(TV) More notes on reissues (MM)

[Maurice Rickard <maurice@mac.com>]

Oh, here's the bombshell (for me) from the liner notes: Tom 
originally wanted Rudy van Gelder to record _MM_!  That would have 
been interesting.  Also some fascinating anecdotes about working with 
Andy Johns.

Prove It and Torn Curtain: maybe it's a factor of the headphones I'm 
listening to this on (the stereo speakers are showing their cheapness 
and age), but I'm finding that Fred's playing is revealed in all its 
brilliant essential nature.  Maybe it was the flatwound strings not 
being accurately reproduced on my system all those years, but for 
whatever reason, Fred and Billy really get the much-deserved 
spotlight on these tunes.

Anyway, now the reissues have me looking at speakers.

See No Evil (Alternate):  LOTS of Lloyd playing all over this thing, 
really loose and hot, not unlike some of his recent shredding shows. 
I'm glad they didn't use this one on the album, but I'm really happy 
it's a bonus track.  Double-tracked Tom vocal on the chorus!  Lloyd 
is nothing if not consistent--this is the same solo as the more 
familiar.  Slightly different lyrics in the end section ("going crazy 
with the one you love"), and a loose ending.

Friction (Alternate): More reverby.  Much more reverb on Tom's 
guitar, and a lot of rubbery vibrato.  Creepy and unsettling.  Very 
live feel.  Tom kicks in the vibrato pedal after "telescopes."   The 
opening of the solo is similar, but doesn't have the same bite as the 
more familiar version, but it does heat up in the third and fourth 
bars. Way more aggressive in the last chorus, too.

Marquee Moon (Alternate): Largely the same as the one we know, but 
different guitar accents behind the second "life in the hive" 
section, *very* different Richard solo.  Much more abrupt transition 
to the section for Tom's solo, which starts similarly, but is clearly 
different--more melodic beginning, as opposed to the dramatic pedal 
tone we're familiar with.  It's a great alternate take on these 
ideas.  The climax is identical, however, and it (along with that 
abrupt transition) makes me wonder if this was edited together.  The 
piano seems more prominent in the mix during the parallel climbing 
section.  The cascade section, too, seems either identical or very 
close, but immediately afterwards, it's clearly different, with a 
different texture on the climactic downbeat, and some distorted 
guitar in the rest before the riff starts up again, and there's more 
piano after the final verse.

O Mi Amore: I wish there were vocals on this.  The (excellent) liner 
notes say this is from the Adventure sessions, btw.  Ouch--some wrong 
notes on the riff after the breakdown.  OK, I see why they left it 
off.  Sounds like Richard decided to lay out after that.  With just 
the chordal part, it's exceedingly cool garage rock, and then right 
before the end, Billy works his magic.

More to come, as I've just popped Adventure in.
--
Maurice Rickard
http://mauricerickard.com/
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