The Call | Photo by Pat Johnson
Some of the surviving members of The Call have assembled in a California recording studio to finish unreleased material from the band’s vaults for an album called The Lost Tapes that will feature the vocals of late frontman Michael Been, the group recently announced.
Guitarist Tom Ferrier, keyboardist Jim Goodwin and producer Ralph Patlan — who played on a Call live album and some of Been’s solo work — are working in Studio D in Sausalito, Calif., “finishing some unreleased archived recordings from the vaults,” according to a post on the band’s Facebook page.
“And, yes, they all feature Michael Been’s incredible voice and Scott Musick on drums,” the post continues. “It took us a while to pull this off — but it’s finally happening!
The Lost Tapes project will include unreleased recordings believed to span 1987 to 1993, including one track “that was supposed to be on” 1987’s Into the Woods and some others that were recorded after 1990’s Red Moon. Additionally, the collection will include an untold number of “early demo rarities” from Been’s pre-Call band Airtight as well as Motion Pictures, the group that became The Call.
No release details have yet been announced, but the band said in a second Facebook post that The Lost Tapes will initially be released on vinyl and CD through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign — and then digitally “eventually.” The band’s post notes, “Once these albums go digital, there is little revenue for the band to receive from streaming. All of the money goes to the band — there is no major label involved anymore.”
In addition to the Lost Tapes project, The Call is also planning a limited-edition remastered double-LP vinyl release of 1986’s Reconciled and Into the Woods.
Michael Been died of a heart attack in 2010 while on tour with his son’s band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club; he had produced the group’s then-current album, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo, and was serving as the band’s sound engineer. In 2013, The Call reformed to play its first shows in 20 years in tribute to Been, with his son, Robert Levon Been filling in for his father. A live CD and DVD of those shows later was released.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Call featuring BRMC’s Robert Levon Been release live CD, DVD from reunion concert
- Video: The Call plays first shows in 20 years — BRMC’s Robert Been fills in for late father
- The Call launches Pledge Music campaign to fund live reunion CD/DVD, possible box set
- The Call reunites after 20 years with BRMC’s Robert Been filling in for late father
- The Call’s Michael Been, 1950-2010
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An unreleased song from Into The Woods? That’s exciting. Leftover Red Moon material… not so much.