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Abbey Road 50th

Started by biggytitbo, August 11, 2019, 12:05:24 AM

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Replies From View

Quote from: shh on September 27, 2019, 12:50:30 AM
It's on the usual nautical based site.

I'm not really expert enough to comment on mixing stuff, but it's nice to hear the inter song banter, some member of the public complaining about noise.... Also, her majesty doesn't really work in the middle (as it were).

Wait, what?  In this new version has Her Majesty been permanently reinstated in the middle of the medley?  That's far worse meddling than properly remixing would have been.

SteveDave

Quote from: Replies From View on September 27, 2019, 08:41:04 AM
Wait, what?  In this new version has Her Majesty been permanently reinstated in the middle of the medley?  That's far worse meddling than properly remixing would have been.

An early mix of the long medley with "Her Majesty" inbetween "Mean Mr Mustard" and "Polythene Pam" is one of the out-takes. I'm listening to it now.

So far the highlight has been George shouting "KICK OUT THE JAMS!" followed by Ringo "BROTHERS AND SISTERS!"

NJ Uncut

Quote from: Replies From View on September 27, 2019, 08:41:04 AM
Wait, what?  In this new version has Her Majesty been permanently reinstated in the middle of the medley?  That's far worse meddling than properly remixing would have been.

Naw one of the extras is The Long One which is I think the original medley

I'm going to fire up Deezloader when I get in. Before the purchase arrives obviously

SteveDave

Is anyone else going to the "Hornsey Road" thing by Mark Lewisohn tomorrow in this London?

Rich Uncle Skeleton

Hoping to catch it next weekend if there are still tickets. Let us know how it is!

Finally getting through (the extended) Tune In after countless stops and starts, and it's so bloody good. Find myself grinning when I realise how much I'm enjoying reading it all before they've become The Beatles let alone set off to Hamburg and even properly get going!

NJ Uncut

Gave it a listen and wow!

Not in an audiopaedophile mood (i'm getting leathered and heading to (spam)) but the 3CD Super Deluxe set in . FLAC is boss. Even if I immediately notice panning stupidity....

Replies From View

Quote from: SteveDave on September 27, 2019, 09:32:52 AM
An early mix of the long medley with "Her Majesty" inbetween "Mean Mr Mustard" and "Polythene Pam" is one of the out-takes. I'm listening to it now.

It's very interesting.  Very choppy edits between many of the tracks at this stage, which I think shows that if Her Majesty had been left in the sequence it would have had more added to it to make it blend better.

NJ Uncut

The "takes 1-3" of Her Maj is brilliant, as 1) lacks the stupid right to left panning, and 2) I like hearing the final chord ring out even if the cut does work on the album proper (even if it's a teensy bit reminiscient of the genius sudden cut of She's So Heavy and probably a bit less predictable, but I've obviously thought waaaaaaay too much about it)

a duncandisorderly

Quote from: SteveDave on September 27, 2019, 04:49:03 PM
Is anyone else going to the "Hornsey Road" thing by Mark Lewisohn tomorrow in this London?

I gather it's a decent show, but my loyalties are with brian kehew, a thoroughly decent chap & a lot more modest about his beatles knowledge. I don't like lewisohn's slightly proprietorial air, or his gushing... his knowledge of events is second hand but generally more reliable than (say) geoff emerick's was.... I find his tone diminishes this somewhat.

for the critical appraisal, mcdonald's 'revolution in the head' is hard to beat, if a little unkind in places, while for the techie stuff, kehew & ryan's mighty tome & lecture series draws on dozens of recollections from people who were there at the time, diluting the worst of emerick's coloured memories with more measured recollections.

this is brian & kevin's book, the size & shape of a multitrack tape box. I bought one early- they've got a bit expensive now.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/book-review-recording-beatles

Replies From View

There's a run-through of The End on the Get Back sessions which is worth checking out.

NJ Uncut

Quote from: a duncandisorderly on September 27, 2019, 09:07:56 PM


for the critical appraisal, mcdonald's 'revolution in the head' is hard to beat,

I love Revolution in the Head. The mistakes are minor (iirc they're mainly because MacDonald had to make assumptions), the format is fantastic, and I LOVE the essays in the volume I have where he basically breaks down why music has gotten worse since the Beatles (in essence, shitting on three instrument bands rather than four and dance music etc.)

