Nektar: A Tab in the Ocean

[Top Cat]

I need some advise from ya'll who are familiar with this album.

I'm in the process of buying some of the vinyl I use to own and love, and this is one of my next buys.
The original was released in 1972 and later a remixed version by Larry Fast in 1976.
I don't think I've ever heard the 76 remix and my inclination is to go for a 1972 copy as that's how I remember it.
There was also a recent remastered version which includes 2 LP's, one of the original version and one of the Larry Fast 1976 remix.

If you're familiar with any one or all of these releases, I would appreciate hearing your thoughts.
thank you


Not sure if this is the right forum or not, so please move it if needed.

[bobert]

I'm very familiar with Tab , I have it on vinyl (the original mix) and also the remaster that includes both the original mix and the 1976 remix. If you can find that one at a reasonable price I would get it.


I prefer the original mix but also enjoy the remix which was done by Mo Moore and Larry Fast and includes Larry adding his synthesizer wizardry.


I think Tab In The Ocean is one of the greatest albums Nektar ever made , I love it!

[ronmac]

My favorite Nektar alubm. It's essential to any prog collection. Buy any version you can find. I was first introduced by the remix, which I still tend to prefer in spots. But, they are both great and not substantially different.

The only issue one might have is that it's pretty short (less than 35 minutes). But, still it's worth every penny.

[JJ88]

The old Eclectic Discs CD had both mixes. I do not care for the 1976 remix.

[LeFrog]

I seem to remember there is already a short thread on the subject.

[Top Cat]

I'm very familiar with Tab , I have it on vinyl (the original mix) and also the remaster that includes both the original mix and the 1976 remix. If you can find that one at a reasonable price I would get it.
I prefer the original mix but also enjoy the remix which was done by Mo Moore and Larry Fast and includes Larry adding his synthesizer wizardry.

I think Tab In The Ocean is one of the greatest albums Nektar ever made , I love it!

I'm tempted at the thought of getting the remasters which include both 76 and 1972, but I've had both good and bad luck with new releases which are digitally remastered or remixed to vinyl.
There is something charming and organic to me about the older vinyl(I'm talking 60's, 70's, not that 80's garbage vinyl). That's why I'm leaning towards the 72 copy and I can always pick up the 76 version for variety. But I think the 1972 is where my heart is.

My favorite Nektar alubm. It's essential to any prog collection. Buy any version you can find. I was first introduced by the remix, which I still tend to prefer in spots. But, they are both great and not substantially different.

The only issue one might have is that it's pretty short (less than 35 minutes). But, still it's worth every penny.

Yes, it is quite short, didn't realize 35 minutes, but there's a helluva lot of damn good music crammed in that amount of time.

The old Eclectic Discs CD had both mixes. I do not care for the 1976 remix.

I get that, in fact I read a quote where Roye called it a complete waste of time(guess he didn't like it)

I seem to remember there is already a short thread on the subject.

Thanks for pointing that out. I did a search and found one thread from 2007 which actually had a post from MO talking about the remix he and Larry did.
But my post was meant to discuss the Purple Pyramid double LP remastered release as well, and I couldn't find a thread for that. There may be a short discussion in one of the miscellaneous threads, but at 100+ pages, I'm not going to go through all that, as interesting as all of you chaps are.

[aith01]

Is it hard to find this album nowadays? I just did a quick search and it seems to be going for pretty high prices now.

Was wondering what's the best version to get on CD...?

[JJ88]

The Eclectic remasters were sadly not carried forward to Esoteric. I have gathered that it wasn't an altogether harmonious relationship...a great pity. I personally got into the band around the time that Eclectic reissued the albums...that's the only time I ever remember their catalogue having much presence in the UK at all.

I will say that the old Bellaphon CD of their debut Journey To The Centre Of The Eye is amongst the worst sounding CDs I have ever heard. I missed the boat on the Eclectic one.

[ronmac]

I get that, in fact I read a quote where Roye called it a complete waste of time(guess he didn't like it)

Well, in all fairness, Roye had a major dispute with Eclectic. In fact, it's my understanding that they, along with many others, warned him about doing business with Roy Clay, who screwed everyone he worked with and eventually served time for his crookedness. So, I would suspect Roye's opinion about Eclectic may have been jaded, since he seemed to be pretty happy with the releases at the time. That's not to say there weren't complaints about them. I think they're all fine.

But my post was meant to discuss the Purple Pyramid double LP remastered release as well, and I couldn't find a thread for that. There may be a short discussion in one of the miscellaneous threads, but at 100+ pages, I'm not going to go through all that, as interesting as all of you chaps are.

I have no doubt that the Pyramid release is the same as the Eclectic ones. I don't recall any subsequent remastering.

[Top Cat]

Is it hard to find this album nowadays? I just did a quick search and it seems to be going for pretty high prices now.

