Beatles forums > Remasters

The remasters are horrible

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Hello Goodbye:

--- Quote from: peterbell1 on October 02, 2009, 03:44:31 PM ---I think that EMI are expecting us to pay a lot of money for what is a relatively small improvement (compared to what COULD and SHOULD have been done).

--- End quote ---

I'm curious, peterbell1.  What do you feel "COULD and SHOULD have been done?"

peterbell1:
Hi Hello Goodbye,
Basically, I think the catalogue COULD and SHOULD have been remixed - along the lines of the Yellow Submarine Songtrack.

I know there are people who think the 1960s mixes are sacred because they were overseen by the band themselves and this is how they wanted their music to be heard. Fair enough, but the mixes were made for the technology back then - vinyl records, tinny record players, etc etc - so if someone wants the authentic experience let them buy the albums on vinyl. I still listen to my original vinyl LPs and 45s and I love it. Mint condition copies of 1st issue records are obviously expensive, but you can buy excellent quality re-issues at a fraction of the price, and all with the original mixes.
I read about people praising the quality of the artwork on the remastered mono CDs because it's exactly like the original vinyl releases. If people are that bothered then why not buy the real thing - the original LP sleeves look fantastic at the size they were meant to be seen at!!

Technology has moved on since the 1960s, so listening to the original mixes on CD, with modern equipment, shows up how basic those mixes were - especially on the albums from the early and mid-60s.

The YS Songtrack proved how great the Beatles can sound on CD - what a fantastic way of winning over new and younger fans, of making the best music in the world sound fresh and exciting for a new generation of Beatles fans.
Each album could have been remixed and released with the original mixes as bonus tracks on the same CD - give the fans some value for money for once, instead of expecting them to pay more for Beatles product purely because it IS the Beatles, as we've been doing for years.

This - in my opinion - was an opportunity to bring the Beatles into the 21st century and I see it as an opportunity missed. I've been really surprised at how few people I have seen on forums such as this who feel the same.

Hello Goodbye:
Hi peterbell1,

Thank you for your thoughtful response.  First, let me say that I have kept my original vinyl collection in excellent condition over the years.  This includes the US Capitol releases and the British Parlophone albums.  I've always preferred the warmer sound my vinyl collection provides.  I purchased the CDs in the late 80s and have listened to those since in an attempt to preserve my vinyl collection.

I bought both the mono and stereo box sets.  I'm pleased with the mono set but, like you, I had higher hopes for the stereo set.  The one CD I never purchased was the Yellow Submarine Songtrack.  I had expected the remastered stereo set to sound like the remixed Love album.  Of course, it didn't.

If the quality of remixing of the YS soundtrack is similar to the Love album, then I understand exactly what you mean.

I'm still happy with the stereo box set and do notice somewhat of an improvement over my 22 year old CDs.

Euan Buchan:
There are some differences in Please Please Me & I Should Have Known Better

dcowboys107:
I agree with all of the above. The 60's mixes were special for their time and great, etc, but I think the world deserved a change and an update. I remember listening to the Rolling Stone interview of John Lennon I'm guessing from the early 70's about how he would like to go back and remix/rework the older albums especially.  If John had talked about even then I'm surprised that nearly fourty years after those comments, nothing has been done. . .

I agree, if you still wanted to hear the 60's mixes, go out and buy the LP's from ebay. They may not be "first pressings" but who really gives a rip unless you just want to show them off or have them for collection sake.  I'm sticking with the LP's for now;however, I did buy the White Album and Help! but that's it. I'll just bum the rest of friends or listen online. I'm content with what I have.  I hope that in the next fourty years we will finally get what this beautiful recordings and we as fans deserve.

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