An interesting bit of re-release news….
It looks like EMI Canada is releasing GAOW and TFE Collectors Edition CDs on August 10th. Still no plan for EMI USA to release them physically, but I am actively looking for another US label to license them.
I’m here in Oxford where TEDGlobal 2009 is about to get underway. The stage at the Playhouse looks beautiful. It’s a cosy theatre, more like our old one in Monterey than the new one in Long Beach. Oxford is my old stomping ground—my dad’s old office was at the Ashmolean Museaum across the street, and we had drinks last night overlooking his old college, Lincoln. During the school holidays I used to take the bus in to meet him at the Wimpey Bar round the corner for a cheeseburger: an exciting innovative food import back then in the ’60s and ’70′s, though Americans would probably have choked on the Wimpey version. Last night a friend and I ducked under the Bridge of Sighs and down a dark alleyway to the Turf Tavern, where one almost expects to see Sebastian slumped in a corner with his teddy bear.
I’ll be interested this year to meet the TED Fellows, a group of forward-thinking young people from around the world who are invited to attend TED on a kind of scholarship, and bring their unique talents and ideas into the mix. The quality and diversity is off the charts—here’s an example of one CV that caught my eye!
Rachel Armstrong is a medical doctor with qualifications in general practice, a multi-media producer, a science fiction author and an arts collaborator whose current research explores the possibilities of architectural design and mythologies about new technology. Rachel is currently collaborating with international scientists and architects to explore cutting-edge, sustainable technologies by developing “metabolic materials” in an experimental setting. These materials possess some of the properties of living systems and couple artificial structures to natural ones in the anticipation that our buildings will undergo an “origins of life”-style transition from inert to living matter and become part of the biosphere. By generating metabolic materials, it is hoped that cities will be able to replace the energy they draw from the environment, respond to the needs of their populations and eventually become regarded as “alive” in the same way that we think about parks or gardens. Since metabolic materials are made from terrestrial chemistry, they are not exclusive to First World countries and have the potential to transform urban environments worldwide.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Thanks for the info about the Canuck re-release, uh, release dates, Thomas! Last email I got
I’m reallllly looking forward
from amazon.ca estimated Aug. 14th, I think, so it’s lovely to know that us Canuckians will
get to hear those perfectly-remastered songs a little sooner!
to hearing “Don’t Turn Away” again, sounding marvellous. Oh, and I’m off to order ‘Singular’
right now–I’ve realized that I’ve been making the mistake of judging a book,or in this case a
CD, by its cover. What was I thinking??!? (smacks self in head)
Anyhoo, regarding Rachel Armstrong, WOW across the board! If she isn’t perfect, then
nobody is. Ah, I know, nobody’s perfect.
Here’s hoping TEDGlobal is everything that you and your lovely and talented family hope it
will be! ~Peace, Kara Kanuck
July 20th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I’m in Canada but I couldn’t wait and ordered them from amazon.uk (the difference in price wasn’t much) plus I wasn’t sure if we’d get the cd/dvd version of GAOW – the DVD is region 0 so it plays on any machine (thank you Thomas!).
They sound fantastic, thank you Thomas also for not ‘brick limiting’ them. The liner notes are fun and they don’t spoil the tunes, as some liner notes can tell you more than you ever wanted to know. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to finally have a CD copy of “Radio Silence (guitar version)”.
And the bonus tracks on the website are a nice touch…overall a fantastic remaster and reissue. Now is AAMB remaster next? I need a CD copy of “Ravivar Fiore”.
July 20th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I popped home for lunch today and heard a noise at the front door. It was UPS dropping off my new collectors editions of both releases. I know what I’ll be doing tonight when I get home. The Singular arrived last week, what a sonic treat that is. Thanks Thomas for all you have done over the past couple of years with your music and tour.
July 20th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
When i visited one of my favorite vocalist´s, Glenn Hughes´s site i came across this video:
http://www.glennhughes.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/1415
Glenn sings on “Gumball” by a band called Monkey Business, and he sings about Thomas and
a sample of science is heard while the cd cover of GAOW is shown in the video…
this is perhaps old news..but atlest it¨s two of my favorite artists in the same video!
July 20th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Re: Rachel Armstrong – how is it that all science fiction author, art collaborator, metabolic material building designer, multi-media producing doctors all look alike? It’s uncanny.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:05 am
td
i’d go with nonesuch. seems like the best label in usa, at this time.
cool artists.
maybe labelmate pat metheny would do a song with you!
A
July 21st, 2009 at 7:28 am
liked the nod to “brideshead”,what a cracking drama of its time!
July 21st, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Beware, I think you invited a vampire onto your blog….
Beech
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 am
Thomas:
I hope that you have an opportunity to enjoy yourself at TEDGlobal. I know as MD it is your responsibility to make sure that all around have fun and that things operate smoothly. Will you be performing any of your own new material?
Also, I just received my CE versions of GAOW and TFE from Amazon UK. I am so impressed with the re-mastering. The liner notes are great, too! Most importantly, Live Wireless looks and sounds fantastic!!! My 26 year old LaserDisc stored under the best conditions was finally succumbing to laser rot. Thank-you a million times for including this gem.
Just a quick question: Did you consider including the entire 1984 Dominion show with The Flat Earth as a bonus? Not complaining, btw.
Thanks for slaving over a hot stove for this one.
mixter_
July 27th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Ordered her book The Gray’s Anatomy just now, after reading the preview page on Amazon. The sexual aspect of the relationship between humans and the aliens commonly referred to as greys is of interest, and sometimes fiction can explore questions to greater effect than nonfiction. (Plus, she looks a bit like a scary/sexy alien herself, so maybe she knows things! Her pic, in color: http://tinyurl.com/lwerep )
August 12th, 2009 at 4:45 am
As a Canuckian, I am so looking forward to these releases. Now, if only they’d put out Singular here as well, I’d be downright ecstatic.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I now have the Canadian release of the Wireless remaster spinning in my Discman. And Houston, I am sorry to report that there’s a bit of a problem. The beginning of “Fairchild” starts with “Whiskey Zulu a torre–”…sudden cutoff, silence until 0:10…then it starts over again, and continues regularly. Tom, methinks you should get in touch with EMI Canada about this.
On the brighter side, Canadian fans, Singular will be out here on September 29th. Rejoice and gird your wallets.