Traffic "John Barleycorn Must Die" - Why no mfsl

Yes I agree that MFSL and DCC made some very strange choices for reissue. One explanation for some titles not making it on these labels is there could have been licensing problems with the owners of copyright. I believe these labels negotiated for a specific number to be issued plus logistics of original tapes etc. There were definitely many excellent titles that could have been very popular in this format. I was waiting for the release of the Doors Soft Parade which DCC had announced shortly before their demise.

I have the 4-track which is sonically superior to all other formats IMHO and the sound quality is not up to par. Perhaps Beavis' post is correct. Too bad for us.

Personally I stay away from Simply Vinyl.

if the jbmd vinyl reissue is on the'simply vinyl' label it isn't remastered at all.

I have a copy of the 180 gram reissue of JBMD and it is poorly remastered in my book. The bass is excessively boosted and very muddy, the drum kit is too forward in the soundstage and the saxaphone is too weak/too far in the backround. The vocals and keyboards come across fairly well but everything seems just too out-of-whack overall. The pressing does have a very quiet backround.

Mr. Kidknow

FYI, I just saw on my latest edition of Elusive Disc's catalog that JBMD is offered new on 180 g vinyl (UK Universal EUROU2780) for $29.99. Might be the next best thing to an MFSL vinyl version at least.

jbmd was the second largest seller by traffic next to 'low spark'. mfsl was and still is at the mercy of the content owners, who for the most part have equalled or surpassed mfsl's technology(and make more money selling it themselves in a remastered version). the original mfsl going belly up doesn't help in current licensing efforts either.

As good as JBMD might be artistically or sonically, it was simply not popular enough to make the MFSL "list" - they can't make money on something they can't sell many of. Plain and simple.

the new japanese mini sounds incredible..bonus tracks too.

I've never understood some of the crap they DO choose to reissue, but certain titles are not always legally available for re issue by private labels

I've wondered, myself. One of their biggest mistakes. The only thing I can think of is tape didn't meet MFSL standards.

Don't know...but I have a Japanese Mini-LP pressing of this and it's fantastic. It's part of the Japanese Traffic OBI Box Set.