RE-RECORDS

Lots of old bands these days are re-recording their old songs and albums...What do you guys and gals think about that.. For me some are good (Foreigner, Eagles, Stryper) and Some are ok (Kiss) some are horrible (Dokken)....

The only one that did anything for me was the Anthrax one as I think that John Bush is streets ahead of either Neil or Joey.

Saxon has done this half a dozen times. The only one I thought was awesome is the "Unplugged and Unstrung" album. That was actually a creative idea. Other than that? Dickinson covering a few Di'Anno tunes was interesting as b-sides.

And Boris is off his rocker on the "Greater of Two Evils" album. That was sacrilege.

I like all of the Testament re-recordings. I also like the Saxon and Anthrax re-recordings.

Not really into this in general.

I did like when TESTAMENT did "Reign of Terror" though.

There probably are a few other good examples but I can't think of many.

I generally don't like them. The originals sound so much better to my ears, probably because I'm just too used to them that way. I mean, I get why they do it but it just isn't the same.

Do people like any of these:






I believe this is new vocals only.

Those were bonus tracks on the Japanese "Bullet Train" single. Interesting, but not really an improvement over the original.

Amorphis released an album of rerecorded songs in 2010. I enjoyed it.

The only reason any of these bands do this is financial. They can't afford to license the original recordings from the record labels that own them, so they re-record them in the hopes of being able to make a little more money from their compositions. I understand the reasoning and empathize with them, but it's also rarely done for artistic purposes.

I agree with detuned. Although - I think Bruce recording tracks in the studio from the 2 Di'Anno albums was done for artistic merit. I would hate to think he recorded them just to be an asshole - but, who knows for sure?

It's really going to be a question of what comes out of it, for me.

I finally got a copy of Michael Kiske's "Past in Different Ways" album where he does a sort of unplugged treatment of his old Helloween stuff. I wasn't expecting much, but found that I could just keep spinning that album AND that some of the songs (We Got the Right, namely) were better in their stripped down form than the originals.

Likewise, when you're talking about something like Jon Oliva's Savatage re-recordings as bonus tracks on the last round of reissues, it gives a different interpretation of some songs and adds to the catalog. Even the re-records that didn't set the world on fire were cool to hear.

When you're just doing note-perfect renditions, my interest goes out the window.

Stryper's Second Coming re-recordings were pretty good, they scraped off the high gloss production and sounded a little more "raw."

The KISS re-recordings that came with Sonic Boom didn't sound radically different from the originals. I have a theory that they didn't re-cut those songs as a way to improve/update their oldies, but as a method to f*ck Ace and Peter out of future performance royalties by using the "updated" versions for licensing purposes - i.e. video games, TV commercials, etc.

I'm pretty sure that the Scorpions' re-do's on Comeblack were done for similar commercial reasons. They certainly didn't go out of their way to change much of their Greatest Hits. The only one that I can honestly say was improved was "Rhythm Of Love," which is ballsier than the ultra-slick original

I recently picked up the Dokken re-records (Anthems, aka Greatest Hits) and they're unnecessary at best. If nothing else, they make you notice how much Don Dokken's voice has gone downhill, and how much of a George Lynch clone Jon Levin is on guitar. Fortunately the four new songs at the end of the disc are worth having cuz I'll probably never listen to the re-recordings again.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

I agree with detuned.  Although - I think Bruce recording tracks in the studio from the 2 Di'Anno albums was done for artistic merit.  I would hate to think he recorded them just to be an asshole - but, who knows for sure?

If I am not mistake, Wrathchild 99 was newly recorded vocals and an entire remix. Rumor is it was Kevin Shirley's audition for to be the producer of Brave New World.

Just listened to that "Wrathchild", as I wasn't aware of it before. The first two IM are my favorite, and it feels different with Dickinson vocalist. He's a better vocalist, and Paul D. gives those records a certain grit that Bruce does not.

I liked Exodus' re-recording of the Bonded by Blood album with Dukes. Nowhere near as good as the original, but I thought it was a pretty fun listen, if simply for the novelty.

I do want to hear Manowar's re-recorded albums...just haven't gotten around to it yet. Ha.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

 Other than that?  Dickinson covering a few Di'Anno tunes was interesting as b-sides.

Now that really is sacrilege! Much better than the horrible 99 version was this one from '81 (rumoured to be his audition for the band and featuring some mighty impressive Gillaning.

The only recent re records (of all the stuff mentioned above) that I didn't care for were the Kiss (b/c they didn't really sound much different) and the Dokken "Anthems" as it shows what a bad place Don is in vocally. The ones I really liked were Stryper and Anthrax. I prefer the originals but really like JB's vox on the updates too. Plus, different production values and updated techniques.

Eh, I can take 'em or leave 'em anymore. If it's a band I'm already familiar with and they are re-doing it for financial reasons, good for them I guess. It's not going to take away from my enjoyment/memories of the originals. Unless they are doing something drastic to change it up (ie different vocalist or unplugged), I'm not interested.

If it's a band I don't know very well, it might be a cool way for me to sample some of their work.

I don't think every re-recording is done for financial reasons. Certainly when Def Leppard re-recorded "Hysteria," "Rock of Ages," and "Pour Some Sugar on Me," they did it for that reason (they even admitted it). But I'm pretty sure Helloween recorded Unarmed solely for creative purposes.

Anyway, one album that does work is First Strike Still Deadly. In my opinion it is far superior to the original Testament tunes. Such a badass album. I know some of you old(er) farts will disagree, but I would be perfectly okay with Testament giving every pre-Low song this re-recording treatment.

In general, though, I'm kind of indifferent to them. Sometimes they work, more often they don't.

I totally disagree that TESTAMENT improved those songs. The solos got messed up (which was the best thing about that band) and some of the vocals aren't too hot. The drumming does sound better at times though and I liked the new version of "Reign of Terror".