Has Anyone Noticed How Much the Rolling Stones SACD Hybrids Are Going For? [Text View]

sharkshark

06-10-09, 11:52 PM

Cool, got a link? I see that (counterintuitively, but as deduced above) "More Hot Rocks" is on the "must have" list...

ps. Never mind - refined my google searching - nice find!

http://www.lukpac.org/stereostones/stones-cd-faq.txt

He said to redistribute, so here it is, for AVS posterity.

The ROLLING STONES "London-Era on CD/Remasters Review" FAQ
Version: 1.2 IORR (It's Only a Rushed Release)
December 13, 2002
[http://lukpac.org/stereostones/stones-cd-faq.txt] (http://lukpac.org/stereostones/stones-cd-faq.txt%5D)

Created by:

David Goodwin (ksg1-2 (AT) yifan (DOT) net)
Luke Pacholski (lukpac+faq (AT) lukpac (DOT) org)

WHAT'S NEW IN THIS VERSION:

-Some sections were heavily updated...some typos fixed, some new ones assuredly
introduced. This is an interim release: we're currently working hard at sections 5 and 6,
but figured enough time had passed for a new version.

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Section 0: Legalese, et cetera

.10Q) What is this?

.10A) This started out as a FAQ on the "Rolling Stones Remastered" series of compact
discs that were released in late August, 2002. However, by popular request, it's blossomed
into something of a versions-vs-versions guide, complicated a bit by the fact that nobody
on earth seems to own every version of a Stones release! Hopefully, with input from the
community, this document will grow into the most comprehensive source of Stones
"Decca-era" version information.

*.11Q) Can I put this document on my webpage/on CD/etc.?

*.11A) Yes. God yes. Spread it to the four corners of the Earth! Post it on dorm common
areas! Send it to your congressman, or member of parliament, or tribal leader (for our
readers in Texas, yuk yuk yuk). However, please include it as issued (i.e. don't change
any of the included information), and leave in references to the homepage of this FAQ, as
it will always have the newest version.

.12Q) What is the "home" of this document?

.12A) Currently, http://lukpac.org/stereostones/stones-cd-faq.txt. The most current
version will always be available at that address, barring major cataclysms.

.15Q) Why is this document needed?

.15A) Strangely enough, for a band with such a high profile, the Rolling Stones' catalogue
is in an absurd amount of disarray, and as a result it can be ferociously difficult for
"novice fans" to make heads or tails of it. Additionally, once those "novice fans" have
matured into "obsessive collectors," the Stones' catalogue takes on even more dimensions
of collectable hell.

This document exists to sort out several of the more pressing issues, and to give
novices and experts alike a clear map of what shows up where.

.20Q) Who wrote it?

.20A) Currently, this document is mostly the work of David Goodwin, with invaluable
input from Luke Pacholski.

.2.25Q) Did you two write this FAQ out of a feeling of smug superiority over the masses,
to champion the virtues of long-out-of-print CDs that many will never get their hands on?
Do you honestly feel that some cheap CDs made in the eighties are better than ABKCO's
new remasters? Is this a power trip for you? Are you afraid of technological advances?
YOU LOVE DRUGS, DON'T YOU?

.2.25A) No. In some cases. No. No. And no. This is not meant as old-technology worship,
nor is it meant to scare newbies away. It is not a power-trip, nor is it evidence of uber-
collector snobbishness. In fact, the general consensus of this document is that the new
releases are fine, for what they are. We don't have sinister motives. And we're
PROBABLY not a front group for the Church of Scientology, so don't worry.

.2.5Q) Well, then who are you guys?

.2.5A) Well, we're both far too complex to be explained in one measly FAQ question (I
personally would need at least two or three)!

In summary, though, we've both been Stones fans for quite some time, and tend to
end up being the "answer guys" for certain questions. We participate both in newsgroups
and certain online bulletin boards, and I'm pretty sure we both lurk on Undercover.
Hopefully, this FAQ will allow us to forget the ridiculous amount of miscellany we've
accumulated throughout the years, making way for...oh, I don't know. Say, has anybody
made a list of King Crimson variations yet?

.30Q) Why is this (currently) organized so poorly? Haven't you ever done a FAQ before?

.30A) Nope! Procedurally, we're very new at this. We don't even have good ASCII art!
Hopefully, this thing will gradually begin to look more respectable (say, along the lines of
the 4-part Rolling Stones FAQ) in future revisions.

.3.2Q) Which program did you use to create this FAQ?

.3.2A) Mostly Word '95, although it's now being worked on in Spifftacular Word 2000.

.3.5Q) In which formats do you plan to publish this FAQ?

.3.5A) Currently, we're avoiding Word format due to virus/macro issues. A text version
should always be available at the website above, and we're working on getting an HTML
version functional for a future revision.

UPDATE: The most current versions of this FAQ will always be at:
http://lukpac.org/stereostones/stones-cd-faq.txt

.3.7Q) What sort of forums exist on the net to talk about these and other Stones issues?

.3.7A) A variety of Stones forums exist on the Internet today, by far the most valuable of
which is the Undercover list at http://www.under-cover.net/. This is a mailing list-nay,
community-of Stones fans that has been around forever, and is a great source for current
information and general fandom alike. The longtime fans there are more passionate than
we comparative-neophytes will ever be. Check it out; it's really a great place.

Other Stones discussion takes place on Usenet, which is an internet "bulletin
board" system that is one of the oldest parts of the internet framework. This document
isn't a Usenet primer, but once you have the concept figured out, point your newsreader to
alt.rock-n-roll.stones for your fix. Beware, though, as the declining signal/noise ratio of
twenty-first century Usenet has NOT been kind on that particular forum.

.40Q) What sort of legalese?

.40A) The usual. This is the property of David Goodwin and Luke Pacholski. Currently,
this FAQ doesn't have a permanent home, but when it does, we'll note it: you'll always be
able to find the most recent version there. Feel free to distribute it to friends, but don't
include it on your page, et cetera, without asking us first. Fear us, for we are mighty!
Copyright 2002 (and thanks to Sonny Bono, this will still belong to us long after the
apocalypse).

.50Q) Version info.

.50A)

.4 : September 13th, 2002. Beginnings of the FAQ.

.7: September 15th, 2002. Added more album sections, slightly reorganized data, slightly
proofread.

.92E: First public version of the FAQ. E=Embryonic; we don't have some albums yet, and
some sections aren't filled out. Still isn't proofread completely, and we don't have a table
of contents...OK, AND it could probably be organized better, but we're new at this, and
some public release is probably warranted at this point.

1.0 FRR: First real release. Almost completely rewritten. Made public on Oct 22, 2002.

1.2 IORR: Another interim release...we're still working on sections 5 and 6, but here're
the updates in the meantime. Dec. 13, 2002.

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Section Z: The Quick and Easy

This section is designed for those who are looking for quick and easy answers,
and who have no desire to wade through the muck that makes up the meat of this
document. Some of the information here is repeated later on, while some appears here in
mostly "summarized" form.

QZ1) Are the new Stones discs a big and NOTICABLE improvement over the old
ABKCO discs in sound quality?

AZ1) In general, yes, to a fairly large degree.

QZ2) What are the most improved titles in the new reissue series (over the old
ABKCOs)?

AZ2) They are:

*12x5 - Fully half of the album is now stereo - previously it was completely mono.

*Aftermath UK - A big improvement over the old ABKCO CD, although some feel it's
still not quite up to the level of the old London CD.

Between the Buttons US/UK - No more narrow stereo, and great sound on the balance,
although there are a few issues with this disc. Still an amazing upgrade over one of the
worst old-ABKCO discs.

Beggar's Banquet - By far the biggest upgrade in sound. It is far clearer than the old CDs,
with less hiss, and it even runs at the correct speed for the first time.

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Section 1.0: Basic issues and format/terminology questions.

Q1.0) Rolling Stones Remasters?

A1.0) Yep. Finally, after several long years of waiting, ABKCO (the company that owns
the Rolling Stones' Decca/London-era material) has finally decided to upgrade the
catalogue. The new releases, which began to trickle into stores on August 27th, 2002, are
"hybrid SACDs/CDs," which is explained below. Note that when I say trickle, I mean
trickle; at that point in time (late 2002), there were only two plants in the world that could
press the kind of disc ABKCO needed. Some stores got their orders (and put the discs
out) on the first projected release date of August 20th, while some had to wait until the
27th, and some never even got them at all! This also applies just to the United States, as
several other countries (notably, Canada) are still (mid-September, 2002) waiting on their
discs.

There were twenty-two titles re-released in all, all theoretically at "the same time,"
making this one of the largest reissue programs title-wise that the CD age has seen.

UPDATE: Apparently, rollout problems have plagued the release dates for the
Canadian/European versions of the remasters as well, so supplies still seem to be scarce.

Q1.1) Are they the CDs I see that say "Digitally Remastered from Original Master
Recordings" on the bottom?

A1.1) No. Those are the old ABKCO CDs. I wish I had a better term for them, but I don't
feel like originating anything pseudo-witty (i.e. ABKCOlds, or anything like that) so I
will refer to these as "old ABKCO discs" or "first ABKCO discs" throughout this
document. You WILL get confused, so just read carefully.

Q1.1.5) OK, so are they the discs in jewel cases without "Digitally Remastered from
Original Master Recordings," but with the ABKCO logo on them?

A1.1.5) Currently, the new releases are not in standard CD "jewel cases." If you come
upon anything with a description matching the above, you've probably found a London
Records disc. See 2.8 for a discussion on that line of CDs.

Q1.1.7) Wait, what about the discs with the "Digitally Remastered from Original Master
Recordings" banner and a "London" label instead of an "ABKCO" label?

A1.1.7) These are still the old ABKCO discs. For some currently-unknown reason, some
batches of the old US ABKCO CDs had a "London" logo instead of the usual "ABKCO"
logo on the front cover artwork. There is no current, definitive explanation as to why this
occurred, and it causes massive amounts of confusion once one begins to refer to
"London" discs. Remember the following: if it has the "Digitally Remastered from
Original Master Recordings" banner, assume it's ABKCO.

*Q1.2) How can I tell the new ABKCO remasters apart from the old ABKCO discs?

*A1.2) This is simpler than you might think. The new releases (at least the first run of the
new releases) come in Digipak form; that is, they're not in standard jewel cases, and are
actually pretty easy to spot. Most have a 2002 copyright date somewhere on them. They
also pointedly do not have the "Digitally Remastered from Original Master Recordings"
banner.

Be careful, though. Several bootlegs were released not too long ago (most of
which are of pretty dubious quality) that also use the Digipak format. If you're in a
Borders, this shouldn't be an issue, but make sure you know what you're getting! The
legitimate releases should have the ABKCO logo on them, a UPC bar, and a copyright
date of 2002. That said, these bootlegs might be useful for some nefarious purposes (i.e.
collecting stray old-ABKCO "Singles Collection" tracks).

IMPORTANT UPDATE (especially for those not in the US): Apparently,
ABKCO has decided to make up for the hybrid SACD supply problem by providing
"special" versions of the new catalogue to "the rest of the world." ABKCO has pressed
up the remasters as normal CDs-released for normal-disc MSRP-in countries like
Australia, most of Europe, et cetera. As these discs cost the same as the SACD hybrids,
but do not contain the SACD layer, we're tentatively suggesting avoiding them at present,
as they give you less value for your money. These releases apparently come in standard
jewel cases, NOT digipaks, and have packaging that suggests strongly that the discs are
indeed hybrids ("DSD Remastered"). Thanks to Gabriel Swossil for pointing this out!

Q1.2.5) This is confusing! How many times have the early Stones discs been released on
CD, exactly?

A1.2.5) Three times. This point will be discussed in far-too-much detail later on.

*Q1.2.7) Where can I purchase these discs? Where's the best/cheapest place to purchase
them?

*A1.2.7) It depends on what you're looking for. The old ABKCO discs seem to still be in
print, and should be very easy to find; also, for the first time, they seem to be showing up
as used items (the Stones, like the Beatles, don't last very long in used bins), so some of
the still-necessary items can be acquired quite easily.

The new ABKCO discs, after a long period of semi-scarcity, seem to be rather
abundant in most stores now. They carry a MSRP of $18.99 in the US, but be advised that
many stores (like Best Buy and Circuit City) sell them for far less, so shop around.

Unfortunately, the new ABKCO discs aren't nearly as easy to find outside the US,
UK, and Japan; in fact, as mentioned in 1.2, ABKCO's even producing CD-only versions
in some countries. Hunt around, but be aware that ordering from the giant US online
retailers might be your best bet, and might even be cheaper than buying domestically in
the long run.

With regard to London discs, see the mini-FAQ in section 6 for details.

Q1.3) SACDs: What are they? What's the difference between SACD and DVD-A? What's
a hybrid SACD? Can these be played on my regular CD player?

A1.3) Unfortunately, this issue involves the use of a bit of jargon, so bear with us. The
audio on conventional CDs is in a certain digital format: stereo, 16 bit, 44100 PCM. That
information might look intimidating, but it's actually a surprisingly simple concept to
grasp. Think of the audio on a CD as a series of "snapshots" that describe the sound.
There are 44100 of these snapshots (called "samples") per second. "16-bits" refers to the
resolution of these snapshots, or how much information is in each one. Stereo simply
refers to two simultaneous streams (in this case, the left and right channels). This process
is summarized by the description "PCM," or Pulse Code Modulation. The audio you hear
on a CD is (and this is an oh-so-slight oversimplification) the translation of this
information into sound waves.

Now, while CD sound quality is pretty good, it isn't quite "perfect sound forever."
Thus, we're now in the middle of the inevitable "format of the future" upgrade. While CD
stood mostly alone in the transfer of commercial music from analogue to digital, though,
the next generation is shaping up to be more like the VCR format wars of the 1980s. As
of September 2002, there are two competing-and, unfortunately, incompatible-"next
generation" technologies looming on the horizon: DVD-A (the "a" being for "audio") and
SACD.

1.3a) DVD-A: Of the two, DVD-A requires the least explanation. Firstly, despite the
"DVD" in the name of the format, discs in the DVD-A specification are NOT
automatically compatible with DVD players; the DVD in DVD-A refers only to the fact
that the discs used are DVD discs. DVD-A discs use an upgrade of the PCM technology
that CDs use. Depending on whether playback is two-channel (stereo) or multi-channel
(surround), DVD-A discs use a variety of formats, including 24bit/96000hz (or 96khz)
audio, and 32bit/192000hz audio. DVD-A discs can also include features like videos,
interactive menus, et cetera.

While DVD-A is promising, it does have several notable drawbacks. The first
revolves around backwards compatibility (a concept that would not have applied in the
jump from analogue to digital, but that certainly is a valid concern now). While DVD-A
discs *can* include a DVD-V session (that would allow for the playing of reduced-
quality audio on standard DVD video players), they are completely incompatible with the
old CD format; as most consumers don't primarily listen to their music on their home-
theatre setup, this is problematic. Secondly, while high-quality two-channel audio is
certainly possible from the medium, DVD-A has so far been geared more prominently to
multichannel releases. Thus, while it is possible to include both multi-and-two-channel
versions of the same content on one disc, the home-theatre bias makes portability and
"low end" use of DVD-A a concern. Lastly, the watermarking/copy protection scheme for
DVD-A is typically very invasive, as it includes an audible degradation of the signal that
prevents copying.

DVD-A is currently supported heavily by both Time-Warner and EMI, and has some
quality people (for example, Spencer Chrislu, former mastering guy/god for the Zappa
Family Trust) backing it. And for those who skimmed the passage above, DVD-A discs
CANNOT be played in CD players.

[Note: The DVD-A format might be evolving in the near future to include a standard CD
layer, though. Stay tuned!]

