Gentle Giant Missing 8-Track master Tapes

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   I was reading recently in Prog magazine about Steve Wilson re-mixing Gentle Giant's LP's,  and that he had to do it from the 2-track tapes because of the 'unavailability' of the original multi-track master tapes.This reminded me of the reason for that 'unavailability' and the part that I played in it.
In the early '80's my friend and keyboard player in our band was the engineer at Advision Studios, and we were recording tracks there for our album under the name of Tea.
One day he asked me to come into the studio to lend him moral and physical support in undertaking a task which had been given to him by the management.
It turned out that Advision were going to dispose of their old and now unused Scully 8-track machine, and had told him to destroy the dozens of reel to reel masters that were recorded on it.
Like me, he was a massive fan of Gentle Giant - and among those tapes were the original recordings of our favourite albums, Music In A Glasshouse, The Power And The Glory, Free Hand etc. etc.
He didn't feel up to doing this on his own, so he roped me in to help out.
There were, as far as I can remember, 40 - 50 masters, and my first reaction on seeing the ones fro GG was to suggest that we might save them from destruction, but he said that that was more than his job was worth.
So we spent many hours during the night listening to a selection of the masters in detail for one very last time, especially what we thought were the best ones.
And then we set to work with razor blades.

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pitfall Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 22 2012 Location: Essex, England Status: Offline Points: 109	Topic: Gentle Giant Missing 8-Track master Tapes Posted: November 29 2015 at 15:14
	I was reading recently in Prog magazine about Steve Wilson re-mixing Gentle Giant's LP's, and that he had to do it from the 2-track tapes because of the 'unavailability' of the original multi-track master tapes. This reminded me of the reason for that 'unavailability' and the part that I played in it. In the early '80's my friend and keyboard player in our band was the engineer at Advision Studios, and we were recording tracks there for our album under the name of Tea. One day he asked me to come into the studio to lend him moral and physical support in undertaking a task which had been given to him by the management. It turned out that Advision were going to dispose of their old and now unused Scully 8-track machine, and had told him to destroy the dozens of reel to reel masters that were recorded on it. Like me, he was a massive fan of Gentle Giant - and among those tapes were the original recordings of our favourite albums, Music In A Glasshouse, The Power And The Glory, Free Hand etc. etc. He didn't feel up to doing this on his own, so he roped me in to help out. There were, as far as I can remember, 40 - 50 masters, and my first reaction on seeing the ones fro GG was to suggest that we might save them from destruction, but he said that that was more than his job was worth. So we spent many hours during the night listening to a selection of the masters in detail for one very last time, especially what we thought were the best ones. And then we set to work with razor blades.

Mascodagama Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 30 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5111	Posted: November 29 2015 at 15:24
	Bloody hell. Advision Studios bosses, you will reap karmic justice for this . Reincarnation as a tapeworm seems appropriate. pitfall, I'm sorry you had to be party to such wilful stupidity.

GKR Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: January 22 2013 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 1376	Posted: November 29 2015 at 15:50
	This is such a sad story.
	- From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

Catcher10 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: December 23 2009 Location: Emerald City Status: Offline Points: 17863	Posted: November 29 2015 at 15:57
	The destruction of any art is senseless and mindless.....especially music, it can never be duplicated again with that emotion and feeling in the studio.


pitfall Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 22 2012 Location: Essex, England Status: Offline Points: 109	Posted: November 29 2015 at 16:18
	Too true. I felt bad enough at the time, but the sadness has grown over the years. Maybe if I had snuck one away it would have been unplayable before too long - they were stored in a temperature and humidity controlled room, which is something I have never had. Edited by pitfall - November 29 2015 at 16:19

garfunkel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: January 03 2015 Location: NC Status: Offline Points: 209	Posted: November 29 2015 at 17:21
	This makes me sad. So are they still designated as "missing"? Does anyone other than the one's involved know about this?

poeghost Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 13 2013 Location: U.S.A. Status: Offline Points: 175	Posted: November 29 2015 at 18:48
	Oh no! This makes me sad. Gentle Giant made such wonderful music! Couldn't they have given the tapes to the band!? This reminds me of how some of the early Doctor Who episodes were destroyed.

