records that play better on different RPMs

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I thought the Sightings 7" on Freedom From (which has a mislabeled RPM) was the most amazing thing ever on 33. This was a ways back, before I heard them and became familoar with them. Wendy and Bonnie's "Five O Clock in the Morning" on 33 is insanely cough syrup ready, sounds like Dr Dre. The Dropdead LP that plays from the middle is MUCH better on 33. The Bodega System 12" is good at either speed, as is all of the NON stuff. As stated in another thread, Unwound are much better at 33 when it's supposed to be 45. Can anyone think of any - or, for that matter, any that sound BETTER faster?

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Saturday, 15 March 2003 07:49 (twenty-three years ago)

I once had a Wagon Christ record (Luke Vibert... yay!) -- I forget which one -- that I honestly couldn't figure out which speed it was supposed to be played on. Happy combination of precision electronics and inadequate labelling.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Saturday, 15 March 2003 08:04 (twenty-three years ago)

"Ug" by Mr Scruff sounds pretty good at 45!

Die Hausfrauen sounds wrong/right at any speed, I've found.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 15 March 2003 08:10 (twenty-three years ago)

love "forever changes" sound like the supremes at 45

― gaz (gaz), Saturday, 15 March 2003 08:33 (twenty-three years ago)

The 12" single of "King of Snake" by underworld was meant to be played at 45. I being the kind of guy who doesn't read instructions put it on at 33 and heard this amazing, weird 'screw music' variation which still seems 50x funkier than the intended version. Esp. the drugged-out vocals. Of course at 33 the song lasts about eleven minutes or something, but hell. You could FUCK like a DRUGGED PORPOISE to King of Snake at 33. At 45 by comparison the best you can do is shuffle about spasmodically and/or drive too fast.

― Millar (Millar), Saturday, 15 March 2003 08:48 (twenty-three years ago)

'excerpt from : my secret garden' by depeche mode
actually has (45/33) in brackets after the title on
the label !!

― piscesboy, Saturday, 15 March 2003 10:19 (twenty-three years ago)

I've always preferred the Slint 10" at 45 (I heard it before I heard Tweez, so I didn't know)

― Vic Funk, Saturday, 15 March 2003 11:19 (twenty-three years ago)

i've got singles by Electroscope and Codeine that are better at 33

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Saturday, 15 March 2003 11:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Peel to thread

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Saturday, 15 March 2003 11:43 (twenty-three years ago)

I remember in high school I used to play the 7" of the Dead Kennedys' "Too Drunk to Fuck" at 33 rpm, which slowed the manic riff down (obviously)....which I suppose I thought sounded cool at the time.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 March 2003 11:46 (twenty-three years ago)

the classic is the autechre mix of lexis on cert 18. fascinating slowed down

― zemko (bob), Saturday, 15 March 2003 12:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Certain tracks on Ceephax's Acid Quakers 1000 sound good at both speeds.

― lou (lou), Saturday, 15 March 2003 14:09 (twenty-three years ago)

I played a 7" 45 of Hole's "Violet" on 33 1/3 once and was startled to find that it sounded almost exactly like Pearl Jam.

"Shambelle", the sort of funky midtempo instrumental b-side to the Police's "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic", sounds like a rudeboy funeral dirge on 33.

And, of course, there's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 15 March 2003 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Early Slowdive singles mastered at 45 rpm. Played at 33 = slow motion blissout DOOM.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 15 March 2003 16:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Nerdy Girl played at 33 instead of 45 makes her sound like Low a bit.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Saturday, 15 March 2003 16:32 (twenty-three years ago)

the instrumental of the Diplomats remake of "Bout It Bout It" sounds better when i flip it on the 45 so i can dance to it.

― Al (sitcom), Saturday, 15 March 2003 18:09 (twenty-three years ago)

the title track on the original 45rpm double vinyl of Master of Puppets plays better at 33 1/3. very heavy with 'evil' sounding satan vocals.

― Wyndham Earl, Saturday, 15 March 2003 19:03 (twenty-three years ago)

I accidentally played the Fog "Check Fraud" 7" on 33 the first time, and I didn't notice until he started singing, which is pretty far into the song. It sounded pretty great, very moody and epic and slow, obviously. It's a great song, by the way, even much much betterer than the album version. And the B-side (Kid Koala remix) is delicious as well.

― Orange, Saturday, 15 March 2003 19:43 (twenty-three years ago)

The 12" of Dee Dee King's "Funky Man" becomes a hilarious song by Cartman if played at 45rpm. It's even funnier if you hear it that way first and then try to play at it at normal speed. I guarantee you won't make it all the way through.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 15 March 2003 19:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Warp 69 'Natural High' (Global Communication mix) - play at 45rpm for a gorgeous 5/4-ish jazz epic rather than the somewhat dull 33 equivalent

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 15 March 2003 19:46 (twenty-three years ago)

These are all really interesting! I had no idea so many people made these happy mistakes and / or conducted these experiments.