1.3b) SACD: Like DVD-A discs, SACDs utilize DVD discs, but that's pretty much where
the similarities end. Whereas DVD-A uses an "upgrade" of the old PCM format, SACD
uses a relatively new technology called "DSD," for Direct Stream Digital. To quote from
Sony's SACD website:

(Begin Fair-Use quote)
Direct Stream Digital(r) processing is dramatically different -
even when compared to the most sophisticated PCM technology.
A 1-bit system, DSD(r) encodes music at an astonishing 2,822,400
samples per second, resulting in more than just superb frequency
response and dynamic range. Capable of exposing the inner detail
of choral ensembles, the reverberation trailing from a guitar chord,
and even the acoustic space surrounding an instrument, DSD(r) technology
reproduces every nuance of sound with incredible ease and clarity.
(End Fair-Use quote)

So in summary, SACD is quite different from established technologies. That said, it
purports to be more like analogue, which delights serious audiophiles to no end.

Indeed, while DVD-A seems aimed for the home-theatre crowd, SACD tends to
be aimed squarely at audiophiles and the reissue market; DVD-A releases have so-far
favored surround mixes, while SACD releases have so far favored high-quality two-
channel mixes (although surround SACDs are available as well). Depending on your
point-of-view, this is a good thing or a bad thing, but do realize that merely remixing to
two-track stereo is a chore, and surround remixing is orders of magnitude more
complicated.

Like DVD-A, SACD has several drawbacks. Firstly, as most digital technology is
made for PCM information, DSD tools are in their infancy, and using a PCM-based tool
on a DSD stream destroys the point of having the information in DSD in the first place.
This can be viewed as a curse or a blessing, as it means that most digital tinkering cannot
as yet be duplicated on true DSD streams (and, consequently, PCM processes like no-
noise and workstation audio editing haven't quite made the transition yet). Secondly,
SACD also has copy-protection, although it is hardware based, and thus does not degrade
the audio signal like DVD-A's protection. Thirdly, I've been told it's harder to throw
"extra content" onto an SACD, although this could again be viewed as a blessing in
disguise, retaining the "throw it in and play it" vibe of CDs.

As SACD is Sony's technology, it comes as no surprise that Sony-owned labels
(Columbia, etc.) favor SACD, with some big names (Bob Irwin of Sony
Legacy/Sundazed) being vocal backers. Indeed, the Rolling Stones releases are viewed as
a huge push for Sony's format, and are probably to some degree the result of some talks
between the companies.

SACD is *not* compatible with CD technology, but can be made backwards
compatible to a degree. See the next entry.

1.3c) Hybrid SACD: This is the format that the new ABKCO releases are in. Without
getting too technical, this involves creating a "sandwich" disc, with two layers of
information. One is positioned at the CD "focusing depth" and one is at the SACD
focusing depth. CD players do not "see" the SACD layer, and focus through it to play the
CD layer, while SACD players focus correctly on the SACD layer. What does this mean
in application? A disc that can be played in both SACD and CD players (although it
follows that only an SACD player can play back the SACD layer).

Most view backwards compatibility as a huge advantage to the SACD format, as
it allows labels to sell the consumer a "transparent" upgrade that is automatically acquired
once he purchases a new-format player.

[Note: There have been reports that some older/pickier CD players have trouble playing
hybrid SACDs, especially some car players. Some DVD players also choke, but this is
somewhat understandable, as most DVD players attempt to focus on the DVD layer of a
disc first, which in this case means finding the SACD layer and not knowing what to do
with it].

1.3d) So yes, you can play the new Stones discs on your CD player, although you'll hear
the "major" sound quality upgrade only if you have an SACD player.

A1.3.5) So wait, the Stones were remixed for surround on the new SACDs?

Q1.3.5) No...see below for a bit of an elaboration why.

Q1.4) What's the difference between stereo and mono mixes? Why does anybody care?

A1.4) This question could occupy an entire FAQ by itself! The following answer is
grossly oversimplified and slightly over-objective, but is all we can reasonably manage
without causing this thing to balloon up to 60 pages.

Firstly, let's explore a quick primer on how music is recorded and produced. We
must first define a very important concept, one which dominates this entire discussion: a
"track." When I say "track," I am NOT talking about a song, as in "track 3 on Beggar's
Banquet." Instead, think of a "track" as a channel or stream of music. Stereo-where
different information comes out of the right and left speakers-is a "two track" format.
For monaural sound, though, only one "stream" of music is needed, so it is a one track
format. [Note that, however, the CD specification requires that all information be in a
certain stereo format; thus, on a compact disc, mono songs are actually in stereo/two
track, with the same information on both the right and left channels. Confusing, right?]

Most songs from the sixties onward were recorded on multi-track tape. Now, for
most people this automatically makes them think "8-track tapes," so a bit of clarification
is in order. Take regular cassettes. They are a four track medium; two tracks represent the
left and right channels going one way, and two represent the same info but in the other
direction. A garden-variety hobbyist four-track recorder, for example, uses standard
cassette tapes, yet can utilize those four available tracks at once, all going the same
direction. "8 Track Tapes" have eight tracks, divided into groups of two (each being
Left/Right), selectable by the user.

Think of recording studios as an expanded version of that concept. Music is
recorded on multi-track equipment, but for release it generally must be mixed down into
single-track (mono) or two-track (stereo) format. Note that the home-theatre boom has
changed this a bit, so "surround sound" mixes utilizing more tracks are a commercial
possibility as well.

Guess what? Remember that wonderful description above of how a recording
studio works, going from multi-track to single-or-two track? That doesn't apply to a lot of
what the Rolling Stones recorded. The Beatles had George Martin, but the Stones had
Andrew Loog Oldham, who despite being a brilliant publicist had not a clue about record
production. As a result, most early Stones material was recorded on the cheap, and in a
fashion that probably would have horrified George Martin. The entire first album, for
example, was in all likelihood recorded directly to one-track (mono). Extra material was
then added during further tape dubs; extra instruments/vocals would be recorded along
with a playback of the existing tape and mixed directly into a second one-track tape. This
was primarily due to Oldham's lack of studio knowledge - "Come On" was actually
recorded on multitrack equipment, but Oldham found this too overwhelming, so the
remaining material recorded in the UK in the early years was done directly to mono (one-
track).

What does this mean? With some exceptions (the major one being the Chess
material that the group recorded in America with infinitely more qualified engineers),
most of the early Stones material through about 1965 is mono-only, and pretty lousy-
sounding mono at that. Despite the fact that the Stones' sessions at RCA Studios in LA
were at least 3-track, the majority (but not all) of the material recorded there in 1964-65
has only been released in mono. Not even the SACD medium can make the tracks from
the first album sound like mono mixes of, say, "Please Please Me!"

Now, apart from that, what tends to confuse most people is their assumption that
the mono mixes that were derived from multi-track are just collapsed stereo mixes (i.e.
the stereo mix with the "MONO" button pushed). That isn't true at all; in fact, frequently,
the mono version would be created first from the multi-tracks. Remember, the 60's music
scene was dominated by mono. Singles were mono, AM radio was mono, and many
people still didn't have stereo equipment as late as 1966. Stereo was a novelty, and the
argument has been raised (again, and again, and again) that through 1968, mono versions
should be viewed as the "definitive version" where available. We won't take a position on
this issue; in fact, our personal belief is that all mixes of everything should be made easily
available on disc, but that doesn't happen very frequently.

Thankfully, the Stones tend to be pretty unexceptional on this front; the
mono/stereo issue, for the most part, exists only from "Aftermath" to "Beggar's Banquet",
due to most of the early material only being available in monaural (contrast this with the
Beatles, who're a nightmare of alternate mixes from the very beginning).

Thus ends this oversimplified take on this issue. Do try us again!

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Section 2.0: General catalogue questions and answers.

Q2.1) What titles were released in ABKCO's new reissue campaign?

A2.1) In semi-chronological order, they are: England's Newest Hitmakers, 12x5, Now!,
Out Of Our Heads! (US), Out Of Our Heads! (UK), December's Children, Aftermath
(US), Aftermath (UK), Got Live If You Want It!, Between the Buttons (UK), Between
the Buttons (US), Their Satanic Majesties Request, Flowers, Beggar's Banquet, Let It
Bleed, Get Your Ya-Yas Out, Metamorphosis (UK), Hot Rocks (2CDs), More Hot Rocks
(2CDs), Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) (US), Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits
vol. 2) (US), The Singles Collection (3CDs)

22 titles in all.

Q2.2) Wow! That's a lot of CDs! Do I need to get them all?

A2.2) No. See the album section (4.0) for some information on that.

Q2.2.5) What's this "inaugural edition" stuff?

A2.2.5) The first pressings of the new ABKCO remasters came as "inaugural editions,"
which included limited edition (but somewhat arbitrary) certificates, which could be put
together to form a black and white version of the Satanic Majesties cover.

Q2.2.7) Why didn't I get a certificate/why doesn't the certificate correspond to the
album?

Q2.2.7) Answering the questions in reverse order, which certificate was included in your
inaugural edition purchase seems to be alarmingly arbitrary; don't expect to get a
complete collection just because you bought all of the albums! And secondly, ABKCO
already seems to be on their second pressing, so the inaugural edition might be over.

Q2.3) Where's Sticky Fingers? Exile on Main Street? BLACK AND BLUE?

A2.3) This is a drastic oversimplification, but the Stones were signed to two "major"
entities during their run, which in practical terms means that their catalogue is available
on two labels: ABKCO and Virgin. The Virgin material was re-released in 1994 to great
fanfare, and includes the albums mentioned above and more. This current reissue series
includes everything up to (but not quite including) Sticky Fingers, although "Wild
Horses" and "Brown Sugar" make the cut due to contractual issues.

Q2.3.,5) How were these discs assembled?

A2.3.5) According to ABKCO, an exhaustive, worldwide search for performed to acquire
the best master tapes. Tapes were transferred by a variety of people at a variety of
locations to three formats: 24bit/96khz PCM, 30 ips analogue tape, and DSD. This was
necessary, as the original tapes aren't necessarily in the best condition, and it was
important to play each as few times as possible. The sources were then compared, and the
best candidates were chosen to be on the new CDs. This "piecemeal" approach to the
tapes yielded a few interesting consequences, which are discussed in more detail in
sections 4.0 and 5.0. Final mastering was performed by Bob Ludwig (the same guy who
did the Virgin CDs) at Gateway studios.

Q2.4) Are the old ABKCO CDs obsolete?

A2.4) For the most part, yes. The new discs are ALMOST a universal upgrade to the old
ABKCO discs.

Q2.5) Almost?

A2.5) Reissue campaigns are notorious for not picking up every last piece of what they're
supposed to be replacing, and ABKCO's is no exception. That said, they do manage to get
most of it. See the album section (4.0) for an elaboration on this. Also note that the
"almost" generally refers to version issues, and that sound quality-wise, the old ABKCOs
are universally obsolete.

Q2.6) Is everything that was put out by the Stones on vinyl during the Decca era finally
on CD?

A2.6) Frustratingly, no. It was hoped that ABKCO would finally include some things
(like the missing Got Live If You Want It EP tracks, for example, or alternate
mono/stereo mixes) that had been MIA on CD before, but with the exception of some
warmly welcomed stereo mixes and the actual single mixes on the Singles Collection set,
this didn't quite happen. Nor are tracks like the Italian version of "As Tears Go By"
included on the new reissue series.

Q2.7) What's this I heard about Beggar's Banquet being faster? About Let It Bleed's tracks
now running together?

A2.7) See Section 3.0 for an elaboration, but in summary, it turns out that all tapes used
to make versions of Beggar's Banquet in the past were copied from a single tape that had
been copied on a machine that was running slowly. For the first time, the actual source
tape has been accessed, and as a result the new CD of Beggar's Banquet runs a smidgen
faster than all old versions.

Let It Bleed doesn't run together; gaps between the tracks are simply very small,
allegedly in accordance with the original plan for the album.

Note that while it hasn't been publicized, some other tracks are slightly faster or
slower as well. See Sections 4.0 and 5.0 for information on exactly what/where.

Q2.8) I snuck ahead into sections 3 and 4, and I see talk of "London" CDs. What does this
mean?

A2.8) "A Brief History of the London Discs"

[Note: For even MORE information on this topic, including scans, see the excellent
webpage at
http://home.arcor.de/folon2/stones_cds.html] (http://home.arcor.de/folon2/stones_cds.html%5D)

It's unsurprising that many USA Stones fans (those who aren't the kind of obsessives we
are, anyway) wouldn't know this, but here we go; in summary, while the US had until
now been stuck with the crap-tacular early ABKCO CDs for the Stones' Decca albums,
this was NOT the case for the rest of the world. While ABKCO owned the CD rights for
the Stones' albums in the states, they didn't quite hold worldwide influence, which led to
the London label (which older Stones fans will recognize as the label on which the
original US records came out) reissuing their OWN versions of the Stones discs right
before ABKCO got started. The thing is, while ABKCO utilized "whatever was on the
shelf" for their discs, and generally turned out a substandard product full of muddy-
sounding tracks, fake stereo mixes, and stereo fold-downs, London managed to utilize
tapes that had been prepared by audiophile label Mobile Fidelity for their early-80s
Stones LP boxed-set. The result? The London discs were very un-craptacular, and for the
most part still sound rather swell today.

In particular, the London CDs introduced several stereo versions of songs that had
previously been only in mono ("Satisfaction", "Get Off of My Cloud," "Play With Fire"),
and had several rarities the ABKCO discs completely lacked. London also chose to
release the UK versions of Aftermath and 1st instead of the American versions, and
ignored the Big Hits compilations entirely. For the most part, the London discs were also
free of some of the more heinous tampering that marked ABKCO's catalogue, as folded-
down stereo mixes and fake stereo do not make an appearance on the London set.

[Note: Those three songs mentioned above are the only three that were completely new
stereo-wise. Other stereo tracks that the London discs utilized actually had shown up in
stereo somewhere on vinyl. "It's All Over Now," for example, was stereo on Rolled Gold;
'Paint it, Black" was stereo on the US Aftermath; "Time is On My Side" was stereo on
some later pressings of hits compilations.]

Note that while the London discs are usually preferred to the ABKCO versions of
the same titles, in many cases the differences are pretty subtle. In particular, the early
material (i.e. Now!, parts of 12x5, Out Of Our Heads) doesn't sound much different, as
many of those tracks NEVER sounded very good in the first place. In some cases, things
do sound different, but not necessarily "better" or "worse."

Mobile Fidelity, it should be noted, wasn't very happy about London's use of their
tapes (as one label head went on record and bemoaned that London's use of the "Decca
Digital" system had destroyed the faithfulness of the tapes used, despite ambiguity as to
whether or not the system was actually used), so while the back of some of the London
discs do credit MFSL, some do not. This is semi-random throughout the releases, and its
absence does NOT mean you have an old-ABKCO version of a disc.

Now, the last degree of note with regard to the London discs involves the various
issues thereof. Simplifying a bit, we get a total of 5 disparate London issues: the early,
German pre-ABKCO discs (not all titles were released in this batch, artwork is very bare-
bones, and some titles have a "DIGITALLY REMASTERED" banner in the upper-left
corner), the "regular period" German discs, the Japanese P33L series, the Japanese P25L
series, and the early POCD series. There are several subcategories I'm ignoring (i.e. the
"regular issue" German discs actually went through several different pressing runs), but
these are the major variations. Here's how the content of these various issues pans out:

a) The early-pressing German London discs sound like straight transfers from the tapes;
while the packaging and artwork isn't all that hot, the discs sound great. Several titles are
not included in this run, including the More Hot Rocks discs, Got Live If You Want It!,
Let It Bleed, and December's Children. Some discs mention ABKCO, some don't. Note
that EXTREMELY EARLY German pressings exist of only self-titled and Beggar's
Banquet; these have a radically different disc-design than the "regular" early pressings
and the later pressings.

b) The regular-issue German London discs have a 12-page booklet/catalogue. The
"digitally remastered" banner is now retired on all titles, and back-cover artwork is
improved. While many entries in this series seem to be clones of the earliest pressings,
some notably vary, including Hot Rocks (with fade-ups on some tracks), self-titled
(without the longest version of "Tell Me"), and others; see section 4.0 for precise details.
These discs were in print until around 1995, and there are several variations of this run
which include slightly-different disc designs, et cetera. Australian CD pressings exist of
self-titled which are identical to this German version.

