I have a THE BAND s/t #ECS-80505 Capitol Records-Japan(which I think sounds great), and recently found Rock of Ages of same series...does anyone know how this album sounds - Welcome all opinions...Thanks!
Don't know about the Japanese pressing, but I'd have to believe the one you want is the U.S. pressing cut by Bob Ludwig. It sounds awesome. Huge sound.
I haven't heard any of the Japanese pressings but there should be a MOFI 2LP release down the track if recent history and the Music Direct Catalog is anything to go by. Their releases of The Band so far have been fantastic.
I see the new MOFI double LP is now up for pre-order with a planned September release date. http://www.musicdirect.com/p-59691-the-band-rock-of-ages-numbered-limited-edition-180g-2lp.aspx
The original orange Capitol USA cut sounds great. The 2-seperate Green label Capitol LPs aren't as good. Donno about the rest.
The one I have for sale in the classifieds sound great. 2 sides by Ludwig and 2 sides by Wally Traugott.....
Not sure if this relates to the Rock of Ages LP, but I compared a "Cahoots" Japanese pressing to US pressing and thought the US pressing sounded better - more open, less crimped or compressed, high end a little more natural sounding. I kept the Japanese copy though because it was a really beautiful work of art!
I'll stick with my RL deadwax original pressing. "Rock of Ages" is one of my fave live rock albums. For some reason I picked up the MFSL SACD -- which was better than the redbook remastered double disc with the bonus stuff -- but fell far short of the original vinyl.
My ROA LP is a double RL cut with a "plum" label. Someone above says the orange label is original. What was the first release label?
I also have an original orange label Capitol LP with "RL" on all 4 sides as well as the MFSL hybrid SACD. On my system, both sound excellent, & quite similar, in fact. I definitely wouldn't say that either one falls far short of the other. Funny how we all hear things differently.
I always thought that the orange labels preceded the purple on Capitol LP's. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
IRRC the first pressings (Aug. '72?) would have been on the red label with the purple C logo, which had replaced the previous green label. Capitol went to the orange label in late '72. The purple label went into use several years later. Does that sound right?
Has anyone gotten the MOFI vinyl of this yet? I've bought this album many times, may have to do so again. Any thoughts on it?
It has replaced my RL pressing. Stunning stuff - much like their work on Stage Fright last year. Massive sound, amazing clarity, dead quiet vinyl. These Band tapes must have been kept in amazing shape or something because the recent MFSL vinyl cuts have been must have IMO.