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Topic: Re-recordings on CD

1st Mar 2022, 11:41 PM
	Burton LeB SUBS You don't see many of the rare ones, do you? Member since Jul 2012 1982 Points	Some years ago I wrote a review of a compilation CD of 70s hits for a certain website (begins with A and has a Z in the name) and kept a copy of it but forgot to include the title, and I can't remember what it was called. Anyway, this is what I said: "At first glance it looks like a comprehensive collection of Seventies tracks - the mutt's nuts, as some put it coyly - and there are some uncommon inclusions on it too, the kind that hardly ever make it onto this kind of compilation. Blackfoot Sue's 'Standing In The Road' to name but one - shades of Slade, vocal-wise and a good pop stomper; well that's how I remembered it, but on this album it sounds weak and unconvincing. I realise that some things you remember as being great at the time (certain Dr. Who plots and monsters, the tank top you wore to school discos) are, when viewed in the cold light of the present day, frankly laughable.. but these tracks don't fall into that particular category. No, the reason why Blackfoot Sue sound lacklustre now (and you're probably ahead of me here) is that this track isn't the rather good version that made the Top 5 in August 1972. In fact the majority of tracks here - all bar one, to my jaded ears - are not the original versions. I should have paid attention to the small print on the rear inlay, although buying it mail-order unseen I didn't get an opportunity. For anyone interested in music from the past, that concise yet deadly caveat included on this kind of compilation sends a chill down the spine: 'To obtain the highest possible quality, some tracks have been re-recorded by the original artists or one or more members of the original groups.' Now what this cleverly worded sentence means is that that to qualify as being credited as an 'original artist' then a band only needs to contain a single member of the group of that name - in other words, it could be just the drummer of one of the bands that is on the newer recording, and - regardless of his or her ability, or the equipment used - the track just isn't going to sound the same, is it? It’s high time that compilers, labels and marketing bods were more honest (actually, just make that honest) about just why this re-recording is done. Something like this would do: 'In order to obtain the highest possible quality, and in order to save us a lot of expense, effort and unnecessary hassle trying to license the original hit versions of these songs, we've tracked down one of the guys from each group, brought them out of retirement and shoved them into a studio with some geezers he knows from down the pub, and got them to knock out a half-arsed version of the track that you remember. And let's face it, as you're now in your fifties / sixties you probably won't remember exactly how it goes and neither will the other people at the party who are completely off their faces and trying to dance to it. Thanks for buying it though, suckers.'