Rock - what are you listening to?

[cybot]

Last year, I bit the bullet and culled (I hate saying got rid of) about 80 LPs duplicate LPs to make room for LPs starting to pile up on the floor (familiar to anyone?). I also got rid of a lot of reissues by labels such as 4MenWithBeards, Back to Black, Sundazed, for me the original were simply better in every way. Great sounding originals will always sound better than 'audiophile' reissues! On the odd occasion a reissue has sounded better than the original (which sounded bad in the first place).

At the moment I'm listening to...

Art Pepper Quartet (Mono)
Eric Clapton - 24 Nights which I only bought about a month ago for €20 (absolutely mint)

Next up Nic Jones - Penguin Eggs (Vinyl 180 reissue).

I've been there too. A few years ago I had no choice but to 'cull' a lot of my vinyl. A lot. I won't say how many because the thought only sickens me. Anyway they went to a good cause.

I have that Clapton original. It's a good one, a little too safe but that's nothing new. Can I recommend a goodie though? 'From the Cradle' on double vinyl is pure Blues at its very best. Also the Cream reunion gig Live at the RAH 2005 on triple vinyl. Stunning! Clapton is on fire with a more streamlined guitar sound as you would expect but full of nuances and inventive runs you would not believe. I love it!

Do let us know about the 180 reissue.....Enjoy.

[cybot]

In my utterly futile efforts at attempting to get my digital ears to sound as analogue as possible I actually stumbled on what may be the 'keeper' setting. Suddenly that horrid digital hash has all but disappeared. Well, I'm getting there.....

Anyway I decided to listen to some Horslips and I was blown away......again! Is this the purest analogue I've heard in yonks? Not a digital dickiebird within earshot. A beautifully realised FULL sounding ensemble doing their 70's Celtic stuff. Maybe a tiny bit dull round the edges but......actually all the better for it. So as Cyndale has already said in his previous post you just cannot beat the originals :) Dig Johnny Fean's guitar playing too.....

So 'scuse me while I sit beside Lockhart and wonder how the ghosts of Summer's past have suddenly morphed between my ancient towers. This is what real hi fi should sound like but very, very rarely does........

[Cyndale]

I've been there too. A few years ago I had no choice but to 'cull' a lot of my vinyl. A lot. I won't say how many because the thought only sickens me. Anyway they went to a good cause.

I have that Clapton original. It's a good one, a little too safe but that's nothing new. Can I recommend a goodie though? 'From the Cradle' on double vinyl is pure Blues at its very best. Also the Cream reunion gig Live at the RAH 2005 on triple vinyl. Stunning! Clapton is on fire with a more streamlined guitar sound as you would expect but full of nuances and inventive runs you would not believe. I love it!

Do let us know about the 180 reissue.....Enjoy.

Yeah 24 Nights is very safe but the sound is wonderful. I have the original single LP From The Cradle as well as the double LP reissue and it has a raw live feel to it as blues records should be. I have the original Cream at RAH 2005 original boxset (triple LP), was given a present of the Music on Vinyl version but I 'gave' it away for buttons.

Will let you know about the Nic Jones, I believe the version to have (other than an original) is on the Three Black Feathers label, I have a copy on 6 Spices label, but I am not overly impressed, a great record screaming to get out (probably from digital file).

[cybot]

I've been there too. A few years ago I had no choice but to 'cull' a lot of my vinyl. A lot. I won't say how many because the thought only sickens me. Anyway they went to a good cause.

I have that Clapton original. It's a good one, a little too safe but that's nothing new. Can I recommend a goodie though? 'From the Cradle' on double vinyl is pure Blues at its very best. Also the Cream reunion gig Live at the RAH 2005 on triple vinyl. Stunning! Clapton is on fire with a more streamlined guitar sound as you would expect but full of nuances and inventive runs you would not believe. I love it!

Do let us know about the 180 reissue.....Enjoy.

Yeah 24 Nights is very safe but the sound is wonderful. I have the original single LP From The Cradle as well as the double LP reissue and it has a raw live feel to it as blues records should be. I have the original Cream at RAH 2005 original boxset (triple LP), was given a present of the Music on Vinyl version but I 'gave' it away for buttons.

Will let you know about the Nic Jones, I believe the version to have (other than an original) is on the Three Black Feathers label, I have a copy on 6 Spices label, but I am not overly impressed, a great record screaming to get out (probably from digital file).

Ah I missed out on the original Cream at the RAH and balked at the exorbitant money being charged for second hand copies. It must have been awesome as the MOV version is not that bad......surely? The DVD is great too. Like you I had the single Lp version of FTC. There was also a terrific documentary about the making of the album. Did you ever see it? Wonder if it's on YouTube?


Edit: I've just come across an old review of yours where you describe your dislike of Stan Ricker's original half speed mastering of Cream's RAH gig. Then I find out that they released it again on RSD. I believe this version is 'awesome'. Can you clarify?

[cybot]

This is a sweet little album from a guitarist who played with the Alan Stivell band.

Actually listening to it now it's not what I thought. New Age crap!







Here he is playing with our Rory :) Try and ignore the awful sound.

[Rob]

Just a brief reply to your post.

Red House IOW is not the best version but it's certainly up there.

Band of Gypsies triple is worthwhile simply because of three versions of Machine Gun, Train and Stone Free.

The Royal Albert Hall gigs were released on two separate albums which are absolutely fine for completists. Sound much better than the 'Experience' versions.

Hendrix in the West new version has three bonus tracks plus, what is considered Jimi's finest rendition of Red House from San Diego '69. To hear it all on its own on side two is akin to a religious experience.......Don't say I didn't tell you ;)

Monterey is ok but not my favourite though I love watching it just to see Jimi so happy and playful.

