my opinion on the easy action box

arrived today and i've got to say im so disappointed... the way everyone has been talking about it you'd think it was the greatest recording ever. now im a huge stooges fan, love everything they've done. got 'heavy liquid' boxset, loads of bootlegs and out of all them this new boxset is the least listenable... am i the only one who cant hear iggys vocals. i know its a bootleg but it seems pointless releasing a recording in so lavish a box if you cant even hear the singers voice. even some of the worse fidelity shows on the 'heavy liquid' box have better vocal volume. now dont take this the wrong way, easy action are legends in this modern age for putting the amount of effort into something for so small a fanbase and they're obviously dedicated to the music and the fans... much appreciated and forever respected... anyhoo, let me know what you think....

Well, I think Easy Action were pretty clear in stating that these are audience recordings and that they were not perfect. I'd love to be able to hear more vocals too, but this is, seemingly, all there is of this lineup. I never thought I'd hear anything at all of this and so I'll accept it for what it is. And for what Easy Action said it was - an audience recording.

If you were around in those days you realize that the technology was primitive and the machines available to do a cassette recording were extremely lo-fi. It's entirely possible that the band was so loud that the vocals couldn't be much heard if you were in the club that night. Or just that the recording device couldn't pick them up.

The Ungano's tape (with a six piece lineup and no Williamson) is supposed to be better. Let's hope that what's left of Rhino finds a way to get that out via Rhino Handmade or something.

Understand where you're coming from, I lent California Bleeding to a friend who loves Raw Power and she couldn't listen to it saying the sound quality was so bad - I think it's pretty damn good, but there's many people who can't handle anything less than near perfect sound quality.

Personally I think this 71 box is great, I don't mind that Iggy's vocals are hidden, it's the riffage that does it for me.

Love Ronnie, Love James, Love Jimmy Recca, Love Scotty - wish they'd done more.

Our only hope for anything better from this period would be to see whatever that Matt Gimmick has. Anyone live near Waterford and fancy a Ninja mission?

The audio samples were pretty clear as to what this would sound like. The actual disks sound way better though. Ron and James are on fire, at least on disk #2 (only one I've listened to so far), these are the only known recordings of that line up, so being audience recordings doesn't bother me at all. More vocals would be nice but if this is all there is I'll take it!

If you listened to the samples, you should have known that yes, Iggy's vocal are very obscured. That's the way it is when there is pretty much no professionally recorded live material. I'm a big Charlie Parker fan and if you think the sound is bad on these '71 Stooges recordings, you should hear what music non-professionally recorded in a club back in the 50's sounds like. It is the epitome of lo-fi.
If you wanna be disappoint at anyone, be disappointed at the record company morons that didn't think the Stooges were worth warranting any professional recorded live performances.

EA have worked a minor miracle in bringing these songs to Stooges fans off 38 year old cassettes. The quality, particularly vocals, ain't perfect, but that doesn't stop it being exhilirating to listen to. Personally, I'm absolutely loving it.

i understand these are audience recordings, and saying they are they're pretty decent quality... unlike some of the california bleeding stuff which is rougher sounding.... i dont know... i didnt listen to the samples for some reason. waiting for the set seemed so much fun to spoil. anyway, in a couple of months i'll probably be kicking myself and proclaiming these to be the holy grail of recorded sound.

also on another note, like i said before... easy action are incredible. thank you for the effort and respect you show for the music.

Chemmy wrote:

i understand these are audience recordings, and saying they are they're pretty decent quality... unlike some of the california bleeding stuff which is rougher sounding.... i dont know... i didnt listen to the samples for some reason. waiting for the set seemed so much fun to spoil. anyway, in a couple of months i'll probably be kicking myself and proclaiming these to be the holy grail of recorded sound.

also on another note, like i said before... easy action are incredible. thank you for the effort and respect you show for the music.

We all wish that the vocals were of the same fidelity as the music on these recordings. If they had been these would probably be the best live recordings of the Stooges in existence. It would have been nice if Danny Fields would have listened to the first nights recordings at the Electric Circus and hearing how low the vocals were in the mix made some adjustments the second night. But that is neither here or there, Danny Fields should be commended for his efforts along with Easy Action.

I for one am so glad this exists. The choice between folklore and having an actual document of these tunes is a no brainer.

If you, like me, had owned the Starfighter release "Live 71" prior to this box set, you'd be positively surprised now. I guess that bootleg is missing from your collection. California Bleeding sounds like hi-fi compared to that.

