A Change of Seasons

[pg1067]

My introduction to this song was the Live Scenes DVD. . . .

I've written about this before, but....  I bought my first computer (with a friggin' 256 MB hard drive!) in the summer of 1993.  It came with *Prodigy software installed, and I logged on and subscribed.  I ended up on a metal forum, and there was a guy there with a boot of the 3/4/93 show at the Limelight (which later became available through Ytse Jam Records, and I'm not sure if it's since been released on LNF Archives).  I had nothing to trade, so I sent the guy a 90-minute cassette and a return envelope.  A few weeks later, the tape showed up, and that was my first exposure to ACOS (sandwiched between The Killing Hand and Wait for Sleep/Learning to Live).  I listened to that tape a bunch, but I had actually forgotten about it when the EP came out two years later.  I remember my friend calling me and playing the intro over the phone.  I immediately went out and bought the EP and was blown away.  I then remembered the tape and compared the two.  I thought the new version was so much improved, but it was fun being there and seeing the evolution of this epic.

[Deadeye21]

...and there was a guy there with a boot of the 3/4/93 show at the Limelight (which later became available through Ytse Jam Records, and I'm not sure if it's since been released on LNF Archives).  I had nothing to trade, so I sent the guy a 90-minute cassette and a return envelope.

Was f that the Live in NYC 93 show?

[The Letter M]

...and there was a guy there with a boot of the 3/4/93 show at the Limelight (which later became available through Ytse Jam Records, and I'm not sure if it's since been released on LNF Archives).  I had nothing to trade, so I sent the guy a 90-minute cassette and a return envelope.

Was f that the Live in NYC 93 show?

The very same. Boots of it had circulated for YEARS before the Ytse Jam Records version was properly released back in 2007, which was when I first heard the show. But now it's been re-released and remastered as part of the Lost Not Forgotten Archives series, earlier this year in March 2022, though I haven't listened to that (or the YJR version) enough lately to be able to compare and A/B them to see what the differences are.

It's an absolute fire show, and probably one of the best sounding shows of the official live boots they released. Probably as perfect of a setlist as you could imagine from that era, and it's one of only FOUR shows where they played the original version of "A Change Of Seasons"!

-Marc.

[Cool Chris]

I bought my first computer (with a friggin' 256 MB hard drive!) in the summer of 1993.  It came with *Prodigy software installed...

One of my best friends at the time had a computer, and tons of games, which many of my friends did not. His family was wealthy so it was typical. Anyway, he also had this thing called Prodigy. He ended up talking to a girl from S (or N?) Dakota through Prodigy. They ended up convincing their parents to let them meet - I think his dad drove him out there. And they became an item for a while.  That blew my mind. How did my friend meet a girl... THROUGH THE COMPUTER?!

[pg1067]

I bought my first computer (with a friggin' 256 MB hard drive!) in the summer of 1993.  It came with *Prodigy software installed...

One of my best friends at the time had a computer, and tons of games, which many of my friends did not. His family was wealthy so it was typical. Anyway, he also had this thing called Prodigy. He ended up talking to a girl from S (or N?) Dakota through Prodigy. They ended up convincing their parents to let them meet - I think his dad drove him out there. And they became an item for a while.  That blew my mind. How did my friend meet a girl... THROUGH THE COMPUTER?!

Well...one of the main reasons I got the computer was because a friend of mine had one and was signed up on a service called The Sierra Network ("TSN," which became The Imagination Network), which had a Dungeons & Dragons style game called Shadow of Yserbius.  It had a bunch of other games you could play, including stuff like backgammon and hearts.  Long story short, I met my now wife through TSN, and before meeting her, I met a few other girls.  One turned out to be a 16 or 17 year old girl who was coming to CA from I don't remember where, with her mother, and I met her at the 1993 Foundations Forum, where I also met Mike and Marlene Portnoy.

[gzarruk]

ACOS is special for me because it's the only DT release from the same year I was born

[bosk1]

With all the YJR stuff that has been released, it's fun to be able to really trace the evolution of the song.  My favorite by far will always be the LSFNY version.  That's pretty much perfect.  But I enjoy hearing how it developed and changed.  Still my second favorite DT song of all time.

Happy 27th Birthday to the A Change Of Seasons EP!

I'm still holding out hope for a LFNA release of the full Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club show!

-Marc.

You and me both; fingers crossed!

That used to be on my bucket list as well.  But hearing bootlegs of it, when it comes right down to it, it's just not that great.  The parts that were officially released have been significantly touched up to sound better, and are easily the best parts of the show.  Not trying to persuade you to not still want it, but for me, it has fallen way down my list.

[Ben_Jamin]

I thought I voted on this poll, but apparently I didn't.

I chose the LSFNY version. I had bought LSFNY at Hastings, and this was the first time I heard the song, including Learning to Live and A Mind Beside Itself Suite. After this, I borrowed a friends ACOS EP and ripped it onto my computer. Although I enjoyed hearing the recorded version, it was missing something. There's one vocal line on LSFNY that is not on the recorded version, it's where JLB screams "Please Don't Go". I feel those words add a lot to the overall meaning of the song. JLB also did not sing those lyrics during the I&W&B tour, I did sing it aloud though, and I am sure there were others in the audience who did so as well.

I am also very glad that I got to see this song live. Who knows when they will play this song again, and if they don't play it again, I will be glad to have been at the last show they played the song. I hope they do make it to a 50th anniversary and decide to play this song.

