Jethro Tull - Aqualung 40th Anniversary Special Edition

Aqualung is an interesting case - hopefully someone can find the hilarious and equally sad presentation SH gave about the condition of the Aqualung master tape and how he repaired a damaged section. I wonder if all Chrysalis releases in the past on CD were based on copy tapes due to the master tape damage?
I don't think SH does stuff at random either for LP or CD.

 

For every Aqualung there's a Pretenders II. Outliers, these 2. The rest span between these.

The name on the box is not a guarantee of acceptability. Stuff happens.

 

What the???? If there has been one mastering engineer who consistently sniffs out the correct tapes as well as gets an excellent frequency balance and eschews compression and noise reduction APART from SH, let me know and I'll follow their CD releases too. The Creedence CDs are another great example of an ear that has balanced these correctly, in my opinion.
Other triumphs are too many to name, but Wheels Of Fire, Fresh Cream, Made In Japan, Bad Company would be a start.

 

Looks like Steven Wilson is doing this project, 5.1 and new stereo remix.

 

link...

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Steven-Wilson-Official-page/114657261887878

 

thanks John...I've got mixed feeling on a remix...

it may prove interesting though.

let hope they did not kill the highs!

 

Amazingly, I don't currently own Aqualung and it's been years since I heard it in its entirety, so I'm ready to go back to the well now. I've loved Steve Wilson's work on the King Crimson catalog, so I'm hopeful that the remix will be strong and true to the original. And I'm really looking forward to hearing Thick as a Brick in 5.1 as well.

 

We've all been asking for a remix for many, many years. Be careful what you ask for..........

 

Thank you. I have spread the word.

 

Eh...why not? We've got the original mix as good as it's ever gonna sound IMO with the DCC. Might as well see what happens.

 

http://youtu.be/BTob-58VP9I

Ian Anderson interview from April 2011. Some relevance (!)

 

I don't have that (and many people don't, it's quite rare afaik). I'd like to get a good sounding original mix of the album but can't afford the DCC (I've seen it selling for anywhere from around $100-300).

A good sounding remix is better than nothing though I guess.

 

And when the remix becomes the standard issue? And if it's worse than the standard issue. I'm lucky - I have the DCC, but not all of us do.
There are a few people that prefer the original mixes of King Crimson stuff to the remixes (e.g. Islands - the only one I've sampled so far).
I'd like a new version of both Aqualung and Made In Japan by Steve so all of us could afford them and listen.

 

Like I said...might as well see what happens. No use in getting worked up over whether this potentially worse sounding remix could potentially become the standard issue...in a deluxe set that we don't even know whether will or will not contain the original mix as well. Right?

 

It certainly sounds like a deluxe set like the Crimson ones. But that's just speculation.

I was more intrigued that (according to the interview) Ian had copies of the multitracks (had no idea these still existed) and mentioned three mixes, old stereo, new stereo, and 5.1. And bonus tracks.

We do of course know nothing yet about the resolution (ha, like anyone cares )

 

Great album. I just hope this sounds better than the dreadful 25th anniversary cd.

 

Fair comment. I'm OK, I've got the DCC, so really doesn't worry me one way or the other. Jon, there's very little I get worked up about these days apart from people being abusive. Fortunately those people seem to be shuffled out of SHFs very quickly and peace rules again. I'm too old and too ugly to worry about the small stuff, LOL.

 

dreadful, good word.

i usually say the 25th is horrendous.

 

The horror, the horror. Certainly the worst sound shaping Tull remaster.

 

YES, we've seen that happen with the numerous Ron F. remixes that took over totally...Ron if your reading this...I own every single CD you worked on...EVERYTHING. this is not a personal bashing...just frustrated that your remixes became the norm and the originals went out the window. I have a ton of coin invested in your work...it was not cheap (all bought or pre ordered on street date) as you were very prolific back then!
So, I hope that clarifies my feeling in this post.

...back to Aqualung...this is one of my all time favorite albums! I'm hoping for the best as I own a ton of CD versions.

 

yea, I kept it for the interview!

not only was it trashed, but the CD seemed to be mastered ultra low?

 

I think they would have to work really hard to make it sound that bad again. Truly one of the worst abuses of noise reduction I've ever heard.

 

Yes, that was a noise shaping system for sure 25th seems like yesterday.
http://s1015.photobucket.com/albums...n=view&current=Aqualung25thanniversarybox.jpg



This 1998 Canadian CD was transferred at a lower level

 

Maybe they were hoping no one would hear it?