Re: Those EMI dorks!

[dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford)]

Larry J. Hernandez (alundra@flash.net) wrote:
: "G. Jeffrey Gower" <jgower@mtholyoke.edu> wrote: 

: Hi folks.  I just joined the list recently, and decided to go ahead and 
: update my worn Kate LPs with CD versions.  So far I have NFE, TD, and
: HOL 
: from the EMI-Manhattan label,

: ---This "Manhattan" line was (is? I never went for it) one of the 
:    worst marketing schemes ever put over the public. Not only are 
:    most of the credits missing, to my ears, hearing a friend's 
:    Manhattan CD, the music quality itself is poorer than original 
:    EMI (import) or original American releases. 

My first Kate CD was the original US release of NFE and it had all the hiss
between the tracks turned up for our enjoyment as well as some foreign 
sctartch sound just before 'The Wedding List'.  This was back in 86 or 87. 
Guess the US was still learning how to make CDs back then.  I then heard
the UK import which was clean, little hiss, none between the tracks,
no Wedding List glitch, all lyrics and more artwork.  That experience has
made me an im-port buyer ever since for every album unless there is no
non-US issue. 

: and as to be expected of EMI (the half-wits 
: they are), they have excluded all lyrics and LP insleeve stuff like 
: photos, credits, etc..  

: ---I guess blame can be placed on EMI in England, but wasn't their 
:    American counterpart responsible for the Manhattan line? Anyone? 
    
The original UK EMI issues sounded very good and had decent artwork.  
EMI-Manhatten was a subsidary of C(r)apitol which is owned by Thorn-EMI
but I think the US operation is distinct.  They used their own masters,
artwork producers and delivered the garbage CDs talked about here.

While EMI UK are not above criticism they have been very good with Kate's 
album releases and reissues apart from being skimpy (no not Skippy!) on
the TSW boxed set.  EMI 

: I am somewhat used to this but it never fails to 
: really anger me that they would go ahead and reissue recordings but
: leave 
: out such important info.

: ---Ugh. Sorry to hear that you could actually get "used" to this. 
:     Especially considering that it's Kate! :) 

US CDs are cheap compared to CDs in most other companies.  US companies
are also into making a quick buck no matter what the product because most
US consumers aren't listening that closely.  They were also caught with their
pants down on CD production in the mid 80s.  So as soon as plants came online
they put product on the shelf ASAP without too much care for quality.

: Just to save a few $ I guess - what dweebs!  Oh 
: well, I am glad that Columbia (who put out TSW CD) didn't do the same.

: ---That's only becaue the Columbia release is an original American 
:    release. One day, it too may suffer the same fate as the other 
:    Katealbums, if we are lucky to see a rerelease. 

Let's wait for a US budget reissue of TSW.  I am unimpressed by CBS/Sony's
reissues in the past.

:    May I suggest that your next CD be the Japanese release of 
:    _Lionheart_?  You simply will not (cannot) be dissatisfied.  :-) 

And if you can't get the Japanese, the UK one is pretty good. 


Derek  
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Derek H. Langsford                               dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu 
Dept. of Biology                                 Tel. (619) 594 2885
San Diego State University                     
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