Apache Minus Rhythm

[Amanda]

Hi,

Andrewshadowy posted this on Youtube - interesting!

[UlrichS]

Hi,

This CD is a quite strange item. I don't know whether it happened by accident but only the right channel was mastered for all the tracks very often resulting in a completely missing rhythm guitar. It was the first CD from Fremus/Italy. All the later Cliff and/or Shadows CDs are fine.

Ulrich

[Amanda]

A good CD for UB Bruce then!

[JimN]

A good CD for UB Bruce then!

You don't need it - just shift the balance control on your stereo.

JN

[SELEDA284]

Interesting to see its now on cd...have had the cassette tape version here for years..........

[Martyn]

It's always been difficult to correctly analyse the lead guitar's tone, echo etc when Bruce's rhythm guitar filled in the overall sound so well - and which, I hasten to add, made it so distinctively 'Shadows' and of that early period. Where this is really helpful is that by removing the rhythm guitar, Hank's guitar tone, use of trem and particularly the echo repeats have become so much clearer to hear.

It's been the source of debate as to how typically Shads this early recording really was or wasn't, as many felt everything that Hank, in particular, subsequently played sounded subtly different - even to the point where some suggested he wasn't using a strat but a Gretsch on this track. It sounds to me like he played the notes at a point nearer the bridge as compared to later when he started to play holding on to the trem arm and was thus forced to strike the strings nearer the neck. Fascinating stuff and I'm sure there are those who have studied the subject in far more detail who can chime in on this topic. Hopefully this clarified recording may help with any conclusions being reached.

As to shifting the balance control - wasn't this issued in mono only? If not I stand corrected.

Martyn

[JimN]

Interesting to see its now on cd...have had the cassette tape version here for years..........

Lesley: The tape and CD were issued at the same time (c.1993). There were two more Shadows Fremus releases and also two Cliff Richard CDs. There was going to be more (trust me ), but Italian copyright law changed and it couldn't be done.

JN

[Stratpicker]

Interesting too to hear Hanks Lead volume wandering up and down too. Not much sign of Compression or final mix mastering there. I know Apache is the Holy Grail of all Shadows tunes but (Is it just me or) does it sound a bit 'lifeless' without Bruces rhythm playing in there. (looks for tin hat!! )
cheers
ian

[MeBHank]

I've only just noticed this thread, and I'm finding it very interesting listening to the track!

Changing tack slightly, hearing this makes me realize how much playing Cliff did on the Chinese drum - it certaintly wasn't just the intro and outro, he's doing little bits all the way through the track!

J

[JimN]

As to shifting the balance control - wasn't this issued in mono only? If not I stand corrected.Martyn

Hi, Martyn,

The answer to that depends on what "it" is.

If you mean The Shadows' version of Apache, that has certainly been issued in stereo and in mono. Indeed, had it not been available in stereo, the mastering error on the Fremus CD* simply could not have happened. It was an artefect of two-channel stereo recording. The error could not happen with a mono recording - think about it.

If you meant the Fremus CD was issued in mono... well, that's strictly true and strictly untrue at the same time.

CD-Audio is stereo format by default. The disc always has two channels, both of which are always read by the laser in the player as two channels. Of course, if exactly the same signal is present on each channel, the recording is monophonic, but you have to distinguish the hardware and the software. The hardware is always stereo; the software can be either mono or stereo, and in the case of the Fremus "Apache" CD, all the software is in mono (because it is just one side of a stereo signal, recorded onto both channels of the disc).

Hope this helps.

JN

PS: You can reproduce the effect easily from a stereo version of Apache on CD - just adjust the balance.

PPS: Those who insist that the original Shadows hits are available only in mono are, I'm afraid, wrong. Only a very few Shadows/Drifters recordings are not available in stereo - and the number is a fingers of two hands job: Feelin' Fine / Don't Be A Fool / Jet Black (studio version) / Driftin' (studio version) / Saturday Dance / Lonesome Fella / French Dressing / Blue Shadows / No No Nina (instrumental version). I don't think I've missed any out.