THE PREACHER'S KIDS, 'Devil's Hitlist' [re-imagined LP]

Preacher's Kids 

THE DEVIL'S HITLIST    (2005)

French Blues (Spanish Boots)

Blow You a Kiss

Devil's Hitlist

Good Times Are Still Yet to Come

Is This Love*  (7" version)

Crooked Road

------------

I Wanna Be a Lost Cause

Young Lovers

Two Sides to Every Coin

Childhood on the Rocks

Tonight is Gone Tomorrow**

Haunted By Desire**

This is the third album by singer-songwriter Tyler Keith and his band The Preacher's Kids. It was originally self-released in 2007 belatedly following line-up changes and a split from their label Get Hip! Records (which released their previous album Wild Emotions in 2003). It included 12 songs and there was also a pair of vinyl 45 singles released, as well. "Is This Love" was a different version from the album with backing vocals featured in the mix. The flipside was a cover of "Don't Talk to Me" by G.G. Allin and The Jabbers sung by guitarist Johnny Valiant. "French Boots" was the 2nd single backed with a cover of "20th Century Boy" by T-Rex sung by drummer Frank Coutch. From what I know, the band was recording at Easley Studios in Memphis, TN. There was a fire at the studio at some point...and some of the tapes were thought to be lost. In 2011, a friend of mine (close to the band) revealed to me a CD-R with some rough cuts from the sessions. I heard an unfinished mix of the song "Ghost Writer" (a fan favourite that reportedly ended up having to be sourced from an MP3 rip for the album master) missing the wordless bridge section with its Beach Boy-style falsetto vocals (probably by guitarists Johnny Valiant and Talbot Adams--as well as bassist Van Thompson) along with two unreleased tracks--"Tonight is Gone Tomorrow" and "Haunted By Desire". The latter tune was reportedly intended to close the album but was mixed up with the similar sounding "Our Time to Live".  

To make an awesome album even better...I swap "Blow You a Kiss" for the inferior sound quality MP3 rip of "Ghost Writer" (which TK would later re-cut--among others--for his solo acoustic album Alias Kid Twist) and I add the two outtakes at the end. My only real quarrel with "Our Time to Live" is the hard one-sided mix of the vocal that makes it almost inaudible and definitely unintelligible. "Ghost Writer" is a fucking brilliant tune and the Easley Studio mix is unfortunately unfinished. I propose including that and "Our Time to Live" with rips of the previously mentioned vinyl 45 b-sides for a bonus E.P.

1. Ghost Writer  [Easley Studio mix]**  
2. Don't Talk to Me*   ["Is This Love"  7-inch]
3. 20th Century Boy*    ["French Boots" 7-inch]
4. Our Time to Live   [The Devil's Hitlist]

RYAN ADAMS, 'Gold' [re-imagined 2xCD set]

Thank you for this info MEGA-SUPERIOR-GOLD for the info

Ryan Adams

GOLD  (alt.)

According to sonicnet.com, this would have been the tracklisting for Gold if it had been a double album: "New York, New York" "Cannonball Day" "Rosalie Come and Go" "Off Broadway" "Tina Taleda Street Walkin' Blues" "When Stars Go Blue" "Dear Chicago" "Touch, Feel and Lose" "It's Only Going to Make You Love Me More" "I Wish I Had a Sylvia Plath" "Somehow, Someday" "Harder Now That It's Over" "Fool's Gold" "Maralisa" "The Fools We Are as Men" "Firecracker" "Answering Bell" "Wildflowers" "You're Nobody, Girl" "La Cienega Just Smiled" "The Bar Is a Beautiful Place" "From You to Me" "The Rescue Blues" "Sweet Black Magic" "Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard"

Ryan Adams acoustic/electric guitar/harmonica/piano/banjo

Ethan Johns acoustic and electric guitars/drums/bass/chamberlin/glockenspiel/B-3/vibes/mandolin/background vocals/harmonium/mandocellobanjo/ vocals

Richard Causon piano

Chris Stills bass/ background vocals/acoustic guitar/electric guitar

Kamasi Washington saxophone

Benmont Trench piano/ hammond b-3

Jennifer Condos bass

Bucky Baxter steel guitar

Adam Duritz background vocals

Juliana Raye background vocals

Milo De Cruz bass

CC White background vocals

Rami Jaffi accordion

AndreCarter trumpet

Jim Keltner - drums

produced by Ethan Johns

engineered and mixed by Ethan Johns

assistant engineer, Steven Rhodes

mastered by Doug Sax and Robert Hadley at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood),

recorded at the Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles

Random Notes

Other Songs Recorded During the Gold Sessions

Dear Chicago - originally recorded for Heartbreaker and the Suicide Handbook, then later released on Demolition

She Wants to Play a Game of Hearts - recorded for the Suicide Handbook and released on Demolition.

