The Truth About S&G "Sounds Of Silence"

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Joey_Corleone, Jul 7, 2014.

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  1. Joey_Corleone

    Joey_Corleone Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Rockford, MI
    jfeldt, CaptainOzone and vonwegen like this.
  2. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Interesting read (despite typos), and fun to see the original notes. Aside from that, I'm not sure what to make of it.
     
  3. The Wanderer

    The Wanderer Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    NYC
    Read it, still puzzled about who did what.
     
    supernaut likes this.
  4. hbbfam

    hbbfam Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chandler,AZ
    Who can really say for sure (other than Paul Simon) whether any of this is true?
     
  5. ServingTheMusic

    ServingTheMusic Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    I enjoyed reading it. It shows that labels had no idea how to make rock and pop records, and they were literally making it up as they went along until around maybe 1968.

    And um, sorry to break it to the author, the "mono mix" of Sounds Of Silence did NOT in fact make S&G stars. It was Paul Simon's songs and their voices.

    Gimme a break. And again, hate to break it to him, the stereo mixes are the standard, and the mono mixes are a distant second.

    I don't mine when one toots their own horn a little, but this guy was a paid staffer, and a footnote at best.
     
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  6. ServingTheMusic

    ServingTheMusic Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    and so what if it is? the mono mix of one single, or an album hardly had an impact on their career. He is being ridiculous. He did not "break" them.
     
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  7. Slokes

    Slokes Cruel But Fair

    Location:
    Greenwich, CT USA
    "...this terrible crime of theft of credits and secrets that made you and Art international stars..."

    "...one of the biggest thefts in recording history..."

    At least he hasn't let the experience affect his sense of proportion. Is it too late to recall all those albums so they can be properly relabeled "Meehan & Simon & Garfunkel?"
     
  8. ServingTheMusic

    ServingTheMusic Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    LOL.:pineapple:
     
  9. namretsam

    namretsam Senior Member

    Location:
    Santa Rosa , CA
    You had a job. You got paid. Shut up. No one cares.
     
  10. Agent57

    Agent57 Marshall will buoy, but Fender control

    Location:
    PA
    Hello sour grapes, my old friend...
     
  11. Regandron

    Regandron Forum Resident

    Maybe Artie knows??

    In practice it is pretty well established that neither Paul or Artie were directly involved in the decision to overdub and re-issue the single, so I guess they have no idea who hit which buttons either.

    The only thing I will say for Mr Meehan is that he is at least another voice calling for the reissue of a mono Sounds of Silence album. Well said that man.
     
  12. Raunchnroll

    Raunchnroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    No wonder the industry names who have joined this site have largely fled - driven off by forum negativity. Nothing like reading an interesting, informal first hand behind the scenes recollection, by someone who was there, a half century after the fact, only to see it misinterpreted and ridiculed by forum experts without properly reading the article and knowing more about the recording and the practices of the recording industry. He's not claiming what some here are saying. At the time of mixing the Sounds Of Silence album it was before Columbia credited the engineers. The 'electrified' mono version of Sounds of Silence came out before the album, that has to be taken into consideration since its clear he's speaking colloquially, not doing a fact by fact chronology.
     
  13. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    Would you have the nerve to say that to our host? Rude. Mixing is an art, not labor.
    I for one am VERY interested in the story, and am well aware that credit should have been given. Labels and studios liked to keep these guys anonymous to keep money down and prevent poaching I suppose.

    Thanks for the facts Mr. Meehan!
     
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  14. fluffskul

    fluffskul Would rather be at a concert

    Location:
    albany, ny
    Um, sorry to break it to you if you've never had the opportunity to hear them but S & G mono blows away S & G stereo.

    And stereo mixes only became the standard years after the fact. I'm guessing your too young to remember when mono ruled. I am too, but I do my research before assuming the way most people listen to a song now, is the way people have always listened to the song.

    While this probably isn't one of the greatest thefts in rock history, the guy did work and never got credited. And from this article I don't think he wants money out of S & G, just his name to appear somewhere. Not unreasonable, though unlikely since it seems PS is adamant about the mono mixes never seeing another release. Thanks to OP for sharing.
     
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  15. smoke

    smoke Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    It's refreshing that PS doesn't want to jump on the mono bandwagon and rerelease a bunch of old stuff that fans will buy a second (or third or fourth) time. The music industry often shafts the people behind the scenes; backing musicians, engineers and often even the songwriters and stars themselves.
     
  16. fluffskul

    fluffskul Would rather be at a concert

    Location:
    albany, ny
    It would only be the 2nd time. IIRC, the mono mix hasn't been released on vinyl since the 60s and has never been released on CD.
     
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  17. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    The other thing I find interesting is the cover records that he recorded while moonlighting. Pickwick perhaps?
    I think we all know that other engineer's name.
     
  18. beatlematt

    beatlematt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gadsden, Alabama
    I've come to bitch and moan again
     
  19. Joey_Corleone

    Joey_Corleone Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Rockford, MI
    I would welcome mono remasters on vinyl and/or CD with open arms! I enjoy having options, and would not feel like I was getting shafted. Getting shafted is when there is only one mix for 50 years that you have to keep repurchasing the right to listen to on every format. In a perfect world, it would be awesome to pay a one time fee for a piece of music, and as the years roll on just pay a fraction of the cost for a "media upgrade". Of course, that will never happen, but it's the way I think it should work in theory.

    Another reason why I would welcome this is the preservation of history. I was just thinking about this the other day, because I found an AWESOME clean mono copy of Sounds of Silence...plays nearly perfect. As I was sitting there listening to it, I couldn't help thinking "Wow...this 48 year old record is the ONLY way to EVER hear this mix again..." It is sad, because that is history, and something that should never be lost
     
  20. ServingTheMusic

    ServingTheMusic Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    Um, actually, stereo mixes becoming the standard "years after the fact" is absolutely untrue. I inherited my dad's extensive record and pre-recorded tape collection which he began in 1966 and there were ZERO
    mono titles among them. In 1967 he bought a Quad stereo system. Reel too Reel, tuner, etc. ALL stereo.

    I asked him about stereo vs mono and he said NO one he knew back then listened to mono after 66. He said when stereo came around it was the equivalent
    of color movies. So I suggest you re do your research.
     
    sunspot42 likes this.
  21. Chuckee

    Chuckee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Upstate, NY, USA
    Not sure why S&G are responsible for setting the story straight, they weren't around for the mixes. Still
    an interesting story.
     
    CaptainOzone likes this.
  22. Dang, I was hoping for a revelation about what "Sound of Silence" is really about, like how "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" is really about heroin and stuff.
     
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  23. fluffskul

    fluffskul Would rather be at a concert

    Location:
    albany, ny
    I just searched google for about 12 minutes (all it should take to answer this relatively simple question) and I haven't found a single article suggesting mono sales surpassed stereo sales by 1966. One estimate said stereo was only 5% of sales by that time, but this isn't sourced and I even think its probably not that low. The fact that your dad and his friends quickly jumped into stereo and hi-fi doesn't mean everyone did.
     
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  24. vonwegen

    vonwegen Forum Resident

    Boy are you wrong!!!

    ESPECiALLY on THIS forum!
     
  25. ServingTheMusic

    ServingTheMusic Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal
    Sorry, but in the states, stereo had taken over by 67.
     
    sunspot42 likes this.
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