Midnight Star- Midas Touch

Check your email Rick for information about this song.

The dub I have on my hard drive from Chuck runs close to 3:15. I created the single version by editing the 12" remix found on CD. I'll try to remember to grab my 45s when I have a chance to see if there really is a pressing that runs longer, but my guess is that the label time for the 3:15ish version is wrong, instead stating 3:46.

If Aaron has a dub that runs 3:15 then my memory is
correct. PopArchivist sent me the 3:15 dub as well. I have
the commercial 45 and it does run 3:43 or so. Now the
question is this version on one of these promo releases
below just not labeled correctly or is it another promo
that has not been listed on Discogs yet.


https://www.discogs.com/release/3597454-Midnight-Star-
Midas-Touch
https://www.discogs.com/release/17950111-Midnight-Star-
Midas-Touch

cmmmbase wrote: My Stock 45 does have a listed time of 3:46, but it plays 3:15.

Ah, so there are two commercially released edits, then, with no change in the labels. (I think they always say 3:46 and "edit of remixed version from LP Headlines".)

aaronk wrote: I created the single version by editing the 12" remix found on CD.

The ~3:43 retail 45 version is a combination of the two 12" vocal versions. It removes 16 seconds (at 0:23) from the first 3:15 of the "Vocal/Edit of Remix" (5:32) version, and then in a clever, subtle cut which I think happens in between "Midas" and "Touch" background vocals, cuts over to the last 53 seconds of the "Vocal/Extended Remix" (6:37).

The stereo effects are not the same in them, and you need both, so you can't use just one as your only source. For example, listen for the right-channel "Touch" echo every time the lead vocal says "I've got the Midas Touch". That's only in the Extended Remix, and does not show up in the single version until near the end. And the intros have different stereo effects and levels; you need the Edit of Remix to get it right.

The 1992 European CD The Best of Midnight Star has the Extended Remix from a master tape, complete with final ding, so that's a good source for the last 53 seconds. It may also be on the 2019 Japanese reissue CD of Headlines but I've not verified that yet. One place it is not: Ben Liebrand's Grand 12-Inches 10; he fades it out before the last ding.

So, the simplest option to recreate the long 45 is to just copy ending of the Extended Remix from Best Of into the Hot Remix mastering I mentioned in my previous comment. I suggest just replacing the entire ending starting from the 2nd to last ding, when the "Midas Touch" looping background vocals begin, and drop the volume of that section by 1 dB. It will end up just under 3:44.

If you want to track down the Edit of Remix (5:32), I don't think a master-tape copy has appeared on CD yet. It is on the 1986 European CD Maxi Power: N.Y. Disco Giants, but they just used a loud-ish vinyl transfer with audible clicks. Maybe just track down DjPaulT's 2018 12" vinyl transfer in file-sharing land instead.



Edited by mjb50

mjb50 wrote: The ~3:43 retail 45 version is a combination of the two 12" vocal versions. It removes 16 seconds (at 0:23) from the first 3:15 of the "Vocal/Edit of Remix" (5:32) version, and then in a clever, subtle cut which I think happens in between "Midas" and "Touch" background vocals, cuts over to the last 53 seconds of the "Vocal/Extended Remix" (6:37). The stereo effects are not the same in them, and you need both, so you can't use just one as your only source.

This is exactly right, and I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing that out! You're also right that the easiest way to get the full 45 version is to edit on the ending from one of the 12" versions that is not faded too soon.

I did also pull my 45s, and here's what I have:

A) stock copy pressed on styrene (printed 3:46; actual 3:44) with deadwax STE-69525-A 2 [FLOWER] [ALLIED SYMBOL] R-16234-A2 [DELTA] 13563 1-1; starts with sound effects for first 0:07 before drums begin
B) stock copy pressed on vinyl (printed 3:46; same intro as styrene pressing, so I presume it also runs 3:44) with deadwax [SRC LOGO] STE-69525-A 1 [FLOWER] 1-1
C) promo copy pressed on vinyl (printed 3:46; actual 3:19) with deadwax [SRC LOGO] STE 69525A 3 [FLOWER] 1-1; the other side's deadwax is the same but has a very light "S" after the "STE" that looks like it was squeezed in after the fact; both sides start with music and edit off the first 0:23 of my stock copies

All of the above have the ending "ding" (not faded early).