| goinback 15.03.2004 19:35 |
I know everyone is absolutely thrilled :) link I'll probably try to make it prettier eventually but thought I'd go ahead and put it online. Let me know if you find typos or can donate additional info! |
| Saffron Caribou 15.03.2004 19:40 |
Wow! This rules! I was wondering if there was a page with Queen 8 tracks :D Great page! Excellent! *sniff* It reminds me of my old 8 track player, and my Sesame Street Does Disco 8 track *sniff* |
| Penis - Vagina 15.03.2004 19:53 |
I love it! So cool to see these, and how they divided the tracks among the programs. Thanks for putting this up, and thanks to Bullwinkle for providing some of the info! |
| Queenland 16.03.2004 13:25 |
The picture of the unboxed Jazz US release is from my tape :-) I brought it on eBay recently :) |
| Robin 16.03.2004 13:42 |
Wow! I have the Night at the Opera 8 track in my attic somewhere......I haven't seen those in years! |
| QueenSite 16.03.2004 14:09 |
very nice page! It was well time! |
| Queenland 16.03.2004 14:23 |
BTW - Roger's Fun In Space was also released in this format in the USA (Elektra 5T-8522). |
| Whisperer 16.03.2004 16:22 |
Now I'm gonna make a fool of myself. Whatta hell is an 8-track?!? |
| NoOneButYou1975 16.03.2004 16:24 |
An 8-track cartridge contains a length of 1/4 inch tape. The ends of the tape are connected by a metal foil splice, thus forming a loop. The tape itself is divided along its length into 8 channels, or tracks (hence the name). The playback head plays 2 of these tracks at a time - 4 programs in stereo. Inside the cartridge, the tape is wound around a central hub, or spool. Tape pulls out from the center of the spool. It moves to the top of the cartridge, where it connects with the playback head in the player through an opening at the top of the cartridge. A pressure pad in the cartridge presses the tape up against the playback head. The capstan (part of the player) is spun by the player's motor. As the capstan spins, it rolls the tape against the pinch roller in the cartridge. The capstan and the pinch roller move the tape along its path at 3 and 3/4 inches per second. The tape finally loops back to the central hub, where it rewraps around the outside of the spool. When the entire length of tape has gone through this loop, the metal foil splice in the tape passes by a solenoid sensing coil which is positioned right next to the playback head in the player. This moves the playback head along the width of the tape, and it starts to play a new program (remember, the tape contains 8 tracks, only 2 of which are supposed to be played at once). link link |
| Penis - Vagina 16.03.2004 16:51 |
So, since each of the 4 stereo programs had to be of equal length and they didn't want a bunch of silence between programs, songs were often shifted around or divided into two, as you can see by examining the track lists. Sometimes listeners were rewarded with longer, unique versions too. There's a Rolling Stones tape with a longer version of 'Missing You', and a Beatles tape with one of the songs slightly extended too. |
| Robin 16.03.2004 17:38 |
Even now when I hear a song that I played on 8 track I feel wehre it should fade out and click to the next track. How far we've come! Oh, and don't feel bad, Whisperer, when cd's first came out I kept trying to figure out how to rewind! |
| inu-liger 16.03.2004 17:46 |
LOL |
| Saint Jiub 16.03.2004 21:51 |
I still hear the fade outs too ... I remember cutting pasting together computer punch cards as a shim to force the cartridge to the right and slightly harder against against the capstan so the 8-track would play properly without warbling. The 8-tracks sure wore out in a hurry. I defected to vinyl before Flash Gordon came out. Thanks for the acknowlegement on the two little informational tidbits I "contributed" to your site. |
| goinback 17.03.2004 05:28 |
Hey thanks for the compliments everyone...glad to see I wasn't the only one interested in this :) I'll have to keep checking for an 8-track of "Fun In Space". Also has anyone ever seen an 8-track of "The Works" or "Mr. Bad Guy"? I haven't, but wouldn't be surprised if they exist. Whisperer: The *really* annoying part about 8-tracks was that the track changes during songs weren't "seamless" like they are with CDs. Instead the song usually faded-out, then you heard the 8-track player make a loud "CLUNK!" as it changed tracks, then the song faded up again :) Cassettes hadn't been perfected yet, so 8-tracks were the best available format for portable/car use. About the only way to change spots in a tape was to change between the four tracks (aka "programs"). If you were five minutes into track 1, for example, you could press a button to switch to track 2, 3, or 4, but you would also be five minutes into that track. You couldn't rewind, but some players allowed you to fast-forward at least. If anyone has some extra time and could tell me where the fade-outs/fade-ups were in the songs, I'd be glad to add that info too. |
| Whisperer 17.03.2004 08:42 |
Thanks for explaining! Now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know, now I know. :-) (Taken from the most annoying song part ever) |
| deleted user 17.03.2004 08:47 |
That page is AWSOME! I have a bunch of Queen 8tracks too! :) Thanks for posting that :) |
| Penis - Vagina 17.03.2004 11:02 |
"(Taken from the most annoying song part ever)" Amen to that! The Prophet's Song is brilliant, but that whole section makes me cringe. :-P |
| Saint Jiub 17.03.2004 23:25 |
March of the Black Queen fades out and switches tracks just AFTER "You can be my honey chile" ... White Queen fades out and swithches tracks shortly AFTER "White Queen how my heart did ache" Don't Try Suicide fades out and switches tracks just BEFORE "You need help. Look at yourself. You need help" Can't help with Hot Space or Flash Gordon as I had been converted to vinyl by then. |
| goinback 21.03.2004 18:27 |
Thanks again BullWinkle :) I put that info on there and also a few more pix. |
| Saint Jiub 22.03.2004 00:53 |
Glad to help Nice Site by the way |
| Walter B. 01.09.2009 06:34 |
* major bump * Unfortunately the website is offline now...Webarchive does help a bit finding back some pictures, but I am curious if there is anybody out there who knows more about the Queen 8-tracks? Recently I saw a Canadian 8-track for The Works. Is there an US-version too? |
| Walter B. 01.09.2009 16:11 |
A more specific question. For many albums that were released on 8-track in the USA, there is a RCA-version and a Columbia House-version. Does this count for every title? |
| Saint Jiub 01.09.2009 20:10 |
Sorry, I stopped buying 8 tracks in 1980 (after The Game but before Flash Gordon). Also, I have no knowledge of whether the different record clubs (album of the month?) had different versions. |
| Walter B. 02.09.2009 16:03 |
Thanks Panchgani. Do you still have those 8tracks? Is is asked too much if I ask for detailed scans? [img=/images/smiley/msn/teeth_smile.gif][/img] |
| Saint Jiub 02.09.2009 17:32 |
Sorry, they were worn out and thrown out about 25 years ago. My memory of the song order and the eight tracks is still good, so feel free to ask any questions, and I will do my best to help out. However, I have a feeling that you are looking for definitive reliable information, rather than just my heresay. |
| dysan 02.09.2013 15:41 |
A shame this site isn't still up :o( |
| dysan 15.09.2013 02:23 |
Some quick notes listening to my Queen ones: The 'I do like to be beside the seaside' whistling is very loud at the start of Brighton Rock in the Carnival Midway section. So much so that it was the fist time I noticed it was that being whistled. The fade out on SSOR is louder. It end at the same place but stays louder longer if you get me. Never noticed the laugh at the end of Sleeping On The Sidewalk. It's louder on 8 track. I might be wrong, but TFFMS on Queen II has an extra bar on the middle 8. I'll double check that one. |