The Beatles - White Album 50th Anniversary (Content, Sound Quality & Discussion Thread)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by BuCo, Nov 9, 2018.

  1. StateOfTheArt

    StateOfTheArt Beatle Know-it-all

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Honestly, they could have just spread the tracks used to fill the 6 channels. Not that hard. People do it for fun.
     
  2. Hymie the Robot

    Hymie the Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Are you confusing average at best upmixes to amazing remixes?
     
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  3. StateOfTheArt

    StateOfTheArt Beatle Know-it-all

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    No, I've heard really well done remixes, done by fans.
     
  4. Hymie the Robot

    Hymie the Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    That is cool the "fans" you know have access to the original multitracks.
     
    numer9 likes this.
  5. StateOfTheArt

    StateOfTheArt Beatle Know-it-all

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Rock band bruh, it's been fun though.
     
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  6. geekzapoppin

    geekzapoppin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charleston, WV
    Those aren't the original multitracks, though. They're just essentially some fairly low-quality separations. They're fine for fiddling around with, but that's about it.
     
    Gila likes this.
  7. Frances the Mute

    Frances the Mute Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Mexico
    Hello.

    First time poster on the forum. Sorry if this was already discussed, but does anyone have more context on Not Guilty? I just think it's a very strong and fascinating song. How was the reaction of fans when it first got out? (was it in the 80's in a bootleg, or in the 90's with Anthology?). I have already read information about the song on diverse Beatles articles, but I would really like to know how the general Beatlemaniac reacted to it. I'm sure this was already discussed, but I really think it was included in the album, it could be considered to be among the best songs in it.
     
  8. bherbert

    bherbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Africa
    The WA is a pretty good rock album. Arguably one of the best of the 60’s.
     
  9. geekzapoppin

    geekzapoppin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charleston, WV
    Welcome to the forum!

    The first time I heard it was on a bootleg CD I bought in the early 1990's called Ultra Rare Trax, Vol. 3. Bootleg Zone lists that as having come out in 1989. The sound on that disc wasn't nearly as good as the eventual official release, but it was still pretty mindblowing hearing a "new" Beatles song, at least for me. (Then again, I was pretty blown away by "What's the New Mary Jane?" around the same time. It has since lost its appeal to me.) I still like it and think it's just as good, if not better, than some songs that actually made it onto the album. It could have used some more refinement, but it still isn't a bad song.

    The earliest release I can find for it on Bootleg Zone is from 1985 on vinyl on a release called Nothing Is Real.

    It doesn't look like it had wide release on bootlegs until the early 90's.
     
  10. anth67

    anth67 Purveyor of Hogwash

    Location:
    PNW USA
    Harrison himself discusses its origins in his I Me Mine book, which included lyrics to all his released songs (mostly) ~ a re-recording was released on 1979's Blow Away. He pretty much indicates that the "while you're trying to steal the day" line is about John.

    My mom had that album, so I think the book (which I bought new) probably led me to listen to the song there. I know I didn't hear a Beatles' version till around '91 on a bootleg. Loved it immediately.

    I think it's a crime it was left off the White Album.....but not everyone agrees. There's a separate poll/thread on this where you can vote your heart, and read lots of others' comments on this song : )
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2019
  11. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I'm pretty sure I first heard the song on George Harrison's self-titled album. I wasn't blown away by it (pun intended - the great Blow Away is on that record). It's an OK song. I subsequently heard it on the Beatles Rare Track CDs - there are 2 versions in the series one of which is on a White Album Sessions disc.
    I prefer the Esher demo to the the ones recorded in the studio. George must have liked it too as he repeated the neat acoustic guitar riff in his solo recording.
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2019
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  12. Paul P.

    Paul P. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    Like others, the first time I heard it was on the self titled George Harrison album, released in 1979. I remember really digging it at the time - not knowing the back story at all. It just seemed like a good song that blended nicely with the overall laid-back feel of that album.

    The first time I heard it in a Beatles context was on Anthology 3 - I was surprised by the aggression in that version. I really liked it - and was surprised they'd left it off the White Album.

    Since then - I've heard the Esher demo and Take 102 on the White Album super deluxe edition. Having heard the complete Take 102, I can understand the criticism of the heavily edited Anthology version. However - I can see why they edited the pieces out of Take 102. The edits show how incomplete that take is, since the band basically stops during sections of the instrumental breaks. The removal of a complete verse is really puzzling though.

    So - yeah - having heard all of the versions, I don't consider it worthy of inclusion on the White Album as is. Take 102 - which George would have probably used - is basically incomplete, and the radically pared down Anthology edit wouldn't have passed muster with George, since he was pretty consistent with all the versions he recorded. (The Esher version, Take 102 & the 1979 version all follow the same pattern of verses, choruses and instrumental breaks.) As it stands, it's probably the great lost White Album track.

