Complete Works of the 13th Floor Elevators

What we've all been waiting for - Just hope that they don't pull an "EMI" when they remaster it:

James

 

Awesome - oh, please use a decent mastering engineer!!!

Jeff

 

I feel certain the actual master tapes for their key albums have not been found. This has been going around for some time now. I could be wrong (and hope I am) - but I really doubt it.

And if they're being sent to Charly? Expect crude use of no-noise or noise reduction (like on their 13th Floor digipak CD releases), EQ'ing, and compression. Its why the Collectibles CDs are still the most honest digital releases compared to the vinyl.

Sorry... I'm not hopeful!

 

I read that posted article very carefully. It is making NO claim to master tapes. In fact it is very vague about what the source material is and these type of vague announcements and promises have been put forward for any number of years now. And issuing this on Charly. Gimme a break.

 

One of the guys from the Texas Pych google group supposedly has the master tapes of Easter Everywhere

 

....................Yeah and this has also been one of the same unsubstantiated claims which has been put forth. I used to visit that site almost 5 years ago now and the same claim was being made then.

 

Anyone know about the IA "live" album? I saw a copy at my nearby record shop. They have a turntable with headphones and I gave it a listen for a bit. Really awful sound. Studio with canned audience and super tinny, sounded like to me. I passed on it.

Dale

 

It says quite plainly in the article that the engineer was unhappy with the mixes and is looking forward to remixing. To me, that says they have the original multi-track tapes!

But I agree about finding the right mastering guy, and I think we know who that SHould be.

No matter who does it, though, this is an essential item. Man, it's going to be an expensive year for re-releases!!!!

 

I'd be happy to hear even a 'marginally' improved sounding Elevators release if they would only get rid of that &*%$# jug!

 

My gosh! You're kidding, right?

The jug totally MAKES the sound of those recordings. I love how psychedelic it is and the technique used is completely unique. I would be shocked if they somehow mixed it out, and rather angry as well .

 

An apologia for my original post, as in my excitement I somehow managed to get myself mixed up in regards as to Charly and Collectables. Sorry if I got anybody's hopes up too high.



Sounds like this may be a combination of Walt Andrus's safety copies (some of which showed up on the Collectables Box awhile back), along with the T-Psych EE multitracks, and the dupes that Lelan Rogers sold to Charly back in the 70's.

Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed just in case, but I sure wish that this was being done by either Steve or the guys at Sundazed.

James

 

You guys know the first lp is on the Sundazed release sched for May, right?

Here's hoping they have, if not the masters, at least some good quality dupes of the masters and they don't screw them up too badly.

 

Apparently Lysgeria site posted in DEc07 that Charly has found the masters it had and lost all these years.

 

I'll try to be optimistic, but every release of theirs I've heard is pretty much, um, not the best. I have some vinyl reissue of the "Psychedelic Sounds...." and some bargain-priced CD box set, but unfortunately, its only the tunes (and not the aural presence) that has yet blown my mind....

And oh yeah, the jug rocks.

 

You're too kind - so far, The 13th Floor Elevators have had basically crummy sounding reissues - the mastertapes have been MIA since IA folded up their tent, and no reissues have been made from 1st generation tape sources (most sound like needle drops or dubs of dubs of a tape source at best). As for multitracks, it's possible that those are out there waiting to be used - like you, I'll try and be optimistic, but I won't hold my breath.

 

http://www.lysergia.com/LamaWorkshop/lamaEternalNow.htm

 

Here's the info from the March 2008 posting: "Also coming around the bend is an INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS BOX-SET from Charly/Snapper, including lots of old IA tracks never before on CD, plus a detailed (accurate) label discography, and a background story from the Lama. In case anyone missed it, here's the big news once more: the master tapes for the 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS albums have been found, and most inexplicably they had been sitting unused in the Charly Records vaults all this time, while the label licensed crappy-sounding vinyl-sourced tapes to whoever happened to ask. Watch for the first 'Vator tape trips in many decades later this year."

An earlier posting in October 2007 had this info: "*** Breaking News *** 13th Floor Elevators masters found! *** Breaking News ***
The master tapes for all three studio albums by the 13th Floor Elevators have been located, along with a bunch of other I A reels. The Elevators material is either in the form of mixdown master reels, or safety dubs from mixdowns. Reportedly this was all sitting in Charly's vault while they were churning out vinyl-sourced, crap-sounding reissues. Weird, huh? In any event, the 30-year Quest is over. Not to say that this means they will be released next month, or even next year... but the master recordings are in existence, and people can stop asking."

 

bump

 

If the information from the Lysergia site is correct, then we'll hope that Sundazed gets access to a tape source for Psychedelic Sounds (hopefully in mono) - the lp reissues Sundazed has been putting out seem to favor mono.

 

Well, I'm looking forward to it as well. A remix wouldn't be out of the question though as the band were unhappy with the sound of the original vinyl anyway.

The new book on the Elevators is a great read too.

 

The stereo mix for Psychedelic Sounds is pretty weak, and You're Gonna Miss Me has never been mixed to true stereo (it's always been rechanneled on stereo issues). I had the early Charly cds of the first 2 albums and they were awful sounding.

Could you fill in some details on the book?

 

Wow - this all sounds too good to be true, but if it isn't, I will be one happy guy! As far as other IA artists go, I'm still surprised at how good the Collectables 2CD set Epitaph To A Legend sounds. Were the Elevators the only IA artists with missing master tapes?

 

Does anyone have any updates on the box set?

 

I am a long time fan of the Elevators and these news sound exciting. I just hope they will not mess up too much whatever sources they have.

Did you guys happen to catch "You 're Gonna Miss Me", an interesting documentary about the current state of Erickson? It played on the Sundance channel a couple of weeks ago.

It will play again on August 25, so, if you missed it, there is your chance.

You 'Re Gonna Miss Me

 

I watched it a few weeks ago. An excellent and unsettling portrait of the man.