I brought this up on a different thread but it went unanswered - Matt Wand from Stock, Hausen and Walkman put out a 7" that plays at 1rpm. I would have bought it already, but for some reason, it's $75!! I was wondering if anyone had heard it and actually played it on the right speed?

oh and I have one more: the black Earth 7" (with no info on it) KILLS at 33.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Saturday, 15 March 2003 19:49 (twenty-three years ago)

One more: Madonna's "Live To Tell" sounds really creepy if you slow it down.The greatest goth song you have ever heard.

― Scott Seward, Saturday, 15 March 2003 20:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Prince's "Scarlet Pussy" B-side...... better at 45 RPM

― maria b (maria b), Saturday, 15 March 2003 20:30 (twenty-three years ago)

bad company's (the drumnbass bad company not the 70s bad company) "the fear" ep sounds great at either 45 (really over the top, too-fast techstep) or 33 (doomy, crunchy hip-hop). i don't actually think its supposed to play at EITHER speed. (and no, it's not just my turntable.)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 16 March 2003 03:08 (twenty-three years ago)

i still find this amusing

― ron (ron), Sunday, 16 March 2003 03:33 (twenty-three years ago)

I can only listen to Aerosmith records at 45.

― Dave Fischer, Sunday, 16 March 2003 05:09 (twenty-three years ago)

"Crush" by the Jean Paul Sartre Experience is really ploddingly slow at 33, but becomes catchy and great played at 45 - it sounds like it's just being performed at a normal speed, the only clue is the chipmunky vocals. The a-side of the single ("Precious") is pressed at 45, but the b-side is 33 so it's easy to flip it over without realizing. I am convinced this whole thing was done on purpose. Also: The JPSE's Elemental/Flex EP is 33 rpm but looks like a 45 (12" with 5 shortish songs) and sounds okay that way too. The first time I listened to The Orange's EP I put it on 33... "hm, this sounds more brooding than I'd expected... WHAT THE FUCK??" either I'd been sent the wrong record, or Andrew Brough had suddenly developed a deep, gravelly Voice Of Evil. Then I realised.

― Poppy (poppy), Sunday, 16 March 2003 05:36 (twenty-three years ago)

my spelling also has a setting switch that flips without warning (33 = British and 45 = American)

― Poppy (poppy), Sunday, 16 March 2003 05:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh yeah, the 12" single version of the Fields of the Nephilim's "Sumerland" -- mastered at 45. Play it at 33 and god-fucking-damn.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 16 March 2003 06:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a 12" EP from proto-Flipper band Negative Trend that's straight up noisepunk at 45rpm, but play it at 33 and it becomes the sound of tectonic plates moving out-dirging even Bardo Pond.

― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Sunday, 16 March 2003 09:52 (twenty-three years ago)

hmm. negative trend. no trend. both flipper-esque, though i guess negative trend was actually pre-flipper?

― your null fame (yournullfame), Sunday, 16 March 2003 10:20 (twenty-three years ago)

"angel" by madonna offa the "like a virgin " lp sounds fantastic on 45

― bob snoom, Sunday, 16 March 2003 10:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Pet Sounds is really good backwards.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 16 March 2003 12:22 (twenty-three years ago)

heaven or las vegas played at 45rpm

― kephm, Sunday, 16 March 2003 23:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Sure Thing by St Germain is superb at 45. Fast and funky!

― Daniel (dancity), Monday, 17 March 2003 14:10 (twenty-three years ago)

The first Meat Puppets record is a full-length 45 RPM which, played at 33, is awesome sludge-death.

Also, mentioned this once before, but Stevie Nicks sounds exactly like Mick Jagger when she's slowed down to 33. Scary, really.

― Clarke B., Monday, 17 March 2003 15:34 (twenty-three years ago)

my friend played smoking by the super furries at 45 for months and really liked it,and only realized his mistake when he heard it on cd in someone's house...he still only likes the fast version...

― robin (robin), Monday, 17 March 2003 15:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Walk Like an Egyptian sounds like Sisters of Mercy when slowed down.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 17 March 2003 15:52 (twenty-three years ago)

ESG's "UFO" sounds better slower (or is that just because I'm used to hearing it sampled slowed down?)

― oops (Oops), Monday, 17 March 2003 16:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Older but similar thread: Vinyl played at the wrong Rpm. C or D

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 17 March 2003 20:17 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Today I found out that the "Rain" 12" single by the Cult, which I had been greatly enjoying and had played a few times on my show, is actually supposed to play at 45 not 33. I couldn't figure out why it didn't sound like any of the other Cult stuff I'd heard. I probably wouldn't have minded the songs had I heard them at their original speed, but now they just suck when played normally.

― Poppy (poppy), Friday, 25 April 2003 21:52 (twenty-three years ago)

John Peel to thread, indeed. who is a God, and fuck the haters.

Butthole Surfers first five? six? records all played on the indeterminacy principle, and we all had to guess what speed they played at.

DJ Screw made me think much Southern hip-hop would be better about 20 BPMs slower.