Because of the fade-ups inherent on multiple titles in this set, the early-version variants of
those titles are usually preferred.

[Note: Despite endless speculation as to why the fade-ups exist on certain Stones tracks,
nobody's ever provided a definitive answer. If you are "in the know" on this issue, please
contact us!]

These were forced out of print in 1995, and replaced by ABKCO discs. Note that the
German/French London discs have "820" or "800" catalogue prefixes, while the later
ABKCO discs have an "844" prefix.

c) Japanese P33L editions. The closest the Japanese discs get to "bare bones," these use
the same covers as the early German London discs (but without the "Digitally
Remastered" banner), and seem to use the same back covers. The disc booklets aren't
*quite* as information-packed as they would be in the later issues, but they still have
copious notes (usually by one Mike M. Koshitani). Probably released in 1986.

d) Japanese P25L editions. Released in 1989. Most of these are cloned from the first
German editions, so fade-ups, et cetera are generally not present. Some discs, though,
don't really correspond to anything ("December's Children" is all mono, perhaps a clone
of ABKCO's disc?). In addition to the titles included in the German catalogue, the
Japanese series adds the UK configs of both Big Hits comps and No. 2.

Artwork is very nice, with multi-page booklets (full of info I can't begin to understand).

e) Japanese early POCD editions, comprised of discs that fell into the following catalogue
range: POCD-1911 through POCD-1932, plus POCD-1936 and POCD-1937 . These were
introduced in 1995, ostensibly due to ABKCO's actions regarding the German discs (i.e.
London knew they were going to change the catalogue in SOME way, but didn't quite
know how). They are mostly identical to the P25L discs, with some variations in booklet
page layout and possibly some variation in information. Some come with promotional
stickers, as well. A few new titles are introduced into this run, including Aftermath US
(POCD-1937), England's Newest Hit Makers (POCD-1936), and the US Big Hits comps
(POCD-1931 & POCD-1932), but all signs point to these just being clones of the
ABKCO discs.

These went out of print in 1997, with the ABKCO discs being finally becoming
standardized. Unfortunately, the ABKCO discs used POCD prefixes as well, so one
should be careful when buying discs with a POCD prefix.

Q2.8.3) Wait, so what exactly was the extent of Mobile Fidelity's involvement?

A2.8.3) This has been a puzzling issue for quite some time. Why would MFSL (who were
licensed to make a vinyl boxed-set of the Rolling Stones' catalogue in the early eighties)
ever make digital transfers of the tapes they possessed? And why would this notoriously-
private company ever send said tapes to Decca? Furthermore, why would they
retroactively ask for their credit to be removed?

Thankfully, new light has been shed on this issue thanks to Gregg Schnitzer, who
was an integral part of the company up until right before the CD age came into being. We
stumbled upon an interview he gave on John Hart's *amazing* Audiophile Realm site
(http://www.aurealm.com/), and proceeded to try to work out with him what happened.
The story was even more bizarre than we had imagined! Mr. Schnitzer wasn't aware of
the credit given on the German discs, nor was he aware of MFSL-president Herb Belkin's
request that the credit be removed (due to the "Decca Digital" problem we noted above).
Indeed, Mr. Schnitzer informed us that the credit *couldn't* have been official in the first
place, as MFSL had the policy of a) never contracting their name out, and b) never
referring to themselves as "Mobile Fidelity Sound," the credit given on the London discs.
With his permission, we're printing the relevant portions of the email conversation here.

------------------------------------------------------
First, we never had the rights for doing the Rolling Stones on CD format. Never. When
we did the licensing deal we were only allowed the formats extant at the time of the deal,
vinyl records and cassette. I was the mastering engineer for CD product and also kept all
of the tracking logs for CD mastering work whether in house or contract.

It was, and still is, considered a bad business practice for the copyright
holders to allow rights for formats that do not yet exist. This haunted us
on the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Neither of these artists had their
works mastered by us for the CD format. I often see Beatles CD collections
on ebay claiming to be MFSL. Baloney. Period.

Now, here are the other circumstances. Our cassette catalog was
manufactured from digital copies of the original masters. Those digital
tapes were done at 16 bit, 44.1, the same as a CD. Bear in mind that any
CD is a master so if there ever were a CD done by us it could easily be
bootlegged. This is not the case, however.

Now, there were some titles from both artists for which we were licensed to
do cassette manufacturing. The digital masters we generated for that use
could conceivably have been used to manufacture CD product. This gets more
curious when one realizes that MFSL was marched out of their Russian
facilities virtually at gun point and threatened with dire consequences if
they ever tried to return or cause problems. If any of those cassette
digital masters were at the Russian facility at that time it would explain
how they fell into the wrong hands. As digital-to-digital copies could be
made bit perfect and as we were releasing product in Russia one could put
one and one together and see how this could have happened.

Here is what I would suggest. If you can give me a list of the titles for
which MFSL is credited for CD mastering then I could compare that with the
titles that I know I mastered for cassette release and there would be your
clue. As it stands, I would have to say that any Rolling Stones CD product
touting MFSL as the mastering lab is bootleg.

Another point is that we were never given the right to decide if we should
be given credit. As a matter of fact, we often did not want credit. There
are several titles we mastered for other labels which did not bear any
credits for MFSL. The long and short of it is that if credit were given it
was solely at the discretion of the parent label, not us. We could deny
credit but we could not demand it unless a contract were drawn and that
never happened, to my knowledge, on custom work.

There is also the possibility that MFSL actually did the work for the
parent label but that was never disclosed to my knowledge and I'm sure
there would have been some press on that.

[then, later]

But there is more to it than that. Our corporate charter (we were a closed
corporation) denied the use of our name to any other manufacturer, even as
a credit. There were a couple of times that we did allow it, by vote, but
we were pure hell on getting it presented accurately, even to the extent of
forcing destruction of a rather large run of artwork. That is why I know
that it could not have happened with our approval and Herb was alive and
kicking at that time.

For instance, I mastered Robin Trower "Bridge Of Sighs" and most of the
Jethro Tull stuff for Chrysalis but you won't see any mention of us on the
released product.

OK, this gives me something to sink my teeth into. I left the company in 1986. If that
CD was pressed in 1986 then I would have to have done the mastering on it. I didn't!
There is also the matter of the improper credit of "Mobile Fidelity Sound". It makes me
wonder if they used that name to get a connection. Hmmm...Be that as it may, I am
certain that the crediting of MFSL is inaccurate.

[and finally]

Life is indeed funny. Now, twenty years later, I finally know what happened. I
developed a heart problem while working at MFSL. The first incident was right
after the first cassette production run when 10,000 pieces were manufactured in
real time with the right/left channels reversed. I had proofed the entire system
and gave it the green light.

In the bloody meeting that followed the discovery of this gaff, Gary Giorgi
admitted that he had come in after hours the night before the production run. He
said that he had to do some analog to digital transfers and figured that this
would be the best time to do it as everything was calibrated to a razor's edge.
When he finished his dupes he reconnected the digital mastering machine with
right/left reversed (accidentally).

That was at the same time as the Rolling Stones masters were in house and this
transfer was done in the dupe facility and not in the mastering suite. So, all
that could've been done was a direct transfer. All of the Stones master tapes
were in his office the next morning and when I inquired as to why they weren't in
the vault he replied that he was packing them for return to Europe. Now I have a
good idea of what went down. It was another one of Klein's 'dirty deals done dirt
cheap' for which he is famous.

Looks like you have your answer and I have mine. We would have pounded the crap
out of Belkin for that bit of subterfuge had we known. We hired him for more than
he had ever been previously paid and he was up to his old tricks on this one. A
point of interest is that no funds were reported to accounting for this work.
Hmmm.

Life is funny.

------------------------------------------------------

In summary: The transfers were done on the sly, not in the mastering lab, and without
several people's knowledge. Absolutely fascinating, as who knew that such intrigue was
involved in such a mundane subject? Thanks again to Mr. Schnitzer for his fantastic
insights in this matter, and for finally clearing it up.

Of course, however, this introduces almost as many questions as it answers. For
example, we now know why the tapes were transferred to digital. Yet they were
apparently initially transferred for ABKCO, not Decca, so why didn't Klein use them?
Evidence points to the fact that he *did* use some-albeit in a tampered state-but not
others. Also, some of the stereo tracks that showed up on the London catalogue did *not*
show up on MFSL's boxed set. Curiouser and curiouser! Hopefully, more information
will come to light on this matter.

*Q2.8.5) What about those Brazillian London discs I see frequently see on eBay? Where
do they belong?

*A2.8.5) Currently, we know nothing about these, and they do look rather suspicious
(they have London disc art and tracklistings, but an ABKCO-style banner). I would
suggest a strategy of evasion, as they're probably pirates at best. Besides, shipping from
those countries tends to be fantastically expensive.

Q2.9) Wow...that was overwhelming! So these London discs aren't obsolete?

A2.9) Nope. Details follow in later sections. Do realize, though, that the London discs
(especially the Japanese versions) have several issues that have never been adequately
explained (why the fade-ups, for example?) so some of our comments might be VERY
version-specific.

*Q2.9.5) What about these Decca-era CD singles? "Jumping Jack Flash/Child of the
Moon," "She's a Rainbow/2000 Light Years From Home," "Satisfaction/Under Assistant
West Coast Promotion Man" et cetera?

*Q2.9.5) Some of these are Japan-only releases, while some are Europe-only releases.
Some (i.e. "Satisfaction") seem to have been released to promote the new (at the time)
Singles Collection, so those presumably use said boxed-set's audio [UPDATE: The
"Under Assistant West Coat Promotion Man" on the Satisfaction single definitely uses
the censored version]. I don't think anything unique is on these, and they aren't terribly
sought after as anything more than curios. I'd love to be proven wrong, though.

Q2.10) What are "mock-stereo" and "stereo-reductions?" I see these and similar terms
used frequently.

A2.10) Mock-stereo should be a familiar concept to any music fan who was around in the
sixties. Essentially, it's the fairly-dubious process of creating a simulated stereo track
from a monaural (one-channel) source. Its use was fairly common in the sixties, and
especially so in the US, where "stereo" versions of mono-only albums could be created
and sold to consumers.

The process had many variations, with the simplest being shaving the bass off one
channel and the treble off the other. Voila, a mono track with all bass in the left, and all
treble in the right. Other approaches were more complicated, and included the use of
stereo ambiance/reverberation, delaying channel sounds, et cetera.

Top-tier acts like the Beatles and Stones weren't immune from this, either, and I'm
sure many Beatles fans still quake in horror at the thought of Capitol's fake-stereo "I Feel
Fine/She's a Woman" monstrosity on one of the domestic Beatles LPs, or UA's laughable
attempt at stereo on their A Hard Day's Night soundtrack. Pre-Aftermath, for example,
London US's Stones LPs exist in "mono" and "Electronically Re-channeled for Stereo"
(i.e. fake-stereo) versions.

The practice of fake-stereoizing mono sources largely stopped after the sixties, so
many were shocked when ABKCO included a few fake stereo tracks on their first run of
CDs. The one everyone probably has is "Mother's Little Helper," which is in fake-stereo
(treble in one channel, bass in the other) on Hot Rocks; it's a nice reference as to how
simple mock-stereo sounds.

Stereo fold-downs are a similar concept. Essentially, it refers to the "collapsing"
of a stereo track, which can be done to several different degrees of severity. On ABKCO's
initial CD series, for example, most of Aftermath was collapsed from its original wide-
stereo mix into very "narrow" (i.e. not much difference between each channel) stereo.

So why don't people like these effects? They're distracting, gimmicky, and
ultimately unnecessary. While some mock-stereo tracks can be "fixed" into mono fairly
easily, most cannot; similarly, many folded-down stereo tracks cannot easily be "fixed"
back into their wide stereo versions, if at all. Fake-stereo processing is a relic of the mid-
sixties, and is completely unacceptable today; the source mono mixes are always more
pleasant than the resultant fake-stereo versions.

Both of these techniques also have the extra effect of infuriating collectors, who
normally want to have in their hands both stereo and mono mixes. Collectors tend to
complain like crazy, so torturing them in that way tends to have a negative effect on the
entire community (bad vibes, man, they're contagious!).

Q2.11) Why complain about stereo fold-downs? I just listened to my old vinyl, and there's
always some leakage between channels!

A2.11) Point taken and readily acknowledged. While you'll see some grumbling about
stereo fold-downs in this document, it's a valid fact that few records ever had
COMPLETE separation. That isn't to say it was never intended, though. One must
understand that the process of putting music onto a big slab of plastic isn't a flawless
science, and it is/was in fact quite difficult to keep stereo information from leaking (also,
some stereo collapsing tended to be the result of processing used during cutting). Digital,
however, knows no such limitations, and folding in channels slightly "to correspond to
the original vinyl" is a suspicious practice at best.

Q2.12) Is it "Paint It Black" or "Paint It, Black?"

A2.12) It apparently shows up both ways, so feel free to pick and choose.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Section 3.0: Specific catalogue information and issues about released titles.

3.1) Questions raised by the released titles

Q3.1a) The UK/US issue

A3.1a) For many, the immediate critique that springs to mind upon seeing the discs that
were released is "why didn't they follow the Beatles and release just the UK version of the
catalogue? Isn't that what the Stones intended?" It's a valid point, but it ignores that the
Stones had a very different approach to releasing material than the Beatles did. There's no
denying that discs like December's Children are extremely patchy, but then again, it isn't
like the Stones labored over the layout of Out Of Our Heads (UK), either. Whereas the
Beatles principally recorded in one studio, and scheduled recording sessions for
singles/albums/EPs, the Stones were constantly recording wherever they happened to be,
with the way in which their material came out being seemingly dictated by the order in
which it happened to be recorded.

There's also the case to be made for the old "The US releases actually give you
more than the UK releases" argument, which is true. The US version of the catalogue
(and, consequently, the version that was released by ABKCO) does actually give you
more tracks than a straight transcription of the UK albums would have. It would also be
significantly more difficult to assemble a comprehensive "Pastmasters-esque" collection
of EPs and singles, although it could be done. Indeed, if any evidence is needed for the
rushed approach obviously taken to this project ("get 'em out for the tour"), it's that a
more sensible restructuring wasn't attempted.

Q3.1b) So wait, I can't get the original UK albums on CD?

A3.1b) Believe it or not, with the current ABKCO campaign it's now possible to get ALL
of the original UK albums on disc. The original London Records CDs had "The Rolling
Stones" and "Aftermath" in their UK configurations, with No. 2 and both UK Big Hits
compilations being unique to the Japanese catalogue. Thus, with the current ABKCO
release of Out Of Our Heads UK and Between the Buttons UK, one can quite easily build
the "correct" pre-Satanic catalogue, with no CD burner needed. This fact gets overlooked
far too frequently.

Q3.1c) The "Why is Flowers still in print?" issue (NOTE: This mean-spirited rant has
been removed from the FAQ. Wasn't very professional. Section 6 has, however, been
added to make up for it).

*Q3.2) What do you have to get if you're a completist?

