It still bothers me that the deluxe reissues stopped ...
 

RIGHT before my favorite album, Sister, would have been next to up. I mean... what the heck happened? I devoured every reissues from Dirty to Daydream, and appreciated the hell out of each one. But why only those three in deluxe, double album format?

This is not something that has to remain unaccomplished. Deluxe reissues of all the albums would be really nice. If lesser bands like R.E.M. and the Cure and the Flaming Lips can do it, why can't SY?

Goddammit. The day the Dirty deluxe version became available, I thought, "wow cool... no rhyme or reason to why they're starting with Dirty, but as long as I eventually get Sister, etc. I'll be a happy camper."

:mad:

It is hard to say why did they stopped issuing deluxe editons of their albums. I would love to see some WM deluxe version. can they pull something related to their albums which were not "deluxed" yet from their vaults and it is not live stuff? I think they could.

but even stuff (Screamin Fields Of Sonic Love DVD and also two 80ties documentaries /according to Brian from WFMU who is doing liner notes for it/) planned to go for release next went on idle for some reason.

hard to say. probably busy with other stuff.

That would be amazing!

Yeah, WM was another one I was really looking forward to.

Also, the promised pre-major label sequel to Corporate Ghost. Lots of dropped balls now that I think about it.

It may be a label thing. Reissues stoped around the time they signed to Matador, right? But Matador had a penchant for deluxe re-issues as well (Pavement). Either way, some of their albums need a more comprehensive archival re-release, like what VU did, or what Nirvana did. Certainly there's enough demand to make it worth it.

Evol with tour film was rumored as well.

imagine if one of those two 80ties documentaries Brian Turner is reffering to would be Evol tour film. that would be crazy.

by the way I might write him and ask him what exactly those two docs. are about.

WM!!!
the moment i heard about dirty deluxe was the moment i fantasized they would do WM eventually. could there be demos? unused tracks? my inner 13 year old would blow a load.

Who knows dude, could be myriad reasons. No enthusiasm from Geffen to do it, lack of archival recordings pre-1988. Don't know the sales figures from the previous reissues, but maybe Geffen figured they nailed the three most well-known/popular albums and they got other fish to fry. Sucks for us hardcore fans.

I want to see more archival live releases a la Live at Smart Bar personally. The fact the band isn't active anymore also probably contributes to a lack of enthusiasm and energy for more releases.

When they were active I got so used to a near annual release of some sort. I wish archival stuff was so constant.

I prefer the expanded deluxe reissues to the little archival releases that come with nothing but a gatefold cover and a track list. Nothing against Spinhead Sessions, but it was just a disc and cardboard. I'd rather have a Beatles Anthology-esque collection of exhaustively annotated alternate takes and rare tracks, with a fatass booklet to obsess about and pour over endlessly.

I'd be happy with more of either or both. Smart Bar was amazing for just cardboard and disc.

EJS&NS would have been an amazing reissue. It's such an obscure release of theirs but I would have liked to have seen it given a re-release. Sweet Shine is one of my top favorites.

Washing Machine would be killer

:eek: "Sweet Shine" is one of my top favorites too! Part of a long tradition of killer Kim closers. "Massage the History" feels like a spiritual sequel to that song in my mind.

I agree. That would make a hell of a reissue. It's a GOOD album. You can hear the future of "edgy" alternative in those tracks. Beck, Blur, Modest Mouse... I think EJST&NS is due for a revival. It brought the art back. And the noise. And the pop, somehow. It (and Dirty) are the logical predecessors to what the band would later refine on Rather Ripped, and I'm glad they returned to that sound.

ESJ is a fascinating album to me. The band toured with Pavement and Sebadoh - who were no doubt inspired by Sonic Youth - and then SY went and recorded this album sort of inspired by those sounds. It's like... I don't know. There must be a scientific word here. I want to say mobius strip but not really.

ejst has demos out there. there's a track of thurston rapping terribly.

When they announced the deluxe reissues i think the plan was for those 3 only from the start. I think one of the band members said later it was whatever label's idea and the label only wanted to do those 3.

