Whoa. Just getting into the first studio album. Mastering work exceeds expectations! Hoping the rest is well done. If so, then shouldn't everyone be picking this up???
I meant to reply to you and got myself instead....yes, this set is essential. Sounds wonderful for sure. Been playing it all month....happy listening!
How does the 'Wild Life ' sound? Always thought that was underrated, even by Mott-sters. Especially 'Lay Down" I don't have much (any) expectations for the others beyond sounding like Guy-Stevens -produced-Mott-chunks-of-shredded-tin-foil.
10 pages. Kate Bush thread pushing 200. White Album? Village Green? Tull This Was? C'mon, forum. If not here, where else is this set gonna sell!?
Truly one of the best reissue of this year for me ! Great sound, lots of rarities and excellent booklet ! Got it for 35 € from www.fnac.fr, a bargain !
I created this cdr of some of my favorite rarities from the tracks the were included and left off of the box set. They are all vocal versions of the tracks. 1. If Your Heart Lay With A Rebel (Would You Cheer The Underdog?) (Vocal version) - Omitted from set 2. Little Christine 3. You Really Got Me (Vocal version) 4. Road To Birmingham (Guy Steven's Mix) 5. Moonbus (Baby's Got A Down) 6. Going Home 7. It Would Be A Pleasure - Omitted from set 8. Keep A Knockin' (Studio version) 9. Can You Sing The Song That I Sing? (Short version) - Omitted from set 10. The Chosen Road - Omitted from set 11. Growing Man Blues 12. Surfin' U.K. - Omitted from set 13. One Of The Boys (Island version) 14. Till I'm Gone 15. Long Red 16. It'll Be Me - Omitted from set 17. Ill Wind Blowing 18. Downtown 19. The Debt 20. Midnight Lady (Vocal version) - Omitted from set 21. Black Scorpio 22. Movin' On Black Hills wouldn't fit so I had to omit it.
I have taken the plunge - Midnight Lady or no Midnight Lady. I'm really looking forward to hearing these in decent sound.
Saw these guys well over 50 times during that period. What a blast from the past this set is. The sound seems very good to my (67 year old) ears and the book has so much in it if you have any kind of connection to the band and the time that it all happened. Still remember that Albert Hall show that damaged the place. Rock music was banned for a while after that. They went back to the proms for a bit. Those Fairfield hall shows were good. They also used to play at a pub called the Greyhound which was only about 1/4mile away in Croydon. Indispensable box set and you can’t say that very often.
Comparing the mastering of Mad Shadows to my original US Atlantic CD, I find the mastering to be a bit on the shrill side. The Atlantic is more dynamic and smooth. The remaster is tipped up and peaky by comparison. Granted, none of these albums are sonic marvels, so YMMV. I'll have to dig out my original vinyl and compare both to that. That said, stellar packaging on this. The ringwear and price stickers on the cardboard sleeves are a nice touch.
Suggest anyone interested in the period of Mott dig up a copy of Ian's 'Diary of a R+R Star' which chronicles about a month on their life on tour as "Dudes" was breaking big. Ian is a savvy writer and observer, and comes across as sincere, petulant, contentious, generous., sympathetic, ambitious, humble, sometimes all at once. He seems to be especially close to Verdin Allen, surprisingly as 'Phally' was soon to quit. The real take away I got was how driven these guys were; not just to make it but by a working class ethic. It's never explictly said, but there's a clear sense there's not much left for these guys to go back too if the Mott thing doesn't work out. It's also strange, humorous and sad, how poorly organized the tour is, compounded by it being in Nov-Dec, so weather is always a factor in transit. And being billed between, say, Eric Anderson and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Every page has a hilarious anecdote or wry and funny observation - Ian just can't seem to get enough of America and its pawnshops - and it make one long for a sequel or a memoir. Their story will probably nevre be made into a movie, but it could be a great one; ending as Ian walks out of the studio at the end of recording 'Saturday Gigs".
I hope there's eventually some official word as to whether they are planning to fix the Wildlife disc (also my favorite Mott album) and the "Midnight Lady" blunder, although understandably collectors would want to keep the rarity of the version accidentally included and not exchange the disc for a fixed one since the track is available elsewhere, but absolutely should've been included correctly here. I also noticed on the back of the box, the track listing for Wildlife has track 9 "Keep a-Knockin'" listed as a bonus track, which of course it isn't, given it was the last track on the album. Additionally, the bonus track "Long Red" is credited as being written by Ian Hunter. Really? It's a track off the first Leslie West Mountain album, written by West, Felix Pappalardi, John Ventura and Norman Landsberg. You'd think multiple sets of eyes would proof these things before they go to press, but...
