Maybe we could ask Mallory Earl's widow (Mushmouse3) about his work with Split Enz - "a group from London", according to her.
Thanks Jaffa, I'd been looking for comments from Hugh about Frenzy but hadn't been able to find any.
So Mallory Earl wouldn't let Hugh do his job? That's alarming. Analog multitrack machines need a lot of setting up, and if this is doesn't done correctly then you'll get all sorts of issues with the sound. I don't want to bore everyone with a lecture on multitrack recording but I can think of all sorts of nasty things that can go wrong when the standard procedures aren't followed. In that case it is the producer's fault after all! I'll stop giving him the benefit of the doubt...
There's definitely certain songs on Frenzy where the actual performance does seem pretty lacklustre and only the strength of the songwriting keeps you listening.
To get back a bit more ontopic... If Eddie can't find "Livin' It Up" on any of the tapes then maybe it can just be slipped on as a "hidden track" at the end of the remixed/remstered Frenzy CD (using the track off the '81 A&M release if that's all that is available). That would be a nice surprise.
So Mallory Earl wouldn't let Hugh do his job? That's alarming. Analog multitrack machines need a lot of setting up, and if this is doesn't done correctly then you'll get all sorts of issues with the sound. I don't want to bore everyone with a lecture on multitrack recording but I can think of all sorts of nasty things that can go wrong when the standard procedures aren't followed. In that case it is the producer's fault after all! I'll stop giving him the benefit of the doubt...
There's definitely certain songs on Frenzy where the actual performance does seem pretty lacklustre and only the strength of the songwriting keeps you listening.
To get back a bit more ontopic... If Eddie can't find "Livin' It Up" on any of the tapes then maybe it can just be slipped on as a "hidden track" at the end of the remixed/remstered Frenzy CD (using the track off the '81 A&M release if that's all that is available). That would be a nice surprise.
Interesting, but would there be any point? We're all pretty much in agreement that he did an appalling job on the album (complete ball drop IMHO) and she does describe him as 'the late GREAT Mallory Earl and describing Split Enz as a band from London, tends she doesn't know who they are which makes me think she probably wouldn't know/remember anything. Looking at that list of people he's worked with, I'm surprised I've only ever heard of him as the producer of Frenzy. Isn't there a rather large question mark over whether he actually worked with Hendrix or not?quote:Maybe we could ask Mallory Earl's widow (Mushmouse3) about his work with Split Enz - "a group from London", according to her.
He (Mallory Earl) co-produced an album by Hot Tuna in 1975 - that was a band featuring Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady from the Jefferson Airplane, but that's hardly a fantastic thing to have in your bio. 
Googling creatively I managed to come up with a few albums that he worked on as an engineer or producer, some before Frenzy some after but none of them very noteworthy except maybe The Grateful Dead. I got the most hits googling: "Mallory Earl" engineer He only worked with Steely Dan in his dreams, though! I think his widow is referring to "Jay and The Americans" who Becker and Fagan worked with in their pre-Steely Dan days.
Nothing about him working with Hendrix (other than the odd Enz related hits describing him as "Hendrix's tea boy". "Tea Boy" was a term used to describe the assistants in recording studios in England back in those days. Sounds like Earl took it a bit literally in relation to Hugh Padgham's role on Frenzy.
History has had the last laugh. Hugh Padgham went to become a very successful producer with loads of awards and Mallory Earl languished in obscurity...
Googling creatively I managed to come up with a few albums that he worked on as an engineer or producer, some before Frenzy some after but none of them very noteworthy except maybe The Grateful Dead. I got the most hits googling: "Mallory Earl" engineer He only worked with Steely Dan in his dreams, though! I think his widow is referring to "Jay and The Americans" who Becker and Fagan worked with in their pre-Steely Dan days.
Nothing about him working with Hendrix (other than the odd Enz related hits describing him as "Hendrix's tea boy". "Tea Boy" was a term used to describe the assistants in recording studios in England back in those days. Sounds like Earl took it a bit literally in relation to Hugh Padgham's role on Frenzy.
