New DS Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023!

[ds1984]

Guys, on the question of multitracks, you'd be amazed at what can be achieved in the studio these days.

I just spent a week in my little studio doing a project for a local special needs school involving the use of original music (80s pop/rock) with all the instrumental elements separated by A.I.

One of the kids wanted just the drums from we will rock you. Another just a bass line from aha take on me.

If I get time in the next month or so I'll run something like Sydney or Mandela through my kit and see what results I can get. 18 months of using various iterations of isotope rx10 and I can't find fault with it.

I can't see why this technique couldn't be used as a basis for an official DS release....

That day will come.

[Robson]

The question: is do you want it?

[Jules]

Guys, on the question of multitracks, you'd be amazed at what can be achieved in the studio these days.

I just spent a week in my little studio doing a project for a local special needs school involving the use of original music (80s pop/rock) with all the instrumental elements separated by A.I.

One of the kids wanted just the drums from we will rock you. Another just a bass line from aha take on me.

If I get time in the next month or so I'll run something like Sydney or Mandela through my kit and see what results I can get. 18 months of using various iterations of isotope rx10 and I can't find fault with it.

I can't see why this technique couldn't be used as a basis for an official DS release....

Guy said they used it to separate tracks of "where do you think you are going" from the MFN compilation, as the archivist couldn't find the multitracks of it. Guy had to mix it in Atmos so he used a software, probably AI, to do it. He said it did the job but the results are not what he really needs.

[ds1984]

Guy said they used it to separate tracks of "where do you think you are going" from the MFN compilation, as the archivist couldn't find the multitracks of it. Guy had to mix it in Atmos so he used a software, probably AI, to do it. He said it did the job but the results are not what he really needs.

Is it the demo version or the album version ?

[Chris W]

Guy said that apparently the sound came from the TV camera. If I remember well.

The rest of the live at the BBC comes from a live concert recorded in London, at the Paris Theatre and broadcasted live at the BBC radio, not at Whistle Test.

The Paris Theatre show was part of a BBC Series called 'In Concert'.
I don't think TV cameras record sound. If TOL is from Dortmund I still think it was part of Rockpalast.

[ds1984]

Guy said that apparently the sound came from the TV camera. If I remember well.

The rest of the live at the BBC comes from a live concert recorded in London, at the Paris Theatre and broadcasted live at the BBC radio, not at Whistle Test.

The Paris Theatre show was part of a BBC Series called 'In Concert'.
I don't think TV cameras record sound. If TOL is from Dortmund I still think it was part of Rockpalast.

Hi Chris,

Rockpop In Concert was a ZDF music programme that ran from 1978 to 1982 and the Dortmund gig is definitively from that program.

Rockpop logo is clearly seen diplayed on the side stage

https://youtu.be/O_FhMvAlVD0?t=521

Rockpalast is a WDR program and Dire Straits performed for them in 1979 during the Communiqué tour.
It was shot in their TV studio based in Cologne.

For the camera sound you are right, the sound is from a mixing desk.

Regarding The Paris Theatre it was run by the BBC and used as a radio studio.

[Chris W]

Oh ok.
Definitely right about the Paris Theatre.
You are right about Rock-Pop.

Just for the record: When I did Rockpalast (mid-80's) it was filmed in Dortmund and from what I can tell most of the time it was filmed in Dortmund.

[the visitor]

More generally speaking, I got the box set for Christmas and I've now had a good listen to it.  Before this I had resisted any temptation to listen on Spotify.  I'd also tuned out of this thread at about Page 20 because I didn't want any spoilers or talk of faded outros to bring any preconceptions.

Now I have caught up  as others have said on this thread, hearing the new material takes me back to my first days of listening to DS, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.  I first got into DS after as a kid my sister recorded the Mandela 88 gig which I listening to on repeat until the cassette got chewed up.   Around this time the Woburn Abbey gig was rebroadcast on BBC Radio 1 at Christmas 92.  I recorded that set and again played on repeat until, again, the tape died. I was gutted  and in the years following this I delved deeply into bootlegs to try and get my fix of the songs which were missing from On the Night, and tours such as Live in 85 which were difficult to find recordings of when I was setting off down this road in the late 90s.

For me, this release brings me to what I was searching for over all those years, and what I've personally never been satisfied with in MKs solo works.

