3rd Album Deluxe - Bill Levenson drops a hint?

[iaredatsun]

2) It suggests that there were two Valentin mixes (the closet mix was ?later replaced by yet another Val Valentin stereo mix?). I didn?t know that. Are they obviously different?


Oh and in response to the question "how much better than PSAS (for the Closet mix) and the 1996 CD (for the Valentin mix) can the mastering be? "
Well it says that all tracks will be available in HD Audio format so I guess that's better quality audio than those standard CD remasters..if you want it

The liner notes say this:

Reed attempted to literally create that experience on The Velvet Underground in what Morrison called the "closet mix," done by Reed himself and used on original 1969 pressings of the LP. (It was replaced in later editions by another stereo mix done by Valentin.) "I thought it sounded like it was recorded in a closet," Morrison said of Reed's effort, which pressed the vocals to the fore, far ahead of the instruments and rhythms. "I guess he felt the real essence of the tracks was the lyrics."

In my mind that means that the stereo Closet Mix was replaced by a stereo mix by Valentin. (i.e the closet was replace by another stereo mix, which was by Valintin. I don't think it means that there were two Valentin mixes.

The Valentin HD remaster has been available since 2012. It sounds good but not clear whether it's the same one as on the new set.

[iaredatsun]

1) Doug Yule is interviewed for the liner notes ? presumably a new interview? I hope so. After the Hall Of Fame thing I had a feeling he might not have been involved

This extract reveals that it is a new interview:

? in an interview for this collection, his most extensive about his life-changing first year in the Velvet Underground, Yule recalls his joining with undiminished amazement. Cale played his last show with the group on Saturday, September 28th, 1968. The next Friday, October 4th, Yule was opening a weekend engagement with the Velvets at one of their favorite haunts, La Cave in Cleveland.
In between, there were two days in Reed's New York loft, Yule says, "running down tunes. It wasn't difficult material. But there was stuff happening, and a lot of it depended on following whoever directed the music. Lou would change things with his body language ? signal us with hand gestures or give cues in mid-song."

[rnranimal]

2) It suggests that there were two Valentin mixes (the closet mix was ?later replaced by yet another Val Valentin stereo mix?). I didn?t know that. Are they obviously different?


Oh and in response to the question "how much better than PSAS (for the Closet mix) and the 1996 CD (for the Valentin mix) can the mastering be? "
Well it says that all tracks will be available in HD Audio format so I guess that's better quality audio than those standard CD remasters..if you want it

The liner notes say this:

Reed attempted to literally create that experience on The Velvet Underground in what Morrison called the "closet mix," done by Reed himself and used on original 1969 pressings of the LP. (It was replaced in later editions by another stereo mix done by Valentin.) "I thought it sounded like it was recorded in a closet," Morrison said of Reed's effort, which pressed the vocals to the fore, far ahead of the instruments and rhythms. "I guess he felt the real essence of the tracks was the lyrics."

In my mind that means that the stereo Closet Mix was replaced by a stereo mix by Valentin. (i.e the closet was replace by another stereo mix, which was by Valintin. I don't think it means that there were two Valentin mixes.

The Valentin HD remaster has been available since 2012. Not clear whether it's the same one as on the new set.

Yes, when written that way, but the article says the following, which is written in a way that suggests two Valentin stereo mixes:

The Velvet Underground was the first album produced and arranged by the band themselves. Disc One of this collection contains the album stereo mix by MGM house engineer Luis Pastor ?Val? Valentin, a veteran of sessions for Ella Fitzgerald and Stan Getz, recorded at T.T.G. Studios in Hollywood, while the band was staying at the Chateau Marmont. The second disc features what Sterling Morrison dubbed ?The Closet Mix,? which Reed described as a way to ?get directly to somebody, unfiltered? So, if you listen to the record, it?s like sitting across from you.? This was the original version on the 1969 pressings of the album, later replaced by yet another Val Valentin stereo mix. The third disc features ?the promotional mono mix? of the album, including a mono version of the first single, ?What Goes On? b/w ?Jesus.?

[iaredatsun]

Yes, when written that way, but the article says the following, which is written in a way that suggests two Valentin stereo mixes:

The Velvet Underground was the first album produced and arranged by the band themselves. Disc One of this collection contains the album stereo mix by MGM house engineer Luis Pastor ?Val? Valentin, a veteran of sessions for Ella Fitzgerald and Stan Getz, recorded at T.T.G. Studios in Hollywood, while the band was staying at the Chateau Marmont. The second disc features what Sterling Morrison dubbed ?The Closet Mix,? which Reed described as a way to ?get directly to somebody, unfiltered? So, if you listen to the record, it?s like sitting across from you.? This was the original version on the 1969 pressings of the album, later replaced by yet another Val Valentin stereo mix. The third disc features ?the promotional mono mix? of the album, including a mono version of the first single, ?What Goes On? b/w ?Jesus.?

My guess is that that press release is incorrect in its interpretation of the liner notes. Poetic license or just badly worded, perhaps? The liner notes are Fricke's, from the book.

[Kill Mick]

One last thought (from me anyway) on the "promotional mono mix" - is it possible that it was done at the time but for some reason not released commercially or as a promo, and has sat on a shelf for 45 years? Could it actually be a different mono mix to the Sundazed one?

[rnranimal]

One last thought (from me anyway) on the "promotional mono mix" - is it possible that it was done at the time but for some reason not released commercially or as a promo, and has sat on a shelf for 45 years? Could it actually be a different mono mix to the Sundazed one?

Here's what Sundazed said on their facebook before the release, but this type of info isn't mentioned currently on their page for the item. I'd love to hear from someone with the set as to whether the liners offer any info.

"The mono master for the 3rd album was created from the stereo master, but was NOT a typical fold-down. It's a unique and essential listen."

"No, because in theory, it IS a fold-down. But not a simple matter of collapsing left and right. Work was done to make the mono a bit different sounding, and more radio-friendly."

"The mono was issued to radio stations upon release..."

I'm pretty sure the CD is going to be the same as the Sundazed LP. As to whether this was something actually created (aka folded down) in 1969 or something modern, I don't know. I actually don't care, because vintage doesn't make a fold down any more or less interesting to me.

[Elvis Plebsley]

That Sundazed info makes it sound like a contemporary mix/fold. There was a white label promo, with "dryer" mastering. I have always assumed it was stereo. I have CDr copy. Could it be that?

[rnranimal]

That Sundazed info makes it sound like a contemporary mix/fold. There was a white label promo, with "dryer" mastering. I have always assumed it was stereo. I have CDr copy. Could it be that?

That was stereo, no mono LP was ever issued for the 3rd album.

[Mark]

Deeply suspicious of Sundazed's blurb about the mono 'promo'. So it was sent out to radio stations in 1969 and not a SINGLE copy has emerged in the intervening 45 years. Right.

A respectable archive label really shouldn't be getting itself involved in art forgery...

[lurid]

I don't think that Steve Nelson "owns" the Professor recordings. I understand the master tapes have been with Universal for a long time, and were even remastered ready for release some years ago.

They will never be in the same quality league as the Matrix tapes, and I would say are only marginally better than the 1st gen dubs we all have through Ms Klein here on the forum. I really dont see those recordings ever being formally released now.

But Steve Nelson DOES own the silent live footage of the "Moe - less" VU playing at the Woodrose Ballroom in 1970. THAT is something I would like to see, dubbed with the extant audio from the same show.

But the Professor tapes aren't that good, are they?

They aren't, but if you owned some tapes and had an interest in selling them to a big record company, you might tend to hype them a little