I've (somewhat) solved the mystery of the Exit Stage Left Drum Solo...

[TheAnarchist2112]

So on my youtube channel (Frontiers2112) I posted a video of all the available footage and audio from the Exit Stage Left concert, 3/27/1981.

In the video, there are two clips of the drum solo that I've synced up to the audio of it. The first clip is right before the cowbell section, where Neil is alternating between the floor tom and snare. The second clip, which is longer, is right at the tail end of the cowbell section, but this is where it gets weird. 

In the video, after the cowbell section, Neil starts going up and down the lower rack toms and floor tom, sometimes hitting the china cymbal. However, in the audio, Neil goes back to the snare, and goes between the snare and upper rack toms, not going anywhere near the lower toms. The footage and the audio syncs up again when Neil hits the china cymbal the final time, and he goes to the gong drum. 

So what happened? Why doesn't this sync up?

First of all, Neil's solos change night to night, meaning that no solo is ever the same. However, they all contain a kind of similar structure. Luckily, the audio from March 25th in Toronto is available, which was the night before. I listened to the audio of that drum solo, and sure enough, after the cowbell section, Neil does a part with the lower toms. I also looked at other recordings of shows on the Moving Pictures tour, and it's the same basic structure the entire way through. This also axes out the theory that his solo was pieced together from different nights, because there's no inclination that Neil ever went in that certain direction in his solo that tour. There is no reason for Neil to change the entire structure of his solo for one night of filming and recording, which leads me to believe, for whatever reason, while the band was at Le Studio later that summer when they were re-recording parts for the Exit Stage Left album, Neil re-recorded and subbed in new parts for his solo. 

 

[Rush Didact]

Given the amount of studio editing on that album, it wouldn't surprise me at all. Good find.

[snowdog2112]

On a semi-related note the official Rush youtube channel just uploaded the first two songs from the ESL video in the last 20 minutes. First activity in a year. It may be nothing noteworthy but I wonder if it's a lead up to something interesting. 

[currygoat11]

Hi @snowdog2112
 

WHAT IS GOING ON?

 

This upload on the official Rush Youtube of ESL Limelight from today (Oct 4 2024) has noticeably different audio from the Laserdisc version, definitely different audio from the 2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set] version which puts guitar as priority over the drums, and it wasn't copied from the StickHits remaster from Apr 2024. 

 

I'm perplexed as to where this audio mix came from?

 

(I do not have a youtube link to the ESL Limelight from laserdisc, but I have a local copy and the audio from the laserdisc rip doesn't hold up to this Rush Youtube upload from Oct 4 2024)

The Rush upload of ESL Limelight from today (Oct 4 2024):
 

 

 

StickHits remaster:
 

 

 

2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set]
 

 

 

 

[Rush Didact]

That's truly bizarre. Is it too much to hope that they might be re-releasing ESL? If so, it's disappointing that the video is the same as the DVD release and not a remaster...

[TheAnarchist2112]

On 10/4/2024 at 3:05 PM, currygoat11 said:

Hi @snowdog2112
 

WHAT IS GOING ON?

 

This upload on the official Rush Youtube of ESL Limelight from today (Oct 4 2024) has noticeably different audio from the Laserdisc version, definitely different audio from the 2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set] version which puts guitar as priority over the drums, and it wasn't copied from the StickHits remaster from Apr 2024. 

 

I'm perplexed as to where this audio mix came from?

 

(I do not have a youtube link to the ESL Limelight from laserdisc, but I have a local copy and the audio from the laserdisc rip doesn't hold up to this Rush Youtube upload from Oct 4 2024)

The Rush upload of ESL Limelight from today (Oct 4 2024):
 

 

 

StickHits remaster:
 

 

 

2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set]
 

 

 

 

perhaps this audio mix came directly from their soundboard recording of the show that they might have still in "the vault"

[Rush Didact]

20 minutes ago, TheAnarchist2112 said:

perhaps this audio mix came directly from their soundboard recording of the show that they might have still in "the vault"

 

That would be a lot of work to sync it with the video, for questionable benefit.