You know what to do :)

Hi Cybot,

Oh I forgot to mention the Woodstock gig - some great soloing especially at the end, on Voodoo Chile, Purple Haze and the improvs but the preceding tracks aren't outstanding like the end. He was probably held back by the new musicians and certainly the sound-quality is pretty bad on the 1994 CD version I have - reputedly improved with a later remix.

Some good points there - I'll keep an eye out for the BoG triple!

I like the Monterey gig because its so song-focused - it lacks the extended solos but stood as a showpiece for what was then a very new audience. I got the sense (in no way evidential) that it had more the feel of Hendrix's early London gigs.

I will have to go back and revisit the San Diego 1969 version but would say virtually every live version of Red House I have heard is great but the Isle of Wight version is a bit unusual for having a darker tone than the norm (compared to light versions like the Winterland rendition for example) so the song became that wee bit more than a vehicle for outstanding blues solos. BTW I have heard there's an album dedicated to different versions of RH.

[cybot]

Just a brief reply to your post.

Red House IOW is not the best version but it's certainly up there.

Band of Gypsies triple is worthwhile simply because of three versions of Machine Gun, Train and Stone Free.

The Royal Albert Hall gigs were released on two separate albums which are absolutely fine for completists. Sound much better than the 'Experience' versions.

Hendrix in the West new version has three bonus tracks plus, what is considered Jimi's finest rendition of Red House from San Diego '69. To hear it all on its own on side two is akin to a religious experience.......Don't say I didn't tell you ;)

Monterey is ok but not my favourite though I love watching it just to see Jimi so happy and playful.

You know what to do :)

Hi Cybot,

Oh I forgot to mention the Woodstock gig - some great soloing especially at the end, on Voodoo Chile, Purple Haze and the improvs but the preceding tracks aren't outstanding like the end. He was probably held back by the new musicians and certainly the sound-quality is pretty bad on the 1994 CD version I have - reputedly improved with a later remix.

Some good points there - I'll keep an eye out for the BoG triple!

I like the Monterey gig because its so song-focused - it lacks the extended solos but stood as a showpiece for what was then a very new audience. I got the sense (in no way evidential) that it had more the feel of Hendrix's early London gigs.

I will have to go back and revisit the San Diego 1969 version but would say virtually every live version of Red House I have heard is great but the Isle of Wight version is a bit unusual for having a darker tone than the norm (compared to light versions like the Winterland rendition for example) so the song became that wee bit more than a vehicle for outstanding blues solos. BTW I have heard there's an album dedicated to different versions of RH.

Rob,

The Woodstock gig was performed far too early in the morning so it probably took them a while to get started. Voodoo Chile is amazing and definitely one of the best versions. You'd want to read what Mitch said about the gig :) The triple vinyl version sounds really, really good and is a must have for Jimi completists but you really can't beat the video of actually watching him perform on that sacred stage. Priceless.....

Yes every single version of Red House is amazing live or in the studio. To single out the best version is crazy. The reason Jimi's IOW version sounds like it does is because he uses a Gibson Flying V.
I have that multiple version of Red House. It only came out as a cd with a book. Must have a look for it. Probably stuck inside one of my box sets :) I also have an Lp where he does 4 early takes of Red House in the space of ten minutes. It's a hoot!

[Cyndale]

Always loved the version of Red House on this LP I bought many years ago, anybody know this LP and can comment on Red House on these three albums!



Also, the version on this LP...



And this version...

[cybot]

Always loved the version of Red House on this LP I bought many years ago, anybody know this LP and can comment on Red House on these three albums!



Also, the version on this LP...



And this version...

'Red House' on the first two is the original (bass less) studio cut. The last one is the legendary San Diego cut. But I could be wrong ;)

The instrumental 'Born Under A Bad Sign' was the only reason I bought the 'Blues' album as I already had the rest. Stunning. Reminds of the BBC sessions cut of 'Drivin' South' - now there's an instrumental that would make the hairs stand up :)

[Cyndale]

Ah I missed out on the original Cream at the RAH and balked at the exorbitant money being charged for second hand copies. It must have been awesome as the MOV version is not that bad......surely? The DVD is great too. Like you I had the single Lp version of FTC. There was also a terrific documentary about the making of the album. Did you ever see it? Wonder if it's on YouTube?


Edit: I've just come across an old review of yours where you describe your dislike of Stan Ricker's original half speed mastering of Cream's RAH gig. Then I find out that they released it again on RSD. I believe this version is 'awesome'. Can you clarify?

I picked up the original Cream when it came out, all of €40! Actually the MOV version isn't bad at all, I just had to choose between the two and seeing what the prices of the boxset are, it was a no-brainer.

In the 70s I bought a lot of Mobile Fidelity LPs but was never really gone on the sound of them. The more I read about half-speed mastering I could see why I didn't like them. I have compared about a dozen originals to the MoFi equivalents and it is night and day, some of them are really bad. If you play an original copy of Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus (mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab) to the MoFi version (which is supposed to be the holy grail), I think your jaw would drop. Half-speed mastering just does something odd to the bass, you know when your speakers aren't in phase and the bass disappears, that is what it is like.

Miles Showell (Abbey Road Mastering) is doing a lot of half-speed mastering lately and he 'claims' that half-speed mastering works betters when high-res files are used rather than tape and he goes on about how it just doesn't sound right with tape but that he can correct the anomalies using high-res files.

Believe it or not of all the MoFi half-speed LPs I have Gordon Lightfoot's sounds the best, maybe that is because it is a more acoustic album.