"Dream Dream Dream: The Anthology" spans Wirtz's entire career, providing both a perfect introduction to new listeners and a treasure trove for long-time fans. The collection features a staggering 131 recordings, meticulously compiled and curated by Stephen C Wilson on behalf of the Estate of Mark Wirtz to showcase Wirtz’s multi-faceted talents as a composer, producer, and performer. This anthology includes not only his most iconic works but also rare and previously unreleased material that will excite collectors and music enthusiasts alike. Alongside this any orders of the box set made directly from Cherry Red Records will include access to a free download of the digital edition of the boxset (featuring an additional 35 tracks).
The 5CD collection spans from 1963 through the 1970s. It highlights his collaborative work with a diverse range of artists, including Caroline Munro, Sheila And Jenny, The Soul Brothers, Miki Antony, The Matchmakers, Tomorrow, and many others as well as a plethora of Mark's solo works as a singer/songwriter in his own right. This set serves as both a retrospective and a detailed look into Wirtz's prolific output during these formative years and beyond.
Included is a 40 page booklet featuring recollections and tributes from several artists, friends and family that 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. Also included in the booklet are many photographs, several never previously published, plus a short Biog of Mark and detailed track notes by Stephen C Wilson.
As an added bonus, the box set includes exclusive content, such as a free collectible badge designed by Stewart Harris who also designed the Box set's distinctive artwork, and a collectible double-sided facsimile of the handwritten lyrics for Wirtz’s iconic 1967 hit ‘Grocer Jack’. This extra material provides fans with a tangible connection to Wirtz's creative process.
The anthology also features a wealth of unreleased material, offering listeners out-takes, rare tracks, work tapes, home demos and works in progress. Additionally, several tracks are presented in stereo for the first time ever, providing a fresh auditory experience even for long-time fans.
Many of the recordings in this set are being reissued for the first time in over five decades. Among these are two complete LPs: 'Come Back And Shake Me' from 1968 and 'Fantastic Teenage Fair' from 1970. These albums have long been sought after by collectors and are now available to a new generation of listeners and include Mark's own takes on 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 like '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 introduces several tracks that have been newly remixed by Stephen C Wilson for the Estate and this collection. These remixes provide fresh perspectives on classic hits, enhancing the listening experience with modern audio techniques while maintaining the integrity of the original recordings.
To add a personal touch, the fifth disc commences and concludes with intimate piano renditions of ‘Grocer Jack’ and ‘He's Our Dear Old Weatherman,’ performed by Mark in 2017 for an audience that included only his wife, Amanda. These recordings offer a deeply personal and emotional close to this extensive collection.
Mark Wirtz’s influence 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 do art; he WAS art. He conceived just about everything he engaged in as an expression of creativity. Though he was talented in all areas of the arts, he even made such mundane tasks as making dinner an artistic event. There was a drive within him: a fizzy cocktail of wild genius, exultant sensuality as well as profound trauma. He had a thirst that was perhaps never quenched, for the limits of this world fell short of what his inner universe yearned to express. Although he often embodied the tortured artist archetype, he never lost his smile or wit. Needless to say, being raised by him was quite an experience!”
"Dream Dream Dream: The Anthology" not only celebrates his past works but also reintroduces them to a new generation of listeners, ensuring that his musical genius continues to inspire and captivate.