The back of the 1990s version I have is hilarious - the blurb seeks to qualify the Beatles (of all fucking bands!) to the then-modern scene; saying they influenced bands such as "Oasis, Blur, and Kula Shaker"

Non Stop Dancer

I enjoy that book as well but do find myself reading some of his song reviews and thinking "do you actually fucking like this band?!"

studpuppet

Quote from: a duncandisorderly on September 27, 2019, 09:07:56 PM
this is brian & kevin's book, the size & shape of a multitrack tape box. I bought one early- they've got a bit expensive now.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/book-review-recording-beatles

It's my favourite Beatles book (The Beatles' London is a close second). Brian & Kevin have also done a lecture at Abbey Road for the last couple of years - hopefully it'll be an annual thing.

Rich Uncle Skeleton

Quote from: a duncandisorderly on September 27, 2019, 09:07:56 PM
this is brian & kevin's book, the size & shape of a multitrack tape box. I bought one early- they've got a bit expensive now.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/book-review-recording-beatles

God damn I'm still hanging on for that one to get back in print it looks incredible!

Quote from: Non Stop Dancer on September 28, 2019, 12:24:57 PM
I enjoy that book as well but do find myself reading some of his song reviews and thinking "do you actually fucking like this band?!"

Haha yeah he didn't hold back when he really disliked a song. Brilliant book though, so easy to go back to and just flick through at random.


NJ Uncut

Quote from: Non Stop Dancer on September 28, 2019, 12:24:57 PM
I enjoy that book as well but do find myself reading some of his song reviews and thinking "do you actually fucking like this band?!"

Yeah. Across the Universe is throwaway shite, is it? Cor.

It is a bit of a shame when he spurns writing a load about a song because of his personal judgement of its quality (or when he does write a load it's invective opinion).

Lewisohn's Chronicle is my fav book for detail!

NJ Uncut

Aww, blasted this for my old man earlier today, he loved it, tapping his foot

I've borrowed his original vinyl Abbey Road a couple times (literally... The second was to make a rip) and it was brilliant and had the vinyl warmth. Not compared em side by side but this isn't a let down.

But this release made him smile and transported him. Which is what it's for really.

Blasting it out of some proper speakers in a big room also diminishes the annoying-on-headphones hard panning.

Meanwhile, on the Steve Hoffman forums for auld bastards, people are saying things like the drums on She's So Heavy are ruined and the song is unlistenable. OK, I know I can be picky, but you're kidding yourself with opinions like that (plus, yknow, the original exists, in many forms)

That version of Something with George just on acoustic is absolutely gorgeous.

a duncandisorderly

Quote from: NJ Uncut on September 28, 2019, 06:40:24 PM
Blasting it out of some proper speakers in a big room also diminishes the annoying-on-headphones hard panning.


what I tend to do when stuff is mixed like that is, rather than collapse it to mono, I'll put one speaker on top of the other, at a small angle. that way you still get the spaciousness of the stereo, but without the absurd separation of the instruments. of course, this relies on a suitably accommodating listening scenario; my main speakers are fuck-off big tannoys, so this is impractical, but I have a smaller set too. & the mrs is tolerant of big loudspeakers- my F-in-L was a professional bassist.

Replies From View

I've reached the conclusion that Maxwell's Silver Hammer is a dreadful song that should have been left off Abbey Road.  I loved it as a kid, but it breaks the album just as it's about to take flight.

Replies From View

Quote from: NJ Uncut on September 28, 2019, 12:20:03 PM
I love Revolution in the Head. The mistakes are minor (iirc they're mainly because MacDonald had to make assumptions), the format is fantastic, and I LOVE the essays in the volume I have where he basically breaks down why music has gotten worse since the Beatles (in essence, shitting on three instrument bands rather than four and dance music etc.)

The back of the 1990s version I have is hilarious - the blurb seeks to qualify the Beatles (of all fucking bands!) to the then-modern scene; saying they influenced bands such as "Oasis, Blur, and Kula Shaker"

I have two versions of Revolution in the Head, and agree with most of MacDonald's conclusions too (his view of Across The Universe is well off, mind you.  But I think it's only really the Anthology version of that song that captures its beauty).  It's great to have both the pre- and post- Anthology publications of the book, as they are written from such different perspectives on their work.

