I know this was discussed sometimes but as I listened to my remastered Ultravox CD's again I find it is a little shame there is no live recording of the Systems of Romance stuff on it. All the Remasters (both; Mk1 and Mk2) including some live stuff - Systems of Romance is the only exception. Island Records released only the B- side and single stuff as bonus tracks on the Remasters but I'm sure there excist some live stuff of that tour too. There are some very good sounding bootlegs of the 1979 USA tour - Philadelphia or Boston - is there no chance to remaster this stuff to a good CD standard?
Please don't get me wrong - I'm thankfully the Remasters were released and they sounding great. But a live recording of the Systems Of Romance tour as an official release would be a great Bonus!!!

How big is the chance this could be happen?

Only dreaming on a rainy afternoon...

I agree with you Andreas.

But I guess that with the bootlegs there probably would be some issues of sound quality as the gigs were not professionally recorded.

The Philadelphia concert your refer to was a BBC recording, so I expect there are unfathomably complex legal and copyright issues involved too

So if the Philadelphia boot is a BBC recording there must be a (small) chance to release it officially with remastered sound.

Ultravox Mk2 released a live recording in 1992, done by the BBC in 1981 too ( which sounds great), about their Vienna stuff on Windsong label.

Would'nt it be great this could be happen with the Philadelphia recording too?!!!

At least, Island, the BBC and the musicians must agree.
But why not ? It would be worth to test it.

I'm sure many fans would buy a copy.
I would be the first in the queue...

Nah. No chance.

I'll have to listen again, but I'm sure there's reference on the recording to it being a broadcast. Or am I thinking of a different show??

I have the Boston one which is a radio broadcast (with FM hiss).Its starts with Good evening,I'm Jo Bedrisci,welcome once again to the London wavelength concert hour.

Is that the one your thinking of Martin?

I looked at my boots and agree with Brian. It's the Boston show which is the BBC recording
(very good quality). I have the same recording. This show includes He's a Liquid and Touch And Go.

The Philadelphia boot (incl.He's a Liquid) could be a BBC recording too but I'm not sure.
Soundwise it is as good as the Boston show.


Here is the description on my Boston boot:

a BBC presentation by:
London Wavelength
154 E.46th Street
New York
N.Y. (212) 682 - 5390


So, it is sure it excist very good stuff of that tour.
Should be possible to make a great CD!

Yep - my mistake. The Boston show is a broadcast.
I realsied that as soon as I posted.

Doesn't change the unlikly-ness of any of this material ever being released though...

A similar thing was done with two Numan bootlegs recently, L.O. 80 manchester and 'Engineers' both came from bootlegs. Its possible to do that for both Ultravox '79 concerts and release them as a double cd set. The Numan L.O. 80 manchester show, was not as high quality as either Philly or Boston.

Just because one show was released by the BBC does not mean its any easier for another show to be released by the BBC than from another place.

The cleaning up of bootlegs is about as easy as remastering any recording, so thats very possible.

Ladies first........ please

No problem Maryann.
But I would be the second...

So it IS possible to remaster that stuff.

Would be interesting to know the opinions of the musicians about it.
At least this one would be the missed part between all the remasters (Ultravox Mk1, Mk2 and John solo; which are all very well made!!). A piece of band history which is worth to release it.
If it ever would be happen it would be Easter and Christmas on one day for me!...

I still remain unconvinced of the value of releasing this stuff, or even pursung the idea.

So far, those of us enaged in this conversation have the recordings anyway...

I can't see how it fits in with a marketing plan for any of the artists involved either.

You're right Martin, we have the stuff, and I'm glad about this . But there could be done much more of the sound if it would be remastered.

If I listen to the live version of I Can't Stay Long from Humania or the Peel session, I can imagine how fantastic a cleaned recording of these boots can sounding like. Many of the sound gone lost between the hiss. It is worth to be remastered.

As for the marketing plan I think , it would be the same for the artists as they had released all the Island remasters. I remember we all never had thought this would be happen one day. It would only be the 4th CD in the set.

So if Gary Numan had done it - why not this stuff of Ultravox? At least there is not a must to buy it, but I would love to have a copy. And I'm not alone, I think...

You are not alone. It would be great, wouldn't it?