New stripped down "Let it Be" (1 Viewer)

[Kirk Gunn]

Not sure if this had been posted yet. Apologies if this is old news....

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/new....asp?nid=17453

New Beatles "Let It Be" Due

Apple Records to release a stripped-down version of the 1970 LP

Though the album will feature the same track listing as the original, the music it contains has been stripped of the orchestration that was added by legendary producer Phil Spector -- thus restoring Paul McCartney's "back to basics" concept that originally underpinned the project.

 

[jeff peterson]

Whoa! This quote from the article is just as important:

The Let It Be movie will be released on DVD to accompany the new CD

What WILL the specs be?

 

[Philip Hamm]

Sign me up for both.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Gee, maybe if we are lucky, 'Let it Be' will be processed into fake 5.1 with tons of reverb and they'll leave the original soundtrack off. :rolleyes

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well, with the hope we have here, let's let it be. Maybe this is for real.

 

[andrew markworthy]

The following quotation about The Long and Winding Road may be of interest.

Spector has been generally slammed for the way he treated certain tracks, smothering them in orchestrations which obscure the group and contradict the original concept of an 'honest' recording without overdubs. In this case, while his solution is undeniably tasteles, he had no choice but to cover the original tape with something, since it was little more than a run through with a good McCartney vocal. ... In particular, it features some atrocious bass-playing by Lennon, prodding clumsily around as if uncertain of the harmonies and making many comical mistakes. Whatever else one may say about his production, Spector's feat of diverting attention from how badly played the original track is can only be accounted a success. [Source: Ian MacDonald 'Revolution in the Head']

I wonder what we'll get on the 'new' LIB? If you've heard the bootlegs of the sessions being referred to, then you'll know that the songs largely sound like well, rehearsals. Will we *really* get these, or will we get some 'stripped-down and then tweaked' versions as on a lot of the Anthology CD tracks?

 

[Grant B]

andrew
thank you! I have heard them and they arent pretty at all; but hey I still have two virgins in my record collection
not really for public consumption
but if you ever want to clear a party quick. perfect!

 

[Angelo.M]

The RS article is a very interesting look at the sessions for Get Back/Let it Be. Indeed, the album and DVD are slated for fall 2003.

 

[Jack Briggs]

I meant to pick up that issue of RS, but I was too late. The newest issue is out now. Doesn't RS have a back-issue department?

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Well, with the hope we have here, let's let it be. Maybe this is for real.

I agree Jack.

It amazes me how often news of new things here immediately leads to wild, unsubstantiated comments on what the final result may do to the original.

 

[Philip Hamm]

It amazes me how often news of new things here immediately leads to wild, unsubstantiated comments on what the final result may do to the original.

What exactly in this thread would you classify as "wild, unsubstantiated comments on what the final result may do to the original. "??

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Philip,

I suspect Lee's comments have something to do with me. He seems to have some kind of problem with me. I wish he'd take it to an administrator or to me directly. Recently he said that he'd better watch what he says or I will attack him. Yet when I ask him to provide any kind of evidence to such an attack having happened before (quoted text or a link to a post should be fine) he ignores me. If you ask me it is just plain wrong to publicly accuse somebody of something then not back up your claim.

Lee, if you have some kind of problem with me, please talk to me or an admin about it, or put me on your ignore list.

As far as The Beatles go, I have a large collection. Many of us are not pleased with the treatment that many titles have received on CD and DVD. Most recently the soundtrack to 'A Hard Days Night' was substantially altered in a manner that many feel was to its detriment. And the original soundtrack was not included. I'm not trying to be negative about a title that has not been released. But I think it is very important that we not forget the past if we want the future to improve. I am genuinely hopeful that 'Let it Be' will be treated right...but I'm not going to be quiet about my concerns. In fact, the more of us express our concerns, the more likely that future releases will be handled properly.

