Grateful Dead

This is all FUN tastic ....thank you:)

Looks good so far

Hello fellow heads, The first two shows of the new PNW boxed set are incorrectly recorded — the R and L channels are reversed. These two shows were recorded by Rex Jackson, the next show, in Seattle, was recorded by Kidd Candelario and the channels are correct. Not sure how it is that David Lemieux and Jeffery Norman missed this and failed to correct it, but it is not the first time it has happened. There are selections on So Many Roads which are reversed, as well as Dick’s Picks #13 (which is VERY surprising, because it is an 80s show and not only the placement of the drummers in the stereo mix is obvious, but also super-obvious is the placement of Weir and Brent!). Interestingly enough, Dave’s Picks Vol 16, recorded by Kidd, is correct, but Dave’s Picks Vol 21, recorded by Rex, is not — the channels on that one are reversed. Both are 1973 shows. It is easy enough to discern whether or not the channels are correct by listening to the pan of the drums in the stereo mix; for a single drummer show in stereo the hi-hat is panned predominantly in the Right channel and the ride in the Left channel and the toms, when used as a fill, should go from R channel to L and from high to low. If you listen to even just the first song of each first set from the three 1973 shows in the boxed set you can hear the difference between the Vancouver/PDX recordings and the Seattle — listen to the drums. This is a phenomenon I have observed since getting on the bus in the mid 80s. (Several really good shows on youtube have their channels reversed!) I wrote to Lemieux about it a few years ago (he often posts show snippets on Tapers’ Section which are reversed — lots of stuff from 73, and spring 81 in particular, but a good recent example are the two first sets from Ventura 84 which he recently posted). At that time he excused the DP#13 as not being on his watch and indicated that fixing the reversed channels on the snipets was simply not a priority or interest for him. I have written to him several times regarding this current, expensive boxed set, but he has not replied. Some heads on FB have plead the “purist” defense for this, meaning that recordings should be released as they are, but I’m guessing many of these same heads love the Europe 72 and Spring 90 stuff, all of which has been heavily remixed and homogenized to the point of one no longer being able to hear the venue/room nor the unique mix of each show; they sound awesome, but from a “purist’s” POV are certainly not accurate historical documents…so I see no reason why the production team wouldn’t correct a recording error such as the channels being switched unless they simply did not notice it due to lack of interest, lack of attention, lack of mindfulness. If you can hear the difference and feel, as I do, that this incredible music should be represented as best as possible, please email or tweet Lemieux at vault@dead.net or @lemieuxdavid and let him know. Thanks for taking the time to read this.