Floyd's "Moon" Gets Face Lift - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 03-24-2003, 10:14 PM

Floyd's "Moon" Gets Face Lift

"Dark Side" remastered for thirtieth anniversary

By Tom Samiljan
Rolling Stone

On Tuesday, for the thirtieth annniversary of Pink Floyd's landmark Dark Side of the Moon, EMI is releasing a completely remastered, 5.1-channel surround-sound, Super Audio CD (SACD) version of the 1973 album. The SACD version -- which also includes a remastered stereo layer that plays on standard CD players -- completely re-imagines the set's soundscape to make full use of five speakers and a subwoofer. Pink Floyd's longtime producer James Guthrie, who also worked on 1993's twentieth anniversary edition, took this remastering further than any previous update (Alan Parsons' unapproved 1973 "Quad mix" of Dark Side only used four speakers and no subwoofer), but everything essential remains in place. The SACD version also features new cover art and a booklet with photos designed by Storm Thorgerson, creator of the original album art.

"We felt that the musical content should be consistent and faithful to the original stereo mix," says Guthrie from his studio in Lake Tahoe, "but of course the balance is going to be altered because you're dealing with a much larger sound stage." Though he repositioned guitars, synthesizers, vocals and found sounds and voices so that they come at the listener from all directions, Guthrie was mindful of being arbitrary or gimmicky. "I did not want to turn this into a video game," he says. And he did not: The overall sound is still gluey and homogenous, like a three-dimensional sonic soup.

Since many of the tracks on the original stereo mix are actually second- and third-generation material (a result of premixing multi-track tapes onto new multi-track tapes and overdubbing to get all the sounds in), Guthrie went back to an earlier generation of tapes to get the original recordings. As a result, the new multi-channel 5.1 mix features first-generation drums, vocals and guitar, among other instruments, which results in a noticeable warmth and richness in the sound. Because the instruments and tracks are separated and distributed onto a larger sound stage, more details can be heard -- for example, the low-end of the synthesizers in "On the Run" and the interplay of guitars and synthesizers in "Any Colour You Like."

The remix also has a more cinematic feel, with the sound of insane laughter, voices and scurrying footsteps behind the listener. The echoey elements of "Us and Them" hit home even harder, as Dave Gilmour's voice resonates back and forth between the back speakers. Backing vocals are generally in the rear speakers and signature sound effects, as in (cash register opening, change clinking, receipt ripping) "Money," are distributed to four different speakers.

Most apparent in this version are the voices, which are easier to discern than in any previous mix. "You'll hear more of what was said," says Guthrie, "Some of the bits and pieces that were buried, the ones that people were guessing about -- all will be revealed now."

According to Guthrie, this remix awakened a thirty-year-old argument in the band about the level and intelligibility of the speaking voices. "Roger and Nick always preferred to hear the theatrical elements louder and more intelligible, while Dave and Rick always wanted to hear the voices wetter and more mysterious," says Guthrie. In the end, they compromised.

"I think they all accepted the fact that as long as we retained the emotional impact of the song, that this mix could be slightly different," says Guthrie. "Dynamically there are changes. Inevitably, if you place a voice in the rear, for instance, there are fewer components competing with that voice, so just by its nature it will be more intelligible."

With the exception of "a tiny bit of extra guitar added to 'On the Run' from the original multitrack tape," the remix's content is idenitical to the original. After hearing the new mix, Roger Waters said, "Dark Side of the Moon really lends itself to 5.1. There's more space for all the theater. James' new mix adds a whole new sonic dimension . . . I love it."

(March 24, 2003)

ABlairican Pie · 03-25-2003, 09:36 AM

I was worrying they'd REALLY mess up a great album with over-production, but it sounds like it'll be good.

ABlairican Pie · 03-25-2003, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Captain ABlairica
I was worrying they'd REALLY mess up a great album with over-production, but it sounds like it'll be good.

Plus the album cover art looks great!!

UpstairsSteak · 03-25-2003, 09:59 AM

I can't wait to hear it. I'm glad they didn't stray from the original concepts.
Did anyone watch VH1 Classic salute to Dark Side of the Moon yesterday? They were showing some great stuff last night. One of the live pieces was Yoko Ono's "The Happening" which showed a very young John Lennon (before the two had met) and Floyd playing with Syd Barrett.

ABlairican Pie · 03-25-2003, 10:08 AM

On KZOK each Monday night they have a weekly segment called "Think Pink", with an hour of Pink Floyd music. For the past several weeks they've been playing all the Pink Floyd albums all the way through. When they started with the Syd Barrett albums like "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Umma-Gumma", that Syd stuff was STA-RAAAAAANGE!!!!!!!

You can see the LSD was working on his brain...........

Charlie Max · 03-26-2003, 04:47 AM

That's real cool art work. It seems they did an excellent job in restoring the album.

UpstairsSteak · 04-01-2003, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Captain ABlairica
On KZOK each Monday night they have a weekly segment called "Think Pink", with an hour of Pink Floyd music. For the past several weeks they've been playing all the Pink Floyd albums all the way through. When they started with the Syd Barrett albums like "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Umma-Gumma", that Syd stuff was STA-RAAAAAANGE!!!!!!! You can see the LSD was working on his brain...........

