The Who My Generation

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by hbbfam, Oct 20, 2012.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Just to make a radical move and pull this thread briefly back on-topic, I did a quick comparison of the new Polydor mono CD and the old MCA mono "The Who Sings My Generation" (the Canadian CD, coincidentally!).

    My initial thought is to give the MCA the edge because of clarity and detail, two words I know aren't usually associated with this recording, but in comparison the Polydor does seem to lack some definition on the higher frequencies. I''m guessing the copy tape used for the new CD was further removed from the master than the copy tape used by MCA for the old CD. If the Polydor and the MCA shared a common tracklist I'd without doubt stick with the MCA.

    On the positive side, with thus new CD on the market there is at least now a cheap alternative to the Japanese masterings of the British tracklist of My Generation.

    Just one more thing. The rear cover inlay attempts to replicate the rear cover of the original LP, but here the group photos look like photocopies and Roger Daltrey's name is spelt as Roger Dultrey. I've seen bootlegs with better quality reproductions of the original artwork of this album than Polydor have managed to produce for this CD.
     
    d.s.l. likes this.
  2. SAPCOR1

    SAPCOR1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Haven't listened to it yet but the artwork is very poor indeed, like an inkjet printer where the ink hasn't mixed properly!
     
  3. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    mine hasn't arrived yet,but from the above reviews,shortly after arriving it will be incinerated!
     
  4. Devotional

    Devotional Senior Member

    Location:
    Oslo, Norway
    Thanks for the notes! QC seems to be on top these days in the arts department at Polydor/Universal. The new 14LP box has "My Generation" spelt "My Generartion" on the spine.
     
  5. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I wouldn't go that far. :p

    If you consider it a "budget-price" release it's ok for what it is (aside from the mistake of getting a band member's name wrong!), and at least it's not mastered horribly loud (which was a pleasant surprise).

    I did expect something a little better though, taking into account this is the first time the album in its original British mono format has been given a CD release outside of the Far East. That alone should have been enough to make it worth a little more care and attention on the part of Polydor/Universal.

    I'd be interested to hear some more opinions on the sound.

    It's funny to think once upon a time those kind of mistakes were so rare they'd make an album a collector's piece. Now we have two different ones in the same week for the same album. Not really good enough, is it?
     
    St. Troy likes this.
  6. nicotinecaffeine

    nicotinecaffeine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    Crap. Forgot to do that today. Holiday b.s. on the mind. Oh well. Bookmarked to remind me.

    Anybody's welcome to follow up if there is a discrepancy between the US and Canadian 80's pressings of "Sings My Generation" where it might allow me to save a few bucks.

    One thing I do know after looking at the pink US and regular Canadian, as one poster noted - the Canadian MCA's info does indeed look like a bad inkjet job, where the US is far superior.
     
  7. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    I just compared Out In The Street. The Canadian CD is slightly louder (the disc peaks at 100%), but is otherwise identical. That is to say, the Canadian CD is just a volume adjusted version of the US pink faced CD.

    The artwork isn't appreciably different on my copies.
     
  8. While I personally don't care one way or the other about CD artwork, the 'Dultrey" spelling is pretty hilarious (and something I would guess his band mates - both current and deceased - would have a good laugh at!).
     
  9. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    My Canadian CD (MCABD 31330) peaks at 95.5%. Out In The Street peaks at 86.4%
     
  10. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Oops, I had them backwards - it's the pink face that peaks at 100%, not the Canadian. My Canadian matches yours.
     
  11. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    The reason why the who/polydor never issued this in the UK was that they were waiting for the Talmy masters to become available.and now we get this as it is.the who's cd reissue campaign just took a 25 year step backwards.
     
  12. nicotinecaffeine

    nicotinecaffeine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    Hmm. Pink one is a little louder. May want to pick it up after all.

    Probably going to pick it up for the sole reason of having it. Not an unheard of intention. Especially at this forum.

    Much thanks for the comparison! Love it loud.
    [​IMG]
     
  13. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    That was the reason given in the '90s during the reissue campaign, but I find it unlikely that was the reason prior to that, given that copies were always deemed fine for compilations (and in fact Phases).

    Note that Decca/MCA always had the worldwide rights to the album, unlike subsequent albums where Polydor had the rights outside of North America.
     
  14. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    well track 1 "Out in the Street" first 10 seconds sounds just as bad as it always does on these budget MG releases.
    ripped with EAC to CEP and fixed within 5 minutes.if i can do it why didn't they?
    track 2,an ear busting pops/bangs at 1.36 and 1.54.
    the less said about the title track ending frenzy the better.
    shame the package looks nice from the outside,spelling mistake aside.
    nice looking disc in the vein of the 2 deluxe edition with the Brunswick image.
    pithy booklet,identical to the '80's MCA version.
    can't bear to listen to any more.
    End of report!
     
  15. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    What is wrong with Out In The Street, and how did you "fix" it? You mean the slight noise/static that's inherent to the recording, and present on every release?
     
  16. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    yes that static/crackle noise.
    done manually with single click remover in CEP.
    if they'd sent it to me i would have been more than happy to fix the full album for nothing.
    several absolute whoppers during "The Ox".
    so these static noise haven't even been remastered out on the Japanese SHM single CD release?
    i was thinking of purchasing that instead,hoping it would be near perfect.
     
  17. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    I just compared the TWSMG CD, the Deluxe Edition, the 2008 JPN mono, the 2012 JPN mono and the 2012 JPN stereo...*all* have the "static".
     
  18. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    well i suppose we're all different on the subject of what we would like to see done soundwise with Who reissues.
    my idea would be to clean up these old recordings whilst staying faithful to them and fixing what they couldn't back in the day.
    L@L '70 versus '95 etc.
     
  19. nicotinecaffeine

    nicotinecaffeine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    Pink MCA vs Canadian MCA Verdict: No difference whatsoever other than the artwork on the US is a far superior print.
     
  20. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
  21. WhoTapes1

    WhoTapes1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greensboro, NC
    Thanks for the comparison, friend.
     
  22. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Mine has nothing at 1.36.

    At 1.54 there's a pop that's no more noticeable than a low vinyl crackle. I'm not hearing any pops or bangs that are "ear bursting".

    I have noticed more static on the new CD than on previous versions.
     
  23. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Like I said above, the US disc is slightly louder, and there's very little difference in artwork quality on my copies.
     
  24. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    try "The Ox".
     
  25. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I stand to be corrected but I've always believed much of that noise on The Ox was down to Keith Moon accidently clicking his sticks etc.

    In fairness it does appear on all previous masterings of this album, it's not unique to this CD. I have a bigger problem with the artwork completely lacking any explanation regarding mastering or source details. Aside from the small word "mono" on the rear cover, easily overlooked, it makes no attempt to assert the radical difference between this mix and the now standard "Deluxe" remix.

    I am surprised the CD has attracted so little interest here. I was looking forward to hearing other opinions.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine