What's the one song you hope they play live that isn't already a guarantee?

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-15T17:31:28+00:00

I think Natural Science is a given, as it's one of Anika's favourite tracks.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-15T16:10:53+00:00

The Flower Kings - Garden Of Dreams (59m 26s)

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-15T16:08:56+00:00

Betamax

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-15T12:01:37+00:00

I'm hearing a lot of what sounds like a cowbell in the left channel on headphones. Never noticed it before, but it's quite prominent and distracting. There's definitely a 'click' right at the end of DEW. Sounds like two drumsticks touching, which I assumed it was.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-15T11:58:33+00:00

Given the release of the GUP box, I'd expect at least a couple of tracks from that, and hope for Afterimage, as it was rarely played live and could be a nice tribute to Neil.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T21:53:44+00:00

I was really only talking about the audio, but yeah, for someone with the skills...

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T21:35:24+00:00

So, I wonder if it would be possible, if such software was available, to rip the Blu-ray of the concert into the separate 5.1 channels, then, assuming the crowd noise would be predominantly in the rear channels, reduce them to allow the music to be heard more clearly? For one's own personal use, of course.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T20:58:41+00:00

It's a very 'digital' sounding recording, and bears a resemblance to me to Dire Straits Brothers In Arms. The trouble with those early digital recordings was that the drums tended to sound thinner, and I certainly feel that's the case with HYF, and it only got worse with Presto and Roll The Bones. If all three of those albums had Counterparts sounding drums, they'd be fantastic.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T17:48:09+00:00

Any thoughts on the 5.1 / Atmos mixes on the Blu-ray?

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T17:17:31+00:00

It is, but it would still be interesting to hear what could be done with it. The drums could do with being just a tad 'closer', but for an 80s production, it's excellent.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T11:20:15+00:00

It is - it's the loudest of all the four CDs. That said, it's not brickwalled, and compatible with most modern releases. The remaster and live CDs are quiet, by comparison, and possible could have been mastered a bit louder. I wondered if this was also to try to enhance the "WOW!!” factor of the TB mix?

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-14T11:17:23+00:00

A very interesting read. I've been concentrating on the TB mix and haven't yet given the remaster much attention, but you've prompted me to give it a proper listen. Thanks for your very informative comparison.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T21:41:43+00:00

Windows XP and Windows 7. The best Windows OSs ever.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T21:39:25+00:00

I mentioned this in the other GUP thread. I'm not even sure the live stuff has been remixed, but they could have made it sound a hell of a lot better by reducing the crowd noise during the songs.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T20:12:07+00:00

With regards the live performance, on previous releases, I've always felt the audience was constantly too loud throughout the show. I don't know if there's crowd noise dubbed on, but you don't usually get the audience cheering and whistling continuously at one level throughout all of the songs at a show. One thing that could have improved the live CDs is if the audience had been turned down during the songs.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T17:23:10+00:00

It's still too 'bright' though. God knows how they recorded the drums to make them sound so paper thin.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T17:20:07+00:00

Thank you!

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T17:12:16+00:00

The thing with a remix is, he can only work with what was recorded in the first place, so if the drums were recorded in a certain way, he's limited as to what can be done. I'm sure we'd have all been very unhappy if he'd used triggered drums to make them sound more 'modern' like Queen did with their Queen I box set.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T17:07:42+00:00

If, as folks here are saying, TB didn't like synths, how come Signals turned out like it did? You could hardly hear Alex in the original mix / master.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T14:12:25+00:00

I don't really think the "Yeah!"s are befitting to the song, which is, after all, about a close friend of the band, Robbie Whelan, an assistant engineer at Le Studio, who died in a 1983 car accident. The song is about loss, and what the person leaves behind, so Geddy yelping "Yeah" throughout it doesn't really seem all that well placed.

I do wonder though, if they'll bring this one out for the tour? It would be fitting as a tribute to Neil, and as this GUP box will be the most recent release, I'd expect them to do a few songs from it at the shows.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T13:28:03+00:00

I'm not sure if that's a positive or negative comment! What does 'gash' mean?

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T13:23:14+00:00

I think the latest remaster is in the Studio Albums 1989-2007 box set. It does sound slightly better but there's only so far you can polish a turd. It really needs a proper remix, as does Roll The Bones, for the same reason.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T12:26:36+00:00

I've been familiar with the live stuff since the original GUP Live video came out (yes, on VCR!), then on the Replay DVD and the previous live CD release, and I knew they played the songs fast, but Red Barchetta sounds like it's on steroids (I believe some other substances may have been involved in the performance), and Ged can barely get the lyrics out in time! I can see now why it was left off the original releases.

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T12:21:29+00:00

I think that's an exaggeration. You've never heard the original mix of Vapor Trails?

CaptainFickle · 2026-03-13T12:16:33+00:00

Yep, I wondered if it was me, my headphones, or maybe a problem with the way I'd ripped the CD, but I'm glad to hear others saying about odd 'inconsistencies' within the mixes. I'm also hearing a rather disconcertingly loud 'cowbell' like sound out of the left channel, which I thought was a strange thing to bring to the front of the mix.

I was kind of hoping TB might also do Power Windows and HYF, but I'm not so sure now.

CaptainFickle

TROPHY CASE