Van Morrison Authorized Bang Collection Due

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A deluxe three-CD set, Van Morrison—The Authorized Bang Collection, due out from Legacy Recordings on April 28, is the first official comprehensive anthology ever assembled chronicling Morrison’s musical output during his brief association with Bang Records. The label founded by legendary American producer/songwriter Bert Berns–whose writing credits include “Twist and Shout,” “Cry to Me,” “Piece of My Heart” and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” as well as “Here Comes The Night,” a #2 U.K. breakout hit for Them—Van Morrison’s early group—in March 1965.

Pre-order is available here.

According to a press release, “All songs on Disc One—The Original Masters and Disc Two—Bang Sessions & Rarities were produced and directed by Berns. Disc Three—Contractual Obligation Session presents for the first-time as an official release—and in its best-sound quality ever–one of the most raw, honest and in-the-moment studio performances of Van’s storied career.”

Disc One—The Original Masters presents original stereo mixes of recordings for the first time on CD—including “Brown Eyed Girl”—first released on Bang 12” vinyl LPs: Blowin’ Your Mind! (1967) and The Best of Van Morrison (1970). Disc One also features the highly-prized original mono mixes of “Beside You” and “Madame George”—first issued on T.B. Sheets (1973)—and “Chick-A-Boom,” a Van Morrison/Bert Berns composition recorded in New York in 1967 and released as a Bang single. The Original Masters closes with the rare demo version of “The Smile You Smile,” previously available on Legacy’s 1991 compilation, The Bang Masters.

Disc Two—Bang Sessions & Rarities includes the much sought-after original edited mono single mix of “Brown Eyed Girl” and the original mono single mix with backing vocals for “Ro Ro Rosey,” in addition to previously unissued studio takes of “T.B. Sheets,” “Midnight Special,” “Beside You” and some insightful outtakes of “Brown Eyed Girl.”

Disc Three—Contractual Obligation Session presents 31 short songs that have been widely bootlegged as Morrison’s contractual obligation demos for Bang. “These songs show Morrison’s incredible humor and give some insight into the frustrating close of his relationship with the label. They are included here for the sake of completeness and to finally officially close the chapter on Van’s 1967 New York City recording sessions,” writes Andrew Sandoval in his liner notes for the set. A Grammy-nominated producer and engineer, Sandoval compiled and curated the material on Van Morrison—The Authorized Bang Collection.

In his own notes for this collection, Van Morrison wrote, “Bert Berns was a genius He was a brilliant songwriter and he had a lot of soul, which you don’t find nowadays.”

Van Morrison listens back through headphones as he talks with musical director Garry Sherman at a Bang Records recording session in the studio for Morrison’s 1st album “Blowing Your Mind!” on March 28, 1967 in New York. (Photo: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; used with permission)

Track Listing

Disc One – The Original Masters: