Just Bought The Mirage DVD!

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Stevie's video collection, I Can't Wait, was also a Sony release, which is why it's probably been tacted onto the end of this.

That makes sense now. However, if this is ever released here in the U.S. I hope there's no Stevie solo videos added on since that's really of no interest to me. I'd rather have the full Mirage concert footage from the L.A. Fleetwood Mac shows.

[PenguinHead]

I guess the word "official" is a dubious term. While I'm certainly happy that fans finally get a chance to see the Mirage concert video, I'm extremely skeptical.

So some obscure foreign company somehow managed to dodge some legal loop holes to release a shoddy product. (C'mon...tacking on the Stevie videos is just...tacky!) This, by no means, means that Fleetwood Mac itself has endorsed this product. They obviously had no say or control over this.

Where's the promotion? Where are the ads and reviews in Billboard and other (foreign) magazines?? Have any band members commented on this release? I've heard nil on the matter.

If this were an "official" release (as deemed by the band and their record company), the cover would have a Mirage -era image, the film itself would have been digitally restored to DVD standards, there would be no Stevie videos on it, and the copy would indicate as such. Rajon is a hack company.

I've been collecting stateside and forieign stuff for over twenty-five years, bootlegs and otherwise. I smell a rajon rat. But I guess, for the lack of a quality release, the rat will suffice for now.

[David]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

If this were an "official" release (as deemed by the band and their record company), the cover would have a Mirage -era image, the film itself would have been digitally restored to DVD standards, there would be no Stevie videos on it, and the copy would indicate as such. Rajon is a hack company.

It would also have Stephen Holden's liner notes, which were on the original, & it would have all those miles of credits that are found on all genuine releases: film director, producers, live recording engineers, etc.

[trackaghost]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

I guess the word "official" is a dubious term. While I'm certainly happy that fans finally get a chance to see the Mirage concert video, I'm extremely skeptical.

So some obscure foreign company somehow managed to dodge some legal loop holes to release a shoddy product. (C'mon...tacking on the Stevie videos is just...tacky!) This, by no means, means that Fleetwood Mac itself has endorsed this product.

Where's the promotion? Where are the ads and reviews in Billboard and other (foreign) magazines?? Have any band members commented on this release? I've heard nil on the matter.

If this were an "official" release (as deemed by the band and their record company), the cover would have a Mirage -era image, the film itself would have been digitally restored to DVD standards, there would be no Stevie videos on it, and the copy would indicate as such.

I've worked in the video industry for more than five years and due to the vast amount of product that has been released on DVD over relatively few years only A-list titles really get promoted I'm afraid. To tell the truth I've never heard any of the band comment on the Tusk documentary or the original Mirage release myself. I doubt they would comment on a DVD release in Australia either (although saying that Stevie's official site did announce the news of its release and post a link to it).

It may not be official, as in band-endorsed, but that doesn't mean it's not a legitimate release. As Tynan pointed out, Rajon, who released the Aussie version of the Mirage DVD, is distributed by Sony. I've seen companies do far worst things than tacking on a bunch of solo videos because they own the rights to both releases. I don't think it's beyond comprehension that this company decided to do that, nor that Fleetwood Mac might not care enough to have a hand in its release (or be aware even).

Also not all titles are digitally restored for their DVD release. Two examples come to mind. Firstly Blue Velvet, when it first made it's official DVD debut was actually deemed a worst transfer than the VHS version! Thankfully it's since been re-released as a superior Special Edition when a major label rescued it from no-name Castle. And the Sanctuary DVD release of Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps is terrible quality. I'm still waiting for a re-release of that.

Having worked in the industry you'd be surprised at the no-name companies that manage to get their hands on cool product because the majors have no interest in releasing it. Having the wrong-era picture on the cover of the Brazilian release indicates nothing to me.

[David]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

That makes sense now. However, if this is ever released here in the U.S. I hope there's no Stevie solo videos added on since that's really of no interest to me. I'd rather have the full Mirage concert footage from the L.A. Fleetwood Mac shows.

