Alchemy Live - 20th Anniversary Edition

[Jules]

I see that everybody is talking about the reason of the 20th annuiversary, but nobody commented about the content, that I mentioned in this post before

Or something that it

[dustyvalentino]

That is exactly how I see it. And as there is no definitive official evidence to suggest otherwise then we have to accept that 1990 was the date of release.

No, we don't, as there is no definitive evidence to suggest that 1990 WAS the date of release.

[Jules]

I read many years ago that Alchemy was one of the firsts records to be released on cd at the time, and at the time it means between 1984-1986 that was the period of time when the cd was beguining to be promoted. 

It is true that in 1990 it was a edition of Alchemy on cd, and maybe that

[rudiger]

OK, let's try.
Blu-ray is certainly the film (video)
the other 2 versions (standard and deluxe) could be audio or video discs.
If video, the standard version should be the DVD, while the 2discs version should be the standard DVD + another one (with bonus footage?)
If audio, the standard version could be a CD with the highlights of the show, as suggested by Julio (I hope they will not release this shame), while the 2 discs version could be the standard concert (why they should call it deluxe?)
My opinion is that - again as suggested by Julio - the standard edition will be 2CD, while the one called "Deluxe 2 discs" will be 2CD + 1DVD.

Regarding the date of the first release of Alchemy on CD, so far no one has provided definitive evidences. I try to carry another brick in favour of mid-80s    This is the pic of an early release of Alchemy on CD: to my knowledge (but I could be wrong) Vertigo Label in 90s didn't use this blue pattern (which was present in the 80's releases).
 


Anyway I agree that the "anniversary" should refer to the date of the first release, in any format.
Last thing: Blu-ray is certainly a video. The first video release (on VHS) was certainly in 1984 (I hope nobody doubt about it), so, what means 20th anniversary edition referred to the video? 

[Jules]

It looks like it was release in 1984 

I asked Chuck about the releases, hope he knows and he wants to answer me 

[dustyvalentino]

Regarding the date of the first release of Alchemy on CD, so far no one has provided definitive evidences. I try to carry another brick in favour of mid-80s    This is the pic of an early release of Alchemy on CD: to my knowledge (but I could be wrong) Vertigo Label in 90s didn't use this blue pattern (which was present in the 80's releases).
 

I bought Alchemy on CD in 1992 and my copy doesn't look like this, it's a red/orange pattern, same as the other DS albums on CD up to BiA (bought them all on CD in 92 except OES which I got in 91).

[ustas]

As far as I know the blue pattern was used in '80

[ds1984]

Alchemy was released both on audio and video in 1984.

"Alchemy Live - 20th Anniversary Edition"
Ah ah ah they are just 6 years late!

But from a marketing point of view "Alchemy Live - 26th Anniversary Edition" does not sound as good.

[rudiger]

Well, maybe this is the definitive evidence about the release of Alchemy on CD in 1984: this is an excerpt from the DSIS letter dated january 1984:

"Hi!
I can now let you know we have more specific info about the live single/album/video-cassette. A double A-side single will be out Feb 10th (Love Over Gold/Solid Rock) and will be in 10" or 12" format (Solid Rock is too long to fit on a standard 7" single!). The album and video-cassette will be out March 16th.
Track listing for the LP is:
Once Upon A Time In The West
Expresso Love
Private Investigations
Sultans Of Swing
Romeo And Juliet
Two Young Lovers
Tunnel Of Love
Telegraph Road
Solid Rock
Theme From Local Hero
Love Over Gold will be a bonus track on the cassette and compact disc (it wouldn't fit on the LP) but of course you'll have it anyway if you bought the single!
Around the time of all these items being released, the band will be doing a little press/promotion, so you may see bits and pieces appearing in papers..... "

We haven't the exact date of the CD release (I guess few months later than the LP), but we can say it was released in 1984, unless we want to think that Liz was writing about a "six-years-later" release  

period?

[Simon]

It's getting us closer as is the vertigo CD label. But the letter was talking in the future tense i.e. when the CD WILL be released. It would not be safe to assume it actually was released in the time periods stated - it may have been shelved for 6 years as does happen

[dustyvalentino]

It's getting us closer as is the vertigo CD label. But the letter was talking in the future tense i.e. when the CD WILL be released. It would not be safe to assume it actually was released in the time periods stated - it may have been shelved for 6 years as does happen

Clutching at straws now Simon! As you know, Dire Straits were MASSIVE in the UK right through the 80s. Take a look at the Guinness Book of Hit Albums and you can see the hundreds and hundreds of weeks that DS spent on the album charts. Quite frankly I fid it incredulous that any of the DS albums was not released on CD until 1990, particularly as they were on a subsidiary of Phillips who invented the CD, and with Brothers in Arms they inadvertantly became THE band of the CD generation.

In fact, thinking about this, isn't there an advert for CD in one of the BiA tour books that shows the various DS albums on CD? (Not sure about this one, could have made it up )

[rudiger]

.......isn't there an advert for CD in one of the BiA tour books that shows the various DS albums on CD? (Not sure about this one, could have made it up )

you are a genius, Dusty 



taken from the Official BIA Tourbook (1985)

[Simon]

Some useless info - Philips may have invented the CD but once they had, they had no idea what to do with it. Sony put the music onto CDs.

[Simon]

.......isn't there an advert for CD in one of the BiA tour books that shows the various DS albums on CD? (Not sure about this one, could have made it up )

you are a genius, Dusty 



taken from the Official BIA Tourbook (1985)

Now we are getting somewhere! See how a bit of harmless debate can get you closer to your goal?

Not wanting to spoil the party but anyone know which country that tour programme was from?

[ustas]

I would like to remind - Alchemy was released on CD (in 1984) in USA, Japan and Europe excluding UK.