*A3.2) Currently, it seems that a few of the current reissues are wholly redundant; thus,
some aren't needed from an audio standpoint. The following is the rundown:

i) Absolutely Necessary:

England's Newest Hit-makers
12x5
Now!
Out Of Our Heads! (US Version)
December's Children
Aftermath (UK)
Got Live If You Want It!
Their Satanic Majesties Request
Flowers
Beggar's Banquet
Let It Bleed
Get Your Ya-Yas Out
Metamorphosis
More Hot Rocks
The Singles Collection: The London Years

ii) Necessary, but with options:

Between the Buttons (can choose US *or* UK version, as Flowers will pick up
the slack)
Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
AND
Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)
OR
Hot Rocks

iii) Unnecessary:

Out Of Our Heads! (UK Version)
Aftermath (US Version)

[thanks to Stephen Carter for the design-change idea]

Q3.3) Are the tracks that are shared between discs distinct?

A3.3) It doesn't seem that way. This is the "piecemeal" effect I was talking about. Tracks
were allocated individually, so the common tracks between Aftermaths, for example, are
exactly the same. The exception to this, of course, is where an alternate version is
explicitly known to exist (the long Out Of Time, mono/stereo variations, etc.)

There's a slight exception to this, in that the mono tracks on the new Singles
Collection seem to have been digitally "corrected" to mono; in other words, if taken out
of phase, they cancel out perfectly. Interesting, and it makes one wonder how this
correction was performed.

Q3.3.5) What about the tracks on the "The Stones Remastered 21 X 5 Sampler"
promotional sampler? Are those identical to the ones on the reissues?

A3.3.5) Strangely enough, no. Some work was apparently done (and not for the better)
between the time the sampler came out and the time the official discs were released. See
the section on the sampler in section 4.23.

By the way, the sampler has been seen going for far too much on eBay. It isn't
really rare, as ABKCO flung them at anybody who asked for one; while they do have
unique audio content, don't spend too much acquiring the thing!

Q3.4) Are there some early-ABKCO discs I should hold onto?

A3.4) ABKCO's old CD edition of More Hot Rocks seems to have a few variations that
were lost in transition (and never showed up on the London discs), so don't dump that one
yet. Also, a slight alternate of "Ruby Tuesday" is used throughout the reissue programme;
early ABKCO discs have the original version, but so do the London discs, so don't bother
holding onto your old-ABKCO Flowers for that one. Lastly, the old Singles Collection
seems to be the only place to pick up the short edit of "Tell Me" and the
uncensored/unedited "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man."

Some other things might be unique to the old ABKCO discs (a mono mix of the
guitar-intro "Time Is On My Side" never showed up on the London catalogue), but it's
debatable whether or not some of them are actually genuine alternates. For instance,
despite what was said previously about mono and stereo mixes, it is quite
possible/probable that the mono "mix" of the guitar-intro "Time Is On My Side" is
nothing but a reduction of the stereo mix. The same holds for all of the other Chess songs.

Q3.5) Are old pieces of insert wonderment (like posters) included?

A3.5) Kind of. More Hot Rocks has something that LOOKS like a poster, but you can't
remove it. I'm pretty sure the Let It Bleed poster is MIA, unfortunately.

Q3.6) Are the mock-stereo tracks and stereo fold-downs gone from the new issues?

A3.6) Mock-stereo's gone, but unfortunately there still are a few stereo fold-downs.
Most noticeably, some tracks in the After-math/Between the Buttons era have their stereo
spectrum narrowed, although the exact nature of this narrowing varies (check sections 4.0
and 5.0 for elaboration). Note that the fold-downs aren't NEARLY as bad as the near-
mono dreck on the early ABKCO discs, nor do they incur the massive loss of fidelity that
occurred on the old ABKCO discs; that said, the question of "why?" must still be asked.

*Q3.7) What about noise-reduction?

*A3.7) Unfortunately, some noise-reduction seems to have been used on (drumroll,
please) some tracks from the Aftermath/Between the Buttons era, and there's currently
some debate as to whether it was used in some other places, as well. Sometimes, just
intros are noise-gated, and the hiss-level increases after the intro. Other times, the NR
exists throughout the track. This despite an apparent assurance from Bob Ludwig that this
would *not* be the case!

Noise reduction might also have been employed elsewhere in the catalogue,
although those other instances are open to much more speculation.

By the way, a quick introduction to why people don't like noise-reduction. Prior to
digital technology coming to the fore, music was recorded either direct to disc or (later) to
analogue tape. We're dealing with stuff recorded to tape here. Tape has hiss; it's a
property of the medium. What noise-reduction (at least the type we're referring to) does is
remove the hiss inherent in the medium.

The problem is that, despite what some engineers want to think, at this point in
time we simply CANNOT remove hiss without affecting the music. It just doesn't work
that way. Neighboring frequencies get affected, and you are left with OTHER background
noise; it isn't hiss, but it's often just as distracting. Now, noise-reduction can be used well
or poorly, but at best it's almost unnoticeable, and that occurs very infrequently. At worst,
it's distracting as all hell, and can make stuff decidedly unlistenable.

Worse, do remember we're talking about SACDs here. From what I know, no
DSD noise-reduction utilities exist. That means that the noise-reduction had to be done in
the PCM domain, and the instant you put a DSD signal through a PCM device, you lose
most of the point of having DSD in the first place (and yes, the NR is on the SACD layer,
too...see the next question).

Irritatingly, some tracks have NR on the actual discs, but don't on the
"Remastered" sampler that came out in mid-summer. Details will be discussed in section
4.0.

UPDATE: From Bob Ludwig himself [Pro Audio Review]

------

PAR: Did you use much noise reduction?

BL: Very little. When there were spots that required its use, if it was possible in the
analog world, I would do it there. If not, we went to the high resolution PCM world. If
neither sounded that great, we just let the noise be. The only PCM in the whole series are
those parts that were really necessary. Each corrected part was meticulously excerpted
and edited back into the DSD master. One song had some significant sibilance problems,
and I think 23 individual de-essed attacks of a word were edited back in by hand. A true
pain in the neck, especially on the Sonoma DSD Workstation, but it kept the ultimate
quality we were striving for.

------

Consequently, it seems as if the PCM problem isn't quite as pervasive as we
thought, but still does exist.

Q3.75) What about dynamic range compression?

A3.75) First, we need to define this term. Dynamic range compression (referred to most
frequently as "compression," which can unfortunately be confused with other audio
"compression" like MP3) is essentially when the highest volume sections of an audio
sample and the lowest volume sections of an audio sample are altered to be closer to each
other. This sounds complex, but is really a simple concept to grasp. Say that one records
someone whispering very quietly, then shouting very loudly. Now, without any
processing, you would expect that if played back, the whisper would be very quiet, and
the shout would be very loud. Now, say that you apply dynamic range compression. What
this would do is it would bring the whisper and the shout together insofar as actual
volume is concerned; with a constant volume setting, one could now hear both
comfortably, whereas before one would have to increase the volume to hear the whisper,
and then decrease it before the shout blows out your speakers.

Compression is ubiquitous; it shows up in most aspects of the recording process.
It is used, for example, to make a vocal track "sound" more constant in volume, so the
whispered sections are just as audible as the sung sections.

Now, the problem arises in its use as a post-production device, especially on
reissues of older material. Let's use another hypothetical situation. Say we have Album A
by Band Z, released in 1969. It's a nice, underproduced album, with a relatively large
dynamic range; there is a definite difference between "loud" and "soft," even though
individual instruments in the mix might be compressed to certain specifications. Now, say
Reissue Producer J decides to put Album A out on disc. He decides that it sounds too
"old," and applies tons of compression. Tons and tons, until the volume is absolutely
maxed out, and there is no discernible difference between the peaks and valleys of the
sound file. What would this sound like? Well, things that had been "buried" in the mix
would certainly be brought up, but that isn't necessarily a good thing, and more
importantly, everything would be LOUD. See how that could be a problem?

There's a BIT of DRC on the Stones reissues, but it seems to be minimal. Bob
Ludwig mentions that he compressed only to attain the original, vinyl levels of
compression, and that he used all vintage equipment to accomplish this [Pro Audio
Review].

Q3.8) Is the audio content on the SACD layer and the CD layer the same? I.e. is
processing that was applied to one layer applied to the other?

A3.8) Yep. From all indication, it seems as if the CD layer is simply a downconversion of
the SACD layer using Sony's "Super Bit Mapping Direct" method.

Q3.9) Why do some of the disc times differ between the old issues and the remasters
(specifically, the London CDs and the remasters)?

A3.9) Well, in some cases, this is obvious; for example, the remastered Beggar's Banquet
runs faster, so it follows that it would have a shorter running time. In the case of the other
discs, the older CDs (ESPECIALLY the London discs) tended to have huge gaps between
songs. On Between the Buttons, for example, the song fades out, but there is a good ~5
seconds of tape hiss before the next song starts. These transitions have been tightened a
bit on the new discs, which can shave off 3 seconds per song; this time definitely adds up.

As Dave Heller has noticed, there ARE some slight speed differences on other
discs as well that factor into the timing being a bit different.

Q3.10) What's this I hear about the bass being much louder on the new ABKCO discs?

A3.10) On many of the discs, it sounds like the bass has been jacked up a bit in
mastering. While some claim that this simply reflects the sound of the original tapes, to
us it sounds like a simple EQ adjustment, as NO previous issue of this material (on vinyl
or CD) has the bass up quite that high. Again, though, this is a point that's currently
undergoing much debate.

*Q3.11) Have issues that have come to light regarding these new discs been corrected/are
there plans to correct them?

A3.11) With the amount of work it took to create these discs, and the sheer amount of
"track sharing" that occurs in the reissue programme, the "fixing" of some issues seems
improbable. That said, ABKCO's already dealt with one problem (see section 4's entry
on Get Your Ya Yas Out).

Q3.12) What's this I've heard about tracks being "inverted?"

A3.12) This is a complicated issue to explain, and it's best if we don't bother...safe to
say, though, that it seems as if the London discs are "inverted" as compared with the
ABKCO discs. This isn't something to worry about, at all, so don't!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Section 4.0: Album List (semi-chronological)

In this section, we'll run through all of the new reissues, and see how they
compare to earlier discs. Note that as we believe our basic audience to be people without
SACD players, most criticism will be directed at the CD layer, although we will carry
points through to address the SACD layer at times.

And yes, folks, we need input! We don't have all of these discs, and we are eager
to hear people's evaluations of them. That said, if you want to send us your feelings on or
observations of a specific title, do remember that this is a comparison document. If you
write us saying "this rocks," that doesn't help us; we need to know what it rocks in
comparison to. Also note that comments you send in will probably have some
editorializing surrounded them, as if we get a rave review and a pan of the same disc, we
need to reconcile the opinions somehow.

The general layout for these entries is as follows: the ABKCO title is given, along
with a tracklisting; if alternate versions exist (i.e. UK/US), those tracklistings will be
noted; annotations to tracks NOT on the original tracklistings will be given in square
brackets; finally, a "definitive pick" of versions will be noted, with an extremely-verbose
explanation immediately following.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.1) England's Newest Hit Makers

---

Tracks: 1) "Not Fade Away" 2) "Route 66" 3) "I Just Want to Make Love to You" 4)
"Honest I Do" 5) "Now I've Got a Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)" 6) "Little
By Little" 7) "I'm a King Bee" 8) "Carol" 9) "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" 10) "Can I
Get a Witness?" 11) "You Can Make It If You Try" 12) "Walking the Dog"

---

Alternate Version Available on CD?: Yes.

"The Rolling Stones" Tracks: 1) "Route 66" 2) "I Just Want to Make Love to You" 3)
"Honest I Do" 4) "I Need You Baby (Mona)"
[listed merely as "I Need You Baby" on 1st
issue CD] 5) "Now I've Got a Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene)" 6) "Little By
Little" 7) "I'm a King Bee" 8) "Carol" 9) "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" 10) "Can I Get
a Witness?" 11) "You Can Make It If You Try" 12) "Walking the Dog"

---

Definitive Version?: Early German London CD/Japanese London (unless you don't care
about the longer "Tell Me," in which case the ABKCO remaster is fine)

---

[Note: This title ("The Rolling Stones" and not "England's Newest Hit Makers") was also
issued by London Australia. It matches the "second issue" German]

This title never appeared in its "England's Newest Hit Makers" configuration in
the London catalogue, which used the UK tracklisting (which simply has "Mona" instead
of "Not Fade Away," with the resultant slight shifting in tracks) instead. The old ABKCO
CD wasn't spectacular, as it was slightly muffled and generally underwhelming.

Sound quality wise, the new ABKCO is perfectly adequate, but does have some
noticeable EQing and compression. This is very noticeable on the CD layer, and less so
on the SACD layer. That said, some might find the fidelity of the London to be
preferable, as it's very "clean" and less fatiguing in comparison to the new ABKCO, a
difference that most would probably only notice via a direct A/B comparison.

The "early London" CD is marked as definitive for a crucial reason; it's the only
release with the long (4:05) version of "Tell Me" that appeared on the original "The
Rolling Stones" LP. The old ABKCO "England's Newest Hit Makers" disc used a 3:46
version, and later German London pressings use that same version, despite claiming a
4:05 running length. The Australian London CD follows the above example, and includes
the 3:46 version. Note that the London More Hot Rocks 1 compilation also claims a 4:05
running length, but is still the 3:46 version.

The new ABKCO disc presents a frustrating semi-compromise. We are given the
full version, but it begins fading out quite early. The true 4:05 version continues past the
point where the 3:46 version fades out, and then ends cold (in the middle of a phrase, in
fact).

Thus, as only the early London disc (and, consequently, the Japanese discs cloned
from it) has the true 4:05 version, it has to stand as the definitive version. The loss of
"Not Fade Away" isn't a big problem, as that track shows up on the (necessary) More Hot
Rocks compilation, anyway. As the Japanese discs are probably far easier to find and are
packaged better than the early German Londons, the Japanese route should be the easiest
path to follow.

[NOTE: There was apparently a REALLY super-early London of this title that had
completely different disc art. Presumably, that one's good as well.]

That said, if the "Tell Me" issue doesn't pique one's interest, the current ABKCO
disc should be satisfactory.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.2) 12x5

---

Tracks: 1) "Around and Around"* 2) "Confessin' the Blues"* 3) "Empty Heart"* 4)
"Time is On My Side" 5) "Good Times, Bad Times" 6) "It's All Over Now" 7) "2120
South Michigan Avenue"* [this track shows up here in its long version. See the main
entry for a note on this] 8) "Under the Boardwalk" 9) "Congradulations" [This track's title
was misspelled on the original LP; for whatever reason, ABKCO kept the misspelling for
their remaster, although the CD-Text on the disc references it correctly. The London discs
and old ABKCO spell the track's title correctly] 10) "Grown Up Wrong" 11) "If You
Need Me"* 12) "Susie Q"

*: Denotes Stereo

---

No true alternate versions are available on CD

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

---

The current ABKCO remaster represents an absolutely massive upgrade. 12x5 is
mostly comprised of tracks from the UK EP 5x5, which consisted of songs recorded by
the Stones at Chess Studios in Chicago. It is a vast understatement to note that the quality
of the Chess recordings was higher than that of the Stones' contemporary UK recordings,
as the Stones were finally dealing with a studio that could handle them.

Whereas the 5x5 EP was initially only a mono release, it was accidentally re-
issued in stereo (with mono labels!) in the eighties [Note: See Luke's website for more
information on this]. Thus, while all previous versions (ABKCO and London) of this CD
were mono-only (and, frankly, sound pretty similar, with the London version having
perhaps a slight edge), the remaster suddenly includes all of those Chess tracks in stereo,
marking the first time most of them have been legitimately available on CD. The tracks in
question are: "Around and Around", "If You Need Me", "Empty Heart", "2120 Michigan
Avenue," "It's All Over Now" (the only track to be released in stereo on disc before, but
NOT on previous versions of 12x5), and "Confessin' the Blues." "2120 South Michigan
Avenue" is a special treat, as a) this is the "long version" which has never been on CD
before, and b) it's in stereo, and the long version has never been in stereo ANYWHERE
before. Thus, a first on both fronts. Also note that It's All Over Now was not from 5x5.

