Beatles remastered CDs picking up rave reviews

[El Jefe]

None of which has much to do with the argument that they were being particularly greedy and "cashing in," which was the claim being made at the start.

calm yourself, it was just a point of clarification.

 

[King Biscuit Time]

I heard something about this on Radio 2 last night. Some music spod was playing the old versions followed by the new versions. I couldn't tell the difference, although he seemed to be getting excited about the 'drop off' in the backing vocal of the second chorus of 'please please me' being reduced by a few picoseconds.

 

[editor]

I watched a BBC4 program about the Beatles and their workrate was truly phenomenal - in one year they did a load of tours around the world, knocked out two albums *and* a film!

Here's a listing of all their chart placings and it's mighty impressive stuff:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/sep/09/beatles-albums-singles-music-rock-band

 

[Hollis]

Fact: the Beatles are the only major catalogue artists apart from Pink Floyd never to have been sold at mid price.

Really? I'm sure I've picked up acouple Floyd CDs for a fiver. I survive on the mid-price range.

 

[El Jefe]

Danny Baker was getting into a lather about these today, he's really angry about the stereo mixes (they've just shoved all the vocals to one side, apparently) and thinks the mono ones are the only ones to buy.

I don't care, obviously, but I thought I'd pass it on

 

[rollinder]

Danny Baker was getting into a lather about these today, he's really angry about the stereo mixes (they've just shoved all the vocals to one side, apparently)

on all of them or just the first few, that were mixed like that in stereo in the first place?


eta: Smiths was just getting the csds&rock band display together this afternoon - spotted the cd counter woman and customer (who wasn't sure which Beatles album she wanted to buy) getting confused over that album that doesn't have a name and only says The Beatles

 

[Crispy]

They mixed hard-panned in the originals, which is preserved here, up until Sgt. Peppers (I think), after which stereo was used in the 'modern' way.
The mono mix was the important one, as it would be going to radio stations and most cheap record players were mono, which is why the early stereo mixes just use it for novelty effect. The mono versions of the pre-peppers stuff are 'better' apparently.

Annoying that you can't get the mono versions separately, only as the box set (although I won't be buying any of them, I think the beatles have enough money)

Have just received Rock Band Beatles in the post though and it's great fun My voice is getting hoarse already

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

absolutely not, just pointing out that publishing is only one revenue source.

Maybe, but MCPS really really really is chicken feed compared to UK PRS payouts and I assume it is the same all over the world with however they do their mechanicals and publishing. Then split four ways? feh.

 

[chazegee]

Utterly pointless. Albums are a historical document as well as everything else. It tells you what sound engineering was like at the time.

 

[London_Calling]

Fwiw, I absolutely love the evolution of their sound. Not just in terms of available technology - and that changed hugely in the 8-9 years, but from that early rawness to to the amazing stuff towards the end. That fucking Allen Klein though . . .

 

[metalguru]

I'm bemused by all the hysteria about this. I'd like to see some control experiments so that you can see just how much difference people can really hear.

Also people are getting more excited about hearing songs more clearly than thinking about whether it's a good song (eg people raving over the new clarity of 'piggies'.

 

[editor]

Also people are getting more excited about hearing songs more clearly than thinking about whether it's a good song (eg people raving over the new clarity of 'piggies'.

I think most people have already decided whether the Beatles songs are any good or not.

 

[metalguru]

I think most people have already decided whether the Beatles songs are any good or not.

Well yes - and most of the critics had decided that 'Piggies' was crap...but now they've confusing their over-excitement of hearing it more clearly with thinking its a good song.

This is providing some unexpected comical reading though on the music websites i've been reading:

e.g. "Among the things I have noticed at this moment is how great the tapping on "Blackbird" sounds"

and the list of differences between the mono and stereo Sgt Pepper that are getting the connoisseurs excited: e.g.

"McCartney's yelling voice in the coda section of "Sgt. Pepper (Reprise)" (just before the segue into "A Day in the Life") can plainly be heard in the mono version, but is nearly inaudible in the stereo version...."

"Other variations between the two mixes include louder laughter at the end of the mono mix of "Within You Without You", as well as a gush of laughter between the coda of the title track and the beginning of "With a Little Help From My Friends", and a colder, echoless ending on the mono version of "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!".

 

[editor]

Well yes - and most of the critics had decided that 'Piggies' was crap...but now they've confusing their over-excitement of hearing it more clearly with thinking its a good song.

If they think it's a good song then surely it is a good song to them?

 

[editor]

There's certainly still 'nuff interest in the Beatles - the £170 stereo box set is topping the Amazon UK music charts, with Beatles CDs currently occupying the entire US Amazon album top ten (except for Susan Boyle bizarrely at #6)!

 

[rikwakefield]

I have just finished listening to Abbey Roab, the last in my marathon. I can personally vouch for the excellent job remastering these albums. Seriously, even if you disklike the Beatles, you cannot argue with the workmanship displayed here.

The album most benefitting from the work is Sgt Pepper's, it sounds so timeless and crystal clear. They all sound amazing, but this one, although not my favourite album, is definitely the best quality.

Like the Beatles? You're doing yourself a diservice by not listening to them again.

Edit: I played some of the songs back to back, old to new, and the difference is definitely not a placebo.

 

[editor]

I just watched the documentary about the Beatles first US tour in '64. It's fascinating stuff: the band are ridiculously self assured considering the hysteria around them and it's great seeing them having to set up the gear themselves at the enormo-venues they were playing.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

I just watched the documentary about the Beatles first US tour in '64. It's fascinating stuff: the band are ridiculously self assured considering the hysteria around them and it's great seeing them having to set up the gear themselves at the enormo-venues they were playing.

Yes, caught this last night and enjoyed it a great deal, an interesting insight to a quite crazy period for the fab 4. Noticeable that Ringo was very much the centre of attention off stage, despite Macca's attempts to be funny and Lennon quite reserved in many ways. The footage from their gigs was still quite electrifying.

 

[cybertect]

Like the Beatles? You're doing yourself a diservice by not listening to them again.

Edit: I played some of the songs back to back, old to new, and the difference is definitely not a placebo.

Though as a very good friend of mine said a few days ago when discussing whether we might buy the box sets "I've got nine different copies of the White Album already, do I really need two more?"

I only caught the end of the documentary last night, but the programme following with the guy that filmed it was fascinating in itself.

 

[rikwakefield]

Anybody who claims the Beatles are shit or overrated are trying to be cool IMO. They are unarguably one of the greatest bands ever.

 

[editor]

Love 'em or hate 'em you can't argue with the facts:

The Beatles sold between 600 million and one billion records internationally.

In the United Kingdom they released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one, earning more number one albums than any other group in UK chart history. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, they have sold more albums in the United States than any other artist.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number one in its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and four of their albums appeared in the top ten of the magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. According to that same magazine, The Beatles' innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s, and their influence on pop culture is still evident today.

In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of top-selling Hot 100 artists to celebrate the chart's fiftieth anniversary, with The Beatles at #1. The Beatles were collectively included in Time magazine's list of The Most Important People of the 20th Century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Imagine a world without them....no Oasis...

 

[Sesquipedalian]

John Lennon will be turning in his grave.

 

[Voley]

My Mum got the stereo box set for Xmas. I've only listened to 'Abbey Road' from it so far but that sounds amazing. What used to be Side 2 is particularly good on it, the 'Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End' bit's great - there's loads more going on than my crappy stereo equipment has picked up before.