I'm listening to the Silkcut1978 vinyl rip of 'Philadelphia Special' because someone here told me a few years back that this version was the best sounding. I've heard maybe twenty different versions of this boot and have never been clear as to where it originated. Did it hit stores in the '70s or was it much later? Where did these recordings come from? What's the best sounding source for these recordings. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

For starters, check out Discogs:

Philadelphia Special - Discogs

the best and cleanest presentation of the music has always been the original RSVP 2LP vinyl release from 1985. Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

Hope this helps!

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

Silkcuts is the best but beware of speed issues on a couple tracks in order to make it fit on the LP

What version of Philly special is best for sound quality .I’m trying to upgrade my list

[forum.pinkrobert.net]

Wetransfer links to Work Sucks may be found here.

There's also this one if it can help


Philadelphia Specialties Plus
Acid Project 057
Spectrum Sports Arena Philadelphia Pennsilvania 20th & 21st July 1972
Soundboard Recording

The very first release of some of these 1972 soundboard tracks was obviously the LP "Mick Taylor We Miss You" (RSVP 001)

[www.discogs.com]
[www.discogs.com]

I wonder if someone has a vinyl rip of this LP, I vever came across one so far.

Quote
wiredallnight
The very first release of some of these 1972 soundboard tracks was obviously the LP "Mick Taylor We Miss You" (RSVP 001)

Stumbling across this boot as a teenager in the very pre-internet world was the first indication that I was not the only person lamenting the departure of Mick Taylor from the Stones.

It was like the whole universe opened up to me . . . and it definitely changed the course of things to come.

The first release of the '72 soundboard recordings were US vinyl bootlegs on the RSVP label: "Mick Taylor We Miss You" and "Jack Daniel's On Tour." The West German "Philadelphia Special" 2 LP set sounds better than either of those. Not sure if they had better tapes or a better record pressing. Maybe both.

For CDs, I like the VGP-260 version of "Philadelphia Special." It has noise reduction, but only a little. The Swingin' Pig "Philadelphia Special" CDs are smothered in noise reduction and don't sound good. The VGP and TSP releases are from tapes. There are also CDs dubbed from vinyl but I'm not familiar with those.

Quote
wiredallnight
The very first release of some of these 1972 soundboard tracks was obviously the LP "Mick Taylor We Miss You" (RSVP 001)

[www.discogs.com]
[www.discogs.com]

I wonder if someone has a vinyl rip of this LP, I vever came across one so far.

Hello wiredallnight,

this elpee was great when released.

Great sound for the period (there was not a lot of soundboard tapes circulating).

And the presentation was fantastic - Absolutely beautiful red vinyl.

Of course, all of the songs are now available today in vastly superior quality.

You really don't need a rip of this LP.

Quote
stonesstein
For starters, check out Discogs:

Philadelphia Special - Discogs

the best and cleanest presentation of the music has always been the original RSVP 2LP vinyl release from 1985. Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

Hope this helps!

A RSVP 2LP from 1985?

Quote
dph
The first release of the '72 soundboard recordings were US vinyl bootlegs on the RSVP label: "Mick Taylor We Miss You" and "Jack Daniel's On Tour." The West German "Philadelphia Special" 2 LP set sounds better than either of those. Not sure if they had better tapes or a better record pressing. Maybe both.

For CDs, I like the VGP-260 version of "Philadelphia Special." It has noise reduction, but only a little. The Swingin' Pig "Philadelphia Special" CDs are smothered in noise reduction and don't sound good. The VGP and TSP releases are from tapes. There are also CDs dubbed from vinyl but I'm not familiar with those.

What's funny is the fact that the West German "Philadelphia Special" 2LP set and The Swingin' Pig "Philadelphia Special" CDs were produced from the exactly same copies of cassette tapes as both were done by the very same guy (and still a friend of mine to this very day!).

