Soft Machine Reissues in Download Only Shocker!
First the good news. Polydor reissued digitally remastered and enhanced editions of The Soft Machine’s first two albums, Volume 1 and Volume 2 early last month (late to the party, I know). The inevitable bad news is, horror of horrors, they were released solely as MP3 downloads!?!?!
At the risk of sounding like some Luddite with his head stuck in the late 60s and 70s – though I’m sure I probably do – I must ask the question, WHY?
Why download only? Surely Polydor are missing their market completely – or maybe it’s just me. Granted, I’m fully aware that the day will soon arrive when newborn babies are born with every single piece of music ever recorded, pre-programmed into their tiny brains and archived for immediate access whenever the mood takes. That’s progress for you. But until that happens there are those of us who still purchase the quaint artefact known as the compact disc – though we are ostracised and casually harangued on the street for our peculiar preference.
True, I occasionally download albums from Amazon or iTunes myself – making me not only a Luddite but a ruddy great hypocrite – but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the majority of people who would be interested in a remastered reissue of an album by progressive art-rockers, The Soft Machine, would appreciate the choice of either going the electronic route or having something they can actually hold in their hands.
A download only track may be all right for the latest single by Lilly Allen, Beyonce Knowles or Eminem, as their music is targeted specifically at a disposable generation seeking instant gratification, but these two albums hark back to 1968 and ’69 respectively, long before the humble CD even, in the days when the gatefold sleeve was an artform in itself.
I for one prefer the packaging, the informative booklet – something to look at, something to read (Am I sounding like a simpleton here?). You only have to look to the likes of Repertoire or Fly Records with their lush digipack reissues to see how this should be done.
So have Polydor dropped a bollock here?
Maybe I’m way off mark and it’s just me. Maybe this is what the rest of The Soft Machine’s audience have been screaming out for. I doubt it though – particularly when you consider that not everybody has access to their own computer, let alone an MP3 player.
Let me know what you think.
Update Both The Soft Machine Volume 1
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Polydor have failed to grasp the format challenge. People do want to have some tangible, as you say. But Polydor aren’t alone. The record companies have been too busy suing their fans to realise that there’s many people who will spend money to buy something physical.
That’s a shame for the artists and the music…. and the fans.
You’re spot on, Jon. This obsession the record companies have (and Warner Bros. are a particular offender here) with criminalising the very people who keep the names of these artists from times gone by out there, is unfathomable. As always it’s the fan that suffers. Wise words, Jon.
I forgot to mention that these downloads come with a ‘digital booklet’. Ugh! Can you use one of those as a makeshift beermat? I think not. I’ll stick with my ‘crusty’ old CD reissues of the Soft Machine albums, thank you v. much.
These two records have never seen a respectable digital release. The CD issues are all absolutely awful (sonically, not musically). It’s really a shame that the desperately needed remasters are only available in low-resolution MP3 format. Will these great albums never get be presented in the high-quality audio format that they deserve?
I don’t hold my breath for common sense to prevail so long as there’s people running the show who think that a digital-only release is right for a Soft Machine album or any music of this era.
As to no decent digital releases, I think the 2007 remasters on the Water Label of both Volume 1 and 2 sound remarkably better than any previous editions I’ve heard in any medium. On Volume 1 Ayers’ bass and Wyatt’s drums have much more presence and heft than ever before. Volume two similarly features greater detail and physicality of than all previous issues. It may be you’re already aware of these releases and just think even they don’t sound very good, but in case you just hadn’t heard of them, I’d recommend seeking them out.
Fraid I’m not aware of them, gidouille. I have the Big Beat 2 on 1 release and the sound can come across at times as a liittle muddy. Thanks for the heads up.
E-Bay listings show Re-mastered CD reissues of Soft Machine Vols 1 & 2 available as of July 17th ’09 at worryingly low prices (£5.99) – are these geuine Probe releases or some sort of download conversion? Also on e-bay I think there are GENUINE 180gram vinyl Probe reissues around at around £13.99 – can anyone
who’s bought one comment please?
Further to my earlier, Amazon.Co.Uk also show Vol. 2 in CD format (presumably digitally remastered) as available from 20th July 2009, so it looks like it’s a kosher release and not just some John running off copies (no mention of Vol. 1 in this respect though), priced at £5.98. Forty years on from seeing these guys blitz the Cooks’ Ferry Inn, Edmonton, it’s time I renewed my 1969 Probe copy. Maybe in another 40 years’ time this album along with the classic ‘BBC tea machine” live version of ‘Moon In June’ will be seen as the zenith of the Soft’s output, if not the entire prog era?
