Chat Board Archives: October, 1997




This page contains all the messages put onto the BSN Stereo Chat Board during October, 1997. They are in chronological order from first to last. To search for specific topics, use the "find" utility on your browser. For a search of the complete archives, please go to the Stereo Chat Board Archives Main Page.




Name: Paul Bigelow
From: Austin, Texas
Time: 1997-10-01 15:09:00
Comments: Thanks for your comments and answers Mike, I appreciate it. I thought I looked at the Varese Vogues' package and noticed that "Five O'Clock World" was NOT listed as stereo. I guess I have to revisit that CD. Another stereo I'm hoping for is Lou Christie's "I'm Gonna Make You Mine". I just saw him perform (still in wonderful voice) and was actually going to ask him about the multitracks for that song but I just missed out being able to ask. I think that upcoming Gamble-Huff box would be just the place for an alternate "Expressway...".

[ -- I guess I assumed that you were asking about "Five O'Clock World," not in stereo. Of course they're mono on the two CDs I cited. The stereo version of "Five O'Clock World" has been floating around collectors' circles for several years now on tape, but has not been out commercially.-- MC]


Name: Steve Massie
From: Franklin, TN.
Time: 1997-10-01 19:49:00
Comments: A couple comments: first, yes that it is the final track listing for the Dick Bartley Varese CDs. The release date on the two Dick Bartley CDs is Nov.4th. Some of tracks that were wanted for the CDs just weren't available.... As for the Vogues' "Five O'Clock World" stereo, I compiled and produced the Varese CD. Yes, Bill Inglot did have two track, but anyone who has heard it knows that it has all the instruments on one side and the vocals on the other with very little separation. Bill and I discussed it and decided to mono it out to give the CD the best single version that has been out. The theory is that the instrumental track was recorded in Nashville and the vocals overdubbed later. As Mike mentioned, Bill did find, and we did use first time stereo on "Land Of Milk & Honey" and "Please Mr. Sun", as well as some of the unreleased tracks. -- Steve Massie

Name: Tom Daly
Website: Skyline
From: Malden, MA
Time: 1997-10-02 11:44:00
Comments: Well, I know the new Dick Bartley CD promises to contain Norma Tanega's "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog" in stereo. I discovered last night why the track has been so rare in stereo all these years. It appears there's a dropout on the right channel about 20 seconds before the song ends. Would anyone care to comment on this, having heard a stereo mix without the dropout?

Name: David Clark
From: Ottawa
Time: 1997-10-03 10:39:00
Comments: Regarding "Groovy Grubworm" by Harlow Wilcox on CD, this has appeared on the Silly Songs CD in Canada on Polytel/Elite CD 845 665-2, issued in 1992. There is a dropout from :11 to :18 in the right channel, however. I've cleaned this up by recording only the left channel on my DAT (the song is mono!).

Name: Jimm Mosher and Alan Grossman
From: Spencer N.C
Time: 1997-10-06 10:32:00
Comments: We are Lou Christie's producers, and Lou has a brand new album out called Pledging My Love, on Varese Vintage. It's hot, so check it out. Come see us at the billboard party on October 30 or pick up a copy at a store near you. Jimm

Name: Paul Bigelow
From: Austin, Texas
Time: 1997-10-06 18:25:00
Comments: Jimm and Alan: I may check that Lou Christie CD out. I liked the new songs he performed. I still find it hard to believe that he can still hit the high notes (when he wants to). Back to the main, subject: Has there been any news on the British EMI album reissues (Hollies, Gerry and the Pacemakers)? Any new stereo or remixes?

Name: Walt Haake
From: Princeton, NJ
Time: 1997-10-06 19:33:00
Comments: Some time ago Stephen Elders was kind enough to post the track list for the unavailable compilation, Lost Hits of the '60s: 40 Solid Gold AM Radio Classics. If anyone discovers a source for this collection, please let us know. Thanks.

