From BBC 6 Music:

New Order issues

Warner respond to fan complaints about poor quality re-issues

10 October 2008 - Peter Hook has revealed to the BBC that the New Order reissues have received complaints from fans because of the poor quality.

The records were released at the end of September and Hook has blamed the problems on cut backs in the record industry and some missing tapes.

The former Joy Division and New Order bassist explained the problem: “Funnily enough we’ve actually got a few problems with our fans complaining about the quality of the re-masters of the companion discs. Not the LP’s because they’re safe and the tapes for those we have.

“A lot of them are lost, between us listening to the collation and between them coming onto the CD, something seems to have gone wrong.”

Hook attributed it to problems within the record company, saying: “They don’t have half the staff they used to have so everything becomes quite a trial, and I know from doing the Hacienda compilation tape, you get a lot of masters of old songs - they are mastered from the record because nobody can find the tape.”

And it seems there was some miscommunication with their record label: “What’s been intensely annoying for us is that all these people are complaining because they’ve bought them in the shops and Warner’s chose to release them to the shops before they sent them to the band, so I haven’t got one. A masterful piece of planning.”

‘Modern mastered music’

Turning to why New Order decided to re-issue their records, Hook said the original recordings just weren't good enough.

“I have been made aware that a lot of the music we made was about 25 years ago and when you play it against modern mastered music, there is a vast difference in sound and quality to be honest.”

And so, it was a good opportunity to tart up the old recordings, the guitarist explained: “As a DJ, I was getting increasingly annoyed because when I was playing Love Vigilante’s Perfect Kiss - not particularly Blue Monday because it’s so sonically reproduced - but a lot of the acoustic stuff sounded bad, so when we got the opportunity we thought; ‘At last, they’ll be beefy and meaty, just like the bands of today’.”

Hook also explained why they didn't mess around with the track listings on any of the album: “I don’t like the idea of the way, when we got to America with Power Corruption and Lies, the Americans just stuck Blue Monday on Power Corruption and Lies, and it just didn’t fit.

“It was done separately and always thought of separately, so I liked the idea of keeping the LP’s pure - not adding tracks to it and using the bonus CD to put your singles and extra tracks on.”

Contact Warner

Warner say that if any of the fans want to contact them about the quality of the New Order re-issues, then they can email this address:

Neworder.d2c@warnermusic.com

To see what fans have said in response to the poor quality re-issues, visit the New Order official site.

Georgie Rogers

Hook also explained why they didn't mess around with the track listings on any of the album: “I don’t like the idea of the way, when we got to America with Power Corruption and Lies, the Americans just stuck Blue Monday on Power Corruption and Lies, and it just didn’t fit. “It was done separately and always thought of separately, so I liked the idea of keeping the LP’s pure - not adding tracks to it and using the bonus CD to put your singles and extra tracks on.”

...except for Brotherhood. How did that one slip through?

How was that a response from Warners, Hooky pointing out some complaints and email address to?contact Warners.

Sadly no mention of graphs or petitions.

Well at least it's a start. The band knows and the label now knows, if they didn't already, that these are a pile of arse.

thanks nick,

didn't see your post..before i posted mine.

i saw it reposted by 'the happy one'..

as james thomas proposed, it should be stickied..

i have already spread the news in reviews and comments on amazon..

and will post it on other sites as well....

if we all put in the effort, there's a chance something will be done..

i'll be sending the logfile (with just the relevant parts commented)...to them..

later -1

You don't all need to 'put in the effort', they all know.

It might help if every error was fully documented in the log file thread though, then the problems can be all put right.

well,

i figure the more people that tell them, the more they will pay attention..

whats the point if only a handful of people complain?

then it makes us look like we're being picky, when no one else cares..

later -1

to Hooky... nice to see him stand up for us.

EdelBrock wrote: to Hooky... nice to see him stand up for us.

figures they didn't send him copies,

were probably too scared to see what he had to say about them..

later -1

So......... Are they going to sort the problem?

DigitalWaters wrote: So......... Are they going to sort the problem?

Maybe they will put them on discount after a couple of months...

So Warner GAVE us their e-mail to complain to do WHAT? Fix the problem (=improve and re-issue CDs) or just collect complaints and "learn the lesson"?

Monumental fuck up all round really.

Why they didn't use this website to gage opinion and establish some kind of dialogue will always remain a mystery.

Are they really that stupid or lazy?

Compare Graham Massey's approach for the 808 State remasters

It's not rocket science.

Emile Strunz wrote: Monumental fuck up all round really.

Why they didn't use this website to gage opinion and establish some kind of dialogue will always remain a mystery.

Are they really that stupid or lazy?

Compare Graham Massey's approach for the 808 State remasters

It's not rocket science.

DISCLAIMER-i didn't mean to blow up the Chemical lab at school.i just got the mixing Wrong!