[snowdog2112]

They just uploaded 3 more vids. Maybe they just decided to randomly upload ESL but it seems at least somewhat more likely that this is leading up to some kind of announcement. I hope so anyway. 
 

i’m too lazy and am not convinced this means anything yet anyway but maybe we should start a new thread about it at some point. 

Edited October 7, 2024 by snowdog2112

[currygoat11]

This improved audio mix from YouTube is a serious curiosity.

 

This is my personal opinion -> If you compare the audio from ESL the LP, to ESL the laserdisc, the ESL LP audio has been considered excellent, admittedly very drums focused, less emphasis on guitars, but super clean. The VHS (or better yet laserdisc) audio for some reason was always of lesser quality compared with the LP.  The laserdisc audio wasn't as clean, not as pure, like it has a high-pitch hiss .. somehow it lacked the sonic dynamics as compared to the record. The laserdisc audio is great don't get me wrong, but not in the same category as the record. 

 

Now with these recent YouTube uploads, the audio mix (admittedly this is 128kbit compressed audio) perhaps even outperforms ESL the LP!  The drums sound divine. This Youtube mix certainly destroys the 2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set] which I think it an embarrassment, the audio quality on that 2006 release is awful, drums indistinct and in the background.

 

So what is going on? Is someone at rush.com re-engineering the audio, only to upload it all to Youtube?  I wonder what StickHits opinion is on this.

[chemistry2024]

On 10/4/2024 at 12:05 PM, currygoat11 said:

Hi @snowdog2112
 

WHAT IS GOING ON?

 

This upload on the official Rush Youtube of ESL Limelight from today (Oct 4 2024) has noticeably different audio from the Laserdisc version, definitely different audio from the 2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set] version which puts guitar as priority over the drums, and it wasn't copied from the StickHits remaster from Apr 2024. 

 

I'm perplexed as to where this audio mix came from?

 

(I do not have a youtube link to the ESL Limelight from laserdisc, but I have a local copy and the audio from the laserdisc rip doesn't hold up to this Rush Youtube upload from Oct 4 2024)

The Rush upload of ESL Limelight from today (Oct 4 2024):
 

 

 

StickHits remaster:
 

 

 

2006 Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set]
 

 

 

 

Definitely a remix. Question is “when did this happen?”

 

a commenter says this is the “pre DVD Terry Brown mix.” 
 

have no idea what that’s about, but this mix is wayyyy different than what was on ESL (even though Limelight wasn’t featured on the album version).

 

You immediately hear the difference in the guitar. 
 

Man here’s hoping this is a precursor to a remixed ESL!

[Rush Didact]

That would be amazing news. I would love to see the live albums and videos get some attention, there's so much that can be done to improve them. The studio albums have been done to death, there's nothing else that could possibly interest me in another reissue of them at this point.

[chemistry2024]

This dropped today!

 

 

[TheAnarchist2112]

20 hours ago, snowdog2112 said:

They just uploaded 3 more vids. Maybe they just decided to randomly upload ESL but it seems at least somewhat more likely that this is leading up to some kind of announcement. I hope so anyway. 
 

i’m too lazy and am not convinced this means anything yet anyway but maybe we should start a new thread about it at some point. 

I can create one.

[TheAnarchist2112]

2 minutes ago, TheAnarchist2112 said:

I can create one.

here it is: 

 

[TheGhostRider]

On 10/7/2024 at 8:07 PM, chemistry2024 said:

Definitely a remix. Question is “when did this happen?”

 

a commenter says this is the “pre DVD Terry Brown mix.” 
 

have no idea what that’s about, but this mix is wayyyy different than what was on ESL (even though Limelight wasn’t featured on the album version).

 

You immediately hear the difference in the guitar. 
 

Man here’s hoping this is a precursor to a remixed ESL!

Yeah that was my comment. From what I understand this is  an enhanced version of the VHS/Laserdisc mix of ESL. I've heard the original mix (Thanks Jesse!) and it sounds pretty similar to this. The main difference though that I noticed that it's been cleaned up and enhanced or its been taken directly from the original soundboard. The original mix exists in the wild but not in this good quality.

Edited October 9, 2024 by TheGhostRider

[ytserush]

Very mysterious news. It's be great if more information were made available.