Richard and Linda Box Set

[PaulT]

I'm in!!

[Jules Gray]

The full tracklist can be found here:

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/richard-linda-thompson-new-cd-boxed-set-coming-soon.974956/page-3

Only Rafferty tracks present are the previously released ones.  All known demos present.  Ditto the 1977 live material.  Not many surprises for dedicated collectors, but it's hard to argue with the beautiful way it's all been gathered up together.

Jules

[Jim]

Pity they couldnt have done all of Rafferty's Folly instead of the vinyl rip that has been around for donkeys years, but it does look to be a pretty spectacular resume of the R & LT years.

[Jules Gray]

Pity they couldnt have done all of Rafferty's Folly instead of the vinyl rip that has been around for donkeys years, but it does look to be a pretty spectacular resume of the R & LT years.

Richard may well have nixed the idea.

Jules

[Peter Allen]

Pity they couldnt have done all of Rafferty's Folly instead of the vinyl rip that has been around for donkeys years, but it does look to be a pretty spectacular resume of the R & LT years.

Richard may well have nixed the idea.

 
Maybe Andy Batt might be able to give us a heads up ?
Somebody should write a book on re-issuing old recordings  , the pro's and con's , should new technology be used to improve stuff (Sandy's live recording Gold Dust CD) , the legal side , tracking down old mastertapes , old radio sessions , who get's paid anything
One for Clinton as a follow up to the bootleg tome?
I'd buy it even if it was by him

[dog-nap (Ian)]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is special about the Rafferty sessions?

[John From Austin]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is special about the Rafferty sessions?

I am probably less qualified than others to opine, but that's never stopped me before. They're unique IMO because they are fully realized studio recordings of most of the tunes that turned up subsequently on SOTL, with different backing musicians, somewhat different arrangements, and occasionally Linda performing vocals that RT performed on SOTL. As a completist and collector, these are inherently valuable to me even though RT reportedly disliked the Rafferty-produced product. For the record, I too prefer the Joe Boyd versions of these tunes.

[Adam]

That looks like a mighty fine track list...I’m in!

[dog-nap (Ian)]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is special about the Rafferty sessions?

I am probably less qualified than others to opine, but that's never stopped me before. They're unique IMO because they are fully realized studio recordings of most of the tunes that turned up subsequently on SOTL, with different backing musicians, somewhat different arrangements, and occasionally Linda performing vocals that RT performed on SOTL. As a completist and collector, these are inherently valuable to me even though RT reportedly disliked the Rafferty-produced product. For the record, I too prefer the Joe Boyd versions of these tunes.

Ah, I see.  Many thanks, John

[Jules Gray]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is special about the Rafferty sessions?

I am probably less qualified than others to opine, but that's never stopped me before. They're unique IMO because they are fully realized studio recordings of most of the tunes that turned up subsequently on SOTL, with different backing musicians, somewhat different arrangements, and occasionally Linda performing vocals that RT performed on SOTL. As a completist and collector, these are inherently valuable to me even though RT reportedly disliked the Rafferty-produced product. For the record, I too prefer the Joe Boyd versions of these tunes.

I agree, except for one or two exceptions: Back Street Slide being one of them.

Jules

[peter m]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is special about the Rafferty sessions?

I am probably less qualified than others to opine, but that's never stopped me before. They're unique IMO because they are fully realized studio recordings of most of the tunes that turned up subsequently on SOTL, with different backing musicians, somewhat different arrangements, and occasionally Linda performing vocals that RT performed on SOTL. As a completist and collector, these are inherently valuable to me even though RT reportedly disliked the Rafferty-produced product. For the record, I too prefer the Joe Boyd versions of these tunes.

I agree, except for one or two exceptions: Back Street Slide being one of them.

It's a shame not to include Linda's rendition of Don't Renege and the Rafferty version of Wall of Death. On the other hand, Modern Woman is perhaps best consigned to the history books.

I was hoping for more from Once Brave Henry because Linda's voice was so good and there is not so much coverage of the early days. But with Andrew performing his usual magic, this looks like a stellar release.