History has had the last laugh. Hugh Padgham went to become a very successful producer with loads of awards and Mallory Earl languished in obscurity...
Don't worry Camus, my suggestion was tongue-in-cheek. I was rather tickled by her mistaking the Enz for an English band.quote:Originally posted by Camus:
[qb]Interesting, but would there be any point? We're all pretty much in agreement that he did an appalling job on the album (complete ball drop IMHO) and she does describe him as 'the late GREAT Mallory Earl and describing Split Enz as a band from London, tends she doesn't know who they are which makes me think she probably wouldn't know/remember anything. Looking at that list of people he's worked with, I'm surprised I've only ever heard of him as the producer of Frenzy. Isn't there a rather large question mark over whether he actually worked with Hendrix or not? [/qb]quote:Maybe we could ask Mallory Earl's widow (Mushmouse3) about his work with Split Enz - "a group from London", according to her.
Mallory Earl's work for Hendrix has been mysteriously overlooked by the AMG database too
Ahhh, thought it might have been tongue in cheek wasn't sure, but thought I'd bite anyway
This has been a great topic and it's been very informative. I have mailed off my A&M Frenzy record to a friend who can put it on CD for me. In the meantime, I have gone through the Frenzy tracks and fixed volume problems, added some compression, and created what I consider to be a more enjoyable Split Enz album. Using what I learned from the Enzology I pulled together B-sides and other songs that were recorded during the Frenzy era and here it is:
Frenzy (improved)
1. Give is a Whirl
2. I See Red
3. Master Plan
4. Stuff and Nonsense
5. Hermit McDermitt (Luton track from Spellbound)
6. Things (single)
7. She Got Body She Got Soul
8. Semi Detached (Luton track from Spellbound)
9. Abu Dhabi
10. Two of a Kind (b-side)
11. The Roughest Toughest Game
So, I know I left a lot off but I really can't stand songs like Betty, Frenzy, and Famous People. I may add on some Luton tracks from the A&M record if they're any good. I like what I've heard of Neil's "Carried Away."
Frenzy (improved)
1. Give is a Whirl
2. I See Red
3. Master Plan
4. Stuff and Nonsense
5. Hermit McDermitt (Luton track from Spellbound)
6. Things (single)
7. She Got Body She Got Soul
8. Semi Detached (Luton track from Spellbound)
9. Abu Dhabi
10. Two of a Kind (b-side)
11. The Roughest Toughest Game
So, I know I left a lot off but I really can't stand songs like Betty, Frenzy, and Famous People. I may add on some Luton tracks from the A&M record if they're any good. I like what I've heard of Neil's "Carried Away."
I hope one of the two Startling takes of 'Next Exit' sees the light of day. What a drum track!
Just had a peek through some of the old posts on the always popular Luton topic - anyone know (well, Jaffa's the one to answer this really) if Up Against a Brick Wall ever got a better treatment than than really rough version heard in Enzology?
Not to my knowledge. The only recording of it I found was that one on the Old Mill House cassettes. "Marks and Sparks" was a similar song from the same rehearsal sessions.
Darn! (for want of a better word on an all-ages forum...)
Ever get the feeling they could step into a studio and easily knock out a new albums-worth just from all these unfinished songs & jams? That would make and interesting album...
Ever get the feeling they could step into a studio and easily knock out a new albums-worth just from all these unfinished songs & jams? That would make and interesting album...
I was just hoping someone could clarify the exact version of the songs from the 1981 A&M release of Frenzy.
Was it only Mind Over Matter and Livin' It Up that used Luton versions, or was the rest of the album (minus the 1981 remixes) also sourced from the Luton sessions?
Just trying to clarify if the rest of the album used the same mixes / versions as those on the original 1979 version of Frenzy.
