Buzzcocks (for Kory)

[Wolter]

Going back: I’ve said it many times, but I love that both post-Devoto Buzzcocks and Magazine seem to flow logically from Spiral Scratch. It’s like we got two bands from alternate timelines in our own.

[Marky Dread]

Going back: I’ve said it many times, but I love that both post-Devoto Buzzcocks and Magazine seem to flow logically from Spiral Scratch. It’s like we got two bands from alternate timelines in our own.

Definitely a great thing. As Shelley and Devoto were friends they continued to write some of the early tracks for "Another Music in a Different Kitchen". Diggle had written "Fast Cars" but forgotten to bring his lyrics with him so he just sang the chorus and hummed the verse. Shelley and Devoto went in the next room and ten minutes later it's complete.

[Marky Dread]

The Pacific demo tape :
A1. Dreamin
A2. Alive Tonight
A3. Never Gonna Give It Up
A4. Wallpaper World
A5. Successful Street
A6. Who'll Help Me To Forget
A7. Serious Crime
A8. Why Compromise

B1. Last To Know
B2. Run Away From Home
B3. Searching For Your Love
B4. Tranquillizer
B5. When Love Turns Around You

What I have in Flac:

01. Isolation
02. Never Gonna Give It Up
03. When Love Turns Around You
04. All Over You
05. Trash Away
06. Who'll Help Me to Forget
07. Run Away from Home
08. Why Compromise
09. Alive Tonight
10. Last to Know
11. Inside
12. Serious Crime
13. Tranquilizer
14. Dreamin'

Just found another disc with the following.

Drone Studio session 4-24-91

Never Gonna Give It Up
Serious Crime
Dreaming
Last to Know
Run Away From Home
Tranquilizer
Alive Tonight
When Love Turns Around You
Isolation
Successful Street
Who'll Help Me Forget
Why Compromise
Australia

Sounds good.

[Marky Dread]

So as promised to Kory. Here are the first three Buzzcocks albums, Demos etc all remastered. Don't share this on YouTube or elsewhere. Made with care and respect.

Thanks to laxman for help with the upload.

[laxman]

https://mega.nz/#!k5BU0SjD!Y0wyucJADei- ... REo5aN5Ggs

Thanks very much Marky.

[Kory]

Thank you both very much! Marky, before I have a listen, did you start from Product, and what sort of changes did you make?

[Marky Dread]

Thank you both very much! Marky, before I have a listen, did you start from Product, and what sort of changes did you make?

Different sources as a lot of the demos are only on those special edition sets. Some of the other rarities are not on any official release. But everything has been remastered with a new mix.

[Kory]

Thank you both very much! Marky, before I have a listen, did you start from Product, and what sort of changes did you make?

Different sources as a lot of the demos are only on those special edition sets. Some of the other rarities are not on any official release. But everything has been remastered with a new mix.

Oh, I meant which source did you start from for the albums proper? I did another comparison test this weekend (A/B/C/D this time, since I picked up a copy of product), and this is what I found:

Product sounds fine across the board, but a little too thin compared to the 2001 EMI masters.

2001 EMI Masters
Another Music and Love Bites are, I think, my favorite masters of all that exist. They are more trebley than the later masters, but they sound more authentic to me, with that buzzsaw tone and snappy drum sound. EMI didn't do a master here for ADKoT, so I have the IRS master, which sounds tight, if a little thin. Benefits from the inclusion of Parts 1–3, but is missing the Singles Going Steady singles and I Look Alone (!)

2008 Deluxe Editions
Another Music and Love Bites are a bit beefier, and they benefit from all the bonus tracks, but ADKoT is one of the worst hack jobs I've ever heard on a remaster, as the left guitar is lower in the mix than on any other master, meaning that it sounds incredibly unbalanced. A real shame because I could have just kept these deluxes and not had any qualms about getting rid of my other masters.

2019 Remasters
Another Music is brickwalled to hell and also sounds a bit muffled, a huge disappointment for something that's supposed to sound "as intended." Love Bites is ok, not great, a little throaty maybe. The drums are buried, which is a shame because you really want to hear that Maher snap on these recordings but he just sounds like he's hitting cushions. ADKoT is the best sounding by far, much more muscular than the IRS version, almost a new album.

All in all, very frustrating.

[Marky Dread]

Thank you both very much! Marky, before I have a listen, did you start from Product, and what sort of changes did you make?

Different sources as a lot of the demos are only on those special edition sets. Some of the other rarities are not on any official release. But everything has been remastered with a new mix.