DrGreggles

Quote from: Replies From View on September 29, 2019, 11:08:30 AM
I've reached the conclusion that Maxwell's Silver Hammer is a dreadful song that should have been left off Abbey Road.  I loved it as a kid, but it breaks the album just as it's about to take flight.

I'm very much with Lennon when it comes MSH.

NJ Uncut

 
QuoteMaxwell's Silver Hammer was my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue, as it so often does, as I was beginning to find out at that time in my life. I wanted something symbolic of that, so to me it was some fictitious character called Maxwell with a silver hammer. I don't know why it was silver, it just sounded better than Maxwell's hammer. It was needed for scanning. We still use that expression even now when something unexpected happens.

Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

---

Like fuck you do / did, Paul


grassbath

Quote from: Replies From View on September 29, 2019, 11:08:30 AM
I've reached the conclusion that Maxwell's Silver Hammer is a dreadful song that should have been left off Abbey Road.  I loved it as a kid, but it breaks the album just as it's about to take flight.

Yeah, have to say I agree. I find the song enjoyable enough, but its role in the sequencing is disastrous. You're primed for this brilliant opening salvo - John with 'Come Together,' George with 'Something,' both on top form - and then....

'Come and Get It' would have been perfect. I'm fond of Paul's demo but would still love to hear a filled out Beatles version with strings, harmonies and all. What did he think was so great about Maxwell anyway?

daf

#82
Quote from: grassbath on September 29, 2019, 02:18:18 PM
What did he think was so great about Maxwell anyway?

The funny thing is that according to that new tape, turns out even Paul didn't like it all that much - which is the reason John says 'well why not give those kinds of [shit] songs to Mary Hopkin then?'.

It is very ploddy*, but the quacking moog solo around a minute in gives it a bit of period-specific uniqueness - and I particularly like what's going on with it towards the end of the song.

Would probably work better as an animated segment in the yellow submarine film - it's just a bit of fun.

- - - - - -
* I always imagine the "Sil-ver Ham-mer" crowd backing vox are being sung by a line of PC Plods all knee-bending in rhythm.

SteveDave

The lecture thing was great. Mark Lewisohn dressed like a pissed dad at the evening do of a psychedelic wedding was a bit weird though.

There were a few times when the whole audience gasped (I can't do the spoiler thing on my phone though so I'll add them tomorrow if people are interested) but occasionally the video segments verged on look at what I can do in PowerPoint.

I tried to record it on my dictaphone but accidentally set it to Interview rather than Lecture so I'm not sure how it'll sound. Maxwell's Silver Hammer eh readers?

I was sat next to Gem from Heavy Stereo and Beady Eye which was a personal highlight.

DrGreggles

Quote from: SteveDave on September 29, 2019, 04:49:52 PM
I was sat next to Gem from Heavy Stereo and Beady Eye which was a personal highlight.

...for him.


SteveDave

Quote from: DrGreggles on September 29, 2019, 04:54:55 PM
...for him.

I kept myself to myself and didn't bother him questions like "How did you write "Sleep Freak"?" and "What's Andy Bell really like?"

I love Maxwell, I hard it hard to say why.

So far the highlight of the outtakes is the stripped down run-through of 'Bathroom Window'. Such a groovy dynamic between drums and bass, I've never heard Ringo play such a hard funk part like that.

NJ Uncut

Quote from: LynnBenfield69 on September 29, 2019, 05:22:00 PM
I love Maxwell's Silver Hammer

I like it when post + username coalesce so wonderfully!!

QuoteSo far the highlight of the outtakes is the stripped down run-through of 'Bathroom Window'. Such a groovy dynamic between drums and bass, I've never heard Ringo play such a hard funk part like that.

Is a pearl that. Don't mind the Valiumed one from the White Album sessies, but this one is a lot more fun, and yeah, Ringo is fuckin magnifique!!

Extras on this, phew.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: daf on September 29, 2019, 02:55:56 PM
the quacking moog solo around a minute in gives it a bit of period-specific uniqueness

That's the only good bit, it's very Wendy Carlos. I listened to MSH for the first time in ages yesterday and it really does encapsulate the very worst aspects of McCartney's songwriting: glib, smug, annoying, facile. Even Ringo didn't like it, and he never has a bad word to say about anything Beatles-related.

I agree that a fully Fabbed-up version of Come and Get It would've been infinitely preferable in that slot. What was Paul thinking? Madness.