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"Space Oddity", weird or am I?

Howdy

Howdy

pfm Member
Hi guys!

I bought US copy of Space Oddity, this one.

And the intro into "Space Oddity" sounds weird. I'm not sure if my description will make any sense.
Bowie plays the first round of the two chords, switches back to the first chord and just as he should change again to the second chord the sound is cut out - silence for about 3 seconds then the sound returns with one bass note, some distorsion and then everythning is back to normal.

I notified the seller and he says: "That is how the record should sound. This is NOT a fault. That is how Bowie wanted the recording to sound - "in space" !!!! "

I have never heard "Space Oddity" like this. I only had CD version and it sounds like the one on YouTube:
Bowie plays the 2 chords on his 12-string guitar a few times and gradually the playing gets louder and other instruments join in.

So, should the original vinyl version really be interupted by silence and distorsion?
I don't want to send the record back just to discover that the next one I buy will be the same.
 
Doesn't sound like my UK orange label RCA pressing either. Have a search over on stevehoffman.tv - if the US Dynaflex mastering is different or known pressing issues exist I'm sure it will have been discussed there. I'd certainly establish what exactly it is before sending it back, it might be a rare variation! The first thing to figure out is whether it's genuine, though I'd have thought if it was a pirate they'd pirate the UK issue.
 
No nothing can be seen, I've also looked at the grooves with that microscope thingy and I don't see anything funny.
The silence last about 3 seconds.
 
You'd think that you be able to see a silent 3 second-long groove at the least? 3 seconds is quite long.

You could also try the stevehoffman forum for a wider net in your search for an answer?
 
Yes, but the intro is very quiet, so wouldn't look all that different from silence anyway.
 
I've found this on SH forum:

There is definitely a UK issue that has a bad connection problem at the very start, where the intro to space oddity sort of comes and goes with a crackle. I thought it was always like that until I got another copy.

And another:

Interesting thing I noticed about the two copies I have...both say Dynaflex on the label, but are decidedly thicker vinyl than other Dynaflex releases I've seen. Also, one copy, BPRS 4501 2S has the screwed up intro. About 10 seconds into Space Oddity the left channel guitar drops out for about another 10 seconds and then pops back in with a couple of switching glitches before it clears up and the rest is fine.

Apparently this is known issue of some UK and US releases. I'll rephrase my initial description: About 10 seconds into "Space Oddity" the sound drops out for 3 seconds and then takes about another 7 seconds to pop back in with a couple of switching glitches.

I'm afraid there's no special collectable value with this one:)
 
glad you found the answer in the internet labyrinth of LP discussions. Sound like it's hard to know which is which. Mine does not have the glitch but the whole Lp is a sea of muffled crackles. S/h Bowie LPs!
 
Ooooh, I have an original RCA cassette version so must give it a listen.
 
I still have a soft spot for the Bowie & Hutch demo that opens the "Sound & Vision" box

 
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