Thanks for the heads up there, Martin. I’ve had a look and Amazon.co.uk is also advertising Vol. 1 (though just listed as The Soft Machine) for release on the 20th July. I’d like to think this blog played a part in forcing Polydor’s (or whoever it’s been licensed to for reissue) arm, though I sincerely doubt it lol.
Finally got my ‘Vol. 2′ remastered CD for a fiver in Rise Records at Clifton Triangle, Bristol last week (where they also have 180g vinyl Probe ‘Vol. 2′ LP copies at £10-00, though with a disappointingly plain white back cover, basic track listing and “fab” original liner para. only, i.e. no trio photo).
Well, the remastered CD reissue is a great little package- “24-bit remastering from the original analog master tapes”… with an impressive 20-page photo/text booklet containing extensive notes by Mark Powell (somebody tell me who he is, please?) that fans will cherish. Sound quality is, on the whole, noticeably improved, and while my take on this is of course highly subjective, I note the following:
Brass is more audible, punchier, and better delineated; Wyatt vocals ditto – I heard quite a few lines here and there that were only partly distinguishable through the ‘foggier’ sound picture of the original 1969 album, e.g. I finally understood that RW was saying “two fives….to take away the taste of all those sevens….” at the end of side 1! Ratledge’s organ sound however sounds tonally strangely a bit mellower than formerly…or maybe it’s just me? Also, there’s some slightly irritating left-right-left stereo panning on “Fire Engine Passing….” where the sound almost disappears at the stereo image crossover points….I don’t remenber any of this either on the original(perhaps I’ve forgotten?). They’ve done something to the bass sound in a few places too…..what must originally have been a compound sound in places(fuzz + pure bass) is now audibly separated – greater clarity, yes, but something of the ‘monumental triumvirate’ foundation feel has been lost in the tweaking, I think?
Well, I repeat – all of this is necessarily subjective. On balance it IS a worthy clean up and improvement. When the 1st stereo copy of ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ came out years ago I had similar misgivings – my cherished ‘original’ version had somehow been made wholly knowable inside and out – and had thereby lost some of its mystery, charm and magic…..perhaps I’m experiencing the same thing again here……
So, I DO neverless recommend this CD unreservedly, as it’s lost none of its glory, charm and power – but keep your original vinyl LP and Dansette record player handy – because if you want to re-create 1969 again (go on – you know you do!), you’ll need a darkened room, lotus position on the Cyril Lord carpet, copious wafting joss stick fumes, and this classic full-on album spinning – with volume set on 11. Lowrey Glide in Blue!!
Martin Westmacott
Crikey, Martin. You really know your stuff. Pleasure to have you on board.
Glad you managed to get hold of a copy of Vol. 2 at a knockdown price – that’s a real bargain. I’ve still not got round to purchasing either but I’m happy with my murkier Big Beat releases of 1 and 2 for the moment.
Cheers, Martin.
Very nice ‘unpromoted’ (amateur?) on-stage photo of Hopper/Wyatt/Ratledge/Dobson Dec. ’69 Soft Machine gig at Bourges, France – go to http://guyboistel.hautetfort.com/media/02/00/1262420542.jpg
and scroll down page ’til you see it. clic on pic, remove frame, & print off full screen A4………
Oh Man, the Vibe! – I’m back at the Cooks Ferry Inn again!
Great find
@Jeffman
Well I know I’m harping on a bit but…..can you really have too many of these? No, I didn’t think so either – so please see tenth picture down on title page of -
http://www.memoire60-70.be/Images/Chronique_1966_1972/Bilzen69_Soft_Machine.jpg
(credited to a named photographer)
* ‘New’ 1971 double CD & CD Rom now out on Reel Recordings – Soft Machine Live at the Henie Onstad Arts Centre, Oslo, Norway – may or may not be a good ‘un, but (with Hopper, Wyatt, Ratledge & Dean) certainly worth investigating….. *
Not at all, Martin. Your contributions are always welcome around these parts.
Thanks for the find, and thanks for the heads up on the live double disc boxset. Might be a bit too later-era “jazzy” for my tastes, but like you say, certainly worth investigating.