Was very cool of her to show the band in the gatefold picture. They were really good live - when Andrew Gold left, Waddy really stepped up and he was great. I think between all the times I've seen Linda live plus the several times I've seen Stevie Nicks live, that Waddy is the person I've seen perform the most of all Kenny Edwards, Dan Dugmore, Don Grolnick - just a great core band. Waddy's Website has a lot of Linda memories, worth checking out: Waddy Wachtel
I absolutely agree. The more personal and sincere, are her best. Linda always said she sang to another person.
Waddy's recalling his first meeting with Linda in SOMV movie. He turned up for a session, asked where she was as its usual for a main performer to be there. Linda was asleep under the console, said "hiya" & that was it. Love these anecdotes!
"Gold Watch & Chain" sung by the trio of Linda, Emmylou Harris & Ricky Skaggs is on Emmylou's album "Roses in the Snow".
My GH1 DCC CD arrived! For when I'm home after my Covid vaccination today. Steve Hoffman re-mastered this in 1993! I thought these were more recent. The tracks remastered from DCN, PID, HDTW, SP are from "original 2 track masters taken directly from the albums". Sings WWIBL, YNG & IDMA "from newly discovered master mixes from the (HLAW) album". There is a DCC GH volume 2 Linda Ronstadt – Greatest Hits Volume Two (1998, 24 KT. GOLD, CD) just nowhere to be found........
In one of her Rolling Stone interviews, Linda said Waddy's influence helped change the tone of her music, Waddy being harder rock & more aggressive in style than Andrew Gold was. Andrew left to do & develop his own music & style.
Linda Ronstadt, The Collection is a good assortment of her songs. It includes "Hasten Down The Wind".
I have seen a recent YT video saying that Apple Music is mastered and coded (so not MP3) and transmitted differently to Spotify, but is targeted at sounding best through & on Apple hardware & headphones etc. But too expensive for me, all that gear.
Have DCN on CD, LP and the MFSL CD. LP is better than the standard CD, which sounds muffled by comparison, maybe too much noise reduction used in the transfer that vinyl would not be affected by . Must study the MFSLvDCN again, its definitely worth buying for Lindaholics.
This is one I have MSFL, AF DCC, ordinary CD & on Best of Capitol. As for earlier albums, certain tracks are on the DCC GH1 & GH2 compilations, so those Hoffman-mastered tracks can be compared to MSFL versions from MSFL mastered versions. Bonus! For HLAW DCC, I found it has a 3-dimensional sound. The MFSL LP is close 2nd, original CD 3rd & BoC is 4th. HLAW has more of my favourite Linda songs than any album up to that time. What makes HLAW extra special are "Dark End of the Street", "Keep Me From Blowing Away", "Heart Like A Wheel" and "I Can't Help It". The first of those 2, are downbeat, almost Leonard Cohen level, but sung very poignantly by Linda, its her quieter more personal songs that make audiophile recordings worth buying.
I have just got the DCC GH1, yet to listen. Hoping its better than the UK GH 1&2 combined for audio, that is too bass-heavy.
"What's New?" in other formats deserves recommendation. The HBO show was on VHS & LD. Soundtrack on DVD-Audio played on surround especially is awesome listening. All 3 Nelson Riddle albums are in the "Round Midnight" 2 CD box set. Lush listening!
Live in Hollywood, 13/20 of the concert songs, 100% its atmosphere. These are good choices for audio only. Watching a video of the live concert is a different experience to only hearing, both great but different. I think Linda's choices of omissions was wise. Remember at the time "Get Closer" had not been made, it was next after "Mad Love". "Lies", one of the omitted songs, Linda introduces as possibly "for our next album". The concert is Linda at her best, but the hall was hot, she was fanning herself & had water nearby, maybe wishing for her cooler stage clothes from earlier years. Those 1980s fashions took me back to when I watched "Fame" on TV. Sadly, if for no other reason than its 4:3 picture ratio, I doubt a complimentary video on DVD will be released. The CD is great to play, but Linda "raw" is great to see too, her doll-like face & figure, body movement and language, her rapport with her band and projecting chemistry to the young audience, who responded enthusiastically. HL, the CD, is an album to play loud. Its for speakers, not headphones, full audio not MP3, at parties & BBQs, or on long drives. I hope for a 20/20 song version, but the 13 tracks are great choices, and if fine for Ms Ronstadt, that's OK by me.
Hopefully HDTW MSFL will arrive this week. Then I'll only want the GH2 AF DCC, though having read reviews its not quite so desireable. However comparing masterings by Steve H, against those tracks on MSFL albums is interesting. On any version, I am looking for Linda's voice (track) to be prioritised and separated from her band and backing vocalists, better than live. So tomorrow a "Desperado" shoot-out. GH1 AF v DCN MSFL.
Linking these archived threads for reference Linda Ronstadt on Mobile Fidelity Linda Ronstadt-Prisoner In Disguise MFSL LP
Vinyl Reviews: Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel for MFSL version https://waxatmoorgate.co.uk/shop/ol...t-heart-like-a-wheel-mobile-fidelity-180-gram
What's New? What's New LP by Linda Ronstadt There is a MFSL LP (no CD?) that can be bought. Can any match the DVD-A though? There are also SACDs from Japan I believe.
The MFSL LP for What's New came out in 1983, long before they were doing her other LPs & CDs, so that's why there isn't one. I have always wondered if they would do a SACD and reissue the LP but it's probably a contractual thing at this point. The DVD-A is very nice, as is the 200g Analogue Productions LP from 2016. I haven't done a side-by-side test of them, but I like both of them a lot. I should do a shoot-out of the MFSL LP v. the AP version and see if my old ears can discern any big differences.
There is a Japanese SACD https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whats-New-Linda-Ronstadt/dp/B0052VI2VQ but to get the SA part don't you need special hardware? I may get the DVD-A, but LL & FSR have better songs to my liking. The "Round Midnight" set, all 3 albums (mine is German) are better masterings than the original CDs. I would try a MFSL LP if for a reasonable price.
