Please (Re-)Release Me: Roy Orbison’s Zombie Will Rise Up And Walk The Earth Long Before These Traveling Wilburys Albums Get Reissued
Welcome to another edition of “Please Release Me,” in which your Idolators request–nay beg–that an out-of-print, delayed or held-up-in-customs album be issued Stateside:
Artist: The Traveling Wilburys Hometown: Everywhere. They traveled! Albums: Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (1988); Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 (1990) What is it?: We’re pretty certain you already know this, but the Wilburys were a semi-jokey supergroup featuring Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, and Jeff Lynne. Vol. 1 was an unexpected hit upon its release, thanks in no small part to “Handle With Care,” surely the last MTV hit to feature five not-particularly-foxy old dudes singing about day-care centers and night schools. Vol. 3 was recorded after Orbison’s death, and while there are a handful of good tracks, the Wilburys were clearly never going to work as a full-fledged group. Where is it?: Amazingly, more than a year since Jenny Lewis’ unfortunately yupped-out sing-along cover of “Handle,” these albums are still out of print, thanks to rights issues (our copies are Russian-produced bootlegs). Jeff Lynne recently told Q magazine that a box set is in the works, but whomever’s in charge of it better get hustling, as the albums’ over-40 demo is only a few months away from learning how to use Oink.
The Traveling Wilburys – End Of The Line [MP3, link expired]
The Traveling Wilburys – Not Alone Anymore [MP3, link expired]
The Traveling Wilburys – She’s My Baby [MP3, link expired]
The Traveling Wilburys – Wilbury Twist [MP3, link expired]