1981

1981
In memory of my dear old brother - Horringer Court 1982

The Pussyfoot

The Pussyfoot
The Pussyfoot by vocalist Terry Barfield

Tintern Abbey by Don Smith

Tintern Abbey by Don Smith
Tintern Abbey by Don Smith

The Carnaby

The Carnaby
By Andy Andrews

Sunday 18 April 2010

Jason Crest - Black Mass 7 minute acetate



Here is a never before seen 7 minute version of Jason Crest's seminal composition, Black Mass, which I have discovered on a cancelled 10 inch Philips metal acetate.

Whilst sounding essentially the same as the single release, the mix is different, brighter sound, cleaner, more dynamic, with different introduction and ending.

I have no idea why it was cancelled, and Jason Crest themselves are apparently unaware of this recording being made.

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for uploading this - it's fascinating! Really odd - it sounds as if the producer or the engineer decided to splice together some existing parts of the track to extend it, and also remixed it a bit. Given that record companies were more in the habit of editing down material than extending it, though, that's a strange thing to have done.

    I'm not sure I like some of the edits here, which sound really jumpy and obvious - but that might be just because I'm so familiar with the original.

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  2. Hello Dave

    Thank you for your comment. Yes, it looks like an early example of remixing. I actually prefer this version. I must say that upon first playing it I too thought it jolty, to the point I suspected my stylus was jumping. The clarity of sound on my record player is astounding, far better than my 7 inch vinyl version.

    Regards

    Sir Henry

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  3. Ho ho ho ho ho.
    Amazing what can be achieved with a good sense of rhythm and Audacity!
    Sounds like something Bam Caruso might have dreamt up.
    Thats no more real than an election pledge.
    But lots of fun though.
    Whats next? "Path through the forest" -10 miles (sorry minute) version?
    Or "I can take you to the sun" with added rocket liftoff sequence?
    Cant wait!

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  4. The suggestion (above - Anonymous) appears to be that this acetate is an elaborate hoax.

    Perhaps you'd care to expand?

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  5. A real curiosity this one. Have only ever heard the standard version in stereo and it's a fave of mine so this was an interesting alternate angle of something very familiar.

    The edits are a bit on the hamfisted side. The anonymous person who accused this of being newly created... well, surely if it was newly done, the edits would be much neater! Back in 1969, it was all still being done with razor blades and whoever did this was not quite as experienced as some other producers of the time who worked miracles with a razor blade!

    As for why it was cancelled... maybe the clue is on the disc itself "Not covered by contract" which is the first time I've seen such a thing on an acetate. I guess that the single was the bands final contractual obligation to Philips since there were no more releases after this, but it still doesn't answer the question as to WHY this was done.

    Thanks for this.

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  6. Good evening Confused,

    Thank you for your comments. You are most likely correct. If I remember correctly, Black Mass was initially turned down by Philips, and replaced by 'Waterloo Road'. It later surfaced as the B side to 'A Place in the Sun'. Perhaps an engineer was having fun with the initially rejected recording.

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  7. Great to see it reissued on "Psychedelic Schlemiels 4" v/a … Do you happen to know what the hidden track on that comp is, after "Black mass (extended version)"?

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  8. Hello Uzine

    The hidden track after Black Mass is an unknown acetate titled 'Merry go Round'.

    Regards

    Sir Henry

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  9. Thanks again, and see also http://uzine.posterous.com/a-black-mass-for-wasted-schlemiels

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  10. Wow....this is amazing! An extended version of Black Mass! How does one just come across this? Thanks so much for posting this! If you're interested in selling, send me an email: RhondaHodgson@hotmail.com

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  11. Thanks for adding some clues about the Schlemiels Vol 4 "hidden track" -- guess I'll have to fork over hard cash for that one to get this "Merry Go Round". Over the past few months I've been gathering tracks using variations on that theme and thus far have over 80 songs compiled, with no replication (i.e. all are different songs) -- so this adds one more!
    [John Berg]

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