A massive collection of old Van Morrison songs will be released by Warners Brothers next week, and not at the blessing of the artist himself. According to The Telegraph, there are five CDs of 50 songs, ranging from unreleased mixes to studio recording outtakes. This summer the Moondance reissue was reported as being released September 30th, so there was a short delay. By next week, you should be able to get a hold of it for yourself. At the time, the 1970 album Moondance was released to critical acclaim. The Grammy Hall of Fame inducted it nearly 30 years later, and Moondance is one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Though fans will be looking forward to listening to these rare recordings, a 69 year-old Morrison is far from thrilled. "I did not endorse this, it is unauthorized and it has happened behind my back," he clearly stated on his website. Morrison started writing the album from Woodstock not even a year after the release of Astral Weeks, an album that some fans would argue is his best. The band behind him in studio consisted of Jef Labes (organ, clavinette, piano), John Platania (lead and rhythm guitars), John Klingberg (bass) and Gary Malabar (drums, vibes). These instrumentals gave way to a unique mix of soul, jazz, blues and folk, a sound the Irish musician has claimed as his own -- not like anyone could ever replicate his voice, either.
Still, it's bittersweet news for a music world gaining some old treasures. "My management company at that time gave this music away 42 years ago and now I feel as though it's being stolen from me again," Morrison said.
How do you feel about listening to outtakes and songs that a musician does not support?
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