Was wondering what's the best version to get on CD...?

Yes, the original vinyl costs as much as the 2LP Deluxe Edition does, very high prices out there.

You can get the digital download in Flac at the Nektar site on bandcamp.
https://nektarmusic.bandcamp.com/alb...b-in-the-ocean
I can't tell if the $9 is just for the original or for the deluxe version which gives you both mixes, the "72" and "76" Mo&Fast remix.

Personally in my search recently to get the best masterings of Post Gabriel Genesis cd's, most of the best versions were the early release.
It's possible if you find a early CD release, it would be closest to the original vinyl release sound. That would be one of the 1987 releases Made in Germany(Bacillus Records or Bellaphon.
Don't know how the Eclectic releases from 2004 sound.

[JJ88]

^I'm not sure that's the case here. As I said the Bellaphon CD of Journey... is very bad, and I think one of the CDs of Remember The Future used the wrong mix. I don't know which mix the Bellaphon CD of this album used.

[Top Cat]

^I'm not sure that's the case here. As I said the Bellaphon CD of Journey... is very bad, and I think one of the CDs of Remember The Future used the wrong mix. I don't know which mix the Bellaphon CD of this album used.

I used this as a reference:
the next cd release was in 2004
I never owned this on cd, I do have Down to Earth and it sounds great, but that's later.
I listened to some cuts of both mixes on the bandcamp download page and it sounds pretty darn good.
I can hear where it could get muffled sounding in some places, but on vinyl it would probably sound great when the guitar distorts. lol

https://www.discogs.com/Nektar-A-Tab...n/master/25870

[ronmac]

^^ I'm still pretty sure the 2004 remasters were the last. I see no indication that Nektar was willing to pay for a new set.

[Top Cat]

^^ I'm still pretty sure the 2004 remasters were the last. I see no indication that Nektar was willing to pay for a new set.

Which cd release do you think is the best?

[ronmac]

Which cd release do you think is the best?

I can't say, as I only have the Eclectic release of "Tab," which I find pretty damned good.

[JJ88]

At least two of the Eclectic Discs releases also had a 5.1 layer as they were SACD/CD- Journey... and Remember The Future. I think of the sterling work Esoteric went on to do with labelmates such as Man and Hawkwind. Those releases have stayed in print all these years on and it's a shame that the Nektar ones aren't there with them.

[GuitarGeek]

I think one of the CDs of Remember The Future used the wrong mix. .

Yes, the infamous first CD edition on Bellaphon used, I believe, a quad mix that had been done back in the 70's, but re-channeled into stereo (fold down, I think they call it?). The upshot was that there was phase cancellation causing a lot of the guitar parts to disappear from the mix. That's actually how I first heard the album, because I found a used copy of that CD back in 94 or 95, I believe. A couple years later, I found the double LP best of Through The Ears, which included side one and it's entirety, and I was astonished to hear the more aggressive guitar playing that was absent on the CD.

It wasn't until the Eclectic version came out that we got to hear the original stereo album mix on CD.

I bought most of the Eclectic CD's in fairly quick succession, I think the only ones I didn't get were Down To Earth and Magic Is A Child. And I gather the Esoteric releases have a different set of bonus tracks?

[Top Cat]

Thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts and reviews of the various releases of this great album.
I was able to win an auction on a near mint 1972 original pressing from the UK on the United Artists label and waiting for it to be shipped.
Looking forward to put this on the turntable and crank it up.
Thank you again, your replies really helped me make a decision.

[adap2it]

Thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts and reviews of the various releases of this great album.
I was able to win an auction on a near mint 1972 original pressing from the UK on the United Artists label and waiting for it to be shipped.
Looking forward to put this on the turntable and crank it up.
Thank you again, your replies really helped me make a decision.

I have the same UK release on UA and it's in pretty good shape too. I am in the process of selling my vinyl collection...

[Progbear]

My vinyl copy was the German release on United Artists, so I never heard the remix until I got the Eclectic CD. Weirdly, I prefer it to the original mix. I think Passport were attempting to “prog it up” to make it sound more in line with then-current releases (e.g.: Recycled and their big hit Remember the Future). It took me a while to connect with this album because it felt more like a hard rock album than the more progressive sound of most of their other releases. What Larry Fast brought to the table made me appreciate the music a little more. On the other hand, the thing I rather like about Nektar was that each album of theirs offered something a little different from the others.

Remember the Future was the last Nektar album I bought on CD. I stuck to my old Passport vinyl for ages because everyone warned me off of the poorly-transferred Bellaphon CD.

[Squire1977!!]

Amazon has a 2 lp (1972 and 1976 mix) Tab. I agree with Bobert, in that Tab is one of the greatest prog recordings.

https://www.amazon.com/Tab-Ocean-NEK...6694502&sr=1-9