Michael Fremer Leaving Stereophile?

[Ron Party]

I spent a lot of time back in the 70s listening to Crime. And Crisis. Saw them at the L.A. Forum either on the Quietest Moments or the Breakfast tour. One of my all time favorite bands.

 

[DMill]

Oh man, where do I hand in my audiophile card?

Yesterday I followed spinning Rush's Hemispheres with Caress of Steel, before that Yes Drama, before that Genesis Duke, Bill Bruford, Brand X, UK, (etc).

I think prog has been my favorite music to listen to on vinyl.

Me too on prog. TY for Yes Drama listed. Kind of hated it as a kid because no Jon Anderson but it has aged well imo. The problem with a lot of subjective reviews for me is pages of waxing on the voice of some nobody artist singing something obscure cause they want to sound enlightened. Fremer did this way too much imo. You want to evaluate a piece of gear. In fairness I got to experience some new artists outside my comfort zone this way. But if we are evaluating gear… let’s start with SGt Peppers or anything everyone has heard to death.

 

[DMill]

I spent a lot of time back in the 70s listening to Crime. And Crisis. Saw them at the L.A. Forum either on the Quietest Moments or the Breakfast tour. One of my all time favorite bands.

I remember fondly listening to Breakfast in the back seat of my dads Saab. I like your taste in music.

 

[Fidji]

Me too on prog. TY for Yes Drama listed. Kind of hated it as a kid because no Jon Anderson but it has aged well imo. The problem with a lot of subjective reviews for me is pages of waxing on the voice of some nobody artist singing something obscure cause they want to sound enlightened. Fremer did this way too much imo. You want to evaluate a piece of gear. In fairness I got to experience some new artists outside my comfort zone this way. But if we are evaluating gear… let’s start with SGt Peppers or anything everyone has heard to death.

When listening to new gear[or showing my gear to some non-audiophiles] I always ask for Daft Punk - Get Lucky - if this track does not sound right, nothing will. Then continue with Sepultura ;-)

Snobbery is really the scourge of this hobby, sometimes you have the impression, that by not being enthusiastic about some experimental Japanese jazz you are not really worthy to have anything better than Bose soundbar. Or you are probably supposed to come to some enlightenment by listening to exactly 777 versions of Brahms 3rd Symphony for exactly 7777 hours.

There is special sub-genre of this hobby called "BrothersInArmsophilia", where the ultimate goal is to finally find THE vinyl version of this record [I really know the guy with probably 50 different discs/vinyls, "hey. I have this new piece in my collection, french second press, from 1986, it is so AIRY and DETAILED, and !!!! fade out in Brohers in Arms track lasts for 28 seconds, unlike UK edition, where it lasts only 25 seconds"

And of course, "Keith don't go dancing with Cosmic Hippo in Cafe Blue with Brothers in arms"

[grabbed this screenshot couple of years ago, probably credit Stereophile? ]

 

[deniall83]

When listening to new gear[or showing my gear to some non-audiophiles] I always ask for Daft Punk - Get Lucky - if this track does not sound right, nothing will. Then continue with Sepultura ;-)

Snobbery is really the scourge of this hobby, sometimes you have the impression, that by not being enthusiastic about some experimental Japanese jazz you are not really worthy to have anything better than Bose soundbar. Or you are probably supposed to come to some enlightenment by listening to exactly 777 versions of Brahms 3rd Symphony for exactly 7777 hours.

There is special sub-genre of this hobby called "BrothersInArmsophilia", where the ultimate goal is to finally find THE vinyl version of this record [I really know the guy with probably 50 different discs/vinyls, "hey. I have this new piece in my collection, french second press, from 1986, it is so AIRY and DETAILED, and !!!! fade out in Brohers in Arms track lasts for 28 seconds, unlike UK edition, where it lasts only 25 seconds"

And of course, "Keith don't go dancing with Cosmic Hippo in Cafe Blue with Brothers in arms"

View attachment 214019
[grabbed this screenshot couple of years ago, probably credit Stereophile? ]

Love it and concur 100%

I used to work in HiFi and if I ever hear Hotel California, Get Lucky, Diana Krall or Money For Nothing again I'm going to yeet the stereo out the window. It's like Audiophiles only have 3 songs to choose from.

I love that there are people on here who listen to metal. I used to get funny looks when I'd throw on heavy music in the store.

 

[Robin L]

For all you prog fans/audiophiles out there, note that I have (and love) the DVD-A of King Crimson's "Discipline".

