Comments on: Traffic – Pop Spectacular: BBC 1970 (no label)

By: wgpsec

wgpsec — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:41:56 +0000

This is an excellent sounding Traffic boot and I agree the surface noise from the vinyl is no issue. The band sounds great as a three piece and its nice to hear John Peel describing who is playing what. I can easily recommend this title to Traffic fans.

By: roertd7

roertd7 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:18:37 +0000

I remember hearing this on vinyl some years ago and I recall it being a clear and good recording. I don’t know of any other CD or CDR releases. Fans of Traffic might also want to get hold of ‘Home Away From Home’ on the Mainstream label. This is a 2CD set from the Fillmore West, June 30 1970. It’s claimed to be a soundboard, though I’m not so sure myself. What’s of interest however is a complete performance of John Barleycorn Must Die.

By: gsparaco

gsparaco — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:58:56 +0000

At this time the BBC distributed their programs through their worldwide service on vinyl instead of tape. Although it is preferable to hear these old sessions from the actual studio tapes, that oftentimes isn’t possible and the best we can do is to hear them from these old transcription discs. Regarding this Traffic session, the CD is sourced from a very clean copy of one of the transcription discs. There is minor surface noise but the sound is excellent. I unfortunately have not heard other versions of this show. Does anyone know how this compares?

By: gusdad28

gusdad28 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:06:11 +0000

Is a “transcription service disc” comparable to a master tape, or a soundboard recording? You mention surface noise, so I wonder if it is similar to an acetate. This show has been previously booted from the BBC broadcast in very good sound; can you say how they stack up?