Unfortunately, "Confessin' the Blues" has a slight bit of tape-drag at the
beginning, but it's almost unnoticeable.

There's pretty much no contest here, then. While the shared mono tracks on the
old ABKCO, the old London, and current remaster do sound somewhat similar, the
upgraded stereo tracks breathe a whole new dimension into this album. The new ABKCO
is definitely the best bet.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.3) Now!

---

Track list: 1) "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" [short version] 2) "Down Home
Girl" 3) "You Can't Catch Me" 4) "Heart of Stone"* 5) "What a Shame"* 6) "I Need You
Baby (Mona)" 7) "Down the Road Apiece"* 8) "Off the Hook" 9) "Pain in My Heart" 10)
"Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin')" 11) "Little Red Rooster" 12) "Surprise,
Surprise"

---

Alternate Versions: The London CD (at least the second issue) of Now! has an interesting
tracklisting with annotations. The following tracks are affected: "Everybody Needs
Somebody to Love (Version 2)," "Pain in My Heart (Version 1)," and "Oh Baby (We Got
a Good Thing Goin') (Version 1)." I understand the first two, but where's another version
of "Oh Baby?'

Also, No. 2 was released on CD by Japan's London arm. Tracks are as follows: 1)
"Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" [Long version, mono] 2) "Down Home Girl"
[faded-up], 3) "You Can't Catch Me" 4) "Time Is On My Side" [guitar intro, stereo] 5)
"What a Shame" [London Now! version] 6) "Grown Up Wrong" 7) "Down the Road
Apiece" [London Now! version] 8) "Under the Boardwalk" 9) "I Can't Be Satisfied"
[Stereo] 10) "Pain in My Heart" 11) "Off the Hook" [credited to N. Phelge here, while
credited to Jagger/Richards seemingly everywhere else] 12) "Suzie Q"

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

---

What was a reasonably-straightforward affair on vinyl-heck, even the "stereo"
London LP was mostly straight mono-has turned into a veritable nightmare on CD.

For the most part, the original ABKCO CD and the London CD sounded
surprisingly similar. The good-sounding mono tracks ("You Can't Catch Me," "Off the
Hook") sounded fine on both, and the poor-sounding mono tracks ("Down Home Girl,"
which has no top end to speak of) sounded, well, poor on both. ABKCO goofed and
included the long version of "Everybody Needs Somebody;" the London disc uses the
(correct) short version. The big surprise came on the two stereo Chess tracks, which are
"What a Shame" and "Down the Road Apiece." For some reason-perhaps because they
managed to use a closer-to-master source tape-ABKCO's CD sounds noticeably superior
on those two songs; London's versions seem a bit duller, and "What a Shame" fades up
(whereas it starts cold on the ABKCO disc). Odd. The difference isn't too terribly severe,
but it's definitely there, and could either be a source-tape issue or a mastering issue.

My initial theory on this was that the "first pressing" London probably didn't
exhibit the fade-up problem on "What a Shame," but this was dashed by my belated
realization that there WAS no "first pressing" version of Now! So the jury's still out on
exactly what happened here. Note that it's entirely possible that the Japanese London
introduces yet *another* variation as it does with December's Children, but I have not
heard a Japanese Now! yet.

However, I have indeed heard the much-vaunted Japanese No. 2. For whatever
reason, Japan London took it upon themselves to reissue the Stones second UK album,
generating an instant "collectable" (despite the fact that it wasn't exactly rare). Novelty
aside, it offers nothing unique. "Time is On My Side" is the standard Hot Rocks stereo
version, while "What a Shame" and "Down the Road Apiece" are the slightly-inferior
London versions of these tracks. "I Can't Be Satisfied" is in stereo and "Everybody Needs
Somebody to Love" is the long mono version, but both of these now show up on More
Hot Rocks (and the long "Everybody" previously appeared on the old ABKCO disc).
Indeed, the only semi-unique version here is a version of "Down Home Girl" that might
use a different source tape, as it fades-up here and starts cold everywhere else (but
otherwise sounds nearly identical). Thus, unless you simply must have the UK
configuration of this album on CD, you can safely ignore the Japanese No. 2.

Thankfully, ABKCO's new reissue solves the dilemma. With one notable
exception, the tracks sound as good as they're ever likely to-although there's the same
"aggressive EQ" that occurs on other albums in the reissue series (which might
consequently cause some to prefer the CD layer of the London version to the CD layer
here), and some VERY slight azimuth phasing on a few tracks-and the Chess tracks
sound great, without the fade-ups of the London. "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love"
reverts to the short version, as well, although this is where the notable exception comes
in; perhaps due to a mastering and/or source tape difference, the sound is quite different
between the old London and new ABKCO releases. The old London version is a bit thin
but has a lot of top end, while the new ABKCO version is fuller but has a dull/phasey top
end.

In what seems like a case of Karmic equivalence, though, ABKCO compensates
for this by unearthing a much improved source tape for the stereo "Heart of Stone," which
consequently sounds quite a bit better (although as with the entire series, some may find
the EQ choice a bit aggressive). Frustratingly, its stereo spectrum is slightly narrowed as
well; it sounds as if they silenced the "empty" right channel out for the introduction and
mixed some left channel in to compensate, but forgot to un-mix it once the song proper
had started. Thus, if one listens to the right channel only, there's a hilariously out-of-place
volume swell right as the "real" right channel information comes in.

While the new ABKCO reissue has a few flaws, it does correct many of the
ambiguities associated with previous discs; thus, it's probably best to go with the reissue.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.4) Out Of Our Heads!

---

UK Version Track list: 1) "She Said Yeah" 2) "Mercy Mercy" 3) "Hitch Hike" 4) "That's
How Strong My Love Is" 5) "Good Times" 6) "Gotta Get Away" 7) "Talkin' 'Bout You"
8) "Cry to Me" 9) "Oh Baby (We've Got a Good Thing Going)" 10) "Heart of Stone" 11)
"The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" 12) "I'm Free"

US Track List: 1) "Mercy Mercy" 2) "Hitch Hike" 3) "The Last Time" 4) "That's How
Strong My Love Is" 5) "Good Times" 6) "I'm Alright" 7) "(I Can't Get No) Satsifaction"
8) "Cry to Me" 9) "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" 10) "Play With
Fire" 11) "The Spider and the Fly" 12) "One More Try"

---

Alternate Version: None besides the above

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster (US version)

---

[note that the live "I'm Alright" is from the original "Got Live If You Want It!" EP,
which has never shown up in its entirety on CD]

[Note: While it's nice to have the UK version on CD, in a completist's sense it's worthless,
as all tracks are duplicated elsewhere. I will be mostly "reviewing" the US version here.]

The old ABKCO and London discs sounded very similar, with the London
perhaps having a slight edge. The ABKCO remaster isn't a huge improvement, but it does
sound good, and is currently the easiest to get; the bass/EQ boost is less obvious here than
it is on the other early CDs. The ABKCO disc is mastered FAR louder than the older
discs. All versions of this album on CD have been mono-only; even though stereo
versions of "Satisfaction" and "Play With Fire" appear elsewhere in the London
catalogue, they are mono here on the London disc. The same goes for the version of
"Satisfaction" contained here on the ABKCO remaster.

[Note: The ABKCO UK version is all mono as well, and thus it uses the mono "Heart of
Stone."]

Note that while all of these songs were actually recorded in multi-track, most have
never been issued in true-stereo. For instance, "Good Times" was cut on 3-track at RCA,
and "Mercy Mercy" was cut on 4-track at Chess. "The Last Time" *has* appeared in
stereo, but not officially; the stereo version is, however, a version included on many in-
house radio station compilations, and circulates widely among collectors.

The version of "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" on the old
ABKCO, London and new ABKCO discs is the "censored" version, which lacks the line
about "[busting] my ass everyday" near the end of the song. It also fades early.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*4.5) December's Children (And Everybody's)

---

Track List: 1) "She Said Yeah" 2) "Talkin' 'Bout You" 3) "You Better Move On" 4)
"Look What You've Done" 5) "The Singer Not the Song" 6) "Route 66" 7) "Get Off of
My Cloud" 8) "I'm Free" 9) "As Tears Go By" 10) "Gotta Get Away" 11) "Blue Turns to
Grey" 12) "I'm Moving On"

---

Alternate Version: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

---

[note that the live "Route 66" and "I'm Moving On" are from the original "Got Live If
You Want It!" EP, which has never shown up in its entirety on CD]

Strangely enough, this little US collection of leftovers is anything but a cut-and-
dried case; about the only thing that's concrete is that the original ABKCO wasn't very
good, and was definitely superseded by the London, which simultaneously wasn't all that
great either. This is effected by the following points of confusion:

a) The German London disc (which was, by the way, not part of the "first run" of titles)
contained two stereo tracks: "Get Off of My Cloud" and "Look What You've Done."
Now, "Look What You've Done" was stereo on the original US LP, but "Get Off of My
Cloud" had never before appeared in stereo on album (it did, of course, appear that way
on the London Hot Rocks 1). The rest of the album sounded OK, but fell prey to slight
fade-ups on several tracks, notably "As Tears Go By," "I'm Free," and the live "Route 66"
(which has its intro lopped off). By contrast, ABKCO's old disc was all mono. Note that
"Look What You've Done" has a phase problem on the London disc; somehow, one
channel of the track is inverted. If one inverts one of the channels in a sound editor, the
phasey sound of the track vanishes.

b) HOWEVER, there've been reports that that some German London discs are all mono.
While initially thought to be a simple pressing error (i.e. perhaps the ABKCO master got
substituted in instead, as it did for some copies of Hot Rocks 1), it might be more
complex, as apparently the CD is not otherwise-identical to the ABKCO. I've never
personally seen one of these.

c) It is confirmed that some (if not all) of the Japanese London December's Children discs
are all-mono. From AB-ing, the tracks that are shared on my Japanese London and my
(stereo track version) German London aren't identical-for example, "She Said Yeah" is
different-but the Japanese disc ALSO doesn't seem to be a clone of the ABKCO version
(we're not 100% sure of this, though). So what is the Japanese disc a copy of, then?

The ABKCO remaster solves most of these issues; it's grown on us more than
most of the other discs. "She Said Yeah" sounds like it has a bit of processing on the
intro, but otherwise sounds much more natural than other versions, with more clearly
defined top-end (note that this song was definitely recorded to multi-track). The same
goes for "Talkin' Bout You," which also sounds significantly crisper. "You Better Move
On" isn't changed too terribly. "Look What You've Done" doesn't have the phase
problems that plague the London (although we have a do-it-yourself fix for London disc
owners...see a) above), and definitely is EQed better, but seems to have been narrowed
down slightly. "The Singer, Not the Song" utilizes a different source tape; it runs slightly
faster, but sounds significantly less muddy, although the EQ is a bit aggressive on that
cut. "Route 66" has a much longer intro, and seems to have been taken from a master tape
for the EP, instead of a December's Children LP tape.

"I'm Free" runs *much* faster on the new ABKCO, and also is quite a bit sharper
(and has a lot less hiss) than previous versions. Clearly a different source tape. "As Tears
Go By" fades up on the London disc; it starts cold here, and runs (of all things) a bit
slower. It does *not* have the glitches inherent in the ABKCO Hot Rocks version (nor
the slight stereo phasing at 1:10 that the London Hot Rocks has). "Gotta Get Away" is the
same case as "I'm Free." "Blue Turns to Grey" also sounds a lot better here (and runs
slightly faster), but has a strange "flutter" sound under the intro that isn't on other
versions. We aren't currently ascribing a cause to this. "I'm Moving On" sounds clearer
as well.

Now, a quick explanation as to *why* the above improvements occurred.
Remember that December's Children is an album fabricated from several different
sources: EPs, single tracks, et cetera. While previous CD versions seem to have merely
used LP compilation tapes-which, consequently, aren't first-generation for the songs-
ABKCO used the actual EP/etc. sources here, which is probably a first-time thing for
many of these tracks (as I wouldn't doubt that "compilation" versions of, say, "I'm Free"
merely used the December's Children source in the past, which itself is a copy of
something else).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.6) Aftermath

---

Track List (US): 1) "Paint It, Black" 2) "Stupid Girl" 3) "Lady Jane" 4) "Under My
Thumb" 5) "Dontcha Bother Me" 6) "Think" 7) "Flight 505" 8) "High and Dry" 9) "It's
Not Easy" 10) "I Am Waiting" 11) "Going Home"

This version of Aftermath was available in the old ABKCO catalogue, and is currently
also available in the remaster series. It was NOT available in the London catalogue (it
was released in the "last" Japanese release of the London catalogue, but that disc is just a
clone of the ABKCO version).

Track List (UK): 1) "Mother's Little Helper" [Note that this is the only place in the
ABKCO remaster series where the stereo "Mother's Little Helper" appears] 2) "Stupid
Girl" 3) "Lady Jane" 4) "Under My Thumb" 5) "Dontcha Bother Me" 6) "Going Home" 7)
"Flight 505" 8) "High and Dry" 9) "Out of Time" 10) "It's Not Easy" 11) "I Am Waiting"
12) "Take it Or Leave It" 13) "Think" 14) "What to Do"

---

Alternate Versions: None besides the above

---

Definitive Version: London CD (any version thereof. The SACD is OK, but it has quite a
bit of processing that puts it a notch below the London. The US version is completely
disposable in any form)

---

Aftermath is a landmark album both musically and sonically for the Stones. It
marked an album full of Jagger/Richards songs, their "A Hard Day's Night," if you will. It
ALSO marked the first full-stereo release, in both its US and UK incarnations.

The original ABKCO CD was absolute garbage, as it used the (IMO) inferior US
tracklisting, with several tracks collapsed to near-mono. This collapsing also destroyed
the fidelity of most of the tracks, rendering them into muddy, indistinct mush. By
contrast, the original London disc (which seems to be constant in all of its
German/Japanese versions) is a sonic gem, utilizing the wiiiiideee stereo mixes from the
original UK LP and having the 14-track UK tracklisting. As a note, these mixes were
never released completely intact on LP, as all vinyl issues suffer from the slight fold-
downs that're inherent in vinyl mastering; thus, the London CD actually marks the debut
of the fully-separated versions. It's a clear indication that some excellent-quality tapes
were used.

ABKCO, for reasons known only to them (which probably involve the color
green) have released both versions on CD. Frankly, I'd still pick the UK edition, but if
your nostalgia supplants your desire to save $18.99, be my guest. In any case, the tracks
shared between the two discs are identical.

Unfortunately, Aftermath marks the beginning of the period where the new
remasters have been audibly "doctored." Firstly, the new ABKCO disc simply sounds
different from the London disc; it's slightly more muffled and less open (this is not as
much of a problem on the SACD layer, so sound-quality concerns in that department are a
bit subjective). The issues don't end there, though. Some songs have been slightly
collapsed, for no earthly reason ("I Am Waiting," which sounds suspiciously close to the
collapsed version on the old ABKCO disc), while others have bizarre manipulations of
the stereo spectrum. Witness, for example, the stereo "Mother's Little Helper", which
shows up only on Aftermath UK in the new reissue series; it sounds like someone
essentially copied the left channel, filtered out all but the bass frequencies, and then
mixed it right, so the bass frequencies sound centered. Hiss reduction is also evident,
although whether PCM-based noise-reduction or EQ is the culprit is still in question.
There is an audible hiss increase on some tracks when the vocals enter, however - "Lady
Jane" is a prime example.