Cry on Demand - Also recorded for The Suicide Handbook and eventually released on Demolition.

Off Broadway - Also recorded for The Suicide Handbook and eventually re-recorded and released on Easy Tiger.

Fools Gold - an unreleased gem of a song that sounds like early 70's Bob Dylan.

Other Random Info:

When listening to "When the Stars Go Blue", according to Ryan : "Think of the star as someone hiding away in her Beverly Hills mansion and saying an awful lot. Listen to the song again with that in mind and see what you think." (Los Angeles Times 2/3/02)

"Firecracker" was originally written by Ryan Adams for Lucinda Williams to sing.

"New York New York" was not meant to be anthem for NYC, it was actually written with an old girlfriend in mind and instead of using her name. He switched it with "New York New York". (Although the woman it's written about was living with Ryan in NYC, so it sort of still has to do with with NYC)

"New York New York" was nominated for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 2002 Grammy Awards.

Gold was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2002 Grammy Awards.

A picture Ryan age 5, and his older brother - age 9, dressed up as Kiss for Halloween is show the liner notes.

In the liner notes of Gold, Ryan thanks Alanis Morresette multiple times. He supposedly lost a bet with her and that was part of the deal when Ryan lost.

Early versions of "Answering Bell", "La Cienega Just Smiled", "Mara Lisa", "Touch Feel and Lose","Firecracker" and "Wild Flowers" can all be found on the unreleased album - The Suicide Handbook.

"Enemy Fire" has also been recorded for the Pinkhearts album and on the Exile on Franklin Street album.

An early version of "The Rescue Blues" can also be found on The Q Division Demos and Exile on Franklin Street.

An early version of "Rosalie Come and Go" can be found on the unreleased album - Exile on Franklin Street.

The Artwork/Cover

In response to why he picked a flag for the cover of Gold:

"We did the cover shoot out in Los Angeles, and we did a lot of different poses and everything. One of the things we had was this big huge flag, and I thought it just looked powerful - that's what attracted me to it. I also kind of wanted to tweak the whole Bruce Springsteen 'Born in the U.S.A.' thing. Instead of me standing there all tough like Bruce, I'm in my slouchy, twitchy posture, my head down, my hair a mess. We thought it looked cool, but it was also meant to be a bit of a goof." (New York Times Magazine 11/4/01)

---------

Following the release of his 2000 debut for Bloodshot Records, Heartbreaker, the DRA was already writing more songs than anyone could keep up with. In January 2001, he entered Javalina Studios in Nashville and recorded the 21-song often bootlegged Suicide Handbook collection. Those songs were rejected by his new label (Lost Highway) for being 'too dark' and Ryan re-recorded some of the songs as part of a new concept he was tinkering with for what became the album Gold. 

In a previous post, I tackled what a single disc of the Suicide Handbook would be like if it had been released in early 2001. Many fans of Heartbreaker (I also covered an alternate version of this using tracks from its Deluxe Edition) were disappointed in the change in style for Gold. I think releasing SH in between the two would have led to a better overall response for when after Gold was released on Sept. 11 (!) that same fateful year. 

Gold was originally intended to be a 25-song double CD with the concept of Ryan performing in a variety of styles--as in turning the dial across 1970's era radio. Adjusting for acoustic versions of tracks he recorded for the previous project--I mixed in some of the b-sides and leftovers to make a single 17-track CD (for my alt. RA discog). All unreleased tracks and b-sides can be easily found online. Ryan recently shared a demo of "Play With Fire" by The Rolling Stones in tribute to the recent passing of their legendary drummer, Charlie Watts (Rest in Power---good sir). I'm sure a deluxe reissue is just around the corner....

