Date:         Thu, 5 Jul 2007 20:47:28 -0400
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         "Steven C. Barr(x)" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: LP pressing question
Comments: To: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Olhsson" <[log in to unmask]>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From Steven C. Barr: "...Anyway, it was pretty well after WWII that the
> "record industry" evolved
> from a handful of big "record companies" that maintained their own recording
> studios, mastering facilities and pressing operations..."
> 
> Electrical recordings were covered by numerous patents held by RCA and
> A.T.&T. prior to the late '40s that required one to lease the recording
> equipment and pay royalties on every copy sold. Indi labels only appeared
> after the emergence of magnetic recording and the end of the need to pay
> royalties to the patent holders. The majors responded by making their
> facilities available to indi labels.
> 
Thanxes muchly! I wasn't aware of this fact, and had never seen it mentioned
in any books or articles concerning the history of sound recording!

BTW, didn't Columbia(UK) develop a process which somehow side-stepped the
payment of royalties to WE and RCA...and indicate that by changing the prefix
on their matrix numbers from "W" to "C?"

Steven C. Barr