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Whoa! That's the first I've ever heard of that one? Is it rumored or confirmed? It's 1978, kinda late. :unsure: I would love to hear that (or any Rats) in surround!

Somewhat beyond a Rumour as 4 Discreet quad tracks from "Tonic For The Troops" were utilized for an HJ encoded broadcast on the 27th of May 1978 , by the BBC.
 
Something to keep in mind about those BBC Broadcasts.
Back in the 70's Aunty Beeb did something stupid.
They erased previous broadcast tapes to be reused.....Cheap bastards.



Another Discreet tape example from the labels was EMI/Harvest .
They gave the BBC an entire Q4 tape from Pink Floyd's -Wish You Were Here . This was encoded in BBC Matrix H and broadcast in Summer 1977. And the SQ quad album from EMI had only been out for just over a year.
 
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Something to keep in mind about those BBC Broadcasts.
Back in the 70's Aunty Beeb did something stupid.
They erased previous broadcast tapes to be reused.....Cheap bastards.
Regrettable with hindsight maybe, but not stupid, they weren't a museum, it wasn't their remit to save stuff on the off chance someone in the future might find it interesting. It was public money they were saving in order to stay broadcasting. It happened particularly in TV where video tape was even more expensive (whole series of what are now thought of as being 'classic' TV shows were wiped).
 
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Well then, let's hope they will expand their titles from UMG. The remaining Elton John albums that weren't already released would be nice.

the delicate truth of the matter was leaked a while back by some dumbbell on SHTV. now it all feels somewhat academic but basically AF had them on a plate - however they had to go right in, balls to the wall, all or nothing at all! they couldn't pick and choose which albums they could release, they had to take on the whole bloody lot, which was just not feasible at the time since a number of the SACDs were still easy to get on the cheap! 😫
 
Regrettable with hindsight maybe, but not stupid, they weren't a museum, it wasn't their remit to save stuff on the off chance someone in the future might find it interesting. It was public money they were saving in order to stay broadcasting. It happened particularly in TV where video tape was even more expensive (whole series of what are now thought of as being 'classic' TV shows were wiped).

True enough, but it's kinda sad to think that the BBC asked the listening public for tapes of some shows from private tape collections. I'm not certain they were seeking quad matrix broadcasts , though.

BTW Do you think they kept any of those BBC H/HJ Proms ?
 
the delicate truth of the matter was leaked a while back by some dumbbell on SHTV. now it all feels somewhat academic but basically AF had them on a plate - however they had to go right in, balls to the wall, all or nothing at all! they couldn't pick and choose which albums they could release, they had to take on the whole bloody lot, which was just not feasible at the time since a number of the SACDs were still easy to get on the cheap! 😫


Awww shit , Adam . That's sad news to think of.🥺
 
the delicate truth of the matter was leaked a while back by some dumbbell on SHTV. now it all feels somewhat academic but basically AF had them on a plate - however they had to go right in, balls to the wall, all or nothing at all! they couldn't pick and choose which albums they could release, they had to take on the whole bloody lot, which was just not feasible at the time since a number of the SACDs were still easy to get on the cheap! 😫

I can verify this, at least at this point. There is no AF and there are no EJ SACDs. But, I was also told in correspondence that the missing Eltons were in fact offered to AF, however, along with the missing titles, AF would have to license the titles that did get UMe releases, and were, in fact, still out there for under list price.

I suggested that maybe AF take a 'box set' approach to selling these, by placing one unreleased title in a set with 3 of the released titles, thus giving AF a way to market the previous released titles that might make some double-buy.

That was a non-starter because AF did not want to take advantage of its fan base. Gotta give them props for that, but the end result was the EJ's were there dangling like a carrot in front of a horse, but the baggage that came with them was not fiscally responsible for the company

Don't blame AF. Blame UMe
 
I can verify this, at least at this point. There is no AF and there are no EJ SACDs. But, I was also told in correspondence that the missing Eltons were in fact offered to AF, however, along with the missing titles, AF would have to license the titles that did get UMe releases, and were, in fact, still out there for under list price.

I suggested that maybe AF take a 'box set' approach to selling these, by placing one unreleased title in a set with 3 of the released titles, thus giving AF a way to market the previous released titles that might make some double-buy.

That was a non-starter because AF did not want to take advantage of its fan base. Gotta give them props for that, but the end result was the EJ's were there dangling like a carrot in front of a horse, but the baggage that came with them was not fiscally responsible for the company

Don't blame AF. Blame UMe


It wouldn't have upset me, I would've grabbed them right up. I also would've been happy to get a better remastering on the redbook layer as well...
 
Even if such 4 channel master tapes existed there is of course no means of broadcasting them quadraphonically.
I think it's plausible that only the matrix-encoded stereo masters exist. I've always thought that if they were broadcast there would be no mention of the quad - they might not even realise. I would not be able to decode but I was planning on mentioning it on QQ as I'm sure somebody would be able to! However, some if not all of the sessions were broadcast in stereo and then remixed for later quad broadcast, so they may have only kept the stereo masters.
 