1. Play With Fire (bonus track)*
2. Ghost
3. My Love For You is Real
4. Liar

THE REIGNING SOUND, 'Pill-popping Mom Only Taking What She Needs To Get By' [imagined LP]

The Reigning Sound

PILL-POPPING MOM ONLY TAKING WHAT SHE NEEDS TO GET BY    (2003)

Find Me Now*

If You Can't Give Me Everything*

Medication Blues #1*

Carol*

What Could I Do?*

Funny Thing*

Drowning

-----------

When You Touch Me

Let Yourself Go

Medication

I'll Cry

You Got Me Hummin'

Get It!

Uptight, Tonight

In my continued mission to both find new projects of interest and promote bands I think you should hear...I present to you the lost original 3rd Reigning Sound LP. Now first off, the reason for an 'alternate view' is simply to find a new way to listen some albums I have played out many times. The Reigning Sound is a band I haven't heard do a bad song. Seriously. 

In 2003, the Memphis based quartet had recorded their follow-up to 2002's highly praised Time Bomb High School. Lead singer-songwriter Greg Cartwright had toyed with calling the album 'PILL-POPPING MOM ONLY TAKING WHAT SHE NEEDS TO GET BY' from an article in the medical advice column of the local Memphis paper The Commercial Appeal. Apparently, the writing direction changed and it ended up becoming a much louder record with the appropriate title, Too Much Guitar! This also tied in with the departure of keyboardist Alex Greene. The remaining trio (Cartwright, bassist Jeremy Scott and drummer Greg Roberson) picked up recording at Cartwright's own Legba Records (now Goner Records) store with help from local musicians Jay Reatard (R.I.P.) and Alicia Trout (then both of The Lost Sounds). 

Basically the first half of this was recorded with Greene (including versions of "Funny Thing" and "If You Can't Give Me Everything") but was left off (except "Drowning" and the rest on side 2) in favor of new recordings. Now that the band would be a trio, a new batch of songs was laid down alongside the previous batch (with Greene in the mix) and released in 2004 as the excellent Too Much Guitar! LP. These first songs were later released on the 2005 compilation album Home For Orphans. The transition of "If You Can't Give Me Everything" from the two sessions is something else!  For the compilation CD i just mentioned--I basically switched out songs and adjusted the tracklist for that reconstruction. I won't bother trying to re-construct the cover when the original is fine. Here's the 45 sleeve of their X-Mas single:

The Reigning Sound

HOME FOR ORPHANS   (alt.)

Your Love is a Fine Thing   

We Repel Each Other      

So Easy

If You Can't Give Me Everything*    

Funny Thing*                    

Excedrine Headache #265

------------
Black Sheep*     [Live at Goner Records]
Do Something*     [Live at Goner Records]

I Walk By Your House**      [Time Bomb High School  *CD only]

If Christmas Can't Bring You Home

Pretty Girl

Here Without You

Don't Send Me No Flowers, I Ain't Dead Yet


The first side is from the original Too Much Guitar! LP recorded as a trio. The first couple songs on side 2 were cut from a live show in 2005 at the same Goner Records store (previously Legba Records) they recorded in previously. "I Walk By Your House" I include because of its exclusion from the LP version of Time Bomb High School. I also listen to that album in its LP format (ballads on one side; rockers on the others). You can drop that one for "Do Something", if you please. The other songs made their LP debut on the original Home For Orphans in 2005. 

THE VINES, 'In Miracle Land' [re-imagined LP]

The Vines

IN MIRACLE LAND   (alt.)

Hate the Sound

Sky Gazer

Leave Me Alone

Broken Heart

Annie Jane

In Miracle Land

Waitin

Slide Away

Emerald Ivy

I Wanna Go Down

Gone Wonder

-----

Now this album just came out, but it could do with some re-sequencing to make it the best it could be, IMHO. I usually don't do albums that are this recent--but this should be heard. The Vines make some good tunes. All tracks taken from the new album. I cut "Willow" out and just switched things around for a more cohesive listen. Check it out for yourself?  11 songs at about 31 minutes.

