[2022-11-25] The Yardbirds "Yardbirds AKA Roger The Engineer (Complete Edition)" 2CD set (Edsel UK)

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2022 2:25 pm

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8J6BTJT/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B8J6BTJT/?tag=imwan-21

Description
First released in the summer of 1966, 'Yardbirds' (or 'Roger The Engineer' as it became known) showcases The Yardbirds at the peak of their powers. Featuring the classic line-up of Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, and Paul Samwell-Smith, the group explored explosive new sonic territories, pushing their blues-rock sound into the realms of the avant-garde, psychedelia and Indian music.

This new 2CD edition features the complete mono and stereo mixes of the album plus a selection of bonus rarities and singles on each disc.

The album has been remastered from the original tapes by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering, overseen by producer Paul Samwell-Smith.

"Remastering this album has been a joy. To hear the tracks sounding just as we heard them all those years ago while we were recording them - energetic, edgy, and in your face - is an unexpected treat. In 1966, it was a rare and exciting opportunity to be given a recording studio for 5 days and allowed to experiment. That excitement still shows." - Paul Samwell-Smith.

Also includes a 16-page booklet with extensive liner notes by David French based on interviews with Jimmy Page, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty and Simon Napier-Bell.

Tracklist
[CD1: Mono]
1. Lost Women
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can't Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell
7. Hot House Of Omagararshid
8. Jeff's Boogie
9. He's Always There
10. Turn Into Earth
11. What Do You Want
12. Ever Since The World Began
Mono Bonus Tracks:
13. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
14. Psycho Daisies
15. Great Shakes Commercial
16. Turn Into Earth (Vocal Track)
17. Mr. Zero - Keith Relf
18. Knowing - Keith Relf
19. Shapes In My Mind (Version 1) - Keith Relf
20. Shapes In My Mind (Version 2) - Keith Relf

[CD2: Stereo]
1. Lost Women
2. Over, Under, Sideways, Down
3. The Nazz Are Blue
4. I Can't Make Your Way
5. Rack My Mind
6. Farewell
7. Hot House Of Omagararshid
8. Jeff's Boogie
9. He's Always There
10. Turn Into Earth
11. What Do You Want
12. Ever Since The World Began
Stereo Bonus Tracks:
13. He's Always There (Alternate Stereo Mix)
14. Turn Into Earth (Alternate Stereo Mix)
15. I Can't Make Your Way (Alternate Stereo Mix)

Packshot (click for full size):

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Aug 12, 2022 2:27 pm

Not sure how much more this album could be expanded or otherwise improved, but I love The Yardbirds and am hoping for good news when we get some release details.

Larry · **Joined:** 10 Feb 2008 **Posts:** 5099

Same here.

Linda · **Posted:** Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:44 pm

Alright, in the first post we now have cover art as well as a brief description. No tracklist yet.

"Newly remastered from archival tapes", along with the inclusion of the proper mono mix, has already sold me on this. Now I'm hoping it will include all the period singles and stray tracks that have been strewn across many other releases in the past.

Simon · **Joined:** 26 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 59406

I'll be in for this as well. The Yardbirds are a favourite of mine. My Mum had the 'Having A Rave Up' album and I've loved them since I was a kid.

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Aug 18, 2022 6:35 am

The latest solicitation from the label provides a more extensive description and the complete tracklist, both of which I've put into the first post.

This is being referred to as the "Complete Edition", and it appears to be -- all extant mono and stereo tracks, the Keith Relf solo recordings from thart era, even the "Great Shakes" radio ad (which belongs with this album rather than the Little Games album that it was mistakenly included with in the 1990s).

If it sounds as good as they describe, this 2CD set will supplant all the previous editions of Roger The Engineer.

Larry · **Joined:** 10 Feb 2008 **Posts:** 5099

Linda wrote:

The latest solicitation from the label provides a more extensive description and the complete tracklist, both of which I've put into the first post.

This is being referred to as the "Complete Edition", and it appears to be -- all extant mono and stereo tracks, the Keith Relf solo recordings from thart era, even the "Great Shakes" radio ad (which belongs with this album rather than the Little Games album that it was mistakenly included with in the 1990s).

If it sounds as good as they describe, this 2CD set will supplant all the previous editions of Roger The Engineer.

Thanks Linda.

Rokin Robin of Locksley · 20 Oct 2007

Definitely in inn N !!!

:music1:

. . .

