King Biscuit Flower Hour - Concert Archives - Quad (encoded)?

[kfbkfb]

King Biscuit Records

I contacted them a few days ago with this question about their archives:
Are the downloads Quadraphonic (many of the King Biscuit Flower Hour recordings were Quad Matrix Encoded)?


Their email answer:
Hi Kirk,

No, none of the downloads are Quad, just stereo.

best, Matt
Wolfgang's Customer Support


Too bad, the archive seems like it would be a good source of Quad content.


Kirk Bayne

 

[Mark Anderson]

Below is a link to the Quad Radio KBFH discography, go to the end to find out why the current archives are not quad

Quadraphonic Discography "Radio Broadcasts"

 

[kfbkfb]

Thanks for the Quad/Flower Hour info link, it's probably not very profitable to try to find (some) of the matrix quad content sent to radio stations (which they may still have).


Kirk Bayne

 

[ssully]

Below is a link to the Quad Radio KBFH discography, go to the end to find out why the current archives are not quad

Quadraphonic Discography "Radio Broadcasts"

You mean this?

Barry Ehrnmann, President of Phoenix Media Group helped with the purchase
of the King Biscuit archives in the mid-nineties to negotiate with the bands
and labels for release of the performances on CD's, Barry reported that the
warehouse were the 2 channel quadraphonic matrixed encoded master tapes were
stored burned down and all were lost. Fortunately the 16 & 24 track reels
that were used to mix the quad encoded tapes were stored in a different
facility and he was able to use those and remix them for the CD's. Therefore
only the original 1/2 track 2 channel SQ reels sent to the radio stations
and copies made by folks on their home recorders contain the quad mix. CD's
issued later are not SQ encoded.

A 60 minute show was comprised of 53 minutes of the program and advertisements
from the shows sponsors 7 minutes of local advertising.

 

[Mark Anderson]

You mean this?

Yep, that is why releases after the quad reels sent to radio stations are not quad

 

[ssully]

It also means that Phoenix Media Group *could* release newly mixed surround versions of these recordings...if it really wanted to.

 

[kfbkfb]

Maybe the Dolby Atmos song remix people could do Surround remixes of the KBFH multitrack masters.


Kirk Bayne

 

[ssully]

What's also curious....the tracks played on the 3/10/74 KBFH SQ quad broadcast of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, are the very same performances (Anaheim Feb 2 74) that comprise part of the Welcome Back My Friends... live album (which was also released as a wonky Q8 tape). Fans have clamored for years for that album to be released in a proper modern surround mix but the claim has always been that the original multitracks are lost/damaged. Yet the KB multitracks reportedly exist. And based on what Ehrmann said, presumably were used to mix down to 2-track for this 1997 2CD set that contains KBFH material from 1974 and 1977....and as does this sketchy DVDA thing from 2003. Could they not be used again?

The 1974 KBFH broadcast (available to stream at Wolfgang's Vault, again a 2-channel mix) consisted of:
Hoedown
Still...You Turn Me On
Lucky Man
Piano Improvisations (Incomplete)
Karn Evil 9 (complete)

so, something near half of the WBMF album (the remainder being Jerusalem, Toccata, Tarkus, Take A Pebble, Jeremy Bender/Sheriff)

 

[Tim Bucknall]

Please forgive the thread bump i wasn't sure where else to put this, I need your Quad ears!

Neil from Bowie Station massively and very kindly helped me by pulling together ever pre & post FM version of the King Biscuit broadcast of Bowie's 1976 Nassau Coliseum gig so i could finally confirm or debunk the rumor that this has some SQ Quad content.

The first Broadcast had a technical issue which reduced the first 3 songs to mono, but later rebroadcasts didn't have this issue.
Do you ever get any rear channel action?

I don't have a quad/surround system installed I'm just a forum member because i like the weird effects i get when i play SQ quad discs on my 2 channel set up - this morning it was Mysterious Traveler by weather report.

Plus i'm a nerd for broadcasting history and this wonderful site is a godsend for research.