Bob Clearmountain Talks Surround (and much more)

[dr. simple]

I have a friend who comes over every couple of weeks ago to just listen to music. He recently sent me this YouTube link that I think many of you will enjoy:

Deconstructed: Chris Lord-Alge and Bob Clearmountain

Skip to 33:06 for the stuff that is of particular interest to us on this forum. In a nutshell, Bob Clearmountain has made a 5.1 mix of EVERY MIX HE'S DONE SINCE THE YEAR 2000.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

We need a list of all those titles so we know what record company to pressure beg.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Well Folks here's a list of all Bob Clearmountain's recording/mixing credits: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-clearmountain-mn0000063906/credits

There's some pretty heavy hitters included in his rather extensive resume!

 

[salsdali]

for the love of God let this be released in 5.1.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-public-image-is-rotten-songs-from-the-heart-mw0003180874

The page says Bob is "remixing" rather than "mixing". Does remixing mean into 5.1 or does mixing mean into 5.1? I would assume when you create a 5.1 mix from original tapes you are "remixing" as opposed to just mixing, which would be more like remastering in a sense??

...so Bob actually did The Seeds of Love and Songs from the Big Chair in 2005 but "they" didn't release that 5.1 mix?? (but rather waited until Steven Wilson's 2014 5.1 mix)

https://www.allmusic.com/album/chro...-the-big-chair-the-seeds-of-love-mw0000702547

 

[humprof]

Wow. Unlike a like of QQ'ers, I really don't care for Clearmountain's 5.1 mix of Legend. But holy cow, what a resume! Plenty of stuff he's done since 2010 or 2012 that I'd love to hear in surround regardless, including a bunch of other greatest hits collections: They Might Be Giants, Fania All-Stars, Bowie, Hall & Oates, Tina Turner, Stones, Brecker Brothers...plus, he remixed the early Springsteen albums, the early Pretenders albums...and Lucinda Williams's Blessed, and Bowie's Nothing Has Changed. Just...wow.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

I’m wondering if he meant he mixed artist’s ‘studio’ albums into 5.1.
Not compilations, greatest hits, etc.
Live stuff, I can see.

 

[humprof]

I’m wondering if he meant he mixed artist’s ‘studio’ albums into 5.1.
Not compilations, greatest hits, etc.
Live stuff, I can see.

Maybe. He said he'd mixed "everything" since 2000 or 2002 simultaneously for stereo and surround--though maybe he meant everything new. Still, he segued right from that comment into his anecdote about getting the call to remix Legend for surround.

 

[Franklin]

...so Bob actually did The Seeds of Love and Songs from the Big Chair in 2005 but "they" didn't release that 5.1 mix?? (but rather waited until Steven Wilson's 2014 5.1 mix)

He didn't mix Big Chair at all and only two tracks from Seeds. I think you're misunderstanding. I believe he means everything he mixed from 2000 or whenever he also mixed into surround, so that's every new stereo mix he made he also made a surround mix for, not that he went back through his entire back catalogue of mixes.

 

[dr. simple]

He said he'd mixed "everything" since 2010 or 2012 simultaneously for stereo and surround.

Actually, he said, "Everything I've done in the last 10 or 12 years or whatever. Whenever the surround thing started." (The interview was done in 2014). Later he said, "2000, I think... 2002 or something..."

 

[MrSmithers]

What a cool video and what a cool dude! Either way he's definitely got quite a lot of surround releases backed up. Just imagine The Cure/Tina Turner/The Rolling Stones/The Boss etc etc in 'Legend' style greatest hits package?! Come on Humprof - Legend is great! . I'd say Avalon is probably one of the best mixed surround releases ever/period!
I'm really looking forward to The Band - Music From Big Pink!

 

[humprof]

Actually, he said, "Everything I've done in the last 10 or 12 years or whatever. Whenever the surround thing started." (The interview was done in 2014). Later he said, "2000, I think... 2002 or something..."

