Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09

Oliver Clothesoff · 04-07-09, 09:25 AM

Alongside the Rock Band game, it seems. (Mods can merge this, but I thought it deserved its own thread):

THE BEATLES' ENTIRE ORIGINAL RECORDED CATALOGUE REMASTERED BY APPLE CORPS LTD. AND EMI MUSIC FOR WORLDWIDE RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 (9-9-09)

7th April 2009

Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (9-9-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated "The Beatles: Rock Band" video game. Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released.

The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release.

The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles' core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

Within each CD's new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past Masters'). As an added bonus, the mono "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained.

Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue. There is no further information available at this time.

chuckd21 · 04-07-09, 10:03 AM

I'm wondering if they'll show up on iTunes on 9-9-09 as well.

Mikael79 · 04-07-09, 10:04 AM

How fitting for me that this is announced on my 30th birthday! I just hope this is all true, and that it actually happens. It is going to be extremely expensive, but well worth it.

auto · 04-07-09, 10:06 AM

This is going to cost a fortune.

chuckd21 · 04-07-09, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auto

This is going to cost a fortune.

That's the sad thing. I mean, The Beatles don't exactly need any more money, and while their stuff is no doubt worth a premium price, it would be awesome if it wasn't going to be sold for a premium price. A gift to the world would be nice.

Gerry P. · 04-07-09, 10:21 AM

... and I was concerned that there would be no mono mixes. Great news.

I'm in for the box sets no matter what the cost.

macnorton · 04-07-09, 10:28 AM

I am in...always wanted to hear remasters...hopefully some vinyl will come with this too.

GreenVulture · 04-07-09, 10:34 AM

Quote:

These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

Sold! I just wish they had put the mono mixes onto the same disc as the remastered versions, rather than release it as its own box set. Ah well, that's what I have the Purple Chick versions for.

brianluvdvd · 04-07-09, 10:53 AM

I hope "remastered" doesn't just mean "louder."

I was hoping for some 5.1 mixes.

rexinnih · 04-07-09, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianluvdvd

I hope "remastered" doesn't just mean "louder."

I was hoping for some 5.1 mixes.

Would also have loved surround mixes but good news nonetheless.

Hokeyboy · 04-07-09, 11:23 AM

The phrase "well it's ABOUT TIME" is barely adequate to describe this turn of events.

I will easily pay whatever the cost is for both the stereo and mono mixes, but like many others I have been listening to Purple Chick, Dr. Ebbets, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, and Blue Box mixes for years now. They are mostly superb. To that end, I am VERY eager to see what the "official" remasters will sound like.

Totally worth the purchase. I will be spending 9/9/2009 playing Beatles: Rock Band and listening to the new mixes and engage in other groin-grabbingly awesome antics.

Oliver Clothesoff · 04-07-09, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianluvdvd

I hope "remastered" doesn't just mean "louder."

I was hoping for some 5.1 mixes.

They won't be brickwalled or just louder. The bigger press release specifically points out that they spent time to specifically minimize noise reduction and "loudness" throughout the remastering process (except for about 5 total minutes of music in the entire catalog where it was unavoidable).

rw2516 · 04-07-09, 11:37 AM

Wonder if they'll put that little "james bond theme" intro back on Help!. I still can't get use to it not being there after listening to it that way for so many years.

Oliver Clothesoff · 04-07-09, 11:39 AM

If they sound as good as the Capitol remasters and Love, I'll be a happy camper.

Rocketdog2000 · 04-07-09, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Millheiser

The phrase "well it's ABOUT TIME" is barely adequate to describe this turn of events.

You said it, sir. Guess I can finally sell back all my old ones to help finance buying the new versions.

slop101 · 04-07-09, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianluvdvd

I hope "remastered" doesn't just mean "louder."

I was hoping for some 5.1 mixes.

I hope I'm wrong, but I'm pretty confident in saying that these will definitely be mastered "in the reds", and while they might not clip, they'll be louder than they should be.

slop101 · 04-07-09, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auto

This is going to cost a fortune.