Oh, I meant which source did you start from for the albums proper? I did another comparison test this weekend (A/B/C/D this time, since I picked up a copy of product), and this is what I found:

Product sounds fine across the board, but a little too thin compared to the 2001 EMI masters.

2001 EMI Masters
Another Music and Love Bites are, I think, my favorite masters of all that exist. They are more trebley than the later masters, but they sound more authentic to me, with that buzzsaw tone and snappy drum sound. EMI didn't do a master here for ADKoT, so I have the IRS master, which sounds tight, if a little thin. Benefits from the inclusion of Parts 1–3, but is missing the Singles Going Steady singles and I Look Alone (!)

2008 Deluxe Editions
Another Music and Love Bites are a bit beefier, and they benefit from all the bonus tracks, but ADKoT is one of the worst hack jobs I've ever heard on a remaster, as the left guitar is lower in the mix than on any other master, meaning that it sounds incredibly unbalanced. A real shame because I could have just kept these deluxes and not had any qualms about getting rid of my other masters.

2019 Remasters
Another Music is brickwalled to hell and also sounds a bit muffled, a huge disappointment for something that's supposed to sound "as intended." Love Bites is ok, not great, a little throaty maybe. The drums are buried, which is a shame because you really want to hear that Maher snap on these recordings but he just sounds like he's hitting cushions. ADKoT is the best sounding by far, much more muscular than the IRS version, almost a new album.

All in all, very frustrating.

Go and listen to the 2020 remasters. Then report back. Start with the Tension remaster and compare.

I think all of the CDs have something a miss. I've rebalanced them and they have got a meatier sound. Guitars up and a sub bass that was missing. The worst sounding of all the releases in my opinion is the parts 1-3 tracks some such as Strange Thing sound no better than a demo but much better now.

[JohnS]

Another fine project Marky - your research and skill is always appreciated. Thanks for laxman's upload help too.
Do you know if you've covered some stray demos that leaked out over the years - I suspect the 2CD expanded versions of the albums and/or Chronology covered them, but hard to tell without having the original records to hand for comparison:

1) Orgasm Addict/ Whatever Happened To - French 7" 1977. According to wikipedia and discogs, the French single used alternate takes/demos by mistake
https://www.discogs.com/Buzzcocks-Orgas ... se/1638365

2) What Do I Get / Mad Mad Judy / Raison d'être - UK 7" 1997. A limited 7" to promote the Chronology album, featuring demos 'unavailable elsewhere at the time of release'
https://www.discogs.com/Buzzcocks-What- ... se/1390461

3) Love Battery / What Do I Get / Oh Shit - I've no idea what this is, possibly a fake, but it says the 2 tracks on the B-side are demos
https://www.musicpriceguide.com/30670/B ... -DEMO.html

[gkbill]

Hello,

Thanks again, Marky. This is a boatload of great stuff!

[Marky Dread]

Another fine project Marky - your research and skill is always appreciated. Thanks for lawman's upload help too.
Do you know if you've covered some stray demos that leaked out over the years - I suspect the 2CD expanded versions of the albums and/or Chronology covered them, but hard to tell without having the original records to hand for comparison:

1) Orgasm Addict/ Whatever Happened To - French 7" 1977. According to wikipedia and discogs, the French single used alternate takes/demos by mistake
https://www.discogs.com/Buzzcocks-Orgas ... se/1638365

2) What Do I Get / Mad Mad Judy / Raison d'être - UK 7" 1997. A limited 7" to promote the Chronology album, featuring demos 'unavailable elsewhere at the time of release'
https://www.discogs.com/Buzzcocks-What- ... se/1390461

3) Love Battery / What Do I Get / Oh Shit - I've no idea what this is, possibly a fake, but it says the 2 tracks on the B-side are demos
https://www.musicpriceguide.com/30670/B ... -DEMO.html

Hi John, yes they are all included in the compilation to my knowledge. I'm pretty sure I've included all available demos etc.

The single that promoted the Chronology release was unique at the time but the demos have been released on the 2 cd sets since.

[Marky Dread]

Hello,

Thanks again, Marky. This is a boatload of great stuff!

Enjoy mate.

[JohnS]

..and with perfect timing, that new Buzzcocks box set is announced:

https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/buz ... NOnqpvfReA

Or, you can just order the demos, on LP:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/buz ... -vinyl-lp/

[Marky Dread]

..and with perfect timing, that new Buzzcocks box set is announced:

https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/buz ... NOnqpvfReA

Or, you can just order the demos, on LP:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/buz ... -vinyl-lp/

Pre ordered although I've got the majority of it.