Audience

CDR

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DVD 3139; lineage: Audience recording. ***1st gen copy from the master tape*** Recording info: Equipment unknown, BASF c90 master (I think), copied to TDK MA90 on an Aiwa AD-WX110 twin tape deck (in 1985). Transfer info: TDK MA90 1st gen copy/NAK BX300E(Az adjust)/Pioneer PDR-509/Maxell CD-R XLII-80/DBpoweramp (flac level7)/TLH checksum

I did not record this one and I have to say I am NOT the world's biggest Joy Division fan (give me Josef K every time!), but since there has
been a bit of a debate about this tape offline and in other forums, I thought I'd give it a dust down and stick it up on on Dime in time for its
30th anniversary, with the full story of how it came into circulation.

The story goes; In a small record shop in Edinburgh (Avalanche, lady lawson street) in 1985, the owner Kevin informed me that one of
his customers had casually told him that he had recorded Joy Division at the Odeon on the Buzzcocks tour in '79. Trying to call his
bluff, Kevin asked him if he could hear the tape - and sure enough, a few days later the customer duly brought the tape in.
Knowing I was 'keen' on live tapes, Kevin got in touch with me and asked if I would like to 'borrow it', so I collected it from the shop
and took it home to make a copy.

On first hearing I have to say I was pretty disappointed with its muddy sound, but I was aware of its historic value, since
it was not listed as a known recording in the only JD bible of the time "A History In Cuttings". I did the best I could to get a good
copy transfer - I used my trusty Aiwa AD-WX110 twin tape deck (with no dolby added) onto a TDK MA 90 (metal) cassette - but had no method
of improving the sound, I could only take a straight copy.

By '85 I had all but given up tape trading but still had a few contacts here and there and one in particular (Sylvie G from France)
I knew was a very big JD fan so I got in touch with her and offered her a copy. She asked if I could send her my master which I did,
she took her own copy and returned the tape to me - along with an EQ adjusted version which she'd made using her EQ equipment. She
also gave me in return some photo copies of unpublished Joy Division pics from when they were in Paris, on the understanding that
I didn't share the photos and she wouldn't share the tape.

The EQ version was not a huge deal different from my own master and I can't honestly remember which version I ended up using to make subsequent
copies from, but here's the bombshell - as time wore on, I DID actually decide to sell this tape through the small ads of the NME !
Yes folks, believe it or not, in the days before the wonderful, caring, sharing World wide web, we tape traders DID occassionally
sell our wares ! I had a friend who was a printer, and he printed me up a small batch of inlay cards (on card, black images) the master
inlay made using a photo gleaned from "The Face" magazine with the wording put together by myself with Letraset. I gave it a title
'The Last, Lost, Joy Division' on 'Soft Option' tapes.... and it sold a measly 10 copies via that advert! If you do own one of these 10 copies,
congratulations, you will have a bona fide 2nd gen copy. (and if you do, could you let me know what the label on the tape says?...)

Beyond that, I may have given out around half a dozen copies during the 80's, but I have never until now, given anyone a fresh, clean
copy direct from my master, so hopefully its worthwhile. If there is anyone out there who can clean it up and get a better sound out if it
then please do and re-upload it. (I've had around 10 attempts at improving its sound using all today's modern technology that I can handle, but
it never ends up much better than the original).

Finally, a few other points to clear up (on the back of some Dime PMs I have received), there would appear to be 'track break' version of this tape
in circulation which I initially had no recollection of, but thinking back, yes, I do think I may have once made a very crude attempt at editting out
the hiss inbetween songs, but where and when I did this I cannot remember. Also, I have had it on good authority that Steve Fraser was not the person
responsible for recording this show (even though he was an active taper in Edinburgh at that time). The tapers name remains unknown, but whoever it
was, big respect to you sir and if you ever do come across this on the web, please get in touch!

So here it is in all its naked glory, direct from my 1st generation metal tape, Joy Division live at the Edinburgh Odeon, 6 Oct 1979.

Enjoy.

MATB

6 Oct 2009

PS, For the record, I was actually at this gig (in the days before I started taping) - but MISSED Joy Division's set, and it has to be said from
memory, Buzzcocks were crap that night!

3139

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