Research leads to the discovery of...
johmbolaya
4,472 Posts
I'm writing a book right now, or at least "gathering information which will be compiled towards piecing a book together", and a lot of times when I read other biographies or articles, I'm blown away at the existence or non-existence of things that deal with a record label or artist.Case in point. I'm talking with a guy who started a label that would become well known in some circles. He would release a number of top selling albums (on an independent label), and because of the era (1960's) I always had assumptions about how they did things. I come to find out the guy ran the label on his own, with an extremely tight budget, and while he did hire people to do liner notes, photography, printing, etc, the manufacturing and distribution was a one-man operation, which he learned after doing some distribution for major labels.Then it gets more interesting. There's a certain album that is an all time favorite of mine, and those of you who know me know how I do things, I want to know every little piece of information that has to do with it. Apart from learning how the album was literally pieced together, I discover that the session notes no longer exist, and worst of all, the multi-tracks no longer exist. AAAAAAAAAHH!!! 
Fortunately the master tape is existence, which was the tape used to create a "final mix", the tape used to press up the albums, cassettes, 8-tracks, and later CD's. I learn that when this group recorded, in order to conserve on tape, they would just record over what they did until they got it right. ======It amazes me, because anyone who has ever picked up a Miles Davis box set knows how much was saved, even though Miles himself had no intention of using it. Or something like Derek & The Dominoes, where there are hours of jam sessions. In this case, nothing exists but the master, which is good in itself, but that means no outtakes, no alternate takes, no session chatter, nothing. I have yet to get in contact with the members of the group, but if I am able to get an interview, I would be curious to know if any of them had brought rough mixes home to hear, or was this a concept not part of the norm?Who has ever been in this situation?
Fortunately the master tape is existence, which was the tape used to create a "final mix", the tape used to press up the albums, cassettes, 8-tracks, and later CD's. I learn that when this group recorded, in order to conserve on tape, they would just record over what they did until they got it right. ======It amazes me, because anyone who has ever picked up a Miles Davis box set knows how much was saved, even though Miles himself had no intention of using it. Or something like Derek & The Dominoes, where there are hours of jam sessions. In this case, nothing exists but the master, which is good in itself, but that means no outtakes, no alternate takes, no session chatter, nothing. I have yet to get in contact with the members of the group, but if I am able to get an interview, I would be curious to know if any of them had brought rough mixes home to hear, or was this a concept not part of the norm?Who has ever been in this situation?
Comments
I've read that too. I've bought the last few box sets on Columbia, and for the most part the takes that are on there are great. Yet there's so much in terms of "reserves" that one wonders what he didn't approve of. I'm sure it boiled down to "Teo, I don't like that fucking shit. Rewind it back and let me try again".
What boggles my mind is that there's so much that does exist, from the 50's all the way throughout his stay with Columbia. I know Columbia has the "reserves", because every few months, they're coming out with a new box set, like the forthcoming that will feature the complete sets of what would eventually make it onto Live Evil.
what album ?
It's a Hawaiian album, but I am sure the same thing applies to a lot of independent soul and funk as well.
He's not going to say in fear that we'll run out an steal his idea for a book that will never come out.
Ouch. Where did that come from?
I'm a prick! I don't know why I let that stuff out! Maybe cuz I've had 100 ideas for books that will never come out! Sorry for taking my own failings out on you!
BTW. Like a lot of people all my friends and I just hammer eachother with insults all the time. It's all in fun. I still havn't figured out that it doesn't work on line with people you don't know!
I was gonna say worse but i'm sure you realize what an asshole you are.