The early radio sessions would be awesome, I thought we were moving that way when they did the Lady Samantha / Sails single release. Maybe that's next, after all the live B Sides were also omitted from this set.
Elton John - Lady Samantha Coming up there as an unofficial release, but I've seen it in a couple of Facebook groups and they seem happy with it.
Now that I didn’t know: i.e., that Adrian Collee is (or likely is) Elton’s archivist. (Elton, if you’re reading this, I’m a professor of archival studies! When Mr. Collee retires, hire me! I’m your man!!) That’s a very strange coincidence, actually, because I mentioned “Highlander” shortly ago. And Highlander’s 45 label lists Adrian Collee as a producer. Re: his post-1975 masters being stored in England: My claim is only a deduction and based on research that, because of access limitations, could go no further than late-1990s/mid-2000s. So, I know that EJ stored the post-1975 tapes in England as late as around 2000. EJ’s book Me also mentions that, near the end of his tenure as manager, John Reid suggested that EJ sell his master tapes. And although EJ doesn’t clearly say whether he sold them or not, that part of the book does give the impression that he’d found Reid’s suggestion shocking, and that, in the end, he didn’t sell them. But again: if we’re talking about John Reid here, then this couldn’t have been any later than 1999 or so. Anyway. I was most shocked to learn that, when Greg Penny began requesting the DJM-era tapes from UM for his 5.1 remixes (this would’ve been around 2001-02), those tapes were still in London then, and UM was storing them—are you sitting down?—in an old subway tunnel (i.e., the “Eisenhower Tunnels” beneath Goodge Street Station).
Ignore Mr Bridgetower, we all know Librarians are better than Professors, obviously I could do the job. On a serious note the Subway Tunnel is ridiculous, I presume that was down to cost.
This is great news but I fear it will sound like the Diamonds set and I think that sounds rather bad.
Thanks so much! Funny I ordered it on Discogs just now, before I saw your reply! I heard a bit of the live version of Lady Samantha on this excellent edition of the Elton John Podcast. It made me like the song way more than I did before. The podcast features Peter Thomas who has been collecting Elton rarities since the early 70's. They play bits of the very rare demos, and live tracks many of which are now being released on the Jewel Box: I Guess That's Why They Call It The Elton John Podcast: Episode 30 - Listening Session with Peter Thomas on Apple Podcasts
Will Spotify release the set on their platform (I do listen between vinyl, CD and streaming)? If they already got two songs from the set on there, then it's very likely EJ will release it on there. Just thinking if it's worth to get the CD set (vinyl is great I'm sure, but I'm someone who always like rippin' dem CDs to FLAC). Jewel Box
I have many Dick James demos boots and, yes, by my count, this new box will contain many tracks that did not appear on those. For instance: “A Little Love Goes a Long Way” “If You Could See me Now” “Mr. Lightning Strikerman” “Countryside Love Affair” “I Could Never Fall in Love with Anybody Else” “The Witch’s House” “The Year of the Teddy Bear” “Who’s Gonna Love You” “Nina” “Here’s to the Next Time” (demo version) “Watching the Planes Go By” “I’ll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me” “Trying to Hold on to a Love That’s Dying” “Cry Willow Cry” “If I Asked You” “Skyline Pigeon” (demo version) “Two of a Kind” “The Girl on Angel Pavement” “Smokestack Children” “All Across the Havens” (demo version) “Bonnie’s Gone Away” “Just an Ordinary Man” “It’s Me That You Need” (demo version) “Open Your Eyes to the Sun” “A Slow Fade to Blue” So, that’s a lot of stuff. What really surprises me, though, is how this new box omits a few DJM demos that have appeared on many boots over the years. Among them: “The Tide Will Turn for Rebecca” (master version with band and strings, recorded ca. 1968-69) “Annabella Umbrella” (duet with Tina Charles, ca. 1969-70) “Sarah’s Coming Back” (not an EJ/BT song, but one EJ recorded as a publisher’s demo) And yes, I realize that this version of “The Tide Will Turn for Rebecca” did appear on the 1984 compilation Seasons: The Early Love Songs. But that album was withdrawn at the last minute; so, technically, the master version of “Rebecca” has still not been released. Another DJM demo, a song called “Today’s the Day,” has never appeared on any boot and doesn’t appear on this new box set either. And that’s a shame, because I heard it once (an acetate disc from a private collection) and it was a very, very catchy tune. But I won’t complain too much. For, as I said earlier, this box set is an absolute dream come true.
I'll let you do the job then, I only did a degree course course. Plus I'd end up just playing the music all day and not actually working.
Probably. That and ignorance of proper protocols/storage conditions for old media. And yet, based on interviews with discographers and other music historians who've done a lot of archival/"tape work" over the years, it seems that even when major entertainment corporations do know how properly to store old media, they still don't bother. To them, those tapes are just old junk they're legally obligated to hold onto. Now, of course, whoever owns the Beatles' master tapes probably feels a lot differently about it. I can just imagine the level of care and security those tapes receive. But that's only because those tapes are the gifts that keep on giving. It never ceases to amaze me all the ways in which they squeeze new money from those old tapes.
Adding onto the archive details, from a certain point in time (I don't know the date), every EJ live show has been recorded and archived. I think Davey Johnstone mentioned this when he had a Q&A website a few years back. But it means that there are hundreds of live shows fully archived.
Does anyone know if 'Chinese Lady' is an early Elton DJM track? The acetate already uploaded on YouTube is beat so it's hard to tell it it's really EJ or not. If it's EJ, the box set left that track out.
Forgive me, because I've nothing to add to your comment about Made in England (although, yes, an expanded version would be great). But, as a Canadian ex-pat who used to shop at Sam's all the time, I absolutely adore your ID photo. Only last week did I learn about the resurrection of the old neon Sam's sign downtown Toronto. A shame, though, that they couldn't have placed it at Yonge and Gould. (An even bigger shame is that utter eyesore of a building that now stands where Sam's once did. Good lord!)
Amazon.com links: Jewel Box [4LP - Deep Cuts]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GV8VM2R/ Jewel Box [3LP - Rarities & B-Sides]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GRQ914S Jewel Box [2LP - And This Is Me]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GRSL339/ Amazon UK links: Jewel Box [4LP - Deep Cuts]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GV8VM2R/ Jewel Box [3LP - Rarities & B-Sides]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GRQ914S Jewel Box [2LP - And This Is Me]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GRSL339/
Is there any article on the Web about Seasons: The Early Love Songs? I didn't know about that and a quick Google search didn't reveal anything. I am surprised Tide Will Turn for Rebecca isn't there, now that you point it out. Maybe there are ownership issues?
So the set omitted the orchestral version of 'Rebecca' in favor of the piano demo version? That master probably got lost or destroyed maybe (NOT referencing the 2008 Universal fiasco)? About 'Today's the Day', found the Popsike listing: popsike.com - Elton John - Today's The Day c.1968 UK 45 ACETATE PLASTIC PENNY - auction details I hate to dis on this upcoming set, it's going to be awesome since 3/4 of the deluxe set was never released outside vinyl. Although I wish there were a couple of more lost EJ 'rarities' to make this the true definitive set if necessary. I understand if those masters were lost or had legal issues, etc., we don't know since this set has been announced for hours at this point.
I love deep cuts, b sides, but im not that interested in early years demos, like others if they had switched that out for some early years live concerts, I think it would have been a winner. Hopefully that is to come.
I don't mind Elton but wouldn't say I'm a big fan, but this is fantastic for the serious fans and collectors. As a Queen fan I'm jealous! We get some good live DVDs and albums but never anything like this.
