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

V-Disc 832B

Here's Some Swinging Tunes from San Donahue and Chris Griffin (no not the Family Guy One!!)

A word About VDiscs .
They were Vinyl 12 Inch 78 course groove (like a 78) with about 5 and a half Min's playing time on each side.
as you could imagine they were made to send to the troops where ever they were, and so were played with steel needles and the like making a lot of them unplayable today. not only that the army destroyed 90% after the war fearing that the records would get out into the public. and with no real copyright on them that was a big scare for the armed forces.
most of them i have play pretty badly they sound like a lp that had been played about 20000 times and then run over with a steamroller, buried in soft peat for a year, and then had a clean with some sandpaper!!!..
But some interesting item appear on them as a whole. ok a lot were the Commercial 78 re-pressed on VDisc but a lot of the material was taken from Air-checks and the like.
so here is one side of a Vdisc. Check out the cool sounds of Chris Griffin years before Miles Davis and boppin with ease. or the swingariffic arrangement of Cocktails For Two.

There is some surface noise and clicks still present but taking them out would have taken a while and Automated would have Ruined the "sound"

Rapidshare

http://rapidshare.com/files/118860085/V-Disc_823B.rar.html