Some of you may have witnessed my full-on Rabid Fangirl freak-out on the Yesfans forum regarding the contents of the upcoming box set. Dear Reader, it was the veritable gamut of emotions.
Trevor is releasing a box set: OMG YAIS, this is amazing.
Reading the details of said box set on the storefront: Uh...what?
It's true I have some issues with some things but it's also true that the information provided by Gonzo Multimedia via the storefront is just downright confusing.
So I wanted to raise a few of those points as a die-hard fan (and someone whom this release is targeted directly at), and hopefully we might receive some clarification from someone before March 16th. I do find it kind of odd that after Henry Potts and I broke the story, so to speak, there's been no actual official announcement from anybody. I don't mind being the one enacting the publicity but you'd think there would be a plan for this sort of thing, right? Because any other outlet which reported on the box set did so hours after I did. So, once again: You're welcome.
How many discs?
As Henry helpfully pointed out in discussion, they have disc seven appearing in the listing twice, once for the Rabin-Hodgson disc (presumably) and once for the Boston show. So are there ten discs or eleven? Do we get a full show recording on two discs, or an edited version on one disc and the collaborations with Roger?
Beginnings or Trevor Rabin?
It's déjà vu all over again, it seems...when Trevor Rabin was reissued in 2003, it bore the original album title and cover art. Now it seems this version is the opposite, with the eponymous title and cover art (ugh). The tracklisting in the description is for Beginnings, and IF that is true, that is amazing. A remaster of Beginnings is something I have desired for a very long time, and the subject of one of my entries back in 2017. Now I don't even know if I should be excited. Is it actually correct? And if so, why did they not just use the original title and cover art (which they already had in the archives, presumably). But I'm really hoping this is not a misprint!
Do we get a full show?
Returning to a previous point. when I received the email from Ray Reithmeier regarding the storefront update, he pointed out to me that it appears the Boston show disc bears the cover of this bootleg version:
https://www.discogs.com/Trevor-Rabin-Cry-Lonely-Wolf/release/8151269
...and thus it's a reasonable supposition that the release is sourced from it as well (i.e. the original radio broadcast). But in conjunction with the issue of the number of actual discs, it appears uncertain. I'm also going to speculate that there were two versions broadcast: one was a full show simulcast by WBCN on 12/5/89 and one was an edited version by Westwood One sometime in 1990. It could be what will be included in the box set is this latter version and that would be disappointing, as I previously stated. And that's not even touching upon the fact that if they are using that cover, it's not even a photo of Trevor from 1989!
WTF?!
I don't know what to say about 90124, it's not even the same tracklist as the original CD? Of course the original CD also contained numerous errors in the liner notes, so...has it been resequenced, with some tracks swapped out, or what?
Extras
Bonus content is always a crapshoot from a fan's perspective, but it is disappointing in this case as most of the bonus tracks for the individual reissues are previously available, either in the collector's market or online.
But can we talk about the poster for a minute? As a fan, as a collector, I love posters; I am someone who - as some fellow fans/readers are aware - has an entire room decorated with posters, photos and artwork of Trevor. And the thought of a new poster made me very happy...until I closely examined the photo of the box set contents. The image used for the poster is the one which graces the back cover of Trevor Rabin, but presumably reproduced at a higher quality. But seriously...Trevor Rabin has the worst cover art of all of Trevor's solo albums. As I opined on Yesfans, what they should have done was reproduced the poster which came with the Japanese version of the album, which I have exhibited previously on the blog. I doubt it would have been difficult to obtain a copy for scanning. Or how about the poster which was created to promote Can't Look Away, which, sure, you can still buy on eBay but it's a great photograph (as are all of Lisa Powers' images). I'm assuming that one will at least be included in the photo book.
Were you really ready?
There are numerous formatting errors and typos in the merchandise listings and someone should have caught all of it before they went live. I'm asserting this from my professional perspective, not my fandom one.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Open for business!
With enormous gratitude to Raymond Reithmeier for giving me the heads-up!
As previously reported by Henry Potts and myself last week, the online store for Trevor's back catalog is now live and can be accessed via this link.
https://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/artists/categories/trevor-rabin
What is amazing to behold is the film music composed by Trevor Rabin promo release (the subject of a previous entry back in 2015) now available to everyone for a totally reasonable price (as most fans know this was probably the priciest score promo on the collector's market for many years). I highly recommend it if you are a fan of Trevor's scoring work. Also great to see is the release of the Jack Frost promo which contains what I consider to be Trevor's most beautiful theme ever, "Frostbite." There are some other score albums on offer which are signed by Trevor, and were available as official releases in prior years.
