Mixology: The Mono/Stereo Mix Differences Podcast - podcast cover

Mixology: The Mono/Stereo Mix Differences Podcast

Frederick French-Pouncemixology.podbean.com
Welcome to ’MIXOLOGY’, the show where I take Mono, Stereo, and International/Single mixes of classic albums, and compare and contrast all the key differences to create the ultimate in-a-nutshell guide!
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Episodes

The Beach Boys Today! by The Beach Boys

Hello Friends! It's time to head back to California as I feel it's time to cover a huge fan-favourite in The Beach Boys' catalogue, The Beach Boys Today!. Released in 1965, this album was only originally issued in mono and duophonic, but starting with the release of the Endless Harmony Soundtrack in 1998, the 11 songs from the album were slowly remixed into stereo, with the last few gathered up with the 2012 mono/stereo wave of releases. However, multiple tracks got multiple remixes in this time...

Jun 25, 202556 minSeason 4Ep. 6

The Complete Release Guide to The Zombies '69 & '70 Decca Stereo Mixes

Hello Friends! We've got something a little different on the show today. A few months ago I became very curious about a few stereo mixes I had used in my episode on the Zombies LP Begin Here, where a few tracks had turned up in poor SQ. At that point I assumed this was likely baked into the mix, until I put out a call regarding The World of The Zombies featuring these tracks, only to discover that I was in fact, incorrect. This sent me on a whirlwind of a journey picking up copies of The Zombies...

Jun 05, 202554 minSeason 4Ep. 5

A Conversation with Andrew from Parlogram

Hello Friends! After many months of promising a new edition of Mixology Conversations, the time has finally arrived for our discussion with the wonderful Andrew from Parlogram. Best known today for the fantastic series of videos on YouTube under the Parlogram name, Andrew got his start in this world selling records online for many years, and has naturally been very deep down the rabbit hole of collecting records of all shapes, sizes, and more importantly - mixes - from around the world. Thus, to...

May 07, 20251 hr 6 minSeason 4Ep. 4

Scott by Scott Walker

Hello Friends! We're finally giving the inimitable Scott Walker a spotlight on the show today, with a look at his debut solo LP from 1967, Scott. Issued unchanged in the US under the title Aloner, to say I was surprised by how different these mixes are would be an understatement. From my experience with label mate Dusty’s catalogue on Philips, I assumed Scott’s would similarly be close sonically between mixes, but as soon as I queued up the mono alongside the stereo mix, the vast difference in v...

Apr 01, 202533 minSeason 4Ep. 3

The Loved Ones' Magic Box by The Loved Ones

Hello Friends! In today's episode we're heading out with a downright Australian classic, The Loved One's Magic Box. Issue in October 1967 as a collection of 10 of the group's previously released tracks and two warmup covers, this album is home today to classics such as 'The Loved One', 'Ever Lovin' man' and 'Sad Dark Eyes', but despite being issued in mono and stereo, the last 40 years have not been kind to the state of this LP. As of 1985, all issues of this album comprise of a faulty master cr...

Mar 05, 202533 minSeason 4Ep. 2

Paul & Barry Ryan by Paul & Barry Ryan

Hello Friends! We're kicking 2025 off with a bang today, with something relatively obscure to listeners today. Released in 1968, the 2nd LP by Paul & Barry Ryan, and their 1st on MGM, was issued only in the UK in both mono and stereo. Simply titled Paul & Barry Ryan, these original pressings remain the only issues of the material to this day, and all signs sadly indicate that the masters for this material has long since vanished. As a result, all our audio today has been taken from two g...

Feb 04, 202551 minSeason 4Ep. 1

2024 in Review

Hello Friends! We're rounding out Mixology for the year today with a look back over everything we covered this year, including a couple of corrections and updates, as well as a look at a bunch of interesting emails I received through the year. 2024 has been an amazing year for the show that I am incredibly proud of, and while I can't imagine I can really follow-up on some of the highest highs I managed this year, I've got some wonderful things lined up for 2025 I've teased in this episode. Happy...

