Beau Biens 50th Anniversary Re-release!

Frank Uhle is planning to re-release this 1967 "Garage Band Classic".  It was the most commercially successful record I produced.  Auction prices have exceeded $200!  The re-issue is remastered from studio session tapes, not just copied from the original pressing master.  That improves fidelity by saving a tape generation or two, and substituting today's superior mastering software.  Label art mimics the original, to be printed on similar turquoise stock.  The original misprint of the band's name as one word is corrected.  As of July 2016, masters are in queue at the same Archer Record Pressing plant in Detroit that made the originals.  See Frank's article about the band in Ugly Things #40.

Here's how the originals look and sound on YouTube postings:

A Man Who's Lost Remastering Outtake

This version of the song's end breaks into stereo.  To me, it suggests our dispirited protagonist wandering into a vast abyss, his song reverberating throughout the universe.  It materialized by accident while trying to achieve just the right echoing fade.

Though I like the effect, Frank convinced me it is too radical a change to use in a "re-issue".  I thought you might enjoy hearing it here.

Even though this is only a 128Kbps .mp3, you can probably hear the improvement in fidelity.  The digital remaster uses 96 KHz, 24 bit sampling in conformance with today's professional standards.
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aftermath after ~50 years (the band likes it not capitalized)

YouTube postings of another successful record:

There are some cool pics of the band in these videos.

When I recorded these, I did not know that The Animals had recorded Bury My Body.  After hearing theirs, I think I like the aftermath version a little better.

Frank Uhle has also published an article about the aftermath in Ugly Things #40.

​No plans for a re-issue of this one.  If we get enough urging through comments here or elsewhere, that could change.  Remasters are on hand with a nice fidelity bump.

The Continentals: Rufus Rastas/Donna

I hooked up with this band in 1965, and recorded them in WSLN's studios on the Ohio Wesleyan University campus.  I thought they sounded pretty good, and they were happy with the result.

This YouTube posting bears a radio station's stamp:

I'm not sure how I wound up with credit on the label as arranger for Rufus Rastas, and composer for Donna.  That seemed to be the way the band wanted it, though I did neither.

I don't remember hearing any more from the band about how it went after they set off with their box of pressings.  The record pictured here reportedly sold for $46 on eBay July 19, 2011.

I have improved-sounding remasters of these, too.  I hope I can find something useful to do with them.

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I had a lot of fun producing these, along with a couple other pressed records that have no YouTube postings, and some unreleased recordings of various groups.  I have also had fun a half century later revisiting and remastering them.  Thanks to Frank Uhle for his inspiration!