New 2-CD Coming From Ashford and Simpson

[Discomanic]

January 2008 - A new 2-CD set of Ashford and Simpson called Warner Brothers Years: Hits, Remixes, and Rarities. 2-CD Compilation Boasts Lush, Soulful Originals, Impossible To Find 12" Versions And Sensational Contemporary Remixes Of Signature Tracks From R&B's Most Enduring Duo!The phenomenal R&B performing and songwriting partnership of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson-better known as simply Ashford & Simpson-made their Warner Bros. recording debut with 1973's Billboard® Top 20 LP Gimme Something Real. Over the course of more than a decade with the label, the duo's legend grew with a string of chart hits and acclaimed albums, among them 1978's gold-selling Is It Still Good To Ya, which Stephen Holden described in Rolling Stone as, "music I find almost irresistibly ecstatic." That feeling comes across full-force on Rhino's new 2-CD compilation featuring unforgettable originals and 12" versions on Disc 1 followed by inspired contemporary remixes on Disc 2. As songwriters, Ashford & Simpson gave the world classics including "I'm Every Woman" and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing." As performers they deliver sonic ecstasy, celebrated to the max on this innovative set.

[KEN]

Here is the tracklisting:


Ashford & Simpson
Warner Bros. Years, The (Hits, Remixes & Rarities) (2xCD)
Amazon-U.S. | Amazon-U.K.

Released: January 28, 2008

Tracks

1. Over And Over (12" disco mix)
2. Have You Ever Tried It
3. Everybody's Got To Give It Up
4. One More Try (12" disco mix)
5. Tried Tested And Found True (12" disco mix)
6. Send It
7. Top Of The Stairs
8. Don't Cost You Nothing (12" disco mix)
9. It Seems To Hang On (12" disco mix)
10. Found A Cure (12" disco mix)
11. Nobody Knows (12" disco mix)
12. Love Don't Make It Right (12" disco mix)
13. Stay Free
14. Bourgie Bourgie

1. Found A Cure (Tom Moulton mix)
2. It Seems To Hang On (Tommy Musto retouch)
3. One More Try (Dimitri re-edit)
4. Bourgie Bourgie (Joe Claussell classic mix)
5. Over And Over (Simphouse/M&M mix)
6. Stay Free (Dim's the missing mix)
7. Love Don't Make It Right (Joey Negro mix)
8. Tried Tested And Found True (Simphouse/M&M soulful mix)
9. Stay Free (Dim's club mix)

Amazon-U.S. | Amazon-U.K.

[markydefad]

WOW!!! That's great news!!! Only missing their early club record "Main Line" --which never got extended AFAIK--but looks very promising!!!

[Cdnbob]

Discomaniac & Ken, thanks for sharing the info on this. Definitely one to be added to the list for purchases.

[Simon White]

5. Tried Tested And Found True (12" disco mix)

AWESOME !

[paul]

The almost definitive A & S collection. It looks good and I'll add it my things to get in '08.

[keefelc]

I just placed my preorder for this set on Amazon. Thanks for letting us know about this fine upcoming release, Discomanic!!!

[Discomanic]

No problem keefelc. Should be a good one. But they did leave off one of my all time favs "Get Out Your Handkerchief."

[wever]

WOW WOW WOW!!!! great to hear that!!!!:icon_biggrin: Bourgie Bourgie is like an obsession to me! makes me die of ecstasy!!!ahahahahaha (i love the original one too of course but this is too much!!!:icon_lol:)

[Zef]

Oh my god, finally finally those elusive 12"s. I've never quite recovered from leaving the 12" of Over & over sitting in a bargain bin after seeing it for 30p in the late 80's just because I was on my way to some other place!

[dbmc]

This is very close to a release - I'm very excited about this.
Does anyone know if there is a legal (pay) download available for this release?

[ashley]

.. this is the CD Ashford & Simpson fans have been waiting years to arrive .. I wouldn't have paid over 200 dollars for my 12" copy of "Over & over" if I had known this was coming .. and the original 7 min Jimmmy Simpson remix of "It seems to hang on" must be the finest disco record ever made .. it made me cry when I first heard it ( nuts, I'm crying now .. ) .. wonderful to finally have this on CD at last ..

[Discomanic]

Now we just have to wait another month for this one. Amazon is now saying February 28, 2008. CDuniverse is undetermined. Let's just hope they don't pull it back......

[DonaldCleveland]

It's coming. Check the original artwork and then if you have not seen it- check now. The cover was (wisely) redone. Before it was a clone of the "Performance" album. Now it has new artwork befitting the project.

For any of you still holding onto your Ashford and Simpson Warner 12's.....unless you are THAT attached? Get rid of them on eBay. Get the GOOD money while you can. The value will go down slightly.

The executive producer (s) are all producers and DJ's themselves. The remastering was done to reflect their vinyl memories and not a sterile digital coldness. It's gonna sound GOOD.

Download will be available day and date of physical release, so I was told.