But the true highlight of the store's offerings is a box set entitled Changes, set for release on March 16th. What I assume to be a limited edition, signed and numbered 10-disc release, it features all of Trevor's solo back catalog (with the exception of Jacaranda and Live in L.A.) as well as some special bonus content:
- Additional material from the recording of Can't Look Away.
- The additional songs demo'ed/recorded with Roger Hodgson in 1990 (as "Walls" was previously released on 90124).
- What looks to be the full recording of the December 5th 1989 performance at Boston's Paradise Club as broadcast on WBCN (two discs).
- Two collectible books featuring photographs from the making of Wolf as well as Trevor's 1989 photo session with Lisa Powers for the Can't Look Away packaging and promotion.
So if you're desiring to fill some holes in your collection or salivating over that big beautiful box set...go get your shop on!
As previously reported by Henry Potts and myself last week, the online store for Trevor's back catalog is now live and can be accessed via this link.
https://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/artists/categories/trevor-rabin
What is amazing to behold is the film music composed by Trevor Rabin promo release (the subject of a previous entry back in 2015) now available to everyone for a totally reasonable price (as most fans know this was probably the priciest score promo on the collector's market for many years). I highly recommend it if you are a fan of Trevor's scoring work. Also great to see is the release of the Jack Frost promo which contains what I consider to be Trevor's most beautiful theme ever, "Frostbite." There are some other score albums on offer which are signed by Trevor, and were available as official releases in prior years.
But the true highlight of the store's offerings is a box set entitled Changes, set for release on March 16th. What I assume to be a limited edition, signed and numbered 10-disc release, it features all of Trevor's solo back catalog (with the exception of Jacaranda and Live in L.A.) as well as some special bonus content:
- Additional material from the recording of Can't Look Away.
- The additional songs demo'ed/recorded with Roger Hodgson in 1990 (as "Walls" was previously released on 90124).
- What looks to be the full recording of the December 5th 1989 performance at Boston's Paradise Club as broadcast on WBCN (two discs).
- Two collectible books featuring photographs from the making of Wolf as well as Trevor's 1989 photo session with Lisa Powers for the Can't Look Away packaging and promotion.
So if you're desiring to fill some holes in your collection or salivating over that big beautiful box set...go get your shop on!
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Collector's Corner: time for some groovy love
Spotted on Instagram: Marq Vas shares a few rarities from his collection, this time a grouping of the first Disco Rock Machine album and single releases for various markets. As we know there were only two albums, in 1978 and '79, but quite a few versions of both the albums and singles were issued.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
The good (and not-so-good) news
With thanks to the esteemable Henry Potts for the heads-up, it looks like there is interesting news regarding what appear to be some self-released archival recordings from Trevor.
As reported on Henry's Yes: Where are they now? news site...
As reported on Henry's Yes: Where are they now? news site...
Rick Wakeman's online store, delivered through Music Glue, reportedly announced that Rabin will have a Music Glue store soon including releases of some previously promo-only film scores and a live album from Boston, 13 Dec 1989, that was previously broadcast on radio in 1990. The set for the radio broadcast was "Intro/Cover Up", "Sorrow", "Love will Find a Way", "Promises", "Something to Hold on to", "Owner of a Lonely Heart".
Music Glue is referred to as a "bespoke e-commerce" enterprise, so we can interpret this to be Trevor taking the reins, as it were, though they will handle the logistics of distribution. And his once-and-future bandmate is doing the same with his Rick Wakeman's Emporium storefront. Given the humorous photo taken at Rick's Los Angeles show of Trevor at the merch table, it appears he was convinced of the benefit of making one's back catalog work for you, something I am on record as being a long-time advocate of in Trevor's case.
But as usual I have things to opine.
The release of promo-only film scores is great news for those of us who collect them and especially - potentially - those of us who collect them and don't like being gouged on eBay. Trevor should be receiving revenue for such a thing if the rights have reverted to him. I am curious as to why he hasn't cut a deal with Varese Sarabande or even La-La Land Records for archival score releases, but perhaps he's not interested in a deluxe kind of experience in that regard.
The live broadcast is another matter, unfortunately. In my 2014 entry "some traveling music" I discuss the extant recording of Trevor's appearance at Boston's Paradise Club (though the date was December 5th, not the 13th - that was the Roxy show), and the radio broadcast on WBCN was of the full performance. So this will contain only half the show if that is the final tracklist of the upcoming release. And that is disappointing. If the recording has been remastered then it provides added value of a sort, but I don't understand why it has to be truncated unless an edited version is somehow the only available master recording. However, it is still possible to find the complete recording in online trading circles, and although I would never suggest anyone pay for it (though you certainly could at least from one particular source), do I believe Trevor's fans deserve to hear it? Yes, I think they do.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Knowing The Score: favorite themes part two
An ongoing series in which I wax enthusiastic regarding Trevor's best themes from his film scoring work.
