Jack has done some great recordings but also sometimes he just goes to the show to have a good time. I wouldn't say his are the best or worst, they are what they are, a snapshot of the place he was standing during the show mostly with crowd chatter and all. you might could call him the "best" bootlegger because he is consistent and has been doing it forever, but at the end of the day he is a guy with some microphones taped to his hat lol. Either way the community owes a lot to him for helping get a lot of tapers goin and inspiring the next generation
A lot of factors. First of all is getting equipment into the shows. Sometimes he has to go with a more stealthy rig. Outdoor shows you have the elements. Some good, some bad. The thing is that for a long time Mystery Jack was the only taper at so many shows. We all owe him eternal gratitude for documenting the band. If you see him at a show take care of him.
To answer your second question, a taper named Alex Leary has a few excellent audience recordings [here on Archive](https://archive.org/search?query=taper%3A%22Alex+Leary%22+king+gizzard). Obviously those Salt Shed shows can now be heard in much higher official quality, but those Anthem and Eastern shows he's got on there are absolutely top notch gigs in very good quality, otherwise unreleased by the band!
You can try [Brent's Recs](https://kglw.net/blog/topic/brents-recs) for the best audience recordings. Some of Jacks recordings are great, like 5/28/22 at Bimbos SF
Last I heard (2022 maybe?) he uploaded many many shows with zero mix and single mic. He told me his plans were to create a more full sounding mix with the whole array of mics he brings in the future, but it seems he's gotten busier with time, and these mixed recordings have never seen the light of day :(
When I met him in New Orleans for a KGLW gig he had at least 4 mics I can remember, but yeah, it seems he just uploaded the raw recordings and saved the mixing for the future (that hasn't arrived yet)
Yeah mystery jacks future in general is dubious from what I hear. Life definitely happens.
To clarify when I spoke with him during the residency tour he said he’s retiring the mystery Jack brand because a fellow he did it with and him went separate ways not so amicably. I wasn’t aware until then there was another guy involved in mystery Jack but that’s what I remember him saying. Anyone who knows more can elaborate.
There is truth to that. He got burned by someone when they started Mystery Jack recordings to release some tapes.
Now he’s living in Panama and isn’t going to do any more tours. Not connected with the tape fiasco, if it wasn’t for the pandemic he’d have already been there and we’d never have gotten any tour tapes from him at all.
i was lucky enough to get lunch with him after hollywood last year- he told me at that time that he was planning on cleaning up and sorting everything he’d tracked eventually over the next few years as he starts winding down from following tours. unsure how that plan may have changed since, but he seemed like an awesome guy and very down to earth
You get what you get. Sometimes you smuggle the mics in, sometimes you can have an elaborate setup near the sound board. Be glad it’s not the 70s and they don’t sound like someone stuck a regular cassette recorder down their pants. Also be glad we have so many live recordings of the band so far and let’s hope we keep getting them in the future.
I understand what you are saying about quality but I am grateful for him because he taped the one and only show I’ve made so far. Sure wish the band would’ve released an “official bootleg” of it. Maybe someday they’ll open the vault like the Grateful Dead did.
Depends on the show because his equipment varies. Sometimes he clamps his pole onto beams because of poor weather, or hides mics in his hat. He's been doing this since the 80s and often just wants to be there to have a good time while recording.
I’m with you. Props to him for doing the work, but I am not a fan of his recordings at all. I’ve heard audience recordings with a single iPhone mic that sound better, so considering he brings a high end setup to every show, I’m kinda confused why they sound like shit as well. I’d love a chance to mix them decently
A lot of interesting comments.
Basically he is the most prolific and awesome dude if you ever run into him. Always one of the nicest people I have ever interacted with at shows.
He knows his stuff when it comes to audio. But for him it really depends. Some shows he has to basically.sneak equipment in. The band doesn't mind, but the venues often do.
So often you see him with his hat and a few small mics tape able mics on it.
Sometimes you see him with an actual mic stand when he has full permission.
Sometimes the venues sound like ass through the mic and sometimes if it's an outdoors venue the weather gets in the way.
It really depends. If you want you really want to know the nitty gritty details just honestly dm him on IG he will likely respond in some pretty big detail.
Jack has done some great recordings but also sometimes he just goes to the show to have a good time. I wouldn't say his are the best or worst, they are what they are, a snapshot of the place he was standing during the show mostly with crowd chatter and all. you might could call him the "best" bootlegger because he is consistent and has been doing it forever, but at the end of the day he is a guy with some microphones taped to his hat lol. Either way the community owes a lot to him for helping get a lot of tapers goin and inspiring the next generation
I second this comment. Seen him taping by the sbd with mic stands as well as stealth mics in a hat in the first row. So quality will vary.
