Jefferson Airplane reissues

[DrJ]

AfricaBrass 

QUOTE (J.A.W. @ Apr 4 2004, 11:47 AM)

QUOTE (BFrank @ Apr 4 2004, 09:42 PM)

Besides the appearance of "Wooden Ships", Volunteers has some of the vibe of the Crosby album. Pretty much the last good Jefferson Airplane album.

Couldn't agree more.

Yup.

I just wish they'd remaster it.

I'm a bit confused - I have a U.S. CD remastering of VOLUNTEERS from just a few years ago at most that sounds really good. I suppose anything could be improved, and wouldn't pass on a state of the art new version - it's always been my favorite Airplane album - but the one I have sounds great, especially compared to my old whipped vinyl.

Edited April 5, 2004 by DrJ

[AfricaBrass]

I'm a bit confused - I have a U.S. CD remastering of VOLUNTEERS from just a few years ago at most that sounds really good. I suppose anything could be improved, and wouldn't pass on a state of the art new version - it's always been my favorite Airplane album - but the one I have sounds great, especially compared to my old whipped vinyl.

I have the1980's remastering and it doesn't sound that great.

I remember reading that they remastered VOLUNTEERS in the early 90's. Maybe that's what you have.

[Swinger]

I could also comment about those 2003 remastered editions.

I have all JA cds up to Volunteer expect Crown Of Creation that I bought recently.

I have listened to Crown Of Creation several years ago but it didn't sound anything like the new remastered edition. Pick any track and you HEAR improvement.

My other JA cds are the ones made in the 80s.They sound ok but on the other hand I could replace my copy of After Bathing At Baxter's with the latest copy.My copy sounds really "muddy"

Baxter is my favorite JA album. So psychedelic and so powerful.

[Tony Pusey]

Volunteers also appeared in a Quadrophonic version, several tracks of which turned up in the Jefferson Airplane Loves You box. Perhaps RCA will include that when they get round to releasing a remastering, I seem to remember that the tracks I heard sounded radically different.

[king ubu]

Tony, welcome! Nice to see you over here!

(nothing to add on topic, sorry)

ubu

[Tony Pusey]

Thanks Flurian, nice to be here ,feels comfortable.

[king ubu]

Thanks Flurian, nice to be here ,feels comfortable.

welcome! Stick around!

btw, its Flurin (Florian, with "o" would be the german variant of my name)

ubu

PS: I know I still owe you that list of the Vogue reissue series...

[J.A.W.]

BMG (RCA) will release remastered and expanded reissues of Volunteers and Bless Its Pointed Little Head on June 22, 2004.

[bertrand]

Hans,

Thanks for the heads up! I think I will pre-order these. I was very happy with the three I got in April (I passed on Takes Off, which is not a very good record - maybe later in life).

I'm surprised they left out the studio single from that period from Volunteers 'Mexico/Have You Seen The Saucers'. On the plus side, there is a live 'Won't You Try' - my son will be happy; it's his favorite song! I wonder if it's the Woodstock version.

Bertrand.

Edited June 2, 2004 by bertrand

[AfricaBrass]

Thanks Hans!

[BFrank]

BMG (RCA) will release remastered and expanded reissues of Volunteers and Bless Its Pointed Little Head on June 22, 2004.

This is EXCELLENT!! Two great albums. In fact, "Pointed Little Head" is one of my all-time favorite live rock albums.

Can't wait.

[jazzbo]

I've started grabbing these.

I really like the "Surrealistic Pillow" remastering. "Comin' Back to Me" is one of my favorite musical moments of the mid-sixties. I love how the mood is introduced to this song right up front and how the arrangement (spontaneous perhaps) just sustains that throughout. Beautiful stuff. I feel this remastering really brings out the space and the delicacy of the original recording.

I actually think this is a pretty good source recording. Texture and "room" are well displayed and there is still plenty of punch and ring to the electric sounds. The way the piano is recorded and placed on that one track for example is "just right" if you ask me. I've been enjoying listening to this music after a long time of not spinning it.

[kh1958]

I've started grabbing these.

I really like the "Surrealistic Pillow" remastering. "Comin' Back to Me" is one of my favorite musical moments of the mid-sixties. I love how the mood is introduced to this song right up front and how the arrangement (spontaneous perhaps) just sustains that throughout. Beautiful stuff. I feel this remastering really brings out the space and the delicacy of the original recording.

I actually think this is a pretty good source recording. Texture and "room" are well displayed and there is still plenty of punch and ring to the electric sounds. The way the piano is recorded and placed on that one track for example is "just right" if you ask me. I've been enjoying listening to this music after a long time of not spinning it.

Same here--I've recently picked up Surrealistic Pillow, Crown of Creation, After Bathing at Baxter's, Volunteers and Bless It's Pointed Little Head, after not listening to the Airplane for years (bought the LPs of all but Bathing at Baxter's when released), and (unlike some 60s rock groups I used to like), the Airplane still sound good to me.