Yesterday IGN (among other outlets) posted an article regarding progress on the third installment in Disney's National Treasure franchise, though the details are rather vague at the moment. So in honor of that news, which can be read here:
https://www.ign.com/articles/national-treasure-3-in-development-at-disney-writer-attached
I thought I would post my next "favorite themes" entry which examines one of the pieces from Book of Secrets. It reflects information reported last year regarding the status of another film, and I'm going to leave that part as is since we have a new update.
I get asked various things regarding Trevor and I would state, if asked, that the three scores Trevor is most known for are the following:
Armageddon
Remember the Titans
National Treasure
...and all three of those movies possess scores which are memorable and thrilling for certain, and in different ways. The potential popularity and visibility of a movie shouldn't necessarily have any bearing on the skill involved in composition, but it does seem like Trevor brought a little extra-special something to these big movies, and so in support of this assertion, my second installment in this series is a theme from National Treasure: Book of Secrets, the sequel in the only would-be franchise Trevor was involved with. I say "would-be" since it only consists of two films, and it is not definitely known if there will ever be a third movie continuing the adventures of Benjamin Gates; although once again Disney chairman/CEO Bob Iger brought up the possibility at the company's annual shareholders' meeting.
"So!" is a relatively short theme (1:46), but it is so upbeat and catchy, it immediately makes me happy to hear it. As well I swear I can hear elements of "Prague" from Bad Company which is one of my very favorites of Trevor's beautiful themes - just a particular chord sequence which reminds me of that one. I've always thought that the first 37 seconds of "So!" would make a great theme for a television program, succinct and yet well-developed. It then takes a turn for the reflective, continuing on with the same motif but at a more stately pace. It then concludes with a big orchestral flourish, and is, to my mind, one of the best examples of what Trevor can accomplish with a shorter theme.
Yesterday IGN (among other outlets) posted an article regarding progress on the third installment in Disney's National Treasure franchise, though the details are rather vague at the moment. So in honor of that news, which can be read here:
https://www.ign.com/articles/national-treasure-3-in-development-at-disney-writer-attached
I thought I would post my next "favorite themes" entry which examines one of the pieces from Book of Secrets. It reflects information reported last year regarding the status of another film, and I'm going to leave that part as is since we have a new update.
****
I get asked various things regarding Trevor and I would state, if asked, that the three scores Trevor is most known for are the following:
Armageddon
Remember the Titans
National Treasure
...and all three of those movies possess scores which are memorable and thrilling for certain, and in different ways. The potential popularity and visibility of a movie shouldn't necessarily have any bearing on the skill involved in composition, but it does seem like Trevor brought a little extra-special something to these big movies, and so in support of this assertion, my second installment in this series is a theme from National Treasure: Book of Secrets, the sequel in the only would-be franchise Trevor was involved with. I say "would-be" since it only consists of two films, and it is not definitely known if there will ever be a third movie continuing the adventures of Benjamin Gates; although once again Disney chairman/CEO Bob Iger brought up the possibility at the company's annual shareholders' meeting.
"So!" is a relatively short theme (1:46), but it is so upbeat and catchy, it immediately makes me happy to hear it. As well I swear I can hear elements of "Prague" from Bad Company which is one of my very favorites of Trevor's beautiful themes - just a particular chord sequence which reminds me of that one. I've always thought that the first 37 seconds of "So!" would make a great theme for a television program, succinct and yet well-developed. It then takes a turn for the reflective, continuing on with the same motif but at a more stately pace. It then concludes with a big orchestral flourish, and is, to my mind, one of the best examples of what Trevor can accomplish with a shorter theme.
Friday, January 17, 2020
new Love for the new year
Even though it's now official, more or less, that Ryan is no longer a part of GROUPLOVE in any capacity, I still do enjoy the band and have been keeping tabs on what they're doing. Last week they released the first single from their upcoming album Healer and I think it's really good - it contains many of the elements of their sound which we know and love (i.e. Christian and Hannah's harmonies and a hook-y chorus) combined with an absolutely driven punk-pop energy. The production work is stellar and I urge anyone interested to give it a listen if you haven't already. The lyrics make me consider that the song can be apprehended on a few different levels...from the personal to the political, shall we say.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Time-travel Tuesday: working man
Speaking of birthday tributes...this one features a photo I don't believe I've seen before, a very nice action shot on the job, as it were.
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