When I hear the likes of Telegraph Road and Tunnel on the new OTN release I'm reminded of what a tour de force DS were at that time.  At the peak of technical prowess and with wild audiences to boot. But by this time DS were as Chris Whitten says more of a rock n roll orchestra than a rock band.

This is brought into stark contrast on the Rainbow release where they definitely sound much more of a band, with looser solos and less scripted licks and fills.  The term 'rock n roll orchestra' was in fact coined on the On Location tour, and in following years this developed further.

We are missing a few stepping stones in this journey which I dearly hope will see the light of day.  But if they aren't I will remain happy with what we have got, the quality of the production that accompanies and the reality we've now got what many of us were hoping for over many years.

A lovely release.

[herlock]

Yes, I came to love this release a lot, despite the crime of cutting Portobello Belle...

I tend to agree that DS songs were best played by DS, with one big exception : TR! 1983 had the best vocals, 1992 had the most impressive end solo, but 1996/2001/2005 were the most solid overall. And even 2008+ versions are quite lovely.

[dustyvalentino]

I also got the box for Christmas and I’m working my way through it.

I’ve got Rainbow on now. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

I got the CDs and they sound beautiful. I’ve read reports about issues with the Alchemy vinyl quality.

[Chris W]

But by this time DS were as Chris Whitten says more of a rock n roll orchestra than a rock band.

This is brought into stark contrast on the Rainbow release where they definitely sound much more of a band, with looser solos and less scripted licks and fills. 

I agree with both those descriptions.

[Jules]

Guy said they used it to separate tracks of "where do you think you are going" from the MFN compilation, as the archivist couldn't find the multitracks of it. Guy had to mix it in Atmos so he used a software, probably AI, to do it. He said it did the job but the results are not what he really needs.

Is it the demo version or the album version ?

The demo.

Guy also said that nobody knew from where that version came from, so there was no way to find the multitracks of that version and had to use an AI to extract the tracks and do the atmos mix.

Seems they have an issue with the archive, as Guy also said that the reason why Portobello live is from Hammersmith, and not from Paris, as originally was sourced, is becaude that was what the record company provided him, so I guess the persons in charge of the archive lost some items, like the demos from "Where do you think" came, and the Paris 83 tapes...

[Jules]

But by this time DS were as Chris Whitten says more of a rock n roll orchestra than a rock band.

This is brought into stark contrast on the Rainbow release where they definitely sound much more of a band, with looser solos and less scripted licks and fills. 

I agree with both those descriptions.

Yeah, is like DS were loosing the fresh thing as a band little by little, as in the start, being the original four piece band, they were fresh and energetic, when David left and Hal Lindes and Alan Clark joined, everything was recharge in terms of rock energy and evolving the songs, when Terry joined the band it was even more energetic with Tommy Mandel on extra keyboards filling the voids that Alan couldn't with just two hands and then, when Guy joined everything turned more sofisticated, still energetic but more orchestrated, to finish with the OES tour were everything looks more orchestrated, more organized, more proffesional with less space to the rock energy from the past but accurate interpretations of the songs.

My view.

For me, the best period is the 80-81 band, when Alan and Hal joined, adapting the previous songs to the keyboards, extending most of them and still with Pick Withers doing his rythmic magic behind the kit.

[hunter v2.0]

But even back in the early 80s, things were pretty orchestrated and "rigid", which I remember Tommy Mandel saying. Mark playing almost identical solos every night, etc. I'm curious why that was so important to Mark. Is he simply a control freak? Or was it a matter of reducing the risk of "off nights"? Sacrificing some spontaneity to ensure consistently high standard? Or, both? 

By the way, the other day I watched Telegraph Road from Alchemy and then from On The Night. The difference in energy and joyfulness is unbelievable.

[herlock]

For me, the best period is the 80-81 band, when Alan and Hal joined, adapting the previous songs to the keyboards, extending most of them and still with Pick Withers doing his rythmic magic behind the kit.

Yes, fascinating period, even if the keyboards were really cheesy at times. That's why I really long for a 1981 official release. But besides the mono Dortmund 80 and the badly recorded Werchter 81, there is nothing much. There are bit and pieces of a video of Paris 81 second night, but with bad quality. I'm afraid nothing exists in Guy's standards to be officially released...