The inability to tour and the diagnosis of frontman Craig Nicholls having Asperger's Syndrome being tied to that have waned the surge of popularity they last saw in 2004. Nicholls has carried on with varying line-ups and made at least three great records since then. 2006's Vision Valley was the follow-up to their 2004 supposed 'sophomore slump' Winning Days. Despite having a hit from that album with "Ride" (used in Nissan commercials), legal problems and the departure of bassist Patrick Matthews cut the supporting tour short. 2008's Melodia grew on me; the diminishing returns in songwriting seem to begin here, though. After 2011's Future Primitive, only Nicholls remained in the band before he would re-group once more. By 2014, not one but two LPs of new stuff was released on the 22-track Wicked Nature--a return to form to my ears. The Vines were now a trio once again and performing live again. This album--their seventh since 2002--was preceded in 2016 by a digital single release of the title track. As of current, Nicholls has reunited with the Winning Days line-up to perform at a couple shows in Sydney with their fellow countrymen Jet. In Miracle Land was released on 29 June of this year. The reviews have been good but mixed so far. Some of the complaints of the album's pacing are what led me to re-evaluate it and now here we are, superstar.

Cheers!

GUNS N' ROSES, 'Chinese Democracy' [re-imagined LP]

Guns N' Roses

CHINESE DEMOCRACY  (1999)

Chinese Democracy 
Better
Street of Dreams
10 Years*     [Believe in Me]
Anxious Disease*     [Anxious Disease]
There Was a Time
Madagascar
---------
Catcher in the Rye   (Brian May lead guitar mix)**
Believe in Me*    [Believe in Me]
Riad n' the Bedouins
Tijuana Jail*   [Pawnshop Guitars]
I.R.S.
Six Feet Under*    [Neurotic Outsiders]
This I Love


All tracks taken from the original 2009 LP except where indicated. I've seen the Garden City reconstruction and the similar Beggars & Hangers On; I thought I'd try one with Axl Rose singing more than one song. Yes, these are exercises in re-imagining history to make an interesting listening experience to an album I've played out, actually. I thought why not make a compromise between the less industrial tracks on said album and combine some possible contributions from the late 90's period where it all started. Slash left the group in 1996 after recording the Snakepit record with the other guys and singer Eric Dover. No offense to him, but he's not singing on this one. Slash contributes to other members' tracks I included to complete the deal. Duff sings "Believe in Me" and "10 Years" from his solo album; Gilby Clarke sings "Tijuana Jail" from his album; West Arkeen contributes the title cut ("Anxious Disease") from the album by his band The Outpatience (which includes Slash and Axl contributing musically on this track). I also included a third song by Duff called "Six Feet Under" from the album by his group the Neurotic Outsiders. 

Everyone will have a different opinion on what should be included to make this accurate for release circa 1999 or so. Don't let that get in the way of a good listen...14 tracks clocking in a little over an hour. Not quite the undertaking of hearing the original CD in one sitting. However, I did leave the heavier tracks for an E.P. release sequel to GNR Lies put together with "Oh My God" and the 'new' version of "Welcome to the Jungle" from a couple soundtrack releases around the time. The fact that Axl owned the name and was very much in control...it's arguable Duff and Gilby Clarke's material would have remained even had they been gone by the time of its release. The presence of their voices lends to the familiarity missing from this 'new GNR' record that alienated older fans. I was a casual fan, but I heard it and loved it!  Appetite is a classic while the Use Your Illusion records could use some trimming, IMHO. The loss of Slash as a songwriter could be filled by Axl and Duff's collaborator and friend West Arkeen; he had contributed in the past and was considered 'the sixth or seventh' Gun. This isn't me saying the void was filled, mind you!  I'm just saying Axl would likely bring him in and allow Duff and even Gilby (say he didn't get replaced by Axl so abruptly this time) to balance out the writing. It can be also argued that the reason the writing of the album took so long was because the lack of collaborative spirit the classic line-up(s) had brought before to the final product. Axl Rose himself was more or less quoted as saying "It has some songs that sound like Guns and some more like an Axl Rose record...but hopefully you'll like some songs on there." 

ELLIOTT SMITH, "From a Basement on the Hill" [re-imagined 2 x LP]

ELLIOTT SMITH

From a Basement on The Hill   (alt.)

