Good Evening Everyone,
Has anyone heard anything yet as to if Universal Music Group has plans this year to release that completed album of Neil’s that they mentioned in the story last February? Or any of Neil’s other 110 unreleased songs? I am so eager to hear the unreleased songs mentioned last year. Hopefully there have been some rumblings around that we’ll hear some new things from Neil soon. Those long videos sound intriguing, too. Hopefully some LIVE IN THE ROUND concerts are among those video recordings, too.
Tom
new music this year - idea
There have been at least three live album releases this year from of old but previously unreleased concerts by Neil’s contemporaries: Carly Simon at Grand Central Station, NYC in 1995, Carole King at Central Park, NYC in 1973, and (upcoming) Billy Joel at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco in 1975. I’d love to see Universal do something similar for Neil. My vote would be the planned and then shelved release of his LA Forum show in 1983. Perfect timing as this year marks the 40th anniversary of those stellar shows.
New Music ?
Poster Tom Tagliente hit it right on the nose. We’ve been getting either a greatest hits album or similar or a Christmas album. I know we all like to see the unreleased stuff at some point in the near future, but don’t forget it’s up to Neil himself. Bill and I came up a title of unreleased songs if Neil decides to do a project, “Rare Diamonds” and Neil could put a picture of a diamond mine on the cover. He might have to get permission to use from the internet. Where do you think you get rare diamonds from?
What I really like to see is the Neil Diamond, “One Night Only” TV special that was only for the promotion of the Melody Road album in England. I would like to see it released here in USA on the DVD/Blu-ray HD formats. In my opinion, I think it’s better than the one on the Hot August Night from NYC 2008 at MSG titled, “Welcome Home Neil.”
Bill & Jeff
One night only
Not sure if you saw my previous message but here is a link to a very good video of One Night Only. I can’t see this ever being released on dvd. Best wishes.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TXzgXDM4PCM
New Music
Yes I was thinking the same myself the other day. Neil signed over all of his music rights last year, but, universal have done diddly squat so far, about sums up their efforts in respect of Neil!!
If Neil signed everything over, then is it up to Neil? I would think Universal now have the upper hand over any upcoming releases. Obviously Neil could instigate certain releases by working on projects, although I don’t think he is too well judging by his appearance at the New York musical, so I don’t expect him to record any new albums in the future. Love to proved wrong though?
Universal have been pretty inept at promoting or putting out anything remotely interesting since they signed Neil, I would have expected an anniversary edition, expanded, of Beautiful Noise, but nothing, so let us wait and see.
ED
New Music
With Neil not producing new music now and given that we’ve seen a series of compilations and the Christmas album last year, I anticipate that Universal will probably next start a reissue campaign of Neil’s catalog. It’s long overdue, especially the Columbia years.
There’s a clue to this inside of the 50th Anniversary Collection(s) that came out a few years back. If you’ve listened carefully to these tracks, many seem to be newly remastered – some drastically (Longfellow Serenade for one) which to me suggests that they’ve been busy prepping the recordings for this purpose.
Another thing that could still happen, even though the anniversary release date passed already, is a 50th anniversary of Hot August Night. Another opportunity to give us a further expanded version. There are more song performances to be released and there’s also a surround sound release concept to consider.