Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe as Milk (1967) === The Mono Version ===
[16bit/44.1kHz CD Quality FLAC]
01. Sure 'Nuff 'n Yes I Do
02. Zig Zag Wanderer
03. Call on Me
04. Dropout Boogie
05. I'm Glad
06. Electricity
07. Yellow Brick Road
08. Abba Zaba
09. Plastic Factory
10. Where There's Woman
11. Grown So Ugly
12. Autumn's Child
All Tracks Are The Original Mono Mixes
Never Available on CD/Official Download in Historically Accurate Mono Version
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Source:
- Safe As Milk (LP, Album, Mono, Red) Buddah Records BDM 1001 USA 1967
- Nothing else.
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Vinyl Recorded & Mastered using:
- Technics 1210mk2
- Jelco SA-750D Tonearm
- Audio Technica AT33PTG MC
- Pro-Ject Tube Box SE-2 (using a matched pair of Genalex Gold Lion tubes)
- RME ADI-2 A/D Interface @ 24/96
- Audition 3.0 (editing, manual clean up)
- Click Repair 3.9.1 (light automatic click setting)
- MBit+ dithering and Sox Resampler used for converting to standard wav format.
All mono recordings were mastered from a single stereo channel, except on most of Tr. 6 & the ending of Tr. 10 L+R folding was done.
Transfer & Restoration by Prof. Stoned
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Mastering Note:
I'm happy to present the full original mono mix of this album in about as-good-as-it-gets quality. This was sourced from a near-mint
unworn USA mono pressing and meticulously restored for optimal sound reproduction. This version corrects the numerous errors that plague
the Sundazed release from 2013.
In short, the Sundazed turned out to be intricate patchjob from a poor mono needledrop and a folded stereo source*. When confronted with
evidence, label owner Bob Irwin angrily denounced it but felt compelled to admit he had used patches from another source on the intros.
However, he then changed his stance on what these alternative sources were two times, before deleting his message altogether.
According to the liner notes on the 1999 Buddha reissue, the mono masters weren't in the vaults in the late 90's. It is well-known
that a lot of monaural mastertapes were simply thrown out back in the 70's to save some storage space. Now of course, the average consumer
definitely prefers a tape sourced remastered edition over one that comes from vinyl, but falsely advertising one's product as something it
isn't (namely, a true mono mix sourced from a tape) is much worse.
* long discussion, starts at this page, goes on until the end:
forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/captain-beefheart-safe-as-milk-from-the-mono-master-on-sundazed.291719/page-15
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Notes:
So many fantastic records came out 50 years ago in that magical year 1967. This one stayed under the radar of most listeners at the time
but has gained significant recognition since then. Like his old mate Frank Zappa, Don van Vliet was a gifted musician and relentless
bandleader, who refused to compromise his vision in any way. This debut record is a culmination of years of working, absorbing & polishing.
It still sounds as urgent and bewildering today as it did so long ago. Granted, the sound quality may not be what it could have been (it has
that typical distorted "RCA Studios sound") but at least this mono version remedies some of the more distracting flaws of the stereo mix.
Please bear in mind the mono version was only ever issued in the USA in 1967, when the format was already fading from public view (the UK
mono is a folddown from the stereo mix), so not too many people heard it back in the day.
So here it is, just in time for its 50th anniversary.
