The singular adventures of the Beatles

This week we're going back to an old style post for a reason the way things were around 2006 to early 2008 where posts often had "icon" images of which the standard one I used for posts about anything covering the Beatles, common enough in those Capitol Albums Vol:2 days was a cheerleader, part an attempt at projecting the feminine me and part a play on being a cheerleader for the groups legacy.

 

Like most artists, their singles were issued to an agreed  timetable often comprising of recording not in the studio albums and in the UK came in fairly plain Parlophone or Apple sleeves unlike much of Europe or North America that used picture covers.

Because of the dominance by the end of the nineteen sixties and into early seventies of the lp having issued the 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 double compilations, while still available to order there was little interest in the preserving of the singles 7 inch form as a vehicle for telling their story although their reputation and fame was made as much at 45 rpm as 33 1/3.

With a nod towards the resurgence of the single that as New Wave dislodged the old which was more singles focused, EMI Records mail order section, World Records put together a box set of singles  many of which charted separately in April 1976.

These had a fairly generic green front with a handful of images for the rears.

To the original twenty-two UK singles a couple of others were added, Yesterday in April 1976 that had never been issued as a single in the UK although it was the title of a four track seven inch EP in 1966 and Back In The USSR from 1976's Rock N' Roll Music double compilation and these were in stereo too.

In 1978 Sgt Pepper became a single and this had a more familiar full picture cover on front and rear, being added to later versions of the box set.

There you might of felt this set would of stayed.

1982 was an important year for the Beatles, October as I well recall in school at the time was the 20th anniversary of their first single, Love Me Do that upon reissue in a period paper label became a top five hit - better than it did first time.

This had a picture sleeve and set the tone for a second attempt at doing a singles collection with a new design of box featuring their signatures.

Each Parlophone or Apple single now had its very own picture cover, period correct which really looked the part.

The 1976 singles had new covers made too looking more like a regular modern reissue with real fan appeal

You could say adding 1978's Sgt Pepper showed the difference in the original set  from the 24 initially issued 1976 and the more modern and this was just apaper rather than card version of the original.

In 1982 their films started coming out on Video and taking its cue at the Medley-mania  of the previous year with Stars on 45 and the Hollies Holidaze medley of hollies hits, a movie medley was issued  and a song from the movies album "Reel Music" was issued.

I have the Capitol version with a special booklet.

The box set came out in late 1982 ready for the Christmas market while the individual discs were issued in dribs and drabs.

I had the early set in it's original 24 single form and it's still here although the actual box with flip down lid has a air bit of wear and tear but have acquired the much nicer later version for presenting well a bunch of singles that helped change popular music both by subject and by the music itself.

The fact recently a remixed version of Rubber Soul has topped the album chart shows how today's young people get and value this music in a way some fifty years ago would have seemed unthinkable

 

Resouled

In the week that saw Rubber Soul return to top the lp charts amazingly and reviewed on the other blog going back to the era where we first had the Beatles on cd, something else got bought then but as forward looking as we saw ourselves those were on cd.

Michelle Antoinette Wallen MBE was born  on 27 April 1969 but is better known professionally as Mica Paris is a British singer, presenter, and actress and as a fan of soul music it wasn't before I got to hear just what her voice had to offer.

Her debut album, So Good, was released in 1988, spawning the singles "My One Temptation" and "Where Is the Love" which like anything by a new artist then was bought on cd as I felt at the the time much of my vinyl would go and didn't wish to start new sub collections in it.

You might say in 2026 so much for that!

 She has since gone on to release seven further albums

Contribution came out in 1990 and again that was bought on cd although the original cd suffered from "cd rot" and ended up being replaced.

This album extended her soul and gospel influences to bring in hip-hop and house music and featured the track "Contribution" (No. 33), "South of the River" (No. 50) and "If I Love U 2 Nite", (No.43) written by Prince and recorded at his Paisley Park studios.

In the UK this was a long 65 minute 14 track album even on vinyl while North American versions  made do with just 11 tracks outside of special limited import versions of the lp and the cd in a "long box".

Phillysoul and especially the Philadelphia International Records label was a massive thing with me from the early 70's onwards but while I had this compilation on cd, that cd as good as it is saw light in lp form in 1973.

The record was issued here a year later in 1974 and so gain two most desirable tracks, I'll Always Love My Mama (Part 1) and (Win, Place or Show) She's A Winner, both UK singles hits that year making this version more complete in addition to the original 12.

I was able to get a copy locally quite cheaply in mint condition.

Unlike in 1988 when I felt vinyl was on its way out and even being prepared to jettison chunks of it for shiny cds we're selectively adding titles that we enjoyed back then in that format. 

