Do you reckon a unmastered version of `Closer' still exists?

Some time ago, I read that whilst listening to the final playback of Closer, Martin Hannett decided the sound was `too dry' and remastered the whole album by placing studio monitors in the toilets and re-recording the playback with more ambience.

Thing is - much as I love it - I've always found Closer to be a bit on the Cloudy' side and would love to hear a tighter, more brittle version, without this extra toilet reverb'.

Reckon I ever will?

I've never heard that bit of trivia before, but you might find that the two unofficial joy division albums have what you're looking for (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Hannett%27s_Personal_Mixes and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_the_Movie_Begin), I've heard nothing but bad things about them mind

I heard Martin Hannetts Personal Mixes which are no such thing just ropey early versions with the original working titles. If you're a collector they're nice to have but not really essential.

try this thread

Martin Hannett's Personal Mixes is semi-legit, although it's nothing like listening to a finished, properly sequenced and mastered album. The other discs are complete fakes and not worth your time or money.

I can speak on solid authority that if any sort of pre-mixed Closer exists, it's never been leaked.

There may still be the original pre-master mixdown tape somewhere, but unless JD coughed for the 2" tape, the 24 track stuff is long since erased and over-recorded with something doubtless vile.

well we know that at least 5-8 years ago the multis for LWTUA still existed, because Wilson gave them to McLaren for the still-unreleased LWTUA/Love Will Keep Us Together mashup. I would guess that the actual album multis still exist, probably well locked/catalogued away. Dollars (euros? pounds?) to donuts Warners has 'em.

It's not the half-inch mixdown reels that's the crown jewels, it's the 24-track multis. I would virtually guarantee these weren't nearly left behind on/under a skip when Factory bit it.

I would really like to hear the LWTUA/Love Will Keep Us Together mashup. The clip was intresting..........

Maybe if they did find the tapes for Closer and Unknown Pleasures, maybe Bernard or Hooky could do an "Iggy Pop Raw Power" and remix the albums 30 years later to their liking. Prolly not a good idea, actually.

Hooky mentions in his Hacienda book the irony was when they were clearing out the place, underneath a stairwell were the masters for Unknown Pleasures, Joy Division was holding the place up over those years. Tony Wilson also stated that he went out to his garage (storage whatever) to get the master for LWTUA to give Mclaren the vocal for his mix. So chances are they are still around somewhere.

I don't find any problems with the sound quality on Closer, the original or the remasters. The remasters push some background stuff higher in the mix but I would never describle the sound as cloudy.

What you need is a very good hifi.

I'm listening on Fostex PM studio monitors, they are pretty sweet quality for detailed listening and general hi-fi enjoyment. But it's not just this system, it's whenever I've listened to it.

Dont get me wrong, I love the album. I would just be interested in hearing it without the bathroom ambience (if it really exists and is not a myth)

Kevin Smith wrote: I don't find any problems with the sound quality on Closer, the original or the remasters. The remasters push some background stuff higher in the mix but I would never describle the sound as cloudy.

What you need is a very good hifi.

Agreed! I find nothing wrong with the original vision Hannett had for Joy Division’s studio material. The mastering is just fine how it is. I think the real question is, why is the sound quality for 90% of their releases poor quality. So far the 1st pressing the Jap Box are the best sound quality I have come across! The SoundQuality for the box-set is completely off: and this becomes painfully apparent when you hear the 1st pressing and Jap Box……….. But this doesn’t matter to certain fans. To be honest, before the Recycle, I had no problem with the box-set: I had no clue the mastering was that off: I had never heard a release that used the original mastering……….