David Bowie CONVERSATION PIECE

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A shame the Mercury demos was published before to be added in the box (overpriced).
But I can't complain too loudly, a lot of Velvets/Lou fans wait for new material for more than a decade now.

 

Follow the link to “Sound+Vision” on his blog then read from the bottom up. Yes he’s opinionated and all that but he’s an interesting guy who put together the Ryko reissue campaign (not just for Bowie but Costello too); there’s a lot of real interest to the fan, regardless of his views on his latest box.

 

Was there mention of distortion on the new SO remix, as I thought I heard 3 examples of it on first vinyl listen?
Ps what has gone on with this silver and gold ltd edn thing, what a joke! As a collector, highly frustrating again. Invested in a number of copies and not a one. Am sure the black vinyl sounds better, however.

 

The comments on how thin and watery (my words) Ziggy actually is when you listen to it comport with quotes from Bowie in the 30th-anniversary book for "Aladdin Sane", Rougvie's report of Bowie's reaction, and (in an adjacent SHMF thread?) how disappointing someone found the WG RCA CD of Ziggy (and a correspondent warning that the one made for Japan wasn't much different).

To remix or not to remix? That is the question. One could go back and forth forever on whether to let things lie as they were made back in the day, or to give in to the temptation to tweak.

It's probably also worth taking a moment to observe that Rougvie was correct that olds still buy physical product (for now), so money is on the table, so to speak, for at least a little while longer.

 

Like it or not, Rougvie is entitled to his opinion.

 

Ouch! No Christmas card for the Rougvie household from you this year I take it? There’s a lot in his article that I don’t agree with but he does at least give the only explanation I’ve come across as to why there may be further deluxe versions of individual albums upcoming i.e. that the Bowie estate needed to open the vaults (again) in order to keep Parlophone interested.

I hope he’s right but the cynic in me thinks that a lot of hope is being placed on a single blog article thats in turn based on an unnamed source. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong but it sure would be nice to get some official confirmation before the speculation starts to get out of hand like it did for the 5th boxset.

It doesn’t fill me with confidence that this month’s Uncut magazine has an interview with an ‘insider’ about the CP release that makes no mention of any future deluxe editions. Of course it may be the case that Pafford has a genuine mole willing to give away (e)state secrets. Either that or he’s just spying through the keyhole like the rest of us.

(By the way has anyone got there Uncut poster up on their bedroom wall yet?)

 

Too much NLMD/Scary Spider for people who hated the 1987 experience.

Not enough for those of us who loved it.

You can't buy the two live albums as vinyl without buying the box or from a third-party seller, but the CD and hi-res of both are available individually.

 

I thought the NLMD 2018 had some worthwhile moments, and the Recall was good.

 

For those who don't care for NLMD at all, they should note that disc2 of Re:Call4 is almost entirely NLMD-related.

As someone who compiled a 20-part companion to the box, all made up of NLMD-related material, and who thinks NLMD 2018 is utterly freakin' fantastic, it's probably pretty easy to figure out how I feel about the box - especially not having to buy "Let's Dance" or "Tonight".

 

How heavy is the brick walling?

 

I have wanted the Mercury demos in this quality for 35 years almost. I am so glad they are finally officially released.

 

Of what I have heard of the demos on disc one (only what were on the vinyl boxes earlier in the year, most of them are as good as the Mercury demos, there was only a couple of tracks which were recorded "hot" and thus have a lot of distortion, but that was how they were recorded and I don't think there was much they could do but considering some of the songs were "famous" lost demos, it is good to finally hear them anyway.

 

I've only played it once, I am waiting for the big box for Christmas, so got the vinyl to tide me over. I liked about 50% of the remix, some things were improved, others not so, but it is an alternative take on a well played album and for that sometimes it will be fun to listen to instead. I quite like the Lodger remix, find the NLMD one interesting but not essential, the Ziggy and STS remixes are not different enough to make them interesting to me.

 

There was plans to do Hunky Dory about 15 years ago, it was actually mentioned (along with a Low SE) on the Target exclusive Strangers When We Meet compilation.

 

Finally got around to listening to the 2 cd’s with demos, and they sounded much better than I was expecting. Quite listenable compared to some other artists’ early home recordings or rehearsal tapes, etc.

 

Someone posted a screencap of a rip of the new "Let's Dance" and it looks like a horror show. I'm pretty sure I saw zero people say it was better than the Black Triangle. Like pretty much anything from Parlophone these last few years, I've had to just chop 8db off the top of everything I listen for any length of time. I initially tried various EQ tricks on the 16-bit NLMD18, but it became too much work and I eventually went the -8db route there, too, although I will say that the effort on the part of the creators to make NLMD18 more eclectic resulted in some dynamic relief, and the 24/96 was a better experience.

Biggest complaint (not a UNIVERSAL complaint, mind you) about "Serious Moonlight" is that it sounds like it was sourced from the HBO TV special which it was sourced from. It actually is the HBO special tracklist (ending in "Fame") with the B-side of "Modern Love" tacked on the end. (Not strung together with fake applause, fortunately....)

IIRC, I got through the full hi-res "Glass Spider" without a headache, which is saying something these days.

 

thanks Tony - just what I needed to know

I wonder if the vinyl is as brickwalled
not a big fan of the 80s material (and I am a Bowie fanatic) - have what I have - so double up on the yearly 70s box inject

 

That's a good shout about Janine - it's Ziggy RnR.
I'm not a fan of this remix though - hamfisted insertion of reverb vocal effects aside, it's probably for the fact that, as you say, it has had the folk toned down, and I liked it as a folk album. I also think it has lost a lot of atmosphere. I'm not going to listen to it much apart from maybe occasionally for a change - I don't want this format to fix itself in my head and I'd rather stick to the original.
The demos are all really growing on me though. I'm very much enjoying them, and I'll gratefully receive any more that may be bestowed upon us. Mother Grey has been circulating in my head for a week and won't stop.

 

I like the addition of the track Conversation Piece on the Space Oddity remix. It certainly fits in well with the overall album, and I think it improves it, especially since they also ditched Don’t Sit Down, which has always been dire. The Mercury Demos are very good, and I wondered why Hutch was discarded, since he tends to play an equal part in the recordings up until then. Bowie even mentions they are planning to record an album together, which eventually became Space Oddity (or David Bowie if you prefer). One thing about the remix which I am not so keen on is the alteration of the Space Oddity track. There’s no point, it simply cannot be improved. It was perfect as it was, and really needs the original fade in.

 

Yes, JUST worked with David Bowie on his first and arguably best (sound quality arguments notwithstanding) reissue campaign.

I find it pretty amusing not to mention ironic that those who are themselves opining on this box set are criticizing Rougvie for doing the same thing. He’s entitled to his opinion and I think he made some well reasoned points.

Also if you don’t think Rougvie is a fan you are mistaken, but his fandom or lack thereof doesn’t make him more or less informed.

 

A-HA! I knew this one sounded different.

 

This is the best Bowie 'White Light/ White Heat' interpretation - the backing track recorded during the Pinups sessions and 'gifted' to Ronno...

 

Hutch was married with a child and decided to go back up North to a proper job.

He was reunited with Bowie as a guitarist on the final Spiders tour.

 

Thanks. I assume David never did a vocal on the Pinups "White Light white Heat" is that correct? Any one know what other songs may have been recorded or considered for Pinups?

Back to Conversation Piece and the original studio version of the song itself. On this box we get an original mono mix but in the back of my head is the thought there was an original stereo mix as well (might be on the 2009 2cd).