[PJayBe]

Got most of Rafferty version off a CD struck with CDRot, holds up well against Boyd's, but don't think there's much in it.

[RobertD]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is special about the Rafferty sessions?

I am probably less qualified than others to opine, but that's never stopped me before. They're unique IMO because they are fully realized studio recordings of most of the tunes that turned up subsequently on SOTL, with different backing musicians, somewhat different arrangements, and occasionally Linda performing vocals that RT performed on SOTL. As a completist and collector, these are inherently valuable to me even though RT reportedly disliked the Rafferty-produced product. For the record, I too prefer the Joe Boyd versions of these tunes.

I agree, except for one or two exceptions: Back Street Slide being one of them.

Jules

I remember that in the notes to Watching The Dark that having not heard the Rafferty tracks in a long time that Richard was pleasantly surprised by a few of the arrangements, which is why I suppose they made it to that set in the first place. And for sure that version of Back Street Slide is terrific.

[Andy B]

Hi Jules,

Richard and Linda were very much involved in this boxset and so it wasn't always possible to include everything us fans would wish. As an fyi i didn't use the remixed versions of the Rafferty material- except where stated on disc 8.
In terms of the unreleased, there are definitely some gems for the hardened collector, which i'm quite pleased about really, as Richard has already been comprehensively anthologised!

best
A

[davidmjs]

Richard and Linda were very much involved in this boxset and so it wasn't always possible to include everything us fans would wish.

When asked by somebody on FB what was on it, Linda replied (I'm paraphrasing but it was something like this) "I don't know as I haven't opened it yet"  

[Jules Gray]

Hi Jules,

Richard and Linda were very much involved in this boxset and so it wasn't always possible to include everything us fans would wish. As an fyi i didn't use the remixed versions of the Rafferty material- except where stated on disc 8.
In terms of the unreleased, there are definitely some gems for the hardened collector, which i'm quite pleased about really, as Richard has already been comprehensively anthologised!

Great stuff, thanks.

Jules

[Andy B]

Hi David, Linda was no doubt being purposefully vague as believe me we went through every single track! ditto Richard

[Chris from Fieldtown]

Hi David and Darren,

Andrew here, producer of said Richard and Linda boxset. Naughty Linda let the cat out of the bag! announcement in a week or two, but I can confirm that both First Light and Sunnyvista are on it; I managed to locate he master reels and mastered from them.
best

Andrew

Wow!  Those have been reported as lost for years.  I'm looking forward to hearing the full information when the official announcement comes out.

That's always been Rt's reply when asked but I wonder if just didn't want these reissued? He's quite strong minded about his ealier work and not always complimentary. Perhaps he's mellowed or perhaps the masters have suddenly come to light.

[Jules Gray]

That's always been Rt's reply when asked but I wonder if just didn't want these reissued? He's quite strong minded about his ealier work and not always complimentary. Perhaps he's mellowed or perhaps the masters have suddenly come to light.

Yes, I always thought it was less a case of the tapes being lost and more a case that Richard put them down somewhere and wasn't too bothered about just where he put them, or about looking for them.  I mean, when all is said and done, they were definitely the weakest two albums he'd been involved in up to that point.

Jules

[peter m]

That's always been Rt's reply when asked but I wonder if just didn't want these reissued? He's quite strong minded about his ealier work and not always complimentary. Perhaps he's mellowed or perhaps the masters have suddenly come to light.

Yes, I always thought it was less a case of the tapes being lost and more a case that Richard put them down somewhere and wasn't too bothered about just where he put them, or about looking for them.  I mean, when all is said and done, they were definitely the weakest two albums he'd been involved in up to that point.

Jules

OK perhaps there are no ballads right up there with the very top songs from the previous three records, and nothing to match Night Comes In. And yet it's a measure of the man that there is still some strong material there--- First Light, Strange Affair, Restless Highway, Borrowed Time, Choice Wife/Died for Love, You're Gonna Need Somebody, I could go on. It will be fascinating to see whether some of the problems were on the production side and if so whether Andrew's remastering is able to improve these two very enjoyable albums.