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| Ten Thousand Motels |
CD Reissues Reveal Another Side of Bob Dylan
NEW YORK (Billboard) - With the Sept. 16 release of 15 classic Bob Dylan (news) albums on the hybrid Super Audio CD format, Sony Music initiates an ambitious sonic upgrade of the icon's CD catalog. Five albums in the series are also presented, for the first time, in 5.1-channel surround sound.
Developed by Sony and Philips, the SACD format is based on the Direct Stream Digital (DSD) recording system, a one-bit recording process using a sampling rate of 2.8224MHz to achieve a frequency response of 100kHz and a dynamic range of more than 120 decibels.
Like many current SACD titles, the Dylan series comprises dual-layer discs featuring a high-density layer carrying high-resolution, multichannel surround sound, as well as a two-channel stereo SACD version and a standard 16-bit, 44.1kHz layer.
While an SACD player is required for playback of the high-resolution, multichannel layer, hybrid discs are forward- and backward-compatible, allowing playback on standard CD players.
Titles carrying multichannel mixes are "Blonde on Blonde," "Another Side of Bob Dylan," "Bringing It All Back Home," "Blood on the Tracks," "Slow Train Coming" and "Love and Theft."
The Columbia/Legacy series also includes "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan," "Highway 61 Revisited," "John Wesley Harding (news)," "Nashville Skyline," "Planet Waves," "Desire," "Street-Legal," "Infidels" and "Oh Mercy."
The series' release is the culmination of a year-long process that began with a search for original master tapes, said Steve Berkowitz, senior VP of A&R at Legacy Recordings, Sony's archival arm. "The catalog was in need of upgrading. The tapes were there to do it with, the machines, the humans and the desire.
"Because of Dylan's popularity over the years," Berkowitz added, "his catalog was among the first to be converted from record and cassette, from analog to digital, in what we might call the Dark Ages of digital conversion." Berkowitz says the technology has improved greatly since then. "The original productions to CD were brittle and weren't necessarily the choicest of tapes."
Like the recent series of remastered Rolling Stones and Sam Cooke (news) recordings from ABKCO Records, Columbia/Legacy's Dylan series represents a painstaking process using the best-available analog masters. In the case of 5.1-channel remixes, recordings are presented in such a way as to faithfully convey the artist's intent.
"I feel that less compromise and more accurate copying of the original analog signal is achieved in this DSD format," Berkowitz said. "If your goal is to replicate the original analog and you have the right tape and the right people doing it, you stand a better chance in DSD of making the new conversion sound more like the original intention and the original recording than ever before. What's important in that is the nuance and the dimension that you pick up."
In the case of "Blood on the Tracks," basic tracks for which were cut at A&R Recording in New York, original engineer and A&R owner Phil Ramone created the 5.1-channel mix with A&R alumnus and multichannel pioneer Elliot Scheiner.
"I wanted us to sit in front of Bob Dylan from about 25 or 50 feet and hear the room come to life," Ramone said. "A lot of this stuff is in a full circle, because that's the way I set up the room. It's an acoustic environment that you can accomplish in 5.1."
"I didn't want to get into anything tricky where suddenly you're hearing Bob behind you," added engineer Michael Brauer, who created surround mixes for "Blonde on Blonde," "Another Side of Bob Dylan" and "Bringing It All Back Home" with Berkowitz. "I wanted to create more of a panoramic view in front. You don't hear the back but you notice that the width is beyond the speakers. It's very natural, there's nothing 'novelty' about it. You're opening up the picture without getting tricky, without getting distracted by surround sound."
One exception, Brauer added, is "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" from "Blonde on Blonde." "That's the one where you feel like you're part of a parade," he says, "so you're hearing people laughing in the back, because it makes sense that you're walking along with them."
"Each one is as separate and individual a production as they were when they were made," Berkowitz says.
"We're not out to change the arrangements or the shading of the music," Berkowitz continued. "The artists, producers and engineers created them at that time for good or bad, but some parts of the technology are better than they used to be. This is a huge part of Bob Dylan's legacy, of the culture of the United States, of the 20th century. Every respect and care was taken accordingly."
