You Can Call Him Al... Again

For anyone out there in Internet world around the same vintage as moi (38 years and counting), you'll remember a little album called Graceland by Paul Simon, and just how massive it was back in the '80s.

It was back in the day when albums were albums... a collection of songs so suited and complimentary to each other that you just had to listen to it all in one sitting. You couldn't stop at one.

Well, this year marks 25 whole years since that momentous recording came out. And to celebrate, it's being re-released complete with an accompanying doco on the making of the album.

Back in the day, 'Graceland' spent 71 weeks on the Australian album chart in total, and of course hit the number 1 spot. Poor old Paul Simon spent 5 years total touring the album, such was its success.

The re-release of Graceland will be available in two forms. A 25th anniversary commemorative edition deluxe collector's box set, as well as a special two-disc set, each featuring the original album with bonus tracks and the director's cut of the documentary, "Under African Skies."

"Under African Skies" tells the story of the making of Graceland, and the controversy created when Simon went to South Africa to record with local artists. The man behind it is award winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger, who was the guy responsible for Metallica's "Some Kind Of Monster". Which in itself is pretty cool.

The doco premieres at this year's Sundance festival, and the new editions of Graceland will be available from mid 2012.