Beatles CD to go 'back to basics'

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Originally posted by Jeff Anderson:
The Airplane for me as well ... fond memories of mid-teens, laying on the dining room floor with one ear stuck against one speaker of the Zenith console stereo, listening at low volume to "Volunteers" (today, that album would have had "content" stickers all over it). Favorite albums would be "After Bathing ...." and "Bless It's Pointed Little Head".

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I'm equally partial to Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing At Baxter's, Crown Of Creation, and Bless Its Pointed Little Head, and only slightly less so to Volunteers.

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Loved the original Blood Sweat and Tears with Al Kooper and Steve Katz, Quicksilver, Big Brother, Electric Flag, Buffalo Springfield, Peanut Butter Conspirecy (honest, and it holds up quite well by todays standards - Too Many Do is a stoned cold - pardon the expression -classic), It's A Beautiful Day, a classic album by a band called The Loading Zone, etc etc etc., plus all the subsequent off-shoots of the great musicians. A fertile era for some wonderful listening.

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Loved BS&T, Big Brother (but only with Janis), Buffalo Springfield (although technically L.A.), Quicksilver a little, not so much the others.

But let's not forget two other great San Francisco bands: Sly and the Family Stone, and Santana. And from Oakland (close enough), Tower Of Power.

Then there's the Mamas and the Papas (I loved the billboard put up after John Phillips' death that read simply: All the leaves are brown ... )

As Neil Young said when there was much public bitching about 'Weld' almost wholly replicating earlier work, "if you don't want it, don't buy it."

I, for one, am greatly looking forward to the release.

Does anyone know if the film is to be, or has been, released on DVD?

Fraser

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And was it not Lennon and McCartney who saw early on the commercial benefits of music copyright and publishing?

Nigel

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L&M got royally shafted by their publication deal, like many artists at that time. I thought the publishing rights to most Beatles songs are now owned by Michael Jackson, of all people. Obviously Macca has made a vast fortune, but the've made even bigger fortunes for others.

Regarding the Let It Be 'restoration', McCartney has recorded his feelings on Spector's reworking of the original tapes, especially Long and Winding Road, on many occasions over the years. Given the strength of his feelings I'm almost surprised that this hasn't been done before. I wonder if George Harrison had other views? McCartney has been much concerned with giving his version of Beatles history in recent years: an 'official' biography, the Anthology series and, in it's own way, the recent tour. The unvarnished Let It Be is surely part of the same process.

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com

[This message was edited by djc on TUESDAY 23 September 2003 at 11:35.]

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Originally posted by GUNNAR JANSSON:
Fred
I do respect your point of view. It might be his intentions after all.

But to me it appears that he´s pulling that same old trick that´s been done before; Go and buy the same album once more. Like: "contains rare and previously unreleased material" sticker on.

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What have The Beatles ever done that would give you the impression that they are the sort of people who pull tricks? What other tricks have they pulled?

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This one should perhaps have this sticker:
"contains previously released material wich have been altered a bit so that you can by the same record once again"

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It's not the same record, far from it. It was significantly altered by Spector, to its great detriment. The original stripped down, "Beatles On the Rooftop" record has a very different feel to it, more joy, less ponderous.

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Because I´m sick and tired of all those reissues, remasters, limited editions, anniversary editions wich comes with double layer cd´s or what have you etc, etc just to tempt the true fan to buy the record that he´s already got one or more copies of once more.

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Yes, it's true that often this is the case. But not every time. That's why God gave us large, powerful brains, so that we can discern and not lump everything together in a black and white fashion.

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So I won´t buy it. It´s as simple as that.

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Well, unfortunately it will be your loss, missing out on some truly great music closer to its raw creative state.

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Originally posted by Patrick Dixon:
Sorry Fred, I didn't realise.

Do you want the 10 minute argument or the full half hour?

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As long as it takes, Patrick.

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Originally posted by throbnorth:
Apart from the White Album [which I think is a victim of 70's recording techniques rather than remastering] they all sound good to me.

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UGH? The White Album was recorded in 1968 on 3M 8track multitrack recorders - so how it can be classed as "70's recording techniques" is beyond me - aside from the odd bit (a lot!) of hiss on some tracks, it's not that bad sounding to me, barring the massive gaff at the start of Savoy Truffle with the muffled drum track that suddenly gets clear (tape head clogs suddenly unblocking or something perhaps?).

I'm well up for "Get back" - I've never got on with "Let it be" (the album, NOT the track - which is class) and loathe "The long and winding road" specifically for that godawful racket of the strings all over it. I love the "Get back" track though - really raw and cool - so I'm definitely investing in this.