Yay! (instrumental)*
Coast to Coast
Let's Get Lost
Suicide Machine*
Abused*
Don't Go Down
Strung Out Again
A Fond Farewell
King's Crossing
The Assassin or Kill/Fuck (instrumental)*
Cecelia/Amanda*
Brand New Game*
Stick Man*
Melodic Noise (instrumental)*
Twilight
-----------
Mr. Good Morning*
True Love     [Heaven Adores You soundtrack]
A Passing Feeling
Blue Mood (instrumental reprise of "Abused")*
The Last Hour
From a Poisoned Well*
Dancing on the Highway*
Shooting Star
O So Slow  (instrumental)*
Memory Lane
Little One
A Distorted Reality is Now a Necessity to Be Free
Trouble*
See You in Heaven (instrumental)*
Everything's Okay*


--------------------------------------------------------------


I've been trying to find the missing pieces to complete an approximation of the 30-song double LP the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith had intended to be his 'own White Album'--we know history didn't turn out that way for him. I first heard the song "Twilight" on a mix CD my cousin gave me 15 years ago. Then I got into his body of work and was truly blown away. I was too late to see the man in concert. He had (allegedly) committed suicide in October 2003. Sad ending for a man who had been to hell and back with drugs and depression and was trying to overcome them to produce what he hoped would be his defining album. By the summer and fall months of 2003, Elliott Smith had recently cleaned up--albeit the most extreme way possible--and was completing final vocal tracks for what would've been the true From a Basement on the Hill.

From what I've read...some 50 tracks were recorded for a projected 30-song double CD (ala The Beatles' White Album). By the time the unfinished project saw the light of the day, only 15 songs would be released on a single disc by ANTI Records in 2004. Due to Smith's death in Oct. 2003, his family came into possession of the tapes. David McConnell was Smith's original producer and collaborator on the album, but the family chose to enlist producer Rob Schnapf (who previously worked with Smith) and musician Joanna Bolme (a former girlfriend) to sort out the final project. 

Two things off the bat--"Pretty (Ugly Before)" would not been chosen to be included as it had already been released as a 7" in 2001 backed with an early version of "A Distorted Reality". Also, "Ostriches and Chirping" was included as a preface to "Twilight" on the released CD...but it's not an Elliott Smith composition at all. That's a loop of a toy bird created by McConnell that ended up on one of the reels and included by mistake.Several songs including "Suicide Machine", "Abused", "Stickman", "Mr. Good Morning", and "See You in Heaven" were intended for the album but left off (most likely because of the lyrics and subject matter). "True Love" was also left off but ultimately surfaced on the Heaven Adores You soundtrack from a few years back. Other tracks that may have been part of the album I found and included here as well. 30 tracks clocking in just under two hours. Now, I could not find vocals for "See You in Heaven" and "Blue Mood" and I know lyrics were written (according to the internet--lol) for them both. "Melodic Noise" I included in place of "Ostriches and Chirping" as an intro to "Twilight". I tried to sequence as best I could; dividing it between "Twilight" ending the first half and "Mr, Good Morning" opening the second half. There have been incorrectly labeled tracks floating around that ended up on the posthumously released 2-CD compilation New Moon as well as the recent deluxe re-issues of Either/Or and Roman Candle. I took the liberty of including "Brand New Game" and "Cecelia/Amanda" though they date back to Figure 8 era. It was said he had older unreleased songs that were being considered for re-recording. A complete tracklist has never surfaced. However, I think this as close as it gets (maybe for now).  

THE TEMPTATIONS, "More With a Lot O' Soul!" [imagined LP]

The Temptations

MORE WITH A LOT O' SOUL!   (1967)

I Got Heaven Right Here on Earth        [Emperors of Soul]

I'm Doing it All         [Emperors of Soul]

Angel Doll      [The Ultimate Collection]

What Am I Gonna Do Without You      

Love is What You Make It

No Time

Last One Out is Brokenhearted

How Can I Forget                [50th Anniversary - The Singles Collection, 1961-1971]

Forever in My Heart

I Now See You Clear Through My Eyes

Camouflage (ver. 2) 

We'll Be Satisfied

12 songs at 32 minutes leftover from the With a Lot O' Soul! LP sessions in 1967. That was my first Temptations album I bought on vinyl (I had previously been introduced via BMG Music--remember that and Columbia House???--with The Ultimate Collection CD). David Ruffin is probably my favourite singer of all time; but Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks just seal the deal!  The rest of the songs are taken from Lost and Found - The Temptations: You've Got to Earn It  (1962-1968).

Cody ChesnuTT, "THE HEADPHONE MASTERPIECE" [re-imagined LP]

CODY CHESNUTT

'The Headphone Masterpiece'   (alt.)

