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This Note's For You
Reprise 25719-2
prototype CD artwork - March 1988
In
the early days of compact discs, the disc art-
work was usually limited to simple black print on
a silver disc. But by the late 80's, custom design
CD faces were as much a part of the packaging as
custom LP labels had been in years past.
And
like any part of the production process,
different one-of-a-kind samples ("prototypes")
were designed for the art director to choose from.
The CD pictured at the left (sticker-labeled on
jewelbox as "#4 Solid w/ 4-color overlay") was
made with a surplus or defective disc, and does
not play the cuts listed since the purpose is to
see the disc rather than hear it. This disc plays a
1-song CDsingle by an unidentified C&W singer.
At least two other designs are known to exist:
obviously, the released design plus "#3 Solid w/
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3-color overlay" was the same design with a solid white
background (no yellow crosshairs), dark blue
copyright credits & song titles, yellow title,
dark blue "Neil" and red "young & the bluenotes". That
disc plays the Jimi Hendrix "Crash Landing" album.
Any other designs/color schemes are unknown.
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From Hank To Hendrix
Reprise PRO-CD-6244
unreleased promo CDsingle - May 1993
The fascination with "unplugged" albums was at
its peak in 1993 when Neil Young released his
own live acoustic collection recorded for MTV.
Recorded 2/7/93 on Stage 12, Universal Studios.
Anxious to promote this sure-bet hit album,
the Art Dept. at WB came up with this attractive
design for what would have been the first promo
single from the album.
For reasons unknown, the design was scrapped
and this song was never even released as a single,
although four promo CDsingles were issued: "Long
May You Run" (PRO-CD-6292 & 6337), "Mr. Soul"
(PRO-CD-6294) and "The Needle And The Damage
Done" (PRO-CD-6319).
It's uncertain how many of
the "From Hank To
Hendrix" promo CDsingles were actually pressed, |
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but at least one copy "got out" before distribution
was halted & official release of the single was cancelled.
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Time Fades Away
Reprise 2-2151
unreleased Compact Disc - November 7, 1995
Rumors
circulated for ten years about "The Missing
Six" NeilYoung
albums being released on CD. Much to
his fans surprise and appreciation, four of the six were
finally released on CD August 19, 2003 (& DVD-Audio
discs eight months later). (Thanks,
Neil! . . .but . . .um
. . .not to be greedy,
but what about the other two?!)
The truth is, ALL SIX titles were HDCD-mastered in
1995, and they were originally scheduled for release
November 7 (6480-2, 2151-2 & 2304-2 [2304-2 issued
as "48498-2"]) & February 6,1996 (2180-2 as "48497-
2", 2261-2 as "48496-2" and 2297-2 as "48499-2").
Why weren't the CDs released back then? Your guess
is as good as mine; pick your favorite rumour/theory:
Neil didn't like or "had problems" with the final masters
(--the HDCD process surpassing &/or conflicting with
RIAA's high frequency curve standard for audio CDs |
--ever notice how you have a "set volume" on your CD
player, but you have to adjust volume of a "few" CDs?)
which, obviously, inhibited final mastering, or maybe
it was "Reprise's plan" to issue four LPs (coincidentally,
the four just released) as budget-priced "Two-Fer" CDs
(two complete albums on one disc).
This rumour holds some creedence if you believe the
rumour that, supposidly, unused/trashed artwork from
that project was acquired by the people behind 1997's
European release of the "TWO ORIGINALS" series of
pirate CDs that crooked dealers still try to pass off as
legitimate European releases!
Whatever
the reason(s), everything from the October
1995 lot of Test Pressing CDs was scrapped, the project
was shelved & the subject "forgotten" until "The Missing
4 of 6" CDs were released almost eight years later.
Actually,
at least "a few"of
ALL SIX original 1995 CD
Test Pressings are known to exist with booklets & inlay
tray ("back cover") inserts --including bothof the still- |
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unreleased "missing two" CDs, "Time Fades Away" and
"Journey Through The Past" (Reprise 2-6480).
