I came across an very interesting video on the Internet – the living legend Sam Davies, who worked as an engineer at Decca in the 1960s and now doing restoration/maintenance of vintage studio equipments (cutting lathes, reel-to-reel playback tape machines, all vacuum tube amplifiers, etc), introduces his vintage cutting chain (by Ortofon/Lyrec, 1965) which he actually uses for reissuing vintage vinyl LP records.
Google Books 上で The Billboard （米「ビルボード」誌）のバックナンバーが1942年のものからほぼ全て閲覧可能になっています。これにより、レーベル、レコード製造、アーティストの動向など、当時のレコード業界のさまざまな側面の歴史を調査するのが格段に楽になりました。これまでは、図書館のような施設で閲覧したり、目星をつけた号を古本屋やオンラインオークションで購入するしかなかったのですから、コンピュータ上でネットワーク越しに検索しながら目当ての記事を閲覧できるというのは、隔世の感があります。
Almost all back issues of The Billboard magazine (since 1942) is searchable and browsable on Google Books website. This enables us to do very convenient research through the web, on history of record labels, record production, artists and many other topics on record industries in the past. Previously we had to go to libaries to look for specific back issues, or we had to look for and buy them at second hand bookstores or at online auctions.
This time I am looking up some back issues, to what the term “EP” originally stood for – the term sometimes has been misunderstood (and there has been various opinions on it). So let’s get started with the old 1948 article on the “Speed Battle” – 33 1/3 v.s. 45, Columbia v.s. RCA Victor.
It’s already been over five years since I posted the first part of the EmArcy article (sorry still available in Japanese only) – sorry for that. Several people have contacted and asked me when would the next part available – this month I managed to have spare time to write it – part 2 of the EmArcy article – including further research on various things. And now it’s finally available public.
This part 2 (in Japanese only yet) features the release period of EmArcy titles, as well as checkpoints for identifying original issues of EmArcy 16000 (45/78 rpm), 26000 (10inch LP) and 36000 (12inch LP) series.
The following part 3 (last part) that I am going to start writing in the near future, will feature stories around the Wing subsidiary label, and the EmArcy brand after it became less active in 1959.
If you are into Jazz music, especially into the golden age of Modern Jazz, you should know the name of the engineer Roy DuNann, who did so many masterpiece recordings for Capitol and Contemporary in the 1940s, 1950s and thrugh the early 1960s.
My family and I are safe. We in Tokyo had the earthquake on March 11, 2011, but the situation was NOT critical and serious. As a matter of fact, all of my LPs, 78rpms, CDs, audio component or whatever are intact, fortunately. My daughter and I was at home when the huge earthquake hits Eastern Japan. Only a few things fell onto the floor – a toaster in the kitchen, many books and cardboard boxes in my home working room, some decorating parts of Hinamatsuri dolls in the living room. Anyway we are safe.
I just can’t help sending my prayers to the people in the Tohoku region where the critical earthquake and Tsunami hit, and who have been waiting for help and spending inconvinent days at refuge.
Even in Tokyo, many people here have been facing some difficulties in everyday life since the “3.11” – scheduled blackouts, train service being reduced because of the blackouts, some people rushing to supermarkets and gas stations, various false rumors making people uncertain and anxious, etc., etc… People have been even complaining that many of Japanese TV programs and newspapers don’t provide reliable and appropriate information to us.
But we will never give up. we never forget smile, peace of mind, courage and bravery.
Do you know the famous Japanese song “Sukiyaki” by Kyu Sakamoto? The original title is 上を向いて歩こう (“Ue Wo Muite Arukou”, “I Look Up When I Walk”). We will keep looking up. We will never walk alone.
Friday, March 18, 2011 Kohji “Shaolin” Matsubayashi
The Sonic Youth Sound without vocal tracks – CD edition and Vinyl edition will be released shortly (although the MP3 digital release is available already) – I pre-ordered the vinyl edition, like always 😉
Anyone has an original copy of Norgran MGN-1087 “Stan Getz ’56”? This has been said as the original issue of Verve MGV-8029 “Stan Getz ’57”. Drop me a line if you have that copy (or if you know a person who owns that copy, or even if you have seen that copy). Unfortunately I have never seen the actual copy.
現在 ハリー・ワインガー さんが作業中のスタン・ゲッツの CD ボックスで使用する予定の、ジャケット写真およびレーベル写真を探しているとこのことです。
Currently Mr. Harry Weinger has been looking for the jacket scan and the label scan of the Norgran MGN-1087, as he’s been working on a Stan Getz CD boxset project.
ご協力お願い致します。
Your help would be greatly appreciated – many thanks in advance.
![[early EmArcy logo]](https://microgroove.jp/mercury/column/EmArcy2/img/EmArcyLogo2.jpg)
![[Before treatment]](https://microgroove.jp/img/MG36065_before.jpg)
![[Simon Werner a Disparu]](https://microgroove.jp/img/SimonWernerADisparu.jpg)