Should Republic get remastered?

Moving away from the controversy of the Factory remasters for now, should Republic now get a similar re-release? I say yes, first and foremost because, to say it's a more "recent" body of work, I always found the sound on the CD version to be too quiet, even when compared with some of the old Factory Records release discs I used to have.

Republic is a rather mixed pot when it comes to song quality, theres gems on there such as 'Regret' and 'World', but there's also some duff tracks ('Young Offender', 'Liar'). Overall, its a decent album, and I'd like to hear it how it should sound today: remastered, fresh and tidied up nicely.

If Rhino were to go down the bonus tracks route again, there'd be plenty to choose from for remastered Republic: the New Order and Mike Haas mixes of 'Vicious Circle', the Perfecto mix of 'World', one of the Van Dyk remixes of 'Spooky'...

So would you buy a remastered Republic?

Yeah, why not. They can charge a like-for-like amount in the same range as the gig tickets - 25 notes should do it.

Am guessing it has to do with who owns th rights to it.

James Stephen Barnes wrote: Moving away from the controversy of the Factory remasters for now, should Republic now get a similar re-release? I say yes, first and foremost because, to say it's a more "recent" body of work, I always found the sound on the CD version to be too quiet, even when compared with some of the old Factory Records release discs I used to have.

Republic is a rather mixed pot when it comes to song quality, theres gems on there such as 'Regret' and 'World', but there's also some duff tracks ('Young Offender', 'Liar'). Overall, its a decent album, and I'd like to hear it how it should sound today: remastered, fresh and tidied up nicely.

If Rhino were to go down the bonus tracks route again, there'd be plenty to choose from for remastered Republic: the New Order and Mike Haas mixes of 'Vicious Circle', the Perfecto mix of 'World', one of the Van Dyk remixes of 'Spooky'...

So would you buy a remastered Republic?

You'd better consult with Hooky's lawyers first.

I just assumed that Republic wasn't remastered because they just wanted to do the Factory albums first and foremost. With the No-Hooky split, I suppose it makes a Republic re-release that much more complicated...

I got the impression that Rhino/Warner didn't want to re-release all of the albums and the group had to insist that they were all released, or maybe the band were referring to the release dates.

Does anyone have any idea if the remasters sold very well? I can't see them rushing them out if they were not, and besides they got a load of bad press for the sound quality and track selection.

I expect to see the mooting-vinyl boxset of singles before Republic, Get Ready and WFTSC remasters

poorshakes wrote: I got the impression that Rhino/Warner didn't want to re-release all of the albums and the group had to insist that they were all released, or maybe the band were referring to the release dates.

Does anyone have any idea if the remasters sold very well? I can't see them rushing them out if they were not, and besides they got a load of bad press for the sound quality and track selection.

I expect to see the mooting-vinyl boxset of singles before Republic, Get Ready and WFTSC remasters

More like warners insisted the remasters were released.

next releases:

lost sirens

republic ,get ready,sirens remasters

new order +/+ vinyl singles part one box set new order +/+ vinyl singles part two box set

new order +/+ cd singles part one box set new order +/+ cd singles part two box set

As for sales,reasonable would be the answer,never bothered the charts much did they.

Republic COULD do with remastering as he original nimbus cd's are absolute gash. Mine has detiorated that much it doesnt play at all now.

A NEW ORDER +- vinyl box set?

everyoneverywhere wrote: A NEW ORDER +- vinyl box set?

+/+ VINYL BOX SET!

To be honest Republic is about my least favourite NO album. I only really ike Regret. The rest always struck my as overproduced and a real disappointment after Technique.

I may have to listen to Republic again as I haven't bothered for years. Who knows I might change my mind but somehow I doubt it.

Agreed re the quality of the CD pressing as I have lost 2 copies now to CD rot but the actual mastering is fine......just turn yer volume up!

I'm sick of "remasterings" that actually mess up the original recordings/sound.

Tock wrote: Agreed re the quality of the CD pressing as I have lost 2 copies now to CD rot but the actual mastering is fine......just turn yer volume up!

