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I have been checking out two CD versions of the AUD tape of Mammoth Gardens, Denver 4/24/70. Source #1 came labeled MAC > C > D > CD > EAC > SHN. Its 1st disc times 32:05, its 2nd 66:34. Source #2 came labeled MAR > R (Gerhard S.) > D > CD. Its 1st disc times 35:08, its 2nd 75:36. The master is probably actually on reels. Disc #1: Acoustic Set: I Know You Rider The Monkey And The Engineer Friend Of The Devil Me And My Uncle Candyman Uncle John's Band Disc #2: Electric Set: Easy Wind #2 speed bumps > R > Cumberland Blues #2 speed bumps > R > Dire Wolf Dark Star > #2 tr 4-6 30 seconds repeated St. Stephen > The Eleven > drums# #2 no cut #jam# #1 cuts to 2nd inferior source #It's A Man's Man's Man's World #5:22 #2 only For the Acoustic Set the source #2 version is better; it may be a bit slow. For the Electric Set Source #1 cuts from its primary to a secondary inferior source during the drums following The Eleven. Source #2 runs uninterrupted until the jam following drums breaks off. Source #2's Electric Set repeats about 30 seconds at the beginning of Dark Star circa tracks #4-6. (Good mastering!) After the master audibly breaks off during the jam, Source #2 follows with a -- newly circulating -- fragment of It's A Man's Man's Man's World, about the second half of the song (#5:22). This sounds like the same taper & venue; the mics sound like they are further back than during the Dark Star thru the jam after drums; they also sound like they were moved into better position between the first three tunes of the Electric Set and the Dark Star. So it seems reasonable to regard this Man's World as probably coming from later in the Electric Set. The Electric Set disc of Source #2 is plagued by abrupt variations of reel playback speed sometimes called 'speed bumps.' These make Easy Wind and Cumberland pretty much unlistenable but occur only intermittantly later in the disc. These problems do not occur on Source #1. If the reported lineage of Source #2 is correct MAR > R (Gerhard S.) > D these problems either occured when Gerhard's reel was made or when it was played back to make the DAT. Source #2 also probably runs a little slow. Aside from the frequent speed bumps that render Easy Wind & Cumberland unlistenable, and the probable (correctable) pitch problem, Source #2 probably represents a bit better copy of the master, and certainly improves on Source #1's version of the ... drums > jam. For the Electric Set Source #1 is still to be preferred. The defects noted cripple Source #2. If its defects are not on Gerhard's reel it would be good to try to transcribe it again, minus the speedbumps. |
Title: 4/24/70