Split Enz — 01 — I See Red
Split Enz — 02 — Give it a Whirl (1981 Remix)
Split Enz — 03 — Master Plan (1981 Remix)
Split Enz — 04 — Betty (1981 Remix)
Split Enz — 05 — Frenzy (1981 Remix)
Split Enz — 06 — Stuff and Nonsense (1981 Remix)
Split Enz — 07 — Marooned (1981 Remix)
Split Enz — 08 — Hermit McDermitt
Split Enz — 09 — Holy Smoke
Split Enz — 10 — Semi-Detached
Split Enz — 11 — Carried Away
Split Enz — 12 — She Got Body, She Got Soul
Split Enz — 13 — Mind Over Matter (Luton Version)
Split Enz — 14 — Livin' it Up (Luton Version)
Semi-Detached and Holy Smoke and Carried Away are all from Luton . The rest I think are remixes of Frenzy songs done by Eddie in 1981. Definitely they differ from Luton.
Thanks.
I just stumbled across this post from @gph in another thread from years ago.
@gph posted:1. I See Red (same as Mushroom version)
2. Give It a Whirl (remix)
3. Master Plan (remix)
4. Betty (Remix)
5. Frenzy (Remix)
6. Stuff & Nonsense (remix)
7. Marooned (Remix)
8. Hermit McDermitt (Luton version)
9. Holy Smoke (Luton)
10. Semi-detached (Luton)
11. Carried Away (Luton)
12. She got body, she got soul (Luton version)
13. Mind over matter (Luton)
14. Livin' it Up (Luton)
This claims that only I See Red was the original Mushroom version, and that all the other non-remixed tracks were from Luton (and this not from the original 1979 issue of Frenzy).
@Secret God (Stew) posted:Thanks.
I just stumbled across this post from @gph in another thread from years ago.This claims that only I See Red was the original Mushroom version, and that all the other non-remixed tracks were from Luton (and this not from the original 1979 issue of Frenzy).
Yes, definitely I See Red is just the original single mix, not a different mix.
A couple of points (made up thread, but jsut in case: Holy Smoke, Carried Away, LIving It Up and Semi-Detached were NEVER on the original 1978 version of Frenzy.
Also there was a song "The Roughest Toughest Game in the World"which was on there but was cut from the 1981 version.
I don't have time to A/B listen at the moment but I assume gph is right regarding "She Got Body She Got Soul" is the Luton version -- I just listened last week to the 1981 version and it's definitely quite a bit different to the 1978 version.
Cheers.
Yes, I realise Frenzy 1981 had songs that were not on the original 1978 release. I was just confused by seeing other tracklistings referring to the songs as the "Luton" version (as opposed to another (?) version).
I'll go ahead and assume that She Got Body, She Got Soul is, in fact, the Luton version. Obviously I'll have a far better understanding after hearing it, which I'm about to get around to.
@Lance LaSalle posted:Also there was a song "The Roughest Toughest Game in the World"which was on there but was cut from the 1981 version.
Not to mention Famous People and Abu Dhabi.
Was there ever another version of Livin' It Up? In my file, I have it listed as the "Luton version" - as if to distinguish it from another version.
Also, it seems I attributed gph's quote to you in my previous comment. I knew it wasn't you who wrote it, but when I added the quote code it posted with your name attached. I'll change that now.
I don't think there was another version of "Livin' It Up"; it's possible that the 1981 version and the 2006 version are different mixes, though. The masterings are obviously very different
The 2006 CD reissue of Frenzy was a completely new remix. Therefore Livin' It Up would have been a different mix to what originally appeared on the 1981 LP. Unless Eddie did re-use some of the 1981 mixes for the 2006 Frenzy? Doubtful though.
It's confusing: but I don't think "LIvin' It UP" was on the 2006 remix of Frenzy at all; it was included on Rootin' Lootin' Putin Tapes, though.
Ah, you're right. Livin' It Up was obviously on 2007's TRTLT, not the 2006 Frenzy reissue. Both of these releases were fresh remixes, however.
A boxed set of Frenzy / TRTLS would be nice one of these days. Someone already made a thread about this a while back, but the amount of content could be brilliant.