HW: NIK: Strange Trips releases

[K Henderson]

Eli answers Steve "Star Nation" Hayes with...

>Hi Everybody. Happy Saturday (I'll hope.)
>Below I've reprinted 2 different responses from this morning to Andy Gilham's
>request for feedback on the 3 new live Strange Trips releases on CDR. The
>first response came from Steve Hayes (haystack) apparently and I'm pleased
>for him that Steve managed to ID his response as just his "humble opinion" as
>opposed to his UNBIASED opinion. Anyway, my biased opinion, since I'm friends
>with Jim Lascko, is more aligned with the response printed below from Stephe.
>I think all 3 releases: Farflung with Nik Turner, Anubian Lights with Nik
>Turner, and the solo Harvey Bainbridge set, are classic sets of live music
>taken from crisp soundboard recordings and remastered with great care. I
>don't think any fan would be disappointed with them on the basis of sound
>quality. Yes they're "live", but the sound is excellent in all cases.
>    I also thought that the packaging on all 3 was really attractive. Where
>else have fans been offered the opportunity to obtain high quality live sets
>by these 3 acts? Knowing Jim and his ethics, the way that I do, I'm sure that
>all the artists involved have consented to these releases, and will share in
>any profits from them. That doesn't sound like a "bootleg" to me. All 3
>releases represent, as far as I'm concerned, some of the peak performances
>from America's premier space rock festival. Anybody that enjoyed any of Nik's
>live Cleopatra releases in the 90's will love the Nik and Farflung set. I
>should mention that the beginning of Farflung's set is material without Nik,
>and is really awesome live renditions of some great Farflung material. That's
>my humble, biased opinion. These 3 are great. If you like Harvey, if you like
>Nik, if you like Farflung you will love these. I wouldn't wait for the major
>label release though. Get them from Strange Trips. With bias and malice
>aforethought, love Eli Friedman
>
>In a message dated 3/31/01 6:46:11 AM, haystack at ALLTEL.NET writes:
>
><< These "releases" are hodgepodge recordings compiled by strangetrips, from
>sound board tapes, "mastered" sometimes unsatisfactorily by strangetrips,
>and released on cdr....can you say bootleg? these should be aquired through
>trading not buying!!!in my humble opinion!

Well, OK, this obviously appears to be on the verge of becoming a sensitive
subject.  I would hate for this issue to end up devolving into any
namecalling and such, but I think we need to have some more inside
information spewed out before the public, so that we know just what would be
the right thing to do.  I sense that Mr. Hayes might be holding his tongue
here a bit (I'm aware that Jim does puruse the WWW archive board from time
to time), but if he could tell us just why it is that he uses the bootleg
word, then I would understand the situation better.  Is it in reference to
perceived quality of the package, or rather the validity of its release?

I think we should all expect everyone to be out in the open about this
issue.  I tend to think like Eli and assume that it would make zero sense
for Strange Trips to alienate those who they've put their neck on the line
for in the past to support.  But I don't wish to pay out $ for a release
that the artists don't 'believe' in either.  So, can somebody say for sure
whether Nik, Harvey, Tommy, et al., are on board with this?  (Did Tommy/Len
mention this/sell this at the Anubian Lights gig in Cal., Chuck?)

Patiently yours...Keith H. (FAA)

P.S.  Since they are *not* apparently Strage Daze recordings, I assume then
that you did not actually do the recordings themselves, right Steve?  I
remember you saying that these high-quality recordings you had done of
previous SD's ('98 and '99) were just collecting dust.  I surmise that it
might be your opinion that the wrong recordings were released, is that
correct?  (Wouldn't be the first time!)  I don't wish to put words into your
mouth, but I'd like to fully understand what's going on here.