Genesis 2007 masters... can't listen to originals...

Are these the masters that are often labelled as "New Stereo Mix" ?

 

I can't listen to the new mixes - the originals are so deeply engraved in my brain that I have found it impossible to adjust to all the deviations. They just sound "wrong" to me.

 

Tony Banks is your best friend now

 

Correct!

 

He ain't mine. I lost a LOT of respect for him when, in 2007, he spoke out against those whom disliked the remixes. His implication that fans needed to get newer or better audio equipment, was ridiculous!

Sorry Genesis camp, the remixes suck. The lack of preparation and presentation, plus deleting the original mixes, major mistake.

 

I think it's somewhat of a mixed bag. Duke is, in my opinion, a trainwreck. But I thought A Trick of the Tail was listenable, although it doesn't come close to the original LP.

 

It's all relative though....still

 

Wow, if this is true...then I already came to the same conclusion because of familiarity with the original studio Releases .If things are not broken to begin with,then,...why fix them[?]

 

That Steven Wilson guy...he does things right:

Original mix...flat transfer, if I am not mistaken
Remix...to open up the sound and while avoiding revisionism.
Bonus stuff.

Each studio album from Selling England By The Pound, moving forward, could've had the Steve Wilson treatment, PLUS a full multi-track sourced live recording.

 

I dig S.Wilson!...great musical person with full integrity to the best sound imaginable. Are you saying that Mr. Wilson has done work on Genesis' releases?..that would be new to me if that is the case,thanks.

 

No, Steve Wilson has not worked with the Genesis catalog. If only...

 

Okay, it's been a long time since I posted this - I've since listened to lots of different pressing and I prefer all of the original mixes except for Trespass and maybe Wind and Wuthering. I was told the original UK pressing of Trespass sounded really good but haven't heard it, every other pressing of it seems way too muddy and thin. The remix only has one issue being that in Visions of Angels the harmonized voices in the mid section are buried pretty well to the point I didn't know they were there until I heard original pressings. As for Wind and Wuthering I can't find a pressing of it that's loud enough, it's just too much on the quiet side I can tolerate the slightly overproduced remaster. It's odd since A Trick of the Tail and Duke have absolutely fantastic pressings (38101-2 and CBRCD 101) while And Then There Were Three never sounded particularly good anyway is a little less bright on the original US pressing I have. The rest of the Gabriel ones are good and I haven't done much in depth listening for Abacab onwards but to my ears they sound more or less the same as the remixes and I chalk that up to the fact they were recorded pretty well to begin with. Mike's bass is way more prominent on the Gabriel records as well...

 

I hear ya.. I once thought to myself last year about this same topic. I wonder, to this day. if Steven Wilson has pondered the thought[?] but then I would think that there might be some disagreements along the way when it comes to certain Genesis' band Members perhaps who would not agree with S.Wilson's ideas for improvement..

 

I think the remixes are better for all the Gabriel albums.

I agree that it is a shame that they are mastered so hot and they should have augmented rather than replaced the original mixes.

I think Trick, Abacab and Shapes are far better in their original versions. 3 and Wind I prefer the remixes.

 

I personally love the remixes, especially for Nursery Cryme and Selling England By the Pound. Granted, I haven't heard the original mixes, but the remixes sound so great to my ears that I can't imagine the originals improving on them. What is it that people dislike about the remixes? To me they sound very clear and defined, especially on the quiet parts of songs like Dancing With the Moonlit Knight and The Musical Box.

 

There's no subtlety in the remixes, themselves. It's as if all instruments are fighting for the same volume. And any dynamics from the mixes are squashed in the mastering. Blech! To each his/her own.

 

The straw that broke the camels back for me was finding out that some songs were actually modified - The Fountain of Salmacis uses a different vocal take of "within a hidden cave nymphs had kept a child" that was recorded during the sessions but not used on the album. Changes like this are not acceptable for me personally.

 

Likely they didn't notice that line was from an alternate lead vocal, but still. On the multitrack tapes, you'd think they noticed a 2nd vox, much less lined up the original and remix digitally, to make sure it all matched. C'est la vie...that's just the way it goes

 

Are there other changes like this? If so where can I find a complete list?

 

A few weeks ago I wanted to listen to Abacab so I checked it out on Spotify (it's the remix there). I got about ten seconds in before having to rip the headphones off, the sound was that bad. Having said that, I do like the remixes for the Gabriel-era albums.

 

That entire 76-82 box is a disaster. Compared to the Japan for US Atcos, they're a bright, shrill mess. The DVD interviews were fine, but for everything else I can't find any good to say about them beyond the fact I sold all three boxes for good money a couple of years ago. The other good thing I guess, was that it proved beyond any shred of a doubt that format alone is no guarantee of great sound, SACD or no SACD. Their worst moment.

 

I should note that when I praised the remixes, I was referring primarily to the Gabriel-era ones. Those seem to be better-received, and I haven't really ever given any post-Gabriel albums a particularly close listen. I will say that I did not like whichever version of A Trick of the Tail is available on iTunes. It sounded very muddy to me.

 

I had the vinyl box set for the half-speed remixes and sold it a week later. For me, it wasn't a question of being used to the originals. I would have kept the new ones had they not been so bright and compressed. All the little details and subtleties were gone - everything was ''in your face'' and loud. If the drums were originally recessed, it was because they mixed it that way and it was intended to sound like that.

 

I've had the originals for so long (both lp and cds) I've never felt the need to seek out the remixes. I'm kinda curious. Though I have a feeling they'd sound off to me. I'm not condemning them, just have that feeling.

 

What's the general consensus on the PG era remixes on vinyl. I'm fairly new to these guys and think they sound pretty good. Should I track down 70's pressings? The only early pressing I have is an Atco Lamb, which is a little bright. Frankly, the remixes I have of NC through SEBTP sound better than the 70's Lamb to me. Thanks