When do they finally say "enough is enough"?

[petina]

So now even mdg says that these are a hoax? Or are they not? I'm so confused.

Yeah. Just someone attempting to make an easy buck by tricking people. Though, I do fully believe they're raising the money to help their dad, which is perfectly fine. It's just a shitty way of going about it.

[HappyCyclist]

I think MDG got it right. The story is not legitimate, but the resulting music may sound nicer than we've heard before. Take the files for free and donate to The Doors of Perception at your own risk.

[Iced Cooly Beatnik]

off topic: I trust mdg more than I trust Doors Of Perception. Sorry, I just feel I can hold him up with more authenticity.
on topic: Often times an artist is a little embarrassed by their earlier work, or they feel it could have been done much better (see: Radiohead, Beastie Boys.) Perhaps they'd rather just put it aside for the moment.
As we've already established, BoC are in a unique position, one many artists would probably envy. All we know of them really is their material, and a few of their interests and likes/dislikes through various interviews. We've only heard their voices once, and we don't know whose voice belonged to who. What they do next is completely down to them, they really don't have to pander to us whatsoever.

[Radiobuzz]

Why is there so much hostility from HS if there weren't a valid reason? It all seems a bit fishy to me, in all honesty.

It's not fishy at all. Even if your dad truly has cancer and even if you have the original cassettes, you are distributing music which doesn't belong to you but to a currently active band; a band who holds the copyright to their music and has chosen not to publish it officially, so it's therefore illegal for you not only to distribute it, but even more so to ask for money, regardless of how noble the reason could be.

[tonx]

I'm interested in knowing what the story is on this set of tunes.

Are we now under the consensus that d_o_p's claim of them being re-dubbed from an authentic better source is bullshit? because mdg said so and that's the final word? or is there some audio analysis I'm missing that closes the case? or is it all still conjecture?

I have significantly less interest in whether d_o_p is pulling our leg on trying to make a buck, armchair copyright lawyering, ethical debates, etc. than in knowing if this now-in-the-wild pile of audio is merely a clean-up of files we all already possess, or something relatively fresh.

Would love to see some clarity on this before another thread gets locked.

[TOYOTAセ&#1]

armchair copyright lawyering

[Jonse]

So now even mdg says that these are a hoax? Or are they not? I'm so confused.

Hi everyone, -this thread came to my attention because the OP was attempting to collect cash donations to an unverified PayPal account. This is what I can share: it appears that these new FLAC files were definitely the same mp3's already circulating from 2009 at one point in their life. For the new OT.1 and "35 Tape" collections being offered here, it's 100% confirmed that the original 2009 mp3's have been spruced up with various processes to make them sound like they are from original cassettes. (This is obviously inconsistent with the OP's story) And it appears almost certain that the OT.2 collection here is also a result of heavy processing of the same mp3's.
This might have resulted in a clearer batch of tunes for you all to listen to, but please don't pay money for these.

It's just yet another version of the pre-existing versions that have been filtered/processed/etc. - cleaned up, like all "remasters".

You don't need mdg's word for it, just good headphones and ears. The samples were ones of tracks that were already fairly clear and easy to clean up some more, i.e. Buckie High, King of Carnival, etc.... It was admitted that this remaster contains a mixture of "new rips" and what was already existing because some tracks "can't be made to sound better (-paraphrased-).

So they've been confirmed to not be a new tape rip, which I thought sounded pretty obvious and now it looks pretty obvious with the .tiff file of the tape where scratches and minor details are visible and the label and signature look like they've clearly been edited in.

If it sounds better because they've been cleaned up, fine - saves fans the trouble of screwing around with them and making a better sounding version (and many have done this/tried doing this). Hell, I could do this and if I spent enough time make a fantastic one. I have no problem with someone sharing their "remaster" of Old Tunes if the changes to the audio makes people enjoy it more.

What I DO have a problem with is dishonesty, and it's just the entire situation that happened here that really pisses me off, and more than that, how gullible much of the community can be. It's best to take big claims with a grain of salt, especially if it's from a new user who also ties it originally to something about their father having cancer...and he may well have cancer, I don't know but I understand both the skepticism and the fact that people will go to great lengths to try and save the ones they love. The problem is that it should have never been part of this in the first place. It doesn't matter if it was taken back at some point after Hexagon Sun PR spoke, every single step just further and further makes the story look like bullshit.

