AAA 100% Analogue This  LP was Remastered using Pure Analogue Components Only from the Master Tapes through to the Cutting Head

Mobile Fidelity - MFSL 1-347 - 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl - AAA 100% Analogue

Numbered Limited Edition -   Pressed at RTI  

Pure Analogue Mastered by Rob Lo Verde  from the Original Master  tape

Mastered on the Mobile Fidelity The Gain 2 Ultra Analog System

1970 Set an Organic, Iconic Rock Landmark - In Special Textured Finish Gatefold Jacket Record Shivers With Raw Emotions, Dark Confessionals, and Intense Singing A sharp stylistic and thematic detour away from its first two albums, the Band’s Stage Fright is a compelling snapshot of a group coping with massive success and internal changes. Recorded in 1970 at the Woodstock Playhouse, the set shivers with raw emotions, dark confessionals, and intense singing.

Largely devoid of the quintet’s trademark all-for-one harmony vocals, Stage Fright is an utterly distinctive piece of the Band’s catalog—and a historic landmark that’s a necessary part of any music collection. Such splintered camaraderie and personal demons appear in now-famous songs such as the title track, “The Shape I’m In,” and “The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show.” The music is rife with palpable tension, and as a credit to the Band’s unique sound,absolutely singular. It’s impossible to think of any other group playing these tunes. Robertson’s balladic ode to his daughter, “All La Glory,” featuring a gorgeous vocal turn from Levon Helm, provides a sunny contrast to the darker compositions. Circumstances behind the recording sessions also reflected the mood.

While the Band had intended to capture the album in one take in front of a small crowd at the theater, the town residents vetoed the idea due to concerns over being inundated by too many visitors. Consequently, the Band played to an audience of no one, sometimes with the curtains closed and other times, with them open. Todd Rundgren, who engineered the album, couldn’t even see what was going on—he was sitting in a canvas prop tent that became the control room, behind the theater.

As always, Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastered this numbered limited-edition 180g LP from the original master tapes for a superior sonic experience. This analog edition of Stage Fright bursts with supreme tonal clarity and an airiness that brings the genius of Rundgren’s preservation of high frequencies to complete realization. Even the fine textures of the hand drums on the stunning “Daniel and the Sacred Harp” come to light with microscopic detail. Perfectly blended, MoFi’s Stage Fright takes its place as the most balanced and punchy record in the Band’s oeuvre.

Musicians:
Levon Helm, vocals, drums, guitar, percussion
Rick Danko, bass, fiddle, vocals
Garth Hudson, organ, electric piano, accordion, tenor saxophone
Richard Manuel, vocals, piano, organ, drums, clavinet
Jaime Robbie Robertson, guitars, autoharp

The Band Stage Fright Track Listing:

1. "Strawberry Wine" 
2. "Sleeping"  
3. "Time to Kill" 
4. "Just Another Whistle Stop" 
5. "All La Glory" 
6. "The Shape I'm In" 
7. "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show"  
8. "Daniel and the Sacred Harp"
9. "Stage Fright"  
10. "The Rumor"

 

GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ is a proprietary cutting system built and designed by legendary design genius Tim De Paravicini, with consultation from one of MFSL’s founding fathers – Stan Ricker, an audio engineer responsible for many of MFSL’s most heralded past releases.

 

The GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system is comprised of a Studer™ tape machine with customized reproduction electronics* and handcrafted cutting amps that drive an Ortofon cutting head on a restored Neumann VMS-70 lathe. (*It is worth noting that independent studies have confirmed that the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system can unveil sonic information all the way up to 122kHz!)

 

First and foremost, we only utilize first generation original master recordings as source material for our releases. We then play back master tapes at half speed enabling the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system to fully extract the master’s sonic information. Our lacquers are then plated in a specialized process that protects transients in the musical signal. (Due to this process, there may be occasional pops or ticks inherent in initial play back, but as the disc is played more, a high quality stylus will actually polish the grooves and improve the sound). We further ensure optimum sound quality by strictly limiting the number of pressings printed for each release. These limited editions, in addition to being collectors’ items, ensure that the quality of the last pressing matches the quality of the first.

 

As you can imagine, all these efforts involve a tremendous amount of time, technology, cost and effort. The introduction of GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ maintains Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab’s position as the world’s leading audiophile record label, where a passion for music with extraordinary sound quality matters most.

RTI
 
Record Technology is a world class record pressing plant located in Camarillo, California. We have been operating since 1974, pressing for most audiophile record labels and for many quality minded independent and major record labels from around the world.