Into October and mound of vinyl

 

After a wet few days I did get out and do a bit more film photography, finding more "muscle memory" came back after a shocking few days with migraine which helped as I find migraines often cause memory issues for a few days afterwards. 

It's also shaping up to be buys time with a number of records arriving which will be reviewed as time permits on the other blog not least the big Rubber Soul remixed deluxe box set that should be arriving as I type this - it did in minutes! -  and the much delayed Now Yearbook 1971 lp set.

I did buy on release the first two Bluetones albums on vinyl  but by 1999 armed with a MiniDisc recorder and player for on the bus only bought their third album Science And Nature on cd and that's how things stayed un til I recent bough this, the 2016 Demon records re-issue on translucent vinyl.

It contained the hit single Keep The Home Fires Burning

That for £24.99 delivered was much appreciated.

R.I.P Dolly

Music if in the decades of reading this blog is something you realized I'm quite passionate about often features here, some of the very first entries duo-posted between here and a blog on Friends Reunited in 2006 were an early sign of that.

Some of that was through listening to friends and siblings own recordings which alongside the radio tended to inform my ability to find what I really liked rather going with what my peers listened to.

My tastes are broad as they are go deep, no surprises then the physical media collection is pretty big both vinyl and compact disc/super audio cd.

Country music was a big influence on me, my parents loved Country apart from Jazz so we had many country albums, individual and greatest hits ones about and I wasn't opposed to plaything them myself when they weren't around.

One was Dolly Parton who died Tuesday after having cancer for a short period

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean (née Parton; January 19, 1946 she was  an American singer-songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. 

Frequently dubbed the "Queen of Country", she was one of the most honoured country performers in history, earning eleven Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globes and a Tony Award. 

She was also known for her cultural influence and philanthropy via Dollywood and the Dollywood Foundation. With more than 100 million records sold, she is is among the best-selling music artists of all time.

Born into poverty, she wrote her first song at age six, performed regularly on TV by age ten, made her first recording at age eleven, and becoming  a professional songwriter at age sixteen. 

After writing songs for others, she released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly (1967), starting a nearly 60-year career releasing in total some 49 studio albums and writing more than 3,000 songs, including "I Will Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper and an international success for Whitney Houston that sold 24 million copies worldwide), "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", and "9 to 5".

Her songs were seldom in the third person, always first talking about life as she had lived and experienced it and through that having a special meaning though that authenticity to all of us who heard them

She made a huge difference through her investment in her native Tennessee and though her many works to tackle illiteracy and inequality, donating money for the development of a covid vaccine and promoting it when some in the United States refused to accept what medical science had to offer during that terrible period in recent history.

Personally I am saddened by her loss for what she offered as a performer but perhaps more for her sense of humanity and her willingness to use her position to do everything she could to help those less fortunate.

Now That's What I Call 70's Soul

It's Friday, we don't tend to do that many music features on here but as the medium connects with what during this period was my main form of listening to it we'll look at the 3 LP version of a recent Now That's What I Call Music release.

Most of Now's releases are about periods of hits such as the iconic Now Numbered series from Now 1 in 1983 to 123 recently, the recent Now Yearbook series and it's sub series Vaults but they have done more genre focused compilations.

This looks to be a part of round up by decade of soul music they are attempting really aimed at those who have a general interest in Soul music but not having label or single artist compilations reminding me a bit of 90's bank holiday soul shows on BBC Radio that broadened your knowledge.

This is looking at 70's soul starting with Motown and Philly and going through to the like Earth Wind and Fire and the funk/soul of the Commodores.

The cd set uses four cds but by only using three lps the selection of necessity is tighter which makes it a most useful overview of this decade in soul.

Record One opens with one of the decade’s most recognisable love songs: Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’, a US #1 and UK Top 10 hit that became his signature recording. It’s followed by Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’, the socially conscious masterpiece and title track from his landmark 1971 album, and Diana Ross’ Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, which topped the US chart and became her first solo #1. Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’ remains one of Motown’s most joyful recordings and comes before Commodores’ ‘Easy’ introducing Lionel Richie’s smooth ballad vocals. 

The side also includes Bill Withers’ timeless ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, a Grammy-winning classic, and The Stylistics’ lush ballad ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’, a UK Top 3 smash, before closing with Rose Royce’s beautiful ‘Wishing On A Star’, one of the most loved soul ballads of the era. 

Side Two opens with The Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back’ – the group’s explosive debut single opens the side. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ ‘The Tears Of A Clown’ became a UK #1 and is followed by The Supremes’ Nathan Jones’ showcasing the group’s evolving psychedelic-soul sound. Northern Soul classics from Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons with ‘The Night’, Chairmen Of The Board’s Top 3 smash ‘Give Me Just A Little More Time’ and The Trammps’ ‘Hold Back The Night’. The O’Jays’ joyous ‘Love Train’ leads to The Blackbyrds’ Walking In Rhythm’, before the side closes with the romantic classic ‘Always And Forever’ from Heatwave.

