Stop the presses... It's Breaking NEWS Time!

If you have found some new discovery, or there is a new Vangelis related release in your country, please write to me. If you can provide a scan, that would be even better! I'll add it here with your credit. Please help build this site! Write to me by clicking here!

This update - November 22, 2011

In September, my wife and I lived out a dream.  We finally made that trip to Athens. We were waiting for a concert (not many life regrets-but definitely missing out on Mythodea in 2001 is one of them) but decided we could wait no longer. Our trip to Greece was amazing. We loved Athens, Olympia and Nafplion. We did not spend a lot of time looking for Vangelis collectibles, but I was determined to come back with some Vangelis treasure. And I struck gold...12 hours worth of previously unheard and unreported Vangelis music.  To learn more, click here...

Good news from elsew.com. For those of you that did not want to buy a download from ina.fr of the two great Henri chapier films scored by Vangelis, Amore and Salut, Jerusalem, don't worry.  It appears they are coming out on a commercially released DVD on January 18, 2012. Titled Henri Chapier-Cinéaste, this item is available for pre-order at amazon.fr. Now if somebody would take an interest in all those Frederic Rossif back titles...

On December 21, 2011, amazon.co.jp will release an exclusive 2 disc steelbook edition of Blade Runner-The Final Cut on blu-ray! These steelbook editions have become quite collectible amongst movie enthusiasts, and are not easy to track down.  Click the amazon link I highlighted above to be taken to the page. Order it while you can!

I know, I know. the debate still goes on as to whether Vangelis performs on this album by Jon Anderson, Olias of Sunhillow.  I am a believer (just listen to "Solid Space") but even if it is not true, this is still the best Jon Anderson solo album ever.  This cardboard sleeve (mini LP) reissue from Jon Anderson features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD players) and digital remastering.  The cardboard sleeve faithfully replicates the original LP featuring gatefold jacket with an inner bag. Buy yours today at CDJapan!

I think we are all a bit put off by the recent cancellation of the remastered L'apocalypse des Animaux and Opera Sauvage titles.  It truly is a pity, as these titles would benefit from a clean-up, and everybody is wondering how Vangelis worked the remasters.  It is previously reported that he remastered practically his entire back-catalogue, including Heaven and Hell, Albedo 0.39 and Spiral.  BMG/Sony just released Original Album Classics by Vangelis in September. Are these the remastered editions? Sorry, no.  But continuing a trend started in the 90s, BMG has its Vangelis box set for the holidays (and not just Vangelis but a whole gropu of recordings from other artists packaged in the same fashion).  They did redo the packaging, with LP style sleeves replacing the jewel boxes (but not deluxe sleeves like the Japanese issues) and repressed CDs as well. Only 8.99 pounds at amazon.co.uk, it's a great price!

This update - August 14, 2011

I was thrilled to see another Vangelis-scored film would be seeing the blu-ray treatment, and it is the incredible Roman Polanski film, Bitter Moon.  Now available in Japan in blu-ray and remastered DVD formats, the transfer looks a bit improved but (I add with disappointment), the transfer is 1080i and the sound is an incredibly dull Dolby 2.0 mix. Of course, I would listen to Vangelis on 8-track tape if I had to, and so I am not totally upset, but I am a bit amazed that a better sound mix could not have been completed. Perhaps if it is ever released in France (but then again, look at 1492)...

A new 2 CD Deluxe Edition of the Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe release is now available through Gonzo Multimedia (UK).  Two editions of this release exist. The standard edition in jewel case can be purchased at retailers such as amazon.  If you want the replica LP packaging as shown to the left, you will need to order it directly from Gonzo's website.  This contains the Vangelis-penned track "Let's Pretend,"  which was originally intended to be a Jon and Vangelis song from their aborted 1986 follow-up to "Private Collection."

And since we're talking about Jon Anderson, we can also add that Keys To Ascension has been repackaged as a deluxe 4 CD/1 DVD set in the UK, selling for around 11 pounds on amazon.  This also includes a Vangelis-penned track from that very same Jon and Vangelis session in 1986, "Children of Light."

Those wonderful limited edition/remastered CDs keep coming from Japan for all sorts of different releases. This time, we have the Melissa Manchester album, Hey Ricky, which includes her cover version of "Race To the End", which is the vocal version of "Chariots of Fire."  This comes in the great LP replica sleeve with a faithful reproduction of the LP obi strip. Available from CDJapan.

We also have a limited edition coming from Canada. This is the steelbook edition of the Blu-ray for Blade Runner-The Final Cut.  Steelbook editions have become quite collectible, with numerous releases showing up in European markets. This is the first steelbook edition for this film in North America.  Available from amazon.