[paul]

Still waiting :icon_rolleyes:

[ashley]

Liz Rosenburg at Warner Brothers has confirmed that "Bourgie Bourgie" on disc 1 is the original full-length 6 minute version ( as featured on the recent Warner compilation "Disco Connection vol 2 / Authentic Classic Disco 1974 - 1981" .. where the CD cover describes the track as the extended 12" mix .. however, as all Ashford & Simpson fans will know, this was the same 6 minute version that appeared on their 1976 album "Send it" .. the 12" mix & the album mix were identical )

[DonaldCleveland]

Still waiting :icon_rolleyes:

Still waiting on WHAT? February? Even then you gotta wait 28 days. We are ALL waiting.

Record labels change release dates all the time without actually doing anything to the package. This one had the covers changed. The announcements were made on retailer websites about the delay.
The new date was then announced.

It's......still January.

[wever]

i'm gettin excited!!! yay!!! ^^

if is good to ya...imagine how it could be for somebody like me that don't have "phisically" nothin by them (apart from "Solid" and "stay free" in other compilations).....i want that BOURGIE BOURGIEEEE!!!!:icon_biggrin:

[dbmc]

Its here! I'm just downloading from 7digital now. So fine to finally have these mixes.:icon_razz:
Amazon.com: The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities: Ashford & Simpson: Music

[Discomanic]

I just got word from Amazon that mine has been shipped. I can hardly wait for it to arrive.

[dbmc]

Thanks for adding the link for others Bernie. I would totally not recommend 7 digital. I got stuck with .wma files and it was a 'mare to licence and convert to mp3. Never again.
Go Amazon!

Awesome release.

[musiquelover]

I got the CD today. The sound quality is really great as far as I can tell from a first listening. The CD comes in some kind of digipak case which is really nice-looking.
The booklet contains quite extensive liner notes with contributions by the artists Nickolas Asford and Valerie Simpson themselves. Some of their comments regarding the remixes are interesting, e.g. regarding the mix by Tom Moulton they wondered: "Where in the world did you find all those new ad-libs?":icon_biggrin:

This surely is a must-have in any decent disco collection.

[DonaldCleveland]

WELL NOW~~!!!

This is SPECIAL.
I have had several opportunities over the last 6 months to hear various tracks from various industry friends.
I didn't do it.

I wanted to immerse myself in the PACKAGE.
Look at the photos, read the liner notes, the credits.
I am glad I never took those MP3 offers.
If you can't support your friends in the industry then don't complain about (lack of) sales.
If you cant support a project that appeals to you by PURCHASING it, dont complain and STUPIDLY ask "Why dont they do more?".

I went to J&R Music World in NYC- It's on sale for 19.99.
I'm home now.....immersed in minute 8 of the EPIC Joe Claussell Bourgie Bourgie. 3 minutes to go....

I listened to Tom Moulton DESTROY "Found a Cure". He F'N KILLED it. In the way that he killed that version of Love Is The Message we all LOVED...until we heard that REMIX.....

I'm gonna detour a "bit" and say this NOW. This package is what I WANTED Motown Remixed to be. The theory is the SAME- use as many of the original elements as possible. Remix more in the "classic" vein instead of recutting everything and filtering or speeding up vocals. We wrote THAT blueprint. But in the way that the 2nd generation improves upon (and learns from mistakes), this is nearly perfectly executed. WB/Rhino is to be COMMENDED for leaving executive producer Johnny DeMairo ALONE. Universal DID NOT leave Harry Weinger alone on Motown Remixed. And it suffered from all the corporate meddling. Rhino knew the value of the name Tom Moulton (as one example). Universal US did not. The UK version did rectify some of the issues. Now, back to ASHFORD and SIMPSON.

Paul Simpson and John Morales are guys I consider to be friends. In the classic sense of the word "prejudice", I want to refrain from saying anything. But....DAMN. They PUT IT DOWN. OVER and OVER is absolutely Bananas. I'm delirious just from listening to this.

Backing up a bit, I overlooked "It seems to hang on", the Tommy Musto re-touch. Only because it and the following track "One More Try" are (measuring on a 1-10 scale), only 10's in an project filled with 11's and 12's.

At this point I cant go further, because well....I'm still listening. But I am DIGGING THIS TO THE FULLEST.

All parties involved should be proud. My wish is that this sells such a tremendous amount that WB/Rhino will be moved to do MORE. Recent Rhino projects have NOT come out in America- only the UK, because Rhino does not know what the F*CK they are doing on a corporate level. But this redeems them, and listening to these glorious songs and these stellar remixes in your CD player...it will redeem YOU too.

Wanna give it "One More Try" ?

You'll be listening to this "Over and Over".
The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities: Ashford & Simpson at Amazon-U.S. | Amazon-U.K.

[paul]

Well, assuming I didn't max out my credit card, I just placed my order at amazon :icon_cool:

[musiquelover]

After further listening I came to the conclusion that this has got to be one of the most awesome disco releases ever.

I must admit not knowing most of the Ashford & Simpson material on this CD besides a few songs like „Found A Cure“ or „Bourgié Bourgiè“ before the purchase but their music is really overwhelming me when listening to it now. And it sounds so good. Even the remix package is much better than I expected.

In my opinion, most other re-issues of disco era material we had so far just pale in comparison to this one. So if this doesn’t sell I don’t know what would.