Ironically, CSG was developed by Howard Holzer, who engineered some great-sounding jazz recordings for Contemporary Records.
Are we talking about the CSG process in the withdrawn mix vs the remix--not the actual "extreme" differences in at least two of the tracks mixes? At least to my ears and taste. re: "Here We Are In The Years" withdrawn mix (which is a far superior version to my ears) with the fade out heart beat/mechanical sound effect, and the next track, "What Did you Do To My Life"..which I prefer hands down over the remix. Just my opinion as far as the actual trackss and how the various vocals and instruments were mixed. The may be only because they are what I have always listened to. But fading out "Here We Are In The Years, before the wonderful final piano chord and heartbeat is just so wrong. And "What Did You Do To My Life" is so much better as a straightforward folk/rock track, without the unnecessary psychedelic reverb and with the chorus pushed back on the vocal. Because of my preference for those two tracks alone, I cannot listen to the remixed album. And with my vintage turntable, I hear no appreciable difference between the two albums' audio quality...but I am no audiophile I readily admit.
He may have engineered some great sounding records, however the CSG process was a compromise that eliminated the "human interface". One stereo mix that was folded down to mono without the ability to fix issues that happened in the fold-down process. Even when listening in stereo the sound was compromised. Nothing beats dedicated mixes, mono and stereo over the CSG process. The fact that CSG was abandoned within 5 years (or less) by the industry speaks volumes.
It's always puzzled me. He must have known it sounded like crap. By the way, he had established a company called Holzer Audio Engineering or Haeco, thus the Haeco-CSG process.
Neil still thinks enough of Last Trip To Tulsa to perform it even today ...I personally love that deep cut. Not a detractor from the greatness of his first LP at all for me....below is a very nice reading with harmonica, a nice touch. Live acoustic.1999 Chicago..acoustic guitar and harp give it an eerie and beautiful atmosphere... And for something completely different...this 45 release...with the Stray Gators Neil Young- Last trip To Tulsa (45 RPM live version) »
Have it...very cool and a better order IMO. Printed on label & cover, and it plays Peace Of Mind last too! Neil bought back 200,000 copies from Reprise that used the wrong master tape (Neil blamed himself and paid Reprise for the "recall"!) and then released the approved version..so the story goes.
A rarity I wish I could find (below)! A PROMO! I have two withdrawn mix gatefold records, and they are even different from each other...a bit. One, which I bought in Dec. 1968, is printed on a matt finish paper (not shiny) inside (the full gatefold) which gives it a very tactile, textured feel and is quite nice. My second, which I bought years later, is printed (inside) on a shiny glossy paper stock. It is all all about the plant that printed it I guess - both are cool, but I have a very great affection for the first one I bought in 1968.
This would be a Holy Grail for Neil fans...only 2 or 3 are known to exist. I think this was released in New Zealand, but briefly.
The "approved" common version plays Peace Of Mind last. The rare recalled version plays Lotta Love last. I have quiet a few covers that show Lotta Love last, but all actually play Peace of Mind last. I have one copy that has the corrected running order as a sticker over the incorrect running order on the back of the sleeve. Apparently it did not make sense to also destroy the record covers that were already manufactured. This is the corrected sticker pasted over the wrong order on my gold promo stamped copy...
Very confusing...but you are right. That source I provided above is just WRONG! Thanks for the correction. I hadn't played my vinyl in quite a while, but I just pulled out my album-the withdrawn mix "Comes A Time", and yes... Lotta Love " is last as shown on your cover above, AND on the vinyl label...and it plays as such! Thanks! This is confirmed in my copy of 1996's Goldmine Record Pricing Guide by Neal Umphred. And it IS quite valuable ($50 in 1996) I just read that Neil in fact did buy back all 200,000 withdrawn albums and he actually paid the postage to get them back from Europe too. Not to let anything go to waste, Neil used the rejected vinyl to shingle his roof!
And there is nothing better than Neil live at Canterbury House in 1968. Just before he released his debut LP. Wow. TO hear these BEFORE the world..would have been so great. So glad that Neil had such a sense of history even then, to have his early shows all professionally recorded for us to hear... decades on... Neil was always my favorite in Springfield...imagine December 1968 and seeing his debut in our small town, upstairs record shop, run by a couple of local college freaks...with that wonderful record jacket with that iconic painting of "Neil Young "on the wall! Instantly recognizable, no name needed!! We had no idea it was coming! That is what I love about those days--every new release was a brilliant surprise! No advance notice of our favorite artist's upcoming release--they just showed up on the wall at the local record shop...every day had the potential of giving us that childlike joy of surprise on CHRISTMAS morning!
John Fahey actually re-recorded his first few LPs. Because he thought his playing sucked. Luckily we can enjoy both versions.
You are right...momentary loss of reason....remix was in the following November of 1969. I may have mixed up the recording date...Aug-Oct 1968. Nice ad. VERY funny and very cool to read! Now I love the album even more and treasure the withdrawn mix with a passion! On now...Happy Holidays!!
I just gave my early Canadian pressing (yellow/pink/green steamboat label) another listen. Side 1 is the original mix ("If I Could Have Her Tonight" - electric piano in right channel). Hand-etched 30817 RS 6317 A -1B deadwax.
Side 2 not? I love Here We Are In The Years best of all on the withdrawn mix. It is perfect, and to my ears was ruined by the remix. I have both on vinyl, but NEVER listen to the remix. The piano chords and "mechanical" heartbeat fadeout is so nice -- can't imagine why it was mixed out?! And the stronger strings section throughout is so nice. Merry Christmas! Compare...the early fadeout below. Neil Young - Here We Are in the Years »
I can understand both views. It is my personal favorite, mostly because I bought the first pressing in 1968 and still have that worn and well loved vinyl, but it is impossible for me to say it is the BEST. I still have my first pressings of "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" (amazing), "After The Goldrush" (wow), "Harvest "(a masterpiece)....and so many more in my music library! I have more Neil young albums, vinyl and digital, bootleg and official, more than any other artist or band in my collection (and I have every Beatles album on vinyl & digital). It is partly the fact of Neil's longevity, but much more due to his genius. So many fine Neil Young albums, each with their own personality and theme--how does one say which is the best?? Impossible! Personal favorite also very hard, but a sentimental favorite for sure.
