The Band - Stage Fright 50th Anniversary- Remixed, Remastered And Expanded*

That cd is a con job

 

I'm not gonna lie here, the MFSL and the 2000s remasters are enough for me. I will get the 2CD, but does anybody else not actually like the new tracklisting of Stage Fright?

I can't even understand why they did it after this long other than to suit Robbie's ego. Not starting out with Strawberry Wine is just weird, and then having it all the way near the bottom? Just gives the whole thing a weird vibe to me. Closing with Sleeping is okay I guess. I'll have to listen to it front to back to really understand why all this was done. They still kept Stage Fright and The Rumor back to back, which is good. But in the middle IDK. Again, will have to get used to it. It's been so long with the original, that it seems crazy to me.

Ending with Stage Fright and then The Rumor just seemed so perfect. I have no idea why anybody would want that changed, but hey it's another release to sell.

What I really find ridiculous is the price on this stuff. King Crimson set the bar here for boxsets. These sets are absolutely farfenugen' pathetic for that much money. I won't be touching them.

 

I don't know. It's clear revisionism. Robertson can say all he wants now because most are dead. I don't think this running order is any better, it's ROBBIE'S running order is what it is. And it has some issues too. I always thought starting off with Wine was perfect, and that whole side flows pretty well. I also liked how Stage Fright and The Rumor are at the end, putting a close to the album for what I felt was a near perfect album. Always been one of my favorites.

I'm just not sure if I like Strawberry Wine all the way down near the end like that. And Harp comes so fast. I can see the energy at the beginning in a different way, but it's like why take Wine and Sleeping and just hack them off to the end like that? It makes the album go up down up down too much for my liking.

What I don't love is the mid album transition from Harp to Stage Fright. Just seems so weird to hear these songs in the middle of the running order now.

Make no mistake, this is Robbie's running order and not what the The Band decided to do. Nothing more nothing less. I think both are okay, but nothing is going to replace the original for me.

Honestly, I would have kept up the energy after Harp, went straight to Time to Kill and THEN put Strawberry Wine down. I would have saved Fright, Rumor, and Sleeping for last. But then what do you do with Glory? One of the slowest tracks. I don't think you want 4 lower songs in a row, which is why the original running order works. It finds a proper place for Sleeping and Glory.

Now instead of having Sleeping 2nd, which logically flows from Strawberry Wine's energy and mad drive, you have Wine in amidst Glory and Sleeping to end it. I'm not quite sure how that makes sense. It's just so chopped up now but in the weirdest configuration.

People are just going to agree because Robbie says so, and that's just purely ridiculous. What classic album has Robbie sequenced since The Band's days lol? Not many.

What I am gonna do is take this running order and see how it sounds on the SACD.

 

Funny, when I listened I thought they actually rocked more here than most of their live performances. I know that probably sounds funny, but that is the first thing that actually struck me. Also, I think it is a great mix where everything is heard very well. If you are one who likes to crank things up you can do it here. So, I guess I am kind of agreeing with most of your post but actually heard it differently. I am a fan but then again, maybe I am not in tune to every nuance of a Band live show. Though I think it is the best I have heard them live.

 

Well I don't think I hate the new running order, but I doubt I listen to it much. I can see opening with Medicine Show to announce the album in a way, similar to other more or less concept albums. I can see this is as a type of concept album. I still am not really sure how Whistle Stop, Glory, Wine, and Sleeping function as an end to the album.

The Rumor makes for a perfect end to the album. Its lyrics about closing your eyes, "brand new day", and other things like that. IDK. I still prefer the old tracklist. I don't think anybody needed this for the 50th, especially without basically any input from anybody else.

It feels like to me that Stage Fright, The Rumor, Strawberry Wine, and Sleeping are the hardest songs to set properly because they change the mood in their configurations on the two tracklists.

For me there is no real better end than The Rumor, and Robbie forcing this on the 50th anniversary with mega expensive boxsets with hardly any discs is not something I really care to buy into. I'm sure I will pick this up, but honestly I could have done without the blatantly one-sided resequencing. It's not Robbie's Band. It's THE BAND.