I have significantly less interest in whether d_o_p is pulling our leg on trying to make a buck, armchair copyright lawyering, ethical debates, etc. than in knowing if this now-in-the-wild pile of audio is merely a clean-up of files we all already possess

It is.

And again, even though mdg is a huge help, ultimately it could be deduced simply studying the files for a while if he hadn't spoke.

[Doors_Of_Perception]

So now even mdg says that these are a hoax? Or are they not? I'm so confused.

Hi everyone, -this thread came to my attention because the OP was attempting to collect cash donations to an unverified PayPal account. This is what I can share: it appears that these new FLAC files were definitely the same mp3's already circulating from 2009 at one point in their life. For the new OT.1 and "35 Tape" collections being offered here, it's 100% confirmed that the original 2009 mp3's have been spruced up with various processes to make them sound like they are from original cassettes. (This is obviously inconsistent with the OP's story) And it appears almost certain that the OT.2 collection here is also a result of heavy processing of the same mp3's.
This might have resulted in a clearer batch of tunes for you all to listen to, but please don't pay money for these.

It's just yet another version of the pre-existing versions that have been filtered/processed/etc. - cleaned up, like all "remasters".

You don't need mdg's word for it, all you need are good headphones and ears. The samples were ones of tracks that were already fairly clear and easy to clean up some more, i.e. Buckie High, King of Carnival, etc.... It was admitted that this remaster contains a mixture of "new rips" and what was already existing because some tracks "can't be made to sound better (-paraphrased-).

So they've been confirmed to not be a new tape rip, which I thought sounded pretty obvious and now it looks pretty obvious with the .tiff file of the tape where scratches and minor details are visible and the label and signature look like they've clearly been edited in.

If it sounds better because they've been cleaned up, fine - saves fans the trouble of screwing around with them and making a better sounding version (and many have done this/tried doing this). Hell, I could do this and if I spent enough time make a fantastic one. I have no problem with someone sharing their "remaster" of Old Tunes if the changes to the audio makes people enjoy it more.

What I DO have a problem with is dishonesty, and it's just the entire situation that happened here that really pisses me off, and more than that, how gullible much of the community can be. It's best to take big claims with a grain of salt, especially if it's from a new user who also ties it originally to something about their father having cancer...and he may well have cancer, I don't know but I understand both the skepticism and the fact that people will go to great lengths to try and save the ones they love. The problem is that it should have never been part of this in the first place. It doesn't matter if it was taken back at some point after Hexagon Sun PR spoke, every single step just further and further makes the story look like bullshit.

I have significantly less interest in whether d_o_p is pulling our leg on trying to make a buck, armchair copyright lawyering, ethical debates, etc. than in knowing if this now-in-the-wild pile of audio is merely a clean-up of files we all already possess

It is.

And again, even though mdg is a huge help, ultimately it could be deduced simply studying the files for a while if he hadn't spoke.

There was no dishonesty. The labels look "edited in" because I scanned a cassette, which is not flat. The lower incline is where the label is.

If you want to be so arrogant, go ahead, try to remaster the files you have to make them sound like these. I'm not "desperate" for "saving" anyone. My dad will be perfectly fine in a while, he just needs treatment.

I'm no longer appealing this, either take it or don't. If you don't believe me, that's fine, you don't need to. All I'm saying is that I told the entire truth, left no details out, and the cassettes were not faked by me, and if they're faked, it must have been more than ten years ago, and I HIGHLY doubt they're faked.

But, it's up to you. If you want them, take them. If not, don't. Believe what you want, but this whole thing is convoluted in so many ways. Just know that I didn't utter a single lie, nor leave out a single truth. So DON'T call me dishonest.

That's all.

[c3tra]

Hi

can I/we have a bit of clarity on this bit... your first post

Therefore, Techboy has sent me the highest quality rips he's found on his years of BoC-obsessed Internet scavenging. With these rips, accompanied by the cassettes of mine, I have an audio engineer friend who is going to merge the two for the BEST POSSIBLE RIP OF ALL THE TAPES (aside from BoC Maxima which I have sent to Aesthetics).