He once mentioned that he always has a good laugh whenever he reads that the 2LP vinyl set sounds "superior" to the CD's. Difference is that the original 2LP vinyl was "produced" by him purely on amateur home equipment (cassette tape deck, equalizer, reel to reel tape recorder) with the cassette tapes that were recorded with Dolby B noise reduction being played back with Dolby B switched "off" to make the tapes "sound a bit brighter", while the later Swingin' Pig CD and vinyl editions were mastered in a professional studio without this "Dolby B off-trick" ("because you simply don't do that" as he was told by the mastering engineer)...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-01-23 05:15 by retired_dog.

Quote
retired_dog

Quote
dph
The first release of the '72 soundboard recordings were US vinyl bootlegs on the RSVP label: "Mick Taylor We Miss You" and "Jack Daniel's On Tour." The West German "Philadelphia Special" 2 LP set sounds better than either of those. Not sure if they had better tapes or a better record pressing. Maybe both.

For CDs, I like the VGP-260 version of "Philadelphia Special." It has noise reduction, but only a little. The Swingin' Pig "Philadelphia Special" CDs are smothered in noise reduction and don't sound good. The VGP and TSP releases are from tapes. There are also CDs dubbed from vinyl but I'm not familiar with those.

What's funny is the fact that the West German "Philadelphia Special" 2LP set and The Swingin' Pig "Philadelphia Special" CDs were produced from the exactly same copies of cassette tapes as both were done by the very same guy (and still a friend of mine to this very day!).

He once mentioned that he always has a good laugh whenever he reads that the 2LP vinyl set sounds "superior" to the CD's. Difference is that the original 2LP vinyl was "produced" by him purely on amateur home equipment (cassette tape deck, equalizer, reel to reel tape recorder) with the cassette tapes that were recorded with Dolby B noise reduction being played back with Dolby B switched "off" to make the tapes "sound a bit brighter", while the later Swingin' Pig CD and vinyl editions were mastered in a professional studio without this "Dolby B off-trick" ("because you simply don't do that" as he was told by the mastering engineer)...

Interesting story, thanks for sharing.
I can add that the VGP releases "Plug In Flush Out" (VGP-259) and "Philadelphia Special" (VGP-260) are also sourced from the 2 TSP 2CD sets. 20 years or more ago I knew a guy who had connections to VGP in Japan. Every now and then I sent him some stuff and sometimes VGP released it (and more often not ). If yes I got some free copies. Back then I took all the tracks from the 2 TSP 2CD sets, added 2 more tracks from the 4 LP set "Plug In Flush Out", made some slight equalizing, sorted the tracks by shows and sent all to this guy (on CDRs back then). VGP mixed up everything again, added tracks from L & G and brought out these 2 releases. I do not know if VGP equalized the tracks again or if they did anything else to them, but it is possible.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-01-23 11:53 by wiredallnight.

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TravellinMan
[forum.pinkrobert.net]

Wetransfer links to Work Sucks may be found here.

well, i did not find it there...anywhere else maybe? tx

Quote
stonesstein

Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

[/color]

What? The Rattlesnake box was made from a very early generation tape and was sonically the absolutely best available at the time. I know, because the tapes were mine.

Mathijs

Quote
Peterdv

Quote
TravellinMan
[forum.pinkrobert.net]

Wetransfer links to Work Sucks may be found here.

well, i did not find it there...anywhere else maybe? tx

[we.tl]

[we.tl]

[we.tl]

[we.tl]

Here are the four links. Let me know please if they still do not work for you.

Quote
maidenlane

Quote
wiredallnight
The very first release of some of these 1972 soundboard tracks was obviously the LP "Mick Taylor We Miss You" (RSVP 001)

Stumbling across this boot as a teenager in the very pre-internet world was the first indication that I was not the only person lamenting the departure of Mick Taylor from the Stones.

It was like the whole universe opened up to me . . . and it definitely changed the course of things to come.

It gave Ronnie a real grown up job...

Quote
LiveAtHidepark

Quote
stonesstein
For starters, check out Discogs:

Philadelphia Special - Discogs

the best and cleanest presentation of the music has always been the original RSVP 2LP vinyl release from 1985. Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

Hope this helps!

A RSVP 2LP from 1985?

Yes, that's the one!