My Women, My Guitars

Somebody's Parents

When I Find Time

Eric Burdon

Upstarts in a Blowout

5 on a Joyride

Daylight

So Much Beauty in the Subconscious

The Seed

If We Don't Disagree

Look Good in Leather

6 Seconds

Serve This Royalty

The Most Beautiful Shame

My single disc reworking of this underrated singer-songwriter's 36-track self-produced debut released in 2002. I remember seeing him pop up in The Strokes's "Last Night" video and of course "Look Good in Leather" was out on the airwaves, too. And of course, The Roots putting out "The Seed (2.0)" with Chesnutt on guitar and vocals--the breakout hit. Chesnutt defends the entire double LP to be taken as a whole--hence, why he put it out on own instead of polish anything for interested record labels sniffing around. I can respect that artistic integrity--(in Jerry Seinfeld/Larry David voice) "Now having said that..." LOL. I whittled this thang down to a single disc...14 tracks at roughly about 43 minutes. There's a lot of skits and improv bits in there, too. Any leftover songs could be applied to an E.P. release. I just had this one to do sometime ago...you can try it out on Spotify at this link:

 The Headphone Masterpiece (alt.)

NEIL YOUNG: Excursions Into Alien Territory [re-imagined 1980's discog]

NEIL YOUNG 

Lost in Space  (1980)

Stayin' Power     [Hawks & Doves]

Evening Coconut**

Little Wing**

Windward Passage**

Fontainebleau       [Long May You Run]

Let it Shine        [Long May You Run]

Union Man      [Hawks & Doves]

Hawks & Doves    [Hawks & Doves]

Lost in Space     [Hawks & Doves]

My least favorite Neil Young LP I own. I tried to jazz it up a bit with some unreleased live cuts from some bootleg recordings of a show with his (short lived) side group The Ducks (the electric full band take on "Little Wing" and the unreleased instrumental "Windward Passage") and a 1976 concert in Providence with The Stills-Young Band ("Evening Coconut"). I fill it out with tracks leftover from the Long May You Run LP I turned back into a CSNY project. Moving on...

NEIL YOUNG 

Shakey (1981)

Opera Star          [Re-ac-tor]    

Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze    [Re-ac-tor]

Get Back on It    [Re-ac-tor]

The Old Country Waltz     [American Stars N' Bars]

Bite the Bullet     [American Stars N' Bars]

Saddle up the Palomino    [American Stars N' Bars]

The Emperor of Wyoming     [Neil Young]

If I Could Have Her Tonight    [Neil Young]

The Old Laughing Lady   [Neil Young]

I've Loved Her So Long     [Neil Young]

Everybody Knows This is Nowhere  (45 version)*    [Archives, vol. 1]

String Quartet from Whiskey Boot Hill    [Neil Young]

A collection of leftover tracks from albums I switched out for my alternate take on NY's discography. I replaced Stars N' Bars with Chrome Dreams; the self-titled LP for the Sugar Mountain live album from '68 and tracks for an alternate Buffalo Springfield Last Time Around LP ("The Loner", "I've Been Waiting For You"); and Re-ac-tor for an alternate version of Trans. In this timeline, Neil Young leaves Reprise over their lack of support for that album and they in turn release this odds n' sods LP as a 'sneer' in a similar fashion to Columbia Records releasing Dylan in response to ol' Bobby D. jumping ship to sign with David Geffen's Asylum label back in 1974. Very familiar situation, heh...but maybe that's just my sense of humour / take on the whole thing.

NEIL YOUNG 

Trans  (alt.)

I Wonder Why**

Computer Age

We R in Control

Transformer Man

Computer Cowboy

If You Got Love**     [Island in the Sun  rejected LP*]

Sample and Hold

Mr. Soul

Shots    [Re-ac-tor]

Neil Young left Reprise Records after their lack of support for his latest LP with Crazy Horse--1981's Re-ac-tor. I like this album better and I read he was already writing and working up some demos for it with Crazy Horse a year earlier. Upon signing with Geffen Records, Young offered them the album Island in the Sun which they rejected. Young included some of the songs from there with this concept LP he created in honor of his son, Ben (who suffers from a non-oral type of cerebral palsy) as part of his 1982 debut on Geffen. The unreleased opening track, "I Wonder Why" kind of puts it in perspective for me. Giving neither his fans nor his new label-boss any inkling of an idea about the concept of this very personal project would put Neil Young at odds with everyone outside his own thought process!  At least that's the way David Geffen seemed to feel when he would later sue his new artist for "making deliberately un-commercial music" to paraphrase. Geffen bought Everybody's Rockin' (another album I don't care for) from Reprise without even hearing it!  They did this to acquire what would've been his contractual fulfilling LP for his former label--thinking they had commercial gold on their hands, I guess. Before they would regret putting that out, let's move on to our next album in this thang.