Record Two opens with The Temptations’ epic ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’, a Grammy-winning US #1 remains one of the most stunning recordings from the Motown catalogue, is followed by Isaac Hayes’ ‘Theme From “Shaft”’, an Academy Award-winner and a US #1 smash. More funk follows from Ike & Tina Turner, James Brown with one of his key tracks ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine’, Edwin Starr’s powerful anti-Vietnam protest song ‘War’, and Sly & The Family Stone’s hugely influential ‘Family Affair’. The Delfonics’ sublime ‘Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)’ comes ahead of Billy Paul’s timeless ‘Me And Mrs. Jones’ which closes the side.

Side Two begins with the 1977 #1 from The Floaters with ‘Float On’, before the breathtaking vocals of Minnie Riperton on ‘Lovin’ You’. The Isley Brothers’ Summer Breeze’ and William DeVaughn’s ‘Be Thankful For What You Got’ have become enduring classics and are followed by a run of ‘80s pop-chart crossover hits completing this disc from Detroit Emeralds, The Moments Raydio and The Tymes’ #1 ‘Ms. Grace’.

Record Three opens with the unmistakable voice of Barry White and his US #1 hit ‘Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe’, before Aretha Franklin’s ‘Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’, delivers one of her smoothest performances. Al Green’s ‘Tired Of Being Alone’ and Gladys Knight & The Pips’ ‘Midnight Train To Georgia’ are followed by minimalist soul classic ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ from Timmy Thomas, and the side closes with a trio of defining ballads:- George Benson’s ‘The Greatest Love Of All’ Diana Ross’ ‘Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)’ and The Jackson 5’s ‘I’ll Be There’, their biggest hit…while over the last side Freda Payne’s #1 ‘Band Of Gold’, opens alongside Ann Peebles’ influential and much covered ‘I Can’t Stand The Rain’.Marvin Gaye’s sensual ‘Let’s Get It On’ became another US #1, while Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass deliver the contemporary standard ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’. 

Three massive UK #1s are next…The Stylistics with ‘Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)’, The Three Degrees’ peerless ‘When Will I See You Again’ and Deniece Williams’ ‘Free’. This amazing collection closes with two timeless ballads: Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘After The Love Has Gone’, a Grammy-winning classic, along with ‘Three Times A Lady’in its singles edit , a huge worldwide #1 for the Commodores.

This set is well worth it's modest price.

Rewind...

We're back although I haven't got around to posting the first entry of the week elsewhere simply because my fingers and wrists were off for a couple of days and I needed to rest them.

While resting them thoughts went back to past years and the messy year that was 1984 that including great things such as the Los Angeles Olympics, the '84 Superbowl but a while set of issues with poor communications with people I needed to help me not talking to each other.

It was very much the year of the Walkman as it lived in my coatpockets with stash of tapes and my Pioneer Radio cassette recorder that I listened to radio to on and made recordings as I tended only to play records as special events so hardly surprising many of my lps and singles from them are in great shape.

Billy Idols Rebel Yell and the Footloose soundtrack were played a lot but one favourite was the cassette version of Rewind, a compilation tracks from the 1970's and early 80's by the Rolling Stones taking in many but all their UK singles in a generous 50 odd minute form split over two sides.

For good measure it was a XDR tm issue which meant better tape duplication, higher quality tape used to make it and dolby hx pro for better high notes.

Come the compact disc, that album was not issued until 1987 and then in a different form in the UK and Europe but actually in February 1985 it was issued in Japan briefly and recently a copy arrived here in mint condition.

Most Emi-Toshibi cds in Japan had this right pointing Black Triangle label design.

The rear had titles and track number in Japanese but the folded up booklet has the detail in Japanese and English which does help and some black and white pictures.

The album was related to a video - the first - commercially to show the promotional videos made for the singles you could buy and play on your Betamax or VHS recorder.

Playing this "vintage" cd with the running order of the tape I had certainly brought back a lot of memories.

Let's do something we can indoors instead

Plans for today have been changed on account of the sub zero temperature and specifically the ice that was really bad yesterday as put quite simply there is no way I can get about in this without being very likely to fall over and injure myself.

That makes no sense to me.

It's going to be a more read the comics and watch a few YouTube videos kind of a day apart from being in to take a few parcels in rather than leaving notes with instructions.

