Back when the AF SACD came out in 2015, Steve Hoffman referred to the '73 compilation as the "Paul Rothchild 1973 Quad attempt." I don't think there were pictures of the four-channel master included in the AF release or the more-recent Rhino Blu-Ray - so I suppose it's not 100% confirmed - but I'd take that as some indication Rothchild was involved.
The quad mixes do make more consistent use of the back speakers, I can't argue with that - but I'd stop short of saying the mixing style on the '73 compilation always works. Like in "Love Me Two Times," does having the drums sitting directly behind your head and everything else upfront really make for a pleasent listening experience? Just because you can isolate something in the back doesn't necessarily mean you should.
It works for me, well enough. Beefy rear speakers essential. However, it would be easy to just flip that model around, keep the drums up front and place the guitars and keys in the surrounds.
Anything’s possible. But the credits specifically list both Botnick and Rothchild as producers but only Botnick as the engineer. And since Rothchild had left the picture on less than good terms with the band, and Botnick was the band’s producer at that point, it makes more sense that he’d have helmed the whole remix project rather than sharing remix duties. Especially since he engineered all the Rothchild albums in the first place. So I’ll stick with that until perhaps Botnick himself says otherwise.
I agree. I doubt I will ever buy another Doors release again. Unless the reviews are so unanimously positive about the surround mix (especially for the first album) that I can't ignore it. It would be nice to have at least one really discrete mix of The End.
well, that will be the next release for sure. They will extract the various instruments from the first album into more tracks and make it more immersive and use that to sell us all yet another Doors collection.
I played the original CD-4 for friends on my Quad system back when, I remember none were impressed with Jim's "Riders On The Storm" whispers from the rear speakers. Actually I don't think I had any friends that appreciated Quad all that much. One did buy me an SQ LP of the Mahavishnu Orchestra though. Still have it, no longer have the Doors.
I still have friends for whom music was very important when they were young. I still have those same friends and still keep in close contact but none of them really give a crap about music anymore. Yeah, they still listen to the radio when they are in the car, but none of them will actually put an album on just to listen to it (maybe very rarely I suppose). Very disappointing.
I have one old friend left, he's 80 now I think. He was not impressed with my quad back when, but we were both big time music lovers. I had a bigass portable 8 track that ran on about a case of "D" cell batteries and took it everywhere before the quad days and the Army.
You’ve got all of us here at QQ.
Yes...and I can never say how much I appreciate you all.
