Re: Love-Hounds digest V12 #181

[krys.thomas@wmcmail.wmc.ac.uk]

     Re:  "Cathy Demos"
     
     I was interested to read the exchange about the early demos between 
     Colin and Ronald.  I received my first cassette copy from a friend 
     years ago, but have been sent other copies by friendly Kate fans since 
     (I have about four now).  Some were apparently sourced from the 
     "Cathy's Home Demos" vinyl LP, others from a Cd (I've never seen one 
     of these).  Comparing them is interesting, because many of the copies 
     in cicrulation seem to be at the "wrong" speed, Kate sounds a bit like 
     she is under water and singing slowly.  The very first tape I had 
     sounds much more what you would expect of a young teenage girl 
     singing, enen though it is sometimes hard to catch the words.  If 
     anyone has only the "slowed down" versions, I can thoroughly recommend 
     the other one and if you want a copy please let me know.  I agree with 
     Ron that people should copy them free; there are so many around now 
     anyway it wouldn't be worth Kate's while to try and withdraw them, so 
     it seems only fair that all people interested in Kate's music should 
     be able to hear them without being ripped off by unscrupulous 
     bootleggers.
     
     Finally, as many of you will know (who are already in receipt of the 
     demos on whatever format) titles differ according to the source.  Some 
     songs apear to have several titles, people who put the tapes onto 
     cassette/Cd to bootleg guessing (wildly at times!) what the songs may 
     be called - it's quite amusing some of the things they have come up 
     with, they have mis-heard a few of the things Kate is singing.  My 
     copy also includes some stuff Kate sang at the Bill Duffield concert, 
     which is short and noisy but nice to have.
     
     Take care all,
     
     Bright Blessings
     
     
     
     
     Krys


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Love-Hounds digest V12 #181
Author:  love-hounds@gryphon.com at internet
Date:    03/06/96 19:23


     
Love-Hounds digest          Monday, 3 June 1996        Volume 12 : Number 181
     
In this issue:
Re: Cathy Demos
Re: Cathy Demos and Video Stuff
Re: Red Shoe Blues
     
----------------------------------------------------------------------
     
From: "bmiller5" <bmiller5@ix.netcom.com> 
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 1996 03:46:38 -0700 
Subject: Re: Cathy Demos
     
>>On topic: a dear friend of mine has promised to send >>me the Cathy 
Demos 
>>within the week.  Shall I be jubilant, or is a pained >>expression of 
>>dismay more appropriate? 
     
Colin,
     
I listen to the Cathy Demos occasionally, and I would say that a proper 
response is is somewhere between jubilaiton and dismay.  Yes, they are 
poorly recorded, and her voice while beatiful and haunting (but you knew 
that!) sounds a little untrained. The songs are of mixed quality and 
include early versions of songs we know well (O To Be in Love, Kashka from 
Bagdad, Hammer Horror).   For me, it;s most interesting to listen to 
because of the clues it provides to Kate's officially released songs. 
There are snippets of musical and lyrical ideas on the demos that have 
resurfaced on her albums that add yet another degree of  conceptual 
consistancy to her music.  
     
     
------------------------------
     
From: Ronald.Girardin@Dartmouth.EDU (Ronald Girardin) 
Date: 03 Jun 96 08:37:42 EDT
Subject: Re: Cathy Demos and Video Stuff
     
- --- NelsonII@aol.com wrote:
The problems that I have with it, however, don't have much to do with the 
music.  First, Kate doesn't get anything ($$$) for this (and I believe she 
doesn't like the idea of having this material out there)  Second, the sound 
quality (at least on my CD) leaves something to be desired.  Basically, it 
sounds like the songs have gone to the moon and back, via tape, LP, tape 
again, and then CD.
- --- end of quoted material ---
Hi Ron  (hmmmmm....like writing to myself  ;-) )
     
   This is why I think the people who already own the Kate Demos should tape
them free
of charge to anybody asking.  This will undermind the bootlegging industry.   I 
myself
have made several copies of the Kate demos and I'll continue to do so.  If 
anybody wants
a the home demos,  drop me a line.    
     
   As far as the sound quality is concerned,  you can't expect much.  Most of
these songs
were perhaps recorded on a small portable cassette deck with 1 microphone. 
Then these
recordings were probably copied and re-copied....put onto vinyl.....put back 
onto tape...
..then finally transferred onto CDs.   Of course they sound terrible.  
     
   Although these songs aren't the best songs Kate has ever recorded, they are
interesting
in the sense that we're able to get a glimpse at a very young Kate making her 
first baby
steps at composing.  This alone makes these recordings worth the listen.
     
     
peace
     
ron
     
------------------------------
     
From: kpd000@colum.edu (Keith DeWeese x5422) 
Date: 3 Jun 1996 15:34:49 GMT
Subject: Re: Red Shoe Blues
     
Thanks for defending THE RED SHOES.  Though I can't truthfully say it is 
my favorite album, I find it delightful nonetheless.  When I read the 
negative criticism of it, I start to think I'm missing something, didn't 
get the punchline to a joke, etc.  Also, the fact that I find BIG STRIPEY 
LIE to be a sacred thing concerns me when I read that so many Lovehounds 
loathe it.  
     
Thanks, again, and peace,
     
Keith
- --
     
     
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End of Love-Hounds digest V12 #181
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