Van Morrison: your views please

Is there still now news about the reissue of the cd catalogue?
Was really hoping to get at least the early 70s studio stuff.

The Van show at Davies Symphony Hall in SF was fantastic. His voice has held up amazingly well. Hardly said boo to the audience and when he did talk it was mostly mumbles. Some of the lyrics were mumbly as well. But no bother, the band was hot and Van was there to preach.

damn str8, I'll make sure to catch him next time he's in Denmark (tho tickets are v v expensive...)

apparently he needs the money

does he really? that is too bad -- I just assume that these older dudes with huge catalogs are pretty well off at the end of the day. But I guess it all depends on a bunch of factors.

I'm sure he's not poor, but probably not swimming in cash either. And if I were Van, I would be cranky too...imagine getting screwed out of the royalties for Brown Eyed Girl.

yeah that song has to be one of the most played tracks of the past 50 years -- he really makes zero dollars off it?

I don't know about zero, but he definitely got a small percentage of what it earned. I recall seeing somewhere that it's the single most downloaded song of the entire 1960s.

Don't know about royalties for Brown Eyed Girl but there are plenty of interviews where he talks about being dead broke in the late 60s. Astral Weeks, no surprise, wasn't much of a seller. Said he did Moondance to make some $$. At the show on Monday he was at his best singing the blues.

Yeah, I think Astral Weeks only took off after a couple of years.

The early 70s stuff is great, so wish they would come along with the cd reissues if they're happening. Not sure why I didn't get St Dominic's Preview in the last remaster. Probably thought it would be around for a while so prioritised other stuff. Then next time I looked for it it was gone, seemed like that 00ies series of reissues disappeared over night.
Also looks like it might not have got as far as SDP while I definitely got Veedon Fleece and It's Too Late To Stop Now in it

xpost If Van Morrison is really having financial problems then he's either very careless with his money or he's got the worst manager ever. He's had a ton of songs covered by other artists and featured in big movies. He's got to be raking in royalties. "Brown Eyed Girl" was a long time ago.

It's on the internet so it must be true.
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/rock-stars/van-morrison-net-worth/

Yeah, I think Astral Weeks only took off after a couple of years.

More like a couple of decades, I think. I recall a 1987 issue of RS saying it had sold fewer than 100,000 copies.

But hey, Van, I bet if you released that 1968 live version of Astral Weeks that Peter Wolf has tapes of, that'd bring in some cash. Just sayin'.

He may be down to his last million. I can't believe he needs the money. Jazzbo otm.

You have a drive to do this – writing, recording, touring – your own way.
It's not a drive. It's what I do. It's like Robbie Robertson said to me: "It's like breathing." I've been doing a lot of touring in the past several years because I need the money. I was running out of money, paying for a lot of stuff. I had to go out there again.

I think the renown for Astral Weeks came a long way before 87. It was on a few Best of all time lists a while before that.
I've heard that it was popular on the hippy trail in the early 70s

I got a copy on Original Rock Classics sometime in the mid 80s, or slightly earlier that I've just seen came out in 74. Would think that indicated that whatever label thought it worthy of release in that form recognised it was likely to sell.

Would like to hear that 68 live set. Have enjoyed the early 70s ones I've heard.

yeah, it must've been highly esteemed at some point (see Lester Bangs' Stranded essay), but probably only became a "major" record in the CD era.

Kicked your gift-horse in the teeth
Crowd gathered round in the street
You killed your saviour new one can't be found
Talk is cheap your saviour's highway bound

I gotta rep for "inarticulate speech of the heart" as far as 80s van goes. immense album.

― blank, Tuesday, October 2, 2012 8:39 PM (four years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

This is my favorite Van, his "Avalon"

My list of hi sthirty-two best.

Hmmm. You've got some great ones on there no doubt. But I'm a petty, small minded man and I need to say it.

No Saint Dominic's Preview, no Astral Weeks, no credibility. Those are my 2 favorite Van songs. Almost Independence Day is up there too.

"Common One" kicks ass!

underrated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIT0mVLTZM

Finally got the vol 2,3,4 ITLTSN cos I found it cheap on Amazon. It looks to be standard £5+ cheaper than it was btw, I got for even less.
But still hoping more early stuff gets reissued. Has anybody heard anything about that?

Next reish appears to be an "Authorized" collection of the Bang Records stuff.

days before rock n roll on radio atm at work

have we ever polled 'worse tracks in history?' asking for a friend

the new record will perhaps not be a very original statement, but I'm enjoying the singles so far - this Goin' to Chicago version is cool:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4u9Xyg324bx3c5ZfZMhtlm

But the most thrilling moment on the record is when its volume suddenly drops for “Goin’ to Chicago,” so that it sounds as if Morrison, Georgie Fame, and Chris Hill—who plucks the walking bassline which forms the song’s spine—are exchanging simple melodic ideas in the uncrowded air. Morrison sings, “Goin’ to Chicago/So sorry that I can’t take you,” and then Fame, his vocal a liquid counterpoint to Morrison’s more inflexible and geologic formations, sings, “I come from Chi-town, Chi-town is my town,” and the effect is lovely, two powerful vocalists tracing and retracing each other’s phrases just as they start to evaporate from the arrangement.

nice, brad!

oh thanks! i was nervous about that review bc i wish i liked the record more

Another album of standards due out next month:
http://www.recordstore.co.uk/recordstore/Out-in-December/Versatile/5PKS0EAN000

haha, taking the Dylan route

Weird that this thread would be bumped right now. I'm very into A Period of Transition today.

"out in the cold again" from last year's keep me singing is really nice.

In between the times where it feels alright. To the dead of the cold black night

i've a feeling van does not gaf about album title anymore, he already told us born to sing: no plan b why do we have to 'keep him singing' now

Next year he'll release I Have an Album Out.

To be followed up by "$16.99 At Barnes & Noble"

if only! I bough a lot of obscure Rykodisc shit at B&N.

You reminded me of seeing every late '90s Van album, shit like Back on Top displayed prominently.

i really like keep me singing i listen to it often

common one is underrated

the first time i heard moondance i thought "that braying voice.... that bland lifeless smooth jazz puree.... is this sinatra?"
before that my only impression of him was "brown eyed girl is a little mediocre but still listenable"

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWg4jnyVAAAtwwD.jpg

Still wishing that the 70s catalogue would reappear in remastered cd form.
Is that remotely likely to happen now?
Really need St Dominic's preview and veedon fleece in decent form.

days before rock n roll on radio atm at work

have we ever polled 'worse tracks in history?' asking for a friend

― spud called maris (darraghmac), Friday, 19 May 2017 10:55 (nine months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Who's in the photo with Van and why is Van looking so happy?

robbie robertson?

yeah looks kinda like him - but is he so tall?

Definitely Robbie. Van's a short dude.

5'5"

What's my line?
I'm happy cleaning windows
Take my time
Can't reach the fucking top rows
Cleaning windows

yeah it's robbie — he posted it on his twitter, they seem to be up to something. not the worst idea. does robertson remember how to play guitar i wonder?