A deluxe sister would be nice though.

been lucky enough to caught up with Steve for a little at Le Guess Who festival. thanks Moshe for bringing me on! apparently there is enough of material (incl. demos) to make a 4CD deluxe edition of Sister!

what was about that documentary in their pipelines Moshe? Hold That Tiger with audio commentary? guys are busy with their current stuff, so it might take a while.

Also, the promised sequel/prequel to Corporate Ghost. That never happened. Wish it would.

There is a predecessor to Corporate Ghost on VHS

One of the few bands with archives deep enough they could really smash the deluxe reissue format. Certainly from the time they get their own studio they're clear there's a lot of jamming, rehearsing, early takes, etc. Washing Machine and 1,000 Leaves would be knee-deep in good alt versions and off-cuts. Heck, the first three SYR EPs (plus Silver Session) are basically outtake releases showing how much cool stuff the band were doing around that time.

Washing Machine would be possible too. talking about Geffen era, I got a feeling that there would be an extra issue concerning Geffen owning rights on the top of it..

But they were able to reissue “Daydream Nation,” a Neutral release, without much or any fuss. I’m not sure if that’s because DGC somehow acquired the rights to Neurtral or what (actually I think that’s exactly what happened), but I feel like all of this could be worked out pretty easily if the band wanted to make it happen.

Even if they continued where they last left off on Matador, I’d think Matador would be more than capable of ironing out the kinks and releasing of the ‘80s albums in particular. Maybe not so much with the material released under Geffen.

You know what? Fuck it. Someone call the Numero Group and push for a full catalogue extensive reissue a la Unwound, and (hopefully) Hüsker Dü, and so on. Sonic Youth isn’t just some band. Their albums are cultural artifacts. Their music is still being digested and dissected by pop culture. They deserve the primo treatment. Barring a “Beatles Anthology”-style band effort to present their history in full, a Numero Group set of box sets with 2-3 albums and tons of bonus material each is the best way to go.

I want this to happen.

I will feel fucked out of a “Sister” deluxe reissue until I get a goddamn “Sister” deluxe issue.

Lee! Do this thing!

DDN was orignally on Blast First, not Neutral, but DGC had already acquired rights to issue it well in advance of the deluxe sets [see the '93 reissues].

You’re right. Forgot about Blast First. I suck.

Still... Numero Group SY series... is that not an awesome concept?

I don't really need the deluxe treatment, especially now almost everything has been reissued. But inspiration from records a la "The Secret History of Pavement vol 1" - would be nice. A sort of rarities/outtakes/bsides/jams compilation from a certain era. 1LP at a time, with discarded artwork/pictures from that era.

Or just the continuation of the SYR series, but more as an archival series. I always prefer a record with a clear theme, rather than random compilations such as The Destroyed Bedroom.. (Though that one has Blink..)

If SY needs help in compiling, I could help with that. :-D

Is the “Secret History of Pavement” thing just the second disc of the 2000s reissues, released on its own? Like, Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe” disc 2, “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA’s Desert Origins” disc 2, etc.?

I’d rather just have both discs. Projects that are started should be completed.

I’d take what you’re suggesting over nothing, but I’d much rather get a big lovely gatefold cover and 34-page book about Sister with all the demos, b-sides, unreleased tracks, jams, etc. from the album tacked on to a remastered version of the album.

I’d be less pissed if they had made it through Sister before they stopped.

I'd like.... anything. Gimme a new SY archival release a year forever and I'd be a happy boy.

Mind-bendingly awesome, feel stupid for not having thought of it myself. I can't even imagine... All the master tapes that made up Sonic Death for the first one perhaps? Each era must have such gold.

Four disc Sister gives me all kinds of peculiar feelings, especially as it was my first SY LP. I've had a stab at assembling a post NYCGAF/pre Murray Street myself, with Demonkiller, Kali Yug, Sweet Emotion 7" etc, would love a proper one with Things Behind The Sun and whatever other jams they've got kicking about from then on a 3 LP. Numero Group would be perfect for it.