So here we are in 2022 and still no Box Set. I wrote a series of Blogs back in 2020 highlighting the limitations of the forthcoming Box Set contents and as I revisit these blogs and update them, we still await the release of the project we started work on back in 2018, and I face the sad situation that I have lost confidence in the Snapper team since my collaborator Bob Fisher’s passing after they unilaterally decided to change contents without consultation and whilst this is their choice and decision as it is their investment, I cannot confirm the final contents and Snapper have made the decision to keep this confidential and also not to commit to a release date at this point in time.
Whilst this will most likely be before the planned UK Tour by Frankie Valli, I am no longer in the loop. I have been side-lined as I see it. I told Snapper...."The work that Bob Fisher and I undertook in the research and selection of suitable and necessary Masters took 3 years and we have compiled in the order of 814 tracks in the set. I personally spent over 2,000 hours on this work with Bob’s support and help day to day and whilst the SET is based on RELEASED ALBUMS we achieved around 271 BONUS TRACKS [33.29%], of which 60 are Alternative Mixes or UNIQUE 45 Mixes [7.37%]. We found[and got approval to] 129 Unreleased Tracks in the FSP or Universal Motown Storage[15.84%] and The Four Seasons Appreciation Society contributed 82 tracks [10.07%] via our archive and network of sources and Collectors. Whilst sound quality in a few instances was limited, the historical connection of the whole set has integrity as a career spanning profile in my opinion.
A truly superb achievement and yet we could and should have had more. At least 30 more UNRELEASED Tracks from Masters and 16 Track Tapes from Philips in 1970, Universal Motown and Drexel University [Sigma Tapes] were discovered but budget limits and time prevented further research and such efforts must be left to a future project if perhaps someday someone finds this commercially or artistically worthy of ‘preservation’ for the fan base to enjoy. We also know of other potential sources.
As the UK fan group we will continue to Campaign for such further research and in the meantime will share such information we have till we are no longer able to use our Web Site and social media presence passing the baton hopefully to future generations to discover.
I feel sure everyone we know [speaking on behalf of the UK Fan Club Core Group] who love Frankie Valli and all Four Seasons music will enjoy this unique ‘preservation’ of 90+% of the Catalogue of recordings and we look forward to its launch.”....and getting all of the 60s albums in MONO.
It has been a challenging and demanding job to identify and assemble various quality sound recordings and get these published but Snapper have not had explanation from Bob Gaudio as to why the rest of the Motown UNRELEASED Catalogue is below the quality required. They did not want to 'rock the boat' or engage with him re what fans would want and our requests for more. Lack of consultation or dialogue has also been behind the decisions by Snapper to omit superb INSTRUMENTAL versions of ‘Beggin' and ‘I'm Gonna Change’. Both are superb Northern Soul tracks and not poor Masters. So as I revisit the research finds, as to what we recommended should be included.....we will let you all know what the RESEARCH revealed and what still remains and where we believe it is. In the meantime what I said re Motown Unreleased remains correct and whilst this Box Set is ESSENTIAL to Collectors I would understand other fans comments that it could and should have been better if money had been spent on further research or Bob Gaudio and Frankie pushed for more. The pandemic may have delayed this project but that is not down to the efforts of Bob Fisher and myself…..and the support of Lynn Boleyn, George Ingram, Ray Nichol and the network of Collectors that you are.
Back in 2019 we said this with Snapper of a planned 2020 release……
and this was the Motown Unreleased status in October 2020……
https://thatfourseasonssound.typepad.com/seasonally/2020/10/the-not-so-ultimate-collection.html
and read all of our Motown Unreleased Blog Posts here…..
https://thatfourseasonssound.typepad.com/seasonally/motown-unreleased/
More soon…… .Ken Charmer
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