Sunset Blvd Changes Question- Page 6

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:35pm

Yes. Due to the current (and overwhelming) surge in interest in SUNSET BLVD. thanks to this recent thread, they will be remastering and re-packaging all of the SUNSET BLVD. recordings (yes, even the German and Canadian recordings).

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:37pm

Riiiiiight.

And while they're at it, they're re-assembling the Australian cast for a complete symphonic recording.

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:40pm

Personally, I'd love to see a remastered London Cast Recording.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:42pm

Guess you also read that on Debra Byrne's website today, huh?

Wonder if Hugh Jackman's site also mentions this recording?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:48pm

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:55pm

I love the gun in that logo. It makes me laugh for some reason, though.

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 4:47pm

The Gun Logo was in the initial ads for the Broadway opening, and London relaunch but were gone by the time of the NY opening.

Always liked that one - but actually all of the various ads were pretty cool = the initial gold one - the dark red one, the one with Norma at Paramount...

As for the London cast remastered - considering how it was slapped together with some music taken from the Sydmonton workshop, I don't know how they'd be able to remaster it - or how it would improve it. If they had actually made a full studio recording that had cuts in it's original release, it would be worth there while to revisit it, but that's not the case.

I remember reading that after the whole debacle with Patti not coming to Bway and all the praise for the Close/revised version, that originally they were going to stop producing the World Premiere Recording. For awhile it was only available as an import item...

Posted: 5/18/07 at 6:20pm

"Just got the OLC in the mail today. I love it, only it is packaged very old-fashioned like, as in a thick double-cd case instead of a compact dual-cd thing like most are today. Are they planning on remastering the London Cast Recording with new packaging any time soon?
"

Remastering albums from the 90s is really IMHO more or less a gimmick--albums that old don't usually need it or improve much. That said if it was remastered it would get new packaging...

Looking at Really Usefuls website I get the impression with their remasters they basically remastered one major version/recording of each of their shows--prob the one they see as most representative of the show--and that's the only one they advertise (Probably a reason they haven't remastered one of the old Evitas yet--they're still pimping on the site the new one). Since they remastered the LA recording I doubt they'll do any others for Sunset

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 11:53am

Does anyone have Elaine Paige's "Surrender" from her newer CD? I'd love to hear it.

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 12:48pm

Yes, I have the new CD with 'Surrender'. The whole thing was a disappointment, since the orchesrations of the songs are so overproduced and dry, plus Elaine's renditions are very lacklustre. I enjoyed her 2004 2-disc compilation 'Centre stage' much more.

[simon_wilkie]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 2:03pm

If you notice, RUG have re-released all the old shows in the same format as started with the Whistle CD (i.e. a slim-line jewel case and libretto inside a cardboard sleeve). When they re-released them back in 2005 (along with The Likes of Us), they didn't release an remastered Evita presumably because they knew about the new London Cast, which they then released in May 2006 in the same format. I think they chose the most "representative" of all their recordings (or their most recent?). For some reason though, they never re-released "By Jeeves" in the same format. The forgotten ALW musical again!

S.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 2:23pm

That's because they had just released the new American premier recording of By Jeeves and probably felt no need to remaster the London revival. And they'll never let the original Jeeves out again so that's out of the question.

Posted: 5/20/07 at 8:56am

I'm a huge fan of camp/awful/trashtastic dance versions of non dance songs so I immediately got excited when I found out that in 1999 Helen Reddy (!) did a maxi cd single of dance remixes of Surrender! It's long out of print--anyone have it??

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 4:02pm

A friend just sent me a compilation with Elaine Paige's "With One Look", "The Perfect Year", "As If We Never Said Goodbye", John Barrowman's "Sunset Boulevard" and Sarah Brightman and, I think, John Barrowman again singing "Too Much in Love to Care". It's awesome.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 8:52pm

I also got my Petula Clark CD today. I guess I'm in the minority, but I like her versions of the songs.

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 8:57pm

shes definitely underrated as Norma - I loved her live performance.

And I hated Elaine Paige -

different strokes....

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:06pm

Barrowman sounds great and on the youtube clip but I still think he loosk way too put together to play a slightly past his prime Joe

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:22pm

Yeah...I guess John Barrowman does look a tad too put together.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:34pm

Ha. I love John Barrowman. Maybe not so much as Joe, but in general. He's great. And I agree about Elaine, chern. She's a great vocalist, I love hearing her sing the songs, but watching the clips she just looks ... I dunno. Like she's "acting" I guess. I don't see Norma.

[chernjam]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:39pm

thanks cat - she was worse than what you saw online BELIEVE ME!

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:54am

Elaine had the vocals from what I could see on YouTube, but during With one look she moved her arms way too much; it looked like she will start to fly.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 4:46pm

Here are some pictures of the original set and a picture of Patti from the book.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 8:48pm

Great Pictures. I really wish a company like Troika, or even Really Useful, would tour this show again.
Updated On: 5/22/07 at 08:48 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 8:53pm

Troika did have a Sunset Boulevard poster up on their website as part of their upcoming projects section, but it has since disappeared along with the La Cage revival poster and other unofficially announced titles. I dunno why.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/22/07 at 9:02pm

Unfortunately, as those photos can attest, due to the realities of production, transporting and overhead costs, the original staging of SUNSET BLVD. will never be seen again, especially in a 'touring' version. The odds of any sort of sitdown revival is slim to none as well.

Those who were fortunate to have seen the original staging (in any of it's incarnations worldwide) will have the memory of seeing and experiencing it for the rest of their lives.

I feel lucky (and quite blessed) to have see it countless of times (Broadway and 1st US National Tour).