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| Lazy Bones |
On another Dylan note, All I Really Want To Do is on the recently released soundtrack - Masked and Anoymous. It's (the song) from the upcoming Bootleg series Vol.6 which is from 1964s' Philharmonic Concert Hall.
Anyone know the projected release for Bootleg #6? |
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| TheSavageYoungXyzzy |
This is really selective on Dylan's and/or part, I think. They're basically erasing the legacy of albums that they don't think are "Dylan enough" to make it. This includes, for some bizzare reason, Time Out Of Mind, infinitely better than Oh Mercy yet not quite "Bob enough".
Can those 5.1 mixes be played in a regular CD player or stereo?
-tSYX --- Eeeeeehhhevrybody must get stoned! |
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| T&A |
Oct/Nov 2003 is the projected release of the 10/31/64 show. I think I'll pass on this one - this much-booted show isn't likely to be much improved upon by Sony... |
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| Nasty Habits |
quote:
TheSavageYoungXyzzy wrote:
This is really selective on Dylan's and/or part, I think. They're basically erasing the legacy of albums that they don't think are "Dylan enough" to make it. This includes, for some bizzare reason, Time Out Of Mind, infinitely better than Oh Mercy yet not quite "Bob enough".
Can those 5.1 mixes be played in a regular CD player or stereo?
-tSYX --- Eeeeeehhhevrybody must get stoned!
You're sounding a little anxious and paranoid, here, Xyzpdq. I can't imagine that these are the only titles that are going to be released, so no one is "erasing" Dylan's legacy.
You'll also notice there's no first album, no Basement Tapes, no Shot of Love, no freaking Hard Rain for chrissakes, to name but five pieces of excellence in addition to TOOM.
Why Street Legal was released before any of these records (especially since it recently received a sonic upgrade ANYWAY) is beyond my comprehension, however.
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| Gazza |
>On another Dylan note, All I Really Want To Do is on the recently released soundtrack - Masked and Anoymous. It's (the song) from the upcoming Bootleg series Vol.6 which is from 1964s' Philharmonic Concert Hall.
Anyone know the projected release for Bootleg #6?
October 28th.
Fabulous concert and Bob in hilarious form...("its Hallowe'en and I've got my bob Dylan mask on...") Its a must.
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| Nasty Habits |
The best part is when he forgets "I Don't Believe You" and has to ask someone in the audience to tell him how it goes!
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| Lazy Bones |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
October 28th.
How did I guess...?
Thanks, Gazza (and T&A)! |
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| Lazy Bones |
This, from highfidelityreview.com: (Note the "new" release date for Bootleg series #6 - 11 November).
News on 2 Upcoming Bob Dylan SACDs
We also have more news about Columbia/Legacy's plans for 2 upcoming
SACD releases from Bob Dylan. Blonde on Blonde is one of the 15 Bob Dylan
Remastered SACD Series albums that will be released on September 16th.
While the release date and the disc's status as a Hybrid Multichannel SACD
hasn't changed, Sony has announced that Blonde on Blonde will now be
released as a 2-Disc Set (Columbia C2H 90325) instead of a Single Hybrid
Multichannel SACD.
Also worth mentioning is that the next album in the Dylan SACD series, a new
2-Disc Hybrid Multichannel SACD Set entitled "Bootleg, Volume 6 - Live 1964
Concert at Philharmonic Hall" (Columbia C2H 86882) now has an in store
release date of November 11th. In anticipation of that release date, the
Music Direct web site at http://www.amusicdirect.com/ is now taking preorders
for this SACD. As the in store date draws closer, we should see additional
stores offering the Bootleg, Volume 6 set for preorder as well. |
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| Pattie |
Anyone seen his latest movie yet? I've only seen the trailer. |
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| Jaxx |
my favorite dylans are my in my dylan and the dead boot collection. this late eighties effort is one helluva collaboration. |
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| TheSavageYoungXyzzy |
quote:
Pattie wrote:
Anyone seen his latest movie yet? I've only seen the trailer.
I heard it was terrible, which is a shame. I liked the premise.
-tSYX --- Tweedely dum and tweedely dee... |
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| Lazy Bones |
quote:
Jaxx wrote:
my favorite dylans are my in my dylan and the dead boot collection. this late eighties effort is one helluva collaboration.