NEIL YOUNG 

After Berlin  (1983)

Berlin**   [Archives Be Damned*  bootleg]

Motor City    [Re-ac-tor]

Everybody's Rockin'     [Everybody's Rockin']

Southern Pacific     [Re-ac-tor]

Rapid Transit     [Re-ac-tor]

Love Hotel**    [live bootleg recording]

Hold on to Your Love    [Trans]

Raining in Paradise**    [Island in the Sun rejected LP]

Like an Inca     [Trans]

I don't know if this would've made David Geffen any happier, but this makes a better listen to me than say, Hawks & Doves or Re-ac-tor (just my own personal taste). The title cut and "The Love Hotel" have never been officially released nor the songs leftover from the rejected Island in the Sun album. Let's move along to the next one...

NEIL YOUNG 

Old Ways  (1984)

Old Ways       [Old Ways]

Depression Blues*    [Lucky Thirteen]

Little Thing Called Love    [Trans]

Cry, Cry, Cry    [Everybody's Rockin']

Mystery Train     [Everybody's Rockin']

Your Love Again**     [Old Ways 1 - rejected LP*]

California Sunset    [Old Ways]

My Boy    [Old Ways]

Leavin' the Top 40 Behind**    [Old Ways 1 - rejected LP*]

Are There Any More Real Cowboys?    [Old Ways]

Silver & Gold  (version 2)**    [Old Ways 1 - rejected LP*]

This is way better than the version of Old Ways that Geffen released in 1985 (referred to by Neil Young himself as 'Old Ways II'). The original Old Ways I album was recorded right after Trans and was promptly rejected by Geffen. Everybody's Rockin' was released instead and that's where the trouble really started, lol.

NEIL YOUNG and The International Harvesters

Farm Aid  E.P.   (1985)

Depression Blues    [Lucky Thirteen]

Interstate*     [Broken Arrow  bonus 7-inch]

Grey Riders*      [A Treasure]

Nothing is Perfect*    [A Treasure]

Southern Pacific*    [A Treasure]

This supposedly is the track listing to the unreleased Farm Aid E.P. This information has not been officially released by Neil, so there is absolutely NO guarantee that this information is correct.
This was supposed to be released in 1985 to benefit Farm Aid, but it was blocked by Geffen Records who, at the time, were still involved in litigation with Neil due to charges of Neil delivering "unrepresentative" product. This may only have been intended to include three songs. The version of "Interstate" started out as an unreleased demo circulating among the bootleg circuit (that NY overdubbed 'Big Black' and bgv with Poncho in 1986). It was belatedly released a decade later with added drums, fiddle, and a new lead vocal. "Depression Blues" I've already included on my re-do of Old Ways but it serves as an appropriate opener. The latter three songs saw the light of day just a few years ago as part of the belatedly released live album A Treasure; recorded with Neil's backing group in that period (The International Harvesters). I could continue on with this...but I'm tired and want to finish my drink. Cheers!

THE JURY Sings Leadbelly [imagined E.P.]

THE JURY

The Jury Sings Leadbelly  E.P.  (1989)

"Where Did you Sleep Last Night"
Lanegan on vocals. On the Mark Lanegan album, The Winding Sheet

"Grey Goose"
Instrumental. On the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out

"Ain't It a Shame"
Cobain on vocals. On the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out

"They Hung Him on a Cross"
Cobain on vocals. On the Nirvana box set, With the Lights Out

DAVID CROSBY, "'Baby Man...' or Might as Well Have a Good Time" [imagined LP]

DAVID CROSBY

'Baby Man' or 'Might as Well Have a Good Time'   (1980)

Melody**

Drive My Car     [CSN box set]

Delta         [Daylight Again]

Kids and Dogs*     [Voyage box set]

