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Post by dougs on Jan 31, 2023 23:09:30 GMT
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of release, HONKY CHATEAU is being re-released in various package combos on March 24, 2023:
A year late but it is here. HONKY CHATEAU is being released in various packages including shirts, mugs, lithograph poster, 2-CDs, 2 LPs, and a special gold LP. A small booklet of unique photos and a new interview is also included with the LPs and the CDs.
The biggest news is that the LPs (vinyl) and CDs feature demos of most of the songs from the recording sessions. The 2nd CD also features the Elton Royal Festival Hall concert on February 5, 1972 featuring 8 songs from HONKY CHATEAU.
Right now (January 31), the HONKY CHATEAU packages appear to be available for pre-order only for Rocket Club members. It is giving these members first shot to order the various options. I would assume that we will see everything open up to everyone fairly shortly.
Doug
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Post by dougs on Feb 1, 2023 19:18:33 GMT
HONKY CHATEAU - 50th Anniversary Packages Available: The various LP (vinyl) and CD packages plus merchandise for the re-release of Elton & Bernie's 1972 HONKY CHATEAU - 50th Anniversary are now available for everyone on eltonjohn.com and Amazon and probably elsewhere: store.eltonjohn.com/*/Honky-Ch-teau-Collection/Check out the bonus tracks (live & session demos) available. Doug |
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Post by newloneranger on Feb 2, 2023 0:01:34 GMT
Just preordered the CD package. Looks interesting........Jim
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Post by dougs on Feb 2, 2023 3:16:06 GMT
newloneranger:
Two of the songs from the new HONKY CHATEAU package have just been released; "Rocket Man" from Royal Festival Hall and the "Mellow" demo. They are available on iTunes and other platforms for purchase.
It will be nice to have those 8 HONKY CHATEAU songs performed at Royal Festival Hall.
Doug
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Post by dougs on Feb 8, 2023 7:57:47 GMT
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Post by newloneranger on Feb 15, 2023 3:34:26 GMT
newloneranger: Two of the songs from the new HONKY CHATEAU package have just been released; "Rocket Man" from Royal Festival Hall and the "Mellow" demo. They are available on iTunes and other platforms for purchase. It will be nice to have those 8 HONKY CHATEAU songs performed at Royal Festival Hall. Doug I heard the Mellow demo. I like it. Its a tad different than the original and I like the piano bit at the end......Jim |
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Post by dougs on Mar 3, 2023 6:47:10 GMT
The original "Honky Cat" demo and the live version at the 1972 Royal Festival Hall concert have been released this week ahead of the special 50th Anniversary release of HONKY CHATEAU:
"Honky Cat" now joins "Mellow" as the two demos currently released early - available on iTunes and on streaming platforms. Both songs clock in longer than the finished versions on 1972's HONKY CHATEAU album. Both songs also feature the band (Nigel, Dee, and Davey) as well as Elton on the demos unlike the MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER demos released last year which featured just Elton.
The live version also released was the first-ever performance of "Honky Cat" in concert and was played in London at the Royal Festival Hall.
HONKY CHATEAU was the album that saw Elton take his music in a new direction and became his first #1 album. The 50th Anniversary vinyl & CD packages are being released March 24th...
Doug
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Post by rocketman on Mar 4, 2023 21:16:21 GMT
I recently listened to the Mellow demo, and found it an interesting variation of the song that made the album.
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Post by dougs on Mar 5, 2023 13:28:57 GMT
rocketman:
Yeah, it is interesting to see how songs evolve through the writing, rehearsing, and recording processes. I have purchased a lot of newly re-mastered and re-mixed albums of several artists previously recorded years or decades ago and it is remarkable how producers can greatly alter the sound of recordings by tweaking things here & there, let alone deciding to add parts (horns, electric violin, strings, etc.) or even remove parts to make the songs more bare. Both George Martin and Gus Dudgeon became masters at deciding what needed to be added, taken out, or tweaked.
These HONKY CHATEAU demos (two, so far) are interesting, for certain. Can't wait to hear the others due March 24 for HONKY CHATEAU and then the demos for DON'T SHOOT ME I'M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER on RECORD STORE DAY (April 22).
Doug
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Post by dougs on Mar 24, 2023 6:28:07 GMT
The HONKY CHATEAU 50TH ANNIVRSARY packages are out today (March 24)!
A year late, but the vinyl & CD & digital packages are officially fully released today. Of particular interest are the special demos featuring not only EJ but also the band (Dee, Nigel, and Davey). Additionally, there are the live debuts for most songs on the HONKY CHATEAU album played at London's Royal Festival Hall on February 5, 1972. It is great to hear these songs live fresh from recording at the Chateau. This was the first album and subsequent tour featuring Elton and his band throughout as essentially a 4-piece band. The 1970 & 1971 tours featured EJ live as a trio (with only Dee & Nigel). 1972 is when guitarist Davey Johnstone began making his mark on Elton's music - full time.
Doug
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Post by dougs on Apr 6, 2023 2:27:45 GMT
HONKY CHATEAU - 50TH ANNIVERSARY:
I finally got my 50th Anniversary album package from eltonjohn.com. Those "demos" are a real blast. Here are a couple of comments /spoilers:
* great to hear different versions such as having a more Southern (Louisiana) feel to "I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself"
* really enjoyed the multiple false starts to ""Hercules" ending with an extended piano outro
* lots of pre-song chatter and comments
* "Salvation" and "Slave" demos offer alternative instruments within the songs
* "Honky Cat" has EJ becoming quite vocally playful in the extended outro
* for me, the greatest highlight is the funky instrumental version of "Susie (Dramas)"
* these demo mixes show how incredibly funky Dee & Nigel were
* the demo mixes also offer a greater clarity to some of Davey's guitar work such as his wah-wah on "Slave" - his banjo is clear throughout the demos
* the packaging is impressive; new interviews and very rare photos from the recording & promotion of the album
It is like rediscovering HONKY CHATEAU all over again. I wish that I was old enough to buy the album when it first came out (1972).
Doug
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