Jimi Hendrix-Smash Hits remaster

It was intended to be mono only, and was mono only, in the UK...where it was recorded. Had Reprise not pushed for stereo, it would have been mono only in the U.S. as well.

 

As mono was the only mix originally, all their effort was focused on that mix. Once it was completed to their satisfaction, I'd bet they were a little reluctant having to go back and complete a new mix when they thought the project was finished.

 

Bought this version a couple of years ago. It does sound pretty good.

 

Well, that's just speculation. If anything, Chas seemed to be pretty positive about stereo in the quote I gave.

 

Purely speculation. No doubt if "Are You Experienced" had been recorded here in the U.S., the stereo mix would've taken priority. Don't get me wrong though, I'm glad there's a stereo mix. Still, given the events that unfolded and the dominance of mono in the UK at the time, I've always considered the mono UK Track LP the definitive edition.

 

I listened to my "vinyl" Orange/Tan Reprise W7 (second pressing for you "non-vinyl" guys) Are You Experienced a little earlier and noticed the following:

The Wind Cries Mary, Foxey Lady and Are You Experienced have the channels REVERSED on the AYE CD versions (the Reprise and MCA CDs anyway).

Any idea why the mix up here? 8 songs of the 11 are the same (CD vs lp).

 

I picked up Smash Hits yesterday. It's a mixed bag. It's fairly clean. I could here a few riffs in there I hadn't noticed before. I thought Red House sounded about right and Foxy lady too. The rest of it was Bright as a bastard.

 

Thank you folks, I was pondering about buying this on vinyl. I have most of the other ones but was sitting on the fence (my ass hurts). The record shop I stopped in last night had a few new ones (in the low 200's/I never seen low numbers like that for the Hendrix stuff/I'm human, I sometimes get "crazy-eyed" about these # things) and they were priced at $19.99 (good year). I think I'll just keep my money in my wallet (my pocket says thanks too).

Todd

 

If they're going to release "Smash Hits" AGAIN, they could at least use the mono version of "Stone Free". I have the original W. German Polydor "Smash Hits" CD with the correct mono mix and, as Steve mentioned, it sounds amazing. However, the first second of the song is inexplicably missing! Does anyone know of any other release (other than the original 45 or, I assume, the Classic 45 box set) that has the mono version of "Stone Free"? That fake stereo version is simply atrocious.

 

I think the Hendrix family is just getting greedy.

 

I went to the Experience Hendrix website a few weeks ago and found a link where you could submit questions, some of which would be addressed with the answers posted on the site. I inquired about the use of the reprocessed stereo version of "Stone Free" on the new "Smash Hits" release instead of the correct mono version. It wasn't answered.

 

Why does that not suprise me. Again:MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!!!!!

 

Just resurrecting this 11-year-old thread because I dusted off and listened to my 2002 Smash Hits CD tonight in the vain hope that it would not be as painfully bright as I remembered. I was wrong. And I just increased the number of times this disc has been played by 50%!

 

What power do you have too "resurrect" a 10+ yr old thread?!?!

Is it the WB/Reprise & MCA's are reversed and the original Polydor's are correct?
[postED the reverse (ha, ha) recently oops]