BEATLES – CELLOPHANE FLOWERS (2 CD)

Description

A fun compilation album that will impress even the most discerning fans, a hidden anthology of 51 songs!

Per Moonchild:
This time, it’s a studio compilation, with some fresh new material even for enthusiasts, and I think it’s a truly enjoyable experience. “Cellophane Flowers” is the anthology I’ve always wished had been released publicly; a greatest-hits collection of outtakes, so to speak. It blends tracks from official releases, studio reels used for collector’s items, and tracks specially created by enterprising sound engineers (always from the original session tapes). This set is an audio diary of the most complex and innovative studio sessions of the recording era. These are mostly raw session tapes, and not all of the songs are finished. Many of these songs are from the band’s hardest rock, wildest, and most experimental period; some might call it “aesthetic,” but this is what I live for. I hope you enjoy my selections. There are no covers; all songs are written by John, Paul, and George, with George Martin also receiving a songwriting credit on one. To give the Quiet One a more prominent presence, an obscure early George solo track is added to the first disc. All the songs are either previously unreleased or powerful alternative versions of previously known classics, often released under their original titles. To hear Paul journey from “Helter Skelter” to “Step Inside Love” in the same sessions…you’ll have to hear it for yourself. I know the Beatles world better than anyone, and I listened to hundreds of hours of tapes for this project. The sound quality of the collector’s reels is the best you can find outside the vaults of Abbey Road Studios, and most are first-generation transfers directly from the original master reels. On some tracks, I eschewed the flat-sounding, noise-reduced official versions in favor of recordings with a superior, raw rock & roll sound, albeit with more tape hiss and peak distortion. Most tracks are in stereo, but sometimes mono takes are omitted. The tracks are essentially in chronological order, but I’ve tried to sequence them so that each disc has a proper sonic flow and a proper ending, just like a “real” Beatles double album. True to the band’s practice from 1967 onward, the gaps between songs are kept as short as possible while still retaining the individuality of each individual song. A note on “Sour Milk Sea”: Written by George, this song was created by combining George’s Esher demo with a studio track by Jackie Lomax. The studio track, produced by George, features Paul on bass, Ringo on drums, Eric Clapton (who played on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”) on lead guitar, and Nicky Hopkins (who played on “Revolution 1″) on piano. It’s a masterful effort to create as close to a true Beatles version of this great song as possible. This set is packed with surprises, and even for a die-hard fan like me, compiling it has been a constant source of amazement. Phase and level adjustments have been made where necessary. I also did some spectral recovery and EQ on some tracks (CD 1 – 09,23,24,25 & CD 2 – 19).

DISC 1
01 The One After 909 (edit of takes 4 & 5)
02 Can’t Buy Me Love (first version, take 2)
03 Eight Days a Week (first version, take 5)
04 That Means a Lot (take 2, reduction copy of take 1 with SIs)
05 This Bird Has Flown (take 1, wide mix)
06 I’m Looking Through You (take 1)
07 Tomorrow Never Knows (take 1)
08 Got to Get You Into My Life (first version, take 5)
09 And Your Bird Can Sing (first version, take 2)
10 Taxman (re-make, take 11)
11 I’m Only Sleeping (take 1)
12 Yellow Submarine (unused intro piece)
13 Yellow Submarine (take 5 with Sis)
14 She Said She Said (home demo)
15 Strawberry Fields Forever (take 1 with SIs)
16 Strawberry Fields Forever (percussion take 15)
17 Strawberry Fields Forever (percussion take 24)
18 Strawberry Fields Forever (take 26 with SIs, Remix Stereo 5)
19 Penny Lane (edit of takes 6, 7 & 9)
20 In the Life Of… (take 1)
21 Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite! (calliope SI)
22 Good Morning Good Morning (animal SI)
23 Magical Mystery Tour (stereo film mix)
24 Aerial Tour Instrumental (Remix Mono 4)
25 Aerial Tour Instrumental (Remix Mono 8)
26 Red Lady Too (mono LP mix)
27 Goodbye (studio demo)

DISC 2
01 Across the Universe (Hums Wild) (Remix Stereo 4) 02 Lady Madonna (edit of takes 2, 3 & 4)
03 Child of Nature (Esher demo for the White Album) 04 Circles (Esher demo for the White Album)
05 Junk (Esher demo for the White Album)
06 Revolution (take 20, reduction copy of take 2 with Sis)
07 A Beginning (unused intro piece to Don’t Pass Me By)
08 Sour Milk Sea (created from George’s Esher demo) 09 Good Night (unused intro piece)
10 Good Night (edit of takes 10 & 5)
11 Cry Baby Cry (unnumbered take)
12 Helter Skelter (vocal SI)
13 Helter Skelter (re-make, take 17)
14 While My Guitar Gently Weeps (studio demo, take 1) 15 Not Guilty (take 102, ‘Sessions’ mix)
16 Step Inside Love (recorded during sessions for I Will) 17 Glass Onion (Remix Mono 2)
18 She Came In Through the Bathroom Window (from the Get Back sessions)
19 Isn’t It a Pity (studio demo)
20 She’s So Heavy (edit of Trident session & reduction mix)
21 All Things Must Pass (studio demo, take 2)
22 Come and Get It (studio demo all instruments played by Paul)
23 What’s the New Mary Jane (stereo 7” mix)
24 Magical Mystery Tour Reprise (stereo film mix)