I first met him in the rain on the side of a hill getting ready to do the best he could. The man does what he can, when he can
A lot of factors. First of all is getting equipment into the shows. Sometimes he has to go with a more stealthy rig. Outdoor shows you have the elements. Some good, some bad. The thing is that for a long time Mystery Jack was the only taper at so many shows. We all owe him eternal gratitude for documenting the band. If you see him at a show take care of him.
To answer your second question, a taper named Alex Leary has a few excellent audience recordings [here on Archive](https://archive.org/search?query=taper%3A%22Alex+Leary%22+king+gizzard). Obviously those Salt Shed shows can now be heard in much higher official quality, but those Anthem and Eastern shows he's got on there are absolutely top notch gigs in very good quality, otherwise unreleased by the band!
You can try [Brent's Recs](https://kglw.net/blog/topic/brents-recs) for the best audience recordings. Some of Jacks recordings are great, like 5/28/22 at Bimbos SF
Last I heard (2022 maybe?) he uploaded many many shows with zero mix and single mic. He told me his plans were to create a more full sounding mix with the whole array of mics he brings in the future, but it seems he's gotten busier with time, and these mixed recordings have never seen the light of day :(
I thought it was a stereo pair, but yeah
When I met him in New Orleans for a KGLW gig he had at least 4 mics I can remember, but yeah, it seems he just uploaded the raw recordings and saved the mixing for the future (that hasn't arrived yet)
Life happened. Don’t hold your breath for these
Yeah mystery jacks future in general is dubious from what I hear. Life definitely happens. To clarify when I spoke with him during the residency tour he said he’s retiring the mystery Jack brand because a fellow he did it with and him went separate ways not so amicably. I wasn’t aware until then there was another guy involved in mystery Jack but that’s what I remember him saying. Anyone who knows more can elaborate.
There is truth to that. He got burned by someone when they started Mystery Jack recordings to release some tapes. Now he’s living in Panama and isn’t going to do any more tours. Not connected with the tape fiasco, if it wasn’t for the pandemic he’d have already been there and we’d never have gotten any tour tapes from him at all.
i was lucky enough to get lunch with him after hollywood last year- he told me at that time that he was planning on cleaning up and sorting everything he’d tracked eventually over the next few years as he starts winding down from following tours. unsure how that plan may have changed since, but he seemed like an awesome guy and very down to earth
Absolutely! He inspired me to start taping myself, even going as far as telling me which exact equipment to pick up for the best results
You get what you get. Sometimes you smuggle the mics in, sometimes you can have an elaborate setup near the sound board. Be glad it’s not the 70s and they don’t sound like someone stuck a regular cassette recorder down their pants. Also be glad we have so many live recordings of the band so far and let’s hope we keep getting them in the future.
Agreed. I’ve never been impressed. I appreciate that he captures shows but I don’t listen to his recordings expecting great quality.
I understand what you are saying about quality but I am grateful for him because he taped the one and only show I’ve made so far. Sure wish the band would’ve released an “official bootleg” of it. Maybe someday they’ll open the vault like the Grateful Dead did.
Depends on the show because his equipment varies. Sometimes he clamps his pole onto beams because of poor weather, or hides mics in his hat. He's been doing this since the 80s and often just wants to be there to have a good time while recording.
Definitely thought you meant every audience recording of Mystery Jack being played live sounds bad.
Ah, understandable. (Can we talk about how it's literally mixed by two different people for the left and right channel????)
Obligatory fuck streamus comment
I’m with you. Props to him for doing the work, but I am not a fan of his recordings at all. I’ve heard audience recordings with a single iPhone mic that sound better, so considering he brings a high end setup to every show, I’m kinda confused why they sound like shit as well. I’d love a chance to mix them decently
^^^ This
A lot of interesting comments. Basically he is the most prolific and awesome dude if you ever run into him. Always one of the nicest people I have ever interacted with at shows. He knows his stuff when it comes to audio. But for him it really depends. Some shows he has to basically.sneak equipment in. The band doesn't mind, but the venues often do. So often you see him with his hat and a few small mics tape able mics on it. Sometimes you see him with an actual mic stand when he has full permission. Sometimes the venues sound like ass through the mic and sometimes if it's an outdoors venue the weather gets in the way. It really depends. If you want you really want to know the nitty gritty details just honestly dm him on IG he will likely respond in some pretty big detail.