Lastly, I'd like to talk about a recent experience I had.  I stumbled upon this one week prior to it occurring, and when I originally started to read about it, I assumed that it was going to be a west coast (US) thing, and since I live on the east coast of the US, that I would miss it. Lo and behold, this occurred right outside of Washington, D.C. at The State Theater in Falls Church, Virginia. It appears that Jefferson Airplane founder, Paul Kantner, is a big fan of Vangelis.  Such a big fan, in fact, that he wanted to try an experiment and combine elements from the first Jefferson Starship album, Blows Against the Empire, with the Blade Runner soundtrack.  It is an interesting concept. Blows Against the Empire was released in 1970 and is the first Jefferson Starship album, although members of Jefferson Airplane contribute, along with a long list of west coast musicians, such as Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead, plus David Crosby, Graham Nash and others (including Grace Slick).  Now, this is a band with a long history of changing members and a lot of hit songs.  Paul Kantner really has no need to do this type of thing.  In fact, as they tour currently, celebrating 40 years, most of their gigs are two sets long, doing all their hits.  But on July 29, 2011 at Falls Church, they added a third set.  And I got my ticket and went. I have to give them kudos for being so experimental.  As my wife and I stood in line (being first to get there), we spoke to a lot of people who had no idea that this experiment was going to be happening.  Most were there to hear the old hits, although they knew that Grace Slick was no longer in the band (those vocals being handled by Cathy Richardson, who sounds very much like Grace Slick).  Once inside (a small dinner venue with only a few hundred people), the stage was easily accessible and behind the stage, a large screen, which would end up showing visuals from Blade Runner during the first set, which was dubbed "Blade Runner Against the Empire".  A mix of songs were performed, and we got to hear performances of "Main Titles", "Rachel's Theme" (which pushed the lead vocalist to her limits) and "Love Theme" along with tracks from Blows Against the Empire (very good) and (less successfully) covers of "Eclipse" by Pink Floyd and "Major Tom" by David Bowie.  "Love Theme" was pretty decent, with guitar taking over for the saxophone (RIP Dick Morrissey).  The audience particularly responded to that track, and I made it a point to tell those around me that it is a Vangelis tune and that they should go out and buy it. So was it successful? For the most part, although I felt that it was trying to be a bit "spacey" with the addition of songs by other artists, like the Bowie tune, in an attempt to convey that spacey feeling.  It wasn't necessary.  There are plenty of tracks of their own.  What pleases me is that it was developed, performed and recognized as musicially significant by one of the founders of a musical force from the 60s.  You will have one more chance to catch this.  It appears they will be doing it one more time on September 3, 2011 in Atlanta, GA at the Dragon-Con event.  Catch it while you can.

This update - March 11, 2011

I've waited a long, long time to be able to report this news. We've talked about the Vangelis catalog for years. The rumours, the reports...the remasters. Frederick Rousseau talked about going to Athens and working with Vangelis to clean up the old master tapes and we have all wondered when, if ever, they would come. Yes, we did manage to get a few that were done with Vangelis---Chariots of Fire, Odes and Rapsodies. And then, nothing. But that all changes come the end of April. The folks at Esoteric Recordings, who worked directly on remasters with Vangelis in their recent releases of two classic Aphrodite's Child albums have now listed three Vangelis titles for release in April!!!! The three titles are all Frederic Rossif soundtracks: L'apocalypse des Animaux, La Fete Sauvage and Opera Sauvage! From the press sheets they've provided, we can see that the releases will have fully restored artwork and housed in digipacks, all remastered under the supervision of Vangelis himself. If you click the Esoteric logo above, you can go to their website and pre-order each of these titles. For under 11 pounds each, they're a bargain! Please support these titles and hopefully, we will see continued releases from Esoteric Recordings and Vangelis. I can't wait to hear these, especially L'apocalyse des Animaux.

This update - November 26, 2010

I was pleasantly surprised when news of these reissues came to me. Just released this month, the US label Medical Records has licensed the two classic Chrisma recordings, Chinese Restaurant and Hibernation for release on vinyl! And just look at those reissues. Redesigned cover art. Colored vinyl. 180g. Limited to 500 copies each. These are certainly going to sell out quickly. And US pressings! That amazes me more than anything else. These titles were never released in the USA. Of course Christina and Maurizio are Italian, but I just do not understand how these classics did not receive worldwide release back in the 70s. And just listen to that CS-80 sound throughout these records! Yes, we can continue to argue about whether Vangelis performs on these (I say yes, so does Chrisma). That is not a knock on Vangelis' brother, Niko Papathanassiou, who produced both records. They all did a wonderful job. Contact Medical Records for ordering information and buy them while you can.

This update - October 29, 2010

I really miss doing this. Sorry for such a long break. There is an upcoming reissue in France next month of De Nuremberg A Nuremberg. Now, the previous edition was very nice, a three disc affair with many supplemental documentaries to go along with the Frederic Rossif film, scored by Vangelis. However, that first edition contained the 3 hour edit of the film. Editions Montparnasse has now decided to release the 4 hour edition without the additional supplements. That's great news! Order yours today at amazon.fr.

And while you are at amazon.fr, you might as well place your order for the reissue of 1492 Christophe Colomb that just came out there. Available as both a blu-ray and standard DVD edition, the film has never looked better. Now, there have been some complaints about this blu-ray edition and I admit to being a little disappointed in the lack of attention given to this release. I was hoping for more than the dts-HD 2.0 audio soundtrack, and I was hoping for more bonus materials. I was also a bit disappointed that the blu-ray was region coded B. However, maybe this is just the beginning. A release in one territory may lead to releases in other territories, and maybe we will eventually see the special edition we all have been dreaming about. I will say that the standard DVD looks fantastic. So, click here to order the blu-ray and here for the standard DVD. Order today!

