SH Spotlight A few angry (but sort of funny) notes people sent me about my mastering work, imagined defects.....

These are pretty darn funny, but I'd like to read some of the hate mail Nick Davis got over those Genesis sets.

Not because they'd be funny, but because I'd like to be sure that he's gotten plenty.

 

In a previous lifetime I was punching a cash register in the 1980s when CDs started to go mainstream. At the time we had maybe one or two browsers of CDs, everything else was split between LP and cassette. I remember a little old lady returning a classical CD because it wouldn't play... On her turntable.

 

Well, I hate to say this because I'm probably going to be torn a new one, but there are those of us who will repurchase something from our past in hopes of hearing it just as we remember it. I know this is a point you've made yourself Steve. You've said you wanted to hear the popular mixes and such the way you remember them at a certain time. Why is it that those of us who remember playing our brother's cassette of Mr. Miller's "Greatest Hits" should be deprived of such an experience in improved sound quality?

If you're going to argue that I can just buy the standard issue CD (or buy a used cassette) then I'll counter with "you can listen through an AM radio" to hear what you remember as well.

I think part of the experience of an album is the sequencing... be it crossfades, single edits on a compilation, lack of spaces (yes I read the 'Heartbeat City' threads).

So I will respectfully throw my opinion out there and say that I do kinda get where those type of complainers are coming from. I've heard plenty of people say they're trying to collect single versions of certain songs...

I respect and admire your work Steve. I hope this doesn't come across as an attack. And I understand your argument about not wanting to dump the songs to digital in order to recreate such things, however it's my opinion that sometimes things are necessary in order to present the album that people know and love.

 

There was a record store in the town I grew up in that (I was told) would take back any purchase for any reason. I bought a total dog of a CD based on one semi-decent track I heard on college radio during what must have been a drunken stupor. (The band shall remain anonymous, unless you really, really want me to divulge it.) So, after giving this craptastic CD a two day chance to grow on me, I brought it back to the aforementioned store. I marched straight to the returns counter with my receipt. The workers at the store all knew me (or at least of me) pretty well, as I was there on a weekly basis, so I anticipated a no hassle return. I handed the guy the CD and my receipt. He asked me to tell him what was wrong with the CD. I replied, "It sucks...hard." The guy burst out laughing to the point of tears. He then gently explained to me that the return policy was only for defects in the physical media, not defects in the music contained therein.

 

Great stuff. You can't please everyone, certainly. Post more if you can!

BTW it wasn't me who returned the Steve Miller GH. I bought it because it had the LP versions--and it's all the Steve Miller I've ever needed. It's just the right length

 

Didn't something like that happen to Austen Powers?

 

Please sir, can we have some more?

 

Maybe so... That's funny. History repeats itself I guess. I remember it clear as day though, because the clerk that called me over for the return said the lady wanted to return her "chopping" CD. Yeah it was Chopin.

 

...the mastering engineer is who we have to blame, not the recording or mixing engineer. If the record doesn't sound right, the last man who touched the product is to blame; the mastering engineer! Everyone must understand this simple logic.

 

"There ain't no tape hiss on that there Doors Waiting For the Bun, Bo"

 

Loud brickwalled CD's do sound better. Just ask the average person on the street.

 

I returned two titles - no note, just a phone call. Was the conversation recorded by any chance? I' m sure you must have some funny stories about phone calls. Made perfect sense to me at the time, should have kept them though.

 

Love to hear more Steve. Thanks!

 

Spill, brother, spill!

 

Lol these are too funny! Post more haha

 

Personally, I like that the songs are long on the DCC Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits.

The other ones I haven't heard, unfortunately.

 

First: Post more! Second: your doubts were correct!

This also goes to my comment about people being used to modern mastering. They often slash bass on recordings. You don't. I can see someone being upset over more bass on VH's first album, but it also shows that not just audiophiles buy audiophile product.

BTW, OT: I wish people would approach you to do more various artists comps. I miss them.

Aside from this often heard complaint, I believe what has happened to Steve and DCC was a result of people being used to modern mastering practices, and not being used to quality sound.

I think using album versions is a valid complaint if the timings aren't listed on the CD jacket. Many people are used to single versions/edits from radio, greatest hits comps, and listening to 45s. However, it is not a valid excuse for returning something, IMO.

 

Priceless is right! People are crazy...

 

One of my favorite stories (and I hope the whole tone-of-voice thing translates into typed text, otherwise it may fall flat):

Guy I worked with went out to the store when Metallica's "Load" came out; he was very excited for their new album. Next day he goes back to the store on his lunch hour and returns it. The kid at the counter asks him why he wants to return it. He says, "it wasn't what I thought it was". Kid looks puzzled, says, "uh, what did you think it was?" "I THOUGHT IT WAS @&#^!in METALLICA."

 

I almost returned my first copy of Kind of Blue until someone explained spit valves to me.

 

Indeed, I find this complaint more than fair. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that DCC didn't remain faithful to the orignal release and use the 45 edits.

 

I would always want the long versions of the Miller songs, and we love VH-1 because it has bass. Too funny.

 

I wonder if anyone returned the DCC disc of Jethro Tull's Original Masters because "Thick As A Brick" was too long.