Stones Catalog to be issued on SACD

[aceman400]

Interesting but no news on who will do the remasters
http://www.billboard.com/billboard/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=15027 52

[Paul L.]

I just read at the Hi-Rez forum that Universal announced today they will be releasing 22 Rolling Stones titles on SACD/CD hybrids in late August.

I don't know if it's true, but it's not April 1st.

[Paul L.]

Hey Aceman,
Looks like you got the news posted seconds before me :)
Well since Billboard says it too, it must be true.

[Beagle]

Remastered by Jon Astley!

[Matt]

Hmmm...I got a bad feeling that these are the US configurations.

I'm still hopeful they'll sound good. After all, the recent Sam Cooke CD they did was all right, so they've probably found better mastering engineers to work with.

[Paul L.]

I'm betting they have been redone well. Because:

1) It doesn't cost any more to master them properly.

2) And it'd be pointless to promote them on a superior format with inferior mastering.

3) Word of the sound quality will get around at the speed of light on the internet.

[lukpac]

Originally posted by Paul L.
I'm betting they have been redone well. Because:

1) It doesn't cost any more to master them properly.

2) And it'd be pointless to promote them on a superior format with inferior mastering.

3) Word of the sound quality will get around at the speed of light on the internet.

As far as number 1 goes, remember, things like this don't come down to cost. If they did, MCA would have remastered the Mamas & The Papas all these times. Capitol would have used Steve's Judy Garland master. Etc...

I've heard Jon Astley has done the mastering. I sure hope I'm wrong, but...

I'm really wondering what type of tape research was done, if any. Will we get the same fake stereo mixes of Mother's Little Helper and Have You Seen Your Mother on SACD? Or did they actually use the original mono and stereo mixes? 19th Nervous Breakdown WAS mixed to stereo, and quite well, you know...

[aceman400]

I don't have extremely high hopes yet.
Jon Astley has been hit and miss.
SACD is still in its infancy and it seems like an opportunity for the Stones to re-sell there catalog yet again. Will this be reissued again in 4 years with improved SACD technology. I don't want to be too down on it, but I'll believe it when I hear it

[lukpac]

Originally posted by aceman400
Jon Astley has been hit and miss.

What were his "hits"?!

[Todd Fredericks]

Knowing how the early Stones catalog was handled in the past, do you think ABKCO will just use the same digital masters (just grab some scratched CD's from a dusty shelf) and bump them up to DSD via the headphone out of a Fisher Price CD walkieman using a y-connector?? I hope not...


Todd

P.S. Maybe "the" Allen Klein will supervise the transfers. I hear he has a "golden" ear (or was it wallet?)...

[Paul L.]

I think we're likely to get better mastering, but not ideal mastering.

And I'm certain on this: There will be a lot of disagreement from everyone as to which masterings sound best :), depending on your category--

LP camp. (Broken down into US, UK, Japan subgroups.)
London CD camp.
Maybe a couple USA CD fans.
SACD fans.

[aceman400]

Lucpac,
I didn't mind Pete Townshend Coolwalking... and he had something to do with the Jerry Mcguire SDTK. His ABBA and who work is definitely subpar.
Aaron

[Grant]

Originally posted by lukpac




I've heard Jon Astley has done the mastering. I sure hope I'm wrong, but...

I'm really wondering what type of tape research was done, if any. Will we get the same fake stereo mixes of Mother's Little Helper and Have You Seen Your Mother on SACD? Or did they actually use the original mono and stereo mixes? 19th Nervous Breakdown WAS mixed to stereo, and quite well, you know...
I'm wondering about that too.

What worries me is how the article ststes that the 3-CD Singles collection will be reissued. I wonder if they will fix it.

If Astley is doing the honors, hoo-boy...:rolleyes:

[Todd Fredericks]

Is adding no-noise and other crap common with SACD releases??

Todd

[Grant]

Originally posted by Paul L.
I think we're likely to get better mastering, but not ideal mastering.

And I'm certain on this: There will be a lot of disagreement from everyone as to which masterings sound best :), depending on your category--

LP camp. (Broken down into US, UK, Japan subgroups.)
London CD camp.
Maybe a couple USA CD fans.
SACD fans. So, in other words, nothing's gonna change...

[Paul L.]

I am not aware of any no-noise processing on SACD. Not that I have heard every one, of course.

One of the wonderful things on Sony's symphony releases recorded in the 1960s is to hear all the hiss. If the hiss sounds right, the music sounds right.

[lukpac]

Originally posted by aceman400
I didn't mind Pete Townshend Coolwalking... and he had something to do with the Jerry Mcguire SDTK.

Don't know about Jerry Mcguire, but keep in mind he didn't do much of anything with Coolwalking - Andy Macpherson did the remixes (where there were remixes), and (I believe) Tim Young did the mastering. Astley simply "supervised".

I believe Jon's first Who-related mastering job was Odds & Sods. He also mastered the Daltrey solo CDs, but I'm not sure when those were issued.

[Todd Fredericks]

I'm just getting nervous that our old friends no-noise and other popular treats will be used with these Stones SACD's. I hope not.

[Sckott]

Eeek. SACD?? Woah. Well, if it all goes down in good time, the Stone's Catalogue might revive the poor SACD unit sales!

Beware of the Klien! Let's hope the right masters were used. I wonder if they're going to use the Stereo mixes, mono mixes...bonus tracks...?

[Todd Fredericks]

How can we find out who did the mastering work?? Luke, you're a good detective, any ideas??

Todd

[Paul L.]

Since The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have traditionally been in competition, this might spur SACD releases from The Beatles;)

[JohnG]

Hope these rumored Stones SACD's are at least hybrids so everyone can enjoy them (or not).

News like this definetly gives SACD a kick in the pants if true.

JohnG:)

[d. brasco]

Originally posted by lukpac


What were his "hits"?!
Jon Astley did a wonderful job on the UK remaster of "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton." Much better than the original CD or the 2001 U.S. remaster. Other than that, I can't say.

Don

[lukpac]

Originally posted by d. brasco
Jon Astley did a wonderful job on the UK remaster of "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton." Much better than the original CD or the 2001 U.S. remaster. Other than that, I can't say.

I will give you that, EXCEPT the first few tracks. While most of the CD sounds pretty good, the first few have some really poor EQ on them. It's like the mastering is totally different for those first few.

[Gary]

Originally posted by Paul L.
I'm betting they have been redone well. Because:

1) It doesn't cost any more to master them properly.

2) And it'd be pointless to promote them on a superior format with inferior mastering.

3) Word of the sound quality will get around at the speed of light on the internet.

Originally posted by Paul L.
Since The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have traditionally been in competition, this might spur SACD releases from The Beatles

Paul L, I love your optimism! It's great! Fantastic!

And I sure hope you are right! :)

But "proper remastering" is different to all people. I'd think that they'd think that they would have to take those old tapes, clean them up and goose them up for today's market. So a no-noised, EQ'd transfer would be superior mastering in their eyes. Certainly not their ears.

And they'd get their best, most experienced, deafest mastering engineer at Abbey Road to do the Beatles catalogue.

Don't you think a "digitally remastered" is a great selling tool for these SACDs?

But again, I really hope I am wrong and you are right! :)