Looking back at 5 decades of your musical creations must be both 'uplifting' and 'painful' at the same time for Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli and their families. Fans can appreciate that.
Not many artists in 'pop' music have as much music to put into context with their personal life experiences, the changing times lived through, friends and family lost and the huge change in musical influences over that period. We know that this will be difficult for Bob and Frankie and we want them to know the fans appreciate this.
When Snapper Records proposal for a circa 40 album CD box set got a positive response from the Major Record Companies and The Four Seasons Partnership last summer it was a huge surprise for fans but one we have totally embraced. Mainly because Snapper asked us what WE, the fans wanted and said they would do all they could to persuade and help Bob and Frankie to include that.
For the fan groups it is perhaps easier 'looking back' because, for us, it is easy celebrating the 'music of our lives'. Whilst we all have those we have loved and lost over the decades....it is the music of Frankie and the Seasons that has carried us through the good and bad times and it still rings 'warmly' in our heads and hearts.
So whilst compiling the 'Track List' of our lives was easy for the fan group, it was an opportunity to research and find the 'Unreleased' tracks sitting in the Motown Vaults that 'added icing to the cake'. Sceptics still doubt that delivering the Box Set will be close to these expectations.
Today over 6 months after the proposal was enthusiastically received by the 'majors' and the previously reluctant Bob Gaudio ….......we hear contracts are reaching completion and Tape Archive Research is showing exciting potential. But much work is needed to achieve what we want as the volume of tracks needing 'salvage'[either in terms of re-mastering to modern standards and checking of 'unreleased' multi-tracks and mixing to final STEREO ] is huge.
We will expand on this in subsequent blogs as the process unfolds. But there remains great potential.
Back in 2009 German Sound Engineer Stefan Wriedt and I commenced what has become a 'forensic' review of the status of the CD released Masters and the prospect of 'unreleased' tracks. For ten years [5 without my late friend Stefan] my research and blog writing with collectors and fans has uncovered the huge potential for such a set. Only now[post Jersey Boys] has a commercial 'model' for its delivery in the form of a luxury Box Set emerged as viable..
Now we anxiously await feedback from Tape Research and hope for the best.
In the next few weeks I'll document what we have asked Bob and Frankie for [through Snapper] and what is emerging. Getting our 'wants list' may not be possible in every respect but it remains in Bob and Frankie's control what we get to hear. With so many 'unreleased' and completed tracks having emerged in our research we remain confident much 'collectible' work will make it into the final set.
Snapper know that to succeed the product must be 'quality' as we have defined with them. Frankly the message to Bob and Frankie is 'listen to us'. We will be the ultimate critics and Facebook remains the voices of you the fans. Speak up!
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The Four Seasons Motown Unreleased Campaign
Casey Chameleon
PS.........To come in future blogs....
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The 'Wants' List – Snappers concept and our response
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DES -True STEREO? - the latest amazing creations of STEREO from MONO ONLY Four Seasons Tracks
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The Motown Master Tape Archive Finds- the [P] Production Tape Finds[so far]
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The Dance Mixes Era 1988 to 2007
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The Salvaged 'Live' Shows 1973 and 1974
Plus much more........
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