========================================================
_ _ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ _
_)|_)(-(_|_| (_)|_)(_)|_)
| | |
========================================================
Volume #0018 11/21/97
========================================================
Color radio - Channel 98
Subject:
Sent: 11/19/97 11:56 PM
Received: 11/20/97 3:04 AM
From: Paul Urbahns, purbaXXX@XXXXXXorg
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Dave wrote: forgot about this one until after i posted that last message
- "say goodbye to hollywood" by billy joel. near-clone of "be my baby,"
right from the opening drums to the "whoo-oh-oh-oh-oh"s.
Paul Urbahns adds: I understand Billy Joel wrote the song for Ronnie, in
fact I have her Epic single of the record which came out before Joel's.
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: got me on a technicality
Sent: 11/20/97 1:12 AM
Received: 11/20/97 3:04 AM
From: Leonard Hyde, bXXX@XXXXXXt
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>> ...[the stereo remix of "IJWMFTT"] went beyond "remixing" and
>> "remastering:" it is rerecording, something that should never
>> be done.
>
>okay, i'm none too happy with the remix of this song, for reasons i
>mentioned on the BB list, but i don't see where there was any
>"rerecording" done. what exactly are you referring to here?
OK, Dave - I'm not saying that anybody recorded NEW music to add to this
song. But:
1. Where did the music that is behind "each time things start to happen
again..." et al, come from? Did the original mix have any music there?
Was it on the master tapes and Brian killed it during the final mix? Or,
did somebody at Capitol create that bed by splicing tape together?
2. The original version had no echo on Brian's voice. The stereo mix is
loaded with echo.
Sorry, but by my standards, adding stuff that WASN'T there constitutes
rerecording, as opposed to remixing and remastering.
One of my pet peeves is remasterers adding their own sensibilities to old
recordings in the process. I can't count the number of classic rock songs
that have, to my ears, been "rerecorded" in this fashion. They don't even
sound like the same record any more. One of the best (worst?) examples is
"Liar Liar" by the Castaways. The modernized, cleaned up CD version you
hear played on the radio today bears little resemblance to the raw, punky
sound of the original. You'd have to get the 45 to hear that version.
It IS possible to remaster songs and preserve the original sound. I was
listening to a tape I got from a friend for the first time last night. On
comes a nice stereo version of Lou Christie's "Lightning Strikes." One of
my favorites, and I enjoyed it, while thinking in the back of mind that
something was a bit different. Next, I was surprised to hear the
"original 45 version," also remastered, but with the tonal balance and
mixing ratios preserved. The differences were subtle, but made a
tremendous difference in the impact of the song. It sounded like the song
I heard on the radio rwhen I was 13 - but it was in stereo.
"Sound Of Love" by the 5 Americans - the remastering guy doesn't like the
piercing organ (a 5 Americans trademark) and so buries it way down in the
mix on the left channel. What right did he have? If you listen to the 45,
that organ is like a stiletto.
A friend of mine writes liner notes for Sundazed. He has brought the
matter up with management in the past. He was told that older people
won't buy CDs that sound like garage band records, so they "have" to
clean the records up so they won't offend the buyers ears. Hogwash!
At the very least, the "original" version should be included. Sometimes
this happens, sometimes it doesn't. I was very glad to hear that Rhino
"fixed" the Monkees catalog by including the original 45 versions of
their songs. With the Monkees, the damage was done when the original
albums came out. Why? Who knows? Other groups that were notorious for
this were the Mamas and Papas, and the Rascals. The versions of many of
their songs that came out on albums were quite different than the ones on
the 45, and thus, on the radio.
Sometimes, and this is rare, album versions that came out later were
superior to the 45. The best example I can think of is the Monkees
"Valleri." The original 45 was an amatuerish, garage band sounding
attempt. It was only a hit in a few places. Then, the album comes out,
with the better version (can anybody say "studio musicians?") and the
song is released again, becoming one of their best hits.
"Above all else, do no harm...."
Big L
"I love radio - I just hate what they're doing with it these days"
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: More Spector Tributes (Soundalikes?)
Sent: 11/19/97 10:38 AM
Received: 11/20/97 12:57 AM
From: David Marsteller, davebXXX@XXXXXXlin.org
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Before we leave the subject of recordings that try to recapture the
Spector sound, I thought I'd mention Roy Wood. A number of his
Wizzard-era recordings seem to be aiming for a 'wall of sound'.
Sometimes, it comes off as a 'wall of mud', but that's beside the point.
Or maybe not. ;)
Dave
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: Re: Gary Zekley/The Clique/Rachel & the Revolvers
Sent: 11/19/97 4:29 AM
Received: 11/19/97 8:15 AM
From: Darian Sahanaja, monsaXXX@XXXXXXink.net
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>Subject: Gary Zekley/The Clique/Rachel & the Revolvers
>Sent: 11/15/97 10:52 PM
>Received: 11/16/97 12:56 AM
>From: Jeffrey Glenn, Jeff_GlXXX@XXXXXX.nba.trw.com
>To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>...n.p.: "You Baby" by Linda Scott (from TOUCH THE WALL OF
>SOUND VOL. 3) - Would it be blasphemous to propose that
>this version is better (and more Spector-like) than the
>Spector-produced Ronettes original?
Definitely more grandiose. Both are great for different reasons. The
Ronettes version features one of the best, if not downright sexiest
performance Ronnie's ever delivered, but Linda takes the vocal melody to
new and interesting heights. I must agree though that if I had to decide
which version would make a better single 45, it would have to be the
latter. Do any of the Spectropop subscribers own the original Linda Scott
45? Being a consultant for the "Touch the Wall Of Sound" series I had a
hard time finding a decent pressing of it. Every pressing/mix I've ever
heard sounds like there's a veil over it. . a bit muddy. I just wondered
if anyone had a pressing that they considered very clear. I can imagine
how amazing it would sound off the original master tapes (assuming they
still exist).
-Linda Scott and the Zombies on the same page. . .I've died and gone to
heaven.
--DARIAN
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: stereo Spector
Sent: 11/20/97 4:09 AM
Received: 11/20/97 11:46 PM
From: Doc Rock, docroXXX@XXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Last week, I would swear that I heard "Da Do Ron Ron" in full stereo on
the radio. Has a CD with that been released?
Doc
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
END
Spectropop text contents © Spectropop unless
stated otherwise.
All rights in and to the contents of these documents, including each element embodied therein, is subject to copyright
protection under international copyright law. Any use, reuse, reproduction and/or adaptation without written permission of the owners is a violation of copyright law and is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.