Name: Joel Goldenberg
From: Montreal
Time: 1997-10-09 02:07:00
Comments: There are two special Rolling Stones CDs which purport to be special discs for radio stations, called, I believe, Rarities on CD. They contain stereo versions of "Satisfaction," "Mothers Little Helper," "Get Off My Cloud," and "Play With Fire" (probably DATed from the first import pressing of Hot Rocks), plus various B-sides. Are these for real or bootlegs? In other Rolling Stones info, I bought a used import copy of Hot Rocks, Vol. 1 which listed some of the above mentioned songs as being in stereo. They weren't. Beware!

Name: Mike Arcidiacono
From: NYC
Time: 1997-10-08 14:53:00
Comments: A few months ago, ICE magazine reported a box set called From The Vaults Of Abbey Road, to contain unreleased and alternate songs by a variety of British Invasion groups. Well, that was then, this is now, and I haven't heard a thing about it since!! Does anybody have ANY info on this, if it ever was released, and who might be carrying it? Thanks!! Stereo rules!!

PS.....there is an import 3 CD set of Jay and The Americans songs, some 60 tracks. It's called Masterworks and I'm thinking of buying it. If I do, I'll post the track lineup and stereo content.

Name: Dean Zemaitaitis
From: Calgary, Canada
Time: 1997-10-08 20:10:00
Comments: In response to Joel Goldenberg's comments on the stereo versions of Hot Rocks, I was also burned a few years ago by a European import of Hot Rocks which had stereo tracks listed on the back cover, but had mono versions within. I finally lucked out and got the proper Japanese import from DiscCollector, which had all the correct songs in stereo. I think these CDs may be out of print now, though, but are easily identified by the Japanese writing on the side and back of the CD. The CDs are on the London label and are numbered P25L 25047 & P25L 25048. The sound is very good with excellent separation. "As Tears Go By" remains in mono, though. All other songs are true stereo! A question for Mike: have the following Rolling Stones songs ever been released in stereo (or even recorded in muli-track): 1) "As Tears Go By;" 2)"Tell Me (You're Coming Back);" 3) "Not Fade Away;" 4) "Around And Around;" 5) "You Better Move On;" 6) "I Want To Be Your Man;" and 7) "Come On?" What source might I find these on? Thanks, Dean

Name: Dean Zemaitaitis
From: Calgary, Canada
Time: 1997-10-10 05:49:00
Comments: Just a correction to my posting below with regards to the stereo content on the Rolling Stones Hot Rocks CDs. "19th Nervous Breakdown" is in fact mono on this CD, but can be found in true stereo on a bootleg CD by the Rolling Stones called Dartford Renegades, which also includes "The Last Time" in true stereo as well as "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing in the Shadows," again in true stereo. The downside to this CD is the sound quality is fairly poor. It sounds like it was mastered off of a cassette and is somewhat muffled.... Some other CDs I have come across that have hard to get true stereo are as follows: 1) Hits Of the 70's (EMPRCD583) on the EMPORIO label out of England. This CD has "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" by Mac & Katie Kissoon in true stereo; 2) Coolin' Out, Vol. 3 on Ripete 0003 which includes Johnny Thunder's "Loop De Loop" in true stereo; 3) 21 Hard to Find 45's on CD, Vol. 2 (Eric 11502-2) which includes "Young Lovers" by Paul & Paula, "The Wedding" by Julie Rogers, and "Bobby's Girl" by Marcie Blane in true stereo; and 4) Soul Patrol on Ripete 2198 which has "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want to Be Right)" by Luther Ingram in true stereo. I also understand the new Procol Harum CD finally has "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" in true stereo, though a little longer than the 45 version. I have not heard this CD yet to confirm this though. Maybe Mike can update us on some of the new releases he has come across recently that have new stereo content.

