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"Shake Your Foundations" - Angus & Malcolm vs Vanda & Young
I was playing my Who Made Who CD the other day, and remembered that the version of Shake Your Foundations on it is different than the version on the Fly On The Wall album. I got to wondering, "Why?" Why is there are a different mix to that one song that is exclusive to that one album? Doesn't really seem like an AC/DC move. To me, it sounds a bit better than the Fly album version.
What also strikes me as odd, Sink The Pink is on the WMW album, but is the Fly version (and apparently there are some versions of Who Made Who that have the Fly version of Foundations). I just wonder if anyone has any insight as to why that one song got a remix treatment? I also want to know which version y'all prefer. As much as I like the raw energy put forth on the Fly On The Wall album, the Who Made Who version of Shake Your Foundations feels like a overall better listening experience.
You first realized the difference now??! Just kidding Travis!!
Great post and I always wondered this myself why there were 2 versions of this track. I prefer the WMW version since the song starts off with the drum track starting 17 seconds into the song and Brian's vocals can be heard much clearer while the version on FOTW starts right away. I like hearing the intro as it is on WMW vs. FOTW rather than hearing the drum track kick in right away, but both versions are ok with me regardless.
I know over at the official AC/DC site forum, this topic was brought up, but no confirmed fact as to why either.
http://www.acdcfans.net/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=5570
Maybe someone can clarify this, but then again we may never know the secret as to why. I personally think it was just remixed by Harry and George specifically for the WMW album since they worked on the other material like DT and Chase The Ace for the album and maybe decided to give Shake Your Foundations a makeover.
Forgot to add that I am really surprised they did not include the YSMANL version used at the film's end credits which is slightly different and has a chorus during the end compared to original version. Since they remixed Shake Your Foundations, you would think this version would have been added to the soundtrack specifically fitting the album as this would have been an alternate mix as well.
I made a copy for myself of the official WMW album and included both versions of Shake Your Foundations, the alternate YSMANL track (plus Nitro's remix version which was awesome), and WMW Collector's Edition remix to it to make it a complete version of the soundtrack. I also just got done making another version called "Maximum Overdrive" Complete Soundtrack Score which includes the above extra tracks along with the WMW album, plus included every piece of instrumental cues used in the film which I edited the dialogue out using Audacity software and made artwork including a booklet with liner notes which I hope to upload here sometime in the future. It took quite some time to do this, but actually turned out nice. As some of you may recall, myself and Nitroangus were involved in a project where we ripped the unreleased material from the dvd of the film which Nitro tried eliminating most of the effects and dialogue while bringing out more of the music, however not every piece was in that compilation so I took it upon myself to grab every cue used and edit out as much dialogue and effects as possible and merging some repeated cues used in the film into one track such as ones like "Chop, Chop, Chop", "Tension", + "Cliff's Bass Solo" which I made longer than previous version released. Some other tracks I made into long tracks using repeated cues were "D.T." and "Bill + Brett's Theme" which turned out good.
I actually wonder if Angus & Malcolm were questioning whether they should self produce the Who Made Who stuff, but were a little weary of the idea considering the lackluster performance of the Fly On The Wall album. Considering this, they contacted their brother and asked if he and Harry could give them an idea of where they may have went wrong.
Another thing I find odd, V/Y's remix of Shake Your Foundations, Who Made Who, and D.T. and Chase The Ace sound miles better than the entirety of the Blow Up Your Video album...despite being produced by the same people. Makes me question if the Video album sessions were rushed or what. Either way, it's an oddity in that a band not apt to release remixes of songs, has two songs that were commercially released that have alternate versions floating around (not counting live versions of songs).
Shake Your Foundations originally released on Fly On The Wall (prod by A/M Young), remixed (by H Vanda/G Young) for Who Made Who the next year. Who Made Who, originally released on the album of the same name, has an extended remix that was only released to a special single (and later included on the 3CD version of Backtracks).
Granted the entire Powerage album has the rare alternate versions (one with a faded version of Rock N Roll Damnation, the other without that one, with Cold Hearted Man, and several alternate edits or mixes), that was largely due to rushing things out for a rabid European market. Also the Australian vs International versions, but that was largely due to label politics, I believe (not wanting to release "their" album). This had to have been a planned remix, maybe not during Fly recording sessions, but a planned remix nonetheless.
Vanda & Young by far. The timing and rhythm on Ang's intro isn't as deceptive as the one on FOTW and Brian (and the whole band) are a lot clearer. I wish that the whole album had been remastered and remixed like this
If I was to be given only two things to change on the whole album, making Brian's vocals a bit drier would be one, giving Cliff's bass some presence would be the other. Vanda & Young's version, however, is closer to old AC/DC than Angus & Malcolm's.