UK Decca Post-1967: Any TRUE mono mixes ?

I think I've done an interesting discovery for collectors of 60's mono records on the UK Decca label.

I've been collecting a few artists whose work came out on Decca in the 60's, especially the Stones & John Mayall.
The mono releases of these artists are undisputed dedicated mixes up to early 1967, as you might expect.
But from the fall of '67 and on, the label ONLY used folddowns for their mono catalogue, even if a dedicated mix existed.

A little overview from what I've checked out so far:

Rolling Stones:

-Between the buttons: Feb 1967
This is a dedicated mono mix all the way. Yesterday's paper has an extra chorus at the end. And the balances are not the same overall

-Their Satanic.. (fold): December 1967
But by now, Decca gives us a folddown, while a dedicated mono mix was done and used by London in the US.
Yet, Decca DID use the mono mixes for their single release She's a rainbow/200 lightyears.
They apparantly had a different policy on 45rpm's.

-Beggars banquet (fold, except SFTD) Nov 1968
See: here.
This would be the only time I know off where an exception is made for one song, because it loses an important element when folded to mono.

-Through the past darkly: Sept 1969
Yet again, it is a straight fold of the stereo master, while mono mixes exist for MOST of the songs. Listen to You better move on, which is fake stereo on the SKL and hear the phases issues.

-Let it Bleed: Dec 1969
The last Stones Decca album to get a mono release.
This too is a fold, although some people seem to think not.

John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers:

-A Hard Road: Feb 1967
Dedicated mono.
Certain elements hearable in the stereo that are absent from the mono mix.

-Crusade: Sept 1967.
This is where it gets tricky, I'm NOT sure whether this a fold or a dedicated mono mix.
But I tend to think it's a fold, because I could hear no balance differences in any track when comparing it with the London CD played with the mono button on.
So for my money it's a fold.

-The Blues Alone: Nov 1967.
Although this was recorded before 'Crusade', this one is definitely a folddown.
Note that it appeared on Ace of Clubs, a mid-price daughter label of Decca, but it was cut at Decca's mastering studio.

I'm skipping a few JM mono titles now, because I haven't heard them (these include 'Bare Wires' and 'Laurel Canyon').
The 'Diary of a band' mono's HAVE to be fold's because these were only recorded on 2-track.
The last JM title to appear in mono was a compilation, like "Through the past darkly":

-Looking Back: mid 1969.
Same story, it is a straight fold of the stereo master while mono mixes exist for MOST of the songs.
(N.B. The stereo version uses a remix of different (at the time unreleased) take of It hurts me too, rather than the original 45 rpm version. The mono has the same alt. take.)

Now, unlike what you might expect, most of these folddowns actually sound GOOD.
Actually so good, that some of these titles at first listen fooled me into thinking they were dedicated.
But upon closer inspection (comparison with SKL's folded) they weren't.
They were touched up with some EQ to make them sparkle a bit more and take some of the boomy low end off.
In a few cases, a track got an individual EQ treatment (they are one or two on Looking Back).

So if I'm not wrong, Decca UK actually made a policy somewhere mid 1967 to stop using dedicated mono mixes for LP's.
The reasoning behind this is easy to see: lower studio cost.
The company must have noticed a steady decline of mono sales but at the same time did not wish to abandon the market.

What I'd like to find out is: when exactly did they stop doing dedicated mono's. ?
And -of course- are there any exceptions ?
Are there any dedicated mono mixes on a Decca UK 33rpm that were released after September 1967 ?
I do not mean reissues of earlier released titles, but albums that got their first release.

If you decide to respond to my last question or my proposition, please try to refrain from "this certain decca mono record is not a folddown because it sounds great."
I'd like to see (or even better, hear) some clear evidence that there are differences between the stereo and mono mixes.

Thank you.

 

I could have sworn that the mono "Through The Past Darkly" uses dedicated mixes. Certainly "She's A Rainbow" and "2,000 Light Years" are the real deal. Maybe "You Better Move On" is an exception but I was pretty sure the rest are dedicated. Check out the fade of "Let's Spend The Night Together" for instance. By the way, the SACD Singles Collection uses plenty of fold-downs unfortunately.

 

I beg to differ 'bout those two TSMR tracks.
The mono mixes as on the US London are very different, especially 2000LYFH.
The SACD box has the dedicated 45 mix of Street fighting man, while TTPD certainly doesn't (it's the same as on BB).
I'm not sure if there ever was a dedicated mono mix of Jumping jack flash.
Apart from that one and 'No expectations', I can't think of any other possible folds on the SACD box....

 

What about the Ten Years After albums? I know Stonedhenge has a dedicated mono mix.

 

"Ruby Tuesday" comes to mind.

Every stereo version of "Ruby Tuesday" on the various SACDs that the song appears on, use an under-dub version of Mick's vocals on the chorus. Same under-dub version of Mick's vocals appears in mono on the SACD's "Singles" box set. Definitely a fold-down, IMO.

 

Listen to the solo during "2,000 Light Years" - the stereo (and fold-down) versions have a drop in the volume. The mono mix stays at the same level throughout, and that is the mix on my UK Darkly LP. By the way, that's how I discovered my Satanic UK mono LP wasn't a dedicated mix. Also, the "Rainbow"/"2,000" single wasn't released in the UK, so it is odd that they obviously had the true mono mixes but issued "Satanic" as a fold-down.

Since the official mono LP mix of "Street Fighting Man" is a fold-down (it wasn't a single in the UK), it's not surprising they used that for the LP.

"We Love You" is the mono mix with the effects coming in at different times.

The SACD certainly features a fold-down of "Heart Of Stone". They managed to "fix" a late tambourine hit that was isolated in the right channel only right after Mick sings "Don't keep on looking that same old way". The mono mix features different reverb, and has the "late" tambourine as well.

Off the top of my head, I can't recall other details but I remember being fairly certain there were more.

 

Lukpak?

Peter?

Do you guys (or other Stones experts) know for sure about this one?

 

Based on the US single, this seems like a fold-down. It is an excellent one. No mix differences I can notice.

 

I was under the impression both "Child Of The Moon" and JJF were given dedicated mono mixes in early/mid '68.

Certainly JJF. How else to explain the marracas, in the middle of the song (during the transition from bridge to chorus), not going completely out of whack/high in the mix in mono?

 

Savoy Brown? Shakedown should have a true mono then. Getting To The Point as well? (released march 1968)

They're on Deram - but whats your source(s) that Stonedhenge has a dedicated mono mix? It was recorded pretty late in 1968. (Their first album would be a true mono though, I assume).

 

(bump)...

 

Ever since writing this, it was discovered that there is a UK pressing of Their Satanic Majesties Request which has the true mono mix. See this thread.