I ordered this right away when I saw it. Quite surprised but happy to see it. This is Demis Roussos and The Singles + releases on vinyl as a 2 LP set! I'm happy to see BErt van breda and BR Music still showing Demis love by releasing this on vinyl. There are Vangelis-related tracks on this set, including "Mourir Au Pres de Mon Amour" and "Race To the End". I would imagine this is a very limited pressing, so you best order before it goes out of print! I see it readily available at amazon.de.

This is not really news, as it has been discussed at great places, like elsew.com, but I wanted to say a little more about Sex Power being released on DVD. I liked that Doriane Films released this Henri Chapier film along with his first film, Un été Américain (not Vangelis related) and it made me wonder...what if we started sending e-mails to Doriane Films to request that Chapier's next two films, Amore and Salut, Jerusalem, be released? These are both scored by Vangelis and I do not know a single person who has seen them or has them on video in any form. What do you think? Take a moment to send an e-mail to: doriane@doriane-films.com Maybe they'll license these titles for home video release. Tell them you will buy it!

This update - June 21, 2009

I'm still alive! Even though I have little time to update anymore, this site is never far from my mind. I'm thrilled though that there are others out there keeping news current. I personally love going over to Invisible Connections, the International Vangelis Forum, and reading current comments and news! Here's a piece of news I have not seen reported yet. El Greco is now headed to DVD in Spain after having a theatrical run there. While not as successful in the box office as in Greece, I am glad to see that the DVD will be released there and hopefully to be seen (and heard!) by many more people! The price is great (14.99 euros) and can be pre-ordered at dvdgo.com! Release date is listed as August 7, 2009! Great cover art, isn't it?

This isn't really news, since the release occurred at the beginning of the year, but I wanted to highlight it because it is a nice collectible from Japan.  For the first time, Raymond Lefevre's "No.12" album has been released on CD, and on SHM-CD no less.  In case you do not know, the Vangelis composition "Stephanie" is past of this album.  This was reportedly an Aphrodite's Child song but I'm not really sure about that. Since these items go out of print quickly in Japan, I suggest you hustle on over to cdjapan.co.jp now and order it! And while you are at cdjapan.co.jp, order the new re-release of Vangelis-Odyssey on SHM-CD.  It's only 2000 yen!!!

This update - September 14, 2008

A quick piece of news! I expect that we may see many more Vangelis titles released on SHM-CD...on November 26, 2008, Universal will release the Chariots of Fire soundtrack! Pre-order this at HMV Japan by clicking here!

This update - September 1, 2008

Hi folks. A long overdue update to the site! Not much in the way of news though. Much of this will have already been reported on other sites by great fans of Vangelis! But just in case you missed some things, I'll repeat them here. First though is the discovery of another "CD on Demand" company.  This one is located in the United States, and they have obtained rights to press Invisible Connections!  The company is ArkivMusic and the CD can be ordered by clicking here.  I noticed they also have the Julian Lloyd Webber 2 CD collection, Gentle Dreams (which includes "Un apres midi") as a CD on Demand.

On October 21, 2008, the world-reknown company, Criterion, will be releasing the Costas-Gavras film, Missing, as a deluxe edition 2 DVD set. This will be remastered, of course, but the Vangelis soundtrack will remain in mono as originally presented. Isn't it strange that a movie from 1982 did not have a stereo soundtrack? I was always puzzled by this. It is a great film for sure, and if you did not pick up the Universal issue yet, then hold off for this one (unless you're a colelctor like me, then buy 'em all!)  Amazon is taking pre-orders.

In a variety of EU countries, a new 2 CD set has come out, pairing two Vangelis back titles from east west: The City/Voices. It has been a while since a record companies have done this type of grouping. RCA/BMG are famous for doing this with Heaven and Hell/Albedo 0.39/Spiral, but even they have not done that for a while (well, Christmas is coming, so who knows). This item is available at amazon as well. In the US, there is a link to purchase-click here to find it.

And there are a bunch of things coming out soon and available for pre-order. My favorite Japanese store, CD Japan, has a bunch of new things. There will be new SHM-CDs coming from BMG on October 22, 2008 for Heaven and Hell, Albedo 0.39, Spiral, Beaubourg, plus Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe. Donna Summer's Gold 2 CD set (which includes her cover of "State of Independence") has already been releaed as SHM-CDs. Finally, Chariots of Fire Ultimate Edition 2 DVD set will be re-released there on October 24, 2008.

One more piece of info. In case you thought about getting ripped off on ebay to buy the Jon Anderson 3 Ships CD, save your money. Amazon (US) is listing this CD for pre-order to be released on October 14, 2008.

FOR NEWS REPORTS BETWEEN NOVEMBER 6, 2006 TO JUNE 3, 2008, CLICK HERE.

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