LP - Indies Exclusive Limited Edition 180g Blue & White 'Propeller' Vinyl. A highly-collectible, strictly limited edition of Bob Ludwig’s definitive 2016 remaster Madman Across The Water, cut at Abbey Road in blue and white propellor vinyl, available only at Independent Record Stores and online.
Elton John’s fourth studio album release in little over two years, Madman Across The Water has been a long held favourite of artist and fans alike. Madman was largely written after Elton had made his initial foray to America; offering the opportunity for lyricist Bernie Taupin to witness first-hand the landscapes and people he’d only seen on a screen or on the page. Recorded at Trident Studios in Central London in February and August 1971, it was the first album where all five players of Elton’s fabled band line up – Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper – were featured, albeit not on the same tracks.
While the UK was still deciding about Elton, these nine tracks struck a chord with Elton’s US audiences, reaching the Top 10 and its singles, ‘Levon’ and ‘Tiny Dancer’ both hit the US Top 50. After years as a ‘best kept secret’ to Elton’s fans, ‘Tiny Dancer’ has gone on to become one of his most loved songs, third only to Rocket Man and Your Song in global streaming lists.
This celebration of the album to mark its 50th anniversary comes in three different formats. All formats contain Bob Ludwig’s definitive 2016 remaster of the main album. There are 18 previously unreleased tracks across the Super Deluxe 3CD/1BR version, which also tidies up stray rare material from the era, piano demos of the album, and the audio of the BBC Sounds For Saturday concert, broadcast in 1972. The Blu Ray contains a 5.1 mix by Greg Penny, plus the Sounds For Saturday and his 1971 Old Grey Whistle Test performance. The audio of the Super Deluxe CD/BR set will be available on a 4LP set.
Tracklist:
Side A
1. Tiny Dancer (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
2. Levon (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
3. Razor Face (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
4. Madman Across The Water (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
Side B
1. Indian Sunset (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
2. Holiday Inn (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
3. Rotten Peaches (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)
4. All The Nasties (2016 Bob Ludwig Remaster)