On the other hand, that other live CD at the Filmore that was released a few years back, is not a good performance.

[bertrand]

I actually got to meet Jack Casady a few weeks ago at a Link Wray tribute!

He seemed like a nice, down to earth guy. I mentioned my Jazz activities, and he wanted to make sure that the word got out that the legendary D.C. guitarist Bill Harris was a major influence/mentor/teacher. He thought Bill did not get nearly enough recognition (remember that Jack started on guitar).

I know very little about Bill myself. I knew of him, and he used to host barbecue/jam sessions at his house which were legendary. He died around the time I moved to D.C., so I totally missed him. Time to do some more research. Others speak lovingly of him as well.

I got 5 of the Airplane reissues. My only quibble is that some of the bonus tracks are useless. Also, for Volunteers, I would have preferred the alternates rather than some so-so live stuff.

Bertrand.

[BFrank]

I have picked up all of these. I never had "Taking Off" back in the day and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Signe Andersen was a good fit for that band, too.

That live album that kh1958 mentioned is not that bad actually. I didn't like it at first and thought it was pretty sloppy (which it is). But it has grown on me. It can't compare to "Pointed Head", but not much does.

Everyone should have picked up the excellent "Blows Against the Empire" by now, too.

[porcy62]

Don't know if you're interested, but Sundazed reissued the first three JA records in mono from the original master tapes on 180 gr vinyl. I have Surrealistic and it sounds ok. I didn't listen to the new remastered cd, I have most of the original Lps, Probably I should check them out again in term of sound quality, but I am too lazy for it, otherwise I could post on SHoffman forum. About Crosby's, try to listen to a good original pressing, 1841 Broadway, it blew out, and will probably ever do, every attempt to reduce it to a series of '0' and '1'.

Edited February 3, 2006 by porcy62

[BFrank]

Just got a copy of the remastered "Red Octopus". Forgot what a mediocre album it was. Not more than 1/2 of the tunes are any good. The additional live tracks aren't bad, but I wouldn't recommend rushing out for this one.

[AmirBagachelles]

Tomorrow morning, about 11am, I am going to freakin' CRANK The Other Side of This Life from Bless Its Pointed Little Head. That is absolutely one of the best live rock cuts every captured on vinyl. Somebody to Love is pretty good too. You go Jack.

[BFrank]

Tomorrow morning, about 11am, I am going to freakin' CRANK The Other Side of This Life from Bless Its Pointed Little Head. That is absolutely one of the best live rock cuts every captured on vinyl. Somebody to Love is pretty good too. You go Jack.

[jazzbo]

I don't know. . . I actually like the live material on "Volunteers' --- I don't consider it 'so so'. . . . I have quite a bit of the alternate material from the "Quadraphonic" Volunteers on the Airplane box set, so I'm glad to have the live instead.

Just got Crown of Creation and that puts me almost there for the Airplane I want. . . . Your Music seems to have managed to lose my package that has Bless its Pointy Head supposedly on the way to me. . .eventually I'll get that straightened out. And I still need to get "Sun Fighter" and maybe download "Bark" from iTunes. Then it's a question of "to get or not to get Long John Silver and Takes Off" the two dicey bookends to the period I want. (I've got Blows Against the Empire and Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Num as well).

Two questions:

seeing Grace in blackface for the first time in the Crown liner notes. . . did they actually perform on tv that way?

Was Crosby's "If I could Only Remember My Name" ever on cd in America after that first (and still seeming only) early digital release?

[J.A.W.]

seeing Grace in blackface for the first time in the Crown liner notes. . . did they actually perform on tv that way?

I don't know about their TV performances, but they didn't when I saw the band live at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam in the late 1960s (the other band was the Doors, by the way)

Was Crosby's "If I could Only Remember My Name" ever on cd in America after that first (and still seeming only) early digital release?

Nope, it's never been reissued after that first release - which is still available.

[jazzbo]

Thanks Hans.

I didn't want to get that version if there was another around to look for. Guess I'll go for it soon.

As for the blackface they didn't when I saw them either, and if they had done that often we'd have heard about it. In those liners though it looks as if they were on a tv station set. . . so I wondered. It would be just like Grace (who auditioned for a black label apparently pre-Airplane as well).

Edited February 27, 2006 by jazzbo

[BFrank]

Lon - the blackface performance is on the "Fly Jefferson Airplane" DVD. It was for TV........Smothers Brothers, I think.

FWIW, "Long John Silver" is a 'completists only' purchase. I have it on vinyl, but never listened to it more than a few times. "Takes Off" is a 'must have' though. I never really heard it until I got the new re-master. I was VERY impressed. Signe Anderson more than holds her own with the band.

[bertrand]

Long John Silver is a total mess. Bark has its moments, though.

Bertrand.

[Quincy]

Lon - the blackface performance is on the "Fly Jefferson Airplane" DVD. It was for TV........Smothers Brothers, I think.

Yup. Not a bad DVD either! It has a "play music portions without interviews" option as well. (The interviews are good, but the option is nice for future playings.)