For the record, here's a list of differences:

Stupid Girl - narrowed, seemingly more hiss
Lady Jane - narrowed, "hiss fade" intro
Under My Thumb - "hiss fade" intro, seemingly more hiss
Doncha Bother Me - pretty close
Goin' Home - "hiss fade" intro (big time), bass copied to right channel
Flight 505 - "hiss fade" intro (big time), really squashed sound
(moreso than other songs) - a lot less high end
High And Dry - just EQ differences - a lot less high end
Out Of Time - again, a lot less high end. The decay on the snaps at the beginning sounds
odd.
It's Not Easy - *much* more crisp on the London
I Am Waiting - narrowed, a lot less high end
Take It Or Leave It - bass copied to right channel
Think - seemingly more hiss, actually seems to have *slightly* more
high end (not that there's any on the recording anyway)
What To Do - just EQ differences, a lot more crisp on the London

Let me stress the following point: the original ABKCO disc is absolute garbage,
and the new release is a MASSIVE improvement. That said, the new disc does have some
processing that can be considered bothersome. In any case, even if you're planning on
going with the ABKCO disc, you do need a not-exactly-hard-to-find-London for the true,
wide stereo mixes.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.7) Got Live if You Want It!

---

Track List: 1) "Under My Thumb" 2) "Get Off of My Cloud" 3) "Lady Jane" 4) "Not Fade
Away" 5) "I've Been Loving You Too Long" 6) "Fortune Teller" 7) "The Last Time" 8)
"19th Nervous Breakdown" 9) "Time is On My Side" 10) "I'm Alright" [NOT identical to
the version on the Got Live! EP, as the vocal tracks differ] 11) "Have You Seen Your
Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" 12) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

----

Alternate Tracklistings: None

---

Definitive Version: None (see explanation below)

---

For reasons completely beyond my ability to comprehend, Got Live If You Want
It!-surely not the most distinguished entry in the Stones' 60s catalogue-has some of the
stranger CD issues attached to it.

The original London CD utilized mostly the same audio content as the original
stereo LP, with a few slight differences. There are fades before and after each song, and
some crowd noise has obviously been "re-utilized" to hide gaps in the sources (the
original stereo LP had no gaps between tracks). Other than that, however, the audio
corresponds to the stereo LP, and reveals how startlingly fake this album is; there is no
way in hell that most of these vocals are live, unless Mick was standing in a vacuum
somewhere! Plus, "I'm Alright" uses the same backing track the EP version did (from a
year earlier), and some tracks have instruments that the Stones clearly did not play on
stage at the time. Note that "I've Been Loving You Too Long" and "Fortune Teller" are
mixed very strangely; for "Fortune Teller," the actual mono studio track is mixed into
both channels, with the crowd noise only occupying one. For "I've Been Loving You Too
Long", the band is mixed left, the vocal is centered, and the crowd noise is right, with
little to no "bleed" between the two channels. Note also that "Fortune Teller" here
appears in its "harmonica" variant.

The original ABKCO CD is in mono, but does *not* correspond with the original
mono mix. Indeed, in a bizarre move, ABKCO singled out Got Live If You Want It! for a
complete re-working/re-assembling. Among some of the resultant changes: the album
now has a "different" introduction (the original mix cut off the intro after the introduction
of Bill Wyman), "Under My Thumb" has a different vocal, various segues are different,
and "Fortune Teller" is suddenly an alternate mix, with no harmonica and extra
percussion overdubs (among other things).

As ABKCO's new reissue seems to be a straight transfer of their re-assembled
version from the eighties (and doesn't sound much better here, frankly), one needs both an
"ABKCO-mix" version and a "London mix" version-in practical terms, a London disc
and either ABKCO disc-to have everything. And even with that, the London *still*
doesn't quite match the stereo LP.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.8) Between the Buttons

---

Track List (US): 1) "Let's Spend the Night Together" 2) "Yesterday's Papers" 3) "Ruby
Tuesday" 4) "Connection" 5) "She Smiled Sweetly" 6) "Cool, Calm and Collected" 7)
"All Sold Out" 8) "My Obsession" 9) "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" 10) "Complicated"
11) "Miss Amanda Jones" 12) "Something Happened To Me Yesterday"

The above version was the only version available on disc pre-the new remaster series.

Track List (UK): 1) "Yesterday's Papers" 2) "My Obsession" 3) "Back-Street Girl" 4)
"Connection" 5) "She Smiled Sweetly" 6) "Cool, Calm, Collected" 7) "All Sold Out" 8)
"Please Go Home" 9) "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" 10) "Complicated" 11) "Miss
Amanda Jones" 12) "Something Happened To Me Yesterday"

The above version is the original UK album configuration, which made its debut on CD
in the new remaster series.

---

Definitive Version: None

---
As was the case with Aftermath, the original ABKCO disc of Buttons was junk,
with the same combination of stereo and collapsed-stereo (with some tracks folded down
to near-mono) and tinny sound quality that blighted the Aftermath disc. This time,
though, the ABKCO disc and the London disc at least shared the same tracklisting; both
used the US layout, which isn't terribly different from the UK layout (Ruby Tuesday/Let's
Spend is exchanged for Backstreet Girl/Please Go Home, and My Obsession is moved to
side 2). The London disc was, as usual, all true stereo, although it was clearly mastered
from the US LP master, and thus a few generations removed from the source. Amusingly
enough, it seems as though ABKCO and London actually used the same source tape for
this album, although the sonic indignities that ABKCO perpetuated on it made it sound a
lot worse. This theory is prompted by the fact that the tracks that aren't narrowed down on
the ABKCO sound surprisingly similar to the London disc, and Buttons is the *only*
place in the old ABKCO catalogue where "Ruby Tuesday" shows up without the "extra"
glitches. Thus, it's pretty clear that both companies started from the same tape, or at least
tapes that were very close.

The new ABKCO remaster is a revelation in many ways, however. ABKCO either
used the song source tapes or the original UK master for these transfers, as many of these
tracks suddenly sound better to a startling degree. Additionally, the "aggressive" EQ
*really* helps the songs on this album, as the bass boost makes up for the trebly sound
quality of earlier incarnations. Also pointing to the theory that the actual song masters
were used is the fact that several songs run slightly slower than they originally did, with
most sounding "correct" at this speed ("Miss Amanda Jones").

Between the Buttons would, in fact, be an unconditional triumph in the remaster
series if the following few unfortunate issues hadn't occurred:

a) There is obvious noise reduction used on a few tracks. This is not the "it could
be EQ" noise reduction of some of the other discs, however; this is ugly, PCM
based, artifacts-a-gogo noise reduction. The big culprit is "Miss Amanda
Jones" which has noticeable artifacting in its introduction. Strangely enough,
this processing was not present on the 21x5 Remastered sampler (and a
comparison to that disc makes the processing here all the more evident), even
though the 21x5 sampler clearly has the same digital transfer of the song. That
said, the NR isn't too terribly offensive, and becomes largely subliminal once
the song kicks in, but as Bob Ludwig said this sort of thing wouldn't occur,
one has to wonder what happened. [Note: Other tracks also sound slightly
questionable, but none are as bad as "Miss Amanda Jones."]
b) Also with regard to "Miss Amanda Jones," the intro to the song has been
slightly folded in. The instruments fly back to their respective channels after
the introduction, though, which makes one wonder why they bothered, as
some of the OTHER very wide tracks ("Back-Street Girl") are untouched.
c) The songs on this album were clearly worked on one-at-a-time, and possibly
by several different people. Thus, mastering/EQ approaches tend to vary from
track to track, which makes the album feel a bit patchworky at times.
d) Finally, in the biggest potential gaffe of the reissue program, ABKCO clearly
pulled the wrong tape of "Ruby Tuesday." This will be discussed in greater
detail in the "song section" for "Ruby Tuesday," but in brief, there seems to be
a missing vocal overdub in the chorus. This does *not* seem to be merely the
result of processing, and seems to be a genuine mix variation, albeit one which
has never seen the light of day until now. Frankly, it's puzzling how this made
it out of the gate (note that the Singles Collection now seems to feature a
mono reduction of this version!).

Thus, there's really no definitive edition for this title; the ABKCO remaster is
great, but the use of noise-reduction, fold-ins, and the wrong "Ruby Tuesday" detract
from its definitiveness. That said, the current remaster should be one's first pick for this
title; the London is really only worthwhile in a collector's sense. Note that it doesn't
matter which configuration one buys, as the "missing" tracks get collected elsewhere
anyway.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.9) Flowers

---

Track List: 1) "Ruby Tuesday" 2) "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing in the
Shadow?" 3) "Let's Spend the Night Together?" 4) "Lady Jane" 5) "Out Of Time" [Short
version] 6) "My Girl" 7) "Backstreet Girl" 8) "Please Go Home" 9) "Mother's Little
Helper" 10) "Take It or Leave It" 11) "Ride On, Baby" 12) "Sittin' on a Fence"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO Remaster

---

Why is this still in print? It has exactly two unique tracks now. Ugh.

The old ABKCO disc of this title was largely unspectacular; it didn't sound bad
(in fact, the UK Aftermath/Buttons "outtakes" sounded pretty good for ABKCO, although
one must note that the edited "Out Of Time," by nature of it being taken directly from the
edited/processed tape, will never sound as good as the full version), but didn't really
sound great. "Ruby Tuesday" had several glitches in it reminiscent of the tape being
chewed, "Sittin' on a Fence" was dull, and "Mother's Little Helper" and "Have You Seen
Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" was in irritating mock-stereo.

Surprisingly, the London CD didn't improve on the issue tremendously. London
made a smart decision, as their disc "steals" improved audio from other sources;
"Mother's Little Helper," for example, is the stereo Aftermath version, as is "Lady Jane"
("Take It Or Leave It" sounds SLIGHTLY inferior to the London Aftermath version,
though). "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow" is thankfully a
cleaner, mono version. "Ride On, Baby" and "Please Go Home" fade-up audibly,
however.

[Note: There IS a unique London version of "Sittin' on a Fence"...read the More Hot
Rocks section or the song list entry for more info]

Unsurprisingly, ABKCO's new disc uses the same strategy as the London disc;
everything that appears elsewhere uses the "elsewhere" audio source, and none of the
unique material sounds very improved. "Sittin' on a Fence," in particular, seems to have
been subjected to some heavy processing; the introduction is largely hiss-free (and more
or less matches the sound of the version ABKCO previously used), but the hiss level rises
tremendously when the vocals enter, to the point where this version sounds like a
crossfading of the old-ABKCO and More Hot Rocks 2 London version. Odd.

Meanwhile, "Ride On, Baby" and "My Girl" don't sound much different, and the
mono "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow" is only slightly
improved from its various London incarnations.

If you must purchase this, the new ABKCO is probably the one to get, but it's such
a small improvement-and is now such a superfluous release-that one is probably better
off skipping the upgrade if one already has the two unique tracks.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.10) Their Satanic Majesties Request

---

Track List: 1) "Sing This All Together" 2) "Citadel" 3) "In Another Land" 4) "2,000 Man"
5) "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)" 6) "She's A Rainbow" 7) "The Lantern"
8) "Gomper" 9) "2,000 Light Years From Home" 10) "On With The Show"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

Unlike some of the other early-ABKCO discs, this one never sounded too bad; the
London is only a slight step up (the early German London/Japanese discs have slightly
different EQ than the later German Londons) compared with the slightly dull, static-prone
ABKCO. The ABKCO seems to be made from a tape copied from the same source as the
London, as track switches are *very* close. Note that the early-ABKCO version of this
disc is the only one with a noticeable fade-up, this time on "See What Happens," which
has its beginning organ notes truncated. ABKCO *also* incorrectly indexed their disc,
putting the "Cosmic Christmas" end to side 1 at the beginning of side 2 (and, thus, with
"She's a Rainbow").

The current remaster sounds fine, if a bit compressed. Any non-early-ABKCO
version should be perfectly satisfactory.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.11) Beggar's Banquet

---

Track List: 1) "Sympathy For The Devil" 2) "No Expectations" 3) "Dear Doctor" 4)
"Parachute Woman" 5) "Jig-Saw Puzzle" 6) "Street Fighting Man" 7) "Prodigal Son" 8)
"Stray Cat Blues" 9) "Factory Girl" 10) "Salt Of The Earth"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster (by a long shot)

---

Previous CD issues have been nothing to write home about. The ABKCO didn't
sound awful, but didn't sound great. The latter-period German London was a slight
upgrade, but nothing amazing. Curiously enough, the Japanese disc has an audio glitch-
the beginning of Prodigal Son is truncated-which leads me to believe that this glitch
probably originates on the super-early London disc, which I haven't heard otherwise.

I can say exactly one bad thing about the new remaster of Beggar's Banquet. There
are audible dropouts in the left channel of "Stray Cat Blues" that aren't in evidence on
other versions (probably because the damage on the source tape hadn't yet occurred when
that fateful slow copy was made). Other than that? The remaster's absolutely amazing!
Acoustic guitars actually sound like acoustic guitars! Tape hiss is vastly reduced. It's
positively breathtaking; who knew Beggar's Banquet could sound this good?
Interestingly, this now proves that the tracks on the "RSVP" bootleg have always been
running at the correct speed (it was previously thought that RSVP ran slightly fast). Also,
"Street Fighting Man" is (of all things) slightly wider than it has been in all previous
incarnations, with newly-audible talking in the left channel as the song begins.

Beggars Banquet is definitely the largest upgrade of the reissue program over both
the early ABKCO *and* London discs, and in all probability every LP issue.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*4.11) Let It Bleed

---

Track List: 1) "Gimme Shelter" 2) "Love In Vain" 3) "Country Honk" 4) "Live With Me"
5) "Let It Bleed" 6) "Midnight Rambler" 7) "You Got The Silver" 8) "Monkey Man" 9)
"You Can't Always Get What You Want"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

---

The old ABKCO disc sounded pretty decent, but the London was a notable
upgrade, taken from a tape significantly closer to source.

In a similar case to that of Beggars Banquet, the new ABKCO disc is taken from a
tape that seemingly hasn't been used before. Older CD editions had a good bit of
"bleedthrough" in the stereo spectrum. For example, listen to the start of "Love in Vain."
On older discs, the right channel clearly has a good deal of the left channel in it, albeit
"muted" (a sure sign that this is a slightly mis-aligned tape copy). On the newer disc,
however, the right channel is almost silent, and one can hear some sort of rhythmic
thumping in the background. The new ABKCO is also slightly compressed (made
obvious by out-of-phase analysis of the album), but this is a moot point, as the upgrade in
tape generation is well worth the little bit of compression.

Oddly, Let It Bleed shares a similar problem with the new Beggars Banquet. "You
Can't Always Get What you Want" is slightly extended at the beginning, but the left
channel has some noticeable wobble for the first few seconds of the song (this might have
been on older copies, but disguised by the channel bleed-through). On the plus side, one
can now clearly identify what's playing under the very beginning of the guitar-intro of the
song: Midnight Rambler! It plays until the horn comes in for the first time, and then there
is an audible "click" as it disappears.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*4.12) Get Yer Ya Yas Out

---

Track List: 1) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 2) "Carol" 3) "Stray Cat Blues" 4) "Love In Vain" 5)
"Midnight Rambler" 6) "Sympathy For The Devil" 7) "Live With Me" 8) "Little Queenie"
9) "Honky Tonk Women" 10) "Street Fighting Man"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

---

The old ABKCO and London were *slightly* different in sound quality. The new
ABKCO is louder, and seems to have a few glitches cleaned up; it also moves a few
index points around. Note that the glitches that sound like digital skips in "Midnight
Rambler" are on the source tape.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As several sharp-eared readers pointed out (Marc Marshall and C.
Olver), the first ABKCO pressings (Inaugural Edition) of the new Ya Yas cut a few
seconds from the beginning of "Stray Cat Blues;" on the older CDs/vinyl, the guitar intro
plays twice, but on the new disc it only plays once. Seemingly, this has already been
corrected, but it is unknown whether ABKCO is offering replacements for the discs.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.13) Metamorphosis (UK)

---

Track List: 1) "Out Of Time" 2) "Don't Lie To Me" 3) "Some Things Just Stick In Your
Mind" 4) "Each And Every Day Of The Year" 5) "Heart Of Stone" 6) "I'd Much Rather
Be With The Boys" 7) "(Walkin' Thru The) Sleepy City" 8) "We're Wastin' Time" 9) "Try
A Little Harder" 10) "I Don't Know Why" 11) "If You Let Me" 12) "Jiving Sister Fanny"
13) "Downtown Suzie" 14) "Family" 15) "Memo From Turner" 16) "I'm Going Down"

---

Alternate Versions: Yes (US version), but none available on CD.