I get that TB and you have been in discussion as he wants to facilitate awesome music...but where does Maxima fit into this?

(sorry guys for digging within a locked post...just want closure)

[Jonse]

If you want to be so arrogant, go ahead, try to remaster the files you have to make them sound like these. I'm not "desperate" for "saving" anyone. My dad will be perfectly fine in a while, he just needs treatment.

Only one person being arrogant in this thread and it's not me mate. I heard what mdg said, I saw what you posted. I've also heard side A and the first handful of tracks, particularly Spectrum, were sufficient enough.

You have provided nothing to demonstrate that you have had a new tape rip performed. You've recanted statements. I'm not trying to be rude but I'm just going to be blunt with this: mdg has spoken and it reinforces what I'd already thought.

As for cleaning them up myself, I just may. I was going to do some audio modifications to Tomorrow's Harvest first and never really felt there was any problem with Old Tunes, mainly because I think it's about one third good material and two thirds just okay or filler-esque. However, I could clean up, oh say, Mukinabaht and have it sound better than the clean up you did.

It's not really relevant though when I need not prove why I believe what an official representative said.

If you wanted to share your cleaning up of Old Tunes, you should have. Dragging your dad into this is honestly almost insulting, having had two family members die of cancer. It came off as exploitation initially and now it just comes off as trying to save face. I wish him well and all but this whole Old Tunes ordeal is extremely disappointing.

Now, I'd rather not have an argument contrived here when it's unnecessary.

[re-phaelam-ed]

I'm no longer appealing this, either take it or don't.

never saw a link posted

[Jonse]

I'm no longer appealing this, either take it or don't.

never saw a link posted

It's on rareboc.

[untitled]

hey all! i'm really sad to make this my first post, you will see later why.

first of all, i am listening to BoC since around 2004. i have heard of a few old tunes but i believed, from the bottom of my heart, that they are just some sick jokes, works of some sad wannabe, some psychologically damaged human being that could not split from those he/she admired etc. why? because that story was the "official version." 10 years, quite some time isn't it? 10 years of missing the chance of better knowing what i was listening to (like they were ashamed for giving out those tapes to stupid people? or the music itself? wtf? then why not stop producing music after the epiphany, dear BoC? what are those albums released after 2001, made while the "official story" was "those are fakes!!!"?) now i see that the "official story" is that they are "real" after all. conclusion? from now on i won't believe any "official" communication from Hexagon Sun or their "affiliates" like joyrex.

now let's see what MDG said on the other topic: "attempting to collect donations" + "please don't pay money for these."

what has PAYMENT to do with DONATION? donation is voluntary (you can't "collect" it, just "accept" it), payment is in exchange for something... last time i checked i could download all the goodies without exchanging ANYTHING for them?!

then he goes on blabbering about how fake those tracks are. in fact 100%. remember what i said a few paragraphs above about Hexagon Sun? doors_of_perception clearly has the cassettes (look at the scans + the photo with his/her dad!!) so why would he/she lie?

of course there is only one way to prove she is not lying: upload the original (unprocessed... UNTOUCHED) tape rips. and PLEASE make that rip on a half-decent deck with a half-decent converter. otherwise it's futile and the quality will obviously be low i could make an "overkill" conversion (i have lots of experience with cassettes) but then again i'm in south/central europe...

this is all i had to say.

[tonx]

I have significantly less interest in whether d_o_p is pulling our leg on trying to make a buck, armchair copyright lawyering, ethical debates, etc. than in knowing if this now-in-the-wild pile of audio is merely a clean-up of files we all already possess

It is.

And again, even though mdg is a huge help, ultimately it could be deduced simply studying the files for a while if he hadn't spoke.

what do you mean by "studying the files for a while"? I'm trying to understand – outside of some abundant circumstantial evidence – how you (and also mdg) are so dead certain these aren't from an alternative tape source? not trying to be antagonistic, just asking if you could maybe _show your work_ a bit.

I'd maybe like to hear some folks with audio analysis chops chime in with less vitriol and more evidence relating specifically to the audio files. I certainly have my doubts, but strongly voiced opinions are not enough to fully close the case.

