They had to go back into the studio some time after finishing the mono mix to do the stereo, at CBS's insistence. And, as the budget for the record had been exhausted, Rod Argent and Chris White had to pay for it themselves. The mono mix is the definitive article.
Interesting...I did not know that. But I do agree that the mono is superior. I have the CD with both the mono and stereo mixes but 99% of time, I play the mono.
Has anyone ever seen a mono copy of the "Hair" original cast album? Heck, even a stereo black nipper label version is scarce (which I was surprised to find in my collection).
The stereo mix is what split up the band. They all had to take a cut in royalties to get the album mixed in stereo and the members other than Argent and White didn't like the idea.
Got a UK mono, don't know if that counts. In any case it's a fold and not a very good one As you can see there's a reference to the US mono matrix on label and US mono number on back cover so I'm wondering if that was a fold too.
I think that mono managed to hold on in Europe - or at least the UK - a little longer than in the US.
I don't believe that's correct. My understanding is they were already planning to throw in the towel before commencing work on O&O. They had gone as far as they felt they could go, and were having a hard time getting chart hits aside from far-flung places like the Philippines, which frustrated them. They wanted O&O to be a final, artistic statement, completely on their own terms right down to the cover art. As for the stereo mix, which was indeed insisted upon by CBS, White and Argent paid for it out of their songwriter royalties, so it was not a point of contention with the other bandmembers. This is the story as I understand it.
I've got The Central Nervous System in mono, but it's a promo. Don't know if it's a fold down. Not that common an album in either format, really.
Absolutely. Last UK double issue came late 1970. What I thought was interesting is UK Hair is a fold and the signs on label and cover point to US was a fold too.
The ones I mentioned earlier - US mono matrix number (with addition of a US mono number on back cover). To my experience UK sixties issues often referred to the US tapes used for the UK versions. For exemple the RCA UK "Baxter" mono, made from the US tapes, also has the US mono matrix number, while the UK mono fold of "Bless", not issued as mono in US, uses a totally different one. And since those two came at about the same time as "Hair" I'd guess the same system was used for that. Therefore since the UK mono is a fold and it uses the US matrix number it's a very good chance the US is a fold too. I can't be 100% and would love to be proven wrong so I can go hunting for the US mono, but have to know for sure
There was a folddown mono promo of Wheels Of Fire (as with most Atlantic related LPs until around 1972/3).
BTW although it's probably not especially valuable I've been on an unsuccessful mission to find Firesign Theatre Waiting For The Electrician in mono.
Moodies mono available to at least Childrens Childrens Children. This sounds far better in stereo (maybe a fold down). There were mono versions of many albums in 1969 and into 1970 (UK). I'm sure increasingly these would be fold downs.
Hmm, not necessarily. IIRC, RCA UK mono pressings of the Monkees' albums are folds, but have the same matrices as the RCA-pressed US Colgems true-mono pressings.
Good luck finding an original US copy of Songs Of Leonard Cohen in mono. I've been hunting for over 20 years!
Interesting. Had the first two Monkees UK monos a while ago but it never occured to me they could be folds. So in that case there are exceptions and maybe Hair is one of them. If You should find the US mono and it is beyond doubt a separate mix please let me know! If not here You can reach me through my page.
Sundazed has reissued the rare mono version of Notorious Byrd Brothers and I believe it's still available.
I love my Sundazed reissue LP. MFSL also released the mono mix on hybrid SACD with bonus tracks and it's great.
If a chunk of UK issues were issued in Mono into 1970, then what about the Warner/Reprise library? Things like Zappa, Purple, Mitchell, Newman, Young, Morrison, Sinatra, Taylor, Hendrix or the Dead? Certainly those would have to be folds by then, correct?