He was g o n e in full 60's context. Funny how fate works. What would have happened if he hadn't had the breakdown?

AKA · 04-01-2003, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UpstairsSteak

He was g o n e in full 60's context. Funny how fate works. What would have happened if he hadn't had the breakdown?

We would have definitely never heard "Dark Side Of The Moon," "Wish You Were Here," or "The Wall."

03-24-2003, 10:14 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Floyd's "Moon" Gets Face Lift Floyd's "Moon" Gets Face Lift "Dark Side" remastered for thirtieth anniversary By Tom Samiljan Rolling Stone On Tuesday, for the thirtieth annniversary of Pink Floyd's landmark Dark Side of the Moon, EMI is releasing a completely remastered, 5.1-channel surround-sound, Super Audio CD (SACD) version of the 1973 album. The SACD version -- which also includes a remastered stereo layer that plays on standard CD players -- completely re-imagines the set's soundscape to make full use of five speakers and a subwoofer. Pink Floyd's longtime producer James Guthrie, who also worked on 1993's twentieth anniversary edition, took this remastering further than any previous update (Alan Parsons' unapproved 1973 "Quad mix" of Dark Side only used four speakers and no subwoofer), but everything essential remains in place. The SACD version also features new cover art and a booklet with photos designed by Storm Thorgerson, creator of the original album art. "We felt that the musical content should be consistent and faithful to the original stereo mix," says Guthrie from his studio in Lake Tahoe, "but of course the balance is going to be altered because you're dealing with a much larger sound stage." Though he repositioned guitars, synthesizers, vocals and found sounds and voices so that they come at the listener from all directions, Guthrie was mindful of being arbitrary or gimmicky. "I did not want to turn this into a video game," he says. And he did not: The overall sound is still gluey and homogenous, like a three-dimensional sonic soup. Since many of the tracks on the original stereo mix are actually second- and third-generation material (a result of premixing multi-track tapes onto new multi-track tapes and overdubbing to get all the sounds in), Guthrie went back to an earlier generation of tapes to get the original recordings. As a result, the new multi-channel 5.1 mix features first-generation drums, vocals and guitar, among other instruments, which results in a noticeable warmth and richness in the sound. Because the instruments and tracks are separated and distributed onto a larger sound stage, more details can be heard -- for example, the low-end of the synthesizers in "On the Run" and the interplay of guitars and synthesizers in "Any Colour You Like." The remix also has a more cinematic feel, with the sound of insane laughter, voices and scurrying footsteps behind the listener. The echoey elements of "Us and Them" hit home even harder, as Dave Gilmour's voice resonates back and forth between the back speakers. Backing vocals are generally in the rear speakers and signature sound effects, as in (cash register opening, change clinking, receipt ripping) "Money," are distributed to four different speakers. Most apparent in this version are the voices, which are easier to discern than in any previous mix. "You'll hear more of what was said," says Guthrie, "Some of the bits and pieces that were buried, the ones that people were guessing about -- all will be revealed now." According to Guthrie, this remix awakened a thirty-year-old argument in the band about the level and intelligibility of the speaking voices. "Roger and Nick always preferred to hear the theatrical elements louder and more intelligible, while Dave and Rick always wanted to hear the voices wetter and more mysterious," says Guthrie. In the end, they compromised. "I think they all accepted the fact that as long as we retained the emotional impact of the song, that this mix could be slightly different," says Guthrie. "Dynamically there are changes. Inevitably, if you place a voice in the rear, for instance, there are fewer components competing with that voice, so just by its nature it will be more intelligible." With the exception of "a tiny bit of extra guitar added to 'On the Run' from the original multitrack tape," the remix's content is idenitical to the original. After hearing the new mix, Roger Waters said, "Dark Side of the Moon really lends itself to 5.1. There's more space for all the theater. James' new mix adds a whole new sonic dimension . . . I love it." (March 24, 2003)

03-25-2003, 09:36 AM	#2
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	re: DSOM I was worrying they'd REALLY mess up a great album with over-production, but it sounds like it'll be good.
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

03-25-2003, 10:08 AM	#5
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	re: Syd Barrett-era Floyd On KZOK each Monday night they have a weekly segment called "Think Pink", with an hour of Pink Floyd music. For the past several weeks they've been playing all the Pink Floyd albums all the way through. When they started with the Syd Barrett albums like "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Umma-Gumma", that Syd stuff was STA-RAAAAAANGE!!!!!!! You can see the LSD was working on his brain...........

03-26-2003, 04:47 AM	#6
Charlie Max Say it with Music Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 07, 2002 Location: In the Northwest Mountains Posts: 263	That's real cool art work. It seems they did an excellent job in restoring the album.
	__________________ "Music is the art of thinking with sounds." ~Jules Combarieu~

03-25-2003, 09:59 AM	#4
UpstairsSteak Shine On Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 30, 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 303	I can't wait to hear it. I'm glad they didn't stray from the original concepts. Did anyone watch VH1 Classic salute to Dark Side of the Moon yesterday? They were showing some great stuff last night. One of the live pieces was Yoko Ono's "The Happening" which showed a very young John Lennon (before the two had met) and Floyd playing with Syd Barrett.