The Velvet Underground "White Light/White Heat" 45th Anniversary Edition

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Marry a Carrot, Sep 28, 2013.

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  1. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    I just bought the USA 2xLP pressing of the 45th anniversary remaster. Can't express enough how disappointing this is. I can only put it down to bad mastering for the vinyl stage or poor cutting. Dire.

    I wish someone would take this album and repress it properly – especially the material on the second LP.
     
  2. Psychedelic Good Trip

    Psychedelic Good Trip Beautiful Psychedelic Colors Everywhere

    Location:
    New York
    Sorry I know the feeling with other reissued vinyl.
     
  3. Turntable

    Turntable Senior Member

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Does anyone own the Euro 2LP pressing of this release?

    Wondering if the sound quality is any good.
     
  4. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    But you actually have no clue one way or the other?
     
  5. rnranimal

    rnranimal Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    I said I'll assume they don't exist, because otherwise they missed a great opportunity to mix The Gift music into stereo. I was saying that's the only good explanation I could see for them not doing that. If they have the multis then it's really lame they simply split the L/R channels of the stereo mix into their own tracks. But no, I have no idea if they actually exist.
     
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  6. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    I don't like it. I've tried the US and the Euro version. Flat and lifeless is how I'd describe it. CD sounds better, imo.
     
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  7. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    A remix might have been a Lou Reed issue? Do we know about how the other tracks on WLWH were recorded? In terms of how tracks were used?
     
  8. rnranimal

    rnranimal Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    I can't imagine Lou stepped in the way of that since so many other tracks were allowed to be remixed in the VU sets. Especially since they remixed tracks after Lou was gone. So if he'd voiced not wanting album tracks remixed, I think they'd have not been able to remix Loaded. I guess Lou may've said he doesn't want WL/WH tracks remixed. But it's all just speculation and there are many possibilities.

    I don't recall if there has been reliable info on the recording process.
     
  9. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    It just seems more likely, and I think a safe assumption, with the lack of additional material for the WLWH set, that they filled the "somewhat super deluxe" with what they had, including just the left and just the right side of the Gift. It doesn't make sense they had multis of The Gift and opted to just leave it as is. a stereo instrumental of the Gift is at least a little more interesting than mono single versions that just like the other mono versions of songs. They did do new mixes of some songs where they had multis.
     
  10. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Some songs never had original mixes. So those were not remixes as such as undoing the dated-sounding 80s mixes - presenting them in a more sympathetic way. There did seem to be another version or take of, or attempt at, Here She Comes Now on the tapes listing for the album.

    Yes. He did allow Loaded to be redone, so that probably nixes the permission theory. (Although, I couldn't really see why they did it, except to make the box set more attractive or just to show they could)
     
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  11. GG Allin

    GG Allin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    Hey, Mr. D, good info! I have rarely seen Lou - or other reputable person involved - comment upon his choices for remasters/reissues. Any other info on his thinking with regard to Loaded? Did you get that from an article somewhere?
     
  12. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    It's not really info. It's kind of supposition in the case of Loaded. I'm really repeating what rnranimal said, anyway. Heresay has it that he would not allow certain things to happen to the catalogue or be released. How much is rumour and how much is fact, I do not know. Cale had supposedly warned Conrad about the live tapes he possessed and what Lou's lawyers would do if they got out. I do not know much of these stories have been substantiated. So, we are assuming here that Loaded remix was allowed by Reed, because we assume that he had a controlling say in everything. Unless rnranimal has more concrete info.
     
  13. rnranimal

    rnranimal Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    Nope, I don't have info. Lou was pretty inconsistent with what he would allow when it came to bonus tracks and such. So there's no telling what went on with the 45th sets without any insiders talking. Some of the sets were done before his death and others after, so that complicates it as well. There was bonus track remixing on the other sets, but only Loaded had album tracks remixed. Did Lou leave written instructions? Did he turn the decision making over to Laurie or someone else? Did the label made the decisions?
     
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  14. conjotter

    conjotter Forum Resident

    I totally agree. What a lousy job they did with this reissue. Almost unlistenable.
     
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