As I predicted, October has been a big month for amazing The Wall releases. I still have a couple coming in the near future to talk about, but it’s hard to believe any of them will be cooler than this particular version. For the first time, Is There Anybody Out There? (The Wall Live 1980-81), which was previously only available on CD, has been released on vinyl. I feel like I can’t be the only person who has been waiting years for somebody to put this one out. I never thought it would happen, but the day has finally arrived!
Just to get it out of the way, yes, this is an unofficial release, as I suspected it would be when I first read about it. It’s crazy to think that Pink Floyd themselves didn’t feel the need to put this out on vinyl at any point over the last 24 years. So, I guess it was inevitable that fans would come along and fill the void. This release is not “on label”, so if you want to find it, there is unfortunately no company to search for. I suppose since it’s the only non-picture disc vinyl edition out there though, it should be easy to find through a Google search.
Before I even opened up the package, I was amazed at how heavy this set was even though it just contained three discs. I didn’t weight them, but the LPs are definitely heavy weight… 180g easy I would say. The packaging itself is also perfect. Lots of similar releases have problems with blurry artwork, but this is not one of them. The front and back look just how you would expect it to if you are familiar with the CD version. It’s also got a green hype sticker on the plastic that reminds me very much of the hype sticker on past CD versions. The 3 LP set is housed in a tri-fold jacket, and each disc is packaged in a poly-lined black inner sleeve to prevent scratching. This is a colored vinyl set, and each disc is a nice dark green.
As indicated on the hype sticker, each set comes with a small, but very cool The Wall poster. In addition, the poster image is also pressed onto Side A of the first disc. It’s important to mention that this is not a picture disc. Picture discs are notorious for bad sound, but the company who did this found a way around that problem. This is essentially a blank side that has artwork on it. Sometimes, when an album isn’t big enough to take up a full LP, the company will leave a blank side or etch artwork into it. As you can see in the photos, this is a full color picture that’s actually part of the disc. It’s not a glued-on piece of paper or anything like that. It really adds an artistic factor to the set, I think.
I’m sure everyone reading this is already intimately familiar with The Wall, so I’m not going to give a track listing or comment on the musicianship. What I will say is that it’s been a while since I’ve listened to this version. With all of the unofficial stuff that’s been coming out the last few years, including all the stuff we can pull up on YouTube at any time, I just hadn’t put the CD version on in a while. I imagine that this set is a direct pull from the CD, and I have to say that I loved hearing it again. All the audience recordings and such are great to shake things up, but this version is really fantastic.
As usual, I gave the discs a clean before spinning them. Each one was flat and free of any visible defects, and the labels look great. The artwork on them is also based on the artwork from the CD, which I was happy to see. For some reason, it’s always reminded me of Pink Floyd themed wrapping paper. Go back and check your CD copy, and I think you’ll see what I mean. The A Side is blank, so the music starts on Side B and goes from there.
As I listened, I was immediately blown away by the quality of the vinyl transfer. Supposing it came from the CD version, whoever did the pressing did an excellent job. If you have heard the original, you will know what to expect here. The vinyl definitely adds a little bit of warmth as it should, but I didn’t have any noticeable issues or noise problems while playing my copy.
A notable difference, compared to other versions of The Wall you will find on vinyl or CD, is that the number of songs on each side is different than you’ll be used to. This was probably done to accommodate the addition of the illustration, but I think it was worth the tradeoff. The breaking up of the songs here still makes sense, and to me, it was a non-issue. It’s a small thing, but as always, I try to point out anything that other fans might notice. Aside from that, this is The Wall that you know and love, with the additional touch of analog. Finally! After all these years!
What kind of rating would I give this release? Starting with presentation and packaging, this one is definitely a solid 10/10. I hope my pictures do it some justice, but I think just about anybody is going to be impressed when they see this in person. All the packaging, from the jacket down to the hype sticker, is very high quality. The jacket is glossy, it’s not going to fall apart on you, and the artwork is clear and crisp. Also, I mentioned it before, but the poly inner sleeves are a great addition. The illustration disc is also very unique and well done. I think it adds to the collectability of the set as a whole.
As far as the audio source, that’s an obvious 10/10. This is not an audience recording or anything like that, so there is already a perfect soundstage to begin with. The only thing that could really mess that up would be the pressing itself, but in this case, it’s another perfect score with a 10/10. Everything is quiet and smooth, and nothing gets in the way of the music. Does it sound like a record? Yes, of course it does. If you want something that’s absolutely 100% digital sounding, the better option would be to stick with your CD version. If you love your vinyl though, as I do, you’re going to want to find one of these and pick it up as soon as possible.
In closing, I should mention that the hype sticker does indicate that this is a limited edition. It does not, however, say how many copies have been pressed. As far as I can tell, this has only been available for the last couple days, so if you are reading this, the time to find one is probably now. As with most things I mention on this site, Google is certainly your friend. If you are like me and have been waiting in vain on this for a long time (24 years!), don’t sleep on this one. Hopefully, Sony will give us an official version one day. Until that time though, I am going to be more than happy with this copy and will probably pick up a spare if I get the chance.