Eric Clapton
Criterion Studios
Miami, Florida
June 11, 1975
(2nd Generation)

Transfer: Jamie Oldaker reels > 2nd Generation Tape > Nakamichi DR-01 (azimuth adjusted) > Sound Devices USB Pre2 > Audacity 1.3.11 > iZotope RX / Ozone 5 (mastered) > Peak Pro 6 (post production) > xACT 2.37 > FLAC 

01 Motherless Child #1 (in progress) (:56)
02 Motherless Child #2 (4:11)
03 Motherless Child #3 (4:44)
04 High #1 (3:35)
05 High #2 (3:43)
06 Tuning (2:02) 
07 High #3 (3:35)
08 High #4 (4:13) 
09 Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad #1 (5:15)
10 Bell Bottom Blues #1 (5:58)
11 Keep On Growing #1 (5:29)
12 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #1 (4:54)
13 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #2 (5:33)
14 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #3 (6:03) 
15 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #4 (5:09) 
16 Eyesight To The Blind #1 (2:46) 
17 Eyesight To The Blind #2 (2:15) 
18 Eyesight To The Blind #3 (:38)
19 Eyesight To The Blind #4 (3:51)
20 High #5 (3:58)
21 Motherless Child #4 (various takes) (:24)
22 Motherless Child #5 (3:55)
23 Teach Me To Be Your Woman #1 (4:58)
24 Teach Me To Be Your Woman #2 (4:40)
25 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #5 (3:41)
26 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #6 (5:08)
27 Layla (7:58)
28 Mainline Florida (8:24)
29 Easy Now (1:38)
30 Twist & Shout (1:09)
31 After Midnight (:50)
32 Let It Grow Riff (:16)
33 Green River Riff (:47)
34 Jamming (1:35)
35 Eyesight To The Blind #5 (6:17)
36 Knockin’ On Hevean’s Door #7 (5:48)
37 It’s Too Late (4:06)
38 Well Alright (2:06)
39 Keep On Growing (5:56)
40 Bell Bottom Blues (6:37)
41 Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad #2 (5:09)
42 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #8 (5:51)
43 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #9 (6:19)
44 Misty Roses #1 (2:11)
45 Misty Roses #2 (1:35)
46 Misty Roses #3 (:25)
47 Misty Roses #4 (:35)
48 Misty Roses #5 (:56)
49 Misty Roses #6 (1:47)
50 Misty Roses #7 (1:17)
51 Misty Roses #8 (2:23)
52 Jamming (4:04)
53 Bell Bottom Blues #3 (6:00)
54 Keep On Growing #3 (4:01)
55 Misty Roses #9 (:39)
56 Eyesight To The Blind #6 (various takes) (2:49)
57 Eyesight To The Blind #7 (3:08)
58 Keep On Growing #4 (5:42)
59 Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad #3 (3:23)
60 Bell Bottom Blues #4 (3:48)
61 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #10 (6:22)
62 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door #11 (6:02)

From what I can tell there are five different silver releases for Eric Clapton’s 1975 Miami tour rehearsals:
EC In Person’s “1975 Tour Rehearsal” 2CD 
Silver Rarities’ “Tour Rehearsals 1975” 2CD
Extremely X Rare’s “Living On Blues Power Vol. 1” 2CD
Elements Of Crime’s ‘”Complete Miami Rehearsal ‘75” 4CD
Mid Valley’s “Bad Pool Player” 4CD

I’m pleased to add to that what I believe is the first version from known lineage, this comes from my second generation tapes taken directly from Jamie Oldaker’s reels. 

Up to this point I had not wanted to do a transfer of my tapes because I felt I wouldn’t be able to get the best out of the tapes with the equipment I had at the time. With the assistance of my JEMS partners, I am now in a position to get the best possible digitization out of the tapes. Once the transfer was complete I sent off a sample of the files to the good Professor Goody’s lab for a pitch check.

Once that was complete I found there was still much work to do, I listened back to the entire set noting any glitches, pops, clicks and rough transitions. I then compared any irregularities to the circulating silver versions that I had and found that the largest offenders appeared to be present in all copies. I’ve spent countless hours fixing all the irregularities that could be repaired without damaging any of the music, I'd estimate well over 50 irregularities were repaired from static bursts to the tiniest pops and clicks.. Just casually listening I would not have thought there would be very much spectral work to do but you’d be surprised how many minor flaws there are that you don’t really “hear” until you really listen closely. From what I can tell everything I repaired is present on all versions (at least the ones I have).

I’m always curious about the length of tracks on sets that have multiple takes, I’ve notated in the notes and the cover the length of the actual song for each take, not the total track length but of the actual song itself excluding dialogue, tune ups and general noodling.

So when it’s all done is this an upgrade? Well, it depends on your perspective. I’ve always found the silver releases to be excellent quality but on the flat side losing much of the natural highs and lows, which can be a by-product of using software to cut hiss. This 2nd generation version has some hiss present between songs and during the quieter “Misty Roses” takes. However, the frequency spectrum is really quite nice, the highs are high, mids are mid and lows are low, distinct and sitting nicely where they should be and "Blackie's" beautiful tone is fully present. As we move towards the end of the set, as happens on the silvers as well, the quality ticks down just a touch and becomes a bit more flat losing a bit of the striking highs and lows.

I’d say if you like to consume your music totally hiss free but living in the mid ranges, and there is nothing wrong with that, then I’d stick to the silvers. If you are ok with a bit of hiss during the quieter segments and like a wider airy open sound this just might be for you. For you purists out there the music is as it was coming straight off the tapes, no eq or hiss reduction of any kind was used, the only tweaking was the above mentioned repairs to any irregularieties…samples provided and artwork included.

mjk5510