Do this on your own time as a one-off project. The Doors, Zeppelin, nobody went back and resequenced their original works and claimed that was how it was supposed to be without more input from everybody else. Nobody is really here to tell him differently that would have said so back then in the actual band but Garth, and I don't think he was the one that argued for the original tracklist anyway.

 

I'd like to hear actual opinions instead of just bias produced from Robbie's sayings in the book. How is this better, and how does the original order feel like they just picked stuff out? That makes no sense. Stage Fright and The Rumor clearly end the album almost perfectly. Have you read the lyrics? How does Glory, Wine, and Sleeping make for a fitting end to this album? It goes up down up down in severe terms.

Strawberry Wine functions as a raucous opener immediately followed by the aftermath in Sleeping. The rest of the album is sequenced nearly perfectly, so I have no idea what you are talking about here. In fact, the changes mostly take chunks of the album and put them in different places. I could see this order working, but not without 2 or 3 songs to add to it. Without those, it seems like some randomly new order to me with a really weird ending.

Like I said I just would like to understand why people think this way. Stage Fright has always been one of my favorites, and I always loved the sequence of songs.

And Levon is the one that would have argued about this weird tracklist too! Garth isn't going to say anything to Robbie about Stage Fright. This is very revisionist history with the new sequence of songs that barely makes any sense like this. They needed to add 2 or 3 extra songs to make this work, other wise it just looks like they randomly assembled the album in a different order with some of the same song ordering. How is The Rumor not an end to this album I don't know. It works perfectly as an end in both lyrics and music.

I'm not really seeing this. I have read multiple comments like this, and there is never any reasoning as to why this works as a sequence better. How do the last four songs work together? The Rumor is all about a brand new day, with a typically sad-eyed voice and an end to the thematic elements of the album as a whole. While I think it can work in the middle of the album, this album isn't long enough to support it like that. Strawberry Wine seems completely misplaced on this tracklist unless you are a manic. The last four songs are extremely up down up down. Not my cup of tea, and this is completely revisionist history no matter what your opinion is.

I don't want to hear Led Zeppelin III or The Wall resequenced because one guy in the band thinks this is how it should be, least of all for a 50th.

The 2000s era masters and the SACDs all sound fantastic for me. I have the first album in 50th, and don't really see the need for these. Maybe I'll pick the others up IDK. Less dynamic range, and more of Robbie's input than anybody else. A new take for sure, but the rich man boxsets are hilariously out of whack.

I can't disagree with this more. I don't mind Medicine opening, But Strawberry Wine was a killer opener and drove home the album to me. It definitely has similar songs in content with Shape and Time as upbeat tracks just like it. Sleeping builds it back down with the aftermath of the party. The sequence then was very well done, with appropriate and smooth velocity onward, and I have no idea how anybody thinks these two songs work to close the album.

The horrible part of this revisionist stuff is the last four tracks. How and the hell do you logically think the UP DOWN UP DOWN nature of the last four songs works? Robbie is no master sequencer, and he should have kept his hands off this. Most importantly nobody wants an album by THE BAND with input from basically ONE guy. Garth doesn't say or do anything, so he is a non-issue basically. Levon would have never went for this sequencing.

As I said they needed 2-3 more songs to make this sequence work, and they don't have them. It could have worked, but as it is now the 50th is more manic than ever. The Rumor is the perfect closer, and Strawberry Wine is the perfect opener. Album was always one of my favorites.

Got to say the sequencing for this album was always killer. I always loved the one two punch and manic differences between Wine and Sleeping. To hear them at the end is laughable. It doesn't even make a lick of sense. The Rumor is and forever will be the end to this album for me. No thanks Robbie. What bull to do this for the 50th with no input from anybody else lol. Garth barely cares.

I don't think the sequencing was the best thing ever done on the original, but after Sleeping the rest of the album flows quite well with slight ups and downs. Now the album is all over the place, which leads me to believe this album needed 2-5 more songs to be sequenced like this. At least 2-3 more nearer to the end parts.

