The big disappointment: announced but never released

I was excited to hear those! I have no idea why.

 

Know by Yes. The back-to-prog/back-to-Atlantic comeback album by the classic lineup. Ultimately released as Keys to Ascension II, but that appears to be an unfinished in-progress version.

 

There was buzz about a DVD of Kate Bush’s “Before The Dawn” shows ... and I’m still hanging in wait.

 

All material Queen and David Bowie recorded together. Under Pressure was released, but all in all they recorded over 10 songs, mostly covers.
The MoFi version of Queensryches Empire. It was mastered, a test press was made, and then MoFi 1 went belly up...

 

Sigur Ros - Deluxe editions that were supposed to come out last year? Or the year before that.

 

Many artists are afraid that their past is better than the present.

 

Yeah, and what about that second solo album Jimmy has been promising us in practically every interview he's given in the last decade or so (if not longer)?

 

Well, Scoop was a generous double album, Another Scoop was as well, and Scoop 3 was a hifi triple. Add the flexidisc from that book, and it's not far off.

Oh, and the recent Quadrophenia demos..

 

Yeah, I was going to mention that one. It's a shame that Vol 1 has pretty much been "orphaned" now, with some prime candidates for Bootleg series volumes going to other projects - particularly with the Vallydale Ballroom & Gymnasium tapes ending up on Deluxe Editions of the first 2 albums & the Matrix tapes becoming their own release without any reference to the bootleg series.

I know there's a lot of good tapes being traded, but the prospect of a 'Bootleg Series' for the VU just seems like a lost opportunity to dig up stuff that's in private collector's hands & put it out.


Heck, they could have even made one of the volumes "The 1969 lost album sessions". Why not? Bob Dylan has live tapes AND studio outtake collections in *his* Bootleg Series...

 

"Release the Drones" by Supergrass.

The Kraut-rock inspired album that was abandoned when they split-up. Apparently it was very close to being finished & I think Gaz even mentioned it'd be out in Summer 2010.

The clips that have leaked out are interesting, and it's certainly one album I'd love to see come out one of these days.

 

Yep! PR has been very open to being not a friend at all of demos, early versions, multiple takes and would like to have only the finished product/song to be released and heard by the public. He also deleted a few unreleased tracks from the recent Bad CO deluxe CD sets. Grrrr!

 

I’d like to hear the entire Squeeze tribute album recorded by The Roots. It’s mentioned in the sleevenotes for Wake Up Ghost, the Elvis Costello and The Roots album. It seemed like maybe it might not actually exist, but earlier this year we got Elvis Costello‘s version of Someone Else’s Heart on Record Store Day. More of this, please.
Someone Else's Heart

 

I was about to mention those too - think the ‘Ágætis Byrjun’ one was anounced in 2015 or 2016, wasn’t aware of others.

 

Jimmy Page issued a press release in early 1993 stating he was finally starting work on the long-heralded Zeppelin chronological live album... alas, that's the last we ever heard about it... thanks Percy!

 

The rest of the Van Morrison reissues from a few years back, the first two batches of albums were released with bonus material, then the third batch was announced and they never happened.

 

For me there are a few key releases that have gone missing over the years (a few of which have since appeared):

Adam Ant - Persuasion (follow-up album to Manners & Physique, scheduled by MCA for 1992)
Adam Ant - Digital Tenderness (withdrawn ultra-rare DVD with still-unreleased content, replaced by a less interesting 'The Very Best Of' DVD in 2006)
Dave Bartram - solo tracks (lead singer of Showaddywaddy, his 1982-1985 solo tracks were recorded at Utopia Studios in London but only one 7" single was released in Jan 1983 'Black Ice' / 'Excitement'. Nothing else appeared for 28 years until his 'Lost And Found' CD was released by IHM in 2011 featuring all the original tracks. Surprisingly they feature Billy Bremner, Nick Heyward, Sam Brown, Danny Schogger, Tony Beard among many others!
Kate Bush - Before The Dawn (DVD filmed during the 2014 shows in London)
Re-Flex - Humanication (follow-up album to The Politics of Dancing, announced on the sleeve of their 'How Much Longer?' single in early 1985 but then shelved for 25 years until officially released on CD by Paul Fishman in 2010)

 

In May 1976, Chrysalis announced an Alvin Lee solo album titled "Saguitar". Alvin even toured the UK to back it, t-shirts with (part of) the album cover design were sold at concerts and a promo single w/two tracks from the album was released.

However Big A himself pulled the plug on the release at the 11th hour because - as he put it - one of his band members' manager got "too greedy". I strongly suspect he re-recorded a few tracks from that album for his 1978 Ten Years Later album "Rocket Fuel" because he played them along said tour (GONNA TURN YOU ON, FRIDAY THE 13th, AIN’T NOTHIN’ SHAKIN’, THE DEVIL’S SCREAMING).
Alvin ahoy!
Thmas

 

Since I first heard them over a decade ago, I have wanted Puddle Of Mudd's late 90s independent releases "Stuck" & "Abrasive" on CD, they have been announced for reissue a fair few times now, but it's never happened. Wes Scantlin has not helped matters with his frequently poor onstage behavior and lack of new material resulting in the group's obscurity. It's a shame cause there are plenty of young fans of grunge and alt-rock who would like the group's music.

 

1. Shania Twain's Christmas album. I think it was first rumored when she began her Las Vegas residency, but it never happened.

2. Pat Benatar's Christmas album. First announced in 2012, delayed to 2013, then shelved, possibly forever.

3. Sheryl Crow's 1992 debut. Produced by Hugh Padgham, the album got a catalog number and at least a few promo cassettes were sent out, but it was never released.

4. The Bee Gees album commonly known as A Kick in the Head Is Worth Two in the Pants. Recorded in Los Angeles around the same time as Life in a Tin Can, it was rejected by RSO in 1973. The assigned catalog number was used for Best of Bee Gees Vol. 2, the U.S. version of which contained the orphaned single from the canceled album, "Wouldn't I Be Someone."

5. Beatles fans will remember that in 1994 through 1996, EMI-Capitol Special Markets released two sets of "For Jukeboxes Only!" colored-vinyl 45s, which included around 30 different singles, featuring a few songs that had never been on 45s. A third set of similar "jukebox" singles was planned; dealers and others were asked what titles they'd like to see on that coming set. But evidently, the Beatles decided that two sets were enough, and the third set never happened.

 

Thanks a lot for mentioning this book that I didn't know of. I instantly ordered it. Ha, the (real) joys of Steve's forum!

 

Humm, seven pages into this thread and still no mention of The 'Orrible Ooooo's LIFEHOUSE multimedia project (double album, concert(s) film and whatnot) - along with Smile the mother of all unreleases?

 

Juliana Hatfield's cancelled 4th album on Atlantic, God's Foot. A few tracks have appeared officially.

 

There was an Eric Clapton double live album from his 1986/early 1987 tours to be released that I remember being announced around that time but the project never made it. If I'm not mistaken, it made it into collecting circles, though....

 

Sigur Ros. Expanded edition of Agaetis Byrjun. Announced a couple of years ago.

 

The Jimi Hendrix Royal Albert Hall 1969 shows are supposedly mixed and ready to be released but are tied up in litigation because of the video. It was announced by Experience Hendrix a few years ago that they were preparing to release it but it is still tied up in litigation.