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I was listening earlier to the The Shadows CD 'The first 20 years at the top' and the version of 'Midnight' in stereo sounds really odd, Hank's guitar is slightly distorted at various points and the volume of Bruce's rhythm guitar tends to flutuate throughout the song i haven't got a mono or vinyl copy to compare but i was wondering if something went wrong when this was transferred to CD (or mixed into stereo).
Can anyone shed light on it?

I had the Shadows Greatest Hits on vinyl (indeed still have) and I'm sure Midnight sounded as you describe on that.

When I have time to clear the last decade of accumulated clutter off the top of the record deck I'll listen to it again to see if I'm right - if the record deck still works!

(Don't the rubber drive belts stretch after a while or something?)

Hank's guitar is often distorted, it's part of his sound

There were technical problems during the recording session of "Midnight", which made the sound fluctuate. This is most evident on the stereo mix, not or not so much on the mono mix. Also, Bruce wasn't satisfied with his recorded electric rhythm guitar sound. On "Midnight" his guitar sounds like a continuous hum. This is why he used an acoustic guitar on a couple of the subsequent recordings. At the time of the recording session of "Midnight" (recorded October 26th, 1960), there were separate setups for recording the mono and stereo versions of a track. When multitrack recording became available, the mono and stereo mixes would be created from the multitrack tapes.

Yes....unusually for EMI / Paramor / Addey....the acoustic screens were either incorrectly positioned or else something happened with the mics allowing 'bleed through' of Tony's snare drum. The result was the slightly delayed 'snare drum slap back echo' (I can't think of any other way to describe it) in the r/h channel 'behind' Bruce's electric rhythm guitar.It's also there in the mono mix...but much less obtrusive. in 1996 on USA label Scamp's "Shadows Are Go!" (SCP 9711 - 2) the remastering seems to have given Bruce's guitar much more depth, warmth and 'presence'. The snare drum echo is still there....but less prominent than on many stereo issues. Lovely track though.

Rob

I've always thought that that slap-back echo on the snare was so prominent that it must have been done deliberately. Experimentation by a keen engineer perhaps? I love it - it's a fantastic effect. It's perhaps not realised so well on the old technology, but it's nice to hear something out of the ordinary when it could have just been a basic brushed snare rhythm.

Cheers

Matt

Now that IS a very interesting thought. I'd never thought myself about the possibility of it being a deliberate effect. Something that Joe Meek would've definitely done....but Norrie Paramor?? Hmmmm....very interesting theory Matt.

Rob

Hi Rob

It was the fact that the delay is almost perfectly half a beat that led me to the assumption. Could be a coincidence of course but I'd have thought that was a long shot in those days!

Cheers

Matt

If the sound was unintentional, maybe on playback in the studio it was decided (with Norrie's consent!) to retain it, as it lends a certain eerie effect to the late night atmoshere of the tune... just another theory, of course!

Bill

I have just listened to the cd and vinyl album versions and although not as pronounced on the vinyl that snare rattle, if that is what it is, is definitely there.
I did have to put the headphones on to hear it on the vinyl but I agree with Matt it does make it different.
I guess we will never know for sure.

Ron