I think it's plausible that only the matrix-encoded stereo masters exist. I've always thought that if they were broadcast there would be no mention of the quad - they might not even realise. I would not be able to decode but I was planning on mentioning it on QQ as I'm sure somebody would be able to! However, some if not all of the sessions were broadcast in stereo and then remixed for later quad broadcast, so they may have only kept the stereo masters.
I don't think the BBC generally produced matrix encoded masters, I think they only encoded at the point of transmission. The reason being that they didn't want to lock particular versions of the fast evolving Matrix H into recordings but could use whatever was the best variant available at the time of the broadcast.
 
I don't think the BBC generally produced matrix encoded masters, I think they only encoded at the point of transmission. The reason being that they didn't want to lock particular versions of the fast evolving Matrix H into recordings but could use whatever was the best variant available at the time of the broadcast.
That makes sense, thank you. Also makes it more likely (though possibly still not very likely) that they have kept the quad masters.
 
the delicate truth of the matter was leaked a while back by some dumbbell on SHTV. now it all feels somewhat academic but basically AF had them on a plate - however they had to go right in, balls to the wall, all or nothing at all! they couldn't pick and choose which albums they could release, they had to take on the whole bloody lot, which was just not feasible at the time since a number of the SACDs were still easy to get on the cheap! 😫

Obviously, UMG is still re~pressing Multi~CH SACDs of Tumbleweed Connection, Elton John [debut] and Madman Across the Water as they're still in stock at Acoustic Sounds and ImportCD so there's obviously a 'continuous market' for EJ in multi~CH hi res.

Those four EJ unreleased titles which are basically already remixed and in the can just have to be authored for SACD release.

Universal Japan is starting up their SHM~SACD release program once again ...... what can't they just release them as single layer Multichannel /Stereo SHM~SACDs? And those NEW Stereo SHM~SACDs are now priced at less than MoFi's current Stereo SACDs. IMO, they'd sell literally thousands!

DUH!
 
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There may be a misconception regarding some of those BBC broadcasts in 78/77.

Not all of the broadcasts were Live In Concert types . Yes they did do some Live Concerts at Paris theatre , Golders Green , and other London venues , including Genesis at Knebworth . But the albums I've listed are from the Band's albums , supplied by their labels as requested by the BBC.
Those Discreet Masters would be retained by the labels , such as: Mercury , Vertigo , EMI/Harvest , EMI , and other labels , that are now mostly with UMG.
For the most part it was Tony Wilson (BBC engineer) who encoded these album tracks for The Alan Freeman Show , John Peel's Show and others . They are known as "Tony Wilson Quad Creations".



I believe he also did most of (if not all) , of the 77/78 Live Quad mixes and encoded those . Shows such as the first Live Rock broadcast in BBC MATRIX H of The Jack Bruce Band , broadcast at the start of the BBC quad experience, April 30th 1977 .
That show was introduced by Pete Drummond , with a short Matrix H test of your speakers by him saying HELLO , 4 times , once each individually with your 4 speakers , just prior to introducing the band.
 
Obviously, UMG is still re~pressing Multi~CH SACDs of Tumbleweed Connection, Elton John [debut] and Madman Across the Water as they're still in stock at Acoustic Sounds and ImportCD so there's obviously a 'continuous market' for EJ in multi~CH hi res.

Those four EJ unreleased titles which are basically already remixed and in the can just have to be authored for SACD release.

Universal Japan is starting up their SHM~SACD release program once again ...... what can't they just release them as single layer Multichannel /Stereo SHM~SACDs? And those NEW Stereo SHM~SACDs are now priced at less than MoFi's current Stereo SACDs. IMO, they'd sell literally thousands!

DUH!

i used to think that way Ralphie but lately i'm not so sure, if that was the case wouldn't they still be pressing Captain Fantastic and Honky Chateau which are arguably more popular and now fetch a pretty penny on the aftermarket?
 
Obviously, UMG is still re~pressing Multi~CH SACDs of Tumbleweed Connection, Elton John [debut] and Madman Across the Water as they're still in stock at Acoustic Sounds and ImportCD so there's obviously a 'continuous market' for EJ in multi~CH hi res.

Those four EJ unreleased titles which are basically already remixed and in the can just have to be authored for SACD release.

Universal Japan is starting up their SHM~SACD release program once again ...... what can't they just release them as single layer Multichannel /Stereo SHM~SACDs? And those NEW Stereo SHM~SACDs are now priced at less than MoFi's current Stereo SACDs. IMO, they'd sell literally thousands!

DUH!


Maybe it's time UMG, ....Island/Rocket/Universal, issued a Big complete box of Elton John's completed 5.1 surround recordings by Greg Penny . And if not on SACD's then on Blu-ray discs.

:cool:
 
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