New Jackson Browne 2CD "Hits" coming

I read something a long time back that the first artist
to use the Aphex system was Paul McCartney during his
76 tour. Something about using it to mic the piano.
I'm not sure how he found it (or more likely his sound
people). I seem to remember Paul calling it "a magic box"
(shades of Magic Alex - LOL) when someone asked him
how he was getting a better piano sound on tour than
other artists....

Apparently the box tries to add additional harmonics
where there are none. I don't know if Aphex is still
in business - but a guy in work here who plays drums
was showing me a similar box a few years back. You
could see the lights on the EQ analyzer extend further
out when he turned it on...

When I worked at Bell Labs about 15 years back - I actually
found a glossy sales brochure for the aphex. I think
someone had purchased one - or was thinking about
purchasing one... I'm not really sure what for.


So if adding harmonics is considered distortion - then
yes - thats exactly what the box did. But I think it
was a very controlled type of distortion.

Warren Zevon's "Exciteable Boy" album claimed to use
the Aphex. I always like the way that album sounded.

"Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac used it as well.

 

I have to disagree also. I think it's a great collection and covers his career well. When it comes to any 'Best Of" collection, total satisfaction for everyone is impossible, I believe, but to be completely dissatisfied...I just don't understand.
I'm curious, What song selection would you have wanted???????

 

Funny, I remember a Rolling Stone issue w/a big feature on Linda Ronstadt when she was at the peak of her commercial powers. It made special note of mentioning the aural exciter, describing it in very cryptic terms as doing something with her vocals to add a "special something" that somehow made them better.

The word lemmings comes to mind.

doug

 

Oh no! Quick, somebody alert the A.R.T. (Anti-Remix Taliban) immediately!

A couple other complaints I have about this thing, even before hearing it:

- It's in Digipack. (Bleech!)

- That title. It seems like every compilation nowadays has to be "The Essential" this or "The Very Best of" that. Whatever happened to trying to come up with something a little more interesting or creative? Is there a feeling that a mere best-of doesn't warrant such efforts, or is it more of a marketing/branding decision (i.e., they don't want to confuse the Wal-Mart waddlers out there with a title that isn't literally descriptive enough)?

 

CHARLIE BROWN: Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it..?

 

The company is still in business. They have a web page that
describes what they do in some detail. There's also a lot of
discussions about aphex products archived on google groups.

And I was right - one of their first customers was Paul
McCartney. Someone said Paul used the box while recording
"Junior's Farm" but I'm not sure if that's correct because
Aphex seems to have been founded in 1975 and "Junior's
Farm" was recorded in 1974.

People in the newsgroups did warn that novices tend to turn
the knobs too far. Probably the most interesting thing I spotted
concerned how to USE the box. I'm paraphrasing but
the suggestion was something like this:

"Turn the knob just enough so that you can't hear it when
it's turned on.... and then wait fifteen minutes and turn it
off. If you notice its disappearance - you've set the effect
correctly..."

They claim to have sold ONE MILLION of these units since
1975. They have about 30 patents and apparently license
their patents to other hardware vendors.

I did tend to notice that they have strange marketing lingo
like "big bottom" and I saw one engineer complaining that
the unit looks ugly in a rack.

For what it's worth, Alan Parsons claims to be a satisfied
Aphex customer.

 

I understand Greatest Hits discs by singles artists, but I have never understood these kind of packages from album oriented artists like Browne. The track selection is never going to please his die hard fans ( which I am one of), and casual fans are not suddenly going to decide they need a 2 disc set of his stuff. I assume it is just an attempt to ring every last penny out of his catalog before he moves on to a new label, but he would be better served by destroying all those horrible sounding remasters and trying to get his catalog out there in good sounding versions IMHO.

 

Agreed. My only gripe is that "Lawyers In Love" isn't on it. Otherwise, it works for me.

Then again, I have no JB in my collection and only know what I've heard on the radio.

 

Ack!, Did you read my post on the revised tracklisting?...Lawyers In Love IS on this....

Having said that.....

Bought the package...and it is cheap! I mean cheap! Even for a digipack. There are no trays where the CDs sit. They sit right on the flat thin cardboard. And they are held in place by sponge spindles. Once the CDs are popped off, they won't go back on. That means they will slide around and get all scratched up. In fact, the CDs come scratched and loose once the shrinkwrap is removed. I replaced mine twice and I have yet to find unblemished CDs.