. . .

djgarver · 18 Dec 2007

Not sure how this is better than the Demon box set from last year.

The Demon box has a few more different versions of the bonus tracks, plus the Happenings/Psycho 45 as well as the LP versions of both.
And the remastering was excellent!

I'm thinking that maybe this is just CD only comp of the box set.
There does not need to be a remastering IMO.
The 2021 was a real revelation...

Does Edsel have any corporate connection to Demon?
Anyone have any more information?

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Aug 18, 2022 6:41 pm

Dave, thanks for the heads-up here. Demon is the parent company of Edsel, so these might very well be the same remasterings -- I hope so, since reviews on Amazon are stellar for the box set you own.

This is your box, consisting of two LPs with three CDs:

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0916ZPC5Q/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0916ZPC5Q/?tag=imwan-21

The 3CD portion is split into mono disc, stereo disc and bonus tracks disc. On the latter, it does have a few more alternate versions which I'd never seen before (and I have about a dozen previous editions of Roger The Engineer), so you probably don't need to get the new 2CD set unless you want a CD-sized version for handiness.

For me, I don't do vinyl and prefer not to have to buy huge vinyl packages to get the CD portion, so the new 2CD set will be right for me. But it's not as "Complete" as it might have been. I guess they would have needed 3 CDs to fit absolutely every alt version.

djgarver · 18 Dec 2007

Linda wrote:

Dave, thanks for the heads-up here. Demon is the parent company of Edsel, so these might very well be the same remasterings -- I hope so, since reviews on Amazon are stellar for the box set you own.

This is your box, consisting of two LPs with three CDs:

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0916ZPC5Q/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0916ZPC5Q/?tag=imwan-21

The 3CD portion is split into mono disc, stereo disc and bonus tracks disc. On the latter, it does have a few more alternate versions which I'd never seen before (and I have about a dozen previous editions of Roger The Engineer), so you probably don't need to get the new 2CD set unless you want a CD-sized version for handiness.

For me, I don't do vinyl and prefer not to have to buy huge vinyl packages to get the CD portion, so the new 2CD set will be right for me. But it's not as "Complete" as it might have been. I guess they would have needed 3 CDs to fit absolutely every alt version.

Well to be honest I would have preferred this version if it had been available last year..
But I do like the large booklet which accompanied it. Lots of great pics and essays.

Presuming this has the same remastering you will be very happy.
It sounds like it was recorded last week... very clear and open.

The booklet looks like it shed some 8 pages but still should be nice even at the smaller CD footprint.
I may have to pick it up just for the convenience... a lot easier than opening the box, unfolding the LP gatefold to get at the CDs.

Rokin Robin of Locksley · 20 Oct 2007

Thanks too for the heads up, Dave.

I also noticed that the track listing for this new Roger is identical to the 2016 "50th Anniversary Special" 2-CD version on Repertoire, except for the swapping of 2 tracks. "Stroll On" and "Blue Sands" on the 2016, vs. "Great Shakes Commercial" and "Turn Into Earth (Vocal Track)" on this 2022.

Here's the 2016:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=96508&hilit=yardbirds

Rokin Robin of Locksley · 20 Oct 2007

Upon further inspection, the 2016 contains "Turn Into Earth (lead vocal)" only on the stereo disc, while the 2022 contains "Turn Into Earth (vocal track)" only on the mono disc.

Are these the same track? If so, then the diff between the 2016 and 2022 is:
--2016 has "Stroll On" and "Blue Sands (Keith solo b-side)" both swapped out for the lone 2022 "Great Shakes Commercial"

Rokin Robin of Locksley · 20 Oct 2007

I'm wondering if this and the recent "Heart Full Of Soul: The Best Of" are somehow related to Rob Caiger's tweeter post several years ago that the Giorgio Gomelsky Yardbirds tapes had been procured after his death ?? Though I can find no mention of "from the original tapes" for the "Heart: Best". Hmmm...

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:00 pm

Both of the pre-order links are now active:

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8J6BTJT/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B8J6BTJT/?tag=imwan-21

(The release date shows as November 25th in its native UK.)

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2022 1:12 pm

A packshot has been added to the first post.

pobbard · 18 Jun 2007

This looks beautiful! But, as others have said... I've purchased this many times before, and there's really nothing new here. Still, glad to see the LP get this much attention.

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Any word on how this is?

[2022-11-25] The Yardbirds "Yardbirds AKA Roger The Engineer (Complete Edition)" 2CD set (Edsel UK)

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