I'm sick of "remasterings" that actually mess up the original recordings/sound.

It's annoying though if your preferred volume setting is fine for the majority of your music, then for one album it needs whacking up.

Another idea: what about something in the Beatles vein of Let It Be... Naked where Republic got a stripped down reissue and we heard some of the tracks as they "should have been", i.e without the Stephen Hague over-production?

James Stephen Barnes wrote:

It's annoying though if your preferred volume setting is fine for the majority of your music, then for one album it needs whacking up.

I have the same problem, but I need to turn it down for some newer CDs ("...Sirens..." is one example) for the same reason. Worse is, sound will still be sh*t when you turn it down.

Why don't you use software compression, "whack it up" and burn a new copy of Republic if you like?

To me, Republic sounds perfect, mastering wise. I would buy it again if bundled with additional CDs of actually useful material, like the Pascal Gabriel rough mixes, the band mix of "Vicious Circle", and, say, a soundboard recording of the complete Roskilde performance.

I hear the legal settlement is going to mandate that every New Order LP be remixed -

Two versions will then be issued:

Just Bass Guitar Mix No Bass Guitar Mix

any remixes and out takes of 'special' and 'everyone everywhere', and any out takes of the other 9 songs would be most welcome indeed

I think the only way to 'do' Republic again AND do it justice, is by having a kind of box set with about 5 CD's. Think of it as one of the singles box sets of Depeche Mode.

The first disc is for the whole (remastered) album, together with a BOOKLET with all of the artwork from the Republic era. The second disc is for the Regret single and includes all official versions. The third disc is for the Ruined In A Day single and includes all official versions. The fourth disc is for the World (The Price Of Love) single and includes all versions. And finally the fifth disc is for the Spooky single and includes all versions.

It can easily be done that way. But ofcourse, it will be problematic to execute, because of economics etc.

Luke wrote: I think the only way to 'do' Republic again AND do it justice, is by having a kind of box set with about 5 CD's. Think of it as one of the singles box sets of Depeche Mode.

The first disc is for the whole (remastered) album, together with a BOOKLET with all of the artwork from the Republic era. The second disc is for the Regret single and includes all official versions. The third disc is for the Ruined In A Day single and includes all official versions. The fourth disc is for the World (The Price Of Love) single and includes all versions. And finally the fifth disc is for the Spooky single and includes all versions.

It can easily be done that way. But ofcourse, it will be problematic to execute, because of economics etc.

to be fair... its a bit shit as well. You can just about get away with spreading the good bits over one or two CDs, but five.. cripes.

Burt Burterson wrote:

Luke wrote: I think the only way to 'do' Republic again AND do it justice, is by having a kind of box set with about 5 CD's. Think of it as one of the singles box sets of Depeche Mode.

The first disc is for the whole (remastered) album, together with a BOOKLET with all of the artwork from the Republic era. The second disc is for the Regret single and includes all official versions. The third disc is for the Ruined In A Day single and includes all official versions. The fourth disc is for the World (The Price Of Love) single and includes all versions. And finally the fifth disc is for the Spooky single and includes all versions.

It can easily be done that way. But ofcourse, it will be problematic to execute, because of economics etc.

to be fair... its a bit shit as well. You can just about get away with spreading the good bits over one or two CDs, but five.. cripes.

Taking in consideration that the age of CDs is over...

This album needs to be remastered & issued with a bonus tracks/remixes.

I love this album. My favourite track is Liar. Dying for a hip hop kanye remix. I think its kind of odd, collection wise not to have the full range in special editions. I look at my psb's also and wonder why they stop.

Its on my must have list!

NotAMod wrote:

Luke wrote: I think the only way to 'do' Republic again AND do it justice, is by having a kind of box set with about 5 CD's. Think of it as one of the singles box sets of Depeche Mode.

A 5 CD boxset? Christ, they'll never do that not to mention it's a tad overkill for one solitary album. All the Republic CD singles are still available on Ebay for pennies as well. In all honesty after "The Factory Years" reissues I genuinely shudder to think how they might fuck up a Republic remaster but I assume one will appear at some point.

