News from blabbermouth: VAN HALEN reinvented the sound of hard rock in 1978 with its influential and wildly successful eponymous debut album and then achieved ever greater success six years later with 1984. Both albums would define a generation while selling more than 10 million copies each in the U.S. alone to earn diamond-certification from the RIAA. The band recently went back to the original analog tapes and remastered both of these landmark albums — "Van Halen" and "1984" — which are now also set for release on March 31, 2015 through Warner Bros. Records. Considered one of the greatest debut albums in rock history, "Van Halen" took the music world by storm in 1978 with an 11-song manifesto that features some of rock radio's most played songs of all time and scorching concert staples like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Jamie's Cryin'", the band's signature cover of THE KINKS' "You Really Got Me", and Eddie Van Halen's finger-tapping tour de force, "Eruption". Six years and five albums later, VAN HALEN had become one of the biggest bands in the world around the release of "1984", which includes a number of the band's most legendary songs such as the #1 hit "Jump", "Panama" and "Hot For Teacher". Mastering engineer Chris Bellman, who remastered the original albums at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios, was enlisted for these new versions. In order to produce the original sound the band intended, Bellman cut straight from the quarter-inch tapes for CD; for 180-gram vinyl; and for the digital versions. Newly mastered versions of "Diver Down", "Women And Children First", "Van Halen II" and "Fair Warning" are now being cut (for CD, for vinyl, and for digital) for release later in spring. Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/va...and-1984-albums-in-march/#AUTyuzLaR5pWrjFZ.99
I'm confused. How do these differ from the Vinyl released by Rhino a few years ago also done by Chris Bellman? And how do the digital versions differ from the HdTracks??? Would they do another round of vinyl releases that fast?
Some confusion here as well... I was under the impression that the Rhino LP versions were of the same caliber. Oh well, who knows? It will be nice to finally have good sounding issues of "Fair Warning" and "Diver Down"!
Colour me confused as well. I already have a reissued copy of Women & Children First. I've seen reissues of the first two and 1984. But not for Fair Warning & Diver Down. I understand FW and DD getting their due but the others, again? Plus, will it end here or will we see reissues for the Van Hagar era and dare I say....the Van Cherone moment?
I am a fan of Cherone (from his work with Extreme), but I don't know that we will need to see that reissue any time soon, hahaha.
They kind of dropped the ball not making these Deluxe Editions of some sort if they want fans to buy the first 6 again. Bellman did the previous remasters, I guess maybe this time they may not use the HDCD process ? Got to love marketing spin though ....... " the original sound the band intended " ? Doubt we'll see any Hagar era remasters anytime soon, Sammy doesn't exist in the world of VH Bros. Inc.
If you are interested in LP versions of VHII - there is already a wonderful sounding VHII (I think still readily available) out there. It was mastered by Chris Bellman at BGM a few years back. I cannot comment on comparisons to an original press, however, I find this one to be more than satisfactory.
Last I checked Van halen II was $12 at Acoustic Sounds. I agree that they Really dropped the ball by not putting out unreleased early studio outtakes,demos,and live material.Those albums were so short.There are demos and things on Youtube wich are better songs than some that made the finished albums.
I'd be surprised if these sound better than the HDTracks releases, but I guess we'll find out soon enough.
The Ultimate Classic Rock site indicates a box set version with some of the remasters. "Plans call for ‘Tokyo Dome’ to be made available in digital, CD and vinyl formats, and as part of a deluxe box that includes the ‘Van Halen’ and ’1984′ reissues." http://ultimateclassicrock.com/van-halen-live-album-reissues/
This answers how I'm going to get good copies of Fair Warning and Diver Down. This only leaves 5150 and OI812 out in the cold. Agreed the Rhino vinyl reissues are wonderful. They seem to be going out of print, if they aren't already, which may help explain this announcement. For anybody who's interested, Acoustic Sounds has the Rhino remasters for cheap, or at least cheaper than most. Van Halen II is #12.00, with Women and Children First $18.98. Van Halen and 1984 are $24.98 each. Last week I bought all four, fearing they were going away. Because of the discounts, I was a little below their $89 free shipping figure so I added a fifth title from somebody else. The records arrived via FedEx in three days. Acoustic Sounds Van Halen LPs
I would guess one obstacle to including new material in these releases is that it would require a new contract to be agreed between the relevant band members and the label. And perhaps that is not forthcoming.
I'd venture a guess that they don't want to release any vault material with Michael Anthony on it. Heaven forbid he earn some money for work he did.
I don't understand, are we talking new cd releases of the first couple of albums? How is this related to the HD-Tracks transfer they did a while ago?
If you want Van Halen II or Women and Children First, my recommendation is to get them now as Acoustic Sounds has them for cheap, although you'll have to find other stuff to buy if you are going to hit the $89 free freight figure. You won't go wrong with the Rhino remasters. They sound exceptional. I already had copies of the four records I just bought last week, varying from first pressings to cut-outs, and the Rhino remasters smoked them all. In fact, am I just cynical or is it crazy to think that these "new" remasters will just be using the same cuts Chris Bellman made a few years ago for the "old" remasters?
I agree 100000000% These sound GREAT. I prefer these to the 24/192 HdTracks. My only issue was getting a playable copy of VH II...my initial ones were warped to the nth degree. But again, this reissue campaign has me thoroughly confused...is this a fresh remaster involving the same guy or simply a repeat telecast? Inquiring minds need to know
Some of the tracks used on 'A Different Kind Of Truth' were tracks from early in their career. I wouldn't mind the early demos included as bonus tracks on the reissues.
