Joe Jackson "Steppin Out"

Todd,

I found several titles in this Class Reunion series that were not included in the database so I ordered all of those discs. But the one disc that I could not find for sale anywhere on the internet was the Class Reunion 1982 disc so yes, if you could time each track along with mono/stereo information that would help a lot.

I went through my music library and just now realized I actually have the Class Reunion '82 disc! {smacking my head} You know you have too many CDs when you can't even remember what's in your collection!

If you'd like, Pat, I can try and provide you with actual run times and versions for all the tracks on this CD within the next day or so. Let me know.


todd....your starting to sound like me!!!

Hey Todd, one more clarifying question -- is the title Class Reunion '82 or Class Reunion 1982?

my commercial 45 of joe jackson's "steppin' out" states a run time on the label of 3:43....while this is true the 45 runs slightly slower than the version from the "omigod" box set.....in addition, that cd version has a slightly longer fade out (0:02) than the actual 45.....

Still trying to sort all of this out...

The true LP version on Night And Day tracks over the previous selection, so it's a little tough to figure out a true length for the track. On my CD for Night And Day, the track runs 4:23. It runs 159.2 BPM for the first 12 seconds, 159.8 BPM thereafter, no drift. If you listen with headphones, there's a little bit of buzz on the keyboard notes in the intro. The buzz disappears on the downbeat at 0:18. If I had to guess, I'd say that the intro was spliced together in pieces, and the buzz came from a higher-generation tape source.

The LP version on Stepping Out The Very Best Of (1990) fades in, which seems to be the same fade-in used on Night And Day, but minus the previous track. This version starts on a faint snare (down about -50 dB), and there are 15 beats before the keyboards kick in. It runs 4:23, at 160.0 BPM for the first 7 seconds, 159.9 thereafter, no drift. There's buzz here, too, which disappears on the downbeat between 0:17 and 0:18.

The true 45 edit starts on a full-volume downbeat, with 8 beats before the keyboards kick in. There are a few edits that shorten the keyboard intro and keyboard solo (I didn't check the edit points.)

The 45 version on Virgin/PolyGram/EMI's 2-CD Now 1983 (1993) also runs 3:45, but at 159.2 BPM throughout, also with an edit at 3:04. There's buzz on the keyboard notes during the intro, which disappears at the downbeat at 0:15. The whole track seems to have a boosted high end, with more reverb than the other versions. It's the same kind of uneasy high-end boost that we used to hear from playing back Dolby C NR-reduced cassettes with the noise reduction off. I can't tell if the high end is unnaturally boosted here, or is deliberately reduced on the other discs. (I think this is why I thought it might have been a different mix in an earlier post.)

The 45 version on Rhino's 7-CD Like Omigod (2002) runs 3:45, running at 159.5 BPM throughout. There's an edit at 3:04. I can still hear the buzz that disappears at 0:15, but it's muted quite a bit compared to the Now version. The 45 version sounds excellent on this set.

And then, the CDs that attempt to deal with the LP version:

• Polygram's promo PGD Presents Sound Savers Vol. 1 (1991; digitally exactly 2.6 dB louder than Night And Day, cuts off the 5-second cross-fade from previous song, fades in from 0:05 to 0:08 of N&D)
• swaitek's promo 50-CD set The A List Disc 10 (1994; cuts off drum machine intro completely and starts with keyboards, no NR)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Modern Rock Vol. 1 1982-1983 (1999; digitally exactly 7 dB louder than Night And Day, starts on cold downbeat and cuts off the 5-second cross-fade from previous song)
• Realm's 3-CD Greatest Hits Of The '80s Vol. 3 (2002; starts with 8 beats of drums at full volume, there's an edit at 1:51, mastered way too loud and clips severely)

For the 45 version, go with Like Omigod (2002).

For the LP version, I like Stepping Out The Very Best Of (1990).

Edit: Andrew posted that the promo LP version, which starts at full volume, has 16 beats before the keyboards kick in. That's twice as long as the 8-beat intro on the 45. I assume that the 16-beat intro starts on a downbeat, but can't confirm.

Edited by crapfromthepast