I know that for some reason comments on the blog seem to have pretty much dried up since I reinstated it in December, but I'd love to hear from anyone who's downloaded Trees 'Tom Of Bedlam', and who also has either the original live album from 1989 or the bootleg 'demos' album, just to hear how they think they compare, and if my hours at the laptop were worthwhile. It would also be nice to hear from new visitors to the blog, who download thirty or so old albums in one go, but never let me know what they think of them. I'm always open to suggestions of albums that you'd like to hear, as 'Neu 4' would never have appeared were it not for a comment from martinf, and although the '...and on guitar' and 60's girls series have now ended, if you can think of anyone else that I can add to them then let me know. So thanks to everyone who has commented on the posts, as any feedback is always welcome.
pj
Hello, I enjoy your site, you've had some amazing compilations! But, I'm on a newer Mac and soulseek doesn't have a working version for it. Still like to see what you come up with though. Thank you for many great albums.
ReplyDeleteGary
I'm always happy to send direct links if you leave your email address here.
DeleteI added a comment under the trees post.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right, I also downloaded several of your proposals from soulseek. I have to congratulate you for the excellent choices. I continue to follow you Great job
ReplyDeleteHow about an album of early Huang Chung Tracks (later named Wang Chung)there seems to be enough to make a full album?
ReplyDeleteI suspect that the drying up is due mainly to the switch to soulseek. It is certainly not due to any decline in quality on your part.
ReplyDeleteAs for the demise of "and on guitar..." you could continue with some of the artists you've already featured, or have miscellaneous artists on the same disc.
I eagerly await every new ntry. It's a wonderful variety. I even go on soulseek now. Thanks for doing this great job
ReplyDeleteYour “Tom of Bedlam” is certainly a less jarring listen than the “Demos” bootleg on which the songs, as you pointed out, have truncated intros and endings. The source material isn’t that high quality to begin with. I found some equalization - boosting the treble end by 7 to10 dB, depending on the track and knocking back the mid-range a little - helped with the bootleg, but it’s tricky to improve – the tracks sounds as if they originated on off-air cassette recordings with a fair amount of tape hiss. All in all a great job given what you had to work with.
ReplyDeleteThe consensus now seems to be that these tracks were originally BBC radio studio sessions, to which applause was added for the original bootleg “Trees Live”, which was then removed (badly) for the “Demos” bootleg. The tracks apparently were broadcast on various BBC Radio 1 “Sounds of the Seventies” shows from 1971-2 hosted by Bob Harris and Pete Drummond and now long lost. If indeed the tracks are off-air recordings of “Sounds of the Seventies” it would explain the compression as I ‘m pretty sure those early evening weekday programmes were AM broadcasts only.
A few radio sessions and demos included on the “Fore & After” bonus double album packaged in last year’s tremendous Trees box, but frustratingly only one of the tunes on the bootlegs appears there – “Forest Fire” – presumably again for reasons of quality.
I read somewhere that the recordings were made by the BBC, but what a waste to dub applause on them when they would have sounded perfectly OK as studio tracks, and could have been marketed as genuine new studio recordings by the band.
ReplyDeleteSorry I haven't commented previously. Truly appreciate all of the hard work.
ReplyDeleteThe Mighty Lemon Drops, The Go Betweens and squeeze. Lots of amazing b sides.
ReplyDeleteI've done an early Go-Betweens one, but the others are good suggestions. Squeeze were prolific enough to be able to treat their fans with exclusive b-sides.
DeleteMy apologies regarding the go betweens, i should have looked closer. Can i suggest madness and embrace, lots of b sides.
ReplyDeleteI thought I checked out Madness when I did my Specials post, and found that most of their b-sides were from their albums. I'll have another look in case that was just the early stuff. I know that's definitely the case with The Selector, as that would have been a good one if there were just a few more exclusive tracks.
DeleteAlthough I have sometimes some trouble with FINDING you on soulseek, I have no problem with downloading. That said, I have to admit, I do not visit the site as often as I should, but when I do, I sort out everything you have new since my last visit. Thx a bunch!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been downloading very much lately, but thank you for all your time and hard work!
ReplyDeleteAny chance of a northern soul non album compilation. The Verve always released great b sides.
ReplyDeleteI'm on it, and it's looking good.
DeleteI'm a fairly frequent visitor and have grabbed a few of your posts - I generally leave the odd comment but will add today that your blog is great and the Aphrodite's & Shamen posts were paticually fine.
ReplyDeleteKeep on posting - it's appreciated.