I've been working on tidying up the oldest micro sd cards that hold music the digital audio players use, removing anything moved to the most recent one in better quality and redoing a few as there was more capacity in the cards  even if at some point I may copy them over to a brand new higher capacity card those earliest plays could never accept.

The first players such as the Sansa Clip Zip+ were bought as means of hearing music copied or downloaded on "Treacle" the old desktop tower computer and the  short lived HP Laptop without being glued to them.

They also came with a FM Stereo radio built in which when I was commuting was useful for catching "The World at One" or "Does he take sugar" on BBC Radio 4, 

Days like today really want me to back to summer time fun outdoors.

Remaking a Card

 

The slow but systematic process of rebuilding a part of the missing in action music library is moving ahead  even if compared with the originals we may well elect to make this one a bit less comprehensive in terms of having a full set albums by every featured artist.

What we are going rather more for is having the best sounding versions of albums be they regular cd quality or better than cd so called High Definition 24 bit versions which was a trend when the main drive toward better portable audio sound started here.

But those albums need to be got to to a portable audio device as you don't want to have to carry a laptop around with you just to hear them so we've bought a card ready to put these albums on than then can put into a player.

Well at least one player needs replacing here as the battery fitted inside it just doesn't hold its charge apart from having massive overshooting issues with its all important jog wheel which gets beyond irritating soon enough.

At some point a bigger dedicate card for Classical, the big loser with both cards being missing and everything now being lossless will need to be assembled from the master file library where originally as befits something started in the twenty-tens one was just Mp3's (but the best mp3's I could make).

The future of Higher Quality sound and me

 

Sailor Moon was an early special interest of mine, righting wrongs having her own unique quirks which as I sit reflecting on events in the last few days playing some HD downloads back I did find of classical music mainly from 2014-17 considering the future of that.

HD (High definition) is about getting great quality to that of regular cds to reveal more of the music making and venue but in an age that is more focused upon convenience, in the 2000's the iPod with its hundreds of poor quality lossy 128kb files or today with streaming, eating your data allowance on your smartphone when you have no right to expect anything to be there, it didn't become a everyday thing beyond musicians and hifi fans.

Part was and today remains it takes over £800 to get a super audio cd player and then only a few handfuls of discs are issued per year which was why I spent money improving on the regular cd reproduction even though I have a Super audio cd player in  the hifi.

HD Downloads were easier in that you selected them from the store and most digital audio players of the portable sort would just play them - the players could be had for around £100 upwards but much of that marked has moved from playing downloads to streaming music.

It's a pity as while as with anything based upon digital files you need to keep them backed up, they leave your mobiles data allowance untouched and as you own them, there's no question of a performance becoming unavailable in the way sometimes labels and artists pull things on the likes of Spotify.

As the number of  super audio discs Chandos puts out has dropped in the last two years not helped by there being only a handful of plants world wide that can make them, I can see a return to more HD downloads not least where I may have "classic" performances on cd or even record

Tidy up ends

 

Well it does happen to be Friday  which means I'm busy helping the one of kind (thankfully) Grump out with the shopping after posting my Postal Vote renewal application blank of the Electoral Services of this inept council first class as the Royal Meow delays things if you don't.

 

And yes Old Me has returned from the mid 2010's probably aided by reading a new book that took me back to things with my first love musically which having nearly finished I'd say was well written and puts you very much in this band members shoes. Definitely worth it.

 I'm also finishing something off that got stalled from the same era as the old Avatar, as in 2014 I started getting in dribs and drabs the Official Remastered Edition of the conductor Herbert von Karajan's recordings for Emi Records from the late 1940's to 1984 which came out in themed box of differing sizes.

This one has his recordings from the late 1940's and late 1950's of Choral Works, some from the era of the 78 rpm shellac disc sounding better than ever  which was the big plus point of this very comprehensive set of issues.

Time for an ice cream now! 

Broken wings part two

 

Today's post is a quickish one as domestic arrangements here more days of have been switched but getting back to the topic we've spoken of having things arriving broken or otherwise not of merchandise quality in any hobby that involves collectables things can happen before then.

It may be that something isn't what is described as being which you may detect - the number of times I see cds or records give issue dates that clearly are not first issues are numerous - before you get that far but in the main you do trust in descriptions not least those that talk about the quality of used discs.

Sometimes I get a record that on the surface to be free of scratches but as with one that arrived on Wednesday it sounds between the tracks like it's been played with a nail with random noises that are intrusive.

Yesterday though I get a message to say a classic 80's disc described as being near mint was indeed more like well worn having paid for it but had been spotted by the person packing the order who then messaged  me.

I appreciate the fact they cared enough to message and give me option to decline and get a refund, the question arises how come it listed as being near mint and why their buyer accepted a disc that no serious collector would want.  

