Cream - Whiskey a Go Go (Remastered)

Los Angeles, Ca. - September 4, 1967 - CD-R2 - TBA

Disc 1:

1. Opening
2. N.S.U.
3. Tales of Brave Ulysses
4. Sitting on Top of the World
5. Sweet Wine
6. Rollin' and Tumblin'

Disc 2:

1. Opening
2. Spoonful
3. Sunshine of Your Love
4. Sleepy Time Time
5. Stepping Out
6. Train Time
7. Toad
8. I'm So Glad

Geetarz Comments:

Shortly after the original Mid Valley release was torrented, this fan remastered version of the MV title was also released. In a blind poll using mp3 samples, the members of the ClaptonBoots group preferred the original Mid Valley release to the remaster, 63% to 37%. You can check out samples from the is remastered version:

Remastered Sample #1
Remastered Sample #2

The person responsible for the "remaster" did not take the time or consideration to in any way change the length or format of the MV release, or in any way differentiate the "remaster" from the original. This is a problem as many common tools used to identify CD titles, for example the Gracenote CD Database (used by iTunes), use track timing to determine the identity of a disc. In this case, both the original Mid Valley release and the remaster appear to be the same CD set to the database, so the end user has no way of accurately and conclusively determining which version of the recording they have encountered. This is yet another example of how someone well-meaning can quite casually generate real confusion in the trading community.

Now for the good news, if one has available the original torrented files in FLAC format (always the best way to share/trade music), the original vs. the remaster can easily be identified by the FLAC Fingerprints in this case keyed to the remastered version.

Please note, the artwork for this version has been modified to indicate that it has been altered.

Further Review pending.

Seeder Comments:

TRANSFER/EDITING NOTES:

This is a very impressive performance of Cream at their live best in the late sixties. As far as I know, this gem of a recording is also the entire show. Huge thanks go out to the original seeder of this recording as well as the bootleg company for releasing it! As far as the sound quality goes, it's definitely very good for the time period. Few truly listenable audience recordings from 1967 and beyond rarely surface.

Having said that, there are certainly some problems with the sound. Most evident is the high level of mid-range frequencies (and at times low-mid range frequencies) that produces a high level of noise from resonant frequencies. Heavy equalization was used to remedy this effect. I used a trial-and-error method to adjust frequency response. As the recording was so unbalanced, this took some time and a LOT of patience. However, after carefully cutting the hazardous mid-range frequencies causing a lot of the noise, the recording gained much more clarity and crispness.

I found the second disc, for the most part, to be inferior to the first as far as sound quality is concerned. Some people may not notice this, but when analyzed they are certainly different as far as noise levels and frequency response go. Therefore, I had to adjust each track from scratch, without utilizing saved frequency edits for recordings that have a similar response throughout.

There is a clipping sound, which originates from the source used, that occurs on some tracks, mostly on the second disc. To me it sounds like someone is bumping the mic source or the mic is hitting something. This clipping is produced in low range frequencies. It could just be an overload from maybe Bruce's bass amp output or Ginger's kick drum. It's possible that the taper moved around during the show, therefore causing the shifts in sound quality.

At times there seems to be a discernable different in audio information in both channels and therefore channel mixing was not used. For tracks on the second disc mostly, one channel was very unbalanced and would reduce sound quality more if present and consequently was removed and replaced with the other channel. This, of course, creates a mono recording. This may sound like a downgrade in quality, but in certain cases, one channel is inferior sound quality and is better to be removed.

This covers most of what I can remember doing to this recording. Remember, absolutely no noise reduction was used. I hope you enjoy this version of a remarkable, classic, sweaty Cream show!

upped by: theface07.