Dec 10, 202428 minSeason 3Ep. 13

The Beach Boys on 45 ('70 - '74) w/Andrew Sandoval

Hello Friends! As we move into episode 101 we bring you something quite special to follow-up the unfollowable. During my time working on Blonde on Blonde, I was approached by noted reissue producer and historian Andrew Sandoval to investigate a recent acquisition of a large number of Beach Boys 45s, both stock and promo, from across the Brother/Reprise years, and a number of anomalies present in his initial listening to these, most notably in the mono presentations on the promo copies, though th...

Nov 20, 20241 hr 32 minSeason 3Ep. 12

Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan

Hello Friends! Well, it's finally time for the big one - and not just that today marks Episode 100 of the show. After 6 months of planning, work, and research, we have arrived at what will surely be the peak of the Mixology format, our extensive look at Bob Dylan's 1966 classic Blonde on Blonde. Issued in both mono and stereo as a 14-track double LP, the album was subject to a partially revised stereo mix, issued as soon as 1966 in some countries (Australia never got the initial stereo mix for e...

Sep 24, 20242 hr 41 minSeason 3Ep. 11

Live at Kelvin Hall by The Kinks

Hello Friends! Here we are, at episode 99, and what better way to hit the end of double digits with than The Kinks curio of a live album from 1967/68 [US/UK], Live at Kelvin Hall. Notorious for its overbearing loop of screams edited into the mixdown, the album is nothing if not an exciting listen. But what of the two mixes available for this sonic experience? Well, between the Stage Front of the Mono and the Hall Rear of the stereo, they couldn't be more different, including heavy echo usage in ...

Aug 27, 202441 minSeason 3Ep. 10

With The Beatles by The Beatles

Hello Friends! It's Beatle time here on the show again, as we finally round out our look at all the catalog LPs in the Beatles canon with a look at 1963's With the Beatles. Originally issued in mono and stereo, this twin-track recording seems like a simple comparison on the surface - and yes, many of the tracks are - but there's some real hidden secrets in these mixes that demand your attention, including unique overdubs in each mix, alternate edit pieces used, and a couple of odd balance moment...

Jul 30, 202433 minSeason 3Ep. 9

Of Cabbages and Kings by Chad Stuart & Jeremy Clyde

Hello Cabbages! This week on the show we're taking our first full-length look at Chad & Jeremy, addressed here by their full names, and their 1967 statement piece Of Cabbages and Kings. A tale of two sides, this takes an already very progressive baroque-folk set of songs on Side 1 and pairs it with The Progress Suite on Side 2 - a 5 part, most instrumental look at the rise and fall of society and the politics surrounding it. It's a grand, Gary Usher produced statement of an album that lands ...

Jul 02, 202441 minSeason 3Ep. 8

Once Upon a Twilight by The Twilights

Hello Friends! We're moving into the land down under this month on the show, with a look at the fantastic 2nd LP from Australia's own The Twilight, Once Upon a Twilight. Issued in 1968 in mono and stereo exclusively in Oz, the album has since been reissued on CD, including a Mono/Stereo issue by Aztec. Sadly, this uses a fold-down of the stereo for the mono presentation, while the original LP is wonderfully a dedicated mono affair, complete with drier vocals, and some wildly different use of eff...

Jun 05, 202433 minSeason 3Ep. 7

Bee Gees 1st by The Bee Gees

Hello Friends! Today we're completing our look at the Bee Gees' catalog* here on the show, with their first international release Bee Gees 1st from 1967. Issued originally in both mono and stereo mixes, I was shocked at how much stronger the stereo mix here was than the rather poor showing on Horizontal, generally being comparable to the mono, with a couple of exceptions. But what are these exceptions, and what makes some of the stereo mixes stand out above their mono mixes? Well send those voca...

May 07, 202432 minSeason 3Ep. 6

Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) by The Beach Boys

Hello Friends! It's time to hop back on the Beach Boys train this month with a look at the group's 2nd LP of 1965, the commercial smash Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!). Containing huge hits 'Help Me, Rhonda' and 'California Girls', the album was only initially issued in mono and Duophonic stereo back in 1965, but once the late 90s hit, the album steadily gained true stereo mixes of it's tracks, until in 2012 the whole album received it's first true stereo edition, using many of the previously ...

