Various Mark Wirtz – Dream, Dream, Dream - The Anthology (5-CD Box)

(Cherry Red Records) 131 tracks in gatefold box with 40-page booklet

“Dream Dream Dream: The Anthology” spans Wirtz's entire career, providing both a perfect introduction for new listeners and a treasure trove for longtime fans. The collection features a staggering 131 recordings, carefully compiled and curated by Stephen C Wilson on behalf of Mark Wirtz's estate to showcase Wirtz's versatile talents as a composer, producer and performer. This anthology includes not only his best-known works, but also rare and previously unreleased material that will delight collectors and music lovers alike.
The 5-CD collection spans the years from 1963 to the 1970s. It highlights his collaborations with a wide range of artists including Caroline Munro, Sheila And Jenny, The Soul Brothers, Miki Antony, The Matchmakers, Tomorrow and many others as well as a wealth of Mark's own solo work as a singer/songwriter. This set serves as both a retrospective and an in-depth look at Wirtz's prolific output during those formative years and beyond.
Included is a 40-page booklet with remembrances and tributes from several artists, friends and family members who knew, worked with and/or loved Mark over the decades, including Caroline Munro, Keith West, John Carter, Sheelagh Regan, Mark's daughter Nicole and his widow Amanda. The booklet also includes many photos, some of which have never been published before, as well as a short biography of Mark and detailed notes on each track by Stephen C Wilson.
As an added bonus, the box set includes exclusive content such as a free collector's badge designed by Stewart Harris, who also created the box set's distinctive artwork, and a double-sided facsimile of the handwritten lyrics to Wirtz's legendary 1967 hit 'Grocer Jack'. This additional material provides fans with a tangible connection to Wirtz's creative process.
The anthology also includes a wealth of unreleased material, including outtakes, rare tracks, work tapes, home demos and unfinished works. In addition, several tracks are presented in stereo for the first time ever, giving even longtime fans a new listening experience.
Many of the recordings in this set are being reissued for the first time in over five decades. Among them are two complete LPs: 1968's “Come Back And Shake Me” and 1970's “Fantastic Teenage Fair.” These albums have long been coveted by collectors and are now available to a new generation of listeners. They include Mark's own versions of three classic Beatles tracks - “Hey Jude”, “Fool On The Hill” and “Ob La Di Ob La Da”.
For the first time in many years, tracks such as “Grocer Jack”, “Sam” and four classic Tomorrow tracks are included in their original, highly sought-after mono mixes. These versions offer a nostalgic listening experience, preserving the sound as it was originally intended.
The box set also includes several tracks that have been remixed by Stephen C Wilson for the estate and this collection. These remixes offer new perspectives on classic hits and enhance the listening experience through modern audio techniques while maintaining the integrity of the original recordings.
To add a personal touch, the fifth CD begins and ends with intimate piano renditions of “Grocer Jack” and “He's Our Dear Old Weatherman,” which Mark performed in 2017 for an audience that included only his wife Amanda. These recordings provide a very personal and emotional conclusion to this extensive collection.
Mark Wirtz's impact on the music industry is immeasurable, and this box set is a fitting tribute to his enduring legacy. Mark's daughter Nicole says of her father's legacy: “Dad didn't make art, he WAS art. He viewed just about everything he did as an expression of his creativity. Although he was talented in all areas of art, he turned even mundane tasks like cooking into an artistic event. He was driven by an inner drive: a tingling cocktail of wild genius, exuberant sensuality and profound trauma. He had a thirst that was perhaps never quenched, for the limits of this world did not reach what his inner universe wanted to express. Although he often embodied the archetype of the tortured artist, he never lost his smile or his wit. Needless to say, it was quite an experience to be educated by him!”
“Dream Dream Dream: The Anthology” not only celebrates his earlier works, but also introduces them to a new generation of listeners and ensures that his musical genius continues to inspire and captivate.