Distances*      [Oh Yes I Can]

Flying Man *    [Oh Yes I Can]

Might as Well Have a Good Time  (demo)    [Daylight Again CD reissue]

Samurai    [Voyage box set]

King of the Mountain  (demo)*     [Voyage box set]

Little Blind Fish*     [CPR]

In 1980, David Crosby recorded his 2nd solo LP amidst battling an increasingly debilitating addiction to freebasing cocaine. Capitol Records rejected the LP for 'not being commercial enough'. Crosby tinkered with the album some and other recordings were attempted ("Jigsaw", "Little Blind Fish", "Never Go Back", "Baltimore", and "Tomorrow") and Neil Young even offered him "Little Wing" (from his own solo LP that would be released that year). "Drive My Car" and "Delta" were added on to Still and Nash's rejected LP subsequently released as the CSN album Daylight Again., The version of "Melody" that Stills and Nash overdubbed onto has never leaked and I hate the production on the version from Croz's Oh Yes I Can LP he would put out after being released from prison. The missing versions of "Distances", "Flying Man", "Kids and Dogs", and "King of the Mountain" I supplemented with the existing versions that were released. "Little Blind Fish" I actually took from the self-titled debut of Crosby's band with son James Raymond (CPR). It's a testament to the man's voice that I could include tracks from different decades and still make it a cohesive listen. Of course the 1980s production ruined "Melody" for me and I left it off my mix. Overall, the proposed LP wasn't lacking in anything (despite Crosby's state at the time). Oh well :)  I think it all worked out in the end. He's putting out more records than ever!  

THE ROLLING STONES, "Black and Blue" [re-imagined LP]

THE ROLLING STONES

Black and Blue   (alt.)

Drift Away*

Ain't Too Proud to Beg   [It's Only Rock n' Roll]

I Don't Know Why   [Metamorphosis]

Criss Cross Man*

Memo from Turner    [Metamorphosis]

Through the Lonely Nights*

32-20 Blues*

Living in the Heart of Love* 

Family     [Metamorphosis]

Shame, Shame, Shame*

Downtown Suzie     [Metamorphosis]

Fast Talking, Slow Walking*

-------

I've read somewhere the title of this LP was originally a play on words for a proposed collection of R&B covers. Ultimately, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" ended up on the It's Only Rock n' Roll LP while "Shame, Shame, Shame" and "Drift Away" were left on the shelf. By using some outtakes from the group's previous LP sessions (mostly with departing guitarist Mick Taylor) we have 12 songs--including covers of Stevie Wonder and Robert Johnson--clocking in at 46 minutes. Some of these tunes would see release on Metamorphosis in 1975. 'What about the original Black and Blue' you ask? Re-title it Worried About You and include "Worried About You" and "Slave" from Tattoo You. I follow Album Fixer's Rolling Stones discography for all the rest. The result is two improved LPs (at the loss of the two previous mentioned compilations released instead).

SISTER LOVERS [re-imagined LP]

SISTER LOVERS

Sister Lovers  (1974)

Stroke it Noel  (backward intro)

Lovely Day  (Fry rough mix)

Nighttime  (Fry rough mix)

Blue Moon   (Fry rough mix)

Til the End of the Day   (alt. mix #2 / Lesa vocal)

Big Black Car  (rough mix)

Holocaust   (rough mix)

Downs  (Fry rough mix)

Kanga Roo   (Fry rough mix)

Femme Fatale   (Fry rough mix)

For You  

Jesus Christ

Take Care  (alt. version / Alex vocal)

Kizza Me  (Fry rough mix)

Nature Boy  (Fry rough mix)

Mañana

---

All tracks taken from Complete Third box set. This is a re-imagining of the infamous Big Star album that was finally released in 1978 without a set title or running order(!)  Such was the state of affairs at the time--nobody could even agree on who the band's name is that put it out. Some call it an Alex Chilton affair with back-up musicians including Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens and his 'muse' at the time, Lesa Aldridge. Her sister also was dating Stephens at the time. This led Chilton to coin the 'Sister Lovers' phrase that has been used as a title for the album and even suggested as the name of the band itself, lol. Listening to the alternate mixes, I split the album into two halves. This mix is mostly done by engineer John Fry. The other disc I will do next will focus on the Dickinson mixes. Stay tuned!