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9.37am
12 March 2010
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Not sure if this has already been discussed, but after looking through some of the remasters I've GOT to express my disappointment with the liner notes!
I mean even Mark Lewinsons short comments on the Past Masters tracks are more informative and entertaining in contrast to these dull reports, how The Beatles used their four track recording device. And the process of "bouncing down" several tracks to one to create new space is described in at least five (!!) "recording notes"!! (Help, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, White Album) Can you imagine that?? Especially Revolver, one of the most remarkable recordings ever, and they give up a whole paragraph to the same thing they had described before TWICE!
And on the "White Album" the describe the whole process AGAIN, because then they did NOT need it anymore!!
And the "Historical notes" on "Sgt. Peppers" mainly describe their frustration with playing live – I think it would have been much more appropriate to acknowledge the "historical" dimensions of this album!!
All in all "Historical" and "Recording notes" on all albums totally lack enthusiasm, emotion and depths.
Big missed chance.
Anyone agrees with that?
10.18am
31 March 2008
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Yep, I agree completely. I think they were written by Kevin Howlett, a BBC radio producer who knows his stuff, but he chose to mention one of the least interesting aspect of The Beatles' recording techniques.
Bouncing down/reduction mixes were perhaps worth a mention on Sgt Pepper, but for the rest there's a whole load of other stuff to be discusses. They should have asked me to do it 
11.21am
19 September 2010
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I agree completely. The Lennon ones are much better.
5.46pm
1 May 2010
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To be honest, I read the first 2 and I said "Booo-ring" so I decided to rip all my CDs to listen in my computer. 
And for a long while, I had Beatles Bible song page from the song I was listening. As Joe said, it's much better 
6.11pm
14 December 2009
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Yeah, those remasters were disappointing in a number of ways. To read the "Let It Be" notes and not see any mention at all about the tensions and miseries involved in its recording feels dishonest in some way. And would it have been SO difficult to include session details – recording dates, instrumentation, all those juicy details that Joe worked so hard to post on this very site?
[Plus I hate having to slide the discs themselves out of a cardboard sleeve, what the hell is that?! A good way to get 'em prematurely scratched, that's what it is. Far, far inferior to the plastic ones with the lock-on thing in the centre, if you ask me. If Apple's rationale behind that decision was to replicate the experience of sliding vinyl discs out of record sleeves, well, thanks but no thanks. And if they did it merely to save money, then "Screw you, you cheap bastards!" That nonsense is way-unworthy of history's greatest band.]
6.17pm
1 May 2010
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I know what you mean with those cardboard sleeves. I don't listen my CDs very often (I have all my music in my computer) so I'm very careful when I use them.
I think they went to the ecofriendly package rather than a cheap one, don't you think? 
8.16pm
31 March 2008
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Quick tip: the CDs are easier to get in and out if you squeeze the top and bottom edges of the cases slightly.
8.55pm
19 September 2010
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Von Bontee said:
[Plus I hate having to slide the discs themselves out of a cardboard sleeve, what the hell is that?! A good way to get 'em prematurely scratched, that's what it is. Far, far inferior to the plastic ones with the lock-on thing in the centre, if you ask me. If Apple's rationale behind that decision was to replicate the experience of sliding vinyl discs out of record sleeves, well, thanks but no thanks. And if they did it merely to save money, then "Screw you, you cheap bastards!" That nonsense is way-unworthy of history's greatest band.]
That has always bugged me. I mean, the Beatles weren't people who screwed over the public, so why does its company?
9.30pm
14 April 2010
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paulsbass said:
Not sure if this has already been discussed, but after looking through some of the remasters I've GOT to express my disappointment with the liner notes!
I mean even Mark Lewinsons short comments on the Past Masters tracks are more informative and entertaining in contrast to these dull reports, how The Beatles used their four track recording device. And the process of "bouncing down" several tracks to one to create new space is described in at least five (!!) "recording notes"!! (Help, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, White Album) Can you imagine that?? Especially Revolver, one of the most remarkable recordings ever, and they give up a whole paragraph to the same thing they had described before TWICE!
And on the "White Album" the describe the whole process AGAIN, because then they did NOT need it anymore!!
And the "Historical notes" on "Sgt. Peppers" mainly describe their frustration with playing live – I think it would have been much more appropriate to acknowledge the "historical" dimensions of this album!!
All in all "Historical" and "Recording notes" on all albums totally lack enthusiasm, emotion and depths.
Big missed chance.
Anyone agrees with that?
I agree the recording and historical notes could have been better. But as far as the true liner notes, I believe they are the originals (written by Barrow or whoever the Press Officer du jour was at the time), no?
Also, in fairness, the packaging was designed for individual sale not just box sets. The "powers that be" have no guarantee the consumer would read about the bouncing down that many times if said consumer only bought one of the discs. I do know what you are saying though, pb – I stopped reading them after AHDN.
Personally, I like the packaging but do agree that chances were missed. Or, we could just go with Von and say "Screw you, you cheap bastards!" That made me laugh.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, Let it roll for all its worth.
2295 6972
9.35pm
14 December 2009
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Yeah, definitely. I pretty much have to do that anyways, since i actually keep the discs in innersleeves – those little paper-and-cellophane envelopes that usually house CD-Roms – inside the cardboard, which (of course) makes the whole thing bulkier and even more of a hassle to remove, grr…
[Side note: I remember reading that Lennon used to regularly buy three copies of albums he liked: one to play, one to loan to a friend, and one to keep filed away on a shelf, in pristine shape (and possibly still sealed?). I wonder, if he'd lived to embrace the digital-music age, would he be apt to buy a single CD, save it to his hard drive then file it away, and just burn copies for whoever wanted one? Who knows...it's an idle question anyways...]
9.38pm
19 September 2010
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The last time I actually listened to an actual CD was Anthology 1, because I hadn't put it on the Computer yet.
3.53am
1 May 2010
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Von Bontee said:
[Side note: I remember reading that Lennon used to regularly buy three copies of albums he liked: one to play, one to loan to a friend, and one to keep filed away on a shelf, in pristine shape (and possibly still sealed?). I wonder, if he'd lived to embrace the digital-music age, would he be apt to buy a single CD, save it to his hard drive then file it away, and just burn copies for whoever wanted one? Who knows...it's an idle question anyways...]
I didn't know that!! I'm sure he would have a CD and then rip it into mp3 files or FLAC into this computer while tweeting and posting on his blog. 
damn now I got sad. 
8.48am
10 May 2011
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I think they're wery detailed (both of them).
9.25pm
9 June 2010
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Joe said:
They should have asked me to do it.
That would have been awesome.
I like the cartoon for Magical Mystery Tour.
I think my favorite notes are the original liner notes for Beatles for Sale. They crack me up every time-- especially the bit about the radioactive cigar-smoking child vacationing on Saturn!
mr. Sun king coming together said And yes, YouTube comments are stupid. But hilariously so.
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