SH Spotlight DCCs Cream "Wheels of Fire" 24kt Gold question/Steve's "Adventures In Mastering"

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by proufo, Jun 7, 2003.

  1. goodboyfred

    goodboyfred Forum Resident

    Miss the DCC heyday! I’m an old guy, I only stream at the gym or backyard, all physical media in the house. PS. The dog woke up so I blasted Crossroads then the first disc. PSS. I wish you had extended Passing The Time to the even longer rocking finish.
     
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    There was an end piece to PASSING THE TIME actually. I left it off, felt it was pushing it. After the organ ending it goes into the uptempo "passing the tiiiimee" part again for about a minute before fading out.
     
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  3. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Hey Steve,

    While we're on this subject, you once mentioned you heard another live version of Crossroads from the same set of March 1968 shows that brought us the album version. Any idea if that still exists?
     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Bill L. would know, I'm sure, yes. He had an alternate bunch of shows he got from the live engineer. What the heck was his name? Ah, Halverson.

    Look here, another unissued Cream gem:

    Bill Halverson - Legendary Producer, Engineer, Arranger - Bio
     
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  5. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    I wish this was given the audiophile treatment on vinyl. I’m not crazy about any of the reissues, MoFi, 2014 UMG box set reissue, Simply Vinyl, etc.
     
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    We cut it at DCC for vinyl. Had about 100 TP's floating around out there around 20 years ago. Never issued the thing though, the cost at that time was just too much to replicate the original art, etc. again.
     
  7. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    That’s too bad. I would have gladly “settled” for the cheap cover art! I’m sure those test pressings are the go to versions.
     
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Maybe, haven't played my set since that time. Tom Port had a bunch of them, probably sold all..
     
  9. Tuco

    Tuco Senior Member

    Location:
    Pacific NW, USA
    Threads like this is why I love this forum. Thanks, Steve.
     
  10. Dingo

    Dingo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Took an age to score a copy of this. I think the measure of a great master is the retention of the excitement factor.
    "WHITE ROOM " still sounds as if it was beamed in from a time that never really was. DSOTH does indeed now have a crunch factor that was here-to-for uncaptured. " PRESSED RAT" now has the patina that suggests the Alice Through the Looking Glass/ Vaudeville intentions of Ginger and Felix.
    IMHO Disraeli Gears and Wheels represent Claptons' peak as an inventive guitarist. Before and after, his blues roots/aspirations are in ascendance. Not a bad thing, but Gears, and the DCC of Wheels are forever my go-to.
     
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  11. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    I have a feeling that may have just been an alternative to the crossfade used in the final version, rather than a piece for the end of the song. It's exactly the same as what's at 2:04 in the song, and eventually fades after about 36 seconds. Maybe a proposed 45 edit that was ignored?

    Halverson's rough mixes have been released, which were from the fall shows. I don't think he had any mixes from the March shows.

    Cream's 'Goodbye Live Tour 1968' For Four-CD Special Edition | uDiscover
     
  12. Khamakhazee

    Khamakhazee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Awesome read, thanks. I would love to see you tackle Bat Out of Hell.
     
  13. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    That would be easy, just find the midrange.
     
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  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    That was an amazing day!
     
  15. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    What's up with this thread being back? Something happen? I'm bored, fill me in..
     
    Jon H. likes this.
  16. Jon H.

    Jon H. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Raleigh, NC USA
    Perhaps people are just now discovering your superior mastering of this material; all I know is that having six or seven copies of this LP and at least four digital versions, your DCC CD is the most realistic and satisfying listening experience. The most recent SHM release is really good and the best digital alternative, but whatever you did to make the drums and bass breathe is quite evident from the first verse of White Room; there’s really not a better sounding version of this song, or Wheels of Fire in general.

    I know you have said that the master tape is rather dull (borne out by early LP cuttings) but you made Ginger’s toms sing and Jack’s bass have some deeper lows than previously heard. Oh, and that guitar playing isn’t shabby either!

    I wish that your mastering had been released on vinyl. I also wish that I’d scored a copy of your DCC Fresh Cream on vinyl; I dig the count-in on I Feel Free!

    Sometimes a good mastering reveals more from a great record; your Wheels of Fire is definitely one of those cases.
     
  17. Aoide

    Aoide Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    @Steve Hoffman Do you know if further performances from the March Fillmore or Winterland shows exist on tape?
     
  18. Aoide

    Aoide Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    There are talks of Wheels of Fire getting the deluxe treatment like Fresh Cream and the Goodbye tour.
     
  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    You are the first person (besides Ginger Baker) to mention the count-in on I FEEL FREE that I left on. I caught real hell for that from PolyGram but it was that or we pass on the project. I wanted to show that we were indeed using the unearthed master tape. (Remember, it was only the second DCC Gold CD, had to make sure we were noticed).

    At any rate, I love WHEELS OF FIRE, never get sick of it.. Hope there WILL be a new 50th version, I'm sure there is a lot of stuff laying around on Cream..
     
  20. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    I have no idea, I would say probably, but if the stuff went up in the Atlantic fire, well, no..
     
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  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Why has this thread come back from the dead all of a sudden??
     
  22. Anthrax

    Anthrax Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    It's a mystery :laugh:
     
  23. numer9

    numer9 Beatles Apologist

    Location:
    Philly Burbs
    Spect it's because of the Tom Dowd thread.
     
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  24. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    That middle section punches a lot harder on the DCC than the other versions I've heard. Not sure if it's the EQ or what but the other discs sound like someone's turning the volume down at that point. Even the one that's supposed to be a flat transfer of the same tape! The only "problem" with the DCC is the CSG processing, but despite being annoying, it's historically accurate (and relatively easy to fix thanks to the guide by @Alexlotl).
     
  25. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...

    Got this set (the Japanese pressing) 15 or so years ago.

    One of my favorite albums, and absolutely one of my favorite discs.


    Got it in a trade with an SHF member for a German SMO (first pressing) "White Album" LP.

    Amazing that I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but can remember things like this! :laugh:
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2022
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