I don't know - I think stores like Best Buy, CostCo, amazon, etc. will have pretty good discounts on these, not to mention store-exclusives and such.

Drexl · 04-07-09, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianluvdvd

I hope "remastered" doesn't just mean "louder."

I was hoping for some 5.1 mixes.

Yeah, Blu-ray Disc releases with 96/24 and multiple mixes would have been nice (since SACD/DVD-Audio has pretty much come and gone). I'd like them to do "modern" mixes of some of the tracks so that the vocals aren't solely in the left or right channel, along with preserving the original mixes of course.

Flashback · 04-07-09, 12:42 PM

This will put a dent in my wallet but there is no way that I am not getting these. Great news!!!

DVD Josh · 04-07-09, 02:12 PM

Believe it or not, I've been waiting to buy any Beatles record (other than 1s) on the hope of one day remasters would come out. I have been rewarded!

Flashback · 04-07-09, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVD Josh

Believe it or not, I've been waiting to buy any Beatles record (other than 1s) on the hope of one day remasters would come out. I have been rewarded!

I actually enjoyed "Love" very much.

nothingfails · 04-07-09, 02:23 PM

I had to do a double take at the date to make sure it wasn't April 1

Very exciting, funny that they wait until a huge global recession to do the remasters though

MBoyd · 04-07-09, 02:27 PM

What about The Yellow Submarine? New version without the instrumentals? Or both versions?

I read speculation that these would be sold as Mp3's on their own website also and not iTunes.

SomethingMore · 04-07-09, 02:42 PM

Excellent news.
I may still hold out for Blu-ray releases, but I'll probably cave in when I get to hold one of these sets on release day.

Suprmallet · 04-07-09, 03:39 PM

I'm buying both of these box sets on release day. Actually, I will pre-order both as soon as they're available on Amazon. I've been waiting forever for this.

And if they include Yellow Submarine, it really should be the original release. The re-release is just a compilation.

04-07-09, 09:25 AM	#1
Oliver Clothesoff DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Illadelphia, PA Posts: 1,412	Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 Alongside the Rock Band game, it seems. (Mods can merge this, but I thought it deserved its own thread): THE BEATLES' ENTIRE ORIGINAL RECORDED CATALOGUE REMASTERED BY APPLE CORPS LTD. AND EMI MUSIC FOR WORLDWIDE RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 (9-9-09) 7th April 2009 Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (9-9-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated "The Beatles: Rock Band" video game. Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released. The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release. The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles' core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set. Within each CD's new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere. A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past Masters'). As an added bonus, the mono "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained. Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue. There is no further information available at this time.

04-07-09, 10:03 AM	#2
chuckd21 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: May 1999 Location: Florida Posts: 2,409	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 I'm wondering if they'll show up on iTunes on 9-9-09 as well. __________________ 31 Horror Movies in 31 Days: Season 2 (2009 October Horror Movie Challenge) \| Homepage \| Twitter \| YouTube \| Facebook \| 360: dvdguy

04-07-09, 10:04 AM	#3
Mikael79 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: IA Now, From MN Posts: 2,549	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 How fitting for me that this is announced on my 30th birthday! I just hope this is all true, and that it actually happens. It is going to be extremely expensive, but well worth it. __________________ This is where my DVD Spot link used to be. XBL: SirMikael79

04-07-09, 10:06 AM	#4
auto DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 4,977	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 This is going to cost a fortune. __________________ Send us your coordinates, I'll send a Saint Bernard

04-07-09, 10:21 AM	#6
Gerry P. DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,279	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 ... and I was concerned that there would be no mono mixes. Great news. I'm in for the box sets no matter what the cost.

