Today I saw a funny video of Huey Lewis and Weird Al parodying a scene from American Psycho. At the end it turned out to be an advertisement for the upcoming 30th Anniversary Edition of Sports, by Huey Lewis and the News.
It occurred to me that there are a lot of these things coming out lately, and there seems to be no end in sight. The music industry is always trying to come up with new and not very unique ways to get our money from music we've already paid for at least once before.
I can't blame the artists. They gotta make it how they can, and only a fool would say no to such an offer. Take Huey Lewis for example. I'm not a fan, but I have nothing against the guy. He seems like a cool dude, and he was excellent in the Karaoke move, Duets. Huey Lewis has continued to make music, but have you listened to his last album? I didn't either, but we all heard the shit out of Sports. Regardless of whether we wanted to or not.
The heyday is over for most of these musicians. People being what they are, they don't want the new stuff, but still eat up the classic materials they love from their glory days.
Anniversary Editions are nothing new, but they really seem to be the thing now. Here is a partial list of ones that have either come out in this decade, or will be out soon:
War, World is a Ghetto: 40th Anniversary Edition
The Postal Service, Give Up: 10th Anniversary Edition
R.E.M., Green, 25th Anniversary Edition
David Bowie, Aladdin Sane: 40th Anniversary Edition
Judas Priest, Screaming for Vengeance, 30th Anniversary Edition
Eric Clapton, Slowhand, 35th Anniversary Edition
Paul Simon, Graceland: 25th Anniversary Edition
Woodstock, Three Days of Peace and Love: 40th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Dancing: 20th Anniversary Edition
The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition
Peter Gabriel, So, 25th Anniversary Edition
Derek & the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, 40th Anniversary Edition
Judas Priest, British Steel: 30th Anniversary Edition
Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick: 40th Anniversary Edition
Michael Jackson, Bad: 25th Anniversary Edition
Simon and Garfunkle, Bridge Over Troubled Water: 40th Anniversary Edition
Kansas, Two for the Show: 30th Anniversary Edition
Rage Against the Machine (Self-titled debut): 20th Anniversary Edition
Neil Young, The Bridge School Concerts: 25th Anniversary Edition
Jethro Tull, Aqualung: 40th Anniversary Edition
Ian Hunter, You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic: 30th Anniversary Edition
Neil Diamond, Hot August Night: 40th Anniversary Edition
Elvis Presley, '68 Comeback: 40th Anniversary Edition
R.E.M., Document: 25th Anniversary Edition
David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: 40th Anniversary Edition
Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor: 10th Anniversary Edition
The Doors, L.A. Woman: 40th Anniversary Edition
Yes, Yessongs: 40th Anniversary Edition
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Texas Flood: 30th Anniversary Edition
Creedence Clearwater Revival: 40th Anniversary Editions Box Set
Curtis Mayfield, Superfly: 25th Anniversary Edition
Ransom (Self-titled debut): 20th Anniversary Edition
The Rolling Stones, 50th Anniversary Collector's Set
Mr. Mister, Welcome to the Real World: 25th Anniversary Edition
The Velvet Underground with Nico: 45th Anniversary Edition
Morrissey, Bona Drag: 20th Anniversary Edition
The Beach Boys: 50th Anniversary Collection
Tenacious D. (Self-titled debut), 12th Anniversary Edition
Miles Davis, Bitches Brew: 40th Anniversary Edition
The Go-Go's, Beauty and the Beat: 30th Anniversary Edition
Santana, Zebop: 30th Anniversary Edition
k.d. lang, a truly western experience: 25th Anniversary Edition
Lenny Kravitz, Mama Said: 21st Anniversary Edition
REO Speedwagon, High Infidelity: 30th Anniversary Edition
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: 40th Anniversary Edition
Icehouse, Man of Colors: 25th Anniversary Edition
King Crimson, Starless and Bible Black: 40th Anniversary Edition
Creedence Cleerwater Revival, Willie and the Poor Boys: 40th Anniversary Edition
Megadeath, Peace Sells, But Who's Buying?: 25th Anniversary Edition
Rick Wakeman, Journey to the Center of the Earth: 30th Anniversary Edition
Elvis' Christmas Album: 55th Anniversary Edition
America, Hits: 40th Anniversary Edition
The O-Jays, Ship Ahoy: 40th Anniversary Edition
Queensryche, Empire: 20th Anniversary Edition
Concrete Blond, Bloodletting: 20th Anniversary Edition
Poison, Look What the Cat Dragged In: 20th Anniversary Edition
NOFX, 30th Anniversary Box Set
Bobby Womack, Across 110th Street: 40th Anniversary Edition
The Moody Blues, Days of Future Past: 45th Anniversary Edition
You get the idea. I could go on and on. The Boomers are aging fast, so let's get what we can out of them, right?
I really have no problem with anniversary editions. The collector geek in me drools over extra songs, B-Sides, demos, live cuts. Not to mention DVDs that are often included. I especially like the way many revered works are coming out in the superior vinyl format.
Of course the list does not include "original recording remastered" editions, expanded editions, or perhaps the ever-popular Legacy editions.
The ones that get me are the ten year anniversary editions, or just a random number of years. A band I like, The Aquabats, amusingly did a special One Year Anniversary Edition for their Charge! album a while back. That cracked me up.
The only thing is, many of these artists are still going strong. I would like to see the studios getting behind their new efforts more, rather than just living in the past. I'm a nostalgic guy, but the present is important too. One of my favorite artists, Todd Rundgren, has a new album coming out next week, and nearly every one of the fans I knew back in the day have not heard anything by him since the 80's. It's not like we're likely to hear anything new by older artists on the radio these days.
