MATT'S ALTERNATE TAKES

[karl]

Just been listening to The Alternate Monro again but wondering why on some songs there are so many takes?

For such a good singer as Matt one wonders if mistakes were made by musicians or indeed Matt. I always find it curious as they sing so well live.

It will be interesting to hear Richards reply.

[Rmoore]

Live performances are different, any imperfections will be forgotten by the time the singer gets to the next note and they will have sung the songs many times. However any imperfections on record are there every time it's played and it's often the first time they have ever sung the songs.

The large numbers of takes are particularly in the early day's of Matt's recordings. George Martin would make the decision about what take was best in those days. There would be a number of reasons for the number of takes.

1. Orchestral mistakes
2. Vocal mistakes (from wrong notes to fluffed words)
3. The tempo or feel of a song
4. A mistake by the sound engineer/Technical problems
5. A extraneous noise in the studio (a chair squeak for instance)

Not all of the takes would be complete, in fact some would only last a few seconds.

The main reason for Matt's retakes was mainly interpretation. He would record a song in many different ways and George would then choose which take (or parts of takes) would make the best over all recording for release. It's all down to opinion. That is why there are so many good alternate takes and why the vocal is often so different.

All of the EMI recordings on alternate are down to interpretation of the song apart from three exceptions:-

Fare The Well My Pretty Maid - Arrangement changed throughout session, Tempo, Electric & Acoustic guitars swapped & drummer changed from sticks to brushes.

From Russia With Love - Arrangement wasn't quite right (and was changed a little during the session)there were a few orchestra mistakes. Matt was also unsure about exactly how to sing the song, so much so that the vocal on the released take was re-recorded two days later and the piano replaced with wind up piano

Did it Happen - different arrangement recorded two years before the released version - It also has some technical issues, Vocals were recorded slightly distorted, orchestra was over compressed and vocal retakes were 'dropped in' very sloppily.

Richard

[karl]

Thanks Richard, interesting as always.

I was curious as I've been in the studios with Jackie in recent years - she was learning the songs as we sat in her hotel room and recorded them the following day - she also did several takes.

[Rmoore]

Yes Matt was similar. He would meet with Johnnie Spence (or which ever MD he was working with) to 'routine' the songs so that he could learn them and find the right key as he didn't read music, but he had a talent for picking up a song after only running through it a couple of times. So in the studio it could take a few takes to get the right interpretation.

[Don Cooper]

Jackie Trent? Wasn't she accidentally drowned by Sandi Shaw?

[karl]

Jackie Trent? Wasn't she accidentally drowned by Sandi Shaw?

No, that was you sunshine!

[Don Cooper]

Jackie Trent? Wasn't she accidentally drowned by Sandi Shaw?

No, that was you sunshine!

Touche,Karl.

[Don Cooper]

You've won me over with that riposte,Karl.
(just no getting your hopes up for a mistletoe smacker)

[karl]

You've won me over with that riposte,Karl.
(just no getting your hopes up for a mistletoe smacker)

Don please don't put me off my tea!!!

[Eman]

You crack me up Don