My personal preference would be to see the album remastered along the same lines as the recent "Total" compilation and perhaps a second disc comprised of the best remixes including Vicious Circle (New Order Mix), World (The Price of Dub) and maybe one of the full length Sabres of Paradise Regret remixes. The first two were never available on CD anyway.

Either that or a '93 live show, but if they didn't see fit to include live shows on The Factory Years bonus discs then they're probably not going to start now with Republique.

Regret (Sabres Slow 'n' Low) 12:49 & Regret (Sabres Fast 'n' Throb) 12:17 are both tacked on the end of the Japanese Republic CD.

Apparently there's an even longer version of the fast mix on a 12" promo.

Jan Andersson wrote: This album needs to be remastered & issued with a bonus tracks/remixes.

I love this album. My favourite track is Liar. Dying for a hip hop kanye remix. I think its kind of odd, collection wise not to have the full range in special editions. I look at my psb's also and wonder why they stop.

Its on my must have list!

Quite a first post! You never know what's going to inspire someone to pipe up.

Now that you mention Liar, I always thought it sounded more like Electronic. Why is the 3rd Electronic LP the only one to get the deluxe treatment?

James Stephen Barnes wrote:

Another idea: what about something in the Beatles vein of Let It Be... Naked where Republic got a stripped down reissue and we heard some of the tracks as they "should have been", i.e without the Stephen Hague over-production?

In my opinion that is a much better idea. Extremely unlikely though.

Jan Andersson wrote: I love this album. My favourite track is Liar. Dying for a hip hop kanye remix.

The only reissue treatment Liar should get is on The Worst Of NO along with Working Overtime, Rock The Shack & Jay-ee-tee...

Snorri xxx

It is completely pointless remastering/reissuing the three London/Warners albums only cos, compared to the other Factory releases, they're not exactly hot property are they?

I wouldn't bother - a waste of paper, ink, plastic and resources I'd say.

New Order used to be special/relevant. They haven't been for the last 20 years. Get over it.

:p

Burt Burterson wrote:

Luke wrote: I think the only way to 'do' Republic again AND do it justice, is by having a kind of box set with about 5 CD's. Think of it as one of the singles box sets of Depeche Mode.

The first disc is for the whole (remastered) album, together with a BOOKLET with all of the artwork from the Republic era. The second disc is for the Regret single and includes all official versions. The third disc is for the Ruined In A Day single and includes all official versions. The fourth disc is for the World (The Price Of Love) single and includes all versions. And finally the fifth disc is for the Spooky single and includes all versions.

It can easily be done that way. But ofcourse, it will be problematic to execute, because of economics etc.

to be fair... its a bit shit as well. You can just about get away with spreading the good bits over one or two CDs, but five.. cripes.

Republic is the worst New Order album, with one of their greatest tracks 'Regret'. I couldn't see myself rushing out to get a remastered version of that, with all those shitty mixes of the singles on the bonus cd. At least all the other re-issues had non albums singles and b-sides.

Yep - amongst the remixes are possibly the worst crock of stinking fetid crap in the form of those 5 godawfully rancid piss poor Sly and Robbie mixes of RIAD.

Who would seriously want to see THOSE re-surface again, when in all fairness they should be encased in concrete and asbestos and buried deep deep in the molten crust of the earth.

My DVD of Live in Glasgow had a little Rhino advert inside promoting the 3 Joy Division 2 disc collectors editions. On the back of it, "Coming Fall 2008" above pictures of the collecters editions of PCL, Low-Life, Brotherhood and Republic.

By 'Eck! My Neck! wrote: It is completely pointless remastering/reissuing the three London/Warners albums only cos, compared to the other Factory releases, they're not exactly hot property are they?

I wouldn't bother - a waste of paper, ink, plastic and resources I'd say.

New Order used to be special/relevant. They haven't been for the last 20 years. Get over it.

:p

Well personally I think Get Ready and WFTSC are both much better overall than Republic.