The Scoop Unabridged / RE: (TV) CD's of the first solo album

["Casey, Leo J" <Leo.J.Casey@Volpe.dot.gov>]

Rex wrote
>There are differing run times on some of the tracks, so can 
>anyone with time on their hands tell me which is which based 
>on the following run times:

>VERSION 1:
>Grip of Love 4:00
>Kingdom Come: 3:38
>Yonki Time 3:53
>Last Night 4:47

>VERSION 2:
>Grip of Love 3:58
>Kingdom Come 3:41
>Yonki Time 3:54
>Last Night 4:37

>Note that my Collector's Choice reissue was the first version 
>they shipped, which if I recall correctly was a different mix 
>from the original CD... did they ever really re-reissue it?  
>If so did it revert to a clone of the original CD, or was it 
>yet a third distinctly version?

Here is the SCOOP(and contains all answers to your questions):

Collectors' Choice (CC) Reissue/Remaster Of Verlaine's 1st 
Solo Album, Tom Verlaine, NYC, the Wrong Master Of The Studio 
Tapes; and "Collectors' Choice (CC) Reissue/Remaster Of 
Verlaine's 1st Solo Album, Tom Verlaine, NYC, the Correct 
Master Of The Studio Tapes" (Leo received two copies of the 
former, i.e., the wrong master version, on September 19, 2002 
via mail order from Collectors' Choice.)          

Description/Saga:  In September 2002, Collectors' Choice (CC) 
in issuing Verlaine's 1979 1st solo LP album, Tom Verlaine as a 
remastered cd, used the wrong master tapes/mixes. The differences 
are quite striking, but not for the better.  A few examples of 
the differences on the 'CC wrong mix/version':  a) no organ on 
'Kingdom Come'; b) nor on 'Flash Lightning'; c) drums too 
prominent on some tracks; and d) the guitar solo on 'Breakin' 
In My Heart' is inferior to the original.  

It is important to realize that it is not just a different mix, 
i.e., not simply that particular instrument(s) on the original 
tracks are more prominent or have been mixed-entirely-out, but 
that some tracks are entirely different versions from the original 
tracks:  solos, and even sung lyrics and song lengths are 
sometimes different!  The differences are especially noticeable 
on 'The Grip of Love', 'Souvenir From A Dream', and 'Flash 
Lightning' (if there is no organ on 'Flash Lightning', then you 
have do not have the correct mix/version on the 1979 LP).  In 
1979, Elektra had asked Bob Clearmountain to remix the entire 
LP, and it's his mix[version] you hear on the Elektra released 
1979 Tom Verlaine LP.  

In the following short quote any words in inside a [    ] are 
not Philip's original words.

Philip wrote:  "The easiest way to tell the 'CC wrong 
mix[version]' (aka the 'CC alternate') from the correct 
mix/version (i.e., the 'Clearmountain mix[version]') is to 
compare [listen to] 'The Grip of Love'.  On the 
'Clearmountain mix[version]', right after the 'Well don't 
that buckle my belt' intro to the chorus, Verlaine first 
sings, 'Sure had me in your hand' (right around 1:38).  
On the 'CC alternate' (and The Lost Mix, 1979), Verlaine 
sings, 'Sure got it in your hand' at the same point (1:38)."  

Philip wrote:  "Here's another way to determine which version 
of the Collector Choice re-issue/re-master you have: 'Last 
Night' runs 4:37 on the correct Collector Choice cd version 
(i.e., the LP version), whereas on the incorrect Collector 
Choice reissue/remaster, it runs 4:47." [In the MM List 
Archives are all of the e-mails on this topic including all 
the details of the differences between the two mixes.]


Due to Philip's and Ice Magazine's efforts, Warner Brothers, 
Elektra, and Collectors' Choice acknowledged their mistake, 
and CC's 'wrong mix/version', was withdrawn. A remastered cd 
with the correct mix/version (i.e., the 'Clearmountain 
mix/version') was issued by Collectors' Choice in late 
January 2003.  The correct mix/version and remastered cd 
was sold via mail order from CC, and was available in retail 
stores; whereas the 'CC alternate' version was never sold 
in retail stores but only through CC's mail-order catalogue.  

However, there is no way to distinguish between the 
store-bought 'CC correct mix', and the previously bought 
via Collectors' Choice 2002 catalogue 'CC alternate'.  You 
cannot distinguish any difference between these two versions 
by simply looking at the jewel box, reading writing on the 
cd, itself, or from reading the liner notes!  

In February 2003, Collectors' Choice wrote to Leo:  
"Aside from the sound the two versions are not 
distinguishable through the retail outlets.  However, 
the ones [i.e., the remastered cds of the album, Tom 
Verlaine] we now sell through our catalog are 
distinguishable by the credits on the back only, 
including a credit to Television's/Tom Verlaine's manager, 
John Telfer."  

Philip (and Steve Rovner) believe/have proved that the 
incorrect Collectors' Choice reissue (aka 'CC alternate') 
is the same as 'The Lost Mix, 1979', except for the song 
'Flash Lightning'.  Philip: "It appears that this 
'acetate mix' (aka 'The Lost Mix, 1979') was used for CC's 
'wrong mix version' (released in September 2002).  
The 'acetate mix' and the 'CC alternate' are the same 
except for the song, 'Flash Lightning'.  On the acetate 
test pressing version ('acetate mix'), prominent maracas 
re heard at the end of 'Flash Lightning'; whereas, on the 
'CC alternate', no maracas are present".  

This means that there exist three different 
studio-versions of 'Flash Lightning'!


The Grip Of Love / Souvenir From A Dream / Kingdom Come / 
Mr. Bingo / Yonki Time / Flash Lightning / Last Night / 
Red Leaves / Breakin' In My Heart   
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