The early Beatles stuff DOES sound a bit sharp and flat on CD - although it's not the last word, my early 70s (laminate sleeve, but not yellow labels) stereo LP of "Please Please Me" pees all over the CD, and you can hear all kinds of random stuff due to the odd way the stereo record was mastered (due to only having 2 channel mastertapes which they used to mix to mono).

An SACD/DVDA dual layer (either format!) would be good - I might have something other than a DVD to bung in my Pioneer DVD656A player then

When the music's over turn out the lights

Of course, you're quite right - I seem to have lost a few years [but then that was quite common in the late sixties].

However, you've put your finger on why I think the White Album's sound isn't quite as crisp as those that come before and after - half way through the sessions, they changed from four to eight track recording [which in my cack-handed way was what I meant by 70's techniques]. Unfamiliar equipment with implications [further new equipment possibly] for mixing and mastering? I don't know, but stuff on the appropriate Anthology disc also seems a bit flatter to me than earlier or later albums.

Talking of which, the overall sound of the Anthology series does show that there is always room for improvement. Of course, this might mean remixing as well as remastering to achieve the sonic vitality that some of these tracks have. Personally, I don't have a problem with this - after all, it isn't as if the original versions are destroyed, or even that you have to buy the new versions. Also, we're not really talking about a Steps cash-in remix disc, are we? The Beatles output is a significant cultural achievement of the 20th century, like it or not.

Looking at David Leaf's work on Pet Sounds to produce the stereo version [can't comment on the 3D DVD-A] shows that it is possible to do it with taste and to great effect if you care enough.

throb

[QUOTE]Originally posted by fred simon:

What have The Beatles ever done that would give you the impression that they are the sort of people who pull tricks? What other tricks have they pulled?

Fred.
But this is not a release by the Beatles.
Two of them are dead.

Seriously though, I think that we can agree that we disagree about a lot but speaking for myself I do think that we both love their work.

I would have liked to signing off this thread with two excerpts from interviews made the same year in -81. But that´ll probably violate some copyright law.
But if you have these two in your bookcase then look at side 201 and 202 in David Sheff´s "last interwview" and New Musical Express, 12 dec. 1981. Danny Baker interviews Ringo Starr. ( the last bit)

As a dear friend of mine said once when I asked him if he regretted some of his albums and would have done them differently if he had the chance.
He said something like this: No this was how they became. No point in looking back, better to go ahead and try to do it better the next time.
Now I´m signing off.

kind regards
Gunnar

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Originally posted by throbnorth:
However, you've put your finger on why I think the White Album's sound isn't quite as crisp as those that come before and after - half way through the sessions, they changed from four to eight track recording [which in my cack-handed way was what I meant by 70's techniques].

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Hmm - I heard this too, but my Beatles Complete Recording Sessions book (lost in a flood 2 years ago, along with ALL my photo negatives (15 years' worth, including some of the inside of the WTC from 1992 that I lost the prints of) ) doesn't mention what the equipment was they were using for each take, just that they'd moved over to 3M 8track...

I've noticed that on some tracks on the White Album it sounds noticeably groovier than on others (I only have the CD though ) - like "Back in the USSR", whilst something like "Dear Prudence", an amazing track, sounds a bit flatter. I guess when you have to squeeze multitrack tape dynamics down onto a 2 channel master you have to trade off something... I don't think my system will clearly reveal WHICH tracks are 4 track and which are 8, until I either get the thing on vinyl or upgrade though

Whilst "Move it" by Cliff (ok stop laughing!) sounds great - 2 channel through and through - I believe it's the very same equipment/studio as the Beatles used for "Please Please Me" (so that was Abbey Road Studio 2, and I guess Studer 2 tracks?).

I love the look of the 4 track consoles they were using in the early 60s at Abbey Road though - well cool!

Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.

I believe the unadulterated version of the Long and Winding Road is on one of the Anthologies? I love the Beatles and will definately buy the new release. On subject of sound quality the White Album and Abbey Road are probably the best, Sgt Pepper et al seem to suffer from the early stereo foibles.

The cover art:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/06/beatles.letitbe/index.html

It suddenly occurred to me why this is finally being released now ... Spector is safely behind bars and can't come gunning for McCartney.

More info and clips at http://www.thebeatles.com/

"Let your life proceed by it's own design. Let the words be yours, I have done with mine"

I hope this isn't going to be the most enormous disappointment. I was anticipating a cleaned-up version of a composite of the Glyn Johns tapes as so often bootlegged.

Where are "Save The Last Dance For Me", "Rocker" and "The Walk" for instance? Must be plenty of room on the CD for them!

Fraser