Still kicking..just...

It's been 12 months now since I worked last and 10 months since I last received any benefits from the government, In Australia you only get the dole for 2 months then you are on your own.

Have had no luck in the last 6 months obtaining any more discs, which is a pity, I thought I was just getting good....

Ive had loads of people promise discs but it always falls though or they just "forget".

And Ive had a few thousand "tell me how you restore disc" emails That I don't reply too.
It took me years to do this, I had hoped at one stage I could do this professionally for a archive or a broadcaster or even for a small time CD company. But no... My work is obviously not good enough. so I suppose Ive wasted the last 10 or so years of my life, Ive enjoyed every minute of hearing new sounds on disc and restoring them, but at what cost..
Im now 36 and very unemployable, No qualifications to speak of and no trade.
I really don't know how long I can "hang on" to this shadow of a existence but I'll try,

I might have a look at some of the B-sides Ive never put up here before.
So stay tuned.

78rpm Restoration - Tommy Dorsey - Boogie Woogie

78rpm Restoration - Sol Hoopii - Fascinating Rhythm DECCA DLA1666

78rpm Restoration Al Duffy Four - Funiculi Furicula

Fats Waller Swinga dilla street

Download:

FLVMP43GP

Download:

FLVMP43GP

Artie Shaw Audio restoration Cros My Heart

78rpm Restoration Glenn Miller - Tuxedo Junction

Wilbur Kentwell - The Contineltal.avi.divx

Tommy dorsey - sweet sue.avi.divx

TD blue moon avi

Metronome All Stars O'Oclock Jump

78rpm Restoration - Duke Ellington - Stormy Weather COLUMBIA BI33339

Im uploading Some videos that Ive been posting on YouTube.

Looking out for more discs!

Wilbur Kentwell - You Cant Be True Dear

Another Wilbur Kentwell Waxing for your enjoyment.

It would be nice to restore more of this great Aussies recordings but alas, where are they?
Is there a CD company interested in my idea, sadly... no

Backed by Jerry Wayne, His son Jeff Wayne had a hit with the 1978 Musical Lp "War Of The Worlds" ah and dad Jerry helpd too!



Wilbur Kentwell - You Can't Be True Dear Good

Wilbur Kentwell - You Can't Be True Dear TMNR

Wilbur Kentwell - You Can't Be True Dear Fake Stereo


No label sorry, must have been a Aussie Parlophone!

Do you have any 78's that I could restore (and send back of course) and put on the blog?



This was restored a while back and "left of the blog" for no reason!


Again these discs are restored with NO MONEY and very primitave equiptment. the whole rig cost me unter $10, Image what wonders i could do with the right gar and some backing!!

These are only demos, not the Real thing

Still Sick!

Yep still sick, over the last month and a bit ive spent well over $2000 on various doctors and speclists regarding my left ear, got a recurring infection and its so bad I cant work (no jobs anyway so that dosent matter, not even temp ones) I keep really wierd hours due to the pain so if it aint fixed, i cant work. So after seeing 2 specialists (I like a 2nd opinion) and haviong a very comprehensive hearing test, I have exectional hearing btw! No one could find anything wrong. I knew it was a off and on again inner ear infection as i used to have em as a kid, no one would belive me so ive just spent 60 miserable, unpaid, no dole, days waiting.. just waiting for it to clear.
Well out of pure desperation to get back to any work (more crappy call center stuff no dought) so i could try and find more 78's and transcription discs to restore I went to one of those "medical Centre" doctors which cost nothing, which is why I went!

After a 2 min consult and a quick peek into my ear the doc had it sorted and now im on the mend at last. Its been pure hell let me tell you.

One of the bad things was I had to finish a contract at a call centure due to my illness (did 3 months and they wanted to extend me but i had to decline) and now no one wants to hire me (it seems, or there is just no work)

The next thing I want to do is Upgrade this site somehow, if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

More Aussie Radio in ultra high quality?
More Big Band?
More "Public Domain-ish" Lp's?

The Army Show Episode 4

Gday again,

Ok im a bit late for Anzac Day bit here in part is my tribute and personal thanks to all the Anzacs from every conflict.

Here's a picture of my grandfather Ernest Gregg when he was in the 2/2 Inf, He was later in Z Special Unit. (which for the most part is still secret) A future post will be a special Disc he recorded in 1940 in the UK while he was stationed there, he lost his life in Timor while on a secret mission for Z Special. Partly the reason I developed this Transfering Skill, to hear is disc properly.


Rapidshare

The Army Show Episode 04

Cab Calloway - Hep Cats Love Call

A solid swinger from Mr Calloway early 40's style.

