First And Last And Always Original Mixes

THE place for your Sisters-related comments, questions and snippets of Sisters information. For those who do not know, The Sisters of Mercy are a rock'n'roll band. And a pop band. And an industrial groove machine. Or so they say. They make records. Lots of records, apparently. But not in your galaxy. They play concerts. Lots of concerts, actually. But you still cannot see them. So what's it all about, Alfie? This is one of the few tightly-moderated forums on Heartland, so please keep on-topic. All off-topic posts will either be moved or deleted. Chairman Bux is the editor and the editor's decision is final. Danke.
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mh
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I'm gonna resurrect this cos it's been a particular bugbear of mine for the last 15 or so years.

The other day I got me a replacement for my old knackered vinyl of the FALAA original 1985 mixes, and on listening to these songs as they were originally intended to be heard for the first time in ages, I was struck by how bloody good the album is. It's crisper, punchier and more direct than the bloated droney murky wash that we've all been treated to with the Japanese remixes on the so-called "digitally remastered" version. FALAA itself is a beat-driven dance track with one of the great post-Floorshow Doktor overloads, Black Planet can rip your head off at 50 paces, A Rock And A Hard Place is like a sonic mugging, nearly every song has a different arrangement, whether subtle or glaring.

In short, the version we currently have merely serves to perpetuate the myth that the LP is badly produced - it's not. I don't buy the story that the original masters were "lost" - NTTC somehow managed to make it onto ASCOOB in it's original form, so where are the rest of them? Do people just not want to admit that someone cocked up with the reissue?
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ryan
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so there is significant change then?

damn...not enough money for a copy yet :(
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vicus
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mh wrote:I don't buy the story that the original masters were "lost" - NTTC somehow managed to make it onto ASCOOB in it's original form, so where are the rest of them?
At the same place where the "lost" Peel-Sessions were hidden ;-)
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Quiff Boy
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agreed.

the cd version is very week but the opriginal album versions rock like motherf*ckers :D

incidentally, IIRC my mate lars has a copy of FALAA on cd that isnt remastered (is it from pre-1992 then?). its the original heavyweight version. :von:
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mh
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If anyone wants to check it out, look for the vinyl copy with the red and white lettering (i.e. white with a red outline), and make sure you've got an inner sleeve with photos of the band in a studio under red lights on one side and the Detroit Adult Movies photo on the other - that's the real thing. The all-red vinyl is the remastered travesty.

I've heard about one or two people having this on CD, but have never seen one.
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Scardwel
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I have an original 1985 cassette of FALAA (which I've put onto a CD-R) - it pisses all over the CD version!

The original mix of No Time To Cry was on ASCOOB 'cause it was taken from the 12" single masters AFAIK...
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MrChris
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That would make sense. Walk Away too, presumably.
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CellThree
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The original CD release of FALAA was in the late 80s (1989 I think). I've been trying to hunt down a copy for ages.

I haven't listened to my vinyl copy for years. Time to blow the dust off it I think!
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zigeunerweisen
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Quiff Boy wrote:agreed.

the cd version is very week but the opriginal album versions rock like motherf*ckers :D
I never knew there were different versions. I must find this.
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James Blast
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Blimey! and to think I held out for the remastered version, and no, I didn't notice a difference as my taped copy of the original vinyl had long since snapped through overplay.
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Loki
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Hmm ...
I saw this thread today but didn't respond because all I had was Andrew's SKOS baritone banging around in my head. My CD says produced 1985 WEA; copyright 1988 WEA. No mention anywhere of being digitally re-mastered. Produced by Dave Allen for Palace Productions. Mixed by Eldritch/Allen. Four page booklet has very strange live photo in the middle and the inside back cover is a complete page dedicated to CD digital audio speel which used to appear on the first CDs.

I've also had a listen tonight and compared NTTC and WA with the ASCOOB versions and apart from from the extra effects on the single versions it sounds the same to me. What I call tinny(sp?) guitars including Craig's bass.

Is this the real McCoy? Any assistance appreciated. If it is then I'm still pure as (by default) I've never heard the 92 stuff so can't compare.

Anyone?
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James
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If your CD has 'digitally remastered in 1992' its the Japan mixes
If your CD doesn't have this, its the original mixes.

