Multi-Channel Mixing and the Universal Fire

[ringves]

I know the subject of the Universal fire came up during one of Chris' interviews with Richard.

But I have to admit: I'm not entirely sure I understood the impact of the fire on the Carpenters' catalogue.

Today ... would it be possible for Richard and Al Schmitt to undertake additional multi-channel re-mixing of other Carpenters' recordings?

Or has that opportunity been lost due to the fire?

Thanks in advance for explaining what exactly was lost and why that affects (or doesn't affect) the possibility of future multi-channel re-mixes.

 

[Harry]

Richard like to work from originals - the real original analog recordings on the very tapes used to lay down the original tracks. So when faced with the task of remixing the old songs for the 5.1 channel sound on the SACD, he ordered those original tapes to be sent to California from their storage location in Iron Mountain, PA. Once the album was completed, this is where the tragic error happened. Someone, somewhere, didn't get those originals back to PA. Instead they were left in the local California storage facility where they burned up in the fire.

Now, just because Richard likes to work with absolute originals, doesn't mean that whatever personal copies he has, or backups that are still in some storage somewhere couldn't be used - but they would always be at least a generation down from the original analog tapes. So, while I suspect it might be possible, I wouldn't bet on it happening.

Harry

 

[ringves]

Yes, aside from the fire, there are business factors that would come into play. Would there be a market for the lesser-known Carpenters' recordings? (eg. I would really like to hear "Solitaire" and "All You Get From Love is a Love Song" in a multi-channel setting.)

Interestingly, there is a niche record label known as Analogue Productions that has put out some of Nat King Cole's records in the SACD format (3-channel sound only). Their cd's are premium-priced, but if you're a big fan, who wouldn't pay $30 for a single disc?

Anyway, it would be fantastic for us C's fans if this label could license some of the C's recordings and (with Richard's involvement, of course) release some additional material in the multi-channel SACD format. For those of you who are interested, here is a link to the label's website.

http://www.analogueproductions.com/index.cfm

 

[newvillefan]

Richard like to work from originals - the real original analog recordings on the very tapes used to lay down the original tracks. So when faced with the task of remixing the old songs for the 5.1 channel sound on the SACD, he ordered those original tapes to be sent to California from their storage location in Iron Mountain, PA. Once the album was completed, this is where the tragic error happened. Someone, somewhere, didn't get those originals back to PA. Instead they were left in the local California storage facility where they burned up in the fire.

Did Richard ever confirm which analogue recordings went up in the fire? Was it the entire catalogue or just selected analogue tapes used for the songs that featured on the SACD? As I understand it, you can fit three or four tracks on an analogue tape, so I'm guessing he pulled specific tapes that contained only those songs he wanted to remix.

 

[Harry]

I thought I recalled someone (Chris May?) saying that when Richard set about working on the SACD, he likely ordered ALL of the tapes in PA. But that's just hearsay at this point.

Harry

 

[A&M Retro]

It doesn't make sense that they would send ALL of the tapes to L.A. if he was just doing a hits collection for SACD.

 

[ringves]

It's ironic - isn't it? - that most of the Magic Lamp tapes went up in flames and then years later the most valuable of the A&M tapes did, as well.

Talk about bad luck !

 

[GaryAlan]

As far as UMG is concerned, I would not use the word--- "luck",
---so much as incompetence and stupidity.
And, didn't Richard express some incredulity, even consternation,
that UMG would not let him take a reference disc of the SACD to his home?

 

[GaryAlan]

A tidbit from the Official Carpenter Web Page:
Technique 5 42
Q:“I assume you no longer use the original 2” tape to do all of the Carpenters remixes.
What kind of media (i.e. ADAT, Digi tape, etc) did you transfer/back-up the original Carpenters multis on that you use for remixing, etc?
What kind of media do you prefer to record on these days?”
Richard Carpenter:
“For some we went to 1” digi media. Actually, I still like the old-fashioned way;
I think there is a certain warmth to it, so we don’t go all digital, at least for certain things.
We get out the Dolbys to lose the hiss and we go to analog for a warmer sound.”

 

[Chris May]

A tidbit from the Official Carpenter Web Page:
Technique 5 42
Q:“I assume you no longer use the original 2” tape to do all of the Carpenters remixes.
What kind of media (i.e. ADAT, Digi tape, etc) did you transfer/back-up the original Carpenters multis on that you use for remixing, etc?
What kind of media do you prefer to record on these days?”
Richard Carpenter:
“For some we went to 1” digi media. Actually, I still like the old-fashioned way;
I think there is a certain warmth to it, so we don’t go all digital, at least for certain things.
We get out the Dolbys to lose the hiss and we go to analog for a warmer sound.”

Incidentally, I was the one who developed this question many moons ago when he and his (then) assistant Becky Boxberger were still running the website. Richard was assembling questions and taking them in also via the fan page. In an effort to add in Q&A that went beyond the typical questions and answers to make it more interesting, I'd given him a variety of questions - many of which had already been discussed in verbal conversations, to add to the "Fans Ask" page on the official website. This was one of them

 

[Chris May]

I thought I recalled someone (Chris May?) saying that when Richard set about working on the SACD, he likely ordered ALL of the tapes in PA. But that's just hearsay at this point.

Actually, if you listen to that portion of the interview - Richard starts to give one answer, then rabbit trails. In reference to the 2" tapes, I said "The Christmas Portrait album didn't survive the storage from what I understand." He replies with "Well, a number of them didn't because they were sent out for...well and then when we did the SACD...and of course a lot of those masters, the multis, they were supposed to have been sent back to storage in Iron Mountain and they weren't, and they went up in the fire at Universal. So ALL the first generation stuff, it's pretty much gone."

In a conversation I had with Al Schmitt a while back, he told me some of the 2" tapes had to be baked due to age and oxidation before they started the project. I think what happened is some of the masters were sent to California for maintenance prior to the SACD project. When the SACD project went underway, several more remaining tapes were sent out. Because there are usually multiple titles found on a single multitrack master, this means songs that were B-sides and even outtakes for that matter would have also been recorded on the same masters. Sounds to me like there were several tapes, both related and non-related to the SACD that sat in LA waiting to be sent back, and were subsequently destroyed in the fire.

 

[Mark-T]

That's a shame- especially with the 50th fairly close by. I was hoping for at least one new track.

 

[Jeff]

Don't give up hope!!!!!! I re-iterate faith my child!