 

Complaining about virtually every aspect of a release and then going “but I’ll buy it anyway” is the most SH forum thing ever.

 

This is basically everything you need to know about the changes lol. Robbie trying to sell this HARD:

"Starting in the Seventies, Robertson remained haunted by the original track order. In 2000, a deluxe CD of the album was prepped, and Roberson says he brought up restoring the first sequencing and was shot down. “The record company said, ‘You can’t do that — you got to stay with the original,’” he recalls. “And I said, ‘Oh … OK.’ But now when I said, ‘I want to use the original sequence from this record that nobody knows about,’ they said, ‘Fantastic, wow, that’s great.’ They’re in a different place.”

Robertson says he didn’t reach out to the surviving family members or estates of his late colleagues Helm, Danko, or Manuel (or Hudson, who maintains a low profile these days), but claims he knew how they felt. “After the album came out and some time passed by,” he says, “everybody said, ‘You know, we should have gone with the original sequence,’ and they were kind of apologetic about pushing me in this direction. If the other guys were alive, they would love this. They would be so happy that we were able to actually do that. Everybody acknowledged that, you know, we got off the track.”

Rundgren himself wasn’t aware of the change, calling it “curious.” “I’ll be interested to see what the reaction is,” he says. “Hardcore fans may have the old running order so ingrained in their heads that there may be some umbrage. But if the intent is to find a new audience for it, then nobody will know the difference! As a matter of fact, that new audience may not even listen to the whole thing all the way through! ‘I don’t have the time for that. I don’t have the mental focus for that.’ People’s listening habits have changed along with the devices they used to listen with.”

And even though Robertson says he’s sorry for not adhering to his initial version of the album five decades ago, the thought that devoted fans might be irked when they hear a rejiggered Stage Fright doesn’t faze him. “I don’t give a ****,” he retorts. “I know what it should be, you know. Don’t tell me what to do with my music. And the original sequence is available forever. So if you want that, you can have that. But this is what I want.”

Gotta say I feel it's an okay new version, but it doesn't flow well toward the end if you ask me. Strawberry Wine really only works as an opener or something in the middle for me. I just can't understand why you change The Rumor around like that. He gave no evidence that anybody wanted The Rumor changed, and he basically implores us all to believe the other members would love this lol. Rundgren doesn't sound convinced either.

As he said, the running order is so ingrained that I just can't really accept this without more being done to make this a Medicine Show concept record. Otherwise, it just looks like a couple song lines were hacked up and reconnected. I get that Robby wanted this, but nobody else is there to say anything. He doesn't give a falloop mind you, and he also doesn't give a falloop if you want to mail him 150 bucks for 4 discs and a vinyl lmao.

 

Not gonna life. Rumours, self-title, and Then Play On are for me pretty equal to The Band's great stuff. I hold all of them in very high regard.

 

+1
The live version of "Strawberry Wine" is worth the price of the entire 2-CD set.

 

Robertson's notes in the new release indicate that they wanted to record both of the Albert Hall concerts, so it's fair to assume that they did; and it would certainly make sense, having set up all the equipment, to leave it in place for the second night. Now the fact that the CD just says "June 1971" suggests to me that this is probably a compilation of the best performances from the two nights. Maybe the three tracks that were on A Musical History did all come from the first night.

It's a shame that they couldn't include the final "Slippin' And Slidin'" encore without running to a third disc. I went on the second night, and remember what a gas it was to hear them do covers that weren't on their albums. But that aside, this recording is a wonderful thing to have.

 

LOL, it is true. I mean, I did actually not buy The Doors 50th from Parade on because they started doing that LP+digital thing that nobody in their right mind wants. I only do digital stuff.

I'm NOT saying this new mix and arrangement does not have its merits, but that I prefer vastly when these are not anniversary releases. As long as this does not become a definitive only available mix, I am okay with it. I think it is a tad spendy, and the boxsets are a joke, so there is that. I'll probably pick it up because it is one of my favorite albums, and the double CD won't kill me for price. If this were a lesser album then hell no.

