From: "monoman"
Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 7:28 AM
Subject: RATJ mono
> > Hi!

Got a copy each of the UK RATJ mono and the ARG Chungas mono. Have no scanner, but at least the UK one is interresting in itself, not being a plain reduction and with the US mono matrix no. V 5055. If You´re curious just drop me a line and I´ll answer the questions You may have.

Regards
Erik

>Från: "Harry" 
>Skickat: den 8 september 2002 01:38
>Ämne: Re: RATJ mono
> Hi Erik,

>Thanks for writing.
>The only UK mono vinyl I know is Verve VLP 9237 and has no gatefold cover. Does it have that catalognumber and the matrix is V 5055?
>By "not being a plain reduction" you mean that the mono mix is different from the stereo?
>
> Harry

Van: "monoman"
Onderwerp: Re: RATJ mono
Datum: zondag 8 september 2002 9:22
Hi Harry!

Yes - this is the VLP 9237 and it is the plain G&L laminated flipback cover. The matrixes are stamped   V 5055 A-1 and V 5055 B-1   and the label no.s of the right "T" angels are   V/5055 A  and  V/5055 B.

I´ve done a double comparison with the German original - in stereo and with the mono button in - but so far I haven´t found any major differences between mono and stereo. No extra sounds, voices or deletions. Also listened to the US original stereo, but same thing there. It´s very hazardous to compare this way when it comes to small differences, because sometimes it´s all down to quality of pressing and/or the material used.

A plain mono reduction, without alteration of compression, limiting or balance, always sounds duller than the stereo. But this copy sounds better than any stereo alternative I´ve ever heard. It has everything - huge, well separated and crystal clear, but at the same time very close and natural. The voices - both leads and background - are more in focus, yet with clearer instruments! I can´t imagine an anonymous UK engineer being able to do this on his own, nor can the pressing differ that much, this has to be a different tape/matrix already from the start. This presents a problem to me and I don´t like problems! I can see two possible solutions to this.

1) A US mono promo matrix/tape was made and sent to UK for the stock mono. It may or may not have been released in the US, but that would explain why it exist at least as a US catalogue number.

2) An original mono mix was made, planned for release, but was cancelled and then the stereo was made directly from that, as a second alternative, with the original mono still present.

I like Zappa, but I´m more of a mono freak than a Zappa freak. Could You help me to get some answers to the problem?

All the Best!

Erik

>Från: "Harry" 
>Skickat: den 9 september 2002 00:44
>Ämne: Re: RATJ mono

>Erik,

>I'm going to look into this because I think this is mighty interesting. I think it's the same with the beatles mono mixes on CD because in the sixties things were meant to be mono. Some of the beatles stereo mixes were terrible because weren't meant to be.
>I remember Phil Spector with a mono button.

>Harry

Van: "monoman"
Onderwerp: Re: RATJ mono
Datum: maandag 9 september 2002 8:54

Hi!

Yeah - You´re right. That was especially the case in the UK. George Martin himself said as late as -67 that he thought stereo was just a fling, and that it would be gone and forgotten in a few years. He and the Beatles just didn´t care about stereo, so all the two channel mixes were done by Geoff Emerick instead, after the boys gone home. I also recall an interweiw with Keith Richards, remembering the excitement when he saw in a shop that some of their albums were available in stereo. Most groups at that time recorded for mono, stereo was for the experts and nerds. I guess that was not the case with Zappa, but at least he grew up with mono and the music on RATJ must have been imagined that way. 

Must also tell You that this RATJ mono is a very rare one. Been collecting mono for 20 years and this is the only copy I´ve heard of. That has to do with MGM halting the distrubution of Verve in UK at the shift 68/69. For a long time I thought the Verve -69 issues just were catalogue numbers, planned but never released. But not so long ago I´ve found both this one and Caravans first(VLP 6011), so now I´m starting to raise hope that also Mothermania may exist as UK mono. Wouldn´t that be something?

Curious what You may find out. All the Best!

Erik

>Från: "Harry"
>Skickat: den 12 september 2002 01:02
>Ämne: Re: RATJ mono


> Erik,
> 
> I found a US version BR636 ROCK MOTHERS OF INVENTION CRUISING WITH RUBEN AND THE JETS LP 1 34 E+ > E 1 VERVE V-5055 USA 1968 gatefold (no paper inserts), sl rw at http://www.beggarsroad.com and it was obviously sold because they don't have it anymore.
> 
> You said you compared RATJ with the original German issue. Is that the one without Deseri?
> 
> I have a mono 2LP of Freak Out and mono CDR's of Absolutely Free and WOIIFTM. I think they are different from the stereo mixes. I would love to have the mono LP's (and Lumpy Gravy) but mostly they are quite expensive. On Ebay there's a mono yellow promo label Lumpy Gravy for sale.
> 
> The Argentine Zappa LP's were in mono and stereo up to the Grand Wazoo but my informant told they were "reduced" stereo mixes. You have the Argentina
> Chunga, could that be right?
> 
> Harry