Apr 10, 202447 minSeason 3Ep. 5

Blaze by Herman's Hermits

Hello Friends! As promised, it's finally time to blaze it up, with the 1967 LP from the much derided Herman's Hermits, Blaze. Issued in October of that year, the album was not issued at the time in the UK (though formed popular on the import market), the album comprised of 10 tracks produced by the ardent lover of mono, one Mickie Most. This overall leads to a generally simple stereo presentation, including two reprocessed stereo tracks (though not necessarily of the same mono mixes), but this d...

Mar 27, 202433 minSeason 3Ep. 4

River Deep-Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner

Hello Friends! The time is finally here for the epic journey that is our Mixology exploration of the 1966 classic from Ike & Tina Turner, River Deep-Mountain High. Of note due to it's 5 Phil Spector productions (including the title cut), and 7 killer Ike Turner originals, this is a 12 track album of wall to wall bangers that didn't see release in American until 1969. Naturally, the album was issued in 1966 in both dedicated mono and stereo mixes, but unacknowledged until now was fully remixe...

Feb 28, 20241 hr 23 minSeason 3Ep. 3

Take Me For What I'm Worth by The Searchers

Hello Friends! We're back with our first proper Mixology breakdown of 2024, taking our first look on the show at The Searchers, and their fantastic 1965 LP Take Me For What I'm Worth. The last LP issued by the group until their late 70s renaissance, the album sees the group moving in a Folk Rock direction, and deep in the throws of a love affair with the echo chamber, giving us some wonderful differing echo levels between the two mixes, along with a few other tidbits. An album deeply worth your ...

Jan 31, 202424 minSeason 3Ep. 2

(The Validity of) Friends (in Mono) by The Beach Boys

Hello Friends! We're kicking off the world of Mixology for 2024 with a bit of a theory based episode. Friends is one of The Beach Boys' best loved studio LPs. Issued in 1968, this did not see a mono issue in the USA, and elsewhere in the world any mono issues were done simply as fold-downs from the stereo mix. Thus, aside from 2 sides mixed to mono initially for 45 use, we have never been presented with an authorised mono mix of the album... or have we? Understanding the mixdown process for this...

Jan 16, 202427 minSeason 3Ep. 1

The Andy Williams Christmas Album by Andy Williams

Hello Friends! It's that festive time of year again, so I thought I'd pull out one of the few 60s seasonal LPs in my collection for your listening pleasure today, courtesy of Andy Williams. Today, we'll be looking at the first of his 5(!) Christmas albums, here sensibly titled The Andy Williams Christmas Album from 1963. Not reissued in it's mono mix since it's first issue, this LP is home to the classic 'It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year', along with other Side 1 bangers such as 'Kay Tho...

Dec 13, 202324 minSeason 2Ep. 22

1962-1966 & 1967-1970 (Remixed and Expanded Editions) by The Beatles

Hello Friends! Today on Mixology - you guessed it - we’re covering all the new remixes featured on the 2023 expanded and remixed editions of 1962-1966 & 1967-1970 by The Beatles - better known as the Red and Blue albums. Expanded to 3 LPs each and compiled entirely from either remixes done from 2015 to the present, or from brand new remixes, these LPs pack quite a punch, and these 36 brand new remixes make up our look today. Extending well over an hour, this is a deep dive into the many appr...

Nov 10, 20231 hr 13 minSeason 2Ep. 21

Waiting For The Sun by The Doors

Hello Friends! We've got a slightly different look this week, with The Doors' 3rd LP, Waiting For The Sun. Released in mid 1968, this was at the height of the phase-out of mono in the USA, and is the only Doors mono LP that has never been reissued. As such, I wanted to take a look today and see if we can pick apart the many different takes on this album on the internet. Is it true mono? Is it a fold? Or is it a mixture - and if so, how much? With a fresh needledrop of the original US mono and US...

