Robert Johnson questions

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Chris M, Sep 11, 2002.

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  1. Chris M

    Chris M Senior Member In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Is the single disc Sony/Legacy King of the Delta Blues CD reissue the best sounding Johnson disc? Is it from a tape source, metal parts or 78's? Last, there was an article in Guitar World (I think) a few years ago about the discovery of Robert Johnson silent footage. I recall reading that Page and Plant traveled to view the footage. Was it ever verified that the footage was indeed Johnson?

    Chris
     
  2. Cousin It

    Cousin It Senior Member

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    The story I read eons ago re:his recordings is that Columbia planned to release a complete RJ set back in '75 but when they went looking for masters,they were gone,but they were there back in the 60s and it was assumed that since his deification by Clapton and friends in the late 60s that this stuff was stolen sometime in the late 60s/early70s.
    The film I have not seen but read that it isn't RJ and that it dates from about 1941.There is supposed a poster or something behind the musician which gave the game away.
     
  3. TommyTunes

    TommyTunes Senior Member

    All Robert Johnson reissues are from a combined source of 78 transfers and metal parts. Tape did not exist at that time. As Cousin It has said the film that was rumoured to exist proved false the only know photo of Johnson is the one used by CBS.
     
  4. lschwart

    lschwart Senior Member

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    I'd love to hear peoples' opinions of the various Johnson collections out there. I have the original issue of the 2cd set on Columbia, also a copy of "King of the Delta Blues" on vinyl from the early '80's. I much prefer the vibe of the vinyl, although I can't say the sound is particularly clear. I never really liked the sound of the cds, but I've heard that they've been redone in more recent versions of the set.
    I'd like to know about other available disks of this material.

    lschwart
     
  5. TommyTunes

    TommyTunes Senior Member

    I have the 2CD set and the Mastersound Gold edition. The Gold version sounds very good but I think that the current CD may even surpass that one.
     
  6. Matt

    Matt New Member

    Location:
    Illinois
    Collectors who own good copies of Robert Johnson's music 78's will swear by those over the CD's. The CD's aren't bad, especially the remastered jewel-case sized reissue of the Complete Recordings, but you'd be amazed how good the 78's sound, assuming you know someone who owns them.
     
  7. CM Wolff

    CM Wolff Senior Member

    Location:
    Motown
    One version that I would be interested in hearing about is the 2000 issue of "Genius of the Blues" on the Definitive label, which I recall getting some raves in the blues press at the time. It does collect all 29 of Johnson's masters onto one disc, which eliminates the problem that some have with Columbia's Complete set putting the alternates back-to-back with the masters, diluting the album as a listening experience.

    Personally, I have the original Columbia box and have listened to the subsequent downsized version. It didn't seem to be enough of a difference for me reinvest, but I know others who feel it was a huge improvement and swear by it. Hopefully some others will post here in support of this to give me an excuse to reconsider. I was also waiting to see if Columbia was going to reissue the Complete box with the addition of that newly discovered version of Traveling Riverside Blues.

    Right now, honestly, I guess am satisfied with the original Johnson box, and have instead spent more time, effort, and money in collecting Charley Patton, where there seems to be greater differences in the different labels' approaches to the transfers and noise reduction, as well as Patton having recorded a greater amount of material. I am still enjoying the heck out of last year's Revenant mega-box.
     
  8. John DeAngelis

    John DeAngelis Senior Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I have a 1960s pressing of the "King of the Delta Blues" lp, made from metal masters and 78s, which sounded okay to me, although I had none of the original 78s to compare it to. However, when I purchased the CD box set, I nearly died. Gone were any pops, clicks, etc. Also gone was any high frequencies or life in the music. It sounded like Johnson was recorded in a closet and you, the listener, now had cotton in your ears. As noted in a previous post, the metal masters used for the lp were missing, so they used tape transfers that were made back in the 1970s. I also nearly died when people started reviewing this box set and claimed that the sound was really good! For my money, it's possibly the worst CD set I've ever heard--the only other CDs that get my blood boiling this badly are those godawful Sinatra Capitol "Entertainer of the Century" discs!
    Also, as noted in a previous post, the best CD sound can be found on the single disc Johnson reissue. I have to go back and compare this disc to my original "King of the Delta Blues" album.
     
  9. Ragu

    Ragu Forum Resident

    Location:
    LA
    FWIW-I recently A-B'd the latest SONY cd version of King Of the Delta Blues with the alt of Traveling Riverside blues with the SONY Mastersound Gold disc to decide which one to dump and I ended up keeping the lasted cd version and dumping the gold disc. It sounded better, my nine year old thought so, too.
     
  10. Evan L

    Evan L Beatologist

    Location:
    Vermont
    By all means, go out and buy the current stock copy of "King". It blows all others away. "Cross Road Blues" is so clear and clean, you'll swear Robert is right there in the room with you. It is correct, that this album is a combination of metal parts and mint 78's. You can hear some 78 surface noise in a few of the cuts. However, the sound quality is so good, that this should not be a problem for your musical enjoyment.
     
  11. Chris M

    Chris M Senior Member In Memoriam Thread Starter

    So the version of Traveling Riverside Blues is really an alternate take? Is it exclusive to the King reissue?

    Chris
     
  12. Evan L

    Evan L Beatologist

    Location:
    Vermont
  13. Chris M

    Chris M Senior Member In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Thanks. Amazine that they are still finding stuff after all these years.

    Chris
     
  14. Shoes4Industry

    Shoes4Industry Senior Member

    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    I have an lp of "King" that I bought new in the mid-90s. It sounds OK, but does anyone know what it would have been sourced from? It was cheap enough so that if it was made from the older CD, it won't be a huge deal.
     
  15. Guy from Ohio

    Guy from Ohio Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    Johnson & Patton

    I've got the box set, the gold cd, and the recent "King of the Delta Blues Singers" reissue.

    The reissue really is vastly better than the others. But I like the version of Terraplane Blues on the gold better, the reissue is too rough.
    The gold is better than the box, the box is complete, so there's no reason to dump any of these yet.


    I did trade in the Yazoo Pattons once I got "The Definitive Charlie Patton" 3 cd box by catfish. Is there a better version than this?
     
  16. CM Wolff

    CM Wolff Senior Member

    Location:
    Motown
    I prefer the 7 CD Screaming and Hollering box set that came out last year on Revenant to the Catfish set. However, the difference between them in sound isn't as much as say the Catfish over the Yazoo's. In the end, the Revenant set is about so much more than the sound (and they did use some different sources than Catfish or Yazoo); the scholarship, books, transriptions, and reproductions that are part of the Revenant package make it the most lovingly compiled box I've ever seen (and also the reason why it will set you back $150.00). Heck, the money was worth it for the lyric transcriptions alone, which increased my appreciation of Patton ten-fold. If you are at all into Patton, you owe it to yourself to at least look into the Revenant set.
     
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