[ -- The version of "Whiter Shade of Pale" is more than a little longer... it runs about six minutes! It is indeed true stereo; I've heard a pre-release tape of that track. As to new stereo finds, that's what the Newsletter is all about. :-) -- MC]


Name: don
From: memphis
Time: 1997-10-10 09:40:00
Comments: The story's been told before, but the UK Rolling Stones CDs used to use the Mobile Fidelity mixes, and were released on the London label. Some time ago, ABKCO, which owns the materials, unified the worldwide versions of Stones discs, which are now to be identical to the US issues. However, Japanese Hot Rocks volumes still contain the original true stereo mixes of many songs. As for Procol Harum, there is a true stereo version of "Whiter Shade of Pale" on the new 30th Anniversary Box Set; it is an alternate take, though, as are all true stereo mixes from this time; the album, Procol Harum, was recorded live on 4-track in mono.

Name: Tom Daly
Website: Skyline
From: Malden, MA
Time: 1997-10-12 08:44:00
Comments: Although recordings of Bing Crosby's Christmas hits are plentiful, the commonly heard versions are remakes. Even on Rhino's Billboard CD, the supposed 1942 recording of "White Christmas" is the remake from 1947, and the recording of "Silent Night" that supposedly represents 1935 is actually a version from 1946, issued to coincide with the film, The Bells of St. Mary's. The fact that both the 1935 and the 1946 remake had "Adeste Fidelis" (two different recordings) on the flip side made the whole thing even more confusing. The originals can be found in the box set Bing: His Legendary Years 1931-1957 on Decca/MCA.

Name: Greg T.
From: Rome,N.Y.
Time: 1997-10-13 13:32:00
Comments: Has anybody heard if Cameo-Parkway material is being released on CD? If so, when? There was a lot of talk about a year ago, but I have seen nothing since. Any news one way or the other would be appreciated.

Name: Mike Arcidiacono
From: NYC
Time: 1997-10-13 21:42:00
Comments: To Greg T-- About 6 months ago, Jody Klien of ABKCO sent me email that there will be a Cameo Parkway box set sometime next year. I don't know wether to believe them or not, because they have been saying that for years. But we will see.

Name: Luke Pacholski
Website:
Time: 1997-10-13 23:01:00
Comments: Rolling Stones: - I am not sure if this exact CD is still available, but the Hot Rocks 1 CD with #POCD-1927 is the real thing, all tracks in stereo except "As Tears Go By" and "19th Nervous Breakdown"... I e-mailed Jody Klein a few months ago about the possibility of a remastered Stones catalog. I got back a basic reply saying that Andrew Oldham was involved in the remaster process in 1986, and that they could not divulge any info on future releases.... The word was Oldham picked the mono mixes over the stereo ones, but this does not make sense, as some tracks ("Heart of Stone") are in stereo on some discs and mono on others (there is even a case where the into is in stereo and the rest of the song is in mono). The obvious solution would be to go back and remix the catalog, into stereo. All tapes recorded at Chess in Chicago and RCA in Hollywood were 4-track, so the possiblity exists. Let's just hope it happens.

Name: Bob Olivia
From: Burbank, California
Time: 1997-10-17 03:49:00
Comments: Just found your site by accident. I now have it under my favorites. I agree about Rhino Records. They have a bad attitude. I have written them many times about stereo. Mr Inglot says "mono rocks better." What a jerk. Does anyone know if "Diana" by Paul Anka exists in Stereo? ABC-Paramount was recording in stereo in early 1957. "Just Because" by Lloyd Price is in stereo from that label, available on Time Life's 1957 Rock and Roll Series. I have the stereo version of "True Love" by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly on the High Society Soundtrack album. Does it exist on CD? I'll write more later. PS. Bring on CAMEO/PARKWAY before we all die.

[ -- The version of "Just Because" on ABC-Paramount is a stereo re-recording done about the time of the Stagger Lee album, not the original KRC version. "Diana" has always been mono or rechanneled.... The High Society soundtrack is available on CD, I believe. -- MC]


Name: Karl Fitch
From: Quincy Mass.
Time: 1997-10-17 16:10:00
Comments: The High Society Soundtrack was released in Japan on 1/21/91 (Capitol TOCP-6587), in Austraila in 1994 as part of a three disc set with Can Can & Pal Joey (EMI 8140792) and in the USA on 4/4/95 (Capitol CDP 7-93787). TTFN - karl

Name: Greg T.
From: Rome,N.Y.
Time: 1997-10-17 16:42:00
Comments: I agree with Bob Olivia about Cameo-Parkway. There are many collectors who have been waiting for that music to be released on CD. If ABKCO stalls much longer some of us may not be around.