I seriously doubt you'll ever get that in an official release. I mean, you gotta be real. I can't even believe that the release as is would ever get rereleased on DVD. But the idea that somebody associated with the release rights would dig around somewhere in order to find footage shot twenty-three years ago & then stored somewhere (or possibly even deep-sixed) is pretty ludicrous, pretty unfathomable.

The only way we'd ever see Forum footage of "Hold Me" or "Dreams" or "Second Hand News" or "Sara" is if someone who WASN'T supposed to have it started selling it online.

[trackaghost]

Originally Posted by David

I seriously doubt you'll ever get that in an official release. I mean, you gotta be real. I can't even believe that the release as is would ever get rereleased on DVD. But the idea that somebody associated with the release rights would dig around somewhere in order to find footage shot twenty-three years ago & then stored somewhere (or possibly even deep-sixed) is pretty ludicrous, pretty unfathomable.

The only way we'd ever see Forum footage of "Hold Me" or "Dreams" or "Second Hand News" or "Sara" is if someone who WASN'T supposed to have it started selling it online.

It's an expensive process to digitally restore and add extras to a DVD, especially when the company is a small one. The return may well be too small to justify the cost.

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by David

I seriously doubt you'll ever get that in an official release. I mean, you gotta be real. I can't even believe that the release as is would ever get rereleased on DVD. But the idea that somebody associated with the release rights would dig around somewhere in order to find footage shot twenty-three years ago & then stored somewhere (or possibly even deep-sixed) is pretty ludicrous, pretty unfathomable.

Oh I know. I just meant that I'd rather have more FM concert footage than Stevie solo videos, which still seems out of place on a Fleetwood Mac official release(if it's official). I know I'll never see the extra footage, but I still hope to see an official DVD release of the original video, although I realize the longer it goes without a release the less chance anything will ever happen. It's just frustrating when I see other artists release alot of their recordings from their archives & Fleetwood Mac does not.

[PenguinHead]

Let's all just agree that this a legitimate yet extremely shoddy foreign release. Someone made a good point: Alas, it may be the nearest thing to a proper US release. I'm holding on to my precious official video release.

[HomerMcvie]

But if they're promoting the Rumours lineup, why in the world would they release Tango instead of Mirage?

Idiots.

[David]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

Oh I know. I just meant that I'd rather have more FM concert footage than Stevie solo videos, which still seems out of place on a Fleetwood Mac official release(if it's official). I know I'll never see the extra footage, but I still hope to see an official DVD release of the original video, although I realize the longer it goes without a release the less chance anything will ever happen. It's just frustrating when I see other artists release alot of their recordings from their archives & Fleetwood Mac does not.

What confuses me is why the footage of the US Festival hasn't broken through the bootlegger dikes (except for a couple of songs).

I don't know where the rest of the Los Angeles shows footage is, but it seems more likely that the US Festival footage would get through first, especially now that there seems to be some new interest in it -- even Web sites devoted to the festivals are being created or updated recently.

A long time ago, 2 On The Town showed a brief Fleetwood Mac profile that included some Rhiannon footage of the US Festival as well as backstage, plus the band practicing Hold Me in rehearsal.

It happens time & time again: The band films some shows for marketing purposes, local news shows (or sometimes even MTV) grab some footage to add to their own programs on the band, but the remainder of the footage only surfaces years later in crappy quality (US Festival 2, Landover 1975/1978/1979/1983) or disappears entirely (Los Angeles 1982, Tempe 1983).

[Bwana]

I bought the Mirage concert DVD today (and threw out my brazilian bootleg!) . The quality is of course much better than the bootleg version and the chapter points are more accurate ( finally I can actually skip to the START of Sisters of the Moon!) I wish I knew which chords he was playing during the chorus of that... The tacked on Stevie videos are pretty good too. I'm so fortunate to be an Aussie!

