The "best" shadows recordings?

[sixtiesman]

This is one for JimN....!

I have lots of shads cds but which is the definitive best recording of the original shads hits? Cleanest remastered?

I always seem to drift towards the yellow cover 20 golden greats.

I bought shadows at their best but this turned out to be a re-record. I bought the platinum album but this turned out to be modern versions..........

regards

sixtiesman

[JimN]

This is one for JimN....!

I have lots of shads cds but which is the definitive best recording of the original shads hits? Cleanest remastered?

I always seem to drift towards the yellow cover 20 golden greats.

I bought shadows at their best but this turned out to be a re-record. I bought the platinum album but this turned out to be modern versions..........

regards

sixtiesman

The cleanest and best re-master is (in my opinion, and without a single doubt), the six-disc "The Early Years - expanded version", available for £15 or so:

http://tinyurl.com/nolzl33

[sixtiesman]

Thanks Jim!

I have the earlier 1990s version of this but not the new one..

I will have a look at this.

Thanks Jim

sixtiesman

[iefje]

- For the primary album category, I think the run of digi-pak CD's from the late 1990's for the first nine albums are the best sounding.
- For singles tracks the following are best: "The Shadows' Greatest Hits" CD (UK 2004 issue with mono and stereo versions), "More Hits!" CD (UK 2004 issue with mono and stereo versions) and "Complete Singles As & Bs - The First 21 Years At The Top" 4 CD box (UK 2004).
- A combination of all tracks issued between 1959 and 1966: "The Early Years (Expanded Edition) - Their Complete Studio Recordings 1959-1966" 6 CD box (UK 2013).
- A combination of album and singles tracks issued between 1973 and 1980: "Listen To The Shadows" CD (UK 1989 and reissue 1997).
- The 1984 primary album "Guardian Angel", reissued on the See For Miles Records label as the "Guardian Angel...Plus" CD (UK 1998).
- The 1982 primary album "'Live' At Abbey Road" with the 2001 primary album "Live At The Liverpool Empire", issued on the See For Miles Records label as a double CD (UK 2001).
- Overall for the primary Polydor albums, issued between 1980 and 1990, the parent CD issues on the same label have the best sound, apart from the previous two entries.
- For The Shadows' originals on albums and singles issued between 1980 and 1990, the "Shadstrax" CD (UK 1998), also on See For Miles is a great package, but as said, most tracks sound better (with a little lower volume level) on the Polydor parent CD's. As for the five 1980's non-album B-sides ("Fender Bender", "The Fourth Man", "Spot The Ball", "The Shady Lady" and "Elevenis"), the CD's on the Pickwick label "The Shadows Collection" and "Dancing In The Dark" (UK 1989 and 1991 respectively individually and together with the CD "Diamonds" in the UK 1990 3 CD box "A Special Collection") have a better sound. However, some pressings of these CD's have had problems with the chemical composition.

[sixtiesman]

Thank you to Ivo Koers for the comprehensive reply!

I was interested in the singles so I have ordered the "early years" box set.

Thanks Jim

Can't wait.

regards

sixtiesman

[Hank2k]

There is a compilation album out at present in HMW showing Shadows with the white strats on the front, Its 3 cds and is only about £4

http://store.hmv.com/music/cd/the-absolutely-essential-3cd-collection-(2)

[drakula63]

I would be inclined to agree that 'The Early Years' boxset is the one to have!

Mind you, 20 Golden Greats still takes some beating!

[iefje]

The musical content of the original 1977 LP issue of "20 Golden Greats" is more interesting than the 1986 CD issue, because ten of the tracks have different mixes:
- "Apache" and "The Frightened City" have slightly different stereo mixes.
- "Guitar Tango", "Atlantis", "Geronimo", "Stingray" and "Theme For Young Lovers" have its stereo channels reversed.
- "Foot Tapper" is in mock stereo.
- "Wonderful Land" and "F.B.I." are also in mock stereo, but are different from the 1971 mock stereo mixes from the stereo issue of "The Shadows' Greatest Hits" and the 1972 3-track single "Apache"/"Wonderful Land", "F.B.I.".

[sixtiesman]

Well thank you to everybody!!!

I ordered the early years box set.

It was the main hit singles that I was chasing and in the original format, not re recorded.

Although I have many Shadows CDs, the 20 Golden Greats remains my reference point. I am hoping the remaster will be a little clearer?

Fascinating about the LP version.........I have that somewhere in the loft.............and I have just had my rega deck overhauled!!!!!.........




Thanks again to everybody.

sixtiesman

[Fenderman]

I think the sound on the Early Records 1958-1961 is superb but i suspect some digital tweaking was done.
For later tracks, the 6 CD The Early Shadows has superb sound quality, The remastered Greatest HIts is also worth a mention.
I also think the EMI remaster of Hank Marvin (with bonus tracks) has superb sound quality.
Incidently, does anyone know if the Shadows recorded in 2 track or 4 track in the early years? I know EMI had 4 track as early as 1960 but this was reserved for MOR artists such as Matt Monro or Shirley Bassey as the seperation on the early stereo recordings in quite good.