At times it takes the fun out hunting and getting recordings to enjoy. 

Broken wings

New week and I think the last Friday in the month as things kind of return to normal around the grump and related household activities.

Now then, now then pop pickers you know how much I like music to the point there's usually something arriving here to admire and play, new titles or new copies of old favourites in different forms but in with disc from Josie from Stafford was a special cd issue from late last year I'd missed. 

Well after opening the thin card envelope and undoing the seal I was greeted by this broken title with some impact marks on the envelope and I've only had this in some 39 years of buying cds once before although those early 90's lift lock cd cases could damage the centre hubs if used incorrectly.

We'll waiting on a refund to be granted but I've ordered another that did arrive in one piece, playing well.

Farewell Brian Wilson

We know it was going to happen, as we'd lost Dennis in '83, Carl in '98 but yesterday evening UK Time, it was announced Brian Wilson, the surviving Wilson brother  who with cousin Mike Love and Al Jardine made the Beach Boys died aged 82 years.

They'd been playing as high school kids before going professional in 1962 with following limited local success with Surfin' based around the California sport beloved of teens before recording a series of increasing complex musically and mature lyrically albums despite issues with their record label and abusive father, Murry whose actions didn't just cause mental issues down the line but also deafness in one ear.

Following the decision in late 1964 that Brian would not tour but work at home and in the studio on songs, popular music just expanded its range as in differing ways the Beatles in Great Britain were and in time Rock Music was born. 

If there's one album that you can say really changed things it was Pet Sounds - his favourite sounds - created with a massive group of session musicians and unusual instruments that nobody had ever heard before and with analytical, lyrically complex lyrics.

That's Brian in the control room during the recording of Pet Sounds, directing the whole session.

The group rehearsing their vocals added on extra tracks on what by today's standards was primitive 8 track studio recorders.

The album had its issues, some feeling it strayed too far from their traditional sounds, a lot of stresses coming from their record company that under promoted it in the States preferring to push a Best of compilation although it Great Britain it was a massive seller, lauded by many of that countries musicians.

No sooner than that album was out Brian was working on sounds literally recording, cutting and splicing bits to make what many feel is the greatest single of all time, Good Vibrations which those brits made a number 1 for two weeks.

The attempt to make SMiLE, the follow up to Pet Sounds the same way not helped by the use of in vogue drugs caused not merely the cancellation nine months on of the album but a major mental health breakdown for Brian who pulled away for a long from having much to do the Beach Boys beyond a contribution here or there to an album.

In time with some missteps, Brian got the help he needed to be more engaged with music and even do some touring both solo and with the group.

The legacy is one of initially of fine vocal harmonies, pushing the envelope of what music for teens and young adults could be and with others such as the Beatles, Who, Jefferson Airplane what became Rock Music, not just music with a beat to sing along to and dance.

Thank you Brian for everything and the many albums of your group I so love playing.

New copies and the "right to comment"

Back with a post kind of linked to the previous but in some respects a little different in the week the Donald was told he lacked the Authority on many but all his tariffs by a court, clearly acting out of the constitution. What a naughty little boy!

There often is lovely discourse in music and especially audiophile circles about what constitutes "the best" version of an album and if you read through page after page it's obvious there can be a major difference in what people or prioritizing or perhaps the copy that works best on their stereo systems.

Take this the 2017 half speed mastered version of Roxy Music's classic 1982 Avalon album that beyond the title track included the top ten single More Than This which some feel is a bit bland but many others like.

I have an American Warner Bros original that I was able get in great shape and yes I am happy with it, but having heard this edition I'd say it was a very decent copy obviously lacks wear and can be replaced by the shop if there's any issue.

One person suggested the only comments that should be accepted about how it sounds are by those who have compared at least another edition and ideally several.

If you were talking about a review then that kind of approach would make sense being able contrast and compare any difference you observe but a casual reflection on how having talked about the new version coming out a person posts there thoughts having just received their copy really you don't.

Naturally the kind of super fan with multiple copies is into the comparison, the "is this worth picking up?" aspect but really so long as you're upfront about it being your only copy it's crazy to deny it.

We don't all have multiple copies - storage issues would increase if you took that approach - and many of us can recall just going into a shop and getting the version that was available even for older titles and provided we felt it was great sounding and we obviously loved the music we were satisfied with that.

Many people are getting into (or back to) vinyl and "more than good enough" new copies are well worth picking up when they can be had for modest prices.

In the end it's only an opinion and the one that matters most is yours.

Brothers In Arms...again

The last time I wrote about Dire Straits, the rock group and not the state of my purse would of been late 2019 when I was building up a collection of super audio cds and slowly their recordings were coming out in that format.

