DMC's access to master tapes

[Jonno]

I don't know if I've asked before but I've always wondered how DMC manage to remix some songs. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary, or Queen - We Will Rock You are two that immediately spring to mind, and Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm.

How do they remix these, are they just clever re-edits, or do they have access to the master tapes (i.e. the separate tracks)?

It could be the case that some artists give the masters to be remixed, and then see how the remix turns out and then perhaps re-release on the back of it. I just don't know. Someone must though.

 

[nathan]

basically

I don't know if I've asked before but I've always wondered how DMC manage to remix some songs. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary, or Queen - We Will Rock You are two that immediately spring to mind, and Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm.

How do they remix these, are they just clever re-edits, or do they have access to the master tapes (i.e. the separate tracks)?

It could be the case that some artists give the masters to be remixed, and then see how the remix turns out and then perhaps re-release on the back of it. I just don't know. Someone must though.

They have access to the master tapes. When DMC want you to do a remix they ask you what song you would like to do in advance and then acquire the tapes. Pretty mad stuff. Imagine being rang up and asked what song out of anything you can choose would you like to remix. Unfortunatly my mates chose a bloody bronski beat song. I'll never get over that

 

[Jonno]

Ah I see, although I've got to say I'm suprised that they have a choice of any record. I would have thought it would have been what tapes they had access to that dictated the remix more.

I know when the Aphex Twin was remixing David Bowie, he was allowed some thing ridiculous like 10 minutes access to the master tapes that were kept in a vault below a bank in Berlin!

 

[nathan]

yeah i guess

Ah I see, although I've got to say I'm suprised that they have a choice of any record. I would have thought it would have been what tapes they had access to that dictated the remix more.

I know when the Aphex Twin was remixing David Bowie, he was allowed some thing ridiculous like 10 minutes access to the master tapes that were kept in a vault below a bank in Berlin!

its like family fortunes and if they can't get you one then you have to 'guess again'. Had a job interview at dmc once. They weren't the nicest of people.

 

[Francis]

I've had one Mash-Up on DMC, and done some others for them, but they couldn't be used because they couldn't get clearance from the record labels. So there must not be a totally full range of Songs to choose from.

Someone i know remixes for them, and as far as i know he doesn't get parts for the songs, he just remakes them on his own.

He'd just sent in a remix of AVH - My My MY before it got re-released, and DMC gave it to AVH who liked it, and rang up this friend, and told him he liked it, and was gonna make sure he got the new vocals so he could add them too. Pretty Cool eh ??

 

[nathan]

not

I've had one Mash-Up on DMC, and done some others for them, but they couldn't be used because they couldn't get clearance from the record labels. So there must not be a totally full range of Songs to choose from.

Someone i know remixes for them, and as far as i know he doesn't get parts for the songs, he just remakes them on his own.

He'd just sent in a remix of AVH - My My MY before it got re-released, and DMC gave it to AVH who liked it, and rang up this friend, and told him he liked it, and was gonna make sure he got the new vocals so he could add them too. Pretty Cool eh ??

entirely true. Think of bruce hornsby the only reason they get vocals resung is when they don't get clearance for a release. The reason they get away with it is DMC records aren't released as such. You can't properly remix a record by having to remake it. Unless of course its a mash-up or two or more tunes