Jimi Hendrix Experience: Burning Of The Midnight Lamp / Crosstown Traffic / Gypsy Eyes. BFRSD 2018

I used an upgraded Michell Gyro / 309 SME / Lyra Delos through a Trichord Dino, LFD reference silver inter’s, LFD Mk V, LFD Spiroflex speaker cable, Harbeth 30.1 monitors [on stands] for this listening.

Crosstown Traffic / Burning Of The Midnight Lamp b/w Gypsy Eyes

Yes, the same EP45 as in the thread title! This is the first anomaly regard this issue and I’m not alone in wondering why. Just why the record is presented as “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp” and the title track is the second track of side A with Gypsy Eyes presented as a single title of side B!

I’ll begin with the out of sequence title track as that is the only true mono mix on this set, "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp", despite the misleading soundbite wrapper sticker!

I played this new pressing on orange vinyl against my Track Records 604007* which is the A side to “The Stars That Play With laughing Sam’s Dice”, [reaching number 18 in the UK charts at time of release]. For those who are unsure of Track Records history, this true mono cut was also issued in stereo both on Electric Ladyland and also as the B side to Track Records 604033 “Let Me Light Your Fire”.

While there are some differences between the Track Records pressing and the current pressing the real noticeable issue being that the Track Records 45 is cut considerably louder. I had to notch up the volume to match them. Horses for courses and far be it from me to say which one you should enjoy the most by calling one “better” but I personally enjoy my original Track a tad more. It is a very clean playback with minor wear noise. The new issue has one single slight pop, right in the middle of “BOTML” which is not an issue, at least for me! Both pressings sound good to me though certain instruments appear to have a different emphasis between pressings, there is nothing from my playback set up that suggests an imbalance on either of them. Instruments are clear as is the vocal and there is a nice separation to those instruments on both mastering’s.

Reprise Records [0767] issued a mono version of “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp” [2nd or 4th September 1968] backed with “All Along The Watchtower”, managing to reach a high of 20 in the US charts.

The same can be said of the “Gypsy Eyes” B side, another fake mono mix from Reprise Records. This appeared on Reprise 0792 with the flip side being “Crosstown Traffic”. With this issue never breaking the US top 50 after being released 30th October 1968.

As has been stated elsewhere by Experience Hendrix, this pair are simply mastered to mono from the stereo mix, to put it bluntly, fake mono mix’s.

Given the endless comments regard not second guessing or rewriting Hendrix’s issued recordings we do have a 5.1 surround mix in the newly issued box set. Something Jimi never did, for obvious reasons. So my question would be, why could we not have true mono mixes for this EP 45 as opposed to two fake mono issues? If guides were required to mix to mono then look no further than Axis. Bold As Love for as clear a guide as required. Clearly it’s easier and no doubt quicker and cheaper, to not follow the “fake” route to present these “mono” tracks in true mono format.


Well at least for those new to Jimi records, especially in mono, fake or otherwise, this is a fine pressing and a lovely reproduced picture sleeve. For those who don’t do vinyl, nothing here to get one’s underwear in a twist about!

And finally …………………..

Is the new issue sourced from or has a footprint in the digital world? Does it matter would be more of a pertinent question I feel But if that initial question is the case, seek out a clean Track original and those fake Reprise pressings, otherwise this pressing is as good as you will ever need.

*for the anal of you reading this! This Track Records pressing has a slightly different variation, not that of audio content but of type of record. While one has a solid centre and small punched hole the other has the larger centre hole with punch out tri inner. Otherwise they are identical to each other. Or maybe there is a gram or two difference in weight?

The new issue does look sexier though.

 

FWIW, this is the EU pressing. I doubt if there will be any difference between the this and the "US" issue but it'll be fun to run them against each other as and when.

 

To summarize...the RSD release tracks are folddowns, not real mono mixes?

 

One mono two fake as the left / right of the stereo mix was summed at the mastering stage, for this RSD and the Reprise issues.

 

I picked this up today I was not aware it was released until I saw it sat in the shop.
Not essential but It is nice to own all the same.
Gordon have you reviewed on your system the new BG cut Electric Ladyland yet ?

 

My vinyl Ladyland set has crisscrossed the US a few times and I'm informed its finally in transit across the Atlantic ocean, by what means I'm unsure!

It'll get here one day!

 

At least you will get a QRP cut after all the waiting. I looked at one in a shop the other day and it was EU.
I still have not pulled the trigger on this yet. Space is becoming a real issue so I gotta get selective, if the 2010 is better I won't make the room for the 2018.

 

Two boats. A tiny one for the album, and a great big boat for Janie's giant missed opportunity.

I so hope the vinyl isn't like the CD.

 

Maybe one of them sank!

 

There is a caveat to my comment regard which I prefer, the original fake mono's and true mono or this reissue of two fake mono's and one true mono.

I swapped out the SME309 / Delos which is a stereo cart' and utilised the Technoarm / Ortofon 2M mono cart', otherwise the set up remained the same.

Hmm, someone seems to struggle to cut a mono [fake or otherwise] mix. They all sound bloated and tubby on this new pressing. While the originals sound so much more balanced and solid.

So, it looks like this new edition is simply a collection / rack filler!

It still looks sexy tho'.

 

While I was listening to the new pressing in true mono playback I was wondering how much work went into recording these tracks and for the end product to be so disappointing...……………….
The recording / mixing details for at least two of these tracks is a little sketchy and confusing. Often we have unfounded additional dates while even John McDermott fails to note a mixing session for BOTML in his Ultimate Hendrix book.