There aren't many on that list that have tempted me. Maybe when I see Weird Al's Dare to be Stupid, or Buster Poindexter's first album, in an anniversary edition I'll get excited.
It occurred to me that there are a lot of these things coming out lately, and there seems to be no end in sight. The music industry is always trying to come up with new and not very unique ways to get our money from music we've already paid for at least once before.
I can't blame the artists. They gotta make it how they can, and only a fool would say no to such an offer. Take Huey Lewis for example. I'm not a fan, but I have nothing against the guy. He seems like a cool dude, and he was excellent in the Karaoke move, Duets. Huey Lewis has continued to make music, but have you listened to his last album? I didn't either, but we all heard the shit out of Sports. Regardless of whether we wanted to or not.
The heyday is over for most of these musicians. People being what they are, they don't want the new stuff, but still eat up the classic materials they love from their glory days.
Anniversary Editions are nothing new, but they really seem to be the thing now. Here is a partial list of ones that have either come out in this decade, or will be out soon:
War, World is a Ghetto: 40th Anniversary Edition
The Postal Service, Give Up: 10th Anniversary Edition
R.E.M., Green, 25th Anniversary Edition
David Bowie, Aladdin Sane: 40th Anniversary Edition
Judas Priest, Screaming for Vengeance, 30th Anniversary Edition
Eric Clapton, Slowhand, 35th Anniversary Edition
Paul Simon, Graceland: 25th Anniversary Edition
Woodstock, Three Days of Peace and Love: 40th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Dancing: 20th Anniversary Edition
The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition
Peter Gabriel, So, 25th Anniversary Edition
Derek & the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, 40th Anniversary Edition
Judas Priest, British Steel: 30th Anniversary Edition
Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick: 40th Anniversary Edition
Michael Jackson, Bad: 25th Anniversary Edition
Simon and Garfunkle, Bridge Over Troubled Water: 40th Anniversary Edition
Kansas, Two for the Show: 30th Anniversary Edition
Rage Against the Machine (Self-titled debut): 20th Anniversary Edition
Neil Young, The Bridge School Concerts: 25th Anniversary Edition
Jethro Tull, Aqualung: 40th Anniversary Edition
Ian Hunter, You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic: 30th Anniversary Edition
Neil Diamond, Hot August Night: 40th Anniversary Edition
Elvis Presley, '68 Comeback: 40th Anniversary Edition
R.E.M., Document: 25th Anniversary Edition
David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: 40th Anniversary Edition
Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor: 10th Anniversary Edition
The Doors, L.A. Woman: 40th Anniversary Edition
Yes, Yessongs: 40th Anniversary Edition
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Texas Flood: 30th Anniversary Edition
Creedence Clearwater Revival: 40th Anniversary Editions Box Set
Curtis Mayfield, Superfly: 25th Anniversary Edition
Ransom (Self-titled debut): 20th Anniversary Edition
The Rolling Stones, 50th Anniversary Collector's Set
Mr. Mister, Welcome to the Real World: 25th Anniversary Edition
The Velvet Underground with Nico: 45th Anniversary Edition
Morrissey, Bona Drag: 20th Anniversary Edition
The Beach Boys: 50th Anniversary Collection
Tenacious D. (Self-titled debut), 12th Anniversary Edition
Miles Davis, Bitches Brew: 40th Anniversary Edition
The Go-Go's, Beauty and the Beat: 30th Anniversary Edition
Santana, Zebop: 30th Anniversary Edition
k.d. lang, a truly western experience: 25th Anniversary Edition
Lenny Kravitz, Mama Said: 21st Anniversary Edition
REO Speedwagon, High Infidelity: 30th Anniversary Edition
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: 40th Anniversary Edition
Icehouse, Man of Colors: 25th Anniversary Edition
King Crimson, Starless and Bible Black: 40th Anniversary Edition
Creedence Cleerwater Revival, Willie and the Poor Boys: 40th Anniversary Edition
Megadeath, Peace Sells, But Who's Buying?: 25th Anniversary Edition
Rick Wakeman, Journey to the Center of the Earth: 30th Anniversary Edition
Elvis' Christmas Album: 55th Anniversary Edition
America, Hits: 40th Anniversary Edition
The O-Jays, Ship Ahoy: 40th Anniversary Edition
Queensryche, Empire: 20th Anniversary Edition
Concrete Blond, Bloodletting: 20th Anniversary Edition
Poison, Look What the Cat Dragged In: 20th Anniversary Edition
NOFX, 30th Anniversary Box Set
Bobby Womack, Across 110th Street: 40th Anniversary Edition
The Moody Blues, Days of Future Past: 45th Anniversary Edition
You get the idea. I could go on and on. The Boomers are aging fast, so let's get what we can out of them, right?
I really have no problem with anniversary editions. The collector geek in me drools over extra songs, B-Sides, demos, live cuts. Not to mention DVDs that are often included. I especially like the way many revered works are coming out in the superior vinyl format.
Of course the list does not include "original recording remastered" editions, expanded editions, or perhaps the ever-popular Legacy editions.
The ones that get me are the ten year anniversary editions, or just a random number of years. A band I like, The Aquabats, amusingly did a special One Year Anniversary Edition for their Charge! album a while back. That cracked me up.
The only thing is, many of these artists are still going strong. I would like to see the studios getting behind their new efforts more, rather than just living in the past. I'm a nostalgic guy, but the present is important too. One of my favorite artists, Todd Rundgren, has a new album coming out next week, and nearly every one of the fans I knew back in the day have not heard anything by him since the 80's. It's not like we're likely to hear anything new by older artists on the radio these days.
There aren't many on that list that have tempted me. Maybe when I see Weird Al's Dare to be Stupid, or Buster Poindexter's first album, in an anniversary edition I'll get excited.
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