Neil Young embraces new format
SAN FRANCISCO - Rocker Neil Young plans to release his entire music archive on Blu-ray discs, a sign that the discs’ capabilities are building appeal among musicians as well as movie studios.
Blu-ray discs hold much more data than DVDs, are easily updated over the Internet, and offer better picture and sound quality.
Young revealed his plans yesterday at a Sun Microsystems Inc. conference in San Francisco. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Sun makes
the Java technology that gives Blu-ray discs their interactive menus and ability to accept updates over an Internet connection.
The first installment of Young’s archive will cover the years 1963 to 1972 and will be released as a 10-disc set this fall on Reprise/Warner Bros. Records.
Fans can download more content like songs, photos, and tour information directly to the Blu-ray discs as the content becomes available.
Most of the Blu-ray discs manufactured so far have been used for high-definition movies.
Musical artists such as AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, and Destiny’s Child released concert videos on Blu-ray discs, but Young’s support of the technology for his ambitious archive project demonstrates more fully the capabilities of Blu-ray as a music medium.
Earlier technology didn’t offer the ability to browse archive material while listening to songs in high-resolution audio, Young noted.
“Previous technology required unacceptable quality compromises,” he said in a statement. “I am glad we waited and got it right.”
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