This week reminds me a little of when I went to my summer holiday around this time in 1985 when after a couple of years there seemed to be a real buzz around the Compact Disc since its introduction and So Far Away was played a lot on the radio.

That was the lead single from Brothers In Arms, the new Dire Straits album and this was for many the gateway album to get a cd player and a few discs one reason being the songs run for longer on the cd (but then they also did on the Chrome cassette) and in time I got the cd with those versions.

That was very much it until I got the sacds.

These days I do play a lot of vinyl and I always wanted to hear those other versions so hearing the record as in a single lp was being reissued at start of this month I picked it ip.

Cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road, London from the tapes this sounds more analogue and in some ways being more concise does suit it.

It also avoids the four side changes of modern full length versions spread over two records.

I'm pleased to get this version.

Of retaping and a replacement

Following a little on from last week's post spring cleaning an area I have been dealing with is redoing a few older tapes as some of those older tapes had wear and other issues including being missing.

Simultaneous to that I had been sorting out the cd shelves moving some discs down here as I'm spending more time downstairs and in the instance of my REO Speedwagon cds there always was one whose sound I'd been never really impressed by.

Something went wrong with the mixing with this album as has flabby ill defined bass and muted top in places and the UK version of lp wasn't much good so was replaced by Dutch copy that used the American parts to make  the pressings that was much better.

By 1989 compact discs were very much a thing and I was buying cd copies of albums starting with those I originally bought on cassette and so when came to getting a couple of titles I had on record I had to wait to the summer before U.S. versions came out.

When it came to the puntastic You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish, the only copy I saw was the european copy that came out in the mid 80's.

That sounded nearly as bad as the first lp I had. Maybe it used the same source?

What until recently I didn't realize was there was a U.S. version  in that series I did get and I managed to track one down and it does sound much better.

Going for a moment back to cassettes the first cassettes I made of the lp only material were done of genuine BASF Chrome Super and later redone in late 1987 to Maxell XLII but those left the house in the late 1990's as they were superseded as I thought by MiniDiscs.

The tapes have been redone on Maxell XLII-S and UDII type two tapes minus noise reduction, the way back in the early 1980's I did them sounding really good.

The past never goes away, it just returns.

New month and remaking something from the past

 It is a New month this entry and I might just say a new season too as I saw a robin on Wednesday afternoon putting in an appearance.

Things shooting up after the cold months always warms my insides up even in these rather worrying times.

 

One thing I did do this week was remake this pre-recorded tape that had got very stiff over the years so the first step was to find a great blank tape of the right length to use so opted for a early 90's still wrapped Maxell UD1-cd.

The tape basically is the same as the SX1 but in a see through shell but is a super ferric that will take high signal levels and is quite quiet when it comes to noise.

Actually it was one of the best tapes of the era IF you had a recorder that could fully exploit its potential which is where using the Aiwa three headed deck with fully adjustable sensitivity and bias settings acquired last year came into play.

Making sure the high notes were clear even with Dolby B type noise reduction in was easier to achieve as you could hear it in real time and setting the record level to peak at +6 kept noise right down and was close to the originals.

I did add the song Monochrome which was the b side of the single Big Apple on side one to even out the sides.

It turned out extremely well.

Now 12 inch 80's Pt.III

We're going back to the summer, July actually of 2024 and last entry when Now decided to make this series into a game of two halves per year so our format changed and we move from 1983 to 1984, the year George Orwell had a lot to say about.

As with all the others in series the presentation, just folded card with tracklistings could of been better but this new volume is jam packed with so many great hits in their longer mixes.

This collection showcases the diversity of the era, with genres including synth-pop, alt-pop, disco, hi-nrg, electro, and hip-hop, featuring the essential 12" mixes, that ruled the charts and the dance-floor. 

It was an era where I'd grovel through the boxes of just dropping out the chart 12 singles and come home with a handfull often for half price or even less and drop the stylus down on them.

Disc One opens with Queen’s timeless ‘I Want To Break Free’, in its’ extended mix and beginning a run of 1984 Pop gold such as Alison Moyet’s Top 10 debut ‘Love Resurrection (Love Injected Mix)’, and Duran Duran’s ‘New Moon On Monday’ the poster for was one my bedroom wall back then are followed by Culture Club, who scored a huge worldwide hit on 12” single with ‘It’s A Miracle / Miss Me Blind’ and Bananarama, who delivered a Top 3 smash with ‘Robert De Niro’s Waiting’. 

More gems feature from Matthew Wilder with ‘Break My Stride’ that I'd first heard in late 1983 as an american hit, Ray Parker Jr.’s blockbuster soundtrack theme ‘Ghostbusters (Extended Mix)’, and Nik Kershaw’s ‘The Riddle’, with Howard Jones with a thoughtful new synth sound and Ultravox bringing the first disc to a close. 

