Raw Power Embassy Reels?

Have any of you got the Embassy press of Raw Power and if so what is your thoughts on the mix on it as it is supposedly different from the Bowie and Iggy's mixs & there is 2 songs from that mix going on the reissue as bonus tracks.

I dont have the Embassy version myself but have just won a copy on eBay and should be here with in the week.

I don't have the record in question but would love to hear your thoughts on it once you have it.

Sounds interesting. The story of this record is soooo complex

My first copy of Raw Power was an "Embassy" copy back in 1977. I wouldn't get too excited. It didn't sound much different and unless they do something magical with the digital mastering you'll be wondering what all the hoopla was about like I am. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the package though.

I have it and serach and destroy sounds a lot different to the normal bowie mix with different drums and guitars. Note this is on the one with the embassy label with embassy on the right and cbs on the left. S/N 31464. There is another with the same S/N but with a normal CBS label with a small embassy under the CBS logo, that one has the normal bowie mix. The rest of the embassy one sounds a bit different but not much, worth tracking down fo the serach and destroy though, sound like the rough power versions of the song but in much better sound.

I read about the embassy mix and wanted it but the first one I got was the same as the bowie mix I had for years but when I go the second it was well worth it, especially for the very different search and destroy. MY CAMERA is on the blink so i cant post pictures at the moment but I think I can describe what you are after.

The first embassy version I got has labels on the record that are almost identical to a normal CBS record. That is orange and yellow background with black writing and the white CBS logo at the top with a very small embassy in black under the cbs and above the record title. Serial number is S31464 but this is just the standard bowie mix.

The embassy one you wnat has orange and white labels on the record quite different from a normal cbs label with cbs in black on the left and embassy in black and white on the right. Serial number is the same though and the record covers are identical to how you describe for both versions with CBs and embassy on the left and the monster wrting on the right. If you have the Robert Matheau book there is a picture of the real embassy record label on the page that has raw power on it.

Clearly the embassy one I describe above is the original and then maybe when they did a repress they spotted the mistake and went back to the real master. Hope this helps.

Sounds intriguing. I'd love to get my hands on one of those...

Tyronehell wrote:

I dont have the Embassy version myself but have just won a copy on eBay and should be here with in the week.

Congrats!

StoogesMySpaceAdmin wrote:

Tyronehell wrote:

I dont have the Embassy version myself but have just won a copy on eBay and should be here with in the week.

Congrats!

The Embassy Vinyl I got has the Bowie mix.

this different embassey mix must also have a different matrix no.

Tyronehell wrote:

StoogesMySpaceAdmin wrote:

Tyronehell wrote:

I dont have the Embassy version myself but have just won a copy on eBay and should be here with in the week.

Congrats!

The Embassy Vinyl I got has the Bowie mix.

Oh. Ok.

I've read that the original 1973 UK "Raw Power" cassette and the (correct) Embassy 1977 LP issue have the same two different mixes of Search and Destroy and Raw Power. Obviously there's more as Death Trip and Shake Appeal are on the deluxe version.

gazatthebop wrote:

I've read that the original 1973 UK "Raw Power" cassette and the (correct) Embassy 1977 LP issue have the same two different mixes of Search and Destroy and Raw Power.

Did someone say that the Sundazed single uses the Embassy Search and Destroy? It sounded different to my ears when I heard it recently. I thought that it was just the mastering but that was before I heard of the Embassy mix story.

FYI. someone is selling a dodgy CD of the Embassy cassette on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IGGY-AND-THE-STOOGES-RAW-POWER-RARE-EMBASSY-TAPE-MIX-CD_W0QQitemZ120552136967QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CDsDVDs_CDs_CDs_GL?hash=item1c1177a107#ht_500wt_1182

It says that is 'professionally mastered' from the Embassy cassette. Is that an oxymoron or does he mean 'copied'?

I can vouch in, I first discovered Raw Power in 1977 as everyone then, it was with the Embassy LP. Over the years I wore down my copy and I trashed it. From the time I re-bought it, I was embarrassed it didn't sound as good and I always wondered why, until I read this story.

My take and other older punk rockers take is that the current mix on CD (including thus the Legacy CD) features the wrong versions of most songs, as there was a mix up over the years. The older Bowie mix CD and the current Legacy do not offer the real Raw Power mixes, these are the Legacy ones.

Probably someone switched the master tapes and it went unnoticed. The Embassy is the reason the album got recognition by the punk movement in 77. To not include it complete on the Legacy mastering is a huge blunder.

This discussion clears up one of the great rock n roll mysteries for me. My experience in the same as Seventeen. I bought my first copy in 1978 which went missing in the chaos of the 80's. I bought another vinyl copy in the late 1980's and it just didnt sound the same, now its clear why I always thought that all those Ramones gigs in front of Johnnys amps had ruined my ears, apparently not

I also bought the Embassy album with the different mix when it came out in the UK in 1977, replacing it with the US Columbia CD in the late 80's, but didn't notice the difference! I agree totally that disc one should be both versions of the album. Maybe next time eh?

My Embassy version of Raw Power has red & white label (pictured below), but -to my ears- it sounds roughly the same as original & other reissues I've heard. I got it on ebay last year, it was sold to me as a "cassette mix".
I recorded an A/B sample with the original US version (first 31 seconds are Embassy, then original version), here:

Can you hear any mix differences? Original sounds brighter and Embassy have muddy bass, but it's probably a mastering or vinyl issue, rather than an actual difference in the mix.

That's funny, the first 30s, you can hear the bass, and the balance of the other instruments is good. Pass the first 30s, the room shrinks and everything gets thinny, just like the Bowie mix CD and I presume the Legacy edition, according to the samples on amazon. Not sure it's the difference between vinyl mastering and CD mastering, as there is out there an embassy "corrected" version.

Here is the label of my Embassy Raw Power and it has the Bowie mix.

seventeen wrote:

That's funny, the first 30s, you can hear the bass, and the balance of the other instruments is good. Pass the first 30s, the room shrinks and everything gets thinny, just like the Bowie mix CD and I presume the Legacy edition, according to the samples on amazon. Not sure it's the difference between vinyl mastering and CD mastering, as there is out there an embassy "corrected" version.

The samples on amazon sound exactly like a non remastered bowie mix,that's confusing. . .
Anyway the embassy mix sounds like iggy mix without digital distortion.And it's great!

Just checked out the sample & my Embassy vinyl sounds like the last part of the 60 second clip, All thin sounding and no bass.

What about the embassy mixes on the deluxe edition?
Are the same mixes of the Embassy LP?

Yep.

They removed the ebay listing mentionned above. I wish someone would post some more mp3s of the cassette version. Don't tell me no one downloaded it for the last two years !

Tyronehell wrote:

Here is the label of my Embassy Raw Power and it has the Bowie mix.

Yep this is the same as mine.
To my ears this Embassy mix is an inferior mix. I really don't think Search and Destroy sounds good at all.
when i get my lovely legacy version this is going on ebay.

Yes, this version is bad sounding, the other is the one to get !