Name: Curt Lundgren
From:
Time: 1997-10-18 10:34:00
Comments: I just received the latest "Collector's Choice" catalog..... occasionally a source of interesting CDs. They are offering a new import, Procol Harum: The 30th Anniversary Anthology, with "Whiter Shade" in true stereo. Am I to understand this would be an alternate take? This is a three-disc set, 53 tracks, including all Deram and Regal-Zonophone titles. Included are the complete Procol Harum, Shine On Brightly, Salty Dog and Home albums, plus "an entire CD given over (to) singles, outtakes and rarities". Also specifically noted in the set, a true stereo alternate of "Conquistador". Copy makes no mention of "Whiter Shade" as being an alternate. Any input?... On a related note, can anyone decipher their label coding? I do know some catalog #s, i.e., the Dusty Springfield disc on Taragon: BQTAR10252. Similarly, a Rhino CD would be BQRHI-----. The Procol set is BQMCI03012. As you all know, label is EVERYTHING when ordering imports.

[ -- The Procol Harum disc is on Music Club International out of England. The alternate take of "Whiter Shade" comes from original masters and runs almost 6 minutes. -- MC]


Name: Paul
From: Florida
Time: 1997-10-18 15:55:00
Comments: Anybody know about the new John Lennon box set Lennon Legend? It has a release date of 10-21-97, yet my local record store knows of no such CD. I see it available as a preorder from CD Universe - is this an official release? They also have a single disc compilation available as well!

Name: Joel Goldenberg
From: Montreal
Time: 1997-10-19 15:49:00
Comments: I'm very pleased with the amount of response to my Rolling Stones Hot Rocks warning. Here's another fun topic. What does everyone think about 20, 22, 24-super bit remastering, or the 22-bit Apogee whatchahoozit for the Clapton remasters? Or is it all just hype? Or does a well-pressed slab of vinyl still sound better? I go for the latter. CD, to me, still sounds choked and small. The ultimate vinyl experience has been, in my opinion, the audiophile pressing of Steely Dan's Gaucho. Does the CD match up? Thanks to all.

[ -- I think the CD of Gaucho is quite excellent, one of the best I've heard, so I think it measures up. As for 20-bit mastering, etc., I think a certain amount of it is hype. If you start with poor sources or hissy masters, 20-bit won't do a thing for you. On already good master sources, it may give a bit more definition to the sound, but the difference is something you have to listen for and pay attention to, not something that jumps out at you. As for the Eric Clapton reissues using 20-bit technology, I stopped buying when I A/B'd the 1986 CD of Slowhand with the new-gee-whiz-20-bit version and heard EXACTLY the same sound. Not nearly, but exactly. To me, that's a pretty good indication that on the Clapton CDs, it was all hype. -- MC]


Name: Christopher Nagel
From: Michigan City, IN
Time: 1997-10-19 16:43:00
Comments: Where can I find the stereo versions of Thurston Harris' "Over and Over" and the Virtues' "Guitar Boogie Shuffle"? Dick Bartley used to play them on his show (he proabably still does, but his show is on our local mono AM radio station). Are they only available on original LPs?

[ -- "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" in stereo is an alternate take that comes from a 1959 Hunt label stereo 45. I don't recall it appearing anywhere else in stereo. I think the Thurston Harris tune comes from a various artists LP (Trip?). -- MC]


Name: Jim Warrick
From: Burke, VA
Time: 1997-10-20 08:49:00
Comments: Could someone please comment on the sound quality of the two John Denver box sets - 2 CD Rocky Mountain Collection and 4 CD Country Roads Collection. I have heard the 4 CD collection and it sounds great. Is the 2 CD collection of comparable quality?

