Lennon's Imagine: the Ultimate Collection

[firedog]

Apparently a 6 disc set including 5.1 remixes. Already listed at Amazon UK, apparently will be at the US site sometime today. Oct 5 release date. Steve Guttenberg heard it and loved it....

 

music details:

http://www.imaginejohnyoko.com/the-music

Guttenberg:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZ9AL5Onz8

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hear-john-lennon-stripped-back-141218389.html

http://www.imaginejohnyoko.com/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hear-john-lennons-stripped-back-imagine-demo-from-upcoming-box-set-714666/

Imagine: The Ultimate Collection offers an in-depth look at the album with demos, outtakes, studio banter and “elemental” mixes that play up certain musical flourishes in the songs across four CDs and two Blu-rays. It includes “ultimate mixes,” raw studio mixes, songs in 5.1 surround sound and remastered quadraphonic mixes. It also includes “The Evolution Documentary,” which traces each song’s genesis from demo to a finished work with instructions, rehearsals, multitrack breakdowns and more. The new mixes and masters will also be available as a two-disc deluxe edition, single-disc remaster, double-LP vinyl edition (both on black and clear vinyl) and digitally.

 

[TubeLover]

Very interested in this one too. You do have to wonder if there was truly enough meaningful material to extend this, admittedly great album, to four cd's and two blu rays.

 

JC

[firedog]

1 hour ago, TubeLover said:

Very interested in this one too. You do have to wonder if there was truly enough meaningful material to extend this, admittedly great album, to four cd's and two blu rays.

 

JC

I'm thinking if you are a Lennon fan there is. The "stripped down" remixes will definitely be worth it for me. I loved the same thing they did with "Double Fantasy" - I prefer it to the original.

 

And I'd think the version of the album where where they edit takes together and show you how the final version developed will be interesting too. I don't have surround, but would love to hear the 5.1 sometime. Maybe there won't really be enough material for 6 discs, but it doesn't sound like a rip off to me. 

[TubeLover]

12 hours ago, firedog said:

I'm thinking if you are a Lennon fan there is. The "stripped down" remixes will definitely be worth it for me. I loved the same thing they did with "Double Fantasy" - I prefer it to the original.

 

And I'd think the version of the album where where they edit takes together and show you how the final version developed will be interesting too. I don't have surround, but would love to hear the 5.1 sometime. Maybe there won't really be enough material for 6 discs, but it doesn't sound like a rip off to me. 

 

Agreed. And I wasn't actually referring to it being a ripoff. Just wondering if there was enough "meaningful" material, and hoping that there was. This is certainly a must have for any Lennon fan. 

 

JC

[firedog]

It’s been on preorder at Amazon for about 2 weeks already. Mines ordered.

[TubeLover]

Anyone received theirs yet? Thoughts?

 

JC

[firedog]

48 minutes ago, TubeLover said:

Anyone received theirs yet? Thoughts?

 

JC

It's on Tidal. You can listen to it there.

[TubeLover]

6 minutes ago, firedog said:

It's on Tidal. You can listen to it there.

Thanks, didn't realize. Sometimes Tidal really surprises me with what they add. My copy of the 6 disc set is scheduled for delivery tomorrow.

 

JC

[firedog]

Received my box set. First comment: Book and packaging are nice.  Book has great photos and lots of background information.
 

Overall, the remix is good. Nothing earth shattering - doesn't sound really different like the Sgt. Pepper Remix did, and that makes sense - this was a proper multi-track stereo recording from the get go, so it didn't need to be fixed.

However, it is clearer and you can hear all the elements better - especially John's voice - which is a very good thing. This is the version I'll listen to from now on. 
 

The extra material is interesting if you are a die hard fan - there's studio dialog, an interview, and you get a feel for how the tracks were made and developed. The "Evolution" tracks are great here - they ran a few versions of each song together so you get a chronological version of how each song developed to the final version. That said, I don't think I'll listen to it much once I've heard it 2-3 times. 
 

The short version: this is good. If you are a big fan and want the book - get the box set; or one of the less extensive versions with some of the extra material. If you just like the album - get the download or CD version of the Remix. The extra stuff is really only for the big fans and completists. 

[TubeLover]

Excellent summation and guidance for others, Firedog. There is nothing I could add after  spending significant time with the set. Well done.

 

JC

[firedog]

I wanted to add that apparently one of the directions Yoko gave the team doing the remix was to bring up John's voice more. No, it isn't what John would have wanted, but the truth is, even going back to the early days of the Beatles, he didn't like the sound of his voice and was always trying to alter it or get it hidden a bit in the mix. Geoff Emerick mentions this several times in his book about working as the Beatles' sound engineer. 

One of the things I like most about this set is the very fact that we can hear JL more clearly; it's also one of the reasons I liked the "stripped down" version of "Double Fantasy".  So good going , Yoko. 

[TubeLover]

20 hours ago, firedog said:

I wanted to add that apparently one of the directions Yoko gave the team doing the remix was to bring up John's voice more. No, it isn't what John would have wanted, but the truth is, even going back to the early days of the Beatles, he didn't like the sound of his voice and was always trying to alter it or get it hidden a bit in the mix. Geoff Emerick mentions this several times in his book about working as the Beatles' sound engineer. 

One of the things I like most about this set is the very fact that we can hear JL more clearly; it's also one of the reasons I liked the "stripped down" version of "Double Fantasy".  So good going , Yoko. 

Interestingly, today while out running errands, I was listening to the Beatles Channel on Sirius/XM. One of the engineers who worked on that version of Double Fantasy talked at length about how they focused on capturing John's voice more clearly in the mix. This particular engineer had a long relationship with John and had, at various times spent up to a week working with him in the studio. And again, almost literally said what you did, word for word, about John didn't particularly like his voice, and went out of his way to mix it down and alter it.

 

JC

[Zakus]

Listened to this last night. The remixing of the original 24/96 recordings to "raw", voice and instruments only with no reverb, echo etc brought tears to my eyes.