On 9/9/9 new remastered mixes for each of the 13 original UK studio albums that The Beatles recorded in the 1960s will be coming out.
The CD versions from the ’80s are considered to an example of very poor mastering which is why Beatles fans have been wanting to hear these classic albums remastered for so long.
The remastered CDs are not the only Beatles stuff coming out on 9/9/9, there’s also the original mono mixes of their albums through 1968’s The White Album being released on CD.
These new mono mix CDs will be the first time that many younger Beatles fans get to hear these albums as they were originally intended to be heard because it’s the first time that the mono mixes have ever been on CD.
Why should we care about mono mixes in 2009? Isn’t this an outdated way of listening to music? Well certainly nobody is mixing in mono these days, but it is worth hearing these original mixes because that’s how the albums were originally intended to be heard.
In the 1960s mono mixes were considered to be of primary importance while stereo was still a new technology that wasn’t taken very seriously just yet. Because of this the band spent a lot more time working on getting their mono mixes right. The stereo mixes would often be done without any input from the band at all, actually.
Because of this many feel that the original mono mix of an album such as Sgt. Pepper is the “real” version of the album.
9/9/9 is more than just a day for new Beatles CDs, it’s also a day for new Beatles themed video game: Beatles Rock Band. This game will allow you to “play” and Beatles classics through their beginnings in Liverpool through their finally studio album, Abbey Road. And yes Abbey Road was their last album, Let It Be was recorded before Abbey Road!
The graphics and game play look really awesome from the previews I’ve seen. Even if you’re not a big video game person, I’d give the Beatles Rock Band a try if you’re a fan of the band. It promises to be great fun.