I had the Starfighter 71 cd, and can finally throw it away. I am opening the box as we speak, it just arrived : ) I will report back in a few hours : )

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

I had the Starfighter 71 cd, and can finally throw it away. I am opening the box as we speak, it just arrived : ) I will report back in a few hours : )

So, what do you think?

haven't listened to it yet.... only a couple songs from disc 1.. but the packaging is brilliant, mine seems very sturdy, it arrived in mint condition.... the ticket, and polaroid replica's are pretty damn cool. The info booklet has some wayyy cool photos in it, and great stories. Everything is 100% A+ IMO !

Just listened to disc 1 all the way through, the sound is MUCH better than the samples had suggested. Moving on to disc 2 shortly.

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

Just listened to disc 1 all the way through, the sound is MUCH better than the samples had suggested. Moving on to disc 2 shortly.

Really? In what way would you say it is an improvement over the samples?

ElRoi wrote:

Really? In what way

In a way... lol. Seriously though... its clearer, has a fuller sound. A sure upgrade to me. I'm playing it on the big stereo, and it really brings out the girth ! Hopefully yours will arrive tomorrow, and you'll see what I mean.

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

ElRoi wrote:

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

Just listened to disc 1 all the way through, the sound is MUCH better than the samples had suggested. Moving on to disc 2 shortly.

Really? In what way

In a way... lol. Seriously though... its clearer, has a fuller sound. A sure upgrade to me. I'm playing it on the big stereo, and it really brings out the girth ! Hopefully yours will arrive tomorrow, and you'll see what I mean.

Same here, it blows the samples away. I've listened to everything but disc 1 so far.

Hey studioguy, what is you favorite out of discs 2-4 ? I have a feeling i'm really gonna like Vanity, but this disc 1 will be hard to beat !

Disc 4 is cool as it's the first night of the tour and it's really tight, it's got some drop outs but not bad. 2 & 3 are both really good it's hard to pick a fav so far, Iggy's comments are really funny on 2-4. Vocals seem the loudest on 3. They are all pretty different even though it's basically the same set.

I agree ! I listened to all of the discs, and my my favorites(in order) are

Disc 1
Disc 2
Disc 4
Disc 3

The vanity show was way cool, I really enjoyed it (especially since it was in detroit!) and iggy used different vocals at this show it seems. the first two discs are my favorite, because I love iggy's ranting, and the quality is really good for me.

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

I agree ! I listened to all of the discs, and my my favorites(in order) are

Disc 1
Disc 2
Disc 4
Disc 3

The vanity show was way cool, I really enjoyed it (especially since it was in detroit!) and iggy used different vocals at this show it seems. the first two discs are my favorite, because I love iggy's ranting, and the quality is really good for me.

If mine doesn't arrive tomorrow, I may have to barrow your gun. This is an integral piece of my Ultimate Stooges Anthology. There is a big hole in the '71 live period and this will fill that hole nicely.

You'll love it, and I have a good feeling you'll have it tomorrow.

On a side note, I was getting ready to throw away the 1971 Starfighter cd(which I paid $120.00 for back in like 03! )before I realized... maybe someone here wants it... lol...

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

You'll love it, and I have a good feeling you'll have it tomorrow.

On a side note, I was getting ready to throw away the 1971 Starfighter cd(which I paid $120.00 for back in like 03! )before I realized... maybe someone here wants it... lol...

If I paid $120 for a CD I believe I would have to hang on to it just for that very fact. Hell, if nothing else eBay it or take it to your local indie music store and see if you can get anything for it.

Also what's the deal with this Iggy & SRB stuff. Are these CD's available on the interweb or indie stores:

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

I have bootlegs of iggys shows with the sonic's

they are -

Helsinki 78.
Orebro 78.
Stockholm 78.
London Music Machine 78.


I Also have on Cassette somewhere, 2 more witch are.

Tolouse 78.
and
Copenhagen 78.


Cheers.

https://stoogesforum.forumotion.com/gimme-danger-f4/sonic-s-rendezvous-band-t23.htm

The music on these discs are just incredible. Very powerful.
Quality is good enough for me. What a band...!
Huge thanks to everybody involved in this project!

tompa67 wrote:

The music on these discs are just incredible. Very powerful.
Quality is good enough for me. What a band...!
Huge thanks to everybody involved in this project!

Congrats on getting yours. I hope to be listening to mine in less than 10 hours or so.