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Just heard the news that Warren has succumbed to lung cancer.

I almost titled this thread "RIP Warren Zevon," but then realized how absurd that would be. He once wrote a song called "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," but I still can't imagine he'd let something like death slow him down. Whereever he may be now, I'm sure he's as ornery as ever.

Ryan

A sad loss in the music world today. We all should take a moment in silence

Fuck. *I'm* 56.

Ron wrote:Fuck. *I'm* 56.

Fuck. *I'm* 48. And every time I read a local or national obit of someone younger, I ask myself, 'Why am I still here?,' since I can safely say I've done nothing special to deserve living this long over others.

Ya just never know....


ED

Now answer me truthfully, Ed. Do you really think that the SACD of the Seeds s/t will ever see the light of day?

Ron wrote:Now answer me truthfully, Ed. Do you really think that the SACD of the Seeds s/t will ever see the light of day?

Hey, I'm the thread hijacker here...oops, wrong board!

Truthfully? Yes, but only if tapes worth a damn can be located. What's strange here is that, while "Pushin' Too Hard" is mono on Rhino's NUGGETS box, I'd swear it was lifted from vinyl and NR'd, if only because it lacks the overall dynamics of the GNP 45 from '66....which is the reference point. If it gets done, some serious searching will have to go down. I found it instructive that no one has mentioned any progress on it since, nor did anyone say whether or not any of the important(read: flat mono for what will not be stereo)tapes had been found. When you don't get that info right off, it usually means that, at the time of the announcement, they ain't got 'em....even if they might know where they are.

Bill Inglot--among others--has had the same problem. His company goes and licenses something, pays their moneys, all that....too bad they didn't bother to tell Bill first, since he then has to find the best sources he can...and they weren't always good. For instance, on one of the SOUL HITS comps, the Presidents' "5-10-15-20" has surface noise to spare, and it's not the only one....it happened to him on NUGGETS, I believe, and very likely also on the BEG, SCREAM AND SHOUT box.

One thing Steve Hoffman will NOT do is work from vinyl.....and he won't use a rechanneled tape, either. The man has a reputation for doing his very best, and there's no reason to expect less. Which puts Mr. Blonstein in a tough situation, since he got the deal done.

Truth is, neither Steve nor Marshall has said anything about it, unless the latter mentioned it on his site and I missed it(entirely possible--I left that one months ago, after my perfectly logical suggestion for the Music Machine was dismissed out of hand).

So, Ron: Your guess is as good as mine. Hope it does go down, that was a good garage band....


ED

BTW, Ed, you missed my post on that Music Machine thread [lost in the shuffle during the delicate give and take 'tween you and Michael]. My point then [as now] is yes, the MM makes as much sense as the Seeds--maybe even more so. As regards the Seeds, I don't feel like checking now, but I believe Sckott chimed in on the "Seeds to SACD" thread to the effect "Don't worry. Steve knows exactly where the tapes are." Well, *that* was many moons ago and not a word since. My personal belief is that Marshall [and Steve?] got caught up in the thrill of the moment and said "Hey, let's do it" and posted to that effect--only later to consider the business sense of that release *plus* the problem of finding the mono masters. But that's all speculation on my part.

Ron wrote:BTW, Ed, you missed my post on that Music Machine thread [lost in the shuffle during the delicate give and take 'tween you and Michael].

Yes, Michael....I won't go there. I need my blood pressure steadied of late, I've had a rough month, won't get into the why's....and yes, I did miss your post, now that I've read this. Sorry.

My point then [as now] is yes, the MM makes as much sense as the Seeds--maybe even more so. As regards the Seeds, I don't feel like checking now, but I believe Sckott chimed in on the "Seeds to SACD" thread to the effect "Don't worry. Steve knows exactly where the tapes are."

Scott wouldn't know; like most everyone there, he has faith in Steve(as do I), which is well placed. What Scott didn't consider is that Marshall made the deal before they had the tapes in their possession. The Donovan SACD, on the other hand, where tapes were obviously available, is already in the pre-order pipeline...

Well, *that* was many moons ago and not a word since. My personal belief is that Marshall [and Steve?] got caught up in the thrill of the moment and said "Hey, let's do it" and posted to that effect--only later to consider the business sense of that release *plus* the problem of finding the mono masters. But that's all speculation on my part.