Burning Of The Midnight Lamp was recorded in New York at Mayfair Studios*. Possibly not the best studio but it did have 8 track recording facility which would have appealed to Jimi and Chas.

6th July 1967 30 takes which produced a basic track. Gary Kellgren was the engineer.

7TH July 1967 overdubs and mixing (1,2,3,4,13,19)

20th July 1967 overdubs and final mixing (1,2,3,4,13,19)

Crosstown Traffic started life at Olympic Studios** with Eddie Kramer in the engineer’s seat.

20th December 1967 seven(?) takes

21st December 1967 further work on this track, McDermott states “final touches for Crosstown Traffic”


Further work on this track took place at Mayfair Studios when the four track master was transferred to 8 track. This was one of a number of ½ inch 4 track recordings transferred to 1 inch 8 track on this date, overseen by Chas Chandler. No Jimi involvement this date as he with Noel and Mitch performed at CNE Coliseum Toronto followed by a reported jam session at a club in Toronto.

7th July 1968 Eddie Kramer works on material which was to appear on the Ladyland Album, included in this was work on Crosstown Traffic


Gypsy Eyes started and was completed at a single studio, Record Plant*** Eddie Kramer is the engineer.

24th April 1968 unspecified number of takes, no finished master

29th April 1968 41 takes [guitar and drums only]

30th April 1968 more takes, again unspecified number and again as with the previous day’s work, none used

1st May 1968 produced the final at the sixth attempt from Jimi and Mitch

17th May 1968 overdubs and a mixdown session

13th June Jimi double tracks the vocal plus other work

17th June 1968 more overdubs and mixing

24th July 1968 overdubs and a rough mix produced

27th August 1968 saw the final work on GE with flanging applied and final mixing

27th August 1968 saw the final work on the Ladyland Album.

*Mayfair Studios, 701 7th Avenue, New York

**Olympic Studios, 117 Church Road, Barnes, London

***The Record Plant, 321 West Street, New York

 

^
21st January 1968 - 24 takes of All Along The Watchtower, you mean...

 

Correct and corrected.
That's what you get when your playing a different track to those in question

At least someone is reading and taking note, thanks.

 

I'm just guessing here but aren't the new mono records made these days designed to be played back on stereo carts? If yes would that mean you might possibly get better playback with that stereo cart?

Also looking forward to the results of your shootout between the Newbury Comics ELL and the new BG cut. Let us know what you think when you get around to that.

 

Odd!


It sounds terrible on a dedicated mono play back set up and I have no idea why. If this is a deliberate action it shows poor, extremely poor judgement or if this is a genuine error as in a cutting / mastering error then again it a case of “to hell with Jimi Hendrix’s legacy” approach.

How come the original genuine mono / fake mono’s play back well on both the stereo and mono. Of course the mono side does deliver better in both instances and don’t present the audio in any way as bloated or tubby?

To be clear, this is the EU pressing. I’m as yet unsure if the US version was also an EU pressing at this stage or if the US issue was in fact cut in the USA. I’ll find out for myself later in the week.

I played a few old Reprise fake mono Hendrix yesterday and none of them sounded anything but fine on the mono set up. I also just pulled and played the following:

Purple Haze B/W 51st Anniversary S282 Sundazed mono, sounds great on a mono set up. Pressed in the US.

Hey Joe B/W Stone Free MOV7016 [obviously an EU pressing] mono, sounds great on a mono set up.

Hey Joe B/W Stone Free 88765484807 [obviously a US pressing] mono, sounds great on a mono set up.


For me it’s a case of mastering and in this instance and not for the first time, it appears someone in the EU cannot master Jimi Hendrix to vinyl. I’m not sure if it is a case of ignorance or a couldn’t care less attitude but it stinks to present Hendrix in a shoddy manner, like we don’t have enough of that in the digital domain!

Here it is clearly once again, a two tier approach to the customer. Unless of course the US pressing is as bad in this instance when played on a dedicated mono set up.

 

Now for some real garbage ………………………… The Sundazed mono issue of Spirit's "Fresh Garbage".
Love this album via a mono set up.

 

The BOTML mono 45 is a major omission from the Ladyland box (or the reissued Legacy UK Smash Hits). It's missing lots of the effects of the stereo mix, much more stripped down.

 

There is a lot missing from the box set as can be seen from that long winded thread!!

A nice touch would have to have added this 45 to that set, vinyl in the vinyl set and an EP Cd in the digital set. Nice touch I would have thought but as that set falls short on a number of points I doubt this would have made any difference.

We do have it here so that's a blessing even if they managed to mess it up, again!

 

>>>why could we not have true mono mixes for this EP 45 as opposed to two fake mono issues?

There's a fundamental question, right there!

 

Its looking a lot like we have two separate pressings for this EP45.

The US looks like it was pressed in the US from pictures I'm looking at on the 'net.

So if that is the case and I'll find out for sure very soon, what we have is again a two tier sales approach for fans.

At least the mis-selling applies across both continents though! ORIGINAL MONO MIXES? Really?

 

Just checked the dead wax detail of the US numbered copy I have here. Looks identical to the EU pressing I already have.

So, both pressed in the EU? If so that means they will sound the same as each other. That I still need to check.

 

Work in progress.