    Cheers,
    Paul

    P.S. That does make me wonder how that heavily edited version got on Anthology in the first place. Didn't George sign off on that album?
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2019
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  13. Kim Olesen

    Kim Olesen Gently weeping guitarist.

    Location:
    Odense Denmark.
    If George didn’t like the edit it would not have been on Anthology. He might even have requested it himself.
     
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  14. Robert M.

    Robert M. Forum Resident

    Esher

    Easier to hear the sophisticated modulating chord progressions, especially with Lennons's compositions.

    Dear Prudence- Lennons voice will hit you hard, with hilarious spoken words at end.
    While my Guitar Gently Weeps. You might weep, with Prudence and Julia.
    Julia- chord progressions.

    Main studio

    Instruments that were bordering on inaudible are now easily heard, at least on my moderately transparent system.

    I can better hear the tone and timbre of the bass guitar, kick drum and toms, instead of a somewhat muddy mess on the bottom, or nothing on the bottom as in USSR (fixed here), and at sufficient levels to satisfy all of us rhythm section-centric r&b loving music/audio enthusiasts.

    Four album set is pressed at Optimal, with quality similar to the mono pressings, that is, first-rate.

    Robert Martellaro
     
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  15. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I just picked up the deluxe Esher demo set in the UK for £68....was waiting for a good deal. I heard a couple of clips on a YouTube comparison video and, although I realise YouTube isn’t the best way to compare, the remix sounded superb!
     
  16. NumberEight

    NumberEight Came too late and stayed too long

    I first heard The Beatles’ version on Sessions in 1986.

    [​IMG]
     
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  17. NumberEight

    NumberEight Came too late and stayed too long

    The session tapes heard through playback speakers during The Beatles At Abbey Road in 1983 probably got pretty close to how The Beatles sounded in the studio...
     
  18. Paul P.

    Paul P. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    Shakes Magic 8 ball

    "Signs Point To No" :)

    Geoff Emerick did the edit for the Sessions album prior to George's involvement. This was left edited for Anthology.

    George must have approved it, I guess. Still - it makes you wonder how closely they listened to these tracks.

    Cheers,
    Paul
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2019
  19. Kim Olesen

    Kim Olesen Gently weeping guitarist.

    Location:
    Odense Denmark.
    Doh, my bad. Of course you are right about that.

    Brainfart.
     
  20. bherbert

    bherbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Africa
    Would it be accurate to say that the remix is closer to what the band actually sounded like in the studio due to the fact that the original multitracks are used or is it due to studio/pro tools trickery?
     
  21. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Giles attributes that “in the studio” sound to the added clarity; the improved (my word) balancing of all the elements; and the fact that there’s less compression on the remix, so it sounds less like a record and more like a band playing live.
     
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  22. brainwashed

    brainwashed Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Just conjecture on your part, eh Kim? At times, George was intimately involved during the mixing sessions for Anthology. He personally supervised the remixing/editing for Shout and You Know My Name. He also vetoed many possible outtakes, including his own Love You To and Here Comes The Sun. But there's no information I recall where he mentioned Not Guilty or While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Both songs edited and remixed in 1984 for the aborted Sessions album. He may not have cared a whit about the changes... or even remembered they weren't true to the original recordings. Ron
     
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  23. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    I’ve never understood why some people object to the Anthology edit of the ending of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Yes, the descending guitar riff is “artificially” repeated through editing, but only to allow for a natural fade-out. Without that bit of editing, the song would end very abruptly as the last note is severely clipped on the original tape. Normally I favor leaving session recordings as they are, especially since they’re not intended to stand as polished, finished master takes ... but that particular performance is so perfect it would be a shame to leave it marred only by that final truncated note. The repeated riff is a good way, probably the only way, to fix that.
     
  24. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    I’m playing through the entire WA 50 box today and I just listened again to the version of "Goodnight" with just Ringo’s vocal and George Martin on piano.

    I just can’t say enough good things about George Martin.

    On this track he plays a very simple, spare but beautiful piano part, instead of going all Liberace, throwing in arpeggios, etc. :D

    George’s musical taste and understanding of how to best serve a song arrangement-wise is something I’ll admire forever .
     
  25. Ricky Lampoon

    Ricky Lampoon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    In my opinion the elements aren’t well balanced in the remix. There always seems to be one or two elements very dominant and in-your-face.

    For this reason the remix doesn’t sound like a band to me. It just sounds more like someone twiddling volume knobs on a mixing desk because they can.
     
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