― Sasha Frere-Jones (Sasha Frere-Jones), Friday, 25 April 2003 22:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Everything by The Smurfs sounds better when played on 33 rpm rather than 45. :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 25 April 2003 22:21 (twenty-three years ago)

hahahah wtf?!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 25 April 2003 22:22 (twenty-three years ago)

>heaven or las vegas played at 45rpm

or, victorialand played at 33rpm (it was mastered at 45)

― milton, Friday, 25 April 2003 22:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Two DJ tricks I used to use that always had the cool-kids asking WTF?

Beastie Boys - "33% God (Shake Your Rump instrumental)" originally 33RPM, played at 45RPM -8

T-La Rock - "It's Yours (Dub)" originally 33RPM, played at 45RPM -8

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 25 April 2003 22:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh and "Glider" by My Bloody Valentine sounds great at any speed 33/45 +/-8, it doesn't matter!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 25 April 2003 22:47 (twenty-three years ago)

eight months pass...

Er, here's the file of "Rain" by the Cult at 33 rpm that I was supposed to post last year but forgot.

― Poppy (poppy), Saturday, 24 January 2004 01:34 (twenty-two years ago)

@33 Avil Vapre by Autechre, the whole double ep - i didnt realise til i heard a cd of it a few years later.

Pole2 same story.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 24 January 2004 01:39 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sister Ray" played at 45 is a nice change from the original and is convenient if you want to hear the entire song but only have 12 minutes to spare. Some of the organ parts sound like harpsichords, and Lou sounds like a chipmunk during the stutter-parts!

I haven't listened to it at 45 for years. I long for the eventual mass-marketing of CD players w/adjustable speeds. And a reverse-play option so I can verify that "Vincebus Eruptum" sounds exactly the same backwards, just like L.Bangs claimed!

― Scott Bloomfield, Saturday, 24 January 2004 07:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I can only listen to Aerosmith records at 45.
-- Dave Fischer (dav...), March 16th, 2003.

Dave played 'em for me. He's really quite right.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Saturday, 24 January 2004 08:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Indian ragas slowed way down are really really scary and cool.

― Kevin Erickson, Saturday, 24 January 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Bela Lugosi's Dead at 33rpm, kinda like Labadford

I once was involved in putting out a 10" of a band I was in on the Belgian KRAAAK label, almost right away we got mails asking the right playback speed, to this day I can't remember.

― mzui, Saturday, 24 January 2004 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Stanton Warriors remix of "Jump N' Shout" sounds great slowed down, it's really dubby and spacier. You can still dance to it (well...slowly hehe)

― Michael B, Saturday, 24 January 2004 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

I played a song off of MEN by Burmese at 33rpm (12in 45 record).
I think it was "Shut your mouth...I paid for the hour."
It was gnarles in charge.
Also, the album version of Inna Gadda Da Vida sounds way cooler at 45 than 33.

― Trip Maker (Sean Witzman), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

The 12" of L7's Pretend That Your Dead sounds amazing slowed down to 33 rpm. It sounds like a goth classic played at the right speed :-)

― mei (mei), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"day lighting" the b side to "young offenders" by life without buildings sounds amazing at 33, slow syrupy post rock with down syndrome snagglepuss vocals. beautiful.

― in sharky water, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

"Labadford" ha!

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I heard Labradford's fixed: content being skipped through by a CD player stuck in FF mode and it was ga-ga beautiful.

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I had a McCoy Tyner record (it was a trio with four different guest stars, John Abercrombie and Bobby Hutcherson among them) that I accidentally listened to at the wrong rpm while stoned. It was fantastic, Al Foster sounded like Billy Cobham and everyone had hot chops.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Mouse On Mars's "Distroia", from the 12", plays better at 33 than 45, me thinks.

― donut christ (donut), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 19:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Kylie - Hand on My Heart 12" played at 33 is entertaining in a Rick Astley-tastic sort of way.

― Si Carter (Si Carter), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Sei still, wisse Ich Bin by Popul Vuh....it's 45 rpm. I had it for years before I realized it was 45 rpm.

it sounds better 33rpm.

― ddb (ddb), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

yesterday, today & tomorrow by the spinners sounds pretty good at 45 rpm, and if you know this record, that's saying a lot.

― lf (lfam), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 02:50 (twenty years ago)

candlemass' ancient dreams sounds way better on 45

― gullibur, Wednesday, 17 May 2006 04:26 (twenty years ago)

Kylie - Hand on My Heart 12" played at 33 is entertaining in a Rick Astley-tastic sort of way.

kylie-on-33 = rick astley used to amuse me considerably as a kid..

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 04:33 (twenty years ago)

Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' slowed to 33rpm. Wow.

― S- (sgh), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 05:28 (twenty years ago)

you would like: Cosmic Music, Italy, early '80s

― lf (lfam), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 05:32 (twenty years ago)

Play "I'm on fire" off Born in the USA at 45 you get Dolly Parton.

Also, I was in a German Nightclub, the DJ played "The only one I know" at 33, and it's one heck of a slow groove. yeah! (Another night, he did it again but then realised his mistake and sped it up to normal speed during play, which kinda lost cred as I thought he'd thought "es klingt besser"

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 06:53 (twenty years ago)

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