 

[andrew markworthy]

It amazes me how often news of new things here immediately leads to wild, unsubstantiated comments on what the final result may do to the original.

Phillip, nobody has said anything 'wild'. The simple facts are:

(a) the Spector production of LIB is reckoned by a lot of people to be a saccharin mess
(b) the original recordings from which Spector did his production (someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but without McCartney's or George Martin's knowledge) were generally rough and ready and generally little more than demos in the main
(c) the 'new' LIB will inevitably involve a change from the original LIB release
(d) the past record of the Beatles releases in digital format has been to tinker with the sound or even edit together different takes (e.g. Anthology, Hard Day's Night). Hence, there is a high probability that we will not hear the rough and ready mixes but hybrid versions.

As far as I'm aware, nobody has said 'this is a travesty' or 'let's boycott the new album' - we're just idly wondering what it will be like. For the record, I'll be buying it, if only for completion (I've got everything else the band did).

Okay, these comments are 'unsubstantiated' because we don't know what's going to happen for sure (same as if I guess what the weather will be like it's 'unsubstantiated' until it happens). But given the past record of Beatles releases, we can make a pretty good guess.

 

[Angelo.M]

There's an interesting mini-interview w/ Ringo in the RS article wherein the upcoming release is characterized as the 'de-Spectorized' version. This is more than a little vague, but leads me to believe it will be the tracks as we know them, minus some of the orchestral flourishes, choral voices and other clutter he introduced into the production. Maybe it's the "rough and ready" tracks, pre-Spector, in a remastered state. I don't know, but either way I'll be in-line for this one. If Ringo says that it's 'beautiful,' I'm there.

 

[Larry Geller]

The problem is, I want the "Get Back" album (with Teddy Boy, Dig It at longer than 1/2 minute, Don't Let Me Down, etc.), but what it looks like we're going to get is just the same old Let It Be LP de-Spectorized.

 

[Larry Geller]

double post

 

[Michael St. Clair]

The 'Martin mix' tracks that have circulated on hundreds of bootlegs are a little rough. Not as rough as many other Beatles demos. I'd love to hear something that is a happy medium between the 'Get Back' versions and the Spector versions. Hopefully they had what they needed to work on to get it 'right' (subjective, of course).

It would be nice if they put the new 'Let it Be' on disc 1 and the fully raw 'Get Back' on a bonus disc.

 

[Jack Briggs]

I just noticed some problems in this thread. Please, let's keep the personal issues off the boards. Take them up with the administrator of your choice.

Now, let's return our focus back to the greatest band of all time and its mangled Get Back album.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Gee, maybe if we are lucky, 'Let it Be' will be processed into fake 5.1 with tons of reverb and they'll leave the original soundtrack off.

...Seem to jump rather quickly to conclusions about what a future product will be.

For example, 5.1 could be excellent if they spread it out among the front three channels and left the surrounds for ambience/room tone.

I love the Beatles. I am curious to listen to anything new, particularly if it better fits Paul's vision for the track.

 

[Anthony Hom]

Well, the tracks that are truly spectorized are:
Across the Universe, Let It Be, I Me Mine and Long And Winding Road.

The edited spector tracks would include:
Two Of Us, Dig A Pony, Dig It, For You Blue and Get Back

Can I safely assume the remaining tracks have minimal editing:
Maggie Mae, Ive Got A Feeling and One After 909.

My theory that they will not dredge up other recordings is because many of the songs that they did ended up in better form on Abbey Road, or on solo efforts. Any songs they didn't write, they would have to work out copyrights, which would cost money.
Frankly I think Macca doesn't really care what happens to Let it Be album so long as Long And Winding Road is de-orchestrated and de-choired, and his little "lounge singer" spoken word bridge put back in "many times I've been alone..." , he will be happy. I've always pictured Macca singing that spoken line part while performing at some sleazy Vegas casino lounge in front of a piano, among a bunch of disinterested drunk gamblers.