‘Dark Side of the Moon’ turns 30

Sweeeet.



Re-mastered, hybrid multi-channel, Super Audio CD celebrates a birthday

Mar. 25 — For the 30th anniversary of one of the best-selling recordings of all time — a recording that spent 741 weeks, or a total of 14 years, on Billboard’s Album Charts — EMI/Capitol has produced a gift for its fans: Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” It is being released today for the first time in full 5.1-channel surround sound.

SINCE ITS RELEASE in 1973, “Dark Side of the Moon” has sold more than 30 million copies (30 million, plus 30 years — I’m beginning to see a pattern.) Piggybacking onto the success of last year’s re-release of early Rolling Stones albums on hybrid SACD, EMI decided to create a multi-channel mix in time for the album’s three decade mark. EMI and Sony (manufacturer of SACD players) threw a big bash Monday night at New York’s Hayden Planetarium to give the audio press a sneak peek of what the new mix sounds like. Back in 1973, Pink Floyd introduced the album at a big bash at the London Planetarium.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL TREATMENT

Hybrid means you can play it on any regular CD player — or you can hear high-definition two-channel and 5.1-channel mixes on the Super Audio Compact Disc player. You need a special SACD player to hear what it sounds like in high-def.

EMI contacted producer/engineer James Guthrie to do the surround sound re-mix. Guthrie, who has worked with The Floyd for more than 20 years, told the gathered crowd that creating a 5.1-channel mix was not an easy task — and not because of the music.
“The record really lends itself to a three-dimensional treatment — but everyone knows the original mix so well, it’s indelibly printed in out minds,” Guthrie said. “We’ve had 30 years to live with it, and some people don’t want that image to be altered.”
He described how he had been working with all the original tapes they found in the Abbey Road Studios and how much work they had to do to synch everything up properly once they found what they needed.
They had originally planned a 03/03/03 release (thirty backwards times three) but a massive winter storm pushed back the release date a few weeks until March 25. He said that he was happy with the results nonetheless.

AMAZING SOUND QUALITY

As well he should be. After his speech — the crowd was allowed to listen to the final result. Fifteen of us at a time were ushered in to a special area where we listened to the 5.1-channel mix through a gigantic system containing 5 ATC SCM150ASL loudspeakers — each the size of a refrigerator and two big ATC subwoofers. It’s actually the same system Guthrie uses in his studio. The sound quality was, and is, amazing.
In the ’70s, Pink Floyd was known for giving live performances with speakers placed all around the hall to create a 360-degree vista of sound. I remember one such concert (I believe at New York’s Felt Forum) where voices came from all directions — and the sound of people walking from one location to another — or a car zooming along was part of the show. The new 5.1 mix provides some of those sound effects. But it also brings to life an amazing three-dimensional spatial depth that the old two-channel mixes were never able to convey. Sure there’s some tape hiss (they used analog tape decks in 1973) but the glorious analog sound quality of the original tapes comes shining through.
I hope EMI/Capitol keeps their promise, and sells the new 30th Anniversary Edition DSOTM for the same price as a regular CD. There are a lot of fans out there that deserve to hear what this rock masterpiece really sounds like.

 

Pole,

Gotta play it on the surround system first, baby.

Dang, I wish I could listen to this album at 420.