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster

---

It hasn't been on CD before, obviously, so the usual comparison won't work.

ABKCO thankfully spared us from, say, a dual Metamorphosis UK/US release
(the UK simply has more tracks; it's the only difference), but apparently produced this
disc directly from the masters prepared in the seventies. Accordingly, the slightly-odd
post-production that marked the original album is still intact, including the narrow-stereo
"Don't Lie To Me," the near mock-stereo of many of the early tracks, and the narrowed
(when compared with bootleg versions) "Downtown Suzie."

Unfortunately, the new disc seems to have some irritating audio problems. There's
digital clicking throughout the disc; check, for example, the right channel of "Some
Things Just Stick in Your Mind." There's an occasional "tick" that doesn't correspond to
the music. This occurs in several tracks, but is at its most severe in Some Things.
Similarly, "Jiving Sister Fanny" has a digital "click" right when the drums come in, while
the version on the 21x5 Remastered sampler is clean at that point. Odd. For Who fans, the
clicking in question sounds similar to the clicking on the remastered Tommy.

It has been confirmed that this is NOT just a mispressing at this point, as tracks
that are used on other sources (i.e. the Singles Collection) still have these issues. It is
unknown as to whether ABKCO plans to fix this.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.14) Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (US)

---

Track List: 1) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 2) "The Last Time" 3) "As Tears Go By" 4)
"Time Is On My Side" 5) "It's All Over Now" 6) "Tell Me" 7) "19th Nervous Breakdown"
8) "Heart of Stone" 9) "Get Off of My Cloud" 10) "Not Fade Away" 11) "Good Times,
Bad Times" 12) "Play With Fire"

---

Alternate Versions: Yes, UK configuration (released in the Japanese London series)

Track List (UK): 1) "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" 2)
"Paint It, Black" 3) "It's All Over Now" 4) "The Last Time" 5) "Heart of Stone" 6) "Not
Fade Away" 7) "Come On" 8) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 9) "Get Off of My Cloud"
10) "As Tears Go By" 11) "19th Nervous Breakdown" 12) "Lady Jane" 13) "Time is On
My Side" 14) "Little Red Rooster"

---

Definitive Version: N/A

---

The old ABKCO disc was unspectacular, and the new ABKCO disc is
superfluous; everything on it appears somewhere else (then again, you can buy both Big
Hits comps and avoid Hot Rocks). ABKCO simply pinches audio from other sources, and
unfortunately no unique stereo is represented. "Satisfaction" is indeed in stereo, but
ABKCO uses what sounds like a recent remix instead of the more-familiar wide stereo
London version; it's very narrow, with most things mixed center and the "acoustic"
instruments split between channels.

As this is its first album appearance, I should also note here that "19th Nervous
Breakdown" has been altered somewhat. Check the song listings for more information,
but in brief, it sounds like a new mixdown of the introduction was appended to the song,
ostensibly to avoid the "static breakup" from the guitar that has plagued all released
versions. This is *not* subtle. Amusingly, the tape drag near the end of the song is still
there.

By far the most interesting variation of this title is the Japanese CD version, which
uses the UK tracklisting. [Note that a Japanese version was released in the early POCD
series with the US tracklisting, but was just a rip of ABKCO's version] It sounds as if
London simply used the "upgraded" LP master (done in the late '60s, I believe), as it is a
mix of stereo and "ambient" fake stereo. The stereo mixes of "(I Can't Get No)
Satisfaction" and "Get Off Of My Cloud" are not used here, for instance. Still, a far nicer
variant than the US tracklisting.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.15) Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Volume 2)

---

Track List: 1) "Paint It, Black" 2) "Ruby Tuesday" 3) "She's a Rainbow" 4) "Jumpin' Jack
Flash" 5) "Mother's Little Helper" 6) "Let's Spend the Night Together" 7) "Honky Tonk
Women" 8) "Dandelion" 9) "2,000 Light Years From Home" 10) "Have You Seen Your
Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" 11) "Street Fighting Man"

---

Alternate Versions: Yes. The Japanese London series included the original UK
configuration.

Track List (UK): 1) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 2) "Mother's Little Helper" 3) "2,000 Light
Years From Home" 4) "Let's Spend the Night Together" 5) "You Better Move On" 6)
"We Love You" 7) "Street Fighting Man" 8) "She's a Rainbow" 9) "Ruby Tuesday" 10)
"Dandelion" 11) "Sittin' on a Fence" 12) "Honky Tonk Women"

---

Definitive Version: N/A

---

The original ABKCO is nothing special. "Paint It, Black" is the mono mix; "Ruby
Tuesday" the usual early-ABKCO glitched version; "She's a Rainbow" has the carnival
barker intro; "Mother's Little Helper" is mock-stereo, and so on. Totally disposable. The
new ABKCO is of course an upgrade, but merely steals tracks from other sources. Thus,
we now have the incorrect "Ruby Tuesday," the narrowed "Dandelion" (spoke of in the
song listing and in the More Hot Rocks section), et cetera. "She's a Rainbow" is now
missing the barker introduction, as is appropriate; ABKCO apparently followed London's
example, and chose not to use the intro for compilations.

By far the most interesting variant here is the rare Japanese version, which
reissues the UK configuration of this album, complete with a faux-octagonal cover!
Again, it seems as if London used the stereo LP master (or a copy thereof) for this, as
"You Better Move On" is presented in fake stereo. I'm slightly unsure as to the rest of the
tracks, though, as they seem to be taken from the usual London sources (e.g. "Dandelion"
is still very wide, and sounds like the MHR version).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.16) Hot Rocks 1964-1971

---

Track List: [Disc 1/Hot Rocks 1]: 1) "Time is On My Side" 2) "Heart of Stone" 3) "Play
With Fire" 4) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 5) "As Tears Go By" 6) "Get Off of My
Cloud" 7) "Mother's Little Helper" 8) "19th Nervous Breakdown" 9) "Paint It, Black" 10)
"Under My Thumb" 11) "Ruby Tuesday" 12) "Let's Spend the Night Together"

[Disc 2/Hot Rocks 2]: 1) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 2) "Street Fighting Man" 3) "Sympathy for
the Devil" 4) "Honky Tonk Women" 5) "Gimme Shelter" 6) "Midnight Rambler" [Live,
from Ya Yas] 7) "You Can't Always Get What You Want" 8) "Brown Sugar" 9) "Wild
Horses"

---

Alternate Versions: Yes. The London versions are two separate releases: Hot Rocks 1 and
Hot Rocks 2. They correspond to disc 1 and disc 2 above.

---

Definitive Version: None

---

[Note: A quick explanation about the two "Rolling Stones Records"-era tracks is probably
germane to this situation. The Stones owed Decca one more single at the end of their run
on the label, and gave them the infamous "Cocksucker Blues" to release. Decca wisely
decided to turn down the track, and consequently a deal was worked out that gave Decca
rights to the first "Rolling Stones Records"-era single, which turned out to be "Brown
Sugar"/"Wild Horses." Thus, ABKCO acquired rights to these tracks, which is why they
show up on Hot Rocks and The Singles Collection.]

[Note 2: VERY early vinyl pressings of Hot Rocks had alternate versions of "Brown
Sugar" and "Wild Horses." These variations have *never* made it to CD, and as I've
never heard them, I'm not sure what bootleg versions they would correspond to.]

Some strange variations here. Firstly, this is at least one instance where the US
ABKCO set actually had two distinct versions, at least of its first disc. One version has
the guitar intro "Time is On My Side," a fantastically bizarre mixed stereo/mono "Heart
of Stone," and an absolutely chewed-to-pieces "Ruby Tuesday;" the other version has the
organ-intro "Time is On My Side," an all-stereo "Heart of Stone," and a slightly less
chewed "Ruby Tuesday." This point is largely moot, though, because the old ABKCO
Hot Rocks is by far the least spectacular version of the release. On disc 1, only "Heart of
Stone" (on some versions), "Under My Thumb," "Ruby Tuesday" and "Let's Spend the
Night Together" are in stereo. "Play With Fire" is stereo, but is collapsed to near mono (it
has separation, but barely any). "Mother's Little Helper" is fake stereo. Everything else is
mono. On disc 2, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Street Fightin' Man" are slightly narrowed
stereo, and "Honky Tonk Women" is mono (probably collapsed from the stereo mix).
Everything else is stereo.

Additionally, the version of "As Tears Go By" used here is absolutely wretched,
with some wobbly phase problems and a drop out on the line "smiling faces I can see/But
not for me."

[NOTE: Apparently, some copies of the French London Hot Rocks 1 accidentally use the
master of disc 1 of the "guitar-intro" ABKCO Hot Rocks. Nobody knows why this switch
was made (it's in all likelihood accidental), so make sure you check your copies before
purchasing!]

The London Hot Rocks, by contrast, is a sonic delight, and offers a few never-
before-heard mixes; while "Satisfaction," "Play With Fire," and "Get Off of My Cloud"
are in mono on the individual London discs of Heads and December's Children, they're in
extreme, wide-stereo here. "Satisfaction," in particular, is very different from the mono
mix; it runs slightly faster, and the acoustic instruments are emphasized by being
essentially isolated in the right channel. It does suffer from a slight lack of top-end,
though.

Indeed, the only two mono tracks on Hot Rocks 1 are "19th Nervous Breakdown"
and "As Tears Go By," and the latter uses a MUCH improved source tape over the
ABKCO version (although it has a slight "stereo phase" glitch at around 1:10). Note that
the stereo version of "Time Is On My Side" is the guitar-intro version from Chess studios.

A stereo mix of "19th Nervous Breakdown" does in fact exist, but has never been
used, and it's a mystery as to why it didn't show up on Hot Rocks 1.

Hot Rocks 2 is entirely in stereo, with some tracks being much wider than on the
corresponding ABKCO tracks.

It is EXTREMELY important to note that a slight variation exists of the London.
The second issue (i.e. non "Digitally Remastered" banner) London discs unfortunately
introduce fade-ups on a few tracks; they aren't too bad, but many consequently prefer the
"untampered with" versions. Thus, if you want a fade-up-free Hot Rocks 1, make sure to
get the early-issue German pressing with the "Digitally Remastered" banner, or simply
pick up any of the various Japanese versions, all of which copy said German release's
mastering.

As compared to the London, the new ABKCO set presents a cross-section of
upgrades, unchanged tracks, and a few disappointments. Disc 1 presents stereo mixes of
everything but "Play With Fire," "Get Off Of My Cloud," "As Tears Go By," "Mother's
Little Helper" and "19th Nervous Breakdown." Of these, a few do in fact differ from their
London counterparts. "Heart of Stone" is the variation/upgrade discussed in the song
listings section and the Now! entry. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is in fact what appears
to be a reasonably-recent remix (ABKCO claims that it was made in the sixties, but the
mixing approach seems to contradict that). Instead of the wide separation that marked the
London version, this one is near-mono, with most of the "stereo" deriving from the
acoustic guitar, which is split between channels. This version also has high-end, which
the London version notably lacked. "Paint It, Black" is also in some ways better than the
London version, as its EQ more closely matches the EQ of the original, stereo vinyl
version (the London version, by contrast, was somewhat murky and indistinct). It has its
silent-channel "blacked out" during the intro, but that isn't too terribly distracting. Of the
remaining stereo tracks on disc 1, "Under My Thumb" is the slightly-processed version
from Aftermath (the hiss "comes up" when the vocals enter), "Let's Spend the Night
Together" is the usual stereo version, and "Ruby Tuesday" is the incorrect mix discussed
in detail in the song-listing section and under the Between the Buttons entry.

The mono tracks also present a mix of variants. "Play With Fire" is the actual
mono mix this time, instead of narrowed stereo. "Mother's Little Helper" is also true
mono this time around. The big variant is "19th Nervous Breakdown," which (as
mentioned elsewhere) has had some work done on it. The intro has clearly either been
remixed or downmixed from a stereo tape, as the second guitar is clearly lower in
volume, and the static burst that has always plagued the intro of this song is suddenly
missing. The tape drag at the end of the song is still present, however.

Disc 2 presents few surprises. Tracks 1 through 3 are the normal stereo versions,
with "Sympathy For the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" being the greatly-upgraded
versions from the new Beggars Banquet. "Honky Tonk Women" is somewhat
disappointing, though; it's in decidedly narrower stereo than it was on the London disc,
and is also far noisier. Odd. The other tracks present no great difference, honestly; they
sound better, but as is the case with the later-period tracks, they already sounded pretty
good in the first place. The SACD improvements are nice, however.

Thus, there is no "definitive" version of these discs, as only the old-ABKCOs are
truly disposable. Thankfully, it seems as if people are dumping their old Londons by the
dozen, so a once-expensive disc should now be fairly easy for most people to obtain.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.17) More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies)

---

Track List: [Disc 1] 1) "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" [regular edit] 2) "Not Fade
Away" 3) "The Last Time" 4) "It's All Over Now" 5) "Good Times, Bad Times" 6) "I'm
Free" 7) "Out Of Time" [Short version] 8) "Lady Jane" 9) "Sittin' on a Fence" 10) "Have
You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" 11) "Dandelion" 12) "We Love
You"

[Disc 2] 1) "She's a Rainbow" 2) "2,000 Light Years From Home" 3) "Child of the Moon
(RMK)" 4) "No Expectations" 5) "Let It Bleed" 6) "What To Do" 7) "Fortune Teller" 8)
"Poison Ivy" 9) "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" [Long Version, Bonus Track]
10) "Come On" 11) "Money" 12) "Bye Bye Johnny" 13) "Poison Ivy" [earlier version,
bonus track] 14) "I've Been Loving You Too Long" [bonus track, stereo!] 15) "I Can't Be
Satisfied" 16) "Long Long While"

Regarding "Child of the Moon," nobody is quite sure at present what RMK actually
means. It could stand for "remake," as the song was attempted in a different arrangement
during the Satanic Majesties sessions, but this theory is hotly disputed, as is the theory
that RMK are the initials of Klein's daughter. Anybody know the exact reason for this
designation?

---

Alternate Versions: Yes. Firstly, the old ABKCO version does not (obviously enough)
have the bonus tracks noted above.

Also, as with Hot Rocks, London split this up into two separate discs, but also
changed the track order around.

Track List [More Hot Rocks 1]: 1) "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" [regular edit] 2)
"Not Fade Away" 3) "The Last Time" 4) "No Expectations" 5) "Child Of The Moon" 6)
"She's A Rainbow" 7) "It's All Over Now" 8) "Good Times, Bad Times" 9) "I'm Free" 10)
"Out Of Time" [short version] 11) "Poison Ivy" [early version, corresponds to the bonus
track of the ABKCO edition] 12) "Bye Bye Johnny" 13) "Long Long While"

[More Hot Rocks 2]: 1) "What To Do" 2) "Money (That's What I Want)" 3) "Come On"
4) "Fortune Teller" 5) "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?" 6)
"Dandelion" 7) "We Love You" 8) "I Can't Be Satisfied" 9) "Lady Jane" 10) "Sittin' On A
Fence" 11) "2,000 Light Years from Home" 12) "Let It Bleed"

---

Definitive Versions: None. In fact, you have to get ALL of them!

---

A fascinating release, one parts hit collection, one parts "previously unreleased in
the US" collection. As each release (old ABKCO, London, current ABKCO remaster) has
something the others lack, I'll go through them in order.

