Peter Hammill Remasters

[progman1975]

I know everyone in these parts hates the VDGG remasters. I'm looking at getting his 1st solo album, "Fools Mate" Do I go for the Virgin or the remaster??? Thoughts???

[pmrviana]

Peter Hammill solo albums were remastered by himself, at about the same time when he did the VDGG albums. So they suffer from the same issues. Better go with the original CDs...

[Valen]

I was listening to the Silent Corner remaster yesterday and it sounded fine to me. Actually, it sounded terrific - the music is a lot more layered than I remembered it.

I've got the remastered editions of the VDGG albums, and again, I think they sound fine to my ears.

I'm no audio expert, but I came away enjoying the music, so I'd say "result".

[JKL2000]

I was listening to the Silent Corner remaster yesterday and it sounded fine to me. Actually, it sounded terrific - the music is a lot more layered than I remembered it.

I've got the remastered editions of the VDGG albums, and again, I think they sound fine to my ears.

I'm no audio expert, but I came away enjoying the music, so I'd say "result".

I'm actually not familiar with what the issues were with the VDGG remasters. They sounded fine to me too, but I didn't have a lot to compare them with.

[Valen]

I think we tend to get a bit too hung up on the what is the "definitive" edition of an album, not helped by record companies endlessly reissuing the same albums with remasters of previous remasters, or not even bothering to disclose that it's the same remaster as before, with different packaging.

I jumped wholeheartedly on the remaster bandwagon years ago, but I'm kinda cooling off now. And it's such a toxic topic that you can't rely on other people's opinions.

I do like Steven Wilson's remixes because they paint familiar pictures in new shades, and they're a fun alternative to the original version, but even he wouldn't opine that his versions are the definitive.

At the end of the day, if you've enjoyed the music then surely that's all that matters. For me at least, life's getting too short to get hung up on the tech side of things. Too much music to listen to.

[pmrviana]

I'm actually not familiar with what the issues were with the VDGG remasters. They sounded fine to me too, but I didn't have a lot to compare them with.

They are heavily overcompressed and have some very bright eq. But if you're not really picky with these things, they may sound just fine to you. And at least a few of them , especially H to He and Pawn Hearts are very much worth it for the bonus tracks.

[Progatron]

At the end of the day, if you've enjoyed the music then surely that's all that matters. For me at least, life's getting too short to get hung up on the tech side of things. Too much music to listen to.

This x1000. I wish more people would adopt this outlook.

at least a few of them , especially H to He and Pawn Hearts are very much worth it for the bonus tracks.

Particularly H To He, with the astonishing Squid One/Squid Two/Octopus.

[pmrviana]

Particularly H To He, with the astonishing Squid One/Squid Two/Octopus.

Yes, that is definetely one of the best things they ever recorded!

[yesstiles]

I don't see how it's possible to listen to the remaster of Godbluff and enjoy it. But I guess some people would still enjoy watching The Godfather on a VHS tape recorded in EP mode on a black & white tv.

I do agree though that some of the VDGG remasters are better than others. Godbluff certainly isn't one of them.

[The Czar]

I know everyone in these parts hates the VDGG remasters. I'm looking at getting his 1st solo album, "Fools Mate" Do I go for the Virgin or the remaster??? Thoughts???

Go with the remaster. Not only do you get bonus tracks, but extensive liner notes.

[jazz2896]

Go with the remaster. Not only do you get bonus tracks, but extensive liner notes.

That's the problem, the remasters come with excellent bonus tracks, but otherwise sound awful. If you're an obsessive, get both cds, and if you don't care about portability, get the remaster for the bonus tracks, and seek out an original vinyl, those sound fine. To be fair, none of the Peter Hammill/Van der Graaf cd's sound great, but the records do.