herbalpertpresents.com
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We went thru each album and asked for votes for best song. I remember that on a few of the albums, the song you would expect to win, didn't. Then when the albums were all gone thru, we put up the list of all the winning songs and "The Nicest Things Happen" got the most votes from that list. I still don't understand why that happened but of course there were not all that many participants and the number of voters varied widely from album to album. It was in the old forum.
The problem with Summertime - maybe the clothes? We all have one of those 70s outfits where we wonder, "What was I thinking..."
I think it was the clothes.
Next one of us who sees Herb, should ask about those pants.
The market has changed considerably since the Shout reissues. And actually, so has technology, both on the engineering side, and on the playback side. At this late date, though, there is only so much you can get out of ~40-50 year old tapes--many of those old tapes are surprisingly robust (listen to some of the Analogue Productions vinyl pressings of those RCA Living Stereo classical albums from the 50s--you'd think they were recorded just a few years ago), yet there was the dreaded Ampex 456 with "sticky shed" that needs a proper baking to make playable...and maybe one time only, at that. Generally though, the tapes likely aren't as "fresh" as they were upon original playback, and I'd wager that if anyone wants to get these, to not hesitate at all, and just get them while they are available, as these could be the best ones we'll ever have access to.
I really can't say the Shout remasters were bad, but they had some room for small improvements. (Except for S.R.O. that sounds really...strange.) And even so, we were still grateful for those, as we could have had nothing.
S.R.O. had a strange "whine" that could be heard throughout. I am confident that as I age, my high frequency hearing will diminish to the point I won't hear it anymore. (But I'd still buy a new remaster to see if they improved on it.)
Given the packaging they did on Come Fly With Me, I will be tempted to at least buy my 6 or 7 favorites again if they have similarly nice packages. I won't buy any vinyl or HD downloads but CDs I will be in for.
Given the packaging they did on Come Fly With Me, I will be tempted to at least buy my 6 or 7 favorites again if they have similarly nice packages. I won't buy any vinyl or HD downloads but CDs I will be in for.
Y'all are familiar with Jim Mccrory's website? Lots of A&M cover shots including some that were never used. As for "Summertime": http://jimmccraryphotography.com/pages/cat/pages/21herbie.htm
DeeInKY
Well-Known Member
I think it was the clothes.
Next one of us who sees Herb, should ask about those pants.
If it turns out that Lani gave him those then we're all in deep.
abstract_fan
Well-Known Member
And, no greatest hits compilations. An artist at an advanced age usually has one or more greatest hits compilations out. Herb's albums really are special.
Besides the obvious 'gold mining' reason for doing compilations, these original A&M releases were sometimes done as a series with several other artists being included as well. The largest being the 25th Anniversary series. Another reason was to keep a 'current' album out there by a particular artist. For example when the TJB and BMB were on hiatus or disbanded as we know. I'm not sure, but my feeling is that those previously done compilations will not be duplicated. Also, anything forthcoming will be HERB ALPERT PRESENTS, and A&M or Shout! won't be seen any more.
That's cool, actually - they could create a new "greatest" package or two.
Greatest Hits - The Singles
Best of the Solo Years
... and the like. Most of those previous packages were either inadequate (10 to 14 or so songs on a single LP) or tried to cover TOO much ground (anything that tried to mash his solo and band careers together).
Greatest Hits - The Singles
Best of the Solo Years
... and the like. Most of those previous packages were either inadequate (10 to 14 or so songs on a single LP) or tried to cover TOO much ground (anything that tried to mash his solo and band careers together).
The anthologies do serve a purpose--the casual consumer wants the hits, not entire albums. Thing is, with Definitive Hits still in circulation, there really is no need for another anthology at the moment. (Although I could imagine the original Greatest Hits LP getting a reissue--that IMHO is one of the classic hits packages of all time.) The days of lavish CD box sets have passed, so that is off the table as well.
Funny thing is, the demand for vinyl is very strong again, and buyers will actually preorder an entire series when they can (as I did with the Led Zep and Rush remasters). For what the general public has perceived as a dead format, it sure has grown a new set of legs.
I already have the Whipped Cream vinyl preordered.
I have a barely played copy of it which I bought when Peaches was closing their local stores, so it's a reissue on the white/silver label. I'll do a shootout once I get the new one.
Funny thing is, the demand for vinyl is very strong again, and buyers will actually preorder an entire series when they can (as I did with the Led Zep and Rush remasters). For what the general public has perceived as a dead format, it sure has grown a new set of legs.
I already have the Whipped Cream vinyl preordered.
I have a barely played copy of it which I bought when Peaches was closing their local stores, so it's a reissue on the white/silver label. I'll do a shootout once I get the new one.
The Greatest Hits Vol. 2 sort of filled that role, but an updated version that spanned the solo recordings would be very interesting IMHO.
There are still some box sets, but they've been pared back a touch. A few Warner Bros. artists were given the "Warner Bros Years" treatment, with all their WB albums being issued in a box with mini-LP reproduction covers. I picked up the America and Doobie Brothers boxes - both were very well done and looked good. The only thing missing was the large box and lavish book (And I admit, I like the books).
The recent box sets are those "complete" sets, usually quite cheap. A couple of them have nice booklets, where others are just hastily thrown together. The Bill Withers set I picked up was cheaper than the import CD I purchased about a year prior for a single album, as many of us figured many would never be issued on CD. My Brubeck box worked out to under $4/disc, and the huge 70 CD Miles Davis box set from the UK, when it was available at a discount, was around $3 per album.
Nobody these days would buy one of the lavish Rhino-style boxed sets where the discs averaged $15 each, and were well thought out. Today's boxes are just "catalog dumps" which to me, seems like the last gasp of the CD format. Offering an insane amount of music for a cheap price is the only way anyone will buy them.
Nobody these days would buy one of the lavish Rhino-style boxed sets where the discs averaged $15 each, and were well thought out. Today's boxes are just "catalog dumps" which to me, seems like the last gasp of the CD format. Offering an insane amount of music for a cheap price is the only way anyone will buy them.
No so fast...
I'm not sure what the ongoing strategy here is, but from the tantalizing "hints" that Steve keeps providing, maybe we can surmise that Herb (maybe encouraged by Randy?) is wanting to give his catalog the deluxe treatment it so richly deserves, profits (or lack thereof) be damned...?
rbisherw
Well-Known Member
I also notice a distortion on I Will Wait For You.
Off-topic, but a Xmas catalogue that dropped into my letterbox yesterday offered a memory stick for £30 that contained THREE THOUSAND of the world's best books. Pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap, eh?
Is it the bass near the end of the tune? I've heard that before. It sounds like either the level was too high on the console, or the tape was overmodulated.
Did they mention the titles? Many are public domain--I've downloaded a handful of "classics" which were converted for the Kindle. They have generic covers but from what I could tell, they were unaltered versions of the original writing.
They all appear to be Public Domain titles, yes.
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