1978 USA 1st

Been on my wantlist for a long while.  Finally pulled the trigger.  It has the full version of The Chase which is also the opening theme for Coast to Coast AM.  Not my usual cup o tea but it hits a certain spot.

Incidentally, a gentleman who worked on the film was here in Cleveland working on a movie this summer and came into the shop to get some glasses to replace some lost ones.  He also did work on The Lord Of The Ring series.  His name escapes me and because of HIPAA I couldn't mention it if I wanted to anyway.  He is from New Zealand and well known in cinema circles.

The movie was great and good to watch every once in awhile.

29 October 2021 USA pressing.  2 X 12" 45 rpm.  Actually interesting to see the cover in this size as I only had the CD of this.  Had no idea that the beds were laid out on a beach.

Supply chain issues, it seems, are hitting everybody.

The New York Times has a piece about the resurgence of vinyl records, pointing out that "in the first six months of this year, 17 million vinyl records were sold in the United States, generating $467 million in retail revenue, nearly double the amount from the same period in 2020, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Sixteen million CDs were also sold in the first half of 2021, worth just $205 million. Physical recordings are now just a sliver of the overall music business — streaming is 84 percent of domestic revenue — but they can be a strong indication of fan loyalty, and stars like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo make vinyl an important part of their marketing."

Here's the problem: "There are worrying signs that the vinyl bonanza has exceeded the industrial capacity needed to sustain it. Production logjams and a reliance on balky, decades-old pressing machines have led to what executives say are unprecedented delays. A couple of years ago, a new record could be turned around in a few months; now it can take up to a year, wreaking havoc on artists’ release plans."

According to the story, "Music and manufacturing experts cite a variety of factors behind the holdup. The pandemic shut down many plants for a time, and problems in the global supply chain have slowed the movement of everything from cardboard and polyvinyl chloride — the 'vinyl' that records (and plumbing pipes) are made from — to finished albums. In early 2020, a fire destroyed one of only two plants in the world that made lacquer discs, an essential part of the record-making process."

And, the Times writes, "Not even the biggest stars are immune. In an interview this month with BBC Radio, Adele, whose album '30' is due Nov. 19 — and is sure to be a blockbuster on LP — said her release date had been set six months ago to get vinyl and CDs made in time.

2021 Global 50th Anniversary Box  5 disc set.  Wow, so far.

2014 EU pressing

2016 USA   First time hearing any of this that I know of.  Sound quality as good as the Fillmore so far, this bodes well.

Down to Side 5 and the beginning of a 45 minute Mountain Jam on sides 5 & 6.  From April of 1970.  They are so relaxed and on it in this show.  This sounds more like TABB that I know than what is on the Fillmore East.  I first saw them in October of 1970 in the Jai Alai Fronton in North Miami Beach, then December 1970 in Cherry Hill, NJ and then finally out here in Cleveburg shortly before Duane and then Berry passed.  They were the sole act as an evening with.  Ludlow's as the liner notes says was a regular stop for them back in those days so the sound is pretty well dialed in and from the soundboard.  The best I have ever heard the original lineup on any recording so far.  Highly recommend for anyone into the Bros.

2015 USA  Analogue Productions pressing.  Arrived today.

2021 50th Remixed Global  Just arrived yesterday.  8 Lp set.  2 of them in case of defects, then I can try and build a good set.  Playing my favorite side, 2, first to see how different the mix is.  Immediately see a hairline across If Not For You, fortunately can't hear it.  Some nice differences now that I am getting used to hearing it differently after 50 years.  I'll be busy for awhile with at least 18 sides to go through immediately for defects, sigh ...   And of course play it against the original mix with some songs.

Me likey so far  

2018 USA remaster ( pressed in the Czech Repuplic)  Bought it at WalMart Monday of all places.  Curious to hear how it stacks up to my 1973 UK copy.

Nice effort.  Stands up pretty well against the UK copy.  Some technical differences such as inverted polarity and a little less dynamic, but the average listener would not know any better.  Worth buying versus a higher priced earlier pressing, especially the USA Capitol pressings before 1975.  Side 2 for what ever reason seems better than Side 1.

2¢

I gave him that shirt. He and I and the other two members of our LSU championship trivia team were all born in 58.

1975 USA 1st  Last time for this one. Going out the door this afternoon.

Good stuff down there. 

1986 USA Columbia Record Club copy

Delicious ...

Record Store Day is coming up. My fantastic buddy in Austin made a promo for his store (down by the Oasis) and he does a quick review of the titles.

 kurtster wrote:


Masterpiece!

1973 USA 1st

1975 USA repress.  Last time around for this one, too.

Cover has special meaning as I visited the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park many, many times as a kid growing up in the Bay Area during the 50's and 60's and have been to that spot where the picture was taken so many times as well.  Always kinda trippy even as a kid.


I always liked The Airplane more than the Dead growing up.  Kinda like the are you a Beatle or a Rolling Stone thing.

Unknown 70's Los Angeles repress.  Last time around for this old friend with the new stylus.  Desert island album for me.

1974 UK 1st press