These Albums Wouldn't Get Released Today

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This is spin-off of a related question from ILE. What classic (or not so classic) albums wouldn't see the light of day if they were turned in now? My pick would be "There's A Riot Goin' On" by Sly and The Family Stone. I fucking love this album, but I know there's no way in hell today that a major artist (especially an R&B artist) could get away with something that sounded like THAT after having the label spend so much money getting it finished. If it was to come out today, it would probably have a shitload of "commercial" remixes tacked on, new vocal tracks, diva cameos on choruses., the works. That is if it was released at all.

What do you think?

― Charles McCain (Charles McCain), Thursday, 29 May 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Donna Loren "Beach Blanket Bingo"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 29 May 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Captain Beefheart would've never been released on a major label whatsoever. Maybe Ipecac.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 29 May 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Ditto Wild Man Fischer.

― Charles McCain (Charles McCain), Thursday, 29 May 2003 19:38 (twenty-two years ago)

The Lindberg Hop - Memphis Jug Band, too old fashioned.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 29 May 2003 19:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Any Metal album on a major label...after the Iron Maiden/Metallica era (on EMI and Warner, respectively), metal has been confined to independent labels, as the majors only signed industrial/hardcore/rock-based bands.

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 29 May 2003 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Beefheart was my answer too. How about Tiny Tim?

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 30 May 2003 02:51 (twenty-two years ago)

The new Kelis album haha

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 30 May 2003 02:52 (twenty-two years ago)

There's lots of queasy sounding novelty records out there that wouldn't even get a major independent release nowadays, Napoleon XIV in particular.

― Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Friday, 30 May 2003 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Metal Machine Music

― Mark (MarkR), Friday, 30 May 2003 03:30 (twenty-two years ago)

The key is 'on a major label', since the rules are different for a little independant.

Anway, another one is The Marble Index

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 30 May 2003 04:48 (twenty-two years ago)

ooh good answer

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 30 May 2003 04:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Neil Young, "Landing on Water"

― Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

All of Yes' output from the 70's, and most of Genesis', too

― blutroniq (blutroniq), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

In a Gadda Da Vida, baby.

On the other hand, Prince's Black Album would be no big deal.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Any Sex Pistols album

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Friday, 30 May 2003 16:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Would they really put out "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" on Capitol ?
I mean if it were a new band called 'Red Mose' I don't think it would come out.

― Rem Lezar, Friday, 30 May 2003 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe if they could sell a Radiohead connection...

― Sam J. (samjeff), Friday, 30 May 2003 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Many albums from the 70s and 80s fit this description for me. I sincerely tremble thinking of an age, for example, where the Incredible String Band's U would be released on Elektra Records.

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 31 May 2003 01:48 (twenty-two years ago)

the world would have been a better place if most of these records had remained unreleased so that must make the current state of affairs an improvement over the past.

― keith (keithmcl), Saturday, 31 May 2003 02:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll tell ya one thing, AMM would have never been on a major. Ditto for a hundred 'out' jazz records...

and if yr talking about today, as in the methods employed by this shitty industry, Bowie would have never made a good album (they would have dropped him after the first one)

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Saturday, 31 May 2003 03:38 (twenty-two years ago)

No New York
The Fugs

AMM?

― Evan (Evan), Saturday, 31 May 2003 03:39 (twenty-two years ago)

''I'll tell ya one thing, AMM would have never been on a major. Ditto for a hundred 'out' jazz records...''

yup. absolutely second the AMM record.

evan- that's AMMmusic 1966. Its free improv. there's a thread on ILM.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 31 May 2003 07:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh god - when Mariah Carey's - Glitter gets a mainstream release - anything is possible!

― doom-e (Jam), Saturday, 31 May 2003 07:38 (twenty-two years ago)

even free improv?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 31 May 2003 07:40 (twenty-two years ago)

As Mariah proved - with glitter - the music industry is littered with stardust - or is that cocaine? xanax? possibly valium - but Im going with stardust. It's a magical place, this music industry.

― doom-e (Jam), Saturday, 31 May 2003 07:42 (twenty-two years ago)

What's depressing about this thread is the fact that in another ten years or so people will be saying the same things about Liam Lynch and Eminem

― Millar (Millar), Saturday, 31 May 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I disagree. I also think:

Any Sex Pistols album

is obviously wrong. I'd say it's more likely they wouldn't have even got kicked off their label(s).

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Saturday, 31 May 2003 12:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't imagine Reprise would release John Cale's The Academy In Peril today, I mean I still find it sort of weird that they agreed to put it out in the first place. "It's classical... but it's sort of not! And it has goofy bits! Yes!!"

― Poppy (poppy), Saturday, 31 May 2003 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

most of these records would totally be released...most of the one's that "wouldn't" were novelty/vanity/in-crowd releases in the eyes of their majors in their day anyway.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 31 May 2003 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

frankly, I'm more curious about albums from today that wouldn't get released years ago.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 31 May 2003 20:23 (twenty-two years ago)

haha "most of them"

― jess (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 31 May 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sex Pistols...is obviously wrong. I'd say it's more likely they wouldn't have even got kicked off their label(s)."

Nope. The label's marketing department would have them on the talk show circuit, beating up people backstage, possibly shooting at people and/or singing with famous rappers or ancient pop stars. Brillo--reilly would have a shout down with them on air.

There would be a major movie tie in for the second studio album with a name director at the helm.

― earlnash, Saturday, 31 May 2003 22:56 (twenty-two years ago)

The United States Of America's self-titled album
on Columbia--utterly brilliant, sui generis combo
of corny Americana send-ups, blissful psychedelia,
electronic tweakage a la Morton Subotnick, "Love Song
For The Dead Che," and a mind-boggling collage recapping the
entire album on the last track.
"Yeah, the kids'll dig it. Start the presses."

― Dave Segal (Da ve Segal), Sunday, 1 June 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

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