Confessions of a Fanboy

Among the many cool ideas that emerged from the ’90s was the whole Unplugged phenomenon. The list of atrocities perpetrated by MTV is staggering, but I tip my cap to them for one of the few good things that came from their reign.

[PAUSE]

“Yes, I’m aware that MTV did not invent acoustic music and Unplugged was not the first broadcast venue for acoustic music. Wipe the froth from your mouth.”

[PAUSE]

“I’m only suggesting that the show and its popularity encouraged acoustic music and even made it cool on a larger, more mainstream stage.

[PAUSE]

“Fuck off. I’m moving on with my article now.”

I don’t know if it’s my own contrarian nature, my perception of a certain vocal contingent of bloggers and internet folk, or if you folks are really that ballbreaking. I rarely take any sort of position in an article without anticipating some jackass misreading it and bleating in the comments about how I’m retarded. Where was I?

Ah, yes. Unplugged. I’m talking Unplugged because the Seasons of Churn are once again upon us.

[PAUSE]

“Seasons of churn?” What the fuck are you talking about man?”

[PAUSE]

“Churn is the industry term for re-releasing old albums in shiny new boxes. You know, shit like the 10th Anniversary Edition of Foo Fighters’ The Colour and the Shape and the 20th Anniversary Edition of Satriani’s Surfing With the Alien.”

[PAUSE]

“Seasons of churn. Did you come up with that yourself? I kind of like it. What is it, a play on Aersomith’s “Seasons of Wither” or something?”

OK, that one was on me. Sometimes the voices in my head interrupt me and I’m kind of powerless to do much about it. Welcome to a new feature here at Confessions of a Fanboy, Seasons of Churn.

Just the other night, 11 and I were discussing the majesty of Alice in Chains’ Unplugged session and now there is news on that front. Sony/Legacy is going to re-release four classic Unplugged albums on my birthday with some sort of bonus material and AiC is one of them.

My birthday is September 18 and I’ve got some great gift ideas:

• Alice in Chains

• Bob Dylan
• Tony Bennett
• Mariah Carey*

  *anyone who gets wise and sends me the Mariah Carey Legacy Edition Unplugged will be killed and then punished

Each of the four albums will be re-issued with an accompanying DVD featuring bonus material and footage that was not part of the original broadcast. The AiC DVD will include unaired songs “Frogs,” “Angry Chair” and “The Killer Is Me.” The Dylan package adds “Dignity” to the CD as well as “Tombstone Blues,” “John Brown” and “Desolation Row” to the DVD. Bennett’s set includes adds audio tracks “(Just a) Little Street Where Old Friends Meet” and “When Do the Bells Ring for Me.” The DVD has the video for “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” and interviews with Bennett and Elvis Costello.

If you want to know what’s on Mariah’s set, leave this site at once.

I’m shocked Eric Clapton’s set wasn’t included as it was the biggest hit of them all from a commercial standpoint. Maybe it is still to come. I’m absolutely going to have to have Alice and Dylan. In fact, I’m betting there’s going to be a little “Alice Week” around here in September.

More coverage as further details emerge…

Filed under: Alice in Chains, Bob Dylan, Seasons of Churn