Probably not what you're looking for, but there is a promotional only CD single of Where's my Thing? (Only about 250 to 300 were ever pressed. Until labels reduced the number of promotional CD singles in later years, that CD was the rarest US promo CD ever. I'm not sure if that's still the case though.)
UK Rush 12" singles covers tend to be made of thinner material. Perhaps that was industry standard...
The live "Vital Signs"on the B-side of that single (I have the 7") is my favorite live recording of that song.
I went ahead and took a chance on a new copy of Clockwork Angels. To be honest, going by my impressions of some of their other newer releases, I wasn't really hoping for much. BUT... actually, I was quite surprised that it sounded pretty good! Not demo material or anything, but certainly better than what I've been hearing so far from them. The album was more dynamic and less compressed than some of the others and for ONCE there was bass! I only had to bump my Crown that runs the low end one notch more than usual and crank up the volume a little more overall, and it actually sounded pretty good. Because of the more dynamic and powerful nature of the album itself, I was thinking that even though I wasn't really bowled over by listening to the album here at home by way of the lossless FLAC files, that just maybe playing the vinyl itself full out on my system I might actually like it better. I did! Just thought I really should come here and mention this since I've not had a ton of positive comments about some of the remasters or newer albums, but this one is definitely a keeper! So now... I also have a nice, new copy of the remix of Vapor Trails waiting in my room... I'm kinda scared to open it...
So I've picked up UK JAMF FTK and a UK Trident Hemispheres in the last few weeks. I give both high marks, especially Hemispheres which is just incredible.
Got the new reissued 200 gram Rush - Roll The Bones and the bass seems low and from a sonic stand point not as good IMO Vinyl it self is a quite clean listen though
Sorry Willie I can't say I've compared the two directly although I plan to try sometime. I also owe you a comparison between the JPS and first pressings of Caress of Steel. I will tell you the one thing that has stuck out so far, I think I'm hearing Ged's bass much more prominently during the Prelude. I don't recall being able to hear him jaunting around so much under the waves of synths and guitar. It is a very good sounding record, but I thought the same about the G.K. before. Another thing, they are not expensive! £9.99 for a stone mint copy. All together $16.50 when you add the shipping allocated equally to the other items that I bought with it. I also picked up a perfect Vertigo spaceship label Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous for the same price.
When you say 'Low', I'm assuming that you don't mean that in a good way, like the bass frequencies go really low...? That is actually a common flaw that I have personally felt that many of these have had. Just the way Sean EQ'd it, I guess... You DO mean that the VOLUME of the bass is really low, right...? That is precisely what I've been noticing myself.
Grabbed a third Canadian GK Caress of Steel this week. It made me more confident in my previous assessment of this pressing. The music sounds absolutely excellent, but it is pressed on extremely noisy vinyl. Difficult in the quieter sections, but no problem during the louder sections. Any thoughts on this? Is the American GK pressed on better vinyl? My Canadian FBN GK doesn't have this problem, nor does my 2112 JAMF.
Heh, this is one album that for some dang reason I got totally obsessed with. I have like 7 copies of it and I normally do NOT do that and can't afford it My original one that I've had for over 25 / 30 years is a US GK. I'm pretty sure that I must have bought it used at the time because there is extensive damage on The Necromancer that I know I didn't do. But, the sonics are pretty good. Thus the beginning of my rabid search for a replacement. I also had a copy from the Archives set, but that particular one didn't sound as good, however the first 2 did sound better than the stand alone copies I have of them. I believe the better sounding ones from the Archives set are both GKs. Anyway, in my stumbling, ignorant, numbnut search for 'The' best pressing, I blindly ordered I think a 1st German pressing, the new remaster, and some other one a can't remember, and I wasn't impressed with any of them. My old noisy GK sounded the best. THEN... I stumbled on this guy in Texas who was getting rid of all his vinyl, and this guy sounded like he really knew his stuff. He had like a $1000 cartridge, etc., not that that is definitive, but it sure as hell likely sounds better than mine! So, he happened to have what he claimed was a very 1st US pressing which is NOT a GK. And, the vinyl was in pristine, UNTOUCHED condition! I wrote him telling him of my sacksack obsession with this album, and he was very nice and took pity on me and assured me that this was indeed THE 1st US pressing and that the sonics were excellent. And, if I didn't like it, I could send it back to him. So... Yep! That was the one all right! As soon as I put that puppy on I FINALLY knew that that was it! Amazing the difference. However, my early noisy GK underneath the noise in the damaged quiet parts was a pretty strong 2nd choice.
As a general rule, CDN will have higher quality, at least in the years preceding this issue. CDN vinyl does have the luxury of much lesser pressing numbers...more consistent pressings? You probably just got an abused one. File it under s%$t happens? Are you new to this format?
No, not new to the format. I agree with you in general (have lots of great CDN vinyl and know what to look for), but I believe Caress of Steel to be an exception. This is my 3rd GK 1st Canadian and they all share the same crackly vinyl. Do you have this press?
Yeah - don't be afraid to open it, it's a wonderful "alternate" experience to the original mix/mastering. It is a bit on the bassy/boomy side in my personal opinion.
Hey, thanks Johnny Q! You are one of the primary ones where I take note very carefully when you make comments about vinyl, so I very much appreciate it! I'm almost afraid to ask you what you think of the new remasters... Maybe I should PM you for that Cheers!
