Quicksilver Messsenger Service
1966-08-xx(*) San Francisco, California Matrix Coffeehouse (M?-SBD UPGRADE!)
Cipollina reel -> DAT -> metal cassette -> digital wavs.
Multiple sets and/or multiple night run at the Matrix.
Quality UPGRADE & LONGER than most circulating copies.
*~* remastered without EQ *~*
01. Little Dandelion
02. All Night Worker
03. Hoochie Coochie Man
04. Duncan & Brady
05. Pride Of Man
06. You Don't Love Me
07. Dino's Song (->)
08. Hair Like Sunshine
09. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
10. Mona//
11. Got My Mojo Working
12. Remember Me
13. I Hear You Knocking
14. Runaway
15. Smokestack Lightning
16. Suzie-Q
17. You Don't Love Me (#2)
18. Dino's Song -> (#2)
19. Hair Like Sunshine (#2)
Total Time ::: 1:20:04
::: VERY fine enjoyable SBD but primitive mix with some foibles. Check samples for solo apprisal or dollops of divination.
::: Warts: Quality varies somewhat (tho' mix roughly the same thruout). Got some hum. #8 has a bit of dropout/fluctuation, esp. left channel. #10 cuts. #14 vocals distorted at times. #9-#19 have some non-repairable dropouts/glitches but I fixed many of them or reduced their impact.
::: (*)John's reel labeled only "Matrix 1966". 1966-08-09or10 date(s) are guesswork on other circulating copies. If August, it should be one of (or a mix of) 8,9 or 10 (Tues-Thurs), a 3-nite stand according to www.chickenonaunicycle.com
::: Little Walter & His Band opened (and possibly alternated sets).
::: My source noted John's reel(s) as 110 minutes, but the other 20 minutes sent with this was clearly a different source/night/mix.
::: Significant quality UPGRADE & LONGER than 2 common circulating versions (the 271MB & 289MB ones).
::: #17-19 NOT the same versions as 7-9, but same source/mix & different sets/nights of identical vintage.
::: Other circulating versions note "Hair Like Sunshine" has some different lyrics. Both versions here are the early variation. Version #2 has a clear segue from "Dino's Song".
::: One of the earliest known live QMS recordings.
Recording Information ::: soundboard -> unknown stereo reel to reel recorder -> (? ->) John Cipollina's reel (not necessarily the master & doesn't sound like it).
Playback circa late 80s (unknown equipment) ::: John Cipollina's stereo reel-to-reel (not necessarily the master) -> 48Khz DAT (x1) -> Maxell MX-X 90 cassette, Dolby B on.
Playback 2012-03-26 ::: Maxell MX-X 90 cassette on Nakamichi BX-300 cassette deck, Dolby B on, azimuth & speed adjusted (pitched!) for individual recording, heads cleaned & demagnatized -> Tascam CD-RW900SL professional CD recorder -> CD-RW, no track splits -> computer -> EAC secure mode (logs made) -> wav files.
Mastering 2013-12-xx ::: wav files -> Audacity (normalisation to remove DC offset, channel/phase alignment, fades, manual one-at-a-time glitch / dropout / bump / pop / click / dullspot repairs, volume adjustments, a single digital averaged speed adjustment, NO equalisation) -> CD Wave (track splits) -> flacs (Trader's Little Helper) -> yr ears. First uploaded week of 2013-12-25. Further mastering notes: 20 second blank space deleted between #2&3. Many electric pops between songs (tape conservation?) deleted or repaired.
Future mastering ::: Channel/phase alignment could probably be adjusted differently (better) due to the drastic stereo separation. When mixed to mono, issues appear that indicate it is still not perfectly aligned (though this may be due to vocal mike audio delay & not really fixable). Should someone (who hopefully knows what they are doing!) take it upon themselves to notch out some hum, add a touch of EQ, an remix this to more digestable stereo, they will need to pay attention to this fact.
Line-up ::: Jim Murray - vocals, harmonica, tambourine(?) // John Cipollina - electric guitar, vocals // Gary Duncan - electric guitar, vocals // David Freiberg - electric bass, vocals // Greg Elmore - drums, percussion.
Nothing here ever commercially released to my knowledge. If I'm wrong, please advise & I'll take the offending trax offline.
CoolSonics 299 ::: Thanks to the original taper & trader! ::: Corrections welcome ::: In memory of Evelyn Miller Kerr, who was a part of the scene & carried its torch til she left the planet this past November ::: Here's one for amellowsoul, mjcrossuk & 38f, who've laid some heavy QMS on us. Hope it meets with their satisfaction. Some were weaned on mother's milk & for others it was the Quicksilver Messenger Service. Here are the West Coast culprits in their infancy, already laying down some heavy sounds. For those who listen. ENJOY!
Kudos to Zongo for life support, Lochner for mikes&more & Fast Freddie for runnin' Video Dick's Record Emporium with the bathroom office full of tape decks. Thanks to Hanwaker (few among us can keep his pace). Mountains of gratitude to Davmar, D.White, Sanchez, Elliot, The Florida Kid, Kloiber, Zingg, JTW, Bershaw, Boston Gold, Dixon, Moore, Gough & SO many more for all that collecting & sharing... Royal thanks to The Man In The Palace, Doc Tinker, Brinkhoffs, Barely Eatin', Reel Master Gaule, Parrish & all the traders who housed me thru my music acquisition & travel years. Hats off to Brother Kent, Uncle Jake, Little Queenie (& her neighbor Frank) & his honor Ptomaine Thomas. Glasses raised to Byron for musical horizon expansion & much obliged to J & Thurston for keepin' my concert fires burnin' since my continental shift. Thanks to the Mods for keepin' DIME alive. Enjoy, share, give, spread peace. Yers truly, Knees
Support the artistsand/or their families! www.quicksilvermessengerservice.com (Gary Duncan) --- www.johncipollina.com (hopefully family related).
Do whatever you want with it except sell it, 'cause that ain't cool!