[ZirconBlue]

I prefer the studio version, except for the snare sound.  I did like that they added the "Please. Don't. Go." back to the song for the LSFNY version, though.

[Dream Team]

I love the LSFNY version except for when JP gets shreddy during the last solo. The album version of that solo is perfection.

[Animal]

I love LSFNY version and agree this is a great performance by JLB and the whole band. But I still prefer the studio version, for one simple reason - it seems to be the last record where JLB's voice still has all of its former beauty - this pristine and clear tenor sound (a bit like Freddie Mercury but with a different timbre - while Freddie's voice sound kind of "dark blue" to me, James' would be more like "bright gold" - if it makes any sense).

I know, ACOS was recorded after the food poisoning incident but James still sounds godly. After that, despite how good he was, a part of his voice was lost forever.

[Dublagent66]

I probably should go back and listen to the studio version again (been a few months), but just for the sake of discussion, does MP do any backing vocals in the studio version?  I've heard it a million times and don't recall hearing any, unless I very unlikely missed something.

[pg1067]

Pretty sure that JP and MP do the "gather ye rosebuds" lines towards the end.

[Dublagent66]

Pretty sure that JP and MP do the "gather ye rosebuds" lines towards the end.

That's actually a sample track from the movie "Dead Poets Society".  It's a Carpe Diem thing.

[pg1067]

Not that part.

In "The Crimson Sunset" section:

James:  I sit down with my son, set to see the Crimson Sunset
BGVOX:  Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
James:  Many years have come and gone; I've lived my life but now must move on
BGVOX:  Gather ye Rosebuds while ye may
James:  He is my only one, now that the time has come....

[Dublagent66]

Ah yes, gotcha.  I remember now....

[pg1067]

Ah yes, gotcha.  I remember now....

That's a different band.   

[Dublagent66]

Ah yes, gotcha.  I remember now....

That's a different band.   

I remember how it started...

[PetFish]

I really miss the JP/KM unison at 15:30 and also JP's solo right before this and all the way until 16:40 but this unison is definitely an all-timer.

I wonder why they scrapped the unison section from the final version and why they didn't try and use it somewhere else in a different song.  It's just too awesome to have been dumped.

[pg1067]

I really miss the JP/KM unison at 15:30 and also JP's solo right before this and all the way until 16:40 but this unison is definitely an all-timer.

I wonder why they scrapped the unison section from the final version and why they didn't try and use it somewhere else in a different song.  It's just too awesome to have been dumped.

What version are you referring to?

[Dublagent66]

I'm guessing the I&W demo.  Isn't that the only version with KM?

[hefdaddy42]

I'm guessing the I&W demo.  Isn't that the only version with KM?

Or that live recording from New York.  Forget the name of the boot.

[Lonk]

I'm guessing the I&W demo.  Isn't that the only version with KM?

Or that live recording from New York.  Forget the name of the boot.

It's in the Lost Not Forgotten release "Live in NYC, 1993".

https://youtu.be/W8REHXIOuMg?t=928

[pg1067]

I'm guessing the I&W demo.  Isn't that the only version with KM?

Or that live recording from New York.  Forget the name of the boot.

After asking, I figured it out.  It's the Limelight show from 3/4/93.  The studio demo version doesn't have any sort of unison thing at the time mark mentioned.  The Limelight version does.  I'd guess (and it's no more than that) that they dropped that section because they didn't think it needed another "wanky" section and that they thought it didn't fit well with the revised version that was officially released.

[Herrick]

I prefer the studio version, except for the snare sound.  I did like that they added the "Please. Don't. Go." back to the song for the LSFNY version, though.

Was that line in the older demo versions?

[ZirconBlue]

I prefer the studio version, except for the snare sound.  I did like that they added the "Please. Don't. Go." back to the song for the LSFNY version, though.

Was that line in the older demo versions?

I'm not sure about the demos, but it was in the '93 live version. 

[Herrick]

I prefer the studio version, except for the snare sound.  I did like that they added the "Please. Don't. Go." back to the song for the LSFNY version, though.

Was that line in the older demo versions?

I'm not sure about the demos, but it was in the '93 live version.

I'll have to look for that version. I've heard an older version before but I don't remember how it differed from the EP version.

[pg1067]

I prefer the studio version, except for the snare sound.  I did like that they added the "Please. Don't. Go." back to the song for the LSFNY version, though.

Was that line in the older demo versions?

I'm not sure about the demos, but it was in the '93 live version.

I'll have to look for that version. I've heard an older version before but I don't remember how it differed from the EP version.

The I&W demo version is essentially identical to the 1993 live version, and both have significant differences from the official EP release.

[PetFish]

I really miss the JP/KM unison at 15:30 and also JP's solo right before this and all the way until 16:40 but this unison is definitely an all-timer.

I wonder why they scrapped the unison section from the final version and why they didn't try and use it somewhere else in a different song.  It's just too awesome to have been dumped.

What version are you referring to?

Sorry, I totally forgot to check back but, yes, it is the live version from 1993.

I don't think they'd cut it for a "too wanky" reason since that's never been an issue with the guys so who knows.  I just think it's too cool to have been tossed away in the final version.

I also miss the warped version of Pull Me Under and also in The Killing Hand the Fortune in Lies Easter Egg and the Carol of the Bells section in the live version from when Sherinian was in the band.