The Update, Volume One

As we're closing in on September 1st, I figured a little update was in order. So, starting Monday, the 18th of August, I'll begin the final polish of the package. I've got a friend who has hooked me up with a very talented artist to create packaging in case you'd like to print if off, stick it in a case and store it alongside your Beasties' CDs, and I'm asking around about the last six sample sources I need in lossless. Is case you can help out with that, those tracks are:

Paul Humphrey - Super Mellow
Fancy - Feel Good
Fab 5 Freddy - Change Le Beat (Dub)
Love Bug Starski - Starski, Live At The Disco Fever
Disco Dave & The Force Of The 5 MCs - High Powered Rap
The Treacherous Three - New Rap Language

After that, I'm recompiling the video as MP4s, I've grabbed a few interesting curios to include with them (the version of Shadrach from the licence holder for Soul Train on YouTube) and there are a few other little things to do. I'm also considering adding a third hi-rez vinyl rip of the album from the 2009 reissue, though I'm not sure it's necessary. In all seriousness, how much better can it get than the original vinyl pressing, which sounds incredible, and a PBthal rip of the 96 reissue? Not that there is anything wrong with the 2009 vinyl pressing, but it's simply a lot easier to find than an 89 or 96 pressing.

As for the demos and instrumentals, I did all the work on them myself, mostly in iZotope RX2 and working with it's denoising software. I couldn't fix what sounds like DAT tape glitches, but the hiss has been significantly cleaned up, making these the best versions of the demos outside of an original copy from the Beasties', Dust Brothers or Matt Dike himself. The instrumentals haven't had any hiss removal, but I did declick the extra pops that shouldn't have been there (also done in iZotope RX2) and patched any skips or other issues with the best available sources. They're much better sounding than the 128kbps instrumentals that have been making the rounds for years, and more complete than the still rather excellent show vinyl. The instrumentals are actually sourced primarily from the show vinyl, but they've been edited so as to follow the flow of the actual album, as in there will be no gaps between songs, just like the regular versions of Paul's Boutique.

I'll also be setting up a specific e-mail account for anyone with questions about Build Your Own Boutique. I'll be posting that next week, as that will be where you contact me to request your link.

So, drop me a line, hit me up in Twitter (@unheard78), call me if you have my phone number, etc. etc. I always love a good chat! Until then, the update, volume two will occur next week. Eternal peace, love and gratitude, as always, to the Beastie Boys, the Dust Brothers, Matt Dike, DJ Moneyshot, DJ Cheeba, DJ Food, Dan LeRoy, Peter Relic, D.X. Ferris, 33 1/3, 6623 Press, Mario C, David "C-Doc" Snyder, Chuck D, and anyone else I didn't name because I couldn't think of them. Oh yeah, and YOU TOO!


Dave3