So, I haven't even checked out the music yet...will do and post my findings....An artist like Jackson Browne deserves better than this.....very shoddy packaging!

Brian

 

Ken,

I can't get the CDs to stay in place when I push the CDs down on those spindles. I have tried the three I recieved (one through purchase and two in exchanges). The CD may sit there but will easily pop off...I'm glad it has worked better for you.

What is the deal with jewel cases lately. Everything is in digipacks! Jewel cases can be replaced. Digipacks wear out and then you have to buy the CD again.

Brian

 

Sounds like that is what the record companies hope for.

Personally I have never had a problem with a digipak, but then I am very obsessive about how I handle my CDs.

On the other side of the coin, if the digipak wears out you aren't really forced to by the CD again. You can put the CD(s) in a jewel case and live without the graphics and package.

 

OK, the packaging isn't good. But how does it sound? There's nothing new on this collection, so sound quality would be the only reason for me to get this one, especially with sub-standard packaging. Are they really remixed as well as remastered? Too compressed, too NR'ed, too much echo, or did someone do a nice job with them? Who has the remastering credit?

Looking forward to seeing Jackson on Saturday!

Thanks,
Joe

 

You're right.

Is there anything rare on this Greatest Hit CD?

I'm sure there will be another ESSENTIAL package released in another few years.

Didn't JB have a song off a Wizard of Oz soundtrack? That would have been interesting.

 

It sounds good to these ears...Doug Sax and Robert Hadley remastered this. It still sounds sort of dry with a hint of echo in the vocals.

I know you are agreeing with reechie's quote about Lawyer's In Love being a significant hit left off of this, but as I have posted here a few times already....it isn't left off! It is on it!

Brian

 

This thing sounds fantastic. All this bitching about the cd...have you even bought it and listened to it yet? - Sometimes I wonder, when I read this stuff.

Could it have been packaged better...yup! But, for the $15.99 I paid for it, when a few years ago paid even more for a single disc, I'll take it! Do yourself favor, if a JB fan, get this!!

 

I wait til Rhino will release the single remasters... the same like the Fleetwood Mac stuff

 

As soon as I took the shrinkwrap off - one of the discs fell out onto the floor!
I did find a great way to upgrade the way the CD's are held in the cover. First, pull off those stupid rubber holders, Then get a couple of those thin plastic 'clam-shell' covers and cut the top lid off and glue the bottom half onto the cardboard cover where the rubber holders were. (I used silicone glue). It worked great . The cover will still close fine and it even makes the whole package more sturdy!
TimW

 

Voila! Problem solved.

 

Yes, and from what I've read about the packaging, I'm going to wait and see if BMG music service gets it a few months from now. Sometimes they put digipak stuff in jewel cases, like Rhino's first two Chicago remasters.

Keeping my fingers crossed on that one, Brian!

 

Right on!!

I'll wait too.

Waiting for the 10,000 maniacs 2-CD compilation to become available from BMG too.

 

With all due respect...when the package is designed so cheaply that the discs pop off the sponge spindles and slide around and get scratched up or won't stay on when they are shrinkwrapped and are loose when opened and so are damaged...I think that's a legitimate complaint! I don't care how cheap it is new...it takes my time and gas to go to Best Buy three or more times to find an undamaged copy. When I buy something new, I expect it to be new!

And, yes...I agree it does sound fantastic.

As far as waiting for a jewel case version, I hope one will come, but I also won't hold my breath. Tom Petty's Anthology is still only available as a digipack as are the Eagles and The Rolling Stones SACDs digipacks were also initially promised to be replaced with jewel case versions down the road, still...no jewel cases.

Brian

 

Still wondering how he ever got elected to the Hall of Fame.

 

Buy this set. The answer is contained within it my friend.

I agree so far on the sound, very pleasing on the first couple of listens, have to start doing some A'B'ing soon.

 

I just got this set for $15.99. This is a good price, even if I factor in the slim jewel cases I will need.

What were they thinking!!! This may be the WORST CD packaging I have ever seen!

Tim