Who's/Two's Missing

[lukpac]

Hey Steve, think you could give us some insight in how you got involved with this project? Was it your idea? MCA's? Pete's? What hoops did you have to go through? Also, a few specific questions on the titles:

- why did you use the mono mix of I'm A Boy instead of the stereo mix? Also, why does that mono mix sound so terrible? The stereo is a lot clearer...

- do you know anything about those stereo Shel Talmy tracks? Where they came from? Did you get any other tapes from those sessions that you didn't use? Also, how much better/different could a remix of those tracks sound (ie, for the upcomming remix)?

- why didn't you include all of the Ready Steady Who EP? You've got a few of the songs there, but not all of them.

- were there plans for a third set? What would have (probably) gone on it?

- any idea why the mastering on the Two's Missing CD is so thin, even if you didn't do it? The mastering on the LP is nice and fat.

I've been listening to Who's Missing a lot recently. Previously I thought it was just a nice collection of things, but I've found that I really enjoy just listening to it as an album, as well.

[czeskleba]

Originally posted by lukpac
- why didn't you include all of the Ready Steady Who EP? You've got a few of the songs there, but not all of them.


I can take a guess on this one. At the time of their release, none of the tracks on "Who's Missing" or "Two's Missing" had ever appeared on an American LP before. It seems unlikely that's a coincidence, so I assume it was done by design. For these albums, "rarity" apparently was defined as "previously unreleased" OR "unavailable on US LP". Under those criteria, Disguises and Bucket T at least would have been ineligible for inclusion.

And I guess that would mean Batman, I've Been Away, In the City, and Baby Don't You Do it (live) would have certainly been likely contenders for volume three.

[Steve Hoffman]

Well, very quickly then. It was my idea, having unearthed some Who things that were never released in the USA, I thought it would be fun to let American Who fans get a listen. MCA said ok, but they also said that The Who would never approve it, so I cabled Pete T. in London via his manager, and he said ok too. Very easy, actually!

"I'm A Boy", mono mix. I have no idea why the mono mix was used. If there was a stereo mix, what was it on back then? Anything that was released in America? Nothing that I had access to.

The stereo Who tracks came from I.B.C., mixed to stereo back when they were recorded. Never used in USA, so I used them. All there was.

How better will the remixes be? Not a clue, since I've never heard a multi-track Who tape. We'll see! Hopefully they will sound great, with no crappy digital reverb, no-noising, finalizing or other weird digital *****.

I didn't know what "Ready, Steady Who" was back then. I just knew what MCA had in the way of Who tapes. If I had to rely on Polydor and Pete Townshend for any but a few of the tapes, the project would never have happened, or it would have been taken out of my hands. It had to be a "local" thing.

Why is the mastering on the CD version of "Two's Missing" so thin? Well, whoever mastered it from my original tape, didn't like the "breath of life" way I did it and wanted it to have that Rhino-like thinness, so they just shaved off the analog warmth and mastered it that way. A shame, really.

[lukpac]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
"I'm A Boy", mono mix. I have no idea why the mono mix was used. If there was a stereo mix, what was it on back then? Anything that was released in America? Nothing that I had access to.
I'm not certain, but it's possible that I'm A Boy wasn't issued in stereo in the US till Who's Better Who's Best in 1988. That might be the only instance, in fact. I'm not sure.

How better will the remixes be? Not a clue, since I've never heard a multi-track Who tape. We'll see! Hopefully they will sound great, with no crappy digital reverb, no-noising, finalizing or other weird digital *****.
Well, Talmy is doing the mixing himself, with Jon Astley nowhere around for mastering. Talmy has said flat out that he won't be using noise reduction, as there's no hiss on the tapes! I kind of doubt he'd use digital equipment - he plans to mix to 30 IPS analog.

I didn't know what "Ready, Steady Who" was back then. I just knew what MCA had in the way of Who tapes. If I had to rely on Polydor and Pete Townshend for any but a few of the tapes, the project would never have happened, or it would have been taken out of my hands. It had to be a "local" thing.
Disguises, Circles, Batman, Bucket T, and Barbara Ann. Of those tracks, only Disguises and Batman have been issued in stereo.

Why is the mastering on the CD version of "Two's Missing" so thin? Well, whoever mastered it from my original tape, didn't like the way I did it and wanted it to have that Rhino-like thinness, so they just shaved off the analog warmth and mastered it that way. A shame, really.

That sucks. I just need to get a good dub of the vinyl one of these years.

So, were there plans for a third album before you left MCA? How did those live (SF 1971) tracks come about? That version of Bargain is great. A shame they edited it down for the box set.

[Steve Hoffman]

Originally posted by lukpac




So, were there plans for a third album before you left MCA? How did those live (SF 1971) tracks come about? That version of Bargain is great. A shame they edited it down for the box set.

Believe it or not, I have forgotten where I found that live 1971 concert. Sorry.

There was a volume III in the works, but no one seemed interested in it at the company but me. Oh well...