Jaxx, do you have this set - Dylan & The Dead: The "Complete" Rehearsals 1987?
Disc 1 - Prehearsals
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1.) The French Girl/Blues Stay Away From Me
2.) Conversation
3.) John Hardy [John Hardy Was A Desperate Man]
4.) Conversation
5.) Instrumental Jam
6.) I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry/Blues Stay Away From Me
Disc 2 - Rehearsals
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1.) The Times They Are A-Changin'
2.) When I Paint My Masterpiece
3.) Man Of Peace
4.) I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
5.) The Ballad Of Ira Hayes
6.) I Want You
7.) Ballad Of A Thin Man
8.) Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
9.) Dead Man, Dead Man
10.) Queen Jane Approximately
11.) The French Girl
12.) In The Summertime
13.) Man Of Peace
14.) Union Sundown
15.) It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
16.) Joey
Disc 3 - Rehearsals
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1.) If Not For You
2.) If Not For You
3.) Slow Train
4.) Tomorrow Is A Long Time
5.) Walkin' Down The Line
6.) Gotta Serve Somebody
7.) Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking
8.) Maggie's Farm
9.) Chimes of Freedom
10.) All I Really Want To Do
11.) John Brown
12.) Heart Of Mine
13.) Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms
14.) John Hardy [John Hardy Was A Desperate Man]
15.) The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest
16.) John Brown
17.) I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Disc 4 - Rehearsals
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1.) Don’t Keep Me Waiting Too Long [Go Ahead, Baby]
2.) Stealin’
3.) I Want You
4.) Oh Boy
5.) Tangled Up In Blue
6.) Simple Twist Of Fate
7.) The Boy In The Bubble
8.) Heart Of Mine
9.) Pledging My Time
10.) Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
11.) The Wicked Messenger
12.) Watching The River Flow
Disc 5 - Rehearsals
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1.) Under Your Spell
2.) I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
3.) Blues Stay Away From Me
4.) If Not For You
5.) The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest
6.) Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
7.) I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
8.) I'm Free
9.) They Killed Him
10.) Pledging My Time
11.) Oh Boy
Disc 6 - The Grateful Dead Hour #705, broadcast week of 25 Mar 2002
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1.) Introduction by David Gans
2.) Gans interviewed by Gary Lambert
3.) All Along The Watchtower
4.) More Gans interview
5.) Stealin’
6.) Gans
7.) Oh Boy
8.) John Brown
9.) Folsom Prison Blues
10.) Gotta Serve Somebody
11.) Hideaway/C C Rider
12.) Gans conclusion |
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| Pattie |
I've heard that it's "not so good" too, but I still want to see it.. |
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| Jaxx |
[quote]Lazy Bones wrote:
Jaxx, do you have this set - Dylan & The Dead: The "Complete" Rehearsals 1987?
no. i don't have that. but i'll tell ya what i do have:
The French Girl recorded at the club front, San Rafael CA, May, 1987
Dylan and the Dead, Giants Stadium July 12, 1987
Dylan and the Dead, Eugene July 19, 1987
Dylan and the Dead, Oakland July 24, 1987
Dylan and the Dead, Anaheim July 26, 1987
Go Ahead with a Dead--Bob Dylan w. Jerry Garcia in San Francisco Fox Warfield Theatre Nov. 16, 1987
Dylan and the Dead, the unreleased live album
and of course i own the released live album as well. (yeah, i occassionally spend money on cds but not often.)
great sounding JOEY on the released, unreleased and the french girl boots.
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| Lazy Bones |
quote:
Jaxx wrote:
[quote]Lazy Bones wrote:
no. i don't have that. but i'll tell ya what i do have:
Show-off..lol! I think I know you well enough that you should check yer pm  |
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| Jaxx |
quote:
Lazy Bones wrote:
Show-off..lol! I think I know you well enough that you should check yer pm
who me? LOLROTF. i was thinking what YOU had was quite impressive. i am fortunate to have a very dear friend who is a dylan fan, but not a grateful dead fan that researched and gathered this collection for me for my birthday last year. a true labor of love, don't ya think? 
i'll respond to your pm shortly. |
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