...to BOOTLEGS when the sound quality is crappy?

I mean, I'd say at least 70% of Prince's boots have shitty quality, yet it seems orgers are listening to them all the time...some of them more than the official releases.

Personally, I find it really hard to go back to my boots, no matter how much I think certain songs are slices of genius or what have you, because the sound is so bad.

Just to let you know: I have most of my outtakes from Revelations (1 DVD with 50+ hrs of unreleased material) and they are supposedly the best circulating outtakes available. I guess I just find it hard to believe I've got the best quality available when so many of you are listening to these cuts all the time...I spose I just need it to sound clean to enjoy it.

How about you?

It does take away from the enjoyment somewhat, if you're listening to something that sounds like it was recorded through a vaccum cleaner...underwater.

Well, I know what you mean. Boots that I had from the beginning I can stand because I'm used to the quality and love the songs (also for nostalgy).. As for (to me) newer boots, I really like them to be in very good quality otherwise I can only play and listen to them now and then...Goes especially for live boots which I am more into anyway than studio boots lately....
[This message was edited Tue Jun 1 3:49:54 2004 by Ahoy]

mrdespues said:

I remember playing a really crappy version of Kiss (the 1 min acoustic) for my partner and commenting on even though it's super crappy quality..that this was one of those cherished boots that made fans weep.

Last night i saw some reallly really crappy video of some concert in 1982. I mean you can barely make out the image...sound was a tad bit better. I giggled at the thought of all the fans/fams out there who probably drooled and watched this video over and over. That no matter the quality, we'll still listen and take notice of that nuance. I was thinking this of course as I sat mesmerised not able to turn it off.

So, I don't really find it hard to listen to less than stellar recordings. I dunno...it's part of the experience. The revelations is sorta new...before that most of us had cassettes that would degrade in quality just by themselves. And then the smattering of CD's...I do think the quality of boots is better than they were. But to get to hear those gems, one has to endure a little sound quality issue. Though after a while one does start to wish for a better quality sound on a favorite song.

When I went from fan to enthusiast...it was when I was played 2 songs...Little girl wendy's parade and others here with us. Both sounded like they were coming from underneath a stack of pancakes...but they hooked me. Another time was when I heard Thieves int he temple acoustic. One I had not even liked the song. Two it sounded like P was singing from across the room. Three I cried...it was so beautifully sung.

i wish there was a decent version of schoolyard out there...

If it's not soundboard, I'll usually pass on it. I just can't listen to a recording where you can hear audience conversations, or some nutball shaking a tamboracca through the entire set. I'm pretty anal about sound quality. Though once in a while, I'll be amazed at some of the ass-mic audience recordings. Sometimes they are quite listenable, especially some ONA shows.

Outtakes are a different matter. I collect them all, just to see what's out there, but I'll only make my mix CDs from the primo recordings.