I agree with everyone else, the original mixes sound much better. It's definitely worth upgrading to CD if you can find one that isn't 'remastered'
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Scardwel
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My copy clearly says on the back, in the top right hand corner "Digitally remastered in 1992" (this is also written on the last page of the 4-page booklet) with the catalogue number 9031-77379-2.
Hope this helps.
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CellThree wrote: I haven't listened to my vinyl copy for years. Time to blow the dust off it I think!
There's no way in the world, you'd catch me listening to my sisters vinyls..........far too much of a wuss :D
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Loki
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Stared at it for hours and been through it with a fine tooth comb and no mention of remastering or 1992. French copy, manufactured in Germany. Catalogue number 240 616-2. :D :von:
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James wrote:If your CD has 'digitally remastered in 1992' its the Japan mixes
If your CD doesn't have this, its the original mixes.

I agree with everyone else, the original mixes sound much better. It's definitely worth upgrading to CD if you can find one that isn't 'remastered'
I thought the original (vinyl) mix never made it to CD. The original CD issue was the Jap version and the remastered CD was an amalgam of whatever best version was still available, re EQed for that medium. Can anyone confirm?
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mh
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I think that's the case Red_Kola - I definitely remember some discussion on Dominion in 1990/91 ish about this, and I had also heard a cassette copy from 90 or so which contained the remixes, so the replacement seems to have been done earlier.

The quickest non-subjective ways to find out are:

1) Is there a gap of some seconds between the fade on Black Planet and the start of Walk Away? There should not be on the original version.

2) Listen to FALAA (i.e. the title track) - on the intro, is the drum machine consistent throughout it (original), or does it fade in and out (remix)? Also, does the main riff repeat through the last verse (remix)?

By the way - welcome!
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Barracuda
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Scardwel wrote:My copy clearly says on the back, in the top right hand corner "Digitally remastered in 1992" (this is also written on the last page of the 4-page booklet) with the catalogue number 9031-77379-2.
Hope this helps.
My CD makes no mention of being remastered either, but is the Jap remix. I bought FALAA on vinyl the day it came out and it pisses all over the CD.
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Sexygoth wrote:
CellThree wrote: I haven't listened to my vinyl copy for years. Time to blow the dust off it I think!
There's no way in the world, you'd catch me listening to my sisters vinyls..........far too much of a wuss :D
Heh, I have two copies, one for listening to, and the gatefold one for staring lovingly at! :D
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paint it black
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CellThree wrote:
Sexygoth wrote:
CellThree wrote: I haven't listened to my vinyl copy for years. Time to blow the dust off it I think!
There's no way in the world, you'd catch me listening to my sisters vinyls..........far too much of a wuss :D
Heh, I have two copies, one for listening to, and the gatefold one for staring lovingly at! :D
heh, i have three gatefold copies, one i wrecked, one to play and one to stare lovingly at :D
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CellThree
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paint it black wrote:
CellThree wrote:
Sexygoth wrote: There's no way in the world, you'd catch me listening to my sisters vinyls..........far too much of a wuss :D
Heh, I have two copies, one for listening to, and the gatefold one for staring lovingly at! :D
heh, i have three gatefold copies, one i wrecked, one to play and one to stare lovingly at :D
:P
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Quiff Boy
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Black Horizon wrote:Are any of the lyrics on the remastered cd version different to the lyrics on the original vinyl version?
nope, IIRC its just volume levels of various guitars that seem to have been adjusted. more a remastering than a remixing.
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James Blast
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Quiff Boy wrote:nope, IIRC its just volume levels of various guitars that seem to have been adjusted. more a remastering than a remixing.
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Quiff Boy
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Red Sunsets wrote:
Quiff Boy wrote:nope, IIRC its just volume levels of various guitars that seem to have been adjusted. more a remastering than a remixing.
The voice of reason returns... eh, why aren't you pissed and passed out, birthday boy?
just back from visiting mrs qb's parents - they laid on a lovely spread and we had a little "do" :D

am not at work currently as i'm in on a 3 month "intensive" training course paid for by work (hence a bit quieter than usual during the day) - am cross-training from microsoft VB to learning "real" object oriented programming, java and j2ee :o :urff: bit if a headf*ck and need to be very very sober! :roll:
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pikkrong
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Well, an idiot asks: is there ANY possibility to get the original versions on CD these days? :eek:
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