Immerse Your Soul In Love - The Radiohead Thread

I last saw Radiohead nine years ago today.
I got in early and was up against the barrier. I retired from my barrier kid days at that show. I remember being in front of a stack of Tannoy sub-woofers, less than 5 feet away and getting absolutely pummelled by Thoms keyboard at the end of Feral. It was like getting punched by the wind, while yelling into the blades of a fan. It was amazing. I was drained by the end. Sweaty, hoarse, deafened and dazed. It was the best.

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I actually did bring the barrier kid out of retirement for The Avalanches DJ set back in April. I was drained by the end. Sweaty, hoarse, deafened and dazed. It too was the best.

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Hello! Does anyone know if/when is the physical release of the Kid Amnesiae exhibition available? I recall reading it will have a PS5 edition, but I'm not sure if I dreamt it now. 😂
 
@Mather

You were right, I ended up with a GZ pressing of Amnesiac. I contacted the seller to let him know the listing was wrong, but I'll wait to play it to see if I ask for more.

Thing is, both GZ and Optimal pressings of Amnesiac seem to go for about the same price.

Since some posters on Discogs seem to like this pressing, I'll give it a shot anyway.

There was some minor scribble scratches after visual inspection but they were not audible on playback (admittedly, I get these pretty often with Optimal pressings too). I also needle dropped the start and ends of each side. Mostly clean, except of a light click at the very end of side 3 (the usual GZ BS), but it's quite mild compared to the usual. I can probably live with it. We'll see. Audio quality of the pressing did sound quite good for the parts I played.
 
Turbo said:
@Mather

You were right, I ended up with a GZ pressing of Amnesiac. I contacted the seller to let him know the listing was wrong, but I'll wait to play it to see if I ask for more.

Thing is, both GZ and Optimal pressings of Amnesiac seem to go for about the same price.

Since some posters on Discogs seem to like this pressing, I'll give it a shot anyway.

There was some minor scribble scratches after visual inspection but they were not audible on playback (admittedly, I get these pretty often with Optimal pressings too). I also needle dropped the start and ends of each side. Mostly clean, except of a light click at the very end of side 3 (the usual GZ BS), but it's quite mild compared to the usual. I can probably live with it. We'll see. Audio quality of the pressing did sound quite good for the parts I played.
Click to expand...
Yeah aside from the usual pops here and there the fidelity on my GZ copy is very good.. Just a shame about the pops. But honestly it's pretty much the same as most RH pressings save for the UK Birthday Blue and In Rainbows box...
 
Phaneronic said:
No BAZZA on my Side B.
Click to expand...
I’ve now picked up and listened to the so called Canada received, UK-optimal pressing- red.

It feeeeeels like it’s from the same plant as the US pressing. Same dimples, same off
centre. Mostly flat but the spindle hole is tight which might be keeping warps at bay(second copy. First copy was loose as a goose and waaaaarped ). There is some minor surface noise which sucks, but no repetitive clicks like my other copy was riddled with. Exact same runouts which means Bazza on side b ONLY! Seems to run against what @Bluecloud777 And @Phaneronic are experiencing which is weird.

My local told me these came from the UK which might be true and it might not. All I know is that it seems like I got two of the exact same pressings, one terrible and one poor but listenable, from different Canadian shops. Above all else though, I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed by the sound. It’s ok. The music is great, obviously.

Maybe they are both from optimal, maybe neither of them are. Maybe They didn’t use two plants for this release, maybe they all came from the same place. Maybe they were all pressed at Optimal. Maybe they were ALL PRESSED at URP!

That cream version better be freeeeeeeesh!
 
Urbs_hott said:
I’ve now picked up and listened to the so called Canada received, UK-optimal pressing- red.

It feeeeeels like it’s from the same plant as the US pressing. Same dimples, same off
centre. Mostly flat but the spindle hole is tight which might be keeping warps at bay(second copy. First copy was loose as a goose and waaaaarped ). There is some minor surface noise which sucks, but no repetitive clicks like my other copy was riddled with. Exact same runouts which means Bazza on side b ONLY! Seems to run against what @Bluecloud777 And @Phaneronic are experiencing which is weird.