04-07-09, 10:28 AM	#7
macnorton DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern New Jersey...or as we say it "Sopranos Country USA" Posts: 3,379	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 I am in...always wanted to hear remasters...hopefully some vinyl will come with this too. __________________ Oh really, so you liked that I made your favorite superhero a heroin addicted jazz critic who's not radioactive? – Alan Moore Thank you, Mayor Bloomberger. I accept this honor on behalf of every—Stern rules! Baba Booey! - Dennis Duffy (30 Rock) DVD / Blu-Ray / Music / Reading Material

04-07-09, 10:53 AM	#9
brianluvdvd DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 6,879	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 I hope "remastered" doesn't just mean "louder." I was hoping for some 5.1 mixes. __________________ Xbox Live Gamertag: FatalSpiderbite PSN Gamertag: Arachnidsting Wii Code: 3901 7492 2924 8006 I would like to change my username but the Powers That Be at DVDTalk won't let me.

04-07-09, 11:23 AM	#11
Hokeyboy DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 6,103	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 The phrase "well it's ABOUT TIME" is barely adequate to describe this turn of events. I will easily pay whatever the cost is for both the stereo and mono mixes, but like many others I have been listening to Purple Chick, Dr. Ebbets, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, and Blue Box mixes for years now. They are mostly superb. To that end, I am VERY eager to see what the "official" remasters will sound like. Totally worth the purchase. I will be spending 9/9/2009 playing Beatles: Rock Band and listening to the new mixes and engage in other groin-grabbingly awesome antics. __________________ This guy of all people. Hokeyboy, one of the most ignorant, thoughtless posters I've seen on here. I've seen your act and it isn't good. -- bootsy Hokeyboy is like, the biggest douche of the year! -- gglass4269 He's probably a very well paid anticop douche, thank you very much. -- CaptainMarvel

04-07-09, 11:37 AM	#13
rw2516 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,734	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 Wonder if they'll put that little "james bond theme" intro back on Help!. I still can't get use to it not being there after listening to it that way for so many years.

04-07-09, 11:39 AM	#14
Oliver Clothesoff DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Illadelphia, PA Posts: 1,412	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 If they sound as good as the Capitol remasters and Love, I'll be a happy camper.

04-07-09, 12:42 PM	#19
Flashback DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago Posts: 6,012	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 This will put a dent in my wallet but there is no way that I am not getting these. Great news!!! __________________ Stewie: So, is there any tread left on the tires? Or at this point would it be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?

04-07-09, 02:12 PM	#20
DVD Josh DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: In My Own Little World Posts: 18,282	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 Believe it or not, I've been waiting to buy any Beatles record (other than 1s) on the hope of one day remasters would come out. I have been rewarded! __________________ Why the hell must you continually question my hyperbole? - Mordred If you hear hoofbeats, think Horse, not Zebra. - mdc3000 *DVDTALK GOLD TRADER*

04-07-09, 02:23 PM	#22
nothingfails DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,297	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 I had to do a double take at the date to make sure it wasn't April 1 Very exciting, funny that they wait until a huge global recession to do the remasters though

04-07-09, 02:27 PM	#23
MBoyd DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jun 1999 Location: Texas Posts: 2,405	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 What about The Yellow Submarine? New version without the instrumentals? Or both versions? I read speculation that these would be sold as Mp3's on their own website also and not iTunes. __________________ HD-A1 DMP-BD30 HD-XA2 HD-A35 I started a Comic-Con Social Group! Join for meet-ups in San Diego!

04-07-09, 02:42 PM	#24
SomethingMore DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Canadia Posts: 1,419	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 Excellent news. I may still hold out for Blu-ray releases, but I'll probably cave in when I get to hold one of these sets on release day. __________________ My "MusicTalk Mixtape Project" Tracklisting "Remember when there was only one set of footprints? That's when I was carrying you..." Twitter XBL: SomethingMore PSN: apple_berry

04-07-09, 03:39 PM	#25
Suprmallet Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USS Enterprise Posts: 21,741	Re: Beatles Remasters Officially Coming 09-09-09 I'm buying both of these box sets on release day. Actually, I will pre-order both as soon as they're available on Amazon. I've been waiting forever for this. And if they include Yellow Submarine, it really should be the original release. The re-release is just a compilation. __________________ Living Dead: So what you're saying is... no one died in the middle of your store when you told them they couldn't have a $10 plasma TV? I find that a little hard to swallow.