So the thread regarding a possible forthcoming box set for CSNY's Deja Vu cites as its source a post over on SDE. The same post also mentions a box set for The Who Sell Out currently being in development. If so, could we get a surround mix? So far, The Who have released large deluxe reissues for three studio albums: My Generation, Tommy & Quadrophenia. The only one without any surround content was My Generation. Understandable given the limitations in recording in 1965. So, is The Who Sell Out a contender for a surround mix? The album was recorded in 1967 at different studios in London, New York & Los Angeles. I was hoping that perhaps some of these studios were equipped with 8-track machines, however, according to Wikipedia, a single that the band recorded the following year ("Dogs") was the first Who recording to be made using 8-track equipment. Actually, the exact quote is ""Dogs" was recorded at London's Advision Studios in May 1968. Townshend booked this studio as it was the first in the UK to install professional reel-to-reel eight-track equipment. Prior to this The Who had only recorded in the U.K. at studios with a maximum of four tracks." So could this mean that the American studios used during the Sell Out sessions were equipped with 8-track recording? Even if not recorded on 8-track, I would have to assume that at least 4-track machines were used. Steven Wilson's surround mix of Jethro Tull's debut (which was recorded on 4-track) is quite good, so something effective could be produced here.
The good news is that I believe that this is an instance where we don't have to worry about the multi-track masters having gone up in flames in the Universal fire. In the book The Who on Record, the author states that all the master reels for the album are stored in The Who's archives. I also wouldn't be surprised if the band used Sgt. Pepper style techniques on this album, i.e. recording four tracks, then mixing down to two, and then adding additional overdubs. Several songs on the album feature multiple guitar parts. In speaking about the album's opening track "Armenia City in the Sky", the On Record book states that the song is "laden with overdubs: backwards guitars, raga drones, feedback and even backwards horns." One of the CD reissues of Sell Out has the isolated backward guitar parts as a bonus track. So it would appear that some discrete elements are available for mixing.
The band was really starting to expand their sonic palette with this album. This album could be so cool with an adventurous surround mix.
One interesting anecdote that I discovered while reading up on this album. The legendary album cover shows all four members of the band "selling out", advertising different products. Daltrey is seen on the front cover sitting in a giant dish of Heinz baked beans. Entwistle is seen on the back cover holding a gorgeous woman, a successful client of the Charles Atlas course. I had always heard about how the baked beans were so cold that Daltrey caught the flu after having sat in them for too long. However, I only just discovered that he was originally supposed to get the woman and Entwistle was supposed to get the beans. According to the book The Who By Numbers, Entwistle was quoted as saying "I was supposed to be in the beans. I rang up and said I was going to be a little bit late and they said 'you're going to have to hurry up because the baked beans are drying up.' And I said 'what baked beans?' And they said 'the baked beans you're going to be sitting in.' So I figured if I left it a little bit longer someone else would arrive and have to sit in the beans. So I got there real late and I got the girl and Roger got the beans."
The good news is that I believe that this is an instance where we don't have to worry about the multi-track masters having gone up in flames in the Universal fire. In the book The Who on Record, the author states that all the master reels for the album are stored in The Who's archives. I also wouldn't be surprised if the band used Sgt. Pepper style techniques on this album, i.e. recording four tracks, then mixing down to two, and then adding additional overdubs. Several songs on the album feature multiple guitar parts. In speaking about the album's opening track "Armenia City in the Sky", the On Record book states that the song is "laden with overdubs: backwards guitars, raga drones, feedback and even backwards horns." One of the CD reissues of Sell Out has the isolated backward guitar parts as a bonus track. So it would appear that some discrete elements are available for mixing.
The band was really starting to expand their sonic palette with this album. This album could be so cool with an adventurous surround mix.
One interesting anecdote that I discovered while reading up on this album. The legendary album cover shows all four members of the band "selling out", advertising different products. Daltrey is seen on the front cover sitting in a giant dish of Heinz baked beans. Entwistle is seen on the back cover holding a gorgeous woman, a successful client of the Charles Atlas course. I had always heard about how the baked beans were so cold that Daltrey caught the flu after having sat in them for too long. However, I only just discovered that he was originally supposed to get the woman and Entwistle was supposed to get the beans. According to the book The Who By Numbers, Entwistle was quoted as saying "I was supposed to be in the beans. I rang up and said I was going to be a little bit late and they said 'you're going to have to hurry up because the baked beans are drying up.' And I said 'what baked beans?' And they said 'the baked beans you're going to be sitting in.' So I figured if I left it a little bit longer someone else would arrive and have to sit in the beans. So I got there real late and I got the girl and Roger got the beans."