Michael Jackson "Off The Wall" original mixes on CD

Hi, I'm aware that the initial Japanese issue (35.8P-2) had the original version of the album with the different mixes of "Rock With You" and "Get On The Floor", but I also understand that some of the subsequent issues also had these mixes. Does anyone know which issues in particular? For example, does the Japan for Europe CDEPC 83468 pressing have these mixes?

 

The Japan-for-US CD with catalog number EK 35745 has these mixes.
It says this in the matrix: 35 8P-2 71A3.
-George

 

Damn - I misremembered the two different mixes as being for "Rock With You" and "Working Day and Night". I can easily hear the differences between the two "RWY" mixes but kept struggling to find a difference between the two "Working" versions - which are apparently the same!

 

I realize that this must be in other threads, but could someone summarize the differences? I have a couple 35 8P pressings of this title, but they are later pressings, and I am wondering if they have the original mixes. I guess I could compare them to the SACD, which I presume has the remix, but I'm a little lazy.

 

The two remixes are "Rock With You" and "Get On The Floor", not "Day And Night".

 

It seems as if Japan used this master for a while. The ESCA version uses the original master as well. Consequently, I wouldn't be surprised if almost all Japan-for-anywhere discs use the original versions.

 

Earth to drbryant: there is no SACD for Off the Wall. You're thinking of Thriller.

 

Here are samples of both songs in their original versions from Off the Wall (Epic Japan ESCA 5407) (Reissue 1991):

Rock With You (original Off the Wall version) (mp3)

Get On The Floor (original Off the Wall version) (mp3)


I also have these songs in lossless format, if anyone is interested:

Rock With You (original Off the Wall version) (flac)

Get On The Floor (original Off the Wall version) (flac)

 

So it looks as though early Japanese pressings at least had the original mixes?

 

Yeah, I know that now - that's why I said I misremembered "Workin'..." as being the one with the different mixes. I admitted I was wrong - stop piling on the shame!!!

 

(points finger) SHAME!!!

 

Thanks! Does this match the mastering of the early JPN CD release? Was pre-emphasis used, if so? I ask because there's a lot of treble...

 

the JPN disc DID have pre-emph (sadly).

best way to tell if rock with you is the remix is listen for the claps in the chorus:
"i wanna rock with you *clap* all night *clap*
dance you into day *clap* sunlight *clap*"

get on the floor is a little tougher - side by side you can tell but theres no real easy way to describe it.

 

Maybe not even "Early." The ESCA disc is apparently from 1991...not early by a large margin.

 

Get On The Floor.. is the easiest of the 2 to spot the difference..
a new rhythm guitar runs all the way through it..

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the 1st Japan for Europe issue also has "35.8P" in the matrix. The Japan for Europe CDEPC issue of "Thriller" does.

 

yes the Japan for Europe or UK does have it..

that's right the ESCA series came out in time for Dangeorus ESCA 5500

Off The Wall 32 8P-223 (1987) has them too!
Off The Wall ESCA 5407 (1991) i think it's the last disc to use the original mixes?

 

I...um...found a copy of the 1st Japan pressing, and it does indeed have pre-emphasis. I almost fried a cilia or two in my ears listening to it, but double-checked it in EAC and it was indeed flagged.

I eliminated the pre-emphasis by running it through the Q10 Waves plug-in in Pro Tools, and now it sounds great.

 

i have a version which contains "rock with you" without claps, which one is that?? I'm confused I need your help...

 

The original version of Rock With You is on the Deluxe version of the France edition of "King of Pop". And it's now out of print, sadly.

http://www.discogs.com/Michael-Jackson-King-Of-Pop-The-French-Fans-Selection/release/2368351

 

but which one is the original?, i have one of the earliest editions pressed in cd...

 

The earliest CD editions are the same as the LP mix. I would assume they would be the original mixes. "Rock with You" was released as a single on 45 RPM disc with the handclaps, so perhaps this is also an original mix, concurrently released with the LP. The same may be true for "Get on the Floor" which was released as a flip on at least two Jackson singles from the album, ie: "Off the Wall", "She's Out of My Life", and as an "A" side as well.

I happen to have a Japan issue CD 35 8P-2 71A6, which sounds magnificent. I have read about the early masters with pre-emphasis for LP mastering, yet I would have never known since the CD sounds great.

 

The album "Off The Wall" was released in the summer of 1979, after the release of the first single "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough" was a hit single. "Rock With You" was the second single from the album, and it was released as a remix and edit of the original album track.

When the second pressing of the LP was made sometime in late 1979 or the early 80s, the original album mix of "Rock With You" and "Get On The Floor" were substituted with remixes that were also on the 45. Since that point in time, the original mixes were never officially released again domestically. However, the song "Off The Wall" was remixed for the single, but the original album mix was kept for the album.

 

The pre-emphasis has nothing to do with LP mastering. Some early CDs intentionally used an eq curve from around 500hz up that has to be brought down in playback:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/cd-dat-with-pre-emphasis-how-to-de-emphasize-correctly.88541/

 

Interesting! I will do some research into that since I wonder why the eq curve would be necessary for CD mastering? I had read somewhere that the pre-emphasis was for LP mastering, not the RIAA curve, just a little boost in the treble to compensate for losses at the cutting head, and during the pressing operations, perhaps errant info.