Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Reissues of Beatles CDs, Let It Be, The Shea Stadium Concert, and Other Projects

Record stores have still not seen the long-anticipated remastered, enhanced reissues of Beatles CDs. Other projects also remain in limbo, such as a DVD of the Shea Stadium Concert or a DVD release of the Let It Be documentary, briefly shown in theaters and then shelved in the vaults of Apple.

For over a decade now, McCartney has also teased the public with hints that his avante-garde "Carnival of Light" track might finally be released. The latter track was recorded in 1967 for The Million Volt Light and Sound Rave, an art festival/electronic sound and light show designed by David Vaughn and held at the Chalk Farm Road Roundhouse Theater in January and February of 1967. (All archival Beatles material would require the consent of the remaining Beatles as well as Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison.)

The issue of the Let It Be documentary, however, should not be withheld under any circumstance. The film was originally shown in theaters in the late 1960s and many bootlegs are floating around the internet. Many have speculated that McCartney and Apple do not wish the film to be released so as not to tarnish the band's reputation for a new generation of fans since the film shows the Beatles fueding during recording sessions and rehearsals. Essentially, the film chronicles the break-up of the band. The band's history is common knowledge, however, and even the newest fan can gain access to events surrounding the dissolution of the Beatles with ease. The film contains many great performances and is as important to Beatles history as The Beatles Anthology. One might well speculate that Lennon, if he were alive, would say, "Put it out there. It's the truth. It's what happened."

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