Andrew Lloyd Webber

Few albums had an impact the size of Jesus Christ Superstar. Within three years of its release in September 1970, it had spawned a Broadway and West End phenomenon, a London cast album and a box-office smash Hollywood film, and influenced many different rock operas that were to follow in its wake.

It made the name of its young composers, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

With this release, we take you back to a time when these bastions of the establishment were strictly underground, working with the cream of progressive rock at London’s Olympic Studios.

The original Jesus Christ Superstar has little to do with The Phantom Of The Opera or Chess; it united current or future members of leftfield London bands such as the Grease Band, Soft Machine and Fairport Convention. Ian Gillan was soon to find fame as the lead singer of Deep Purple.

This landmark release, assembled with the involvement of Andrew and Tim, features a new remaster of the original 1970 double concept album at Abbey Road by Nick Davis (Phil Collins/Genesis) and Miles Showell.

10×10″ box set CD edition with a 100 page booklet, featuring an extended oral history of the album gathered and edited by Lois Wilson of MOJO/Record Collector including new interviews with all key members of original recording – as well as Andrew and Tim, there are Ian Gillan, Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman, Mike d’Abo, Alan O’Duffy (engineer) and more Plus an essay by Nile Rodgers (CHIC) and Matt Berry (What We Do In The Shadows/Toast Oof London) as to what Jesus Christ Superstar means to them. Of great interest to collectors, there is a third disc of nine previously unreleased guide vocals and demos from the project, plus B-sides and rarities; although these are often merely snippets, they offer delicious insight into this work in progress. memorabilia from Tim Rice’s personal collection.

Unreleased material mixed by Nick Davis. Album remastered by Miles Showell and Nick Davis at Abbey Road, November 2020.