LED ZEPPELIN II – A MASTERING LESSON

44 years ago today, Led Zeppelin released their second album. Eddie Kramer had engineered it, and Bob Ludwig was called in to give the record a “hotter” sound in the LP mastering phase. The resulting pressings have an “RL” inscribed in the run out area of the vinyl. Unfortunately, the dynamics in the grooves made these records unplayable on the inexpensive turntables of the day. So the lacquers were replaced with tamer sounding ones. Continue reading “”

I LOVE FALL

Testing some lenses today and was surprised by the results. Here’s a snap I took with a 1970 Leica 21mm Super Angulon rangefinder lens on a 2012 Leica M9-P camera body from my back door.

There is something special about this vintage optic and Leica’s older Summilux, Summicron, and Summaron lenses. Compared to modern Leica aspherical lenses, they can create a more three dimensional quality and a natural vignetting without correction right out of the camera. Plenty sharp and less post-production! Continue reading “”

NEIL YOUNG – ON THE BEACH BY CASSIUS (SH FORUM)

“Was it the Falcon? The Flying V used on the previous year’s tour?”

“It doesn’t really matter what guitar it was, because it’s the tone that cuts through. It’s the ‘real-est’. The most emotive piece of music I’ve ever heard.” Continue reading “”

“RUSH” PREMIERES

Had a chance to see Ron Howard’s “Rush” in a movie theatre last night and came away very impressed. It portrays the Formula 1 racing rivalry between Austrian Niki Lauda and Brit James Hunt leading to the climactic 1976 Driver’s Championship. Unlike previous motorsports films, it has an absolutely compelling story line and believable character development. It is also wonderfully cinematic in scope with great attention to period-correct details. Continue reading “”

PORSCHE 911: 50 YEARS AGO – UNVEILED TO THE PUBLIC

At the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 1963 sat a prim-rose-colored coupe with seat centers trimmed in checked cloth. It was called the Porsche 901, a model that would later become the 911 after Peugot objected to the use of “0” as a middle digit. Thus the iconic 911 was born. Continue reading “”

GOATS HEAD SOUP

What a name for an album title… leave it to The Rolling Stones.

It was forty years ago that the band released this LP recorded at Kingston, Jamaica’s Dynamic Sound Studios. Keith Richards recalls, “Jamaica was one of the few places that would let us all in! By that time about the only country that I was allowed to exist in was Switzerland.” Mick Jagger says, “Songwriting and playing is a mood. Like the last album we did (Exile on Main St.) it was basically recorded in short concentrated periods.” Continue reading “”

EARLY 911S AND VINYL ARE HOT!

How did I happen to pick two passions 20 years ago that would become so popular today? I don’t know, but the modest acquisitions I made a decade or so ago have grown into a good chunk of my financial portfolio.

The important thing to me is that I use each as they were intended. I play my original ’60s first pressing UK vinyl on my turntable and drive my Porsche 1972 911S and 911T/ST enthusiastically on a regular basis. Those hobbies, my work and good health are all I could ask for. Of course, my wife is my greatest blessing – can’t put a number on that! Continue reading “”