Hot Pressings

[rockitman]

Well I put that Sinatra record on my eBay search/email notification. Hopefully a NM copy will show up. There is one copy at VG+...that will not work for me

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I can't comment on the original, but the MFSL reissue sounds really fine IMO. I just played it the other day as a matter of fact. My Mom is visiting and when she heard it she asked if I could turn it up a bit! Haha!

 

[garylkoh]

I can't comment on the original, but the MFSL reissue sounds really fine IMO. I just played it the other day as a matter of fact. My Mom is visiting and when she heard it she asked if I could turn it up a bit! Haha!

I use the DVD-A when I want to attract women into my room at CES

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I use the DVD-A when I want to attract women into my room at CES

I use my "charm".....

 

[Bill Hart]

Well I put that Sinatra record on my eBay search/email notification. Hopefully a NM copy will show up. There is one copy at VG+...that will not work for me

Christian: if memory serves, the early pressings have the tricolor label and a photo of Frank as part of the graphic. It really was Frank's world.... Hell, he owned the label before it got sold to Warners. I must have a dozen copies, but I'm not sure all of them are early. If I have an extra early copy, I'll just send you one. Give me a few days to dig through the piles....

 

[jazdoc]

This is the label you want

 

[Ron Resnick]

I like Classic Records' re-issue of Bill Henderson's cover of "Send in the Clowns."

Is anyone else a big fan of that re-issue? If not, what version of that recording do you think is better?

 

[garylkoh]

One of my favorite rock bands is the English group Supertramp. They started out as a progressive rock band, but their first two albums were flops - the self-titled Supertramp and the even more floppy Indelibly Stamped. However, their third album, released in 1974 - Crime of the Century, turned out to be one of the best and most popular progressive rock albums of all time.

After that hit, the band moved to Hollywood (traitors!!) and failed again with the next couple of albums. However, they moved from 'prog' to more commercial rock, and their pop-oriented 1979 album - Breakfast in America - was their most successful album ever - reaching #1 in US and Canada, and #3 in the UK.

With a second hit album under their belt, the band embarked on a 10-month, 120-gig worldwide tour. To ensure exemplary sound, they brought with them $5million worth of gear! 52 tons of it, and they even made it a point to note that they brought their own cable - all 10 miles of it. An audiophile band!! This tour broke all previous concert attendance records of any genre in Europe and Canada.

The 'live' album recorded from this tour is another one of my all-time favourite 'live' rock albums - the simply titled "Paris" - recorded in one night at the Pavilion de Paris. There are 44 different versions listed on Discogs, and it can be confusing to find the best sounding version. The copy I have that IMHO sounds best is the UK gatefold first press AMLM66702. The same lacquer (same matrix number) was also used for one of the US releases (SP-6702) and the Australian release - but these two don't sound as good, and they are on thinner vinyl. The album is still quite easily available, but most are over-played and worn-out already. So, you may have to buy a few to find a quiet pressing.

Get the one with the round blue "Live Double Album" sticker. This one is the UK pressing. The US pressing (not as good) has the white "hype" sticker. The Australian pressing has the round red "Live Double Album" sticker.

I bought the 40th Anniversary box-set of Crime of the Century primarily for the double album of their 1975 Hammersmith concert. IMHO, this one is much, much better!

 

[ddk]

One of my favorite rock bands is the English group Supertramp.

One of my most memorable concerts ever was Supertramp, summer of '83 at Earls Court. The sound was phenomanal and the video was just as wonderful, incredible show! Thinking back now I got to see many of my teen and young adult idols at great venues during the 4 years I lived in the UK, I stopped going to rock concerts in the US, basically because of crappy sound quality, Madison Square Garden anyone?

david

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

RE: Supertramp - Paris

Not all UK copies of AMLM66702 received the hype sticker (Live Double Album AMLM66702). I cannot comment on the U.S. and Australian releases, but my Canadian copy (SP-6702) does not have a sticker. The credits list Bernie Grundman as Mastering Engineer, but the deadwax info does not have this indicated. Instead, it reads TLC (The Laquer Channel, Toronto, ON) and a scribble that I cannot identify. I also cannot comment on the vinyl weight of the various pressings, but my Canadian copy feels substantial for a pressing of that time.

Deadwax info on Canadian copy read: SP-6702A / SP6702B / SP6702C / SP6702D.

The first 2 Supertramp albums were indeed flops from a sales perspective, but they are essential IMO for a dedicated fan of the band. The first is better than the second.

I must disagree with Gary when he says

After that hit, the band moved to Hollywood (traitors!!) and failed again with the next couple of albums.

Crisis? What Crisis?(1975) and Even In The Quietest Moments(1977) were very successful follow-up albums, and as good as Wish You Were Here and Animals was for Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. C??/WC? is my favourite Supertramp album actually. I should mention that Supertramp was much more successful in Canada than the U.S., and were very early supporters of the band.

IMO the band sold out with Breakfast In America when they moved away from their prog roots and became a pop based band with that effort. There is no denying it remains their most successful and popular album, but it was crafted for hit singles and radio play. Much like Pink Floyd - The Wall, their later albums failed really to capture my imagination, although I do own them.

 

[garylkoh]

Thanks for the info on the Canadian pressings, John.

