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seven months pass...
So because I do love a treasure hunt, a non-exhaustive investigation into what versions of Unmask the Batman are out there:
*Lacy Gibson - 1969 Single Version
Chicago Blues guitarist, Lacy Gibson was the brother-in-law of Sun Ra and co-wrote 'I Am Gonna Unmask The Batman' with Sun Ra's business manager, Alton Abraham.
* Lacy Gibson - Extended Version of the above released on the Rocket Ship Rock compilation (assume this was recorded in 1969 as well)
*Sun Ra And His Astro-Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra 1974 Single Version
* Sun Ra Trumper Player Akh Tal Ebah shouts his way wildly through a home recorded (?) version collected on the Rocket Ship Rock compilation (19??)
* Sun Ra - Of Abstract Dreams version here - 1974 or 1975 - definitive as Sleeve suggests with James Jacson growling out the vocals
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEkW2IoYb28 - I do really enjoy the crowd interaction at the end of this 10min+ version purported to be from a 1990 date at Nightstage, Cambridge, MA that has popped up recently on Youtube.β¨
* The Sun Ra Arkestra - 21 May 2014 Babylon Club, Istanbul (released on the deluxe Babylon Live) - theyβre having fun with this messy blues boogie, great vocal interplay between Tara Middleton and Marshall Allen to start it off and then the sax takes over
*The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra - Songs From The Sun Ra Cosmos - Tribute Album - far from essential but check out those noisy breakdown sections.
HOL UP
So I did a little more digging and found four more Batman's on some bootlegs of varying quality (28 October 1984, 1 Jan 1985, 5 Jan 1985, 25 October 1985).
On the two early '85 ones the bass is high in the mix with Rollo Radford getting lots of freedom to play around. The mix on the New Year's day recording is pretty poor, bordering on unlistenable, and Rollo's not sounding 100% on it. These issues, however, are not present on the 5 January 1985 version which I've uploaded to Youtube for your aural pleasure. This might be my favourite the way it comes together post-bass explorations - joyous vocals.
three weeks pass...