The Velvet Forum

Has there ever been a release of Max's Kansas City at the correct speed? All the copies I have (original Atlantic lp, Rhino 2xlp reissue, CDs, expanded versions) are 1 semitone too fast. Seems crazy that this issue has never been fixed.

I guess we're just used to it - the batteries in Brigid's tape machine must have been running down... must be at least 5 yrs since I last listened to it.

it sounds way better at the normal speed. I find it shocking that this has never corrected after more than 50 years. I guess what I'm getting at is... someone should put out a bootleg of the entire sets at the correct speed. I'd pay $ for that.

This post from the Steve Hoffman forum is interesting, with the author working out a speed correction that works very well (to my ears).

Yes, I saw that post at the time. My problem is that 1) I want to play this on vinyl, and 2) my turntables don't have speed adjustment (I have two old Dual turntables). I don't want to buy a Technics just for that - I love my turntables.

Listening to the old LP today (first time in decades, I think), I realised just how off-speed it sounds. Quite bad. I never noticed back then.

I'm sure VU bootleggers out there read this forum. Maybe we should expect a new boot to appear in the coming year?

That was the underlying idea with this post. Hint hint.
If Atlantic, Rhino, etc. can't be bothered to do the right thing, then someone else should and put them to shame.
As I said, I'd happily pay to finally get the complete set at the correct speed.
Ideally, this should be done in the analog domain (i.e. copy to tape, adjust the tape speed as needed, then master it), as opposed to retuning it in the digital domain - but I'll take whatever there is...

An official speed corrected release, together with the Joseph Freeman Max's tape and the Max's rehearsals might be an attractive package...

The other thing you could do to Max's is filter out that annoying tape squeak (pinch roller?) that persists throughout. Can't be that hard surely?