[re-phaelam-ed]

doors_of_perception clearly has the cassettes (look at the scans + the photo with his/her dad!!) so why would he/she lie?

incredibly easy to fake. its just a photo.
A LOT of what you see these days [photos] are not 100% real anymore. you know of photoshop yes?

not saying that he/she is....but people will go to great lengths when it comes to scams.

[Opothecary]

Personally, I'd prefer to just listen to mdg's take on it, Rodheh seems to be at a point in his life that he has no joie de vivre about much of anything relating to BoC

[frank chipboard]

My dad liked some Boards of Canada songs. He was a big fan of Eno and thought some BoC sounded similar. We talked about music a lot, and after a few years passed since TCH came out he was always asking if BoC were doing anything new. We talked about listening to the new album on the day of release, him with a malt whisky, me with a joint. I always planned on having a malt and a joint but that wasn't ever mentioned. Anyway, cancer took him on the 11th December 2012. Six months before TH was released, but we didn't know that then.

I meant to post this last year when the album came out but couldn't, reading through this thread reminded me.

[untitled]

I'd maybe like to hear some folks with audio analysis chops chime in with less vitriol and more evidence relating specifically to the audio files. I certainly have my doubts, but strongly voiced opinions are not enough to fully close the case.

i can but first i need to know where are those 2009 versions mdg is blabbering about. are those the 160kbps ones? i need to know what to compare them to and it's the only version i have to my disposal (btw some tracks are GREAT! i'm actually much happier to hear this than Tomorrow's Harvest)

[Jonse]

I have significantly less interest in whether d_o_p is pulling our leg on trying to make a buck, armchair copyright lawyering, ethical debates, etc. than in knowing if this now-in-the-wild pile of audio is merely a clean-up of files we all already possess

It is.

And again, even though mdg is a huge help, ultimately it could be deduced simply studying the files for a while if he hadn't spoke.

what do you mean by "studying the files for a while"? I'm trying to understand – outside of some abundant circumstantial evidence – how you (and also mdg) are so dead certain these aren't from an alternative tape source? not trying to be antagonistic, just asking if you could maybe _show your work_ a bit.

I'd maybe like to hear some folks with audio analysis chops chime in with less vitriol and more evidence relating specifically to the audio files. I certainly have my doubts, but strongly voiced opinions are not enough to fully close the case.

Other people have commented about the noise removal and whatnot as well as posting spectrograph images that aren't quite convincing. What I mean is that almost any musician or audio engineer experienced with cleaning old audio up could create versions of the tracks shared in the samples DOP linked and in the full length FLAC files with enough time. Particularly the tracks that were initially shared as samples - these were of the most already clear tracks from Old Tunes, in contrast to a very low quality sounding track such as Zander Two.

Because this is some huge thing now, perhaps I will go clean up a few tracks in this manner and share them so people can hear it, but I'm busy today. I have to do something with a friend so it may come later, but it doesn't really matter.

Why? Go look at the latest posts by mdg, specifically the last one on the locked thread. If anyone is unaware, he's an official hexagon sun representative and that's why he's a moderator for the Boards of Canada subforum.

No, strongly voiced opinions don't close the case. Official statements generally do.

I'd maybe like to hear some folks with audio analysis chops chime in with less vitriol and more evidence relating specifically to the audio files. I certainly have my doubts, but strongly voiced opinions are not enough to fully close the case.

i can but first i need to know where are those 2009 versions mdg is blabbering about. are those the 160kbps ones? i need to know what to compare them to and it's the only version i have to my disposal (btw some tracks are GREAT! i'm actually much happier to hear this than Tomorrow's Harvest)

They're all over the place but they've been on rareboc for a while: http://rareboc.ax.lt/

[untitled]

incredibly easy to fake. its just a photo.
A LOT of what you see these days [photos] are not 100% real anymore. you know of photoshop yes?

if it's so INCREDIBLY easy... wow. just a foto. double wow. you are very sure of yourself. in fact you make me depressed and make me hate snotty-nosed children like your kin.

i am a photoshop user since 1997 and a professional user since 2002.

who the hell are you kidding kiddo?