Did I know that Phil Spector covered a Beatles-written song in 1964? Don’t think so, to my chagrin.*
“Hold Me Tight” is an early example of the unusual quality the Beatles had. John and Paul’s potential as song writers was, after all, why they were signed by EMI, as I explained here.
We had this #3 hit in very heavy airplay rotation when I was working in radio.
I shouldn’t say this, but Olivia fell into the plastic surgery trap. Later in life, rather than being an older version of herself, Olivia was unrecognizable. She was perfect just as she was.
With the Webb Space Telescope now fully operational, albeit with some dings from micro-meteors, it’s a good time to hear, as well as to see, our solar system. Yesterday, the Boston Symphony Orchestra played Gustav Holst’s masterpiece in the summer heat of Tanglewood.
“Couldn’t Get It Right” by the Climax Blues Band came out right when I started working at the radio station. My immediate reaction was they were trying to sound like Roxy Music. I can’t articulate why that was, but I’ve never shaken my perceived connection. Perhaps there was nothing more to it than they were British bands with mid-70’s hits that didn’t sound like Queen.
All of my purchases from Music Direct, the parent company of MoFi, have been excellent. The one time I required customer service it was also excellent. But false advertising is bad, and I assume there will be repercussions.
The deception regarding MoFi’s “all analog” releases aside, this is a non-issue for me. I have assumed for years that new vinyl releases are cut from digital masters. Why wouldn’t they be?
MoFi has been using DSD source material, which is as good as it gets digitally. Assuming it isn’t something that was simply scaled up to meet the specifications of the format, because the original analog master tape was lost in the infamous Universal Studios fire. If there’s a scandal to be found in music mastering, that’s where to look.
The “problem” with lossless digital audio sources is also their strength — there is precious little difference between players in the way they sound. You press or click Play and that’s it. Playing records is, well, more fun!
Pioneer PL-112D turntable (Japan, 1976) with Audio-Technica AT-92E cartridge (Japan)
One of the things that makes records so attractive, beyond their physical appeal, is that changes in the turntable, tonearm, cartridge, and pre-amp can have significant audible differences. As with speakers and headphones, finding the sonic characteristics of a turntable setup that best suit your taste is a big part of the enjoyment.
So while I’m not pleased that MoFi’s customers were deceived, I don’t see the company’s use of digital masters as invalidating their commitment to quality. Perhaps today I’ll play my 1979 all-analog LP of Mobile Fidelity’s Original Master Recording of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
