Band On The Run turns fifty with new releases

Classic Rock Archives

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The third Wings LP “Band On The Run” celebrates its 50th anniversary on December 5. Like the previous anniversary albums with Paul McCartney, this one also gets its half-speed master edition on the occasion of the anniversary, but somewhat delayed, it will not be released until 2 February 2024.

But since it is, after all, his most successful album, a bit more than just a half-speed mastered LP hits the market this time around.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Band On The Run, a special 2LP vinyl edition features the original album cut at half speed using a high-resolution transfer of the original master tapes from 1973 by Miles Showell at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, London, and a second LP of previously unreleased “underdubbed” mixes of the songs, housed in a premium slipcase.

So there’s going to be 1 half-speed mastered LP, or 2 LPs (2 CDs) with so-called “underdub versions” of the 9 tracks. Underdubbed is the opposite of overdubbed.

A recording begins with a number of instruments, e.g. guitar, bass and drums. Then vocals and other instruments are overdubbed. Underdubbed should be the opposite of removing something (aka ‘naked’, ‘stripped down’). It could also mean the raw recordings made by Paul in Lagos, Nigeria in the autumn of 1973 and thus without overdubs made at home in London later that year.

The masters for LP1/CD1 were made way back before April this year, so the project has probably waited for the reissue of the red and blue double LPs/Now And Then with The Beatles.

Linda’s Polaroid photos are also included as two posters.

Giles Martin has produced audio files in Dolby Atmos as the standard edition for streaming services.

The set of 2 LPs can only be purchased from Universal Music’s own online stores around the world.

The album would become Paul McCartney’s most successful album of his solo career and the best-selling album of 1974. The album was also named the 75th best album when Q Magazine named the 100 greatest British albums of all time in 2000.

The track list from the U.S.A. edition of the album has been used, i.e. including what was only a single in other countries, “Helen Wheels”. LP2 will not include the song.
LP1/CD1/DOLBY ATMOS