1 July 1989 - Presto Demo Tape (Rough Mixes)

[Rush Archives]

Downloads:​

• 1989-07-01 - Presto Demo Tape (MP3 YouTube Rip)

Track Listing:​

01 - Show Don't Tell​

02 - Hand Over Fist​

03 - Presto​

04 - The Pass​

05 - Available Light​

06 - War Paint​

07 - Anagram​

08 - Superconductor​

09 - Scars​

10 - Chain Lightning​

11 - Red Tide​

Notes:​

• This demo tape is dated July 1st 1989 and labeled "Rough Mixes", featuring early versions of all Presto tracks.

As an avid collector of all things Rush, I recently stumbled upon something that I feel needs to be shared. In my ongoing hunt for some obscure piece of Rush history, I was given the opportunity to acquire an old school TDK cassette tape, simply labeled RUSH "Rough Mixes" July 1, 1989 along with a few other band related artifacts. The fact that it had a Le Studio label really caught my interest. The date on the cassette and the tracks listed, albeit out of order, made it obvious it was the album Presto. The owner of this tape was not a fan of the band, just a guy that flipped houses. Turns out he discovered the tape in the old residence of one of Alex's since deceased long time guitar techs. After striking a deal for about a dozen itineraries from the Power Windows and Grace Under Pressure tours, a super cool SRO patch and a bunch of random other documents from Le Studio, I decided to take a chance on the cassette. Was it blank? Was I scammed?

When the casette arrived, poorly packed in just a bubble mailer, I realized I had no device readily available to actually play it! Off to the garage to find my Fisher dual cassette CD Boombox with detachable speakers. I found a different cassette, pressed play, and my boombox still worked. Sigh of relief. Now what about this 35 year old TDK SA90 I just got. I didn't expect much, and cautiously pressed play, and right out of the gate, Show Don't Tell, was somewhat different! I'm playing a 35 year old cassette in a 30 year old cassette player... and it sounds AMAZING! Literal chills. I'm sitting there listening to Rough Mix versions of songs very few people have ever had the opportunity to hear..... until now. Needless to say, the original tape has since been backed up I am honored to share this piece of Rush history and I hope you all enjoy it. Please share it.
Special thanks to Danny de Hoyos for all his efforts and assistance in putting this all together on YouTube.

Preview:​

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[Jermdog2112]

Search the same on YouTube. The whole album was posted about an hour ago. Listened to some of Chain Lightning and did sound different than the album version. Other people on here are better judges at this type of thing. Just thought I’d share.

 

[By-Tor X-1]

I just ripped it off YouTube and will upload the files here tonight, sadly only as 128kbps MP3. Regardless, just from listening to a few brief samples, it seems like the tape was digitized relatively poorly. It should sound much better with a proper transfer.

I'll have to listen to it in full later, but from what a few people have told me already is that it's fairly different, not just simply being a subtle earlier mix (like those three Counterparts tracks that circulate). If so, it'd be the most substantial Rush demo to surface since the Power Windows demo tape. I'll have to reserve any proper analysis/description until I hear it all for myself.

Edit note: I've now merged this discussion with the main entry post.

 

[wellers73]

It’s interesting for sure. I haven’t listened to everything yet, but it appears the drum tracks are exactly the same as the finished record, as are most of the bass tracks (I think.) Some of the rhythm and atmospheric guitar parts are present, but a lot of the vocals are different. Most notable is the lack of most guitar solos (Chained Lightning has it’s finished solo there, for some reason.) I’m guessing this was an early working mix of the basic album tracks and scratch vocals that was given to Alex to use for working on guitar solo ideas.

The thing I don’t understand is the poor quality of the tape and the fact that it’s in mono. Even a rough mix cassette should have higher quality sound than this. It almost sounds to me like someone played the cassette though a boom box and used a smartphone to record it using the built in mic!

I’m hoping it was just an extremely poor transfer job and a better version will surface.

 

[wellers73]

Might be worth reaching out to the guy who originally posted this to see if he’d consider letting an expert try aa proper digital transfer.

 

[Grommet2112]

It’s interesting for sure. I haven’t listened to everything yet, but it appears the drum tracks are exactly the same as the finished record, as are most of the bass tracks (I think.) Some of the rhythm and atmospheric guitar parts are present, but a lot of the vocals are different. Most notable is the lack of most guitar solos (Chained Lightning has it’s finished solo there, for some reason.) I’m guessing this was an early working mix of the basic album tracks and scratch vocals that was given to Alex to use for working on guitar solo ideas.

The thing I don’t understand is the poor quality of the tape and the fact that it’s in mono. Even a rough mix cassette should have higher quality sound than this. It almost sounds to me like someone played the cassette though a boom box and used a smartphone to record it using the built in mic!

I’m hoping it was just an extremely poor transfer job and a better version will surface.

It's a track by track difference. Songs like show don't tell are the same take as the final but just an earlier mix with some differences. Songs like Superconductor and scars for example are a completely different take then the final album

 

[By-Tor X-1]

Might be worth reaching out to the guy who originally posted this to see if he’d consider letting an expert try aa proper digital transfer.

I sent him a message tonight, because I agree it’s clearly a poor transfer. This should likely sound crystal clear and in stereo, and less of the other audible issues. This tape is from 1989 and tape stock from the era has generally held up perfectly fine, especially if barely played.

Let’s hope he’s open to the idea.