Okay - playing devil's advocate a bit here.

What do you think of the principle of old recordings by deceased artists being released with a new backing?

There have been tours recently where video footage of Elvis singing is put on a big screen with a live backing. These shows have gotten glowing reviews but is it a good idea, a bit too macabre or just plain daft?

Aside from whether or not you like Elvis, what do you think of the concept of having a deceased artist "perform" with a live backing?

Tony Bennett recorded a "duet" with Billie Holiday by singing along to one of her old records after she had died.

"Free as a bird" by the Beatles is another example - the (at the time) 3 remaining Beatles singing/playing along with a recording of John Lennon after John's death.

I know "free as a bird" is a bit of a lousy song but it is the principle I wonder about. Even when the Beatles were at their peak they tended to make their records by overdubbing parts individually rather than playing them all together live.

Is overdubbing on to a track by a deceased artist that much different to overdubbing on to a track by someone who is still alive?

I happen to like Louis Armstrong overdubbed with the Preservation Hall Jazz Orchestra on Rockin' Chair, and that's it.

There have been some awful experiments, though: Elvis and Lisa Marie springs to mind, as does Louis Armstrong and Kenny G.

Concerning the TCB Band: no, they shouldn't appear with video footage of Elvis Presley, mostly taken from the godawful Aloha From Hawaii. The TCB Band acted as a great unit on Elvis Costello's King of America, and on Roy Orbison's Black & White Night concert.

On another matter: I cannot stand Aloha From Hawaii; it's nowhere near as good as Elvis On Tour, or Prince From Another Planet, or, for that matter, That's The Way It Is, but I digress.

Tony Bennett, of late, has released some excellent albums, but singing along to God Bless The Child wasn't a good idea. I do like his Duets albums, because, unlike the loathsome Sinatra duet albums, Bennett sounds engaged, and doesn't sound as if he's phoning in vocals to an anaemic backing track.

However, what happens when you get a stand-in singer to perform a song mostly associated with a deceased artist ? You sometimes get an awful result, such as Jon Stamos massacring Dennis Wilson's Forever. Mike Love even thought Stamos could improve on Dennis, with a studio version appearing on Summer In Paradise.

Registered: ten days ago

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The Nightmare Gig November 28, 2012 22:16
Opinions on Between the Buttons November 30, 2012 02:00
Best contributions to Stones recordings by other musicians November 30, 2012 20:25
Worst Stones Video (including solo stuff) November 30, 2012 01:41
What would the Stones sound like in another 50 years? December 1, 2012 02:15
Songs that you would love to hear the Stones cover December 1, 2012 01:44
Which would you look forwards to more - new album or new tour? December 4, 2012 02:55
Have the Stones diminuished their legacy by carrying on so long? December 3, 2012 22:55
What was the last truly great Stones studio album? December 4, 2012 00:55
Which Stone would you most like to meet and why? December 4, 2012 02:36
Who should produce new album? December 4, 2012 03:31
OT - Recording of deceased artists with new backing? December 4, 2012 13:00


Good start !

HMN

No sons of Beatles threads?

I bought a Marc Bolan record about 30 years of demos that had been 'finished off' by session musicians after he died so it's not such a new thing.

Not that big of an Elvis fan, but I have to say that TCB tour with all of Elvis's old crew was a really morose idea that ended up being fantastic. Apart from Elvis being 19 stories tall it was like he was there!

Yes & no. No to pretty well what's been mentioned but a couple spring to mind worth mentioning.

Demos of Hank Williams & Buddy Holly have had new backing added. In the case of Buddy it was the original Crickets so you'd be hard pressed knowing that the recording had been overdubbed, 'What To Do' & 'Peggy Sue Got Married' are 2 examples of this.

Some of Hank's material has had stuff like extra lead breaks added in the middle of a song & the tonal difference can be quite notable, not so good in my opinion. Later on they dubbed Hank Williams Jr. doing duets with his dad, even worse

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Honestman
Registered: ten days ago

Posts

The Nightmare Gig November 28, 2012 22:16
Opinions on Between the Buttons November 30, 2012 02:00
Best contributions to Stones recordings by other musicians November 30, 2012 20:25
Worst Stones Video (including solo stuff) November 30, 2012 01:41
What would the Stones sound like in another 50 years? December 1, 2012 02:15
Songs that you would love to hear the Stones cover December 1, 2012 01:44
Which would you look forwards to more - new album or new tour? December 4, 2012 02:55
Have the Stones diminuished their legacy by carrying on so long? December 3, 2012 22:55
What was the last truly great Stones studio album? December 4, 2012 00:55
Which Stone would you most like to meet and why? December 4, 2012 02:36
Who should produce new album? December 4, 2012 03:31
OT - Recording of deceased artists with new backing? December 4, 2012 13:00


Good start !

prolific stuff

This sort of thing happens all the time wih artists who aren't technically dead...

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ChrisM
This sort of thing happens all the time wih artists who aren't technically dead...

You're referring to Clapton?

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Munichhilton

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ChrisM
This sort of thing happens all the time wih artists who aren't technically dead...

You're referring to Clapton?

What does that mean, not "technically dead" but might as well be?

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Rokyfan

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Munichhilton

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ChrisM
This sort of thing happens all the time wih artists who aren't technically dead...

You're referring to Clapton?

What does that mean, not "technically dead" but might as well be?

Yeah. Y'know like Sting...

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Munichhilton

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Rokyfan

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Munichhilton

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ChrisM
This sort of thing happens all the time wih artists who aren't technically dead...

You're referring to Clapton?

What does that mean, not "technically dead" but might as well be?

Yeah. Y'know like Sting...

I was as unimpressed with Sting as everyone else but I have to say he was really great in concert last December. Maybe my expectations were just really low but that was a damn fine concert!