I think 3,500 were made. There were three users here who had sequential numbers and they were definitely over the 3,000 mark.
Just finally got round to listening to the bonus tracks. I lol'd at the Mary Had a Little Lamb (Rough Mix) false endings… just when you think it's finally over, they're back again! Didn't think the rough or early mixes would be that interesting but I think there's some that I'll come back to, they're nice alternatives to have.
3 months later and still exploring the Big Barn Box.........audio sound quality is top notch (other than "Mary Had A Little Lamb")...... Very expensive but in my mind, worth every penny!
The Red Rose Speedway Archive has done exactly what an archive should ideally do and then some. It took an album that I considered slightly higher than mid level McCartney and made it into one of my absolute favorite McCartney albums challenged only by Egypt Station for me.
This would be my ideal Red Rose Speedway Double Album. Not sure if it would all fit on vinyl but it makes a great mix on CD for the car if you want to try it. I kind followed the Steven Stills Manassas flow of rock side, country side.. Side 1 Bid Barn Bed Live And Let Die I Would Only Smile Get On The Right Thing Side 2 - Hi, Hi Hi The Mess 1882 Best Friend Side 3 - I Lie Around Mama's Little Girl Country Dreamer One More Kiss Side 4 - C Moon Jazz Street Little Lamb Dragonfly
One of the great missteps of McCartney's solo career was his track selection for the narrowed-down single LP version of Red Rose Speedway. He was doing some really good work at this time, as shown by the extra material that was on the double-LP version, the outtakes, and the contemporary singles. With better choices for inclusion it could have been a killer album. IMO.
Not sure I'd call it killer, but RRS certainly could have been much better than it was. But then, we say that about most of his albums when we hear outtakes and B sides...
I just got the 2 CD set and first off recreated the double LP version. Like the double flow a whole lot better. The Mess has to be one of Paul’s greatest unknown tracks although it was a bonus track on the 1993 remaster.
The punchy Steve Hoffman mix of RRS persuades me that Paul made the right decision in trimming down the double to a single.
I think he made the right decision to make it a single, but I think some of the tracks he chose should have been replaced with others.
I'd maybe have gone with the alternate (and superior in my opinion) version of Loup and possibly the alternate Get On the Right Thing, but other than that, I'm happy with the album. It's in my top four, with McCartney, Ram and Wings At the Speed Of Sound.
I agree. These new playlists being projected may sound fresh to people, but everyone of them sounds very padded to me. I haven't seen a single tune stack that I thought warranted a double album.
I’m judging it on the ‘official’ double album tracklisting (which still seems strange to me given it doesn’t have the medley ending the album). Personally, I’d swap in ‘The Mess’ and ‘I Lie Around’ for two of the tracks off the original album. Maybe ‘When the Night’ and ‘Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)’, but not sure.
While we all have our preferences for a different track listing, I think that — once EMI told Paul they wanted a single LP and not a double LP — he kept tracks back for a second release that year… until Band On The Run turned out to be worth releasing instead. With Band On The Run, he knew he had the launch point for larger success… but he needed a touring band. 1974 is all about getting the band working, with an unexpected single of "Junior's Farm" arriving from Nashville, but the tour rehearsals show him the set list needs a little more. In 1975, he finds the solution in Venus And Mars and tests it successfully in Australia before returning to the UK to plan the big tour of 1976. But before he does Wings At The Speed Of Sound, Paul assembles a record of unreleased material – including the early version of "Beware My Love" – as Cold Cuts. So he was still thinking of an extra LP to release if the band were not ready for another record post-tour, or if he needed a record to satisfy EMI before he had one. It's not insignificant to me that Cold Cuts rears its head (1) pre-Speed Of Sound, in that capacity, (2) in 1977 as a post-tour offering with a different track listing, (3) as a pairing with what becomes Wings' Greatest to end the EMI years (because he wanted it out by then), and (4) in 1981 with Wings no longer touring, and (5) in interviews during the world tours as something he might release some day. It's also not insignificant to note that albums of material like Cold Cuts and what fans refer to as Return To Pepperland end up filling the b-sides when needed — nor is it insignificant to me that each album after the majority of those recordings tends to come with the mention that there's an entire album of songs that Paul has kept back to keep working on. It's as if he always wants to have an extra LP or two of material for the time when he cannot release something and needs to; perhaps this is his version of Milk And Honey or Portrait Of A Leg End (which became Brainwashed after George died) — a one last big release of new material before returning to the catalogue. HearMusic, though, proved to him he doesn't quite need that now. The fans want those tracks earlier and are willing to pay for it. And given how deep the vault is, at least that we're aware of, MPL can feel safe that they still have a large number of releases afterwards — such as outtakes, demos, and live recordings galore, not to mention the inevitable hits and other type of compilations. Who knows? Love Songs may even rear its head one day!
Really love the Bruce McMouse Show. I never thought I'd get to see that footage. McCartney is in top form. It does confirm what I always thought though - that Henry McCullough leaving was the best thing that could have happened. Addition by subtraction. No Henry = a much better Band on the Run. Can take or leave Seiwell - it certainly didn't hurt that he left.
This looks good... I loathe C moon so I might drop it out... I love Night Out for some reason and Seaside Woman... so they might go on my side 4.
C Moon for me is like an almond croissant, I know it's not filling and too sweet but sometimes it hits the spot. You did make me rethink side 4 and depending on how one views Little Woman Love or Why Woman Oh Why in regards to if they belong on RAM or RRS one of those to lead off the side I think is the answer.