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

Quote
dph
The first release of the '72 soundboard recordings were US vinyl bootlegs on the RSVP label: "Mick Taylor We Miss You" and "Jack Daniel's On Tour." The West German "Philadelphia Special" 2 LP set sounds better than either of those. Not sure if they had better tapes or a better record pressing. Maybe both.

I couldn't agree more. Those titles are good, but for whatever reason, the West German Philadelphia Special on RSVP from 1985 outshines anything else in analog and on vinyl. I wish that the Philly Special II from Swingin' Pig was not No-Noised to death, but the CDR set of "Work Sucks, Let's Go on Tour" eliminates the No-Noise of the Philadelphia trax.

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

Quote
stonesstein

Quote
LiveAtHidepark

Quote
stonesstein
For starters, check out Discogs:

Philadelphia Special - Discogs

the best and cleanest presentation of the music has always been the original RSVP 2LP vinyl release from 1985. Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

Hope this helps!

A RSVP 2LP from 1985?

Yes, that's the one!

Again: RSVP ?

Quote
Mathijs

Quote
stonesstein

Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

[/color]

What? The Rattlesnake box was made from a very early generation tape and was sonically the absolutely best available at the time. I know, because the tapes were mine.

Mathijs

Mathijs, I bought the Rattlesnake Box with all of its glitz and booklet, etc. Fabulous package and not a bad listen UNTIL "Work Sucks" surfaced. Work Sucks' tracks are much sharper, a bit louder, and overall, the single best digital versions of the Philadelphia 7.20.1972 & 7.21.1972 shows I've heard. I spent a few hours comparing both box sets, and I sold my Rattlesnake Box shortly after getting Work Sucks. To this day, I still have a digital copy of Rattlesnake, and I compared it again before writing this. Work Sucks is better stuff, IMHO. Find Work Sucks and in the words of Bob Seger "give a listen". If you think otherwise, I totally respect your opinion, because after all, reasonable minds can certainly differ!

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

Quote
LiveAtHidepark

Quote
stonesstein

Quote
LiveAtHidepark

Quote
stonesstein
For starters, check out Discogs:

Philadelphia Special - Discogs

the best and cleanest presentation of the music has always been the original RSVP 2LP vinyl release from 1985. Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

Hope this helps!

A RSVP 2LP from 1985?

Yes, that's the one!

Again: RSVP ?

OOPS!

Good catch! My mistake in getting acronyms mixed up. Click on the Discogs link to see that I was referring to the RSGL acronym which appears in the matrix of the LPs' dead wax. Thanks so much to you for pointing out my mistake!

Definitely Not on label with RSGL- matrix!

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

for those looking for a download of the Work Sucks 8 CD set of the 1972 STP Tour with the Philadelphia Special tracks, I think this link will enable y'all to download it (or get you to where you can):

Works Sucks, Let's Go on Tour - Guitars 101 Download

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

Quote
stonesstein

Quote
LiveAtHidepark


Again: RSVP ?

OOPS!

Good catch! My mistake in getting acronyms mixed up. Click on the Discogs link to see that I was referring to the RSGL acronym which appears in the matrix of the LPs' dead wax. Thanks so much to you for pointing out my mistake!

Definitely Not on label with RSGL- matrix!

exact matrix : (RSGL 72-A PHILLY / RSGL 72-B WE LOVE YOU / RSGL 72-C / RSGL 72-D Tour'72)


Seriously, do you use Discogs for collecting ?

Thanks for the links!

Quote
stonesstein

Quote
Mathijs

Quote
stonesstein

Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

[/color]

What? The Rattlesnake box was made from a very early generation tape and was sonically the absolutely best available at the time. I know, because the tapes were mine.

Mathijs

Mathijs, I bought the Rattlesnake Box with all of its glitz and booklet, etc. Fabulous package and not a bad listen UNTIL "Work Sucks" surfaced. Work Sucks' tracks are much sharper, a bit louder, and overall, the single best digital versions of the Philadelphia 7.20.1972 & 7.21.1972 shows I've heard. I spent a few hours comparing both box sets, and I sold my Rattlesnake Box shortly after getting Work Sucks. To this day, I still have a digital copy of Rattlesnake, and I compared it again before writing this. Work Sucks is better stuff, IMHO. Find Work Sucks and in the words of Bob Seger "give a listen". If you think otherwise, I totally respect your opinion, because after all, reasonable minds can certainly differ!

