The Band Releasing Deluxe Expanded Versions Of ‘Stage Fright’

Set for release on February 12th is the 50th anniversary, expanded version of the Band's third album, the critically acclaimed Stage Fright. The 1970 classic has been newly remixed, remastered, and expanded into a multi-format Super Deluxe double-CD/Blu-ray/LP/seven-inch vinyl box set with photo booklet; a digital, double CD, 180-gram black vinyl, and limited edition 180-gram color vinyl packages.

All the “Anniversary Edition” releases were overseen by bandleader and primary songwriter, Robbie Robertson and features a new stereo mix by Bob Clearmountain from the original multi-track masters.

According to the press release:

The box set, CD and digital configurations feature a bevy of unreleased recordings, including Live At The Royal Albert Hall, June 1971, a thrilling full concert captured in the midst of their European tour as the band was at the top of its game; alternate versions of “Strawberry Wine” and “Sleeping;” and seven unearthed field recordings, Calgary Hotel Recordings -1970, a fun and loose, impromptu late night hotel jam session between Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, and Richard Manuel of several Stage Fright songs recorded while the album was in the mixing stage.

Robbie Robertson told us that when you go through the Band's catalogue, it's obvious that the music came first and foremost for them: “It was never, ever about, 'Well, let's see if we can just be, like, a really good pop group, and get a bunch of cute guys, and, and see if we can get, y'know, a pop hit record,' or something like that. That just wasn't the path laid out before us.”