Neil Young to release archive on Blu-ray discs
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - May 6, 2008 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 Tuesday at a Sun Microsystems Inc.
conference in San Francisco. Santa Clara-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.
Young said the archives will be released chronologically and
include some previously unreleased songs, videos, handwritten
manuscripts and other memorabilia, in addition to the
high-resolution audio that Blu-ray technology is known for.
Fans can download more content like songs, photos and tour
information directly to the Blu-ray discs as the content becomes
available.
Blu-ray's rival format HD DVD effectively died with maker
Toshiba Corp.'s announcement in February that it will no longer
produce HD DVD players.
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."