Name: don
From: memphis
Time: 1997-10-20 10:53:00
Comments: Regarding the Procol Harum 30th Anniversary Box, and the stereo "Whiter Shade of Pale," the answer is, yes, it is an alternate take.

Name: Dean Zemaitaitis
From: Calgary, Canada
Time: 1997-10-21 05:01:00
Comments: Does anyone know what the stereo content is on the new Four Seasons reissue album Edizione D'Oro put out on the Ace label (Ace CDCHD 642)? This double album, which was sort of a greatest hits album released in 1968, had some hard to find stereo hits that are still hard to find today. I hope that they remastered the mono songs found on the original album to true stereo on this reissue.

Name: Paul Bigelow
From: Austin,TX
Time: 1997-10-21 11:48:00
Comments: Concerning the Four Seasons, the real question is: Has anything ever been remixed, or do the multi-tracks exist? I have never heard anything on CD by them that I would call superlative. The Ace reissues sound OK and look good, but I think they're working from the same tapes Rhino worked from - just mastered better. Maybe the "Four Seasons Partnership" needs to be contacted. I want Bear Family to get hold of the session tapes and treat them right.

Name: Curt Lundgren
From:
Time: 1997-10-21 13:45:00
Comments: Taragon is due this month with a Best of Red Bird/Blue Cat package. Anyone seen (heard) it yet? Will we get some new stereo?

Name: Steve Massie
From: Franklin, TN.
Time: 1997-10-22 11:47:00
Comments: To answer some questions, the 4 Seasons Ace CDs are remastered by Bill Inglot. He has indicated that multi-tracks do not exist or at least can't be found. He's been through PolyGram's vaults several times and says that Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli do not have them either. As for stereo content, if you check Ace Records' home page (just search using the key words "Ace Records") they indicate that the alternate versions of "Dawn", "Let's Hang On" and a couple others that were stereo on the original vinyl release are stereo on this CD. But the rest of the tracks are the original mono single mixes.

As for the Red Bird stuff, I do know that the multi-tracks exist. However, last I heard, the person who had them wasn't letting them go. So I really hadn't heard whether Eliot Goshman got those tapes for his Taragon release.

Name: Ed Osborne
From: NY
Time: 1997-10-22 12:23:00
Comments: Some thoughts on different postings:

Re: Brubeck's "Time Out/Take Five" - Once upon a time in high end audio we used the original Columbia Lp as a system demo disk it was so good. Early CD reissues were dreadful.

Re: "At Abbey Road" series - As of 10/21 not available in Times Square Virgin Mega "Mall". Any word on UK Hollies collection?

Re: John Denver - I only listened to a couple of tracks of 4 disc box vs. Heartland mail order hits. I've always liked Bill Lacy's work (especially on Dorsey/Sinatra box), however, on this one I found the box set cuts to be quiet, yet, somewhat compressed and dull. Since I worked on Heartland set I can tell you the original two tracks are often distorted and muddy so this one's a producer's call. Bill probably opted for minimizing brightness through EQ whereas I tried to preserve vocal presence. Because of the arrangements and original mix you can't have it both ways. I'll do further listening and am interested in others' comments.

Re: Varese Chuck Jackson CD - Never great sounding masters I think Cary's done an excellent job. Haven't A/B'd with other discs. "Any Day Now", in particular, sounds very good.

Anyone heard of delayed Was (Not Was) comp? -- Till next time, Ed

Name: Mike Callahan
Website: Both Sides Now Publications
From: Fairfax Station, VA
Time: 1997-10-23 14:32:00
Comments: For those of you who have been looking for "Witchi-Tai-To" by Everything Is Everything on CD, it is on the new 4-CD box set from Vanguard called Vanguard Collector's Edition [Vanguard 163/66-2, released 1997]. The set as a whole is a label retrospective, with virtually all their hits and interesting songs such as Dave Loggins' original of "Pieces Of April."