Right. Brain fart--I meant "2000 or 2002" and wrote "2010 or 2012" (I've now edited the original post). So yeah: compilations that show up in the AllMusic credits simply because they include one or more tracks of his old work are probably not covered by his blanket statement. But compilations that he supervised...

 

[Fourplay]

I have a friend who comes over every couple of weeks ago to just listen to music. He recently sent me this YouTube link that I think many of you will enjoy:

Deconstructed: Chris Lord-Alge and Bob Clearmountain

Skip to 33:06 for the stuff that is of particular interest to us on this forum. In a nutshell, Bob Clearmountain has made a 5.1 mix of EVERY MIX HE'S DONE SINCE THE YEAR 2000.

Yeah, this was super fun to listen to. I hope some of his unreleased mixes get out. Anyone care to summarize them here, based on what he said about mixing everything since 2001 or so?

 

[Frogmort]

I have a friend who comes over every couple of weeks ago to just listen to music. He recently sent me this YouTube link that I think many of you will enjoy:

Deconstructed: Chris Lord-Alge and Bob Clearmountain

Skip to 33:06 for the stuff that is of particular interest to us on this forum. In a nutshell, Bob Clearmountain has made a 5.1 mix of EVERY MIX HE'S DONE SINCE THE YEAR 2000.

Love the part with Bob at 35min 'I can't tell you how much fun that was to mix, and they paid me!

 

[4-earredwonder]

I finally watched the entire interview [thanks dr. simple] and enjoyed every minute of it. Two men who obviously love their craft but have two entirely diverse personalties. Chris Lord~Alge's a trip and makes no qualms about his admiration for Bob Clearmountain who's so much more laid back and somewhat shy.

I could not believe that Bob Clearmountain can do a surround mix in 20 minutes [yeah, it takes twenty minutes longer to mix the album in surround].

And his enthusiasm for the finished product. He obviously relishes surround.

So if his mixes since 2000 onward [and of course none but Legend and Reckless were mentioned] are ALL mixed to 5.1 the obvious question........When are we going to HEAR them?

 

[salsdali]

I finally watched the entire interview [thanks dr. simple] and enjoyed every minute of it. Two men who obviously love their craft but have two entirely diverse personalties. Chris Lord~Alge's a trip and makes no qualms about his admiration for Bob Clearmountain who's so much more laid back and somewhat shy.

I could not believe that Bob Clearmountain can do a surround mix in 20 minutes [yeah, it takes twenty minutes longer to mix the album in surround].

And his enthusiasm for the finished product. He obviously relishes surround.

So if his mixes since 2000 onward [and of course none but Legend and Reckless were mentioned] are ALL mixed to 5.1 the obvious question........When are we going to HEAR them?

when the rights owners want us to!

I know you question was facetious but it's the main problem I have with the music "industry"

 

[4-earredwonder]

when the rights owners want us to!

I know you question was facetious but it's the main problem I have with the music "industry"

I was hardly being facetious, salsdali. Obviously, Clearmountain is commissioned to do the stereo remix [unless otherwise specified] and does the 5.1 remix for his own 'private collection.' I even wonder whether the artists ever get to hear his 5.1 remix as it seems he and Lord~Alge have little interaction with the actual musicians except via the internet.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

I’m sure we will hear these 5.1 mixes when the artists / record companies decide that making money on that brand new physical format that is invented in that super duper deluxe box set is the right time and might help sell that particular album.

 

[Frogmort]

You know, for some reason with a name like Bob Clearmountain, I always imagined that he looked something like this:

And not at all what he actually looks like:

 

[Franklin]

That looks a little like the drummer from Creedence... on the left.

 

[4-earredwonder]

You know, for some reason with a name like Bob Clearmountain, I always imagined that he looked something like this:

And not at all what he actually looks like:

So, What's NEW pussycat? In 5.1, that is.