[David]

Originally Posted by Bwana

The quality is of course much better than the bootleg version and the chapter points are more accurate ( finally I can actually skip to the START of Sisters of the Moon!) I wish I knew which chords he was playing during the chorus of that.[/IMG]

The chorus of "Sisters"?
Am | G | Em | F
Em | F | G | Am

Unless I'm not understanding your question . . . ?

[AliceLover]

Originally Posted by David

What confuses me is why the footage of the US Festival hasn't broken through the bootlegger dikes (except for a couple of songs).

I don't know where the rest of the Los Angeles shows footage is, but it seems more likely that the US Festival footage would get through first, especially now that there seems to be some new interest in it -- even Web sites devoted to the festivals are being created or updated recently.

A long time ago, 2 On The Town showed a brief Fleetwood Mac profile that included some Rhiannon footage of the US Festival as well as backstage, plus the band practicing Hold Me in rehearsal.

It happens time & time again: The band films some shows for marketing purposes, local news shows (or sometimes even MTV) grab some footage to add to their own programs on the band, but the remainder of the footage only surfaces years later in crappy quality (US Festival 2, Landover 1975/1978/1979/1983) or disappears entirely (Los Angeles 1982, Tempe 1983).

I have that little bit of Rhiannon on this Computer. Also I have a full version of Tusk with lindsey talking right before it saying it was the 4th show of the tour blah blah. I'm sure we'll see it some day. Tempe 83 used ot be surfacing on VHS? Also are you referring to the Los Angeles 82 show that was taped or is this a different show? If you are referring to the taped show did you mean the unreleased footage used to cirrculate?

Regarding the Mirage VHS, I think we got the best songs of the concert anyway. Truthfully, Sara fromt hat tour wasn't my cup of tea. The only one I'd really like to see would be Second Hand News and Hold Me.

[David]

Originally Posted by AliceLover

I have that little bit of Rhiannon on this Computer. Also I have a full version of Tusk with lindsey talking right before it saying it was the 4th show of the tour blah blah. I'm sure we'll see it some day.

Could be, but time's a-wastin'. A bunch of the other sets from both year's festivals are already widely circulated. Last year there was a nice upgrade of Stevie's set at the second festival, but so far, no Fleetwood Mac set.

Tempe 83 used ot be surfacing on VHS?

Nope. The only footage of it I've ever seen was pro footage -- possibly shot by Phoenix news cameras -- that was used very briefly in a Stevie Nicks thing on MTV in 1983. I think it was an MTV News brief. Stevie was singing "Outside the Rain" & looked killer. This was the thing where Loggins & Walsh were also quoted (Walsh, when asked why he was participating in the benefit, said, "Good question!"), & shots of the skydiving were shown from that afternoon.

Also are you referring to the Los Angeles 82 show that was taped or is this a different show? If you are referring to the taped show did you mean the unreleased footage used to cirrculate?

Yep, the video footage that wasn't part of the commercial release -- both L.A. shows were videotaped. So there would be a great deal of video footage that hasn't surfaced, including all the songs that weren't included in the concert film plus all the songs that were from one or the other night that wasn't used (for example, Rhiannon from the second night).

Regarding the Mirage VHS, I think we got the best songs of the concert anyway. Truthfully, Sara fromt hat tour wasn't my cup of tea. The only one I'd really like to see would be Second Hand News and Hold Me.

It's all just a matter of opinion. I'd like to have video of all the songs that weren't included: Second Hand News, Oh Well (with its little Mick Fleetwood ****up the first night), Hold Me, Sara, Don't Stop, Brown Eyes, etc. That was the last year "Don't Stop" was any good. After that tour, it was, unfortunately, anthemized.

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

But if they're promoting the Rumours lineup, why in the world would they release Tango instead of Mirage?

Because Warner Home Video only has the rights to the 'Tango' video and not 1982's 'In Concert.'

I believe 'In Concert' still belongs to RCA/Columbia.