Name: Eliot Goshman
Website: Taragon Records Company
From: NY
Time: 1997-10-25 17:13:00
Comments: The good news is that virtually all of the tracks on our Best Of Red Bird/Blue Cat Records comp will be stereo, many from multi-track masters, and most for the first time ever. The actual studio work is a nightmare, because many of the tracks were "layered" (different parts of the music and vocals added to each succeeding part of the mix) and in some cases we don't have all the reels (parts). (We still can't find a decent copy of "New York's A Lonely Town"...anyone got any ideas?) The CD will be released in the first quarter of 1998. Thanks for your support! And check out our releases at WWW.TARAGON.COM!

Name: Charles G. Hill
Website: Chez Chaz
From: Dustbury, Oklahoma, USA
Time: 1997-10-26 14:47:00
Comments: Time-Life has been vending two different edits of Jackie Ross' lovely "Selfish One". The version in the Rhythm and Blues series fades at about 3:03; the version in Classic Rock: On the Soul Side has a cold ending at 3:15, but the last note seems to be chopped off a tad early. What's the 45 version like? The only vinyl I have of this song is a Seventies GRT compilation called Basic Black, which has the cold ending.

Name: Joel Goldenberg
From: Montreal
Time: 1997-10-26 15:56:00
Comments: Mike: Just got Oldies on CD as a birthday present [Rating=A]. Outstanding information, an essential part of any rock n' roll library. No hiss to speak of. However, a slight correction and an important question. "I'll Be Back Up On My Feet" from the Monkees box set is mono (unfortunately), not stereo. Now, the question. My cassette copy of the Drifters All Time Greatest Hits has "At The Club," "I Don't Want To Go On Without You" and "He's Just A Playboy" in mono, but you say they are in stereo on the 2-CD version. You also point out that a new version was pressed with at least one track changed. Otherwise, fantastic book and supplement.

Name: Paul Bigelow
From: Austin,TX
Time: 1997-10-27 13:35:00
Comments: A few years ago I picked up the soundtrack to Casino Royale on CD on Varese Sarabande. In spots the soundtrack sounded very good, in other spots the CD was very distorted as if mastering levels were set too high. Was the CD improperly mastered or was the master tape in that bad of condition? As that LP version of that album has been used as an audiophile standard of sorts I was VERY disappointed with the CD. Anybody know the scoop?

Name: Mike Arcidiacono
From: NYC
Time: 1997-10-29 15:46:00
Comments: Does anybody know if "We've Got A Groovy Thing Going" is included on the the new Simon & Garfunkel box set? It's my favorite track by them, and if it's not on the box set, I'm not planning on buying it. Any info would be appreciated.... Also, I just heard the stereo "Rebel Rouser" by Duane Eddy. It's interesting, because Duane's guitar plays the intro figure while it's squarely in the center. Then, after the band comes in, the engineer moves it to the left to about the 2:00 position. This is a good one for stereo widening thru the Phillips machine!

Name: Mike Arcidiacono
Website:
Referred by: Just Surfed On In!
From: NYC
Time: 1997-10-31 15:25:00
Comments: Attention Jimmy Clanton fans!! There are two Greatest Hits CDs on the market, one on Black Tulip, and one on Ace. Can anybody who has either tell me if "Venus in Blue Jeans" appears in stereo on their copy? I've been looking for this one in stereo for a long time. It was recorded in early 1960, so there's a decent chance it was done two or three track. If anybody can help, it would be appreciated. -- Mike

[ -- It hasn't been in stereo so far, anywhere that I know of. -- MC]


Name: C J Brown
Website:
Referred by: Just Surfed On In!
From:
Time: 1997-10-31 17:47:00
Comments: Reply to Mike in regards to Jimmy Clanton. I own the Black Tulip Jimmy Clanton Greatest Hits compilation. I am sad to report that "Venus In Blue Jeans" is in glorious mono here. On the plus side, "Go Jimmy Go" is in stereo on this disc. Maybe someone else can tell us about the other Jimmy Clanton CD stereo content.




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