Indeed this Work Sucks sounds good. It reminds me of two old bootleg CD's I had that were semi official, 'Live Hits' or so (the artwork stated a track called 'Let Me Go' by Jimi Hendrix) that had the same sound. Bright, punchy, bit still a bit wobbly.

Mathijs

Edit: fount the CD: Live USA

[www.lastdodo.de]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-01-24 12:17 by Mathijs.

Quote
LiveAtHidepark

Quote
stonesstein

Quote
LiveAtHidepark


Again: RSVP ?

OOPS!

Good catch! My mistake in getting acronyms mixed up. Click on the Discogs link to see that I was referring to the RSGL acronym which appears in the matrix of the LPs' dead wax. Thanks so much to you for pointing out my mistake!

Definitely Not on label with RSGL- matrix!

exact matrix : (RSGL 72-A PHILLY / RSGL 72-B WE LOVE YOU / RSGL 72-C / RSGL 72-D Tour'72)


Seriously, do you use Discogs for collecting ?

Among other things, yes. What causes you to ask?

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972

Quote
Mathijs

Quote
stonesstein

Quote
Mathijs

Quote
stonesstein

Digitally, the best has always been the elusive "Work Sucks, Let's Go On Tour" 8CD rework of the glamourous (but sonically sh!te) Rattlesnake 7CD Box Set from the 1972 Tour.

[/color]

What? The Rattlesnake box was made from a very early generation tape and was sonically the absolutely best available at the time. I know, because the tapes were mine.

Mathijs

Mathijs, I bought the Rattlesnake Box with all of its glitz and booklet, etc. Fabulous package and not a bad listen UNTIL "Work Sucks" surfaced. Work Sucks' tracks are much sharper, a bit louder, and overall, the single best digital versions of the Philadelphia 7.20.1972 & 7.21.1972 shows I've heard. I spent a few hours comparing both box sets, and I sold my Rattlesnake Box shortly after getting Work Sucks. To this day, I still have a digital copy of Rattlesnake, and I compared it again before writing this. Work Sucks is better stuff, IMHO. Find Work Sucks and in the words of Bob Seger "give a listen". If you think otherwise, I totally respect your opinion, because after all, reasonable minds can certainly differ!

Indeed this Work Sucks sounds good. It reminds me of two old bootleg CD's I had that were semi official, 'Live Hits' or so (the artwork stated a track called 'Let Me Go' by Jimi Hendrix) that had the same sound. Bright, punchy, bit still a bit wobbly.

Mathijs

Edit: fount the CD: Live USA

[www.lastdodo.de]

[www.discogs.com]
[www.discogs.com]

OMG! LOL! Those were the days...

Both the Rattlesnake box and Work Sucks are only loud and compressed and have no dynamics. If you like that - OK, but not my cup of tea. (That's the way music usually is today, so maybe you're used to it.) The Philadelphia Specials (both old vinyl and TSP) are much better. Take a look at the waveforms if you don't believe it. I recommend a quiet song like Love In Vain.

Quote
wiredallnight
Both the Rattlesnake box and Work Sucks are only loud and compressed and have no dynamics. If you like that - OK, but not my cup of tea. (That's the way music usually is today, so maybe you're used to it.) The Philadelphia Specials (both old vinyl and TSP) are much better. Take a look at the waveforms if you don't believe it. I recommend a quiet song like Love In Vain.

Wired, I respect your opinion and am happy for you that your hearing has survived all these years to allow you to continue to discern the finest points. After (nearly) 50 years of very loud rock and roll concerts, shotguns, and the like, I am not offended by compression or even some sampling. Occasionally, I can tell the difference, and I typically travel in .wav files, but in the case like this one, Works Sucks shone above all other digital examples, while the original 2LP set (RGSL-72 matrix) is clearly the best of the analog options. They both work quite well for my (damaged?) ears.

Kick me like you kicked before
I can't even feel the pain no more

"Rocks Off", Exile on Main Street
Rolling Stones, 1972