0037: Desperately-Needed Remastered Catalogues We're Still Waiting On
Submitted by lbangs on Tue, 04/24/2001 - 01:09
Tags:
- 1. The Beatles (Technology has improved since these discs were burned in the late 80s, you know. Let Steve Hoffman at DCC have a whack at 'em, I say!)
- 2. Neil Young (the recent missing 5 prove that the others could sound much better...)
- 3. Bruce Springsteen
- 4. The Talking Heads (with recent box set, I suspect these are on their way...)
- Cataologues Remastered Since This List Began
- 1. Early Rolling Stones - Boy, they did a great job on this one.
- 2. Much of Bob Dylan - These sound even better than most of the Stones and are the current gold standard for audio quality of remasters, IMNHO
Author Comments:
I'll add as I remember.
Hybrid SACDs are the wave of the future!
These are some shocking omissions from the ranks of the remastered, and ones that I still can't understand. With all the hand-wringing from the record industry that sales will be cannibalized by Napster and its ilk, that they are shooting themselves in the feet with albums that have little chance of lasting catalog sales, etc., you think they would be falling all over themselves to put out these artists and increase their bottom lines. However, is it the companies who are dragging on this, or is it possible that the artists themselves are involved? All the artists you listed wield a lot of power; if they want something done (or nor done), it should happen...
Johnny Waco
From what I understand, the above are a mixed bag. Dylan is often cited as the main reason why Dylan albums have not been remastered (or, I should say, released, since I believe the remastering has been completed for quite some time) yet, and I know Neil Young has also personally been dragging his feet. Springsteen, however, seems to be a label problem, as does The Beatles and Van Morrison (they've released remasters for all but the earliest and best Morrison discs, oddly enough).
I could be wrong, but that's my understanding on the above. As usual, the companies have been dropping major hints that the Dylan and Springsteen discs might see the light of day this year. We'll see...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Was "The Doors" (debut) album ever remastered? I see all their other ones are, but i can't seem to find a remastered copy. I know that you can get all the remastered discs in the boxed set, but, other than that, is it possible???
Yes, the debut is available remastered in a standard edition; however, if you ever find the DCC gold disc version of this album, grab it. Superior sound; Revealing, really...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Well, cool. It appears I can soon delete the Stones from this list. A new batch of 22 hybrid-SACDs of the early Stones material should arrive in August!
1 down, 5 to go...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I recently upgraded to CD some of my early Queen albums. Dissapointingly NOT remastered. Any idea if they are available somewhere>
I have the wonderful DCC gold disc version of A Night at the Opera, and this album has found several good releases recently on various media (DVD-A, DTS), although the DCC remains my favorite.
Sadly, there are no great editions of the early albums. I hear that the discs were indeed remastered - back in 1991! I also hear, oddly enough, that with the possible exception of Jazz, the older discs sound better than the newer ones, which have entirely too much noise reduction sucking out the true treble.
Does that help any?
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I have recently discovered that the early Morrison discs were secretly remastered some time between now and 1991. The new discs (at least Astral Weeks, which I recently picked up) sound terrific, and thus Sir Morrison is now off the list.
I'm not sure if I should count Talking Heads, since they did just receive nice remasters, but currently they are only available in a very pricy box set as DVD-As, I believe...
I suspect the Springsteen's are on the way...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
My Astral Weeks CD was purchased well after 1991 and states at the bottom of the back - "WARNING: The music on this Compact Disc was originally recorded on analog equipment, prior to modern noise reduction techniques. This Compact Disc preserves, as closely as possible, the sound of the original recording, but its high resolution also reveals limitations in the master tape, including noise and other distortions." I see no mention of remastering in the insert, but I do see the note "CDD Pre-Mastering by WCI Record Group."
I don't think I have the remaster, but it's possible. What does your CD say that indicates a remaster?
I hear the way to tell is to flip the disc over, to strain your eyes, and to read the numbers running along the inside of the rim. The remaster supposedly reads 1 1768-2 RE-1 04. It is the RE-1 that I hear signifies the remaster. This is what my disc reads.
It could certainly be improved on, but it is worlds away from the old disc I used to listen to, which had absolutely zippo treble and sounded muffled beyond belief. If your disc has any notes that register anywhere near the high end, you probably have the remaster.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Yeah, mine ends in RE-1 02. If this is the remaster, I'd hate to hear the old CD. I think it's okay but sounds nowhere near as good as my copies of Saint Dominic's Preview or Tupelo Honey.
That's it. You really don't wanna hear the old one, although the currently could be so much better.
Luckily, I have this title on vinyl, and it sounds divine. Yes, the CD should be so much better...
The entire paragraph above goes for Moondance as well.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Did you like the remaster of Born to Run?
Sadly enough, I haven't heard it yet. I've only heard the tracks from The Essential Bruce Springsteen, which I understand uses the same remastering. They sound good.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Ah, I recommend it. Could be just me (I've seen no other review mention it), but the remastered Jungleland is outstanding.
Kraftwerk is, like Pink floyd associated with perfection in audio. At least in 70-ies and 80-ies.
Now if you look at the history of their output, then surprisingly these sound-perfectionists
released their albums for the first time
on cd just as they could've remastered them.
No the fans had to buy the muffled versions first.
Then the remastered ones and that's not enough because now new remaster-standards (sacd/HD/DVDHD)
confuse the consumer again. You also need
special machines to play them.
Kraftwerk by the way is not released remasterd at
all. And the remasters on the market are works that go with a lot of doubtfull information.
So Kraftwerk-fans are waiting in vain despite of many 'hot' rumours that the remasters will come out.Indeed I think the recordbuisiness shoots in its own foot. It deserves the illegal downloads.
I take this remark back when this industry does
a better and swifter job with their catalogue.
And what are those record-bosses waiting for?
Now the fans still live and will buy this stuff.
The "Britney Sp.-generation" does not know the older artists so who's gonna buy it then?
By the way this last developement is solely due
to the politics of the record-buisiness. By endorsing the Teen-pop market so much they will
ultimately kill the recordindustry in the long
run. For people will one day get bored with this
and I think with music in general. Its not hot
to talk about your favourite artist anymore.
I believe you, although I've mostly heard the unit's stuff on vinyl. I need to check out the CDs, and then I'll decide whether to slap them above or not. They are certainly excellent candidates - thanks!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs