..the missing releases

[Ventures]

It's probably been brought up before, but I'll ask anyway.
When I check master lists of Q8s, there are plenty of higher profile artists and albums not released in the format. Considering the era of 72-76, off the top of my head I think of The Tubes debut as well as Boston's. The Sweet - Desolation Blvd. would have been awesome. Also maybe Frampton Comes Alive, some of the Bowie catalogue, Roxy Music...the list goes on.
What's the reasons for these not being released? What titles do you think definately should have been released?

 

[BananaSlug]

What titles do you think definately should have been released?

All of them, stereo is passé

Probably something to do with which labels were into quad and which weren't, someone here will know.

 

[Q-Eight]

I think a lot of it had to do with the condition of the multitracks.

Having played with a few myself, mixing some songs into Quad thirty years ago would have been impossible!

The most painful to do was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Yes, there were about 8 nice, clean tracks that ran the length. BUT, there were some tracks that start out as vocal, become incidental percussion, switch back to vocal, then switch to guitar, then to an unused vocal.....

Trying to keep an eye on that would have been painful.... I don't understand how the song got mixed in stereo let alone quad!

Not to mention, for a GOOD mix to be accomplished, you needed a pretty good mixer and engineer. Not everybody had the same idea as to what quad should sound like and you can ruin a good album by having a sloppy mix!

Lastly, I'm sure there were a few artists out there who just didn't 'get' Quad and may have had control enough over their music to put the kibosh on a 4 channel release. Even Steve Miller himself Questioned "Fly Like an Eagle" being a 4 channel release.

I can think of an easy dozen albums I'd love to hear in 4 channel!

Natty Dread (which was announced!),
Bat Out of Hell (the SACD is kinda limp in places),
Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack! (it's just a jump to the left)
Abbey Road
Book of Dreams
Live at the Paramount (Guess Who)

 

[Ge Someone]

The most painful to do was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Yes, there were about 8 nice, clean tracks that ran the length. BUT, there were some tracks that start out as vocal, become incidental percussion, switch back to vocal, then switch to guitar, then to an unused vocal.....

Yeah Roy Thomas Baker knew how to use every bit of the 24 channels
What they actually did was reduce all those vocals to other tracks and then reuse (some of) them. Elliott Scheiner spent a week or so to make the surround version of Borap and it was worth it

But to get back to the topic, my guess is that, just like what happened with SACD and DVD-A ,the record companies just canceled those releases (cause it wasn't bringing significant profit).

 

[Ventures]

Natty Dread (which was announced!),
Bat Out of Hell (the SACD is kinda limp in places),
Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack! (it's just a jump to the left)
Abbey Road
Book of Dreams
Live at the Paramount (Guess Who)

Good picks.
I have the Steve Miller - Book of Dreams Q8

 

[quadtrade]

Good picks.
I have the Steve Miller - Book of Dreams Q8

Now if that is a true statement, it it a new one on all of us, as it was never released. How about a photo and a chance to hear it.!!!!

 

[Q-Eight]

Yeah, I would like to see that as well. I don't even recall it ever being announced, let alone released.

The Joker & Fly Like an Eagle were the only two Steve Miller Quads I was aware of.

Elliott Scheiner spent a week or so to make the surround version of Borap and it was worth it

So it took a pro mixer about a week too? I spent about that on my own version 4-channel version. Nice to know I'm not too far behind the pros

 

[Ventures]

I've been restoring a friends collection of about 250 tapes, I'm almost sure I saw BOD, maybe it was a stereo tape mixed up in the pile..I'll check it out for you.

 

[deepsky4565]

Regarding the Boston debut, it was mixed in quad, but too late for the quad era. The quad mix was done in late '76 or early '77, at the very end of quad. I confirmed this personally with Brad Delp, lead singer (RIP). Stereo Review announced it coming on MC SACD, but then nothing happened. My guess is Tom Scholz scotched the plan. This would be a very cool quad album! It just doesn't do all that well with surround synthesizers. There is a rumor that someone has an SQ test pressing, but again, no one has actually produced it. Bummer.

 

[Ventures]

More "shoulda beens" Quads - the First Montrose album, Eldorado - ELO, Crime of the Century - Supertramp, Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack.

 

[Q-Eight]

Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack.

Just for the hell of it, eh?

 

[Ventures]

Now if that is a true statement, it it a new one on all of us, as it was never released. How about a photo and a chance to hear it.!!!!

Well, I've nicely stuck my butt out here to the more knowledgable!
I was finally able to confirm what I thought was Steve Miller's BOD was duplicate of Fly Like an Eagle.

humble apologies..

..but hey, I just picked up another 48 tapes to play-test! :sun

 

[zabble]

It's probably been brought up before, but I'll ask anyway.
When I check master lists of Q8s, there are plenty of higher profile artists and albums not released in the format. Considering the era of 72-76, off the top of my head I think of The Tubes debut as well as Boston's. The Sweet - Desolation Blvd. would have been awesome. Also maybe Frampton Comes Alive, some of the Bowie catalogue, Roxy Music...the list goes on.
What's the reasons for these not being released? What titles do you think definately should have been released?

Perfectly suited surround mix titles are not always east to coordinate.

With the stars aligned perfectly, one can more easily set the height of the bar.

One not being commercially viable over another, I think what should have been released is Paco Transistor----a brilliant debut by dozens of denizens in an avocado flowerbed trancisco environment.

 

[Bob Squires Jr]

My wish list.... (which, of course will never see the light of day!)

Ambrosia - both the self-titled and SINT
Queen I & II
King Crimson - Court Of The Crimson King
Yes - The Yes Album
Eagles - Desperado (or all Eagles for that matter!)
The Who - Quadrophenia
Led Zeppelin III & IV

Hell, there's a million of them!
We could go on forever.

-Bob

 

[Q-Eight]

I would have loved to see any of the last 3 albums by the Grass Roots (post-16 greatest hits) in Quad.

 

[Ventures]

All of them, stereo is passé

..And in the end..this is the correct answer!