Beatles Red & Blue Compilation refresh

Mike your criticism is valid and based on your experience but I find the use of the word exploit odd. While no one would disagree there’s definitely some good marketing going on people are buying these remixes/remastered versions by choice. Exploitation is a completely different kettle of fish for me and generally used when people have no option.

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That’s “exploit” as in “take advantage of”. I’m not necessarily suggesting there’s anything evil in it.

We are a specific demographic and, left to our devices, might just listen to what we have; buy new stuff by who we have and stream bits of stuff just to see what it’s like. We’re not 18 and eagerly waiting for the charts or standing at the counter asking about the weeks new releases and yet we likely have disposable income burning our pockets to the extent we can afford decent audio kit and more.

The role of a record company is to part you from that disposable income. At 18 they’re throwing new stuff at you and exploiting the desire for novelty. At 50+ they’ve sussed out how to again part you from your money by brilliantly selling you an alleged upgrade on what you have. Both acts are undeniably equally cynical in their own way and undoubtedly just the way things work.

I think the deception which annoys is the pretence that Martin and his ilk are doing this for artistic reasons and for the benefit of the Beatles or new generations. That is tosh. They are doing it because the gap is there and all concerned make money.

Amen!

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I’ve skimmed through these posts and haven’t found any reference to Magical Mystery Tour being an awful remix. The brass has almost disappeared and McCartney’s opening vocals are buried deep in the mix. The first “roll up, roll up” is almost inaudible. There are some good remixes on both albums of course but that is the main track that stands out as being worse than the original to me.

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I haven’t heard any of the current remixes, but in regard to MMT, a favourite of mine, I read that Walrus has changed quite a bit.

Not necessarily for the better from others’ (not this forum) reactions to it.

I guess I’ll have to get a listen online…dont think there was anything wrong with the original, so :person_shrugging:t4:

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Thank you. I had begun to think I was hallucinating. I profess myself bewildered some can’t hear some of the obvious awfulness of some of the new mixes. It’s like someone fell asleep at the desk; knocked the settings randomly and then woke up and figured it sounded okay without ever going back to the original recordings and going “Oh…”. It’s going to sell column inches so no-one will actually say “Actually that is just not very good”.

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There are not many bands who could produce 12 sides of “Best of” and yet my reaction is that there are a whole list of brilliant songs missing.

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Not sure what is going on - but this is free (or pay what you want) on Bandcamp

“Creating listenable stereo mixes of songs from the 50s. 60s and 70s using AI separation.”

… apparently.

Seems odd?

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I was late to the party with The Beatles.
I never liked them to be honest but that was because I’d only heard the early stuff. Then about 20 years ago a friend came round to listen to my new 252 and brought with him a few CD’s, one of which was Sgt. Pepper.
Surprise, surprise, I liked it a lot, so I bought it. Then the White Album and liked that too. Then I bought some more and went as far back as Rubber Soul.
I’m still not a big fan of the early stuff so the Red Compilation is good enough for me. I think it sounds good too, though I’ve nothing to compare it to. I managed all three LP’s in a single sitting too. I guess a lot of it depends on the tonal balance of your system and your room acoustics.
I opted for the boxset, firstly as there were a couple of tracks I didn’t have, like Hey Bullfrog, secondly I thought it might be more desirable if I decide to sell on in future.

Classic - like Rory Gallagher’s Bullfrog Blues

I think that you’ll find that it was a canine, not an amphibian!

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image

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Haha, didn’t even realise. Wonder if it’s because I was listening to Rory as I posted?

HEADLINE: Boomer discovers that Sgt. Peppers isn’t that bad an album after all!

Next you’ll be telling us you finally tried fish and chips and actually like it! :joy:

(Just picking on you!)

Haha.
Up until that point all I’d heard of the Beatles was their early output, which I really didn’t like at all, and a cassette of them live at the Hollywood Bowl I got for Christmas one year, which was basically an hour of screaming girls drowning out the fab four. From that point on I basically dismissed them off hand.
Sgt Pepper was an eye opener (or ear opener) for me. They’re still a long way from being my favourite band, but I’m now very much a fan.

PS
I’d much rather a vindaloo than fish and chips …

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It’s the ending of Walrus (the King Lear quote) that’s changed for the worse IMO.

@Clive
Oh dear…I love that bit…I remember I used to turn up my old portable mono record player to catch the words…what have they done?

Listen to it - it’s so obvious you won’t miss it.

OK…I will later when I’m home

:face_with_peeking_eye::face_with_peeking_eye::face_with_peeking_eye: