As a Tommy James fan since 1966, and as I got to listen again to the quad mix tonight(bought a sealed Q8 for about $75 recently), good time as any to post about the mixes from a collector's perspective. Been a long, long time since I'd heard these, but great fun with the best, nasty at worst.
In order of single/Lp release:
1. HANKY PANKY. This is actually a rechanneled version--probably pulled from the first album and used on the original BEST OF '69 Lp--'expanded and enhanced' to quad(heh). Of course it's a needledrop, since Roulette had nothing but a copy of the original Snap 45 to work with.
2. I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW. The sad thing about this one--aside from the fact that it sounds like duophonic expanded to quad, and pretty murky and messy at that--is that a multitrack tape apparently was misfiled(or something), since, in the '90s, a stereo underdub(with not much missing)first made its way onto a Rhino budget CD you could buy for less than $10 almost anywhere. But back in '67, the tape wasn't used, hence the rechannelings ever since, including what is heard here.
3. MIRAGE. Stereo Lp version(a later contrived mix was made for a Varese various artists comp, and very good for what it is, but Roulette never issued such a beast). These early ones didn't give the mixers much to work with, apparently, because there's some delay and other gimmicks to make it quad, more than it sounds like quad. The single was not only compressed, but had added backing vocals near the end that sound very missed here--essential, in fact.
4. (Baby, Baby)I CAN'T TAKE IT NO MORE. This one is hurt by a double-track vocal sound that really doesn't work(unlike the stereo--original mono has the best mix). Like the above, taken from the I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW Lp, early '67.
5. MONY MONY. Always fun to hear, but there are several mixes, including at least two stereo variants, maybe more; again, the original mono mix has the most party-hearty, punchy sound. This mix isn't bad given its vintage and limitations, but despite the fidelity, sounds limp and at times unfocused--and an underdub, with bk vocals and probably a few instruments missing that were added to the 45.
6. CRIMSON & CLOVER. This is Version 2--Lp version from the album of the same title. It's basically a stereo mix of the 45 version broken in half by a long and (typical for its time) psychedelic passage to extend its length.
The mix starts out in front(and like a few other mixes, Tommy is all but isolated in one channel--mixing sense would have him even in both front channels, but someone felt otherwise), with the rears pretty much silent; then the backing vocals are heard in the rear. When the long instrumental 'bridge' kicks in, separate guitars are heard in each channel, and one in the RF, making this a really, really good quad mix for its detail, and everything holds together well.
7. SUGAR ON SUNDAY. A hit for The Clique later in the year, this original version plays Ok in quad, nothing spectacular, but good.
8. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION. This is based on stereo Version 1--the original Lp version. The single added extra instruments(including brass scattered during the last thirty seconds), and was a fine mix, but lacked the detail of the stereo. Not sure what's going on here, but this mix, though fun to hear, seems to be missing something further from the unadorned stereo Lp version--meaning it might be from the actual session tapes(as is obvious with "Ball Of Fire"), before the final stereo mix was made. Later, a stereo mix attempting to approximate the mono single was done, but that was almost 20 years down the road(and still didn't quite match).
9. SWEET CHERRY WINE. Stereo Lp version to quad; no 45 overdubs or edits, AFAIK. Fine mix for what it is, but widened, it is, as my wife pointed out, relaxed and almost beatific, the intro panning's cool.
10. BALL OF FIRE. Stereo Version 1--and this was its first album appearance, understandable because it was their most recent single. Unlike the single version--which had an edit near the end with added percussion and vocals--this first album version is likely from the actual session tape, since it ends differently(and runs longer than the single). Later, a stereo remix turned up at the same time as "Crystal," but a pretty fair match for the mono mix, except it faded later.
Is this essential for the quad/MC collector? In spite of what's bad about it--Yes. The best of it is well worth hearing, and what's amazing, as we all know, is that it was, given the circumstances and limitations inherent to the project, put out in quad at all. And this group, despite a lot of dross, came up with some real pop gems that have stood up well over forty years of listening.
ED
In order of single/Lp release:
1. HANKY PANKY. This is actually a rechanneled version--probably pulled from the first album and used on the original BEST OF '69 Lp--'expanded and enhanced' to quad(heh). Of course it's a needledrop, since Roulette had nothing but a copy of the original Snap 45 to work with.
2. I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW. The sad thing about this one--aside from the fact that it sounds like duophonic expanded to quad, and pretty murky and messy at that--is that a multitrack tape apparently was misfiled(or something), since, in the '90s, a stereo underdub(with not much missing)first made its way onto a Rhino budget CD you could buy for less than $10 almost anywhere. But back in '67, the tape wasn't used, hence the rechannelings ever since, including what is heard here.
3. MIRAGE. Stereo Lp version(a later contrived mix was made for a Varese various artists comp, and very good for what it is, but Roulette never issued such a beast). These early ones didn't give the mixers much to work with, apparently, because there's some delay and other gimmicks to make it quad, more than it sounds like quad. The single was not only compressed, but had added backing vocals near the end that sound very missed here--essential, in fact.
4. (Baby, Baby)I CAN'T TAKE IT NO MORE. This one is hurt by a double-track vocal sound that really doesn't work(unlike the stereo--original mono has the best mix). Like the above, taken from the I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW Lp, early '67.
5. MONY MONY. Always fun to hear, but there are several mixes, including at least two stereo variants, maybe more; again, the original mono mix has the most party-hearty, punchy sound. This mix isn't bad given its vintage and limitations, but despite the fidelity, sounds limp and at times unfocused--and an underdub, with bk vocals and probably a few instruments missing that were added to the 45.
6. CRIMSON & CLOVER. This is Version 2--Lp version from the album of the same title. It's basically a stereo mix of the 45 version broken in half by a long and (typical for its time) psychedelic passage to extend its length.
The mix starts out in front(and like a few other mixes, Tommy is all but isolated in one channel--mixing sense would have him even in both front channels, but someone felt otherwise), with the rears pretty much silent; then the backing vocals are heard in the rear. When the long instrumental 'bridge' kicks in, separate guitars are heard in each channel, and one in the RF, making this a really, really good quad mix for its detail, and everything holds together well.
7. SUGAR ON SUNDAY. A hit for The Clique later in the year, this original version plays Ok in quad, nothing spectacular, but good.
8. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION. This is based on stereo Version 1--the original Lp version. The single added extra instruments(including brass scattered during the last thirty seconds), and was a fine mix, but lacked the detail of the stereo. Not sure what's going on here, but this mix, though fun to hear, seems to be missing something further from the unadorned stereo Lp version--meaning it might be from the actual session tapes(as is obvious with "Ball Of Fire"), before the final stereo mix was made. Later, a stereo mix attempting to approximate the mono single was done, but that was almost 20 years down the road(and still didn't quite match).
9. SWEET CHERRY WINE. Stereo Lp version to quad; no 45 overdubs or edits, AFAIK. Fine mix for what it is, but widened, it is, as my wife pointed out, relaxed and almost beatific, the intro panning's cool.
10. BALL OF FIRE. Stereo Version 1--and this was its first album appearance, understandable because it was their most recent single. Unlike the single version--which had an edit near the end with added percussion and vocals--this first album version is likely from the actual session tape, since it ends differently(and runs longer than the single). Later, a stereo remix turned up at the same time as "Crystal," but a pretty fair match for the mono mix, except it faded later.
Is this essential for the quad/MC collector? In spite of what's bad about it--Yes. The best of it is well worth hearing, and what's amazing, as we all know, is that it was, given the circumstances and limitations inherent to the project, put out in quad at all. And this group, despite a lot of dross, came up with some real pop gems that have stood up well over forty years of listening.
ED
