John Lennon’s acclaimed 1971 album, Imagine, which features the beloved title track, is being celebrated this autumn with a series of releases, pegged to coincide with what would have been the musician’s 78th birthday.
Lennon’s social media accounts revealed on August 17 a new 6-disc audio box set “coming soon.” Titled Imagine – The Ultimate Collection, the releases promises listeners that they’ll be able to “Explore and enjoy the IMAGINE album and the Ascot Sound Studios Sessions from 1971, like you’ve never heard them before.”
A special microsite has been set up that features a countdown clock. The page notes: “Join us to find out more on Thursday, August 23rd.” The site, as well as Lennon’s YouTube channel, offers a brief teaser clip.
Already announced is the news that Imagine, the ground-breaking 1972 music film from Lennon & Yoko Ono, is coming to movie theaters beginning September 17. The announcement, on August 14, notes that the film, restored and remastered frame-by-frame, will also include previously unreleased bonus material, remixed and restored footage, with an immersive Dolby Atmos soundtrack mix.
The film features 15 minutes of never-before-seen extras including studio footage of Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band (including George Harrison, Nicky Hopkins, Alan White and Klaus Voormann) performing “How Do You Sleep?” and “Oh My Love” from the album in a specially created Dolby Atmos surround sound “raw studio” mix that, the announcement says, “puts you in the center of the recording studio while the band play live.” More details here.