progrockdeepcuts Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 14 2013 Location: West Virginia Status: Offline Points: 394	Posted: November 29 2015 at 18:51
	This is heartbreaking. Edited by progrockdeepcuts - November 29 2015 at 18:51
	Listen to older shows here: mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/

irrelevant Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: March 07 2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 13382	Posted: November 29 2015 at 19:45
	I just couldn't have brought myself to do it
	New album! http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385

progrockdeepcuts Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 14 2013 Location: West Virginia Status: Offline Points: 394	Posted: November 29 2015 at 22:14
	So, if Power and the Glory was among the destroyed multitracks, what did SW use to remix it last year?
	Listen to older shows here: mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/

chopper Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 13 2005 Location: Essex, UK Status: Offline Points: 20030	Posted: November 30 2015 at 06:18
	This is a crime on a par with the BBC recording over some classic TV programmes so they could reuse the tapes (not your fault though, pitfall).

unclemeat69 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: April 14 2007 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 362	Posted: November 30 2015 at 08:08
	So, the copyright on those recording are (presumably) still owned by the record company but that record company doesn't care enough about those recordings to hold the actual tapes containing those recordings..... Interesting...... Why didn't the recording studio hand over those tapes to either the band or the record company?
	Follow your bliss

Manuel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: March 09 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13481	Posted: November 30 2015 at 09:43
	A sad story indeed. Imagine what could be done with those tapes nowadays? If we only could for-see the implications of our actions!!!!!

micky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46838	Posted: December 02 2015 at 20:35
	I blame SWilson... the new antichrist of prog. if he wouldn't have messed around with remastering every damn prog album.. we all would have have safely and blissfully ignorant. I don't know about you all.. my copies still sound good.
	The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

sublime220 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: January 21 2015 Location: Willow Farm Status: Offline Points: 1563	Posted: December 02 2015 at 20:38
	While I can agree with you on his poor solo output, his remixes actually sound fantastic, particularly the 2013 stereo remix of Red.
	There is no dark side in the moon, really... Matter of fact, it's all dark...

micky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46838	Posted: December 02 2015 at 20:48
	I probably should check one out and see how much of a difference a remix really makes. I really can say I'm not sitting around listening to this album or that one thinking to myself.. man.. I wish SWilson would do a 6.5 remix of this one. Perhaps it is like sex though.. you don't know what you are missing until you experience it. Perhaps someday he'll do an album I adore and I'll see what the fuss is about.
	The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

Slartibartfast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29630	Posted: December 02 2015 at 21:28
	That's really sad to hear. But since they were mastered for LPs, aka, also known as vinyls by most kids who weren't around at the time, then they must have been made perfect so it should be a simple matter of recording those records back to digital and with a good program fake extracting things and surround sounding them. If anyone can do it Steve can! Yeah I'm being half silly and half serious. but I do have a lot of trust in Steven's talents. Plus I really miss the way 8-tracks conveniently truncated things into four parts instead of relying of the natural divisions that the musicians had originally considered like the sides to an LP or a 45... Mickey, just saying, but I really do appreciate the way a good surround sound mix can enhance an album that you might have already become way too familiar with... Edited by Slartibartfast - December 02 2015 at 21:38
	Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

micky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46838	Posted: December 02 2015 at 21:36
	I do have a surround sound system here.. but probably not used to fully capacity. I'll have to check it out. Then again.. I still need to upgrade to a smart phone. I do like things nice and simple. Isn't music supposed to sound scratchy and imperfect. I think many RPI albums actually sound better for their particular lo-fi recordings. oh well. Some day.. I did only take the step up to a GPS last year.. next will be a smart phone. then perhaps SWilson 7.2 remixes.
	The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

Slartibartfast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29630	Posted: December 02 2015 at 21:42
	I dragged my feet to cell phone and "smart" phone and don't regret it. I have two functioning surround systems. One home computer in the music room and one home theater in the family room. No regrets other than my wife never lets me crank up the family/living room one when she is around. But I get by. then there's that whole personal battle about whether or not I should watch something surround or stereo video. Aieeee!!!!
	Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

garfunkel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: January 03 2015 Location: NC Status: Offline Points: 209	Posted: December 02 2015 at 21:45
	Hey Micky, I think we're in the same boat. I don't care much for high audio quality at all, even though I know stuff would sound better with the equipment, I just want the music!