Jimi Hendrix-Smash Hits remaster

Anyone going to buy the Hendrix-Smash Hits remaster? It comes out tomorrow. I've seen it advertised as low as $6.88 at Best Buy, $6.99 @ Circuit City. Might make a nice CD for the car or something.

I just wonder how it sounds...............

 

One wonders why the UK tracks such as "The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice," & US bonus tracks such as "Highway Chile" and "51st Anniversary" weren't combined to make this an 18 track collection? Kind of seems redundant considering this is the third single disc Hendrix best-of.

Brian

 

I can't remember if this was discussed in a previous thread (probably should've checked), but after playing the Reprise/Axis Bold As Love (6281-2/DIDX 1717 Made In USA, probably late 80s or early 90s CD pressing), this is a really nice sounding disc! Not too quiet for an earlier CD, but with that "flat-transfer" feel to it. Kinda surprised me how good it sounded (I'd forgotten).

Surely, they wouldn't put that lousy Stone Free on the "new" Smash Hits CD...would they?! Too funny!

 

Pat,
Does the booklet mention anything about "No-Noise" being used? Most of the Reprise versons mention this in the booklet.

Was there a Reprise pressing without "No-Noise"? Anybody?

 

Yes, the very 1st of "AYE", but you don't wanna hear it Sounds Baaad!

 

Baaad in what way???

 

Grant,

Unless I'm not seeing it somewhere...there is NO mention of NO-NOISE anywhere, and I'd say it wasn't used (very confident of this!).

CD remastered by LEE HERSCHBERG
CDD Pre-Mastering by The Record Group

Hope this helps. It's a "keeper"!


...play on drummer!

 

Grant,

My Electric Ladyland CD "clearly" says No-Noise (insert "frownie" icon!). Digital re-mastering by Joe Gaswirt, etc using Sonic Solutions..blah,blah.

My Are You Experienced does NOT mention No-Noise!
CDD Pre-Mastering by WCI Record Group

AYE has a very strange STEREO mix, but that was "the" mix as I recall. I'll have to give it a listen again to listen for sonics (ie does it sound realistic/true to original lp).

...maybe tomorrow, I just can't say!

 

Joe did the Reprise CD?? I know he did the 1993 MCA CD.

 

Yes, Luke, this is the "Reprise" CD, W2 6307 (Made In USA). Once again, probably late 80s to early 90s era presssing. Columbia House Club pressing to be exact (in this case). Seems early for No-Noise, but there you have it!

 

Yes, I have a Reprise EL done by Joe Gastwirt as well.

 

I bought Are You Experience, Axis, and Electric Ladyland at the same time in around 1990. It was sparked by an article in Rolling Stone magazine saying that the discs had been remastered by Joe Gastwirt and that they sounded amazing compared to the first issues. Warner used the same booklets and back cover from the earlier editions, making it hard to tell if one was buying the re-mastered version, except for EL which was now one disc.

In tiny font at the bottom of the first inside page of my AYE booklet it says, "Digital re-mastering by Joe Gastwirt, assisted by Dave Mitson using the Sonic Solutions NoNise System, under the supervision of Are You Experienced? Litd. Warner/Reprise 6261-2.
The same note is at the bottom left of page 4 in the Axis booklet,
Warner/Reprise 6282-2. The information is on page 3 of the Electric Ladyland booklet. Warner/Reprise W2-6307.

Interesting that Warner kept the same catalogue numbers for the remastered versions. Elektra and Reprise did the same thing with Joni Mitchell's remastered catalogue. With Blue you need a magnifying glass to find the very small HDCD logo on the back cover.

Mike Richards

 

I gave up on EH a long time ago. Hard to believe they have had the cataloge for *7* years and we still don't have (to name but a few), Berkley '70, Randall's Island '70 , any of the 4 Winterland shows they have, Royal Albert Hall, San Diego '69. LA Forum '69, Stockholm '69, Atlanta '70, Paris '67, Miami Pop '68 IOW '70, etc. That's just the professionally recorded stuff they *own*. I'm not even mentioning the stuff they haven't got yet. They ignored Jimi's handwritten list for the First Rays LP and mastered it WAY too loud. 3 compilations in as many years, it just makes me sick. Of yeah, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles don't get a cent from EH either

Chris

 

Hmmm... So does this Reprise Axis CD sound better than the EH CD? How about all the Reprise ones vs EH?

Any chances in the future of ever getting better CD versions - uncompressed, proper levels, not no-noised, etc etc?

 

I'm not sure about Axis, but I believe Steve said that the first Reprise AYE CD was a flat transfer from the master tapes.
I would look for the AYE CD that mentions nothing about "Sonic Solutions" in the booklet.

 

To my knowledge the first European (made in Germany) Polydor CD's for AYE and Electric Ladyland which came out before the US Reprise versions did not use any noise processing. Also the Ladyland CD used the original UK cover. It been 15+ years since I've heard them so I really can vouch on the sound quality, I need to give them a spin again.

 

Grant,

I remember a really old post where Steve mentioned that the original Reprise AYE CD used the correct tapes but some bad EQ.

 

Strange...they had no problem tacking bonus tracks onto AYE (a move which some fans viewed as an unwelcome alteration of a classic album), but a best-of which was hastily assembled by Warner Bros. back in 1968 is, apparently, deemed too "sacred" to be messed with.

 

Maybe so, Guy. I also find it interesting, that the second album Axis: Bold As Love isn't represented at all on Smash Hits (no Little Wing?).

Brian

 

Has anyone actually heard this one yet? I just bought it, but do not have the time to listen intently to it right now. As far as 'Axis' goes, this CD represents the exact way the CD was when released in '69. Not really sure why 'Axis' was not represented here, especially Little Wing, or If 6 Was 9. Does anyone have any clue to this?

 

The original Reprise issue of Smash Hits did have both STPWLSD and 51st as bonus cuts. If the new issue is a "budget" priced CD it probably has more to do with Royalty issues. IMO, I think the Hendrix family is doing a great job in both in getting a wealth of material out and in the overall sound quality. The 8LP / 4 CD set of last year got a great many unreleased tracks out and at a reasonable price.

 

What I want to know is: when is the Out-Of-Print Jimi Hendrix "Concerts" going to be re-released???

 

miike,

"The same note is at the bottom left of page 4 in the Axis booklet,
Warner/Reprise 6282-2. The information is on page 3 of the Electric Ladyland booklet. Warner/Reprise W2-6307."...end of quote!


Is this the correct # for your AXIS CD? Mine is 6281-2.

On page 4 of my issue (Axis) is the previously mentioned: CD Remastered by Lee Herschberg/ CDD Pre-Mastered by The Record Group in Large White Print, centered on left of the page.

So far, until I hear better, this is the defintive version to get!

I listened to (my Reprise) AYE, and would agree with Steve's comment: Flat transfer with an improper EQ. I wasn't knocked out.

Electric Ladyland (my copy) is exactly as Mike described above (single disc)and sounds like a "light handed" No-Noise job, but could be improved upon certainly.

I also have Experience Hendrix/Are You Experienced, and though I'll have to listen again, was FAR FROM IMPRESSED with this version. Sound quality was diminished (bad source tapes? mayhaps).


The Reprise "Axis BAL" that I mentioned, has all the little studio blemishes which give it the character I look for. The brushes on the drums sound "real", the hot amp sounds, the lip smack before Hendrix sings...it's ALL there.

Just one man's opinion, though!



...and I guess this is why I'm SO concerned. (jh)