My local told me these came from the UK which might be true and it might not. All I know is that it seems like I got two of the exact same pressings, one terrible and one poor but listenable, from different Canadian shops. Above all else though, I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed by the sound. It’s ok. The music is great, obviously.

Maybe they are both from optimal, maybe neither of them are. Maybe They didn’t use two plants for this release, maybe they all came from the same place. Maybe they were all pressed at Optimal. Maybe they were ALL PRESSED at URP!

That cream version better be freeeeeeeesh!
Click to expand...
Do the labels look the same? Same ring indentation under the label? Or no ring?
 
Mather said:
Do the labels look the same? Same ring indentation under the label? Or no ring?
Click to expand...
Same rings on both. I forget what the tell tale signs are for each. Without digging back, I believe they look like United is supposed to?There is about a half inch rib from the outer edge of the label. I think the optimal look is completely flat under the label?

Is there supposed to be a difference in the label image?
 
Urbs_hott said:
Same rings on both. I forget what the tell tale signs are for each. Without digging back, I believe they look like United is supposed to?There is about a half inch rib from the outer edge of the label. I think the optimal look is completely flat under the label?

Is there supposed to be a difference in the label image?
Click to expand...
In theory, that half inch ring means United. And they're almost certainly from the same plant even if by some fluke it isn't United. But... it's United. Those are both US pressed.
THE STORE LIED YO
Or more likely just didn't know so they guessed.
 
Mather said:
In theory, that half inch ring means United. And they're almost certainly from the same plant even if by some fluke it isn't United. But... it's United. Those are both US pressed.
THE STORE LIED YO
Or more likely just didn't know so they guessed.
Click to expand...
Yeah those are both possible. I forget, are we positive that optimal pressed the UK version? Maybe these were both pressed at some other shitty plant in Europe.

At the end of the day, the potentially misleading info about where this copy came from led me to take the plunge on this second copy, which only cost me $61cad after tax(pretty decent preorder price and if you spend $100 at this store they give you $10 off), and it’s a big improvement over the first copy. If it weren’t for the side A of Kid A being significantly off centre I probably wouldn’t have a lot complain about. Aside from the mastering. Which again, is fine but it’s no In Rainbows box set, which is what I was hoping for. It also doesn’t beat my UK OG(ish). If the cream pressing ends up better than this one, I’m confident that I can sell for at least what I paid for it. If the cream copy isn’t any better, I guess this will be my fall back. The $75 + tax garbage copy is going back.
 
Urbs_hott said:
Yeah those are both possible. I forget, are we positive that optimal pressed the UK version? Maybe these were both pressed at some other shitty plant in Europe.
Click to expand...
According to the "rings" on the label, the copies you have match United and the copies coming out of the UK match Optimal. It's hyperbolic but it seems to be the most likely conclusion from the facts at hand. But it's possible a different plant did the UK ones. But I think Optimal pretty much does most of the XL stuff so... it's likely them for the UK releases.
 
Mather said:
According to the "rings" on the label, the copies you have match United and the copies coming out of the UK match Optimal. It's hyperbolic but it seems to be the most likely conclusion from the facts at hand. But it's possible a different plant did the UK ones. But I think Optimal pretty much does most of the XL stuff so... it's likely them for the UK releases.
Click to expand...

I think all the run out grooves info points to optimal too on both pressings and that it’s the label grooves that suggest the North American press is united as opposed to the European one being optimal.
 
Mather said:
According to the "rings" on the label, the copies you have match United and the copies coming out of the UK match Optimal. It's hyperbolic but it seems to be the most likely conclusion from the facts at hand. But it's possible a different plant did the UK ones. But I think Optimal pretty much does most of the XL stuff so... it's likely them for the UK releases.
Click to expand...

Also, the run-out have a BLXXXXX number - Optimal uses a B?XXXXX number for their plates, where the letter at the ? position indicates the pressing year with A=2010. L is 2021. So these went through Optimal at some point. At least the plates did. The US pressings were likely sent to United based on everything said here. It's a strong bet that the UK pressings just stayed at Optimal.

EDIT: what @Joe Mac just said using less words
 
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