One of the most storied labels in music history, Atlantic Records, has revealed plans to celebrate its 75th anniversary and, oddly enough, it’s something that has already been underway for some time.
One major component of the celebration of Atlantic — in conjunction with Rhino Entertainment — is the launching of an extensive, yearlong vinyl series featuring 90 releases spanning the entire history of the company, from its earliest days until the present.
The series encompasses iconic albums across virtually every popular musical genre, including special editions and many that have never been released on the format.
The series has been curated by Atlantic Records Chairman & CEO Craig Kallman, who, in addition to his role as the label’s chief executive, is one of the world’s foremost audiophiles, with a personal vinyl collection now numbering over 2 million LPs.
“Our 75th anniversary has given us an incredible opportunity to revisit the amazing range and depth of the music that Atlantic has released across the decades,” Kallman said in a statement. “These 90 albums are not only an extraordinary musical journey through the years, but a cultural one as well, reflecting a series of seismic social shifts.”
Each month’s Atlantic 75 collection is meant to reflect both the label’s diversity and deep history. The majority of titles will be pressed on crystal clear vinyl, spanning groundbreaking works that underline genre defying greatness over the years.
Already on shelves are some 60 of the Atlantic 75 titles by acts varied as Lizzo to Stone Temple Pilots to Bruno Mars to Shinedown. Then, each Friday across the months of October and November, a new slate of releases will land on shelves.
Additionally, Atlantic has partnered with noted audiophile label Acoustic Sounds for a multi-year-long slate of 180 gram, 45 RPM black vinyl and SACD versions of classic Atlantic albums.
The label has also partnered with vinyl subscription service Vinyl Me, Please for their first-ever label collection for Record of the Month, which will be available for VMP members on Thursday, Oct. 19, and shipping in early November.
As part of the partnership, VMP will be releasing Ray Charles “Ray Charles In Person” in the Essentials Track; The Mar-Keys/Booker T. & the M.G.’s “Back to Back” in the Classics Track; Lupe Fiasco “Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor” in the Hip-Hop Track; John Prine “Sweet Revenge” in the Country Track; and Stone Temple Pilots “No. 4” in the Rock Track.
Another aspect of the ongoing series sees Atlantic announcing the forthcoming releases of Led Zeppelin’s paradigm-shifting untitled fourth album, commonly referred to as “Led Zeppelin IV,” and Coldplay’s multi-platinum selling seventh album, “A Head Full of Dreams.”
The former, produced by Jimmy Page, will be pressed on crystal-clear, 180 gram vinyl. The new edition of “A Head Full of Dreams” is pressed on 140 gram colored recycled vinyl and features a bonus track, “Something Just Like This,” the Chainsmokers and Coldplay.
The collection will also welcome albums from Jason Mraz, Christina Perri, Grouplove as well as seasonal releases from Booker T. & the MGs and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
“As an admitted vinyl junkie,” Kallman continued, “I’m honored and thrilled to join with our colleagues at Rhino, our longtime friends at Acoustic Sounds, and the great folks at VMP to give all this brilliant music the royal LP treatment. It’s been a true labor of love, and the perfect celebration of this landmark anniversary.”
Vinyl of the Week
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act.
This week, it’s a long-awaited pair of official live recordings from a supergroup power trio who broke up way too soon.
• Beck, Bogert & Appice: “Live in Japan 1973” and “Live in London 1974”
Before his death in January, legendary guitarist Jeff Beck revisited concert recordings made by Beck, Bogert & Appice, the power trio he formed in 1972 with drummer/singer Carmine Appice and bassist/singer Tim Bogert.
The end result captures the band at the beginning and end of its short-but-influential partnership, with two shows in Japan in 1973 and one of the group’s final performances in
London a year later.
Landing in stores this week is the new BBA boxed set, “Live in Japan 1973,” “Live in London 1974.”
The collection will be available on four CDs or four LPs on standard black vinyl. Also, a purple-vinyl version will be released the same day.
All three band members were involved in creating “Live in Japan 1973,” “Live in London 1974,” and the collection is dedicated to Beck and Bogert, who died in 2023 and 2021, respectively.
The set includes an expansive booklet with extended liner notes detailing the group’s history by music journalist/manager Bruce Pilato, along with memorabilia, archival photos and a replica poster.
Beck and Appice mixed all the concerts in this set from the original multi-tracks that had been in the guitarist’s archive for almost 50 years, thus knocking the many bootleg-quality releases that Beck hated out of contention.
The two performances at Koseinenkin Hall in Osaka, Japan, recorded May 18 and 19, 1973, were released exclusively in Japan a few months after the shows, but never in the States.
The complete concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London, recorded Jan. 26, 1974, has never been released anywhere.
“Live in Japan 1973” was recorded only a few weeks after Beck, Bogert & Appice’s self-titled debut came out. The music stirs with raw energy as the group delivers exhilarating live versions of nearly every song on the album, including “Superstition,” “Lady” and “Livin’ Alone.”
The trio also played songs by the Yardbirds in “Jeff’s Boogie” and the Jeff Beck Group on both “Morning Dew” and “Going Down.”
The concert on “Live in London 1974” was recorded eight months after the shows in Japan and right before the trio disbanded.
The performance introduces several songs the group planned to record for BBA’s never-completed second studio album, including “Satisfied,” “Jizz Wizz,” and “Solid Lifter.”
Look for “Live in Japan 1973” and “Live in London 1974” online and from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com. Also, check out his website at thechroniclesofmc.com.
