Dave Clark Five -some stereo versions

As the database indciates, the only source for all Top 40 singles of DC5 is Hollywood Records' "The History Of The Dave Clark Five."

There are a couple of import CDs in my collection that do contain a couple of the hits in stereo with good quality and good separation. Bits & Pieces Records 7400 is a "three-fer" with the Epic LPs "5 By 5," "You Got What It Takes" and "Everybody Knows" all on one CD. Contained therein are "You Got What It Takes" and "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" in true stereo. Also, on a Japanese import titled "The Dave Clark Five vs. Peter & Gordon" (for which I cannot discern the record manufacturer - looks like a stylized "TF" and the disc number is "JASRAC R-280044" - it is, however, a commercially manufactured CD) there are eight DC5 tunes and eight P&G tunes. "Can't You See That She's Mine" and "Catch Us If You Can" are in true stereo, while the rest ("Glad All Over," "Bits And Pieces," "Anyway You Want It," "Because," "Hurtin' Inside" and "Over And Over") are in mono. The P&G cuts are mostly in stereo ("A World Without Love," "I Don't Want To See You Again," "True Love Ways," "Baby I'm Yours" and "Lady Godiva") while "Nobody I Know," "I Go To Pieces" and "Woman" are in mono.

Does anyone know if/where the rest of the DC5 Top 40 catalogue can be found in stereo on import CD?

satchdr references an import CD that has three Dave Clark Five albums on CD. Does anyone know if this disc contains their songs from a tape source, or are these vinyl LP transfers?

Also, I just ordered the new Hits import, released a few months ago in the UK on Universal. Has anyone heard this disc yet to know if they are stereo or mono versions and how good the sound quality is?

Thanks for the info, Dan! I might try tracking that CD down.

I can confirm Brian W.'s comment having received my copy of "The Hits" today. All the original hits are here and the digital remastering has made them all crisp and clean. With the exception of the last six cuts ("Good Old Rock 'n' Roll (Medley)," "Sha-Na-Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye," "Here Comes Summer," "Put A Little Love In Your Heart," "Everybody Get Together" and "Universal Love" (which are apparently later recordings of DC% and are in stereo), each of the first 22 cuts ("Do You Love Me," "Glad All Over," "Bits And Pieces," "Can't You See That She's Mine," "Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)," "Don't Let Me Down," "Any Way You Want It," "Wild Weekend," "Catch Us If You Can," "Because," "I Like It Like That," "Reelin' And Rockin'," "Over And Over," "Come Home," "You Got What It Takes," "Try Too Hard," "Everybody Knows," "I'll Be Yours My Love," "Nineteen Days," "Look Before You Leap," "'Til The Right One Comes Along" and "All Night Long") are in mono.

The booklet is interesting in spots (although an unabashed testimonial to the group with comments by, among others, Tom Hanks and Eddie Van Halen) but disappointing to me because it does not identify recording dates or release dates of any of the cuts.

After Brian W.'s earlier post about "Glad All Over" appearing in stereo on the "Epic 50th Anniversary" CD set (which I purchased and is excellent throughout), I'm still wondering why stereo versions of the other DC5 hits haven't shown up anywhere. There are now three of the 1964-1966 group of hits that are accounted for in stereo, so it stands to reason that the rest (or at least the master tapes) out there somewhere, right?

It would be nice if Dave Clark were a chat board member, eh?

Steve, you're absolutely right - the problem always has been (and always will be) 100% Dave Clark himself. Sadly, he couldn't care less about our wishes/thoughts/opinions (or anyone else's, for that matter) as to how/when he should release his music. He has been totally ignoring any and all label/consumer feedback (and he's gotten plenty of it!) for more than 40 years now. He knows the people want stereo. His response: "Too bad. No." I'm almost positive that stereo mixes of all of his songs were also done during the orignal 60's recording process - it's just that Clark strongly feels these stereo mixes are vastly inferior, and lack all the punch/TLC that went into the hit mono mixes. Back in the late 70's, I believe, one of the first import LPs I ever bought was "The Best Of The Dave Clark Five: 14 Million World Sellers" on EMI/Regal's "Starline" series (SRS 5037). This album is unfortunately missing "Over And Over", "I Like It Like That" and "Any Way You Want It" (not hits in the U.K.), but includes his 10 other biggest U.S. hits, all original recordings, all in perfect stereo, and on absolutely pristine, high-quality U.K. vinyl. I was so happy with this LP that I went back the next month, to the same store, and bought a second copy of it, just as a "backup" - I had a feeling back then that it was gonna be both rare and valuable. Attempting to acquire a stereo, "Over And Over" (the other two songs mentioned above are also missing on these), I picked up two different Polydor import "hits" LPs (one from the UK and one from Spain, which claimed "stereo"), but both feature the song in mono. I have transferred a dub of my Starline LP onto a CD-R for my listening pleasure, since Mr. Clark isn't ever going to!

Edited by jimct