, the Toy box and the Hutch demo's he'd be spinning in his grave.
But you did say "everything". Don't want to be pedantic but for the major album collection box sets, he actually was involved with those. But yes, since his passing, they've taken the approach of "if he played on it, charge money for it". And there's no way Bowie would have agreed to that had he been given the opportunity.
I reckon 5 Years was the only box he would have approved. There's pretty dodgy stuff on all the others which totally goes against the mission statement of the first box.
I don't know how detailed his involvement was and I don't know what of it they followed and what of it they disregarded. I only know that he was involved in, if nothing else, the conceptual aspect of the boxes. I doubt he would have sanctioned the inclusion of The Gouster as a separate disc. Maybe he said "I want next year's box to cover 1974 to 1976". Maybe he wanted the Maslin mix of Station To Station to get a wider release. Maybe he didn't. Maybe he said "I want next year's box to cover 1974 to 1980" and they ignored that because two boxes make more money than one box. The people who know can't and/or won't say. All I know is that, for at least those boxes, he had involvement. So to say everything released after his death qualifies is wrong. It's possible the end results might not have been to his satisfaction, but he sanctioned them while he was alive.
There are a couple of things that occur to me about this: 1. When an artist is alive and active they are often reluctant to release anything from the vaults that shifts the agenda from their latest album. Once they are no longer active I don't think that is such a big concern. 2. As we know, Bowie was a fan of art. I am sure he was interested in sketches that shed light on an artists work processes. I imagine he would have recognised that there would be a similar interest in his own 'sketches' when he was no longer around.
Seriously, you can write the words 'Black Star' on a sheet of paper and draw a line under it and everything under that line (picture discs, mystery coloured vinyl, singles boxes, in fact everything) is nothing but exploitation. I seriously doubt Bowie would have approved of any of it. When I see people's Bowie collections on YouTube and post Black Star exploitation is part of their collection it cuts me like a knife because I know Bowie actively didn't want it out. If the after death releases had been bootlegs put out by drug dealers and organised crime it'd be okay but the record complanies (WARNER'S AND SONY are their names) have totally gone outside the stated wishes of the artist in releasing these products.
Everything after Black Star. That's why there's a line under it. Black Star was released when Blowie was still alive. The exploitation (SONY and WARNER'S) started three days later.
ah got it... I find black star too emotionally heavy to listen to as great as it is.... Yea Bowie would not be happy with what the record companies did...
I might be completely wrong. It's just my personal view but after the Five Years box things drifted south very quickly. (Welcome to the Blackout is great but I seriously doubt Bowie would have sanctioned it)