Disc Two is a celebration of electro-dance, hi-nrg and 80’s disco, kicking off with Freddie Mercury’s synth classic ‘Love Kills’ and Shannon’s electro classic ‘Let The Music Play’, apersonal favourite that still sounds as fresh today as it did in ‘84. 

Sister Sledge feature with the 1984 Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers Remix of their peerless ‘Lost In Music’, a hit originally from 1979, while The Pointer Sisters' ‘Jump (For My Love)’ and Dead Or Alive’s cover of ‘That’s The Way (I Like It)’ were guaranteed floor-fillers. 

Hi-NRG made a huge chart impact in 1984 – and the 12” single was made for the genre with its longer playing time – Bronski Beat and Laura Branigan feature alongside early chart smashes for production team Stock, Aitken & Waterman from Divine with ‘You Think You’re A Man’ and Hazell Dean with ‘Whatever I Do’. 

The genre defining anthem ‘High Energy’ from Evelyn Thomas ruled the clubs dance-floors, and the disc still has room for party favourite ‘It’s Raining Men’ from The Weather Girls and Kim Wilde’s synth-pop hidden gem ‘The Touch’. 

Disc Three opens on the dancefloor with soulful vocals and electro beats from Chaka Khan’s ‘I Feel For You’, followed by Womack & Womack’s ‘Love Wars’ and the sublime full-length version of Jocelyn Brown’s ‘Somebody Else’s Guy’ that I loved. 

The often-sampled old-school hip-hop of The World’s Famous Supreme Team and Grandmaster Melle Mel’s ‘White Lines (Don’t Do It)’ are up next ahead of Nick Heyward’s pop-dance essential ‘Warning Sign’ with its two raps, and synth gold from Tears For Fears and Scritti Politti. 

The remainder of the disc celebrates some of the years’ greatest alt-pop 12”’s, featuring Propaganda’s incredible ‘Das Testament Des Dr Mabuse’, Cocteau Twins with the sublime ‘Pearly Dewdrops’ Drops’ and Echo and the Bunnymen’s stunning ‘The Killing Moon’. 

Finally onto Disc Four and it delivers a charged mix of iconic chart gold:- Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s 9 week #1 ‘Two Tribes (Annihilation)’ opens a stellar run featuring Duran Duran’s epic 12” of ‘The Wild Boys’ (and who doesn't forget its memorable video) and Spandau Ballet’s ‘Only When You Leave’. 

Paul Young’s  powerful ‘I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down’ is next, and leads into Adam Ant’s superb ‘Apollo 9 (Francois K Splashdown Mix)’ where he attempted a comeback. ‘Up On The Catwalk’ from Simple Minds originally on the Sparkle In The Rain album has a great extended version and synth-pop essentials from Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark with ‘Tesla Girls’, Blancmange with ‘Don’t Tell Me’ Alphaville’s ‘Big In Japan’, and Howard Jones second appearance on this collection with the ‘International Mix’ of ‘Like To Get To Know You Well’ leads this set to its’ conclusion – not only 1984’s biggest selling single, but at the time the U.K.’s biggest ever seller – ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ from Band Aid in its full 12” mix.

Come April the second volume appeared with an additional 46 tracks.

The same presentation lacking any background was used which remains a pity with the whole series.

Disc One opens with the long mix of Wham!’s ‘Freedom’ opening a stellar run of huge chart hits. Culture Club’s ‘The War Song’, is followed by Nena’s worldwide #1, ‘99 Red Balloons’, followed by Eurythmics, New Order and Scritti Politti. Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder’s classic ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ in it’s extended mix, along with the 12” version of ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ from Ultravox are enduring synth-pop classics – and rounding off the disc ’84 Pop gold from Spandau Ballet, Alison Moyet, Bananarama and Elton John.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘5-weeks at #1’ smash ‘Relax’ needs little introduction, and opens Disc Two with its ‘New York Mix’. Bronski Beat’s powerful and poignant ‘Smalltown Boy’ is up next along with celebratory Hi-NRG and electro from Hazell Dean, Deniece Williams’ ‘Let’s Hear It For The Boy’, and the 12” remix of The Pointer Sisters’ ‘Automatic’. A run of synth-driven gems from Peter Schilling, The Art Of Noise, ABC, Re-Flex, Talk Talk and Fiction Factory conclude the disc in style.

