Home Recording For Musicians

Here's a flexidisc that came out of Guitar Player magazine in 1977 that tells you how to get those great studio sounds from simple equipment that you have at home! Or, perhaps not quite. Based on the rhythmic irregularity that pops up mid-recording, I'm guessing that this was a tossed-off afternoon project of the magazine intern who was assigned the project when it came close to deadline and that exclusive track from Mahogany Rush wasn't available after all.

Though there's nothing on the disc that gives any clues, the rather abrupt beginning to this program makes it seem as if it a middle part of a series.

GPI Records - Home Recording For Musicians

Throw Another Analog On The Fire

Here's a promotional flexidisc for the EML line of synthesizers. Surprisingly, there is no commentary or sales pitch on the double-sided disc - just bleeps, bloops, and drones. Since the company ceased making instruments in 1976, this obviously predates that somewhat. I remember playing it a lot as a kid - I desperately wanted a patchable synth (PAIA, preferably).


The Sounds of E.M.L. Synthesizers

Side One
Fugue in G minor - (J.S. Bach) - W.M. Hartmann & P.J. Hartmann
Puerto Vallerta - Dondi

Side Two
Witch Hunt 1692 - John Borowicz
Quotes Pt. V (excerpt) - Ed Diemente
Homage A Bartok - Kim Corbet

Ibanez is Flexible

Ah, the flexidisc - promotional media of the pre-youtube/mp3 generation. This one appears, based on it's somewhat jagged/perforated edge, to likely have been bound in a magazine. Here the primary demo is the Ibanez Digital Reverb, with a promo of the Ibanez Midi Guitar System sneaking in as well.

This flexi has a little crease in it - you can thank my high-pass filter for the survival of your woofers.

Demo Flexi - Ibanez Digital Reverb


Gated snare! 

Can I Get A Witnesses?

Here's another of those "Get the guys in a studio and whip something out for the the kids" albums - or at least something to fool the parents of the kids into buying cover versions of popular hits. In this case the big tune is Apache! which was a hit for The Shadows (primarily in the UK) and Jørgen Ingmann (primarily in the US), with other notable versions coming from The Ventures and Davie Allan and The Arrows. Of course, the Incredible Bongo Band has a legendary and much-sampled version, but that came long after this album. I actually like most of this a lot - I'm a sucker for instrumentals and honking sax, and Sam Butera actually gets pretty "out" on a track or two on the second side.

Butera had a long and creative music career, including some proto-rock and roll instrumental sides in the early 50's, but he made his bread as the leader of Louis Prima's band The Witnesses (as heard on this 1961 disc). Here's a lengthy bio and discography.

APACHE! - Sam Butera & The Witnesses Dot DLP 3381

Apache / Hearts Of Stone / I'm An Old Cowhand / Spanish Harlem / My Foolish Heart / Sam's Boogie / One Mint Julep / Sunrise Serenade / Theme From Dixie / Josephine / Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini / Sam's Blues

18 Top Hits and Some Other Stuff

Here's another example of one of my sub-genre fascinations: the "Top Hits" album that isn't really the exact "Top Hits", but (cheaper) re-recordings of the "Top Hits." In this case, it's a disc from January 1957 (it says that in the run off space) from the Waldorf Record Corporation of Harrison, NJ, one of Enoch Light's early budget record labels. In fact, Light himself makes several appearances on the disc (with his orchestra) and his participation guarantees that this knock-off is of better quality than the other era knock-offs (only from an audio standpoint, though - although the front cover is a nice shot of a dancing couple, the rear cover is completely blank except for the 5"X2" song label pictured above - a label which does not accurately reflect the actual running order of the disc, nor do the song titles match up in spelling on at least one track. The final four song medley is left completely off the sticker, just to add to the general art shoddiness. There is also no title listed on the spine.).

Some of the re-recordings here are pretty good - Light employed top-flight musicians (including one of my all-time cult favorites keyboardist Dick Hyman, performing under the pseudonym Rod Gregory here). Dottie Evans later teamed up with Tom Glazer for a well-remembered series of albums of science songs. Bob Everly had big band hits in the 40's. Jimmy Blaine seems to have been an early member of the Lettermen. Artie Malvin had a long music career, including winning Emmys for his work on the Carol Burnette Show. Ray Block, of course, was a "Famous TV Personality" (at least according to the LP label). Speaking of the LP label, I've kept the somewhat erratic style of the track and artist listings intact below.

18 Top Hits - Waldorf 33-TH-10

Long Before I Knew You - Bob Eberly w/Enoch Light & Orch.
Mutual Admiration Society - Jimmy Blaine and Dottie Evans, Enoch Light & Orch.
Love Me - Loren Becker
Anastasia - Loren Becker
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby - Jimmy Blaine
Rose and a Baby Ruth - Artie Malvin, Ray Block, Famous TV Personality & His Orch.
Just In Time - Bob Eberly w/Enoch Light and Orch.
Slow Walk - The Light Brigade
Don't Forbid Me - Loren Becker
Moonlight Gambler - Artie Martin w/Enoch Light Orch.
Confidential - Loren Becker
Since I Met You Baby - Artie Malvin

On My Word of Honor - The Rhythm Rockets
Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now - The Larsen Sisters Trio
This Much I Know - Bob Eberly w/Enoch Light & His Orch.
Banana Boat Song - The Zig Zags
Young Love -Artie Malvin and The Brigadiers
Don't Knock The Rock - Artie Malvin & The Rhythm Rockets with Ray Block's Orch.
Blue Room/Manhattan/Cocktails For Two/Liebestraum/Body And Soul - Rod Gregory at the Piano, Frank Carroll on Bass, Bob Rosten on Drums

Insert Generic Record Size Entendre Here

I recently obtained a small stack of Columbia Record's contribution to the record format wars, the 10" album. Just casually leafing through them I have been fascinated by the programming choices for a format that's longer than a 78 rpm single and a 45 rpm single, but not as long as the upcoming 12" 33 rpm album. This one, in particular, seems to be a little short, with a running time of just over 20 minutes - hardly a full side on a 12" 33.

This one has some weird/great cover art, though.

Austrian Symphony Orchestra - Favorite Overtures - Remington Records RLP-149-48

Beethoven - Coriolan" and "Egmont"
Mendelssohn - "Ruy Blas"

E.T. Blog Home

Ah, the dulcet tones of a lisping Drew Barrymore talking children through the story of E.T.


E.T. As Told By Gertie

A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit...Well, A Little Bit More Country

From 1982, it's four US Air Force-sponsored episodes of "Country Music Time", including promos in a locked groove section on each side.

Disc one is The Oak Ridge Boys/Eddie Raven
Disc Two is Randy Travis/Chance

Where are the Hippos? I Expected Hippos!

Kyle Polk on the custom trap set

Here's an Explorers Club show from the Thursday series that Awendaw Green is presenting at the Hippodrome on the waterfront in Charleston. The sound is a little hinky because the FOH mix position is not really in the house - it's onstage (SL).

The Explorers Club - Awendaw Green at the Hippodrome  April 26 2012