There's been much said about the West German 'London' CDs in wide stereo of the mid 1980s. Researchers didn't keep-up with all of the newer releases of the MFSL wide Stereo Stones. The later Japanese releases were better quality such as the Hot Rocks listed below.



Hot Rocks Disc 1 P25L 25047 Japan April 25, 1989
London wide-stereo MFSL (Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs) mixes in excellent sound with no fade-ins.

24-page booklet contains all lyrics in English & Japanese, band bio, and a separate fold-out sheet with a Polydor K.K. / London Records Rolling Stones CD discography.



The credit "Norman Meade" on Track 1 is a pseudonym for Jerry Ragovoy, who co-wrote the song with Jimmy Norman.


Time Is On My Side guitar intro - stereo
Heart of Stone - stereo
Play With Fire- stereo
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction- stereo
As Tears Go By - mono
Get Off Of My Cloud- stereo
Mother's Little Helper- stereo
19th Nervous Breakdown - mono
Paint It Black (short)- stereo
Under My Thumb- stereo
Ruby Tuesday- stereo
Let's Spend the Night Together- stereo



Rolling Stones “Hot Rocks 1” CD

There is an extremely desirable Rolling Stones CD that isn’t an SA-CD: “Hot Rocks 1” (London / Polydor Japan P25L 25047, released 1989).

This disc is truly unique: 10 of the 12 songs on this CD are in true wide-stereo! In TRUE STEREO: “Time Is On My Side”, “Heart Of Stone”, “Play With Fire”, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, “Get Off My Cloud”, “Mother’s Little Helper”, “Paint It Black”, “Under My Thumb”, “Ruby Tuesday” and “Let’s Spend The Night Together” – only “As Tears Go By” and “19th Nervous Breakdown” are in mono. Here are true stereo versions of the above listed tracks that are not currently available (not even on the ’02 SA-CD’s!).

“Satisfaction” and many other MFSL wide true stereo made its way to both Germany and Japan in the 80’s and early 1990s – could this possibly have something to do with the MFSL boxed set of LP’s? Of course, in the late 80’s – there were no “CD mastering” credits on this CD.

I’ve chased lots of ‘true stereo’ songs by The Rolling Stones – such as the groovy stuff on “No. 2” that found it’s way to CD in Japan, much of it in true stereo – again, in the late 80’s

There are several editions of “Hot Rocks 1”, but finding a Japanese London / Polydor P25L 25047 disc, you’ll get there. None of the US versions of “Hot Rocks” as a double CD have the desirable true stereo songs.

It hits you immediately when you first hear “Satisfaction” in true stereo – did you know that there’s a piano on that track? You can hear it in the stereo version! I confess that the true stereo “Get Off Of My Cloud” also rattled my cage – wow, sure never heard this before! It is so super cool to hear these stereo versions! Dang!

author unknown



[home.arcor.de]

The POCD mixes are 'Old Abkco" mixes which are the same as the mid 1980's USA Abkco releases in much better sound which are well worth having.

"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-12-12 13:13 by Deltics.

I also bought a Japanese "Hot Rocks Disc 1" for that reason.

The later Japanese ‘P25L CD Series’ pressings of the wide-stereo MFSL (Mobil Fidelity Sound Lab) are the same mixes as West German wide-stereo London label CDs 820 Series with better sound.

People hold the original 1980’s pressings of the London West German 820 CD Series’ in the highest regard for the wide-stereo mixes of Stones timeless classic hits. The original 1987 Japan MFSL P33L issues had flaws such as fade-ins for a few songs. Some later West German issues (same catalog numbers as every series before it) had some fade-ins too.

On this MFSL series release in 1989, the ‘P25L CD Series’ with red obi are the wide-stereo mixes in the best quality. They finally got it right. No fade ins, no issues. By 1989 with better CD technology, the P25L CD series are the MFSL cool wide-stereo mixes at their best.

I always enjoyed the wide stereo mix of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” on “Let It Bleed.” Never liked wide-stereo “Satisfaction” but it’s cool to listen too!



The ‘P25L CD Series’ with red obi

[i.ebayimg.com]

[www.ebay.com]

This is where the bootleggers stole some of the wide stereo tracks to put out "Ear Candy."