Disc Three is packed with pure pop brilliance, opening with Duran Duran’s worldwide #1 hit ‘The Reflex’ in its iconic Dance Mix. Nik Kershaw scored a huge hit with ‘I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, Kim Wilde’s hits continued with ‘The Second Time’ and Limahl’s ‘Never Ending Story’ was one of the most memorable film themes of the decade, here in its 12” Dance Mix. Simple Minds and Soft Cell lead into classic alt-pop tracks from The Stranglers (‘Skin Deep’), Echo & The Bunnymen (‘Silver’), The Icicle Works with the long version of ‘Love Is A Wonderful Colour’, and Swans Way with the 12” mix of the stunning ‘Soul Train’.

Ending the set, Disc Four opens with legends, Paul McCartney with the extended version of ‘No More Lonely Nights’, and Tina Turner with ‘Better Be Good To Me’. Some of ‘84’s biggest floor-fillers including ‘Just Be Good To Me’ from The S.O.S Band, and ‘Running With The Night’ from Lionel Richie are featured along with jazz, latin and electro infused dance pop from Shakatak, Miami Sound Machine and Ollie & Jerry respectively. Rockwell’s timeless ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’ leads into two synth ballads to close the collection in their extended versions: ‘Talking Loud And Clear’ from Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, and the beautiful ‘Hide And Seek’ from Howard Jones.

Our last entry: Now 12" 1983

Looking Up with Ringo

While a storm ranges around us here, something of another sort of storm from the one who started out drumming for Rory Storm before taking over from Pete Best to be the Beatles drummer before upon that bands end, issuing a good number of solo albums and singles.

A few days ago Ringo released a brand-new country music album, 'Look Up', produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett. This is an stunning collection features 11 original songs, recorded this year in Nashville and Los Angeles.

The story goes Ringo asked one of his acquaintances to write a song for his next EP. That friend later returned with nine tunes, all with a country flavour and instead of selecting just one, he decided he liked all of them, which led to him recording each one and turning it into his first album for six years. 

With assistance from Molly Tuttle, guitarist Billy Strings, Alison Krauss, four piece Indie band Lucius and sister duo Larkin Poe, Ringo realises his love of country music by issuing his first LP of such in over five decades since a Beaucoup Of Blues in 1970.

Time On My Hands is the most played track on the likes of Boom Radio, being a great advertisement for just how well these songs and the arrangements really suit his voice making this one of his best solo albums ever and one I'd strongly recommend on its own merits.

Albums we loved - The Shadows Greatest Hits

 

Well it was a very much Brrr weekend here  with quite a few inches of snow and temperatures dropping below minus seven degrees  beyond the internet mess referred to on last weeks rather brief post so apart from there being none of the usual internet based stuff to be engaged with something did come that didn't rely on that.

If you're a Britisher Cliff Richard and the Shadows need no introduction, they are a building block of british rock and roll and our much bigger than you might think place in the world of popular music in the last century and this.

Cliff was the first major breakout artist, no disrespects intended to the likes of Marty Wilde, father of the great Kim Wilde having row after row of major hits, commercial and critically acclaimed films before the Beatles and the DC5 did and even got substantial albums in an era where it was mainly film soundtracks, stage shows and compilations that made the pop lp charts.

The Shadows were his backing band, originally entitled The Drifters but changed as that clashed with the American excellent Drifters soul group but by 1960 had started to develop a collection of tunes of their own that radically changed the sound of electric guitar playing, added highly choreographed routines on stage, making even hard bitten critics sit up and pay attention to how good popular music could be.

They had solo hits, even #1's in the UK, some on their own projects, others tied to Cliffs films and featured on the successful soundtrack albums of The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and others  and in 1963 they were rounded up in the massive selling Shadows Greatest Hits album.

Although I had borrowed this album a number of times, by the time I decided to get a selection of this music and that of Cliff's I had bought the early 1970's World Records box set of Cliff and the Shadows that covered 1958 to 1972 and then added a few compilations of Cliff's on compact disc.

What drew me back to this set was it is a perfect summary of what was so great about those early shadows tracks and that these are the original mono mixes we had then, singles on Columbia, their label around 1970/71 only switching to stereo.

The edition I got uses the  same metal parts as the original 1963 pressings but was issued around 1967/8 going by the tinted advertising inner sleeve showing albums of that era in their mono and stereo where issued forms.

The catalogue number on the disc had changed from 33SX1522 to SX1522 reflecting the switch in prefixes as stereo records back in the early sixties being a luxury special offering to as that decade ended to being the norm with less mono discs being issued even if the jacket carried over the old prefix.

Oddly enough the album was not issued in the UK on record in stereo until 1974 although in the early 70's stereo cassette and eight tracks were issued bough three tracks were issued in so-called "electronically reprocessed for stereo" as the original had never been mixed to stereo.

Listening to this with the excellence of their playing coupled with the memories of these tunes has been most enjoyable.