March 28, 2012

Link

Complete details have been revealed for the expansive reissue campaign celebrating the 25th anniversary of Paul Simon's classic album Graceland. Several special reissue packages, including a two-CD/two-DVD collector's edition box set, will hit stores on June 5.

The box set will feature a remastered version of the original album. A second CD will contain demos and alternate takes, as well as audio of Simon discussing the story behind the project.

One DVD will feature a director's cut of the new documentary Under African Skies, chronicling Simon's recent return to South Africa to commemorate Graceland's anniversary.

Another DVD will include footage from a 1987 concert in Zimbabwe, as well as three music videos and an archival Saturday Night Live performance of "Diamonds on the Soles of Their Shoes."

A two-disc collection will feature the remastered album, additional cuts and a DVD offering the Under African Skies doc and several additional videos. Under African Skies is also set for Blu-ray release.

A limited-edition, ultra-deluxe Graceland package will feature everything from the box set, a 180-gram vinyl LP with bonus tracks and an autographed and numbered poster.

In addition, the vinyl LP will be sold separately at independent music retailers starting on April 21 in conjunction with the Record Store Day campaign.

Lastly, Under African Skies is slated to premiere on U.S. television on the A&E network in the spring.

The movie also will be shown at various film festivals during the spring and summer, as well as receiving a theatrical run in Los Angeles and New York City in May.

I could have sworn it came out in 86'

Yes, it was originally released in 1986.

this looks...expensive, lol

but I'm glad that one of the best (perhaps the best) albums of the mid-80s get this treatment...

Prince, why don't U care?

More Details on the 25th Anniversary Editions

April 1, 2012

Special Graceland 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition Box Set – A 2 CD/2 DVD set which including the remastered original album, the "Under African Skies" documentary film extended interviews, the original 1987 "African Concert" from Zimbabwe, three original music videos and the iconic "Saturday Night Live" performance of "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes."

The box set also features the audio narrative "The Story of 'Graceland'" as told by Paul Simon, replicas of an original Graceland poster and a handwritten lyrics pad, plus a deluxe 80-page book featuring new and archival photos and interviews with Paul Simon. The box set also includes a special short audio documentary of Simon discussing the making of the record.

The official Graceland 25th Anniversary Edition CD/DVD – An exclusive two disc set featuring the remastered original album with five bonus tracks and audio documentary, and "Under African Skies" film with bonus features, three original music videos and "Saturday Night Live" performance of "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes."

Under African Skies Blu-ray Disc – the feature documentary in state-of-the-art 5.1 sound with bonus extended interviews.

Graceland 25th Anniversary Edition Vinyl – This audiophile edition is remastered on 180-gram 12" vinyl and includes an art-quality collectible Graceland poster and a download card with the full album plus three bonus tracks. It will be available beginning Saturday, April 21 at independent retailers worldwide participating in Record Store Day.

An ultra-deluxe Graceland 25th Anniversary Edition Box Set package -

The ultimate Graceland set includes the boxed set, the 180-gram 12" vinyl and a signed and numbered autographed commemorative poster--will be available direct-to-consumers during a limited time exclusive offer on the official Paul Simon website.

OK,I'm gonna just state the obvious.....

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PRINCE??!! Week after week,we see threads like this,where other artist artists are remastering their classic albums with all these amazing goodies.Meanwhile,landmark albums like 'Sign O The Times' and 'Purple Rain' don't get any kinda special remastering.It's time for Prince to stop playing around and UPGRADE HIS CATALOG!! Diehard fans go nuts for stuff like this....it gives them a chance to "celebrate" a classic album.

OK,I said what I needed to say.Carry on

Sounds great (if you have the money LOL). The production and mixing sounds very mid 80's on my original CD, so I guess the remastering will change that.

Always surprised at how the MTV friendly "you can call me al" was not a big hit in America but was here in the UK. Classic song.

SoulAlive said:

OK,I'm gonna just state the obvious.....

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PRINCE??!! Week after week,we see threads like this,where other artist artists are remastering their classic albums with all these amazing goodies.Meanwhile,landmark albums like 'Sign O The Times' and 'Purple Rain' don't get any kinda special remastering.It's time for Prince to stop playing around and UPGRADE HIS CATALOG!! Diehard fans go nuts for stuff like this....it gives them a chance to "celebrate" a classic album.

OK,I said what I needed to say.Carry on

he doesn't need to upgrade his entire discography

only the remasters of the Warner years AND a SPECIAL EDITION BOX of Purple Rain, SOTT and 1999

I can't decide if I really like Paul Simon, or if he is the biggest little weenie in popular music.

Maybe he's both

SoulAlive said:

OK,I'm gonna just state the obvious.....

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PRINCE??!! Week after week,we see threads like this,where other artist artists are remastering their classic albums with all these amazing goodies.Meanwhile,landmark albums like 'Sign O The Times' and 'Purple Rain' don't get any kinda special remastering.It's time for Prince to stop playing around and UPGRADE HIS CATALOG!! Diehard fans go nuts for stuff like this....it gives them a chance to "celebrate" a classic album.

OK,I said what I needed to say.Carry on

not only would it be a celebration of his classic albums, but with the inclusion of an extra

disc filled with outtakes and songs recorded but unreleased during that general 'era', the

media and fans alike would be heaping praise upon him again. it would give him a pretty

good shot at solidifying his place as the genius that he is.

my only hope is that he's been so 'silent' for the past few years because he has actually

started to work on a way to make such a project happen.

as much as i would love another new album by him, what we need is his classic albums

being remastered, repackaged and extended with vault material.

so many artists are releasing great remaster deluxe editions while they totally have to

scrape the barrel for bits and pieces when prince could release a 3 disc version of each

album including videos for the album tracks (most of which we've never even seen but

know he's shot), extended versions, outtakes and pro shot concert footage.

if he executed this properly he would be able to release the most amazing remastered

deluxe album packages of all. the extra stuff would be so much and so great that there

simply wouldn't be enough stars to rate them.

alas....... it will probably never happen

Prince is just too iffy about living in the past, as well as working with Warners.

But on the other hand, he cannot let the past go. It would be really unfortunate if he wanted to do this but Warners was not letting him.

NDRU said:

Prince is just too iffy about living in the past, as well as working with Warners.

But on the other hand, he cannot let the past go. It would be really unfortunate if he wanted to do this but Warners was not letting him.

I don't think warners would be against this at all. In fact, they would welcome him

with open arms.

But I don't think prince is willing to negotiate any kind of deal with them now as he

is (according to himself anyway) already getting back his masters one by one and

is up to "controversy" at this point.

So if that's true, he probably wants to wait a few more years until he has also got

the masters to "1999" and "purple rain" before he starts releasing remasters.

From prince's point of perspective that would make the most sense since it would

give him full control over the project with zero interference from warners.

Sadly for us, that also means there's more of a chance of prince butchering those

classics by removing 'explicit' content or tampering too much with them.

I guess we'll just have to wait a little longer and hope for the best.