News from the darkest corners...

Available for pre-order from Zappa.com:

Or, as Zappa.com puts it: “We’re proud AGAIN! That’s right. Another concert with stuff that happened on stage that’s unforgettable. Another fabulous mix from Mr. Filipetti. Happy Birthday to America then! Happy Musiclyexcitingday for you NOW!!”

Reformed post-punk icons Public Image Limited are set to release an expanded edition of their seminal album ‘Metal Box’.

Formed in the aftermath of the Sex Pistols’ implosion, Public Image Limited began as a way for John Lydon to reclaim his freedom. Often performing with their backs to the crowd in an attempt to subvert expectations, Public Image Limited was a concerted attempt to push the barriers of rock music. Taking on board elements of dub reggae, free jazz and more the group seemed to exist in a universe of their own.

Debut album ‘First Edition’ was relatively straight forward, but nothing could prepare fans for ‘Metal Box’. Released in 1979 the record pushed the definition of an album, with a metal container holding three twelve inches.

Now a 30 years old, ‘Metal Box’ is set to get the expansive treatment. A new ‘metal’ version of the album is due to be released, containing the material split across three CDs for the first time.

Alongside this a 64-track, four-CD rarities version of ‘Metal Box’ – dubbed ‘Plastic Box’ – will also be released. The new release contains the entire album alongside a raft of rarities including the band’s John Peel sessions and remixes.

Public Image Limited are set to release the new editions of ‘Metal Box’ on December 14th.

(Source: Clashmusic.com)

Following the July release of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity (40th Anniversary)’ digital EP and iPhone application, Virgin/EMI will release an expanded 40th Anniversary Special Edition of Bowie’s classic 1969Space Oddity album on November 17. To be available in a deluxe 2CD package and for digital download from all major digital service providers, the commemorative edition adds 15 tracks to the digitally remastered original album, including 8 previously unreleased demos, alternate mixes and a BBC Radio performance. On the same date, the original album will also be reissued on limited edition 180-gram vinyl.

First released on November 14, 1969, Space Oddity was originally titled Man Of Words/Man Of Music in the U.S. The album was re-titled Space Oddity when it was reissued in 1972, peaking at #16 on Billboard’s Albums chart.

Produced by Tony Visconti (except for the title track, which was produced by the late Gus Dudgeon), the album was a giant leap forward in songwriting for Bowie and is considered by many to be the first truly essential David Bowie album. Also notable for its collaborators, including session players Herbie Flowers, Tim Renwick, Terry Cox and Rick Wakeman, the album delves into psychedelic folk-rock, as well as prog, with its genre-defying template creating a blueprint of the musician who would become, over the next decade and more, one of the world’s most innovative and inimitable artists.

The 2CD 40th Anniversary Special Edition of Space Oddity is packaged in a digipak with an extensive booklet featuring rare photographs, memorabilia, sleeve notes and a chronology by Kevin Cann. Disc 1 features the original album, remastered from the original analog master tapes, and Disc 2 adds 15 bonus tracks, of which eight are previously unreleased, including two ultra-rare demos.

Five years, 100 free albums, nearly 1000 free tracks. That’s our label WM Recordings in a nutshell for you.

We celebrate its fifth birthday today with the release – yes, our 100th! – of this special compilation of cover versions, remixes, and tracks about free, legal music. We hope you’ll celebrate with us.

Various Artists – WM x 100 / 100 x WM
http://www.wmrecordings.com/releases/wm100.htm

Though you can play Beatles songs on Rock Band and enjoy the band’s epic catalog on remastered CDs, you still can’t legally buy the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo on the iTunes store or other digital shops — yet. In a move that may represent Apple Corps. softening its traditionally inflexible view of selling the Fab Four’s music digitally, the company and EMI Music will release a limited-edition USB drive featuring the entire Beatles in Stereo remastered set as 320 Kbps MP3s on December 8th.

All 14 albums and 13 “mini-documentaries” will be included on the 16GB USB drive, which will be shaped like the iconic Apple logo with “The Beatles” written on it. Only 30,000 of these USBs will be produced. More information is available at the Beatles Website.

The Beatles’ back catalogue will be reissued on vinyl, says Jeff Jones, Chief Executive of Apple Corps.

Speaking to MOJO magazine, Jones revealed that work on the next stage of the Beatles Remastered campaign is currently underway: “We’re working on them now,” said Jones, “I don’t have a release date. To put a release date next to them forces us into a situation where we’re releasing something that might not be ready. ”

The vinyl remasters will follow this year’s stunning Mono and Stereo CD reissues, with the engineers at Abbey Road and Apple already hard at work: “They are incredibly complicated in terms of getting the masters right and getting the packages right,” added Jones. “How do you assemble them? How do you put them in a box? How much do they cost? We want to make sure we’re doing it right and that people get real value from it.”