No label shots for this one. From memory it was on the Decca label. Anyone have any info?
Again from a 100 gigabyte Cache I have of 78 Transfers which for the most part i have no label scans, Again I'm no collector (can't afford to be unfortunately) and transfer other peoples discs. Or discs I find at the Dump and junk shops (a rarity these days)

Nice pressing overall some slight distortion here and there other than that hear it without all the soul destroying noise reduction that "modern" CD reslease3s present!



So what Happened to the blog over the last few months?
Well ive been quite busy with some employment in the sound industry! well ok a call centure!
Was only a Temp position for 3 months and now its over and Im back sort of, Due to the fact that when like myself you are a temp and you get sick you go to work, no matter how ill you are. because if you dont go to work you dont get paid. No sick days for temps Im afraid. So in i trudges each day untill the enviable happened and I got the flu. Ok you say so what!!
Well I get the full blown flu once every 3-5 years and was not expecting it. Not in the least, and it started effecting my ears and I couldn't hear properly for a couple of months, used to have a lot of problems with "glue ear" as a child but not in the last 20 odd years!. so now im getting much better Ill start eking out some more sounds! Good news is I had specialist look over my ears and apparently I have exceptional hearing!

As the Jobs in Brisbane are non existant at the Mo ill work on some more Tracks for here! Oh and sign up for the Dole.




Rapidshare Links (remember Rapidshare is free, click on the free bit!) And im no fan of rapidshare myself if I had other ways of online storage the gear would be there.

Cab Calloway - Hep Cats Love Song GOOD
Cab Calloway - Hep Cats Love Song TMNR
Cab Calloway - Hep Cats Love Song Fake Stereo

LP - Steve Race - Dance To The TV Themes WRC

LP - Steve Race - Dance To The TV Themes WRC

One of the many albums ive recently aquired after downloading the album from other Blogs. (more of which later)

Wow a fantastic album with a host of British "jazz" alumni Including Johnny Scott, Tubby Haynes, Terry Walsh, Frank Clarke and more! Ive included a photo of the back cover so you can read the notes. Nice!

01 - Maigeret
02 - Corronatrion Street
03 - Naked City
04 - Startime (sunday night at the London Paladium)
05 - Z Cars
06 - Man Of The World
07 - Perry Mason
08 - Here And Now
09 Willow Waltz (world of Tim Frazer)
10 - Route 66
11 - Stranger on the Shore
12 - Dr Kildare

an FCM production
Produced By Cyril Ornadel - he composed the TV theme "Sapphire and Steel" amongst many many others
and wrote Portrait of My Love for Mat Munro (who incidentally was billed as "Ray Cathode" on Peter sellers first proper 'LP "Songs For Swinging Sellers") and he wrote Mr Secombe's perennial "If I Ruled The World" Hmmm I'll shut up now..


Anyway its a really stellar album as far as TV Theme albums go,

Now this might sound strange but im a terrible "Writer" and reviewer. So if anyone has any thoughts about this album and indeed any of the posts sofar please let me know! Ill add em here with full credits, Ta







I originally Downloaded this album as a mp3 from a mono pressing. (of course this aint mono folks!)
Like a lot of the other blogs out there hosting a myriad of forgotten albums, the quality of the rip and restoration left a lot to be desired, poor transfer (ceramic cart with plastic tonearm by the sounds of most of em) poor restoration, you know when the piano takes on a "honky-tonk" sound that means a over the top use of Noise Reduction. Great "holes" due to overuse of automatic de-clickers. And worse of all crappy Pre-Amps!
"jumps" and after extensive "restoration" lots of noise left!

Now after hearing a few thousand (while out walking to keep fit last year) of these Blog type LP to mp3's the thought struck me to do the same. but try to preserve as much "musical" content of the disc, if not,
Don't rip and present it.
If the album is a bit "worn" or badly scratched, get another. not many people "get" that simple premise and the internet is filled with poor transfers masquerading as the "real thing". When it only costs a few $ to buy another copy on Ebay and you like it, Buy it!

And don't get me started on Plastic "turntables" which rip to mp3! Indeed...
As for 78's Thats another story, I rip what I get (not many) and haven't bought any from ebay due to the high cost of older discs. But would love to rip some more, Any Offers?
Some of my albums (LP's) Ive presented here cost me pennies, I mean the Bond album cost all of 25 cents.


Rapidshare Link

LP - Steve Race - Dance To The TV Themes WRC


Oh after a couple of years stuffing around with many forms of ilumination so i could get nice clean cover and label shots ( I tried in vain with flatbed scanners) Ive finaly found the "perfect" set up.
It may sound Primitive (remember this is a brownpaper and string operation!) but two "work lights" the kind painters use when painting houses, they are 500 watt jobs and after a couple of mins "placing them" create results like the shots in this post and the last one!

Geoff Love - Big Bond Move Themes MFP 1975

Geoff Love - Big Bond Move Themes

Stock Standard Bond tunes LP from Geoff Love, who at the time was releasing a slew of "themed" discs over at MFP (Music For Pleasure) Some of them not bad (and may get a airings here!)

Its very well recorded with a fresh bright sound which shows our yonger readers that cheap records didn't mean poor sound (a misconception ive heard a lot recently) Not bad arrangements apart from the titletrack.

A couple of "mis blown" trumpets now and again dampen the otherwise sterling performance.



The disc itself had the usual crackle for a "played a bit" disc. The restoration cleaned up all (bar one or two) minor clicks and sounds very very good. A little too good!!.. Could be my new LP Cart as well.
The best Shure cart M97xE is now used for LP's and its a world of difference. The cart is not to overly bright, has no discernible peaks and is very "listenable", compared to previous cart which became "grating" to my ears after an hour or so.


Zip File with Album and all Artwork ....MP3
Rapidshare
Geoff Love - Big Bond Move Themes MFP 1975


My Fav Bond Cover Album is one of the first blog posts I made.

Eric Winstone Plays Bond 1972 Avenue Ill repost it. with the "missing tracks" I found on a later cassette release.

James Wright - Top TV Themes 1962 EMBASSY

Brit TV themes from the early 60's!

Im a bit of a collector of 50's-70's British TV, And when i was a kid (5 yo) I found this disc amoungst the 45's my parents had and played it to death. Only recently have I located a "fresh copy" of this very disc.
The Aussie pressing was on W&G Records while the original UK Pressing was on the woolworths own label Embassy, Who more the most part recorded "covers" and issued them on cheap discs. A noble industry and Embassy produced some very fine re-recordings (if i was richer Id start collectiing are preseriving thise discs here!)
It was only after hearing a BBC Radio Documentry about "Embassy" that I tracked down this recording..
The dicsc used in the new BBC Doco was very very poorly restored/transferd. I wrote to the BBC about this and offered my services for free but got no reply. This after writting to several BBC Departments and the producers of the series (which still airs). after hearing another show on the 'Archive Hour"

Now the recording itself. I was very lucky to obtain Three copies of the disc and each had its own problems.
From the three pressings ive cobbeled together a complete set.
to preserve the ambience of the recordings ive not used that much noise reduction.. any more and it adversly efects the life of the recordings. There's a little distortion which was evident on all 3 pressings.

now onto the music

Zcars - A fine version of the theme, for years I thought it was the Johnny Keating Pye recording untill i obtained a disc that was audible! (my old 45 was beyond playback) Ive seen quite a few Zcars epps of late.

Dr Kildare - pretty much the same as the "telle" vesrion with all those Mantovani type strings.

Maigret - Ive heard a few of these recently and this one is by far the best. Ive only seen the one epp of this production anyone have any more?

Coronation Street - Although a "sopie" which i have no interest in for some reason I adore the theme. perhaps its the Northern bluesy jazzy feel of it but it just "fits". out of all the various versions of this theme Ive collected again this one takes the cake, partly due to the walking bass line and the harmonies of trumpet and clarinet.

Ill prsent some more rare Brit TV theme Discs soon. up next a 1963 disc by Steve Race, Tubby Haynes, Johnny Scott. "Dance To The TV Themes" Its taken a few years to find a clean Stereo Pressing!



A Zip file containing the EP and scans

James Wright - Top TV Themes




If anyone has any other embassy titles please don't hesitate to email me.

Oscar Rabin - Honeysuckle Rose REGAL ZONOPHONE

while browsing my Rapidshare upload list Ive seen quite a few 78's ive not uploded yet. And because of the last post here's a "straight" reading of Honeysuckle Rose My Oscar Rabin.

In good condition!

No Label photo im afraid



Oscar Rabin - Honeysuckle Rose GOOD
Oscar Rabin - Honeysuckle Rose TMNR
Oscar Rabin - Honeysuckle Rose FAKE STEREO

Benny Goodman - Honeysuckle Rose (Waller) COL WCO26290

Here's a benny Goodman Track ive not posted yet.
Not much i can say about Honeysuckle Rose thats mpot already been written, Of course written by Fats Waller!!


Okish Columbia pressing, Poor "refrance" label pic!


What do you think?


Benny Goodman - Honeysuckle Rose GOOD
Benny Goodman - Honeysuckle Rose TMNR
Benny Goodman - Honeysuckle Rose FAKE STEREO


I hate to bring it up but if anyone feels the need to donate Via Paypal you can do on the left, It enables me to add to this online collection! Its no fun Unemployed and not on beifits. I just hope I can make your lives a little brighter with some of my "tinkering" Let me know how you liked em too please!

Vdisc 831

Another Vdisc!

Like most of the 30 odd Vdiscs I have most are in a Pitfull state (the only reason i came by them) but underneath all the many many expolsive clicks and pops lies a fidelity not heard in any commecial disc of the time. Not only that but many of the VDisc "sides" were new recordings or at the very least taken from AFRS airchecks.

The Harry James side is the one I want to focus on here as it contains some rather bopish arrangements from Mr James. The other side although good shows what the makeup of a typical Disc was.

Now What was a Vdisc? for those not in the know, A VDisc was a 12 inch Vinyl 78 pressed with the usual Standard (wide) grooves that 78's have, They were made to be issued to the troops during ww2. They were sent the the many troop camps, ships, and anywere armed men would be. The discs diddet get into the hands of ordinay soldiers during the war but they would be sent to the Camp,Ship Etc and be used over the PA or in-house "radio" network. after the war all the discs were Recalled and destroyed, but some guys "lifted" discs and took em home. which is how they exist today!
The condition of this platter is appalling, many large scratches, a cascade of crakle and in some parts "holes" wher someone had dropped a heavy steel needle pickup into the grooves. As I said before Ive not found a "clen" vdisc yet, But one day I hope to transfer some "good" ones.

Are Vdiscs worth all the effort in locating and transfering?
Yes! we have to remember for the most part America had a recording ban on (from mid 42-44) so any music from that period is "rare" . Most of the Big Bands and recording outfits had got Bolder and . umm its hard to put into words but Swingier!

If you know of anyone with any VDiscs and would like to get em professionally transferred and restored let me know.. I just want to her the tracks!! Im not a collector, just a big band buff




Side 1
Dick Farney - You Do GOOD
Dick Farney - You Do TMNR
Dick Farney - You Do FAKE STEREO
Frank Sinatra - One For My Baby GOOD
Frank Sinatra - One For My Baby TMNR
Frank Sinatra - One For My Baby FAKE STEREO


Side 2

Harry James - Vine Street Boogie GOOD
Harry James - Vine Street Boogie TMNR
Harry James - Vine Street Boogie FAKE STEREO
Harry James - Pagan Love Song GOOD
Harry James - Pagan Love Song TMNR
Harry James - Pagan Love Song FAKE STEREO

Fats Waller - Scram

Another Fats title for your delctaion.

Sorry about the absence of tracks for a while, Ive been busy with some work! yes work, real paid employment!.
Ok it was for a call centure but it was nice being able to "live" for a while rather than just to "exist"

Ive not found any more 78's in my travels (still have a few hundred to post here already worked on)

Not many people leaving notes of thanks (or of hate!) and I can see (from, rapidshare logs) that 10000's of people have downloaded tracks! So some observations would be nice. At least I could see that posting tracks is appreciated.

Well enough of that and lets get down to the track

Fats Waller - Scram. A nice Regal Zonophone Pressing showing some wear and tear. Although visualy perfect, Which is the great curse in collecting these things, looks arnt everything.


Fats Waller - Scram GOOD
Fats Waller - Scram TMNR
Fats Waller - Scram FAKE STEREO

Freddy Martin - Dingbat The Singing Cat (Mossman Hoffman) HMV D6-VB-2

Freddy Martin - Dingbat the Singing Cat

Now the 40's were full of "novelty numbers" (in fact the 50's were mostly Novelty tunes!)
Here's a Nice little diity sure to make you scream in pain (if you like "long hair" sounds avoid this!)
Shades of Peter and the Wolf Anyone?
Les Brown and Duke Ellington recorded nice versions of Peter And The Wolf too, And Ill bung em up if you want (I think there Not in copyright, dukes maybe, hmmm)


This IS the very reason I like hunting out old 78's, I mean.... were else could you hear such "gems" and with so much life STILL left in em!



IF YOU like the material and want to hear more.. Buy em from ebay and send me the discs!


Sorry about the label, I Transferred many of the discs over 5 years ago and haven't seen many, like about 10-20 discs since (you SEEN the prices for em on EBAY recently?) so when I transfered this one I never took a Pic, they went my discs anyway. But enjoy.


RAPIDSHARE (Until I can afford REAL storage space!)
Freddy Martin - Dingbat The Singing Cat GOOD
Freddy Martin - Dingbat The Singing Cat TMNR
Freddy Martin - Dingbat The Singing Cat FAKE STEREO

Bob Crosby - Skaters Waltz DECCA

Another Bob Crosby tune,

A little less "dixie" that his Usual sides, and played by every band around that time!


A okish Decca Pressing, Slight distorion here and there (due to a wearing out with heavy steel needles!)

Ive Opened up the GOOD version a little bit so you can really hear those reeds blow.




Of course if anyone has anymore info about the peice and the band please tell! and ill bung it up here for all to enjoy.

Bob Crosby - Skaters Waltz GOOD
Bob Crosby - Skaters Waltz TMNR
Bob Crosby - Skaters Waltz FAKE STEREO

Still Here!

Some nice sounds to come!

Ive found out that one of dead cameras (LCD Viewfinder dead) will output to a TV, which I can use a a primitive Viewfinder, as you would expect Taking "label" shots requires some fiddly settings and the right "light" set up. ! All I need now is some discs..

I did pick up some classical side's recently, some 80RPM one's too. Ill put the best of them here.

and Soon a Accete from Associated Redufision London's 50's-60's TV Network.

RIP - Les Paul - The New Sound

We've had this one before, but in the light of the sad news of the great man's passing here's one of my Fav tracks from Mr Paul.

I have quite a few of his 78's.. they are mostly on CD and sound superb so there's not much point of posting any more (is there?) Remember If you know of someone with a stack of 78's Tell me!! All I want to do is transfer them and present them here!, Im in no way a "Collector" all I want is to hear the music I love, not to ferret away dusty discs in a dark corner unloved.. that's the biggest crime to music, having all these great sounds hidden!. Hell I don't even have much of a collection! (can't afford any now sadly....) so If you know someone who wants some discs transferred for FREE, expertly too, just ask.


Les Paul - Brazil (Ary Barroso) CAPITOL MX42014

Les Paul created the "multi track" method of recording years before anyone else thought of doing it.
not only does he play all the Guitars but he uses different speeds to layer a true masterpiece,
I quite like the instrumental Les Paul cuts. This one again from a "played to death" CAPITOL pressing.


RAPIDSHARE

Les Paul - Brazil MP3
Les Paul - Brazil FLAC


If you just want to hear one version or you have limited bandwidth here are the mp3 versions that are not "zipped" up.

Mp3 Direct Links Via Rapidshare..

Les Paul - Brazil MP3 "Good"
Les Paul - Brazil MP3 "Too Much Noise Reduction"
Les Paul - Brazil MP3 "Fake Stereo"

As per usual, with rapid share you may have to wait up to 60 seconds before you can download the song with a Free acoount.

NSW Gould League Of Bird Lovers NO 3 and 4

Some More bird calls for your listing pleasure.

Vols 3 and 4 (I also have 5 and 6) From New South Wales.


Ive not posted much as im still looking for a new camera! Will get a replacement soon..

Bird Calls NO-3 NSW Gould League Of Bird Lovers COL Custom FR1158 S2197


Bird Calls NO-3 - NSW Gould League Of Bird Lovers GOOD
Bird Calls NO-3 - NSW Gould League Of Bird Lovers TMNR
Bird Calls NO-4 - NSW Gould League Of Bird Lovers GOOD
Bird Calls NO-4 - NSW Gould League Of Bird Lovers TMNR

As before the discs were played quite a bit, and have "pit marks" all over the shop!

2 from the TEMPO Label - Francis Craig

Here's two sides from the rare "Label" Tempo. they only made 13 or so discs and Ive transferred 2!

so Enjoy the material, anyone with other Tempo 78's? I Have another one by Wilbur Kentwell, which in fact the Pic you see here.

The Vocalist is Mr Bob Lamm, Thanks to Jeff for the Info.

Francis Craig - Red Rose GOOD
Francis Craig - Red Rose TMNR
Francis Craig - Red Rose FAKE STEREO

Francis Craig - Near You GOOD
Francis Craig - Near You TMNR
Francis Craig - Near You FAKE STEREO

Oscar Rabin - Please and Just One More Chance

If you want to why why I like Oscar Rabin see one of the other Rabin posts ive made! Please as it will make sence.
The other "Victor Sylvestor" of British Music.

Basically If you want to know how a song should be played "Straight" hear these.

Oscar Rabin - Please GOOD
Oscar Rabin - Please TMNR
Oscar Rabin - Please FAKE STEREO

Oscar Rabin - Just One More Chance GOOD
Oscar Rabin - Just One More Chance TMNR
Oscar Rabin - Just One More Chance FAKE STEREO