"Time Fades Away"
package includes booklet
with tour photos from RARE original German inner sleeve,
"handwritten" lyrics & original front/back cover (except
credits moved from "back cover" to
back insert).
The"JourneyThroughThePast" booklet includes the photos
from original inside cover with songlist and
credits re-typeset in dark blue (on tan background); original front/back cover, but no credits on the back.
Although Test CDs were burned
in 1995, "sources close to Neil" have implied that "Time Fades Away" and
"JourneyThroughThePast" CDs "might never" be released becauseof "complicated mastering problems".
The "Journey Through
The Past" soundtrack 2LP set was mastered from many different source tapes; the
"multi-track" master is in fact a collage of dubs from various Two-Track "finished masters". Moreover, the
audio quality standards for early '70's vinyl masters simply isn't as dynamic as CD masters need to be, and
that issue can't even been addressed until countless master tapes are found:
Someone would first have
to find (& lease) the various master tapes from the current owners, "clean 'em
up" as needed and then completely reassemble the entire 2LP set! In some cases, stereo audio tracks were
dubbed from the actual 35mm film itself! With so many snippets from so many different sources, it would
be almost impossible to create aCD master that would mirror the program presented on the original 2LPs.
The problem with "TimeFadesAway" is even worse,as it naivély stated on LP labels: "This Recording
WasMastered16-Track/DirectToDisc
(acetate) byComputer"; the multi-track master tape was
recorded/mixed LIVE, leaving little room for remixing the"warts &
all" tape hiss, bad notes &crowd noise.
To reassemble the album, someone would need to sort through fifty or so ¼" and/or 2" multi-track reels &
"a few" cassettes. Finding the right version by date would be easy enough, but at what stage would the mix
be at? Raw recording? Truck monitor mix? Mono PA monitor recording? And what about necessary over-
dubs ("L.A.", "Last Dance")? Where are Crosby's vocals? How'd they layer
thevoices like that? ...impossible.
Any re-release of these albums in any format anytime soon is, at best, uncertain. What is certain is that
the handful of "JourneyThroughThePast" & "TimeFadesAway" (& to a lesser extent, the other 4 albums)
that weren't "properly recycled" have become the most sought-after Neil Young CDs ever made!
Editor's Note: Non-Dolby® CrO2 Test Pressing analog cassette tapes
of all 6 albums were also made
--& they all sound absolutely spectacular! Any of 'em are well-worth
$20.00+ --IF you can find one! |
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"This Note's For You" CD art direction Glenn Parsons Design © 1988 Reprise Records
text ©1989,1999,2004 jef michael piehler ©1989,1999,2004 sidestreet publishing company
(originally published in Broken Arrow #36 August 1989, updated December 1999)
"From Hank
To Hendrix"
CD art direction Janet Levinson ©1993 Reprise Records
text ©1994,1999,2004 jef michael piehler ©1999,2004 sidestreet publishing company
(originally published in Broken Arrow #54 February 1994, updated December 1999)
"Time Fades Away" CD original art direction Gary Burden for R Twerk ©1973 Reprise Records
text ©1997, 1999, 2004 jef michael piehler ©1999, 2004 sidestreet publishing company
(originally published in Goldmine magazine #445 August 15, 1997, updated December 1999)
"Journey Through The
Past" original package
devised and designed by Gamache and Gundelfinger,
"Journey Through The Past" ©1972 Reprise Records
text ©1997, 1999, 2004 jef michael piehler ©1999, 2004 sidestreet publishing company
(originally published in Goldmine magazine #445 August 15, 1997, updated December 1999)
"The Guide November/December 1995" CD artwork ©1995 WB Records ©1995 WB Records
text ©2005 jef michael piehler ©2005 sidestreet publishing company
("The Guide November/December 1995" addendum to this article was added on May 13, 2005)
Special Thanks to John Frey for allowing us to scan his "Time Fades Away" booklet and back insert.
Article©1989,1994,1997,2005 jef michael piehler©1989,1994,1997,2005 sidestreet publishing company.
All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic means,
including information storage, database &/or retrieval systems without permission in writing from the
, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review of this or related materials.
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