Date:         Tue, 29 Jul 2003 14:52:48 -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:         [log in to unmask]
Subject:      Re: Long-term/preservation audio (delayed AGAIN!)
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----- Original Message -----
From: "dmr HEART INC" <[log in to unmask]>
> Strike?  Even NBC,WXYZ, WOR, WGN and other radio
> entertainment broadcast used glass dics for shows
> copied for their affiliates and sales to radio
> stations nationwide, and yes even those that exist
> are poor quality, many engineers even discard these
> gems without regard to available high tech equipment
> to remaster.  Save what you can, technology may be
> able to salvage a history almost lost.  Pass them on
> to those of us who will at least attempt to salvage
> such lost entertainment.
> Semper Fi
> --- [log in to unmask] wrote:
> > Were these dubs of hit records or of off-air
> > performances? Keep in mind that metal-based lacquers
> > weren't available during WWII, and that the AFM
> > strike meant that there were no records made
> > from 7/31/42 until late October 1943 (or late 1944
> > for Victor and Columbia)!
> > Steven C. Barr
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: [log in to unmask]
> >     Some of us will remember the AFM strike during
> > the mid-'40s.  I have discovered through the years
> > that many folks purchased disc cutters during that
> > period, and recorded songs off-the-air for parties,
> > dances, etc.  From time to time I come upon these
> > acetates (lacquers) in 8", 10" and l2".
> >   Among the discs donated to our museum by a local
> > broadcast engineer were a number of eight inch glass
> > based lacquers of common popular songs by various
> > major artists.  I was surprised at this since I
> > would think that these would be more expensive than
> > just buying the shellac records.  However they were
> > dated in the mid 40s so they probably fall into the
> > category above.  Unfortunately most are broken or in
> > very poor condition.
Okeh...to reply to the top message...
As noted, the glass-based discs are copies of "popular songs."
If these are dubs of hit records (explainable by the fact the
engineer may have had access to a supply of blanks at his work
which he probably didn't have to pay far?) they exist in much
better form in the originals, and are thus only worth keeping
as oddities. If, however, they are airchecks...particularly of
1942-43 songs which didn't get put on commercial records...they
are of interest as audio documents which may be unique!
Steven C. Barr