Cardboard sleeve reissue from CHARLIE featuring 2011 24 bit remastering. Comes with Part of a four-album CHARLIE cardboard sleeve reissue series featuring albums "Fantasy Girls," "No Second Chance," "Lines," and "Fight Dirty." The cardboard sleeves of this series faithfully replicate the UK edition original artwork. Includes an original insert.
1 Remastered from what - original tapes, Julian's remastering or just straight issues of the Renaissance discs (says 2011 so probably not). 2 If Julian's remastering are Voiceprint going to reissue as planned in the UK. If mastered from the original tapes, have they been authorised by the band and if so can't Voicepirnt pick these up. 3 Are they better than the Renaissance ones - don't want to buy again if not. 4 If released in the UK - When?
Good point regarding remastering for these new releases.........from what source?
I have heard the 4 x Alan Ross Band albums this label have remastered and have not been impressed.
Renaissance are about to reissue the Charlie cd's in the UK according to Amazon at the same time and both companies are putting out Sad Cafe............any connection between these two labels?
Meanwhile here is something from the Renaissance website.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Renaissance Records will no longer be producing CDs except for limited edition and special boxed set collections.
All of our titles are available digitally through iTunes, Amazon.com, EMusic, AOL, Yahoo, Real and other fine digital download providers.
Reading various blog sites, it seems that getting ones hands on the master tapes (for a complete Box Set) - there's more chance of the Pope becoming a Rabbi.
As someone that has all the Charlie vinyl & CD's, why would I want to buy the same again - but in one package.
I'd rather see Charlie release a 'Now & Then' Box Set.
The 'Then' - disc\s as is (hisses and all).
The 'Now' - disc\s of how the band see them in todays terms - revamped.
This way, folk get both options - and should\could attract a new fan-base.
I've sent a mail to Voiceprint asking what their intentions are for the UK as they originally planned to reissue all from Julian's Remastering. I also understood there may have been some live or current re-recordings by Terry that may have been earmarked for inclusion (and I did supply copies of the first single and the 12" versions of It's Inevitable to them).
I do not think that Renaissance will have anything but their original recordings plus the tracks that were re-mastered for their last best of (which were far superior) and I'll steer clear unless someone convinces me otherwise.
Maybe Julian did master all, but I understood he was tinkering still to improve them even more.
However much they try though the remastering will be from vinyl and not the original tapes unless a second generation master has turned up in the US or Japan, from which their original vinyl masters were taken.
Be nice if someone in the know could tell us definitively.
I have no idea who is putting these out. They are NOT based on recent re-masters. I know this because it was me who was/is doing this and I haven't done it!
I'll try to see who's behind it and will post my findings. As ever with Japanese re-issues, looks pretty, but lord knows where the material came from.
I have been a huge fan of Charlie since the 70s. At one time owned all of their releases on vinyl, and have only purchased one on CD, as the sound qulitiy of the Renaissance release was abyssmal. I used to build turntables, and install high end custom stereos, and used Fight Dirty as one of my demo albums for the dynamics and spacial imaging. The sound quality of the CD was as if someone used a cheap cassette in a bathroom to master the recording. Is there something in the works that would allow us to purchase authentic, well mastered copies of the Charlie recordings? Thank you.
I have no idea who is putting these out. They are NOT based on recent re-masters. I know this because it was me who was/is doing this and I haven't done it!
I'll try to see who's behind it and will post my findings. As ever with Japanese re-issues, looks pretty, but lord knows where the material came from.
Julian.
Hi, Julian,
I'm coming to this late - because I only just found this site - but it's great to read YOUR comment on the situation. I bought the 4 Japanese CDs in miniature card sleeves - inside a collectors' box with the Fight Dirty logo - from a reputable seller in the US, and I was blown away by the sound quality. Not the distant, tinny Renaissance thing. Oh no! This one was right in your face. The sound and mastering was excellent! It was just a joy to listen to these. Have you got ANY info whatsoever?
its probably just me but I much prefer the use of the "Charlie Girls" as opposed to the other album pictures, butterfly girl, etc. I find them much more pleasing to look at while listening to the album (CD). Now me being the completest that I am also would like to see the band revisit some of the studio tracks they so graciously contributed to the old site taken over by spambots. Those 3-4 tracks are still very listenable IMHO. But I'm probably in the minority on that one, onward & upward, etc. Nevertheless, Charlie ROCKS!!!
I bought the Japan set from Hiro at Airmail Recordings in Japan for $28 each and they sent me the promo box with them. I owned all the Renaissance charlie cds and these are a big improvement. John, the owner of Renaissance Records died and his kids did not want to run the business. they are still selling back stock on eBay and Amazon. Airmail has released several sets that Renaissance did, City Boy, Sad Cafe just to name 2, and the Japan versions sound much better.
