The Who: Fillmore East 1968 board tape

[JWB]

What is the best source for this show?

I had a cassette a long time ago and I thought the sound was poor. On a whim the other day, I downloaded a CD bootleg on the SUNRISE label.

It's clearly taken from an excellent quality "Leeds"-style stereo tape, but it has unfortunately been remastered, or should I say...ABSOLUTLEY SLAUGHTERED.

There is an enormous amount of upper bass and upper midrange, so it sounds bloated and extremely shrill and it has been massively compressed. It is so loud and distorted, you would never believe that it hasn't been brickwalled. Either this bootleg was mastered by Jon Astley himself, or whoever mastered it is a complete mental retard who wants to BE Jon Astley.

Anyway, is there a better source for this show that is taken from an equally excellent source, but hasn't been butchered?

[lukpac]

The best one I've heard is Shakin' All Over. Seems to be fairly unprocessed. That said, based on what I've heard, 1) every version out there is based on the same basic source (possibly SAO), and 2) that source is acetate. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's noise that sounds suspiciously like record noise (along with what seems to be inner groove distortion), and the fades on a few songs. Sounds basically like what Wolfgang has, only without the lossless compression.

I think most of the shrillness and compression is probably from the source, although I have heard some terribly NR'd versions.

[Xenu]

The conventional wisdom for years was that Shakin' All Over is best, but I've not heard much in the way of comparisons.

GREAT show, though.

[prof. stoned]

It is actually not a boardtape but from a 4-track recording.
I believe it was recorded w/ the eye on a future live release, but rejected because of the -obviously- poor engineering job.
The first portion (everything up to relax) is from April 5, the rest from 6.
The sunrise boot does have some vinyl pops, so it is probably from the acetate as well.

[lukpac]

It is actually not a boardtape but from a 4-track recording.
I believe it was recorded w/ the eye on a future live release, but rejected because of the -obviously- poor engineering job.
The first portion (everything up to relax) is from April 5, the rest from 6.
The sunrise boot does have some vinyl pops, so it is probably from the acetate as well.

I believe Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere does indicate it was a 4-track recording. You have to wonder what *that* sounds like. A big problem seems to be the drums - often all you can hear are the snare and cymbals. Lots of lost fills...

Wolfgang's claims it is from 4/6, but I wouldn't call them the last word in accuracy.

[JWB]

It is actually not a boardtape but from a 4-track recording.
I believe it was recorded w/ the eye on a future live release, but rejected because of the -obviously- poor engineering job.
The first portion (everything up to relax) is from April 5, the rest from 6.
The sunrise boot does have some vinyl pops, so it is probably from the acetate as well.

Can you upload "Shakin' All Over" somewhere for me?

[prof. stoned]

Looked in my archive, and couldn't find it. Only the shitty sunrise one.
Luke, maybe ?
I need a good rip too...

[lukpac]

I don't feel like doing the whole thing at the moment, but here's Little Billy:

Little Billy

I just noticed the version on Wolfgang's is significantly faster. It sounds like that might be the correct speed, however.

[JWB]

Here's what it sounds like after my EQ job:

http://rapidshare.com/files/110205590/Little_Billy_JWB.mp3.html

[JWB]

"Shakin' All Over" was finally just uploaded to Dime.

[lukpac]

FWIW, The Who apparently *do* have the 4-track masters for both nights...