My bet is on Marshall....remember, it's his company, he gets suggestions from Steve, Forum members, others, checks into things...to be fair, he did his best on the Uriah Heep thing, but that would appear to be a hopeless situation at the moment....as for the business aspect, note that some of those titles Marshall has put out so far are not going to be big sellers anywhere, they get limited distribution, and are known almost exclusively to audiophiles only...

If Steve can snag those tapes, everything will be fine; but if he can't, Marshall is screwed, and he knows it. Remember, these guys have a long history together, and both understand each other. Marshall took the risk here, not Steve.

I hope it pays off; any fan would!


ED

Ed Bishop wrote:One thing Steve Hoffman will NOT do is work from vinyl.....and he won't use a rechanneled tape, either. The man has a reputation for doing his very best, and there's no reason to expect less. Which puts Mr. Blonstein in a tough situation, since he got the deal done.

Keep in mind there is a difference between what Steve claims he would "never" do and what he actually would do. One is good PR, one is the truth.

Don't get me wrong - the results still (usually) speak for themselves, but sometimes his talk is just that - talk.

lukpac wrote:

Ed Bishop wrote:One thing Steve Hoffman will NOT do is work from vinyl.....and he won't use a rechanneled tape, either. The man has a reputation for doing his very best, and there's no reason to expect less. Which puts Mr. Blonstein in a tough situation, since he got the deal done.

Keep in mind there is a difference between what Steve claims he would "never" do and what he actually would do. One is good PR, one is the truth.

Don't get me wrong - the results still (usually) speak for themselves, but sometimes his talk is just that - talk.

Good evening, Luke. Long time no talk...hope you and Amy are well...


If Steve has screwed up many things, I'd be hard pressed to remember them....and I'll take his words on the Seeds. He won't 'fold' a fake stereo tape into mono just to have the SACD work...he knows well we'll catch that, it's been tried before...hell, in a Salvation Army bin a few months ago, I found a 'mono' UK comp on CBS of '69/'70 material, I think....had cuts that were issued in stereo only in mono(obviously folded), and cuts that had mono masters that were folded from stereo even though with a little work, it would have been simple enough to pull the original mono tapes.

This is a wait and see situation....not a word, yet, not a good sign...or maybe it is: knowing we expect the worst, we get a pleasant surprise. But with at least two key chart 45's that have to be mono, they're all that would hold up such a comp, and nothing else. The stereo stuff is obviously there...even if I'd rather have the less tinny and harsh mono mixes, but mono-phobia is rampant, as I have noted....

ED

Re: Steve's work, The Sparkletones' "Black Slacks" MCA-1553 LP was duped from vinyl. To his credit, Steve admitted so when the aural evidence suggested master tapes.

Re: the Seeds, I'm confident that Steve won't do it w/o the proper tapes. A lot of people will be disappointed should those tapes not turn up, though. I'd love to see that project happen, however.

Ron wrote:Re: Steve's work, The Sparkletones' "Black Slacks" MCA-1553 LP was duped from vinyl. To his credit, Steve admitted so when the aural evidence suggested master tapes.

That he did. And remember, on the DCC FRESH CREAM, he admits there are certain tape anomalies inherent to the master that he did not remove, feeling it would compromise the integrity of the final product. And even noted "I'm So Glad" was mono, though of course that's common knowledge and very obvious(and interesting: even on the Atco stereo Lp, it's flat mono, not rechanneled, as you would expect)....

Re: the Seeds, I'm confident that Steve won't do it w/o the proper tapes. A lot of people will be disappointed should those tapes not turn up, though. I'd love to see that project happen, however.

Agreed; it will be a killer if it happens. As I said, Marshall set up all this, but you don't have to be Einstein to know with their long history, their agreements as gentlemen are etched in stone: if they tapes aren't up to snuff, Marshall has to take the loss. Not to put the cart before the horse, but sometimes, making the deal before you have the goods in your pocket can leave you empty-handed.

Hopefully, this is all speculation and the tapes have, or will be, found.

ED

Ed Bishop wrote:If Steve has screwed up many things, I'd be hard pressed to remember them

I didn't say he necessarily screwed them up, but he *has* done things that he claims he'd 'never' do.

BTW, the note was on Wheels Of Fire, not Fresh Cream.

lukpac wrote:BTW, the note was on Wheels Of Fire, not Fresh Cream.

I stand corrected....those Cream tapes tend to blend together in the synapses....none are perfect.


ED