Four Seasons: no audiophile grade remasters? why?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Chemically altered, Aug 9, 2017.

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  1. stereoguy

    stereoguy Its Gotta Be True Stereo!

    Location:
    NYC
    From what I have read about it, for just about all of of the VJ recordings, The Four Seasons partnership has possession of the Stereo Album master tapes. Most (not all) of the mono singles masters and the multi track tapes were left at Bell Sound and never picked up by VJ and are likely lost forever. As part of the court settlement with VJ over unpaid royalties, the partnership has the rights to all that VJ material.

    For the Phillips years, the partnership has in their possession, the 8 track multitrack for DAWN, but I am not sure what else.

    On just about every CD that has mono versions of the Seasons hits, they are fold downs from the stereo album masters, but a few of the mono tapes do exist (like Ronnie).

    For the 45 releases, Bob Crewe created mono 45 cutting masters that had extra processing and compression, to make those records literally jump out of the AM transistor radio speakers.

    Since it appears those cutting masters are gone, the only REAL way to make a Four Seasons Hits Collection that sounds like their 45s did in the '60s is to get all the hits on first press, Mint 45s, and master it from THOSE. Thats the sound of the Four Seasons, the sound of the East Coast.

    And I 100% agree about that first press of 'C'mon Marianne". It IS amazing!! I had one and it always jumped out of my speakers. Even today, I remember how great that 45 sounded.
     
  2. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    I can't deny that run of great singles, as those are all great singles. Naturally, as a fan of Frankie and The 4 Seasons, I own all of their albums. There are certainly lots of great album cuts, but I often find the sequencing of their full albums, a bit sloppy and uninteresting to listen to, in one sitting.
     
    Chemically altered likes this.
  3. Dee Zee

    Dee Zee Once Upon a Dream

    RHino's Jersey Beat-The Music of Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons was issued in 2007, 3 CDs and 1 DVD. The first 23 tracks are in mono on disc one. They are probably mono album versions or perhaps even fold-downs, I'm not sure. But the set is nice. Good liner notes and recording studios listed.

    I actually have the Sherry album on VJ in mono in pretty good condition. I may search out the singles like our host suggested.

    Also, was there not a complete albums box put out a few years ago?
     
    Chemically altered likes this.
  4. rswitzer

    rswitzer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Golden, CO USA
    I have these and they are the best Four Seasons I have on CD. ... and I have pretty much everything available on CD.

    Real Gone Music - News - THE 4 SEASONS

    They used the mono lp masters (they are lps after all), not the single mono mixes.

    I'm not sure how well they sold. They only made 2000. No news that I'm aware of of any additional titles except for a Christmas lp.

    and those obi's really improve the sound! ;)
     
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  5. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    I remember even buying a single by The 4 Seasons that wasn't them, that's how bent I was on getting them all... turned out to be The Sandpipers (I guess not realizing the name was already taken). I'd consider $15 for a minty '60s single a good value. I'll often save a few dollars by taking ones with damaged labels because I only care about the sound.
     
  6. stereoguy

    stereoguy Its Gotta Be True Stereo!

    Location:
    NYC
    Thats funny about The Sandpipers, because they also used the name "The Grads". I guess they had trouble finding a name they liked.
     
  7. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    The only LPs that I owned by the Seasons was Gold Vault of Hits and 2nd Gold Vault. Everything else was 45's.
     
  8. Dee Zee

    Dee Zee Once Upon a Dream

  9. TallPaulInKy

    TallPaulInKy Forum Resident

    Stereoguy wrote: "For the Phillips years, the partnership has in their possession, the 8 track multitrack for DAWN, but I am not sure what else. "

    I believe you are mistaken, I have heard though DAWN was recorded on an 8 track machine at Atlantic studios, but all the Parternship has is the stereo underdub (missing the pretty as a mid summer's morn" used on Edizone Del Oro and the 45 mono master. In recent years some people have edited the mono opening onto the stereo track to create a stereo version of the song.

    Bill Inglot told me on the telephone once that the Partnership has a few multi's starting from the late 60s, but most tapes are stereo mixes. For a few of the monos he had to dub them from vinyl, like Little Boy In Grown Up Clothes.
     
  10. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    Haven’t heard that mix in awhile. Wow. I love that song in just about any way, shape, or form, but that mix really kicks everything up to another level. By which I mean another plane of existence. :)

    Love that song!
     
  11. Propinquity

    Propinquity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gravel Switch, KY
    Bill Inglot, seriously? That guy hasn't mastered a listenable CD in like 25 years. Any other opinions on the Real Gone discs?
     
  12. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
  13. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    Well, if the only mono versions that you can obtain are seriously trashed original LPs, then the Real Gone mono CDs are fine. Near mint mono LPs of The Four Seasons are fairly rare. I think The Four Seasons were best in the mono mixes
     
    McLover likes this.
  14. Dee Zee

    Dee Zee Once Upon a Dream

    The 18 CD set I do not have so I can’t comment about SQ. And some of the Amazon reviewers mention some songs were replaced by substitute songs. But it’s out there.
     
  15. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    exactly and they sound good to me...I have them all. The original albums weren't that great to begin with ...IMO, the CDs sound better.
     
  16. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    if you are a fan of mono...yes, I have it and enjoy it.
     
  17. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    supermd likes this.
  18. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    I'm not a fan of mono but when there is a noticeable sonic improvement in mono over stereo, then mono is the ticket.
    To get back to the topic, I'm surprised that no one suggested a needle drop in place of the extinct 4 Seasons master tapes. That's what happens when too many audiophiles answer a thread, I suppose. ;)
     
  19. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Michael, I've probably got about 100 music related CD's and DVD's sitting at the end of my sectional that are STILL SEALED. I often buy things, especially that odd 4 Seasons SACD and I just never get to it, as something else catches my attention, when sitting down to listen to stuff.
     
    Michael likes this.
  20. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Just for fun, here is a pretty decent version of "DAWN" in stereo ...

     
  21. jwis206

    jwis206 Senior Member

    Location:
    Massapequa, NY
    supermd and Chemically altered like this.
  22. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    It's so cool to see so many who still enjoy Frankie & the Seasons. My only conclusion is that they made some timeless music!
     
  23. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    The sonic improvement in mono is often in the mix not the mastering. Such things in stereo mixes as the drums all the way on one channel, and sometimes most of the instrumental accompaniment on one channel, are very distracting. The Four Seasons were a "radio 45" group and most songs, like for The Beach Boys, were mixed for optimal sound in mono.
     
  24. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    Thanks for stating the obvious, but like the situation with the Seasons, it's many times the source material that determines the sonics.
     
  25. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    o'ok GOTCHA. : )
     
    Chris C likes this.
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