I'll disagree with you for just Crisis? What Crisis? though

My favourite Supertramp album is actually the commercially unsuccessful, and generally panned by the critics "Famous Last Words" - so you can see my bias here! Nevertheless, I loved the bootleg of "Crime and Crisis at the BBC" which was recorded in 1975. Crisis? What Crisis? was composed of many of the leftover songs from Crime of the Century - and many of these were played in raw form during the Hammersmith concert.

 

[garylkoh]

One of my most memorable concerts ever was Supertramp, summer of '83 at Earls Court. The sound was phenomanal and the video was just as wonderful, incredible show! Thinking back now I got to see many of my teen and young adult idols at great venues during the 4 years I lived in the UK, I stopped going to rock concerts in the US, basically because of crappy sound quality, Madison Square Garden anyone?

david

I went to Imperial College, and lived in a bed-sit that was a long walk from Earls Court - went a couple of concerts there, but missed Supertramp. The Hammersmith Odeon was a smaller, better-sounding venue IIRC.

 

[ddk]

I went to Imperial College, and lived in a bed-sit that was a long walk from Earls Court - went a couple of concerts there, but missed Supertramp. The Hammersmith Odeon was a smaller, better-sounding venue IIRC.

I prefer Hammersmith Odeon too, think I saw Clapton there but its too small for mega bands like Supertramp… All this is bringing back good memories, went hunting for my rock lps today which I haven't listened to in at least a couple of decades.

david

 

[garylkoh]

I prefer Hammersmith Odeon too, think I saw Clapton there but its too small for mega bands like Supertramp… All this is bringing back good memories, went hunting for my rock lps today which I haven't listened to in at least a couple of decades.

david

Check out Crime and Crisis at the BBC. When I first heard it, it brought back floods of memories of being at the Hammersmith Odeon. This was a live BBC broadcast of the Supertramp concert, and bootlegged on cassette and tape. The 40th Anniversary Crime of the Century boxset has a double LP of it, but IMHO sounds better but doesn't capture the atmosphere as well.

 

[ddk]

Check out Crime and Crisis at the BBC. When I first heard it, it brought back floods of memories of being at the Hammersmith Odeon. This was a live BBC broadcast of the Supertramp concert, and bootlegged on cassette and tape. The 40th Anniversary Crime of the Century boxset has a double LP of it, but IMHO sounds better but doesn't capture the atmosphere as well.

That's my problem with almost all of the so called audiophile re-issues I purchased, they're too polite! Snooooooozzzzzz….

david

 

[audioblazer]

If you are looking for superb soundstage , try to look out for the best of Latin Malagueña Victor SJV 1234. Japan pressed version

 

[audioblazer]

If u love extreme dynamic & exciting presentation , check out Shin Miyashita - Seki/Message , Victor SGS 21 , Japan pressed

 

[rockitman]

One of my all-time-favourite Live albums was recorded in 1966 in the Copa Room of the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Holding no more than 500 people, it was an intimate venue. Guests sat close ringside - and the sound was exemplary. The Copa hosted many, many of the biggest names in showbiz, including Lena Horne, Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Tallulah Bankhead, Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole.

This particular album features Frank Sinatra, the Count Basie Orchestra and Quincy Jones. It was Sinatra's first live album to be released, and what a corker it is!! Featuring most of Sinatra's most recognizable tunes, the music is fabulous and the sound is fantastic. With Count Basie at the piano, this is an album that has a swing that will get your foot tapping. Quincy Jones as conductor keeps the flow while allowing every performer to feature. Sweets Edison on trumpet has numerous solos that sometimes startle, sometimes caress your ears.

Unfortunately for the music collector, the popularity of this album makes it difficult to find a good copy. There were a huge number of pressings in 1966 when the album was released. Most of these have been played so often that they aren't in good condition. The Mobile Fidelity re-mastered reissue is not IMHO worth the $250 that most sellers are asking for. One of my friends put it best when we did a quick comparison between a 1966 first press and the MoFi. "Listening to the first press is like looking through a dirty window at Frank Sinatra and Count Basie jiving. Listening to the MoFi is like looking through a pristinely clean window, but you are looking at a colorized B&W movie of Frank and the Count performing. NOT the same!!"

The best issues to look for is the original 1966 first press gatefold - these have the white bars on the top and bottom, and there is no WEA logo on the record label. The DVD-A is also a very good buy for those without a turntable. Nevertheless, there is a very good reason to get the LP even if you don't own a turntable - the album won the Grammy for Best Album Notes in 1966. Here's a sample:



View attachment 21415

I just hit pay dirt and won a sealed copy first issue. Can't wait to hear it. Thanks for the heads up on this title Gary...Frank and the count...hard to beat !

 

[rockitman]

This is the label you want

View attachment 21423

I'm still waiting for my sealed 1st issue stereo version to arrive...but I was able to secure a VG+ mono version today on the cheap. It will be interesting to compare the two.

I also listened to the reissue of Dreaming With Dean...really sounds good, but Deano really doesn't inspire me much. Perhaps I need to break out the Martini kit and drink a few before another listen....

 

[ddk]

View attachment 21474

If u love extreme dynamic & exciting presentation , check out Shin Miyashita - Seki/Message , Victor SGS 21 , Japan pressed

I love the Koto, will look for this title next time in Japan.

david