What Are You Listening To Right Now (Part IV)

[Zzzptm]

And now I find that Hadacol was mentioned as a reason for Rudolph's red nose by Bing Crosby and Judy Garland:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXhHIhU535Q

(They also have him smoking Chesterfields...)

Very interesting story behind Hadacol, there was was also a pyramid scam going behind it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadacol

[Vyn]

Released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs in July of 1979, this copy of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon is obviously a re-issue. But, the master lacquers were cut at half-speed (MoFi's shtick) and the vinyl itself is supposedly, "100% virgin vinyl sourced from JVC" (MoFi's supplementary shtick).

A few thoughts:

1. This record does sound fantastic. I bought it sealed in 1984 or thereabouts and for the first ten years of owning it I played it at least once a week. It still sounds fantastic. Compared to an OG copy and a 2021 SACD copy, it beats them both in terms of depth and clarity.

2. When MoFi first came on the scene, they really did use brand new vinyl from JVC. At the time, JVC was renowned for having the best vinyl products, and is the genesis of the long-held belief that Japanese pressings of records were superior than others. And for a time, there was truth to that. JVC wouldn't sell their vinyl to other manufacturers, so Mobile Fidelity scored big when they cut that deal.

But, once competition started cropping up (Nautilus, CBS Mastersound, etc.) prices started going down. In a bid to hold on to their massive share of a very niche market, MoFi cut their prices and beat the JVC vinyl drum even louder than before. All the other guys had was the 1/2 speed mastering angle. As time went on, an investigative journalist did a deep dive into the whole 1/2 speed mastered market, and discovered that while MoFi used to get virgin vinyl from JVC, their contract had lapsed a few years prior. How now, MoFi? When questioned, they admitted to it but pointed out that they still used virgin vinyl, but in the interest of trade secrets they couldn't reveal their source. I guess getting quality vinyl for pressing records is a tough row to hoe.

Anyway, the journalist went one step further and had a lab test the vinyl from MoFi, their competition, as well as regular records. Turns out MoFi actually wasn't using virgin vinyl.

Oops.

All that to say, that if you have a MoFi recording of any group made prior to 1981, it is worth the extra spend and will sound great. After that, it's not much better than a stock copy, because that's about the time they started using normal vinyl. Which brings me to thought number three:

3. Whereas it is true that cutting a disk at half speed gives the cutting head more time to transfer more of the sound wave's waveform into the acetate, the audible benefit to the end-listener is minimal, at best. Un-noticeable most of the time. What really makes the difference is the high quality vinyl combined with quality plating processes and overall handling. Without the 1/2 speed aspect, you'd still end up with a superior-sounding recording. Take away the good vinyl and good manufacturing processes, but keep the 1/2 speed and you'll end up with nothing to write home about.

And despite the mythology at the time, people eventually started hearing these facts and the market dried up.

If Mobile Fidelity could have made their covers stouter, that would have been cool. haha! This one started looking like that about one month after buying it!

[Zzzptm]

Way cool history, there!

[Charger]

Savage Master - Creature Of The Flames

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Damn Right I Am Somebody - Fred Wesley and the J.B.'s

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Hey Big Brother - The Rare Earth

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Coffin for Head of State by Fela Kuti.

Zombie is up next.

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Coffin for Head of State by Fela Kuti.

Zombie is up next.

Looks like ya gots ta watch it on the YT on your own if ya wants it...

[Charger]

Saxon - Unleash The Beast

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Really heavy track from 1971, liking the heavy bass in it.

[Charger]

Saxon - Ministry Of Fools

Weakest song on the album and it's still pretty good!

[Charger]

Inspired by another thread...

And as a fun fact, this was THE very first MP3 song I ever had on my computer!

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^ Me when I saw this after the word association thread

[Vyn]

First pressing on Island Records - comes with a replica 7" of their single on DB Records. Definitely a group on the "dance" side of the post-punk scene.

It has been so long since I've listened to it, when I first put it on it was playing at 45rpm and I didn't realize it until the vocals kicked in haha. I had forgotten to change the speed from some 45s I listened to earlier. Not sure what that says about their music/my brain/climate change, but it was funny. And actually, Planet Claire sounded pretty good at high speed

[Zzzptm]

Epic album, love that Rock Lobster!