Jefferson Airplane Recordings Suck: Engineered To Exasperate?*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by rogerdodger, Jan 8, 2015.

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  1. rogerdodger

    rogerdodger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Haven't listened to any of their albums before, I was tempted to get some Jefferson Airplane albums on CD after reading good reviews and also a few threads here. The ones I got were, SURREALISTIC PILLOW to VOLUNTEERS, all remastered by Bob Irwin. Regarding the music, no complaints here but after expecting the recorded sound to be as good (or almost as good) as other 60's albums from the likes of the Beatles, The Who or even The Doors, I was extremely dissapointed. This was a major band on a major label, RCA, so why do they sound like they were recorded on a shoestring budget? Who's fault was this, the producer (most of JA recordings was the work of a reputable producer, Al Schmitt), the engineers or the band itself?

    P.S. Volunteers is probably the worst sounding album I've ever heard.
     
  2. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    For "Surrealistic", I have always felt that the original "mono" LP is the way to go! The "mono" CD just seems flat in comparison (and not "flat" in a good way), in my opinion.
     
  3. I loved the sound of these records back in the 60s. I played them often I played them loud. And all through the 70s

    But although they are not sonic masterpieces, I think they sound pretty good.
     
  4. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Based on the thread title, I was wondering if there was a new artist named Jeff Airplane. Or maybe that he'd become the replacement lead singer for Jet.
     
  5. JRM

    JRM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eugene, Oregon
    It is very unfortunate that there is no real good CD option for Surrealistic Pillow. I am happy to have Volunteers and Crown of Creation on MFSL, but would trade that Crown in a second for SP.
     
    Dave likes this.
  6. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    "Volunteers" is a 5 star album with inferior sound. Although, the Quad vinyl sounds pretty good IMO.
     
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  7. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I have the MFSL Volunteers CD...it's OK, but better than the reg edition.
     
    ress4279 and JRM like this.
  8. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    There are a bunch of masters of Surrealistic Pillow, and most are bad and badder.
     
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  9. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    do you have the MFSL CD?
     
  10. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    yes! I wanted to join the Revolution, but they would not let me in their limo!
     
    Fullbug, janschfan, JDeanB and 11 others like this.
  11. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    The great grandfather of the troubled child Duff Starship.
     
  12. Ignatius

    Ignatius Forum Resident

    I love that "Surrealistic Pillow" remaster, though I have a quibble about the absence of ba-ba-ba's in "JJ McStep B Blues", The absence of ba-ba-ba's in general keeps me awake many a night.
     
  13. GLYNSTYLER

    GLYNSTYLER Forum Resident

    Location:
    NEW ORLEANS
    I love "Volunteers" but I agree wholeheartedly with the OP - the sound is abysmal.
     
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  14. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    The Rick Jarrard / RCA Hollywood sound isn't for everybody.
     
  15. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    Their records do sound bad, unfortunately. I have the same issue with early electric Dylan.
     
  16. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    No, not many of those on my CD shelf. :cry:
     
  17. Summer of Malcontent

    Summer of Malcontent Forum Resident

    If he subsequently changed his name to Jeff Starship, then Luke Haines wrote a song about him last year ("Jeff Starship Superhero", released as the b-side of "Lou Reed Lou Reed").
     
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  18. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    The only Jefferson Airplane album that I've ever owned is Surrealistic Pillow, but I've always liked the sound of that album. I've had two stereo LP's (60's and 70's vintage), the mono/stereo CD (not the good one), the Bob Irwin remastered CD, and the Sundazed mono vinyl. To me, the album just sounds like a smokey club in SF or LA, with acid-spiked drinks and dope smoke in the air. It isn't meant for clarity. The mono is drier and might assuage the problem somewhat, but I still dig the messy, echo-y, sloppy sound of the stereo as well. It's a product of its time and if you want eclectic psychedelia played by sober gentlemen, try the Steve Miller Band. :laugh:
     
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  19. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Is it for ANYONE?
     
    longaway likes this.
  20. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    yea, most are costly now.
     
  21. Yeah especially Children of the Future and Sailor
     
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  22. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    I'd add Dave Hassinger's engineering as part of the sonic equation - his work with the Stones and Jefferson Airplane at RCA Hollywood led to some murky sounding recordings.
     
  23. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Children Of The Future is, IMHO, the greatest American psychedelic LP of all. Every time I listen to it, I think, "What the hell happened to you, Steve Miller? You started out so good!" :laugh:
     
  24. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    See also The Electric Prunes.
     
  25. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    That "sound" was that way for other acts that recorded at RCA Hollywood from the point it set up shop at 6363 Sunset in April 1964. Other songs recorded there, like Sam Cooke's "Shake" and Glenn Yarbrough's "Baby the Rain Must Fall," have that same sonic wonkiness. It wasn't just limited to the Stones or the Airplane.
     
    andrewskyDE, rmos, John Bliss and 4 others like this.
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