The old ABKCO release followed the LP tracklisting verbatim. "Tell Me" is the
regular version, transferred in stereo (which, unfortunately, means that it's full of stereo
artifacts, including a BIG one at :54). "It's All Over Now" is in mono, while "I Can't Be
Satisfied" is in stereo (the latter was in mono on the original LP). "Out Of Time" is the
usual shorter edit. "She's a Rainbow" has the carnival barker intro.

ABKCO outdid themselves, though, by pulling two previously unreleased
outtakes out of nowhere for their first set. "Poison Ivy" is very similar to the version that
appeared on the More Hot Rocks vinyl (which is version one on the remaster), but is
missing some percussion overdubs in the chorus. Secondly, if one references back to the
Got Live if You Want It! entry, it is noted that ABKCO pulled a switcheroo on the "live"
"Fortune Teller," replacing the common version with one with slightly different overdubs.
Well, that alternate version suddenly shows up here, without crowd noise. It is missing a
few harmonica overdubs, clearly has more percussive overdubs, and has a slightly
different structure. These two tracks are *unique* to this old ABKCO version.

London, on the other hand, outdid themselves by rearranging the track order of the
set for no apparent reason. That said, as on Hot Rocks, several desirable tracks make the
London set a must-have. Insofar as More Hot Rocks 1 is concerned, "Tell Me" is listed as
being the full 4:05 edit, but is in fact the regular edit, transferred correctly in mono. "She's
a Rainbow" is missing its barker introduction. "It's All Over Now" is in stereo here,
whereas it was in mono on London's 12x5. Lastly, "Poison Ivy" is the later/EP version
that corresponds with version two on the current ABKCO disc. Most of the other tracks
on More Hot Rocks 1 do, in fact, sound noticeably better than they do on the ABKCO
disc. Some don't, however ("Long Long While" and a few others sound quite similar).

More Hot Rocks 2 presents a wide-stereo "What To Do," which makes for just as
odd as an opening track as it does an ending track. "Fortune Teller" is the *correct*
version, with harmonica overdubs. "Have You Seen Your Mother" is mono, instead of
ABKCO's distasteful mock-stereo. "Dandelion" presents a nice surprise; it's super-wide
stereo, and sounds noticeably better and wider than the ABKCO version. "I Can't Be
Satisfied" is stereo here, as it is on the ABKCO disc. The rest of the tracks are the usual
London versions, with one notable exception: More Hot Rocks 2 contains a version of
"Sittin' on a Fence" obviously mastered differently, and possibly from a different source
tape. It fades up, but also has far more high-end (and, consequently, hiss) than the usual
version.

[Note: The German London and Japanese London More Hot Rocks discs are absolutely
identical]

The new ABKCO presents yet *more* variations and curios. Firstly, ABKCO
apparently felt that More Hot Rocks and More Hot Rocks alone wasn't "respectable"

enough to warrant the worshipful "no bonus tracks" treatment, electing to stick on three
extra songs, which will be discussed shortly. The new ABKCO remaster falls somewhere
in-between the old ABKCO and London insofar as quality is concerned. "Tell Me" is the
3:46 version, is once again transferred in stereo, and consequently has many glitches;
hopefully, this isn't the same tape as before! "It's All Over Now" is thankfully stereo, as it
is on the new 12x5. "Out Of Time" is the usual short version, sounding just as
unimpressive as it does usually. The rest of the tracks present mixed upgrades, and are
mostly on par with the London disc. "Sittin' on a Fence," however, is strangely mastered;
as previously mentioned, the hiss level really jumps after the vocals come in, similar to
some of the Aftermath tracks. "Dandelion" is also seriously disappointing, as it's folded
in, and sounds almost *exactly* like the old ABKCO version. Did they just grab the same
tape?

Disc 2 continues in much the same fashion. "She's a Rainbow" is lacking the
barker introduction. "Child of the Moon" sounds like the London version, but is
noticeably louder/more dynamic; whether this is from EQ or merely the result of finding a
better tape is unknown. "What To Do" is as on Aftermath. Both "Poison Ivy" variants are
presented, but the underdub from the previous ABKCO disc is missing in action.
"Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" is the long version, in mono, whose appearance
finally renders the Japanese London No. 2 disc completely superfluous. Why they didn't
use the stereo mix (found officially only on vinyl) is anybody's guess. Out of nowhere
comes "I've Been Loving You Too Long," in stereo no less! It had appeared sans crowd
noise on various vinyl releases (and was pretty easy to make from the stereo Got Live If
You Want It!), but had always been in mono; this stereo release marks the biggest
surprise of the entire reissue program. "I Can't Be Satisfied" is also in stereo here.

Guess what? ALL THREE versions have something unique, and are thus
necessary for the completist. If you're not a completist, either the current remaster or the
London set will be sufficient.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*4.18) The Singles Collection: The London Years (3CDs)

---

Track List [Disc 1]: 1) "Come On" 2) "I Want To Be Loved" 3) "I Wanna Be Your Man"
4) "Stoned" 5) "Not Fade Away" 6) "Little By Little" 7) "It's All Over Now" 8) "Good
Times, Bad Times" 9) "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" 10) "I Just Want To Make Love
To You" 11) "Time Is On My Side" 12) "Congratulations" 13) "Little Red Rooster" 14)
"Off the Hook" 15) "Heart of Stone" 16) "What a Shame" 17) "The Last Time" 18) "Play
With Fire" 19) "Satisfaction" 20) "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" 21)
"The Spider and the Fly" 22) "Get Off of My Cloud" 23) "I'm Free" 24) "The Singer, Not
the Song" 25) "As Tears Go By"

[Disc 2]: 1) "Gotta Get Away" 2) "19th Nervous Breakdown" 3) "Sad Day" 4) "Paint It,
Black" 5) "Stupid Girl" 6) "Long Long While" 7) "Mother's Little Helper" 8) "Lady Jane"
9) "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" 10) "Who's Driving
Your Plane" 11) "Let's Spend the Night Together" 12) "Ruby Tuesday" 13) "We Love
You" 14) "Dandelion" 15) "She's a Rainbow" 16) "2,000 Light Years from Home" 17) "In
Another Land" 18) "The Lantern" 19) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 20) "Child of the Moon"

[Disc 3]: 1) "Street Fighting Man" 2) "No Expectations" 3) "Surprise Surprise" 4) "Honky
Tonk Women" 5) "You Can't Always Get What You Want" 6) "Memo From Turner" 7)
"Brown Sugar" 8) "Wild Horses" 9) "I Don't Know Why" 10) "Try a Little Harder" 11)
"Out of Time" 12) "Jiving Sister Fanny" 13) "Sympathy for the Devil"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: ABKCO remaster (although the old release *does* have material
unavailable on the remaster)

---

There's no such thing as a "London Records" version of the Singles Collection;
while London apparently released it in both Europe and Japan, it was ALWAYS merely a
clone of the ABKCO set.

The old ABKCO set was alarmingly uneven. The Singles Collection purported to
finally collect all of the Stones Decca-era singles into one place; consequently, most
assumed that the single MIXES would also be used. This was, sadly, not entirely the case,
and consequently the Singles Collection's value was tremendously diminished.

Thankfully, the new ABKCO release rectifies this somewhat, as the new set gains
many single mixes. The problem is, it also LOSES a few tracks, and there's some suspect
stuff going on that suggests that forgeries still plague the set. Also, it's quite obvious that
more care was taken on the more "universal" tracks than the tracks that only appear here;
like Between the Buttons, there's an awful lot of extreme fidelity-switching going on.
Lastly, when tracks are in mono, the new ABKCO set is correctly in pure mono, while the
old one is out of balance most of the time (i.e. tracks were transferred in stereo). Note
also that while individual tracks on the ABKCO remasters aren't digitally corrected to
mono, they *are* here (i.e. if one takes "Gotta Get Away" out-of-phase on the new
ABKCO December's Children, there's a ghost image of the music left, but if one takes it
out-of-phase here it cancels perfectly).

So without further ado, an easy disc by disc comparison:

"Come On" was slightly murky and indistinct on the old set; it sounds "normal"
on the new set, which is a distinct improvement. "I Want to Be Loved" is louder and
clearer on the new set. "I Wanna Be Your Man" actually sounds like a slight downgrade,
as the version on the new set seems to be totally lacking top-end; however, this might
match the EQ of the original single. "Stoned" is louder. "Not Fade Away" is almost
identical. "Little by Little" sounds similar, but has the usual aggressive EQ applied. "It's
All Over Now" sounds slightly better, but the stereo version is still preferred here. "Good
Times Bad Times" always sounded markedly similar on the old set and on the old
London More Hot Rocks. Here, it sounds like it's been taken from a slightly better tape,
as it runs ever so slightly faster, with a better sound on the acoustic guitars. "Tell Me"
sounds a lot better here, but it's suddenly no longer the single edit; instead, ABKCO
merely uses the same tape as on More Hot Rocks. "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" is
louder. The old ABKCO set accidentally used the guitar-intro version of "Time is On My
Set," whereas the correct organ version appears on the new set.

The new "Congratulations" is slightly less murky, as is "Little Red Rooster." "Off
the Hook" sounds mostly similar, but the intro on the new version is far less hissy,
possibly due to EQ. "Heart of Stone" was a murky stereo-intro-mono-body monstrosity
on the old set; the new set provides a crisp mono version, but one that sounds like a
reduction of the new stereo mix (as I actually remember the mono "Heart of Stone "
*being* a muddy, indistinct mess). "What a Shame" is nearly identical, but it sounds like
some processing has been applied to eliminate the static in the intro. "The Last Time" is
largely identical. "Play with Fire" has some MARKED differences; the old ABKCO set
used the collapsed-stereo version that Hot Rocks used, while the new one uses what
sounds like the correct mono tape, as it's hissier and runs far slowed than does the old
version. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was identical on the old set to the one on Hot
Rocks; the new version sounds very similar, but runs a hair faster. "The Under Assistant
West Coast Promotion Man" has the usual aggressive EQ on the new set, but the MAJOR
difference is, of course, that the old set used the full, uncensored version, whereas the
new set uses the standard one. Disappointing.

The new "The Spider and the Fly" has slightly more top end. "Get Off of My
Cloud" takes the aggressive EQ to some ridiculous heights, though; the bottom end is
VERY artificial, and frankly I prefer the slightly murkier version on the old set. "I'm
Free" is slightly more dynamic. "The Singer, Not the Song" has the same EQ boost as it
does on December's Children, and also runs faster than on the old set. Lastly, ABKCO
unearthed a better tape of "As Tears Go By" in time for their old set, as it didn't use the
chewed-up version that was on Hot Rocks. The new set uses a similar tape, but runs
slower than the previous version, and indeed most versions I've heard.

Disc 2 is improved to a fantastic degree. "Gotta Get Away" has much better high-
end on the new set, and runs slightly faster. "19th Nervous Breakdown" is the odd re-
working from Hot Rocks, instead of the actual single mix (again, why bother?). "Sad
Day" has more top end, but that might just be due to EQ, as does "Paint It, Black" (is this
longer mono version really the single, though?). "Stupid Girl" is the actual single mix this
time around. "Long Long While" has sounded lousy in most previous incarnations
(including the London versions), but sounds swell on the new set, with more natural top-
end and a generally-upgraded sound. "Mother's Little Helper" has more top end. "Lady
Jane" seems to be the actual mono mix on the new set, as does "Have You Seen Your
Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow," which was mock-stereo on the old set. "Who's
Driving Your Plane?" sounds a bit better on the new set, but that could be due to better
EQ. "Let's Spend the Night Together" actually has top end on the new set.

"Ruby Tuesday" presents the same problem as its stereo incarnation: that is, the
version on the new set seems to be missing vocals in the chorus as compared with the old
version. That said, for all I know this version is the "correct" one, and the one on the old
set a knockdown. Curious. "We Love You" is slightly brighter, but is also definitely more
compressed. Ditto with "Dandelion.," "She's a Rainbow" and "2,000 Light Years from
Home" are brighter. "In Another Land" and "The Lantern" actually seem to use the real
single mixes this time around, although neither sounds wonderful. "Jumpin' Jack Flash"
and "Child of the Moon" *do*, however, and it's nice to finally have those mixes on disc.

Disc 3 starts off with a nice surprise. For the first time in thirty years, the original,
amazingly hard-to-find mono single mix of "Street Fighting Man" is easily available! The
fidelity is surprisingly bad, and the mixing rather sloppy-it isn't hard to see why they
replaced this version with a downmixed version of the album mix-but it presents a
fascinating alternate to a familiar track. "No Expectations" may or may not be a mono
reduction of the new "correct" version, as it's very hard to tell. "Honky Tonk Woman"
was in mono before, but is now in stereo; however, the mono mix was apparently just a
knockdown of the stereo, so this isn't a big deal. On the flip side, "You Can't Always Get
What You Want" was the edited version in stereo before, while now it is in mono (still
edited).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4.19) "The Stones Remastered 21 X 5 Sampler"

---

Track List: 1) "It's All Over Now" 2) "2120 South Michigan Avenue" 3) "Get Off of My
Cloud" 4) "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 5) "Under My Thumb" 6) "I Am Waiting" 7)
"Ruby Tuesday" 8) "Miss Amanda Jones" 9) "Paint It, Black" 10) "Dandelion" 11) "She's
a Rainbow" 12) "I'm Free" 13) "Jiving Sister Fanny" 14) "Brown Sugar" 15) "You Got the
Silver" 16) "Monkey Man" 17) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 18) "Wild Horses" 19) "Factory
Girl" 20) "Midnight Rambler" [Live, Ya Yas version] 21) "Honky Tonk Women"

---

Alternate Versions: None

---

Definitive Version: N/A

---

As many Stones fans won't recognize this entry in the list, a bit of explanation is
in order. This package was created by ABKCO as a "sampler" offering from the then-
upcoming reissue series. As it was issued far in advance of the actual release date of the
reissues, it started going for amazingly ridiculous prices on eBay, despite the fact that
ABKCO was seemingly throwing these at anybody who asked. Despite the fact that the
reissues are now available, this continues to be traded at grossly inflated prices.

Unfortunately, *some* of the value may be justified, as this set contains a few
versions of tracks that did not make it in this form to the final discs (while this isn't a big
deal for CD listeners, who can simply acquire a copy of this disc, the improved SACD
layer of a few tracks presents a bigger problem). The different tracks (that aren't merely
shorter edits) are as follows:

1) "Under My Thumb." This track is processed on the officially released discs
(with the hiss level of the track noticeably increasing when the vocals come
in), but is unprocessed here.
2) "Miss Amanda Jones." Still has the folded-in intro, but NO hiss reduction has
been applied to the track at this point.
3) "Jiving Sister Fanny." The version on Metamorphosis suffers from several
digital glitches (as does the rest of the album). The version here is glitch-free.

Thus, the sampler reflects something of a "work-in-progress," as while most
versions here are the versions that would be used on the final discs ("Ruby Tuesday" is
the wrong mix, for example), they aren't necessarily in their final forms. An interesting
listen, but don't pay eBay prices for the novelty!

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Section 5.0: [Song List Coming in Next Version]

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Section 6.0: Criticism and conclusions (non-Q/A format) (coming in next version)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
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Section 7.0: Thanks!

Special thanks goes to:

*Everyone on USEnet, Undercover, stevehoffman.tv, etc. who contributed information to
this guide. Among 'em: Stephen Carter, Gregg Schnitzer, Marc Marshall, C. Olver, Dave
Heller, Ron Lane, Pat Moss, and others (bug us if you want to be included here).
*Those who lent us discs/supplies for comparison purposes: JWB 'n all.
*The Internet, for allowing sickos like us to share our twisted obsessive-compulsive
disorders with large groups of people.

Until next time!

THE END