Even Edsel records can and did fix CD's, so why can't Warners (which is bigger) do it?!

I emailed them yesterday and included the "44 error-log" with it. I guess we have to be patient again.

-1 wrote: thanks nick,

didn't see your post..before i posted mine.

i saw it reposted by 'the happy one'..

as james thomas proposed, it should be stickied..

i have already spread the news in reviews and comments on amazon..

and will post it on other sites as well....

if we all put in the effort, there's a chance something will be done..

i'll be sending the logfile (with just the relevant parts commented)...to them..

later -1

I read a couple of your reviews on amazon.co.uk and they seemed to be more on the positive side. The Low-Life review you wrote seems to suggest that sound quality is "very good" as is the bonus disc. No problem if you like them, is that the case?

Edward Schatz wrote:

I read a couple of your reviews on amazon.co.uk and they seemed to be more on the positive side. The Low-Life review you wrote seems to suggest that sound quality is "very good" as is the bonus disc. No problem if you like them, is that the case?

actually, a review on amazon is not as technical as it is here.. i posted the exact same reviews on this board first..

the number of stars is arbitrary.. and actually is more of a reflection of how good the songs on the main album are to me..

4 for power, corruption and lies 4 for movement 4 for low-life

i still think the main discs are fine. (with the exception of the dropout in 'sunrise)....

remember, i did mention the problems with all the bonus discs, the bad track selection etc..

but to someone that doesn't have the main album, its worth getting, but not for people that want a complete package..

by the way, i posted the parts of the article about the errors in my reviews now, so everyone will see those first..

later -1

sorry, i'm having trouble quoting..

yes, at some point i'll go back and re-review those cds, depending on if anything comes out of warner.

later -1

The US Rhino website still makes no mention of these even thou they are scheduled to be released in a month according to online stores. Does this mean that they are not finalized, or just that they don't really think they are important whatsoever.

I think it's time for someone to come out. Someone who helped Warner to carry out this reissue project, and who must have visited NOOL. And give us answers.

Just like with JD re-issues, there was a guy here who honestly posted what could be done and what not and whole background behind the reissues.

Warner doesnt give a crap, that is why they will never address this here.

We are just a bunch of fanatics, and only number in the 100s, who honestly care about this crap release.

99% of the New Order buying public will have no clue, will probably just buy these cause they see them in the store.

Warners will profit and New Order's legacy will be a joke.

But nobody really gives a crap. Just us nutty NOOLers.

And who cares about us?

Not New Order, that is for sure.

Peter Hook can piss off. Never thought I'd ever say that.

well this is the official website now...

hibster wrote: well this is the official website now...

I did notice that too. Interesting.

I doubt it unfortunately..

Hmm. I'm not sure how yet another interview with Hooky constitutes a response from Warner. Still, a step in the right direction...

|| | ||| 6217|| 8 || 3 wrote: So Warner GAVE us their e-mail to complain to do WHAT? Fix the problem (=improve and re-issue CDs) or just collect complaints and "learn the lesson"?

I think it's worth a try to complain. The more the "better".

Canuck21 wrote:

|| | ||| 6217|| 8 || 3 wrote: So Warner GAVE us their e-mail to complain to do WHAT? Fix the problem (=improve and re-issue CDs) or just collect complaints and "learn the lesson"?

I think it's worth a try to complain. The more the "better".

Agreed!

Perhaps one should templatize an email for us to use, or better yet, do one of those online petition things that we can all sign and then forward to Warners....

the problem with a petition is we all want different things.

at the least:

1. FIX ALL THE ERRORS on the ALBUMs, like small clicks, and loss of channels, etc..

there is no excuse for that..

2. FIX THE LINER NOTES/TRACKLISTINGS

that shouldn't be hard, anyone here can proofread them, and tell them the right tracks (i hope so).

3. now for the hardest part

FIX EVERY ERROR ON THE BONUS DISCS...

that means: a) start with a good version, and if you can't find the originals, let someone here know, we'll get it for you

b) quality check the tracks after mastering.... duh..

c) put the bonus tracks in order, at least chronological

d) make sure the track names/mixes, etc match up

e) put the bonus disc tracks on the packaging...

====================================================

not likely:

recall the current discs

redo the bonus disc masters

reprint the packages correctly

i'm not even going to think about the possiblity of putting better tracks on their, or being consistent, because that would be too hard for them.. (ie. include kiss of death, perfect pit, the full shellshock, shame of the nation, etc.)

later -1

warner's not going to do a damn thing, except count their money.

this is a perfect ending to an imperfect band. Hook, Sumner, Morris, and Gilbert never cared about you, and they never will.

i used to be a fan, but the past year just shows me what a joke it all is.

whatever, they played some synths in the 1980s and figured out a drum machine.

all for this, all so warner's could puke it all back up in our obedient little fan faces.

let it go.

the band signed off on this crap, and they don't care. why should we?