 

[bkatbamna]

My gawd I tire of "female voice" audiophile tracks at audio shows (and youtube "sound demos")

They are virtually always some turgidly paced, arty, breathy thing that has me checking my watch and thinking of better ways to spend my time, 30 seconds in.

I'm amazed that you're able to tolerate it for 30 long seconds.

 

[deniall83]

Are we supposed to reply with how long we lasted? 46 secs for me
View attachment 214028

oops I posted in the wrong thread

 

[DMill]

This clearly explains why prog rock didn’t last very long. It’s fine at least I’m happy.

 

[jsrtheta]

And I saw Emerson, Lake and Palmer in concert.

Oh yeah? The only time I saw Keith Emerson was on a a triple bill: The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Allman Brothers Band (with Duane Allman), and The Nice (with, of course, Emerson). Emerson rode his B-3 across the stage while playing ""America" with his feet.

I never get to tell that story anymore. Damn.

 

[puppet]

I spent a lot of time back in the 70s listening to Crime. And Crisis. Saw them at the L.A. Forum either on the Quietest Moments or the Breakfast tour. One of my all time favorite bands.

Saw them in Chicago when Crime came out. Gentle Giant opened for them. Great show.

 

[syn08]

I used to get funny looks when I'd throw on heavy music in the store.

You should see the looks when I‘d throw on Merzbow. Then gloss something about sibilance and 3D sound stage.

 

[deniall83]

You should see the looks when I‘d throw on Merzbow. Then gloss something about sibilance and 3D sound stage.

Play it on vinyl so you get even more noise.

 

[Everett T]

Holy Sh!t, this is more attention then he has gotten in the last 5 years.

 

[DSJR]

Oh man, where do I hand in my audiophile card?

Yesterday I followed spinning Rush's Hemispheres with Caress of Steel, before that Yes Drama, before that Genesis Duke, Bill Bruford, Brand X, UK, (etc).

I think prog has been my favorite music to listen to on vinyl.

And some of that stuff sounds better and clearer than ever when played digitally. Mind you, Brand X masters are a bit bass light and sonically 'packaged' in the soundstage - that's the way they were mixed (I once heard a master tape copy of one of the album sides - I wonder what the monitors were in the mix? Either huge Tannoys or JBL's I suspect played VERY LOUDLY ). I think the Yes remasters of ten to tfifteen years ago 'sound' OK, but maybe they've been compressed? The UK albums I have on CD sound almost as muddy as the originals, but quite dynamic if turned up (I must dig 'em out). All this music to re-enjoy again now my lugs have been suitably 'sorted.'

 

[Mart68]

Brand X is Jazz Fusion not prog. Supertramp were a pop group. Just saying

Tannoy Lockwood Majors in Trident Studios at the time of 'Unorthodox Behaviour'

 

[DSJR]

I'm trying to help a pal new to a Lenco GL75, which potentially can be a perfectly capale record playing machine long before any 'knowledgeable enthusiast with no knowledge' starts removing the arm, adding an extra platter and carving up what's left into some abortion of a thing. I started to reminisce about the best turntable I ever owned - and with a soirted Decca Gold Microscanner cartridge and phono stage able to take it in terms of overload margins, it was the closest to master tape I'd ever at that point heard vinyl (Linn LP12 eat your heart out even now with improved plumbing, cast sub chassis and metal corner pieces holding the plinth together...)

Gawd, a new one would cost many thousands now (latest 'version' is the Dias and it doesn't look like a Rega that's been weight training... Another thing I should have kept, but 'digital' was playing an ever more important part of my music listening and the Decca tried to commit suicide, as they do routinely (it's fixed now but I can't and don't use it) so I all but gave it away when a motorised money pit needed the dosh.

 

[Martin]

Oh yeah? The only time I saw Keith Emerson was on a a triple bill: The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Allman Brothers Band (with Duane Allman), and The Nice (with, of course, Emerson). Emerson rode his B-3 across the stage while playing ""America" with his feet.

I never get to tell that story anymore. Damn.

I just found a bootleg recording of the ELP concert I attended: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Long Beach Arena 08-12-1977 - Looking Out For #1. Very cool.

I now have bootleg recordings of the first two concerts I ever attended: Boston on March 16, 1977 and ELP on August 12, 1977, both at the Long Beach Arena. What are the odds?

Martin

 

[MCH]

Popular bands, in a medium/big venue in california, late 70s. It would be surprising if recordings did not exist! I would say if you search, you might even find a second source of the same show if your favourite song is not complete in the one you have.
I have all of the 6 Led Zeppelin shows at the LA forum that year. Unfortunately i was not there

 

[Dial]

Old white guy music ?