Nov 01, 202314 minSeason 2Ep. 20

Kinks by The Kinks

Hello Friends! We're completing The Kinks' studio LP output on the show today, with a look at their debut LP, succinctly titled Kinks. Issued in October 1964, the album is built around 'You Really Got Me', with a snatch of Ray Davies originals, R&B covers, and two dire Shel Talmy compositions. That said, we have a shockingly fun stereo mix for a pop LP in 1964, and a random unique US mono mix too, giving us a lot to look at with surprisingly little effort. So let's hop in the Cadillac to Bal...

Oct 18, 202324 minSeason 2Ep. 18

Ferry Cross The Mersey by Gerry and The Pacemakers, etc.

Hello Friends! We're finally taking time out with Gerry and The Pacemakers on Mixology this week, with a look at the soundtrack LP from the group, Ferry Cross The Mersey. Issued in mono and stereo, this album included 9 originals from the group, plus three other cuts produced by George Martin from The Fourmost, Cilla Black, and The George Martin Orchestra. This fantastic beat collection features some huge differences in editing and vocal mixing, as well as a general balance difference between th...

Oct 04, 202320 minSeason 2Ep. 17

Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake by Small Faces

Hello Friends! After a suggestion by Ethan from the wonderful Fans on the Run podcast (an episode of which I will be appearing on very soon - and a huge thanks to Ethan for this episode's flatlay!), we're today looking at the 1968 epic from Small Faces, Ogden's Nut Gone Flake. Part ripper song collection, part fairy story, this fascinating collection was of course issued in mono and stereo, with some tasty differences throughout, and a real power factor at play. We also get a later single remix ...

Sep 20, 202342 minSeason 2Ep. 16

The More I See You by Chris Montez

Hello Friends! Taking the moment for a little bit of a palette refresher, we're taking a trip out today with Chris Montez, and his smash A&M LP The More I See You. Following on from hit singles including the title cut and 'Call Me', this easy listening LP manages to pack in a surprising amount of differences between the original mono and stereo mixes for the genre (most focused around handclaps), so let's ease up for a second, and let Chris fly us to the moon, regardless of how high it is! H...

Sep 06, 202319 minSeason 2Ep. 15

Horizontal by Bee Gees

Hello Friends! We're jumping around in the Bee Gees canon again this week, moving back to their second LP on Polydor, the fantastic Horizontal. Issued at the start of 1968, this LP came in mono and stereo mixes, including some classic Bee Gees differences in the different echo textures, and the use of said effect. However, unlike Idea which had some different vocal and instrument tracks highlighted throughout, generally here everything present in one mix is present in the other - with a few smal...

Aug 23, 202330 minSeason 2Ep. 14

Hums of The Lovin’ Spoonful by The Lovin’ Spoonful

Hello Friends! We're getting back on the Spoonful train this week with a look at the group's 3rd (and arguably best) LP, the fantastic 'Hums of...' from 1966. Including the hit singles 'Summer in The City' and 'Nashville Cats', the album was originally issued in mono and stereo, with the former single weirdly being in low-fidelity on the LP when compared with the shining mono 45 master. Much like Daydream, these are two mixes of different vibes more than actual differences, but there's still a s...

Aug 09, 202321 minSeason 2Ep. 13

Begin Here by The Zombies

Hello Friends! It's Zombies time again on the show, taking a look this time at their UK debut LP Begin Here from 1965. Half originals and Half covers, this LP has a curious mix history, being only issued in mono originally and having a few tracks subject to stereo mixes for international release (some barely issued digitally in poor quality versions on early CD issues and now out of print), all tracks were finally remixed in stereo in 2002 on the Decca Stereo Anthology. But should you stick with...

Jul 26, 202339 minSeason 2Ep. 12

Beatles for Sale by The Beatles

Hello Friends! It's time for a trip out with The Beatles again here on the show, finally tackling their second LP of 1964, Beatles for Sale. Released just in time for the Christmas season, this LP is one famous for having a top class sounding stereo mix, in just about any release of said mix, with the mono often knocked, ignored, or just seen as inconsequential. Thus, my goal today was to take both mixes on an equal footing (as I always do), and make each one shine as best it can, and in doing s...

Jul 12, 202329 minSeason 2Ep. 11
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