I just think Robbie should have went even further if this was his direction. It is clear to me the end of the record is just all over the place, and is not at all better than the original. I can totally get with starting with Medicine Show as I said, but some of it makes very little sense. Strawberry Wine probably being the hardest one to place correctly, and this doesn't do anything for it IMO.

I also don't like how Robbie refers to it as HIS music lol. Like this is just his to do with now. I wasn't mad when The Doors did their 40th mixes because it was billed as something brand new. They still didn't touch the song order though.

 

this is a wonderful argument to finally stick a knife in discs altogether. I don’t know why the digital/streaming/etc versions suffer just because of some arcane CD limits. (Of course, why we get a 5 minute organ solo but not “Slippin’” is also a mystery)

 

Don't know if this has been mentioned, or if it matters, when I ripped the RAH on iTunes, it came up with 3-6-71 on it.

 

Finally broke down and ordered the deluxe box yesterday. Found it for $130 which seems about the cheapest.

The MFBP 50th Box Set is available for around $50-60 now if anybody else missed out on that one when it was released.

 

That's a more reasonable price for these sets. 130 is absurd for the content.

 

you can get all the music on the $16 two cd set. geez

 

I got my 2CD in the mail today. I dig the new remix. It gives the surround sound vibe in 2-channel stereo, very spacious, as if the album was recorded in a church or concert hall. The revised track list is a bit jarring on first listen but it flows well enough.

I like releases like this that complement rather than replace the original. Like the Doors 40th anniversary mixes.

 

And Danko.

 

I couldn't care less about the song sequence on Stage Fright. Hell, it's not the Abbey Road Medley, as long as all the songs are there, I'm good with it. And it sounds amazing.

 

I confess, I never got around to Stage Fright, so I had no loyalties to the historic running order. Listened to this tonight and I thought the sequence (and sound) was great. I like "The Rumor" where it is, and "Sleeping" as the closer. And I dig "Walcott" as opener, even if Levon's vocal isn't particularly inspired on this studio version.

The hotel stuff...not essential, but cool that they shared it. Doubt I'll listen often, but it's there if I wanna be a fly on the wall. I like the second, slower "Get Up Jake," and Richard turns in some nice moments singing the blues.

 

It gives the surround sound vibe in 2-channel stereo, very spacious, as if the album was recorded in a church or concert hall.

Interesting observation, am hearing the remix for the 1st time this morning.

Is there, was there, an attempt to position each voice in a similar spot in each song, when possible? I wonder if there was another conscious or conceptual method to this remix?

I'm enjoying hearing the multi-vocals in many songs, to the point in this new sequence where when by the time of there being a single lead vocalist (Whistle Stop) I miss hearing the other members in the group singing along also.

I had a MFSL LP of the album and would sometimes start on side 2 so this resequencing doesn't bother me. I liked Sleeping being the closer.

Trying to answer some of my own questions. So, Levon Helm's lead vocal on Medicine Show sounds placed right of center in the stereo field, while the skins of the drums are basically centered? Why couldn't they have centered Helm's vocal, with most of his kit, and moved the other (Danko's) vocal left or right. Interesting.

I like the pairing of W.S. and The Shape I'm In. Strong opening combination!

 

It gives the surround sound vibe in 2-channel stereo, very spacious, as if the album was recorded in a church or concert hall.

A church or a concert hall would be pretty close to a description of the actual recording location, an old barn of a playhouse in Woodstock, NY used for Summer-stock theatre. Here's a picture Woodstock Playhouse - Wikipedia

 

Robbie: "Don’t tell me what to do with my music"

My music? Isn't it the group's music?

 

Received the 2 CD 50th Anniversary set last week. I found it enjoyable. The changes weren't earth shattering (I really don't care about the run order) and the sound quality is excellent. That being said, Stage Fright simply is not as good as the albums Music From Big Pink and The Band. It just isn't. What I really enjoyed was the live disc from Royal Albert Hall, where songs like "Stage Fright" and "The Shape I'm In" are far more energetic than what was on the studio album, clearly the band was on that night and were enjoying themselves. In fact, I prefer this live set to Rock of Ages.