Thinking about the upcoming Arthur and Abbey Road 50th Deluxe Anniversary editions, does anyone else feel the Beach Boys 1970 classic Sunflower deserves this sort of treatment in 2020? Is there word that something is in the works? Granted, many of the outtakes from that era have made their way out into the world, but I'd personally love to have all of this music (with alternate takes, isolated vocals, etc.) in one handsome set.
Yes, something is in the works. What remains to be seen is whether it will be a physical release or digital-only.
Since they have so strictly followed the 50 year copyright thing, it will be interesting to see how they handle the Sunflower sessions, as they are about evenly split between 1969 and 1970.
There will be a copyright protection release. I hope it also includes live stuff. I guess there isn't any live stuff from 1969 but hopefully 1970 is different.
There is live material from 1969. There is live stuff in the American Band film, and there is the Paris Olympia show.
Alan Boyd and Mark Linett are well aware of what's going on. No doubt they are keen on it all, it's convincing those F@ckheads at Capitol/EMI (as per usual) to make it happen accordingly.
They'll probably cop out with some '****ty' download only vent like they've done with certain releases. Disgusting, considering the money they made for that label.
The Beach Boys are just as deserving of physical releases as Beatles, Kinks, Pink Floyd, Monkees.... yet Capitol keeps treating us fans like second class citizens. Every Christmas these other fans are showing off photos of their bands' deluxe boxes and we're standing around with our woodies in our hand. Why don't they think a hyped up "Sunflower" super box would sell? It's got street cred, dammit. If including a remix is the only way to make it releasable then remix away. If they can unnecessarily remix a perfectly fine sounding album like "Abbey Road" then we have nothing to lose. Gimme dat "Deidre" with a bass that shakes the trunk of the car.
A box would be great, but a download set is better than nothing. Beggars can't. Also, I wonder if making the decision to do download-only actually means we get more stuff than we would if it were a physical product, because manufacturing costs and disc space aren't an issue.
Now why would anyone want a deluxe version of an album that only made it to #161 in the US? (I kid). My impossible dream for Sunflower Deluxe: a soundboard of Seattle 1970 (Brian, no Mike) and/or Whiskey a Go Go (the show before Brian bailed).
It is ridiculous that the CDs of the Reprise albums did not get bonus tracks those of the Capitol albums. That was their chance to mine the archives. I have a feeling that it is too late now.
They intend to keep releasing archive sets for as long as they can. My preferred set would be all the Sunflower/Surf's Up studio material in one set. Then the live material in separate sets for each year.
I’m still pissed there was no physical Friends anniversary release (a la Sunshine Tomorrow), so don’t get me started.
If it's too late now, how then do you explain all of the many excellent archive releases in recent years? Now is the time!!!!!
Even the inferior tracks on Sunflower are great. This album, along with Surf's up, was the beach Boys at their creative peak.