Bad Moon Rising - the awful DGC CD
 

So, I've always hated the DGC reissue of this album -- I "grew up" with the Blast First CD, which I bought about 6 months before the DGC reissue came out, and when I borrowed a friend's copy of the DGC version years later, I was astounded to find that all of the tracks were split in the wrong places. The end of "Ghost Bitch" was the beginning of the "I'm Insane" track, and I think the spoken word intro to "Justice is Might" was left on the "I'm Insane" track too? I don't actually have a copy to check anymore, but they fucked it up...and whether it was a conscious decision or just an error on behalf of somebody who didn't realize where the track markers fell on the original vinyl (which is replicated properly on the Blast First CD, as far as I can tell), I'm not sure, but I can't see why they would have wanted it that way. Ultimately it's not a huge deal as it's meant to be listened to as a whole, but that's not what this thread is about...

I've had another issue with the DGC CD brought to my attention, which dare I say is even worse... I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed? I got an e-mail from somebody who was horrified with the CD pressing of the album because of some flutter on the vocals that was not on the vinyl pressing he was very familiar with after years of listening. I listened to my copy (Blast First) and couldn't figure out what he was talking about, so he suggested I listen to "Death Valley" off of "Screaming Fields of Sonic Love", and it became all too apparent... some kind of awful flutter on any extended syllable (check out Lydia's "and now in the canyon way out in the yonder..." or pretty much any of her vocals on this track). Very bizarre, totally unnatural vibrato that is not there on my Blast First CD. I downloaded an mp3 of the DGC version of "I Love Her All The Time" as it features many drawn out syllables too, and it's plain as day there too... ("I dooOoOOoOoOn't understaaAAand... a woOoOOOoOoOoOOrd she says")

Unfortunately, since it's present on 'Screaming Fields' and, apparently, the iTunes downloads of this album, I guess this mastering has become the most commonly available digital version of the album. I don't know what happened to cause this, but I'm curious if anybody's ever noticed (apologies if there have been threads in the past!) and if anyone can offer an explanation.

I've always had the DGC version so I don't know, never even seen a vinyl copy.

^ me too, bought it last month, finally.

Same.


I got teh DGC.

Hmm...maybe that's why I didn't like BMR so much. I don't really feel like spending the huge dough on a Blast First copy to find out, though.

BMR is tits. Love the fucking thing. The DGC CD is suck shit.
I have a blast first cassette and it sounds better than the DGC bullshit.

I got the vinyl and I love it sooooo

an album that's meant to be listened to on vinyl or tape.

always preferred the blast first Daydream. never had the old Bad moon though

Maybe it was just that bad DGC vibe that caused it.

Since they recently remastered DV69 I could imagine another remaster is due soon.

if the dgc remasters were done from the original master tapes as far as the flutter goes, that can be caused by many things, could have been dirty heads on the reel to reel machine, lazy mastering engineer not cleaning them... etc etc

Well, we all know the DGC Daydream was awful too. I agree that Bad Moon just begs to be heard on vinyl, it sounds like sheer terror burning thru the speakers. I'm just astounded by such a bizarre error that effectively renders one pressing of the album unlistenable, and curious if anyone could identify exactly what happened...

what do you mean namely Chris?

how tracks are edited together on an album is everything, it's just not an album that's really suited to CD because it's kind of one long song/noise suite. on vinyl it's easy to have several tracks run together seamlessly but when they chop shit up, compress it and put it on a CD it doesn't really have the same effect.

vinyl rules ok?

Now I want to hear all of them in either their original forms or better re-masters. I feel cheated.

agreed!

DGC reissue is all I have for all that stuff.

All of the DGC reissues were of lesser quality. Some VERY noticeable and others not so much. I've always told anybody interested in Bad Moon Rising within 2 feet of me to go for the Blast First version. UNBELIEVABLY better. Much wider and warmer without a doubt!

I bought the Enigma Daydream Nation day of release and since have heard the DGC, Blast First and even the Japanese SHM version which came out over the summer. I still go back to the Enigma all the time.

the only way to solve this debacle is to do a blind listening test.

It is possible that when a band completes and album, they have one mix that has to meet a deadline. They re-think the situation and run in at the last minute and re-mix something and the original pressing gets sent to a plant in japan or aus.

Since SY did so much in a econo manner at the beginning, I am sure they didn't have the luxury to consider many of these things. It is sort of in the spirit of the band as well.

I'll post 'blind' wav files of DV69 a little later tonight.

"grew up" with the Homestead vinyl, but had the Blast First cd for years. not a bad translation, but the extra stuff is extra stuff, not Bad Moon. as much as I love the Halloween 12", it's still something different from the perfect composition of Bad Moon as a whole.

Never heard the DGC, but that does sound awful Chris.

I've always only had the option of the Geffen ones, and even though I'm fine with the Sister, DDN, and Evol (Aside from sometimes poor sound) ones (Though unfortunately I haven't heard the other versions), the BMR one has always sounded off to me, like I knew it was a poor transition.

Do SY own the rights to the albums? Is it possible we might see remastered versions someday?

~Jeremy~

Hmmm Mediafire didn't appear to be uploading the file properly but it looks as if it may have worked:

http://www.mediafire.com/?zgmjydqyymy

Could somebody try it and see? Should be a zip w/ 2 wavs...

About to listen, but stupid question first, is the vinyl version out of print? I've never seen it anywhere so thought I'd ask before I go on the hunt for it.

You know I do hear a difference. I can't tell if it's a mixing thing or an alternate vocal track? It's really noticeable on Lydia's part.

there should be NO track change!!!

ORG are reissuing some of the early Sonic Youth LP's and they are mastered by Bernie Grundman and RTI pressed. Would have thought they would sound half decent? Check on their site under page 3 of the catalogue. Coming winter 2010....

muttlegs got it goin' on

I have both DGC and the Blast First/Mute reissue (but this means it is not the Blast First original) on CD, and the Blast First Original vinyl pressing, I prefer the vinyl version for the reasons that most people mention. Now the track marks and the such are as described when comparing to the DGC to the Blast First CD versions, that is I think the Blast First/Mute reissue keeps the same track mark times as the Blast First original. I also do hear audible quality differences between these two as well, vocal flutter or possible distortion on the DGC reissue...

Does anyone know if these DGC reissues from the 90's were also remasters??? There is the slightly perceived volume and bass boost, not much else (especially compared to more recent 2000 and on remasterings whcih dare i say can be pretty "heavy-handed"). I mean I have a decent stereo with fairly decent speakers, i don't have a graphic eq but i do use the my bass, mid and treble on my tuner, so i don't really need these crazy remasters where they go nuts on the Bass and volume. The only place i like these remasters is in my car stereo (factory edition) which for some reason has a low volume output and nowadays its not easy to find a custom stereo for newer cars that are affordable or make sense but that is a whole other subject...

Bumping this thread just for fun. Also curious to see how the vinyl reissue sounds, though I'm not expecting it to have the issue that the DGC disc does.

Well wasn't that fun? New question: did anybody save the zip w/ the 2 'blind' wav files of DV69? The Mediafire link expired, and I'd like to take the issue on over to another forum for further discussion without having to recreate the clips. Thanks!

God bless Paul Smith.