This bootleg of the MFSL mastering made people aware of the wide-stereo mixes and the London CDS.



[forums.stevehoffman.tv]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-12-12 06:35 by exilestones.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2014-12-12 06:39 by exilestones.

Quote
exilestones
The later Japanese ‘P25L CD Series’ pressings of the wide-stereo MFSL (Mobil Fidelity Sound Lab) are the same mixes as West German wide-stereo London label CDs 820 Series with better sound.

People hold the original 1980’s pressings of the London West German 820 CD Series’ in the highest regard for the wide-stereo mixes of Stones timeless classic hits. The original 1987 Japan MFSL P33L issues had flaws such as fade-ins for a few songs. Some later West German issues (same catalog numbers as every series before it) had some fade-ins too.

On this MFSL series release in 1989, the ‘P25L CD Series’ with red obi are the wide-stereo mixes in the best quality. They finally got it right. No fade ins, no issues. By 1989 with better CD technology, the P25L CD series are the MFSL cool wide-stereo mixes at their best.

I always enjoyed the wide stereo mix of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” on “Let It Bleed.” Never liked wide-stereo “Satisfaction” but it’s cool to listen too!

Thaks for infos, exilestones!

I only have "Hot Rocks Disc 1 P25L 25047", and not have other ‘P25L CD Series’.

Are Some or All other ‘P25L CD Series’ titles must have?
Please give me your advice.

Quote
keithpinkmoon


I only have "Hot Rocks Disc 1 P25L 25047", and not have other ‘P25L CD Series’.

Are Some or All other ‘P25L CD Series’ titles must have?
Please give me your advice.

I think you should have them all if you like having the wide-stereo mixes. It's so cool to hear all of your old friends (songs) in a different mix!

I wonder if these are available for download?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-12-12 18:45 by exilestones.

Quote
keithpinkmoon

Quote
exilestones
The later Japanese ‘P25L CD Series’ pressings of the wide-stereo MFSL (Mobil Fidelity Sound Lab) are the same mixes as West German wide-stereo London label CDs 820 Series with better sound.

People hold the original 1980’s pressings of the London West German 820 CD Series’ in the highest regard for the wide-stereo mixes of Stones timeless classic hits. The original 1987 Japan MFSL P33L issues had flaws such as fade-ins for a few songs. Some later West German issues (same catalog numbers as every series before it) had some fade-ins too.

On this MFSL series release in 1989, the ‘P25L CD Series’ with red obi are the wide-stereo mixes in the best quality. They finally got it right. No fade ins, no issues. By 1989 with better CD technology, the P25L CD series are the MFSL cool wide-stereo mixes at their best.

I always enjoyed the wide stereo mix of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” on “Let It Bleed.” Never liked wide-stereo “Satisfaction” but it’s cool to listen too!

Thaks for infos, exilestones!

I only have "Hot Rocks Disc 1 P25L 25047", and not have other ‘P25L CD Series’.

Are Some or All other ‘P25L CD Series’ titles must have?
Please give me your advice.

All wide stereo tracks from old London CDs were listed long time ago here
[www.lukpac.org]
Absolutely mandatory one is Aftermath (UK).

Japanese P25L series utilizing the same tapes as old West German London CDs but:
- final EQ is slightly different comparing to WG discs. I must admit this does not mean they sound better, just a bit different. Personally, I prefer sound of WG discs.
- there are unique CDs in Japanese series No2, Big Hits (High Tide & Green Grass), Through The Past, Darkly. These are absent in WG series but I would not say they sound amazing. Big Hits (High Tide & Green Grass), for example, has tons of fake stereo versions. December's Children in P25L is mono, while WG version contains 2 wide stereo tracks.
- P33L series seems to be made better, just a tactile feeling. And no, P33L an P25L are digital clones as they were pressed from the same matrices. Actually P25L came with P33L matrices. Both were pressed by JVC but P33L utilized 'old italic' matrix font, while P25L were pressed using more modern equipment and matrix contains 'JVC tetris' on the inner mirror band in front of matrix number.

Regarding WG editions of Hot Rocks - just check here
[forums.stevehoffman.tv]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-12-12 21:42 by ironbelly.

Many thanks, exilestones & ironbelly !!