A Dead Man's Tracks...This is creepin' me out!

[Aaron Cheney]

Maybe this should be posted somewhere else, but what the heck.

My wife's half-uncle passed away about a year ago. Unbeknownst to us, he was quite a guitar player. As the only other person in the family that is into music, I have inherited some of his guitars and recording gear. One thing I got was a really cool old TEAC 1/4" 4-track reel-to-reel machine. I got it with one reel already on it.
I was just going to bulk erase the reels and reuse them, but when I hooked the sucker up and played it just to see what was on it, there is about an hour's worth of him playing some REALLY great acoustic and classical stuff. I almost got goose-bumps just listening to it.
I can't possibly erase this stuff. It would be like just snuffing out the small footprint that he left to mark his time here. I'm going to call his 82 year old father and see if he ever realized this existed and what he wants to do with it.

Having this machine sitting in my studio is like having some kind of ghost in there. I'm totally creeped out. I'm not sure what kind of responses I'm looking for here, but I just had to tell someone.

If nothing else, it's given me some great song ideas, although "Ghost in the Machine" is already taken.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[64Firebird]

At least you have something to listen to. I think you should transfer it to a CD and pass it out to everyone in the family. Through their music you know someone.

 

[Scottgman]

That's a excellent suggestion, 64Firebird.

A couple years ago, a good friend of mine got her grandparents to go into a studio to record them telling stories about their kids, grandkids, and themselves. They were one of those couples that have been married something like 50 years. It was her way of capturing their family history. She burned copies to give to the family as christmas presents.

Anyway, I don't know why, but your situation reminded me of that. I imagine that when my friend's grandparents are gone, the rest of the family will really treasure that CD. I bet the same would be true of your wife's family.

 

[Treeline]

At least you have something to listen to. I think you should transfer it to a CD and pass it out to everyone in the family. Through their music you know someone.

Bingo.

And save the tapes. You don't need new tape that badly. Having the original tape still intact could end up mattering a whole bunch to some kid in the family ten years from now. If they're good, they're good at a lot of levels. Archive 'em.

 

[Middleman]

Yeah get it to CD then it is preserved in digital.

 

[Chris Tondreau]

Yeah, thank God you listened to the tape. My best friend passed away three years ago, and I remembered that when we were room-mates, we did some stuff on the four-track together. He kept the tapes - the originals and the stuff of his songs.

When he passed on, I knew he must have had the tapes put away somewhere. I asked his mom for any tapes that she found, and she delivered a box full. I spent hours trying to find some of that suff and struck out. I still hope that someday they'll turn up.



Chris

 

[Aaron Cheney]

Yes, I was definitely planning on burning it to CD. It's weird, the guy was pretty good, and I never even really knew him, or that we shared a passion for guitars and music. He was kind of a loner. I only even met him once.
I guess you never know what makes people tick...

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[JR#97]

In a way, being a guitar player yourself, you know the guy in a way that not even his family can relate to. I think it's pretty cool. I'd keep the tape machine. Definitely burn copies of the material for the family.

 

[Clive Hugh]

Definately burn them to disc. My wife's father was a much decorated soldier from WW2, a few years ago he was interviewed for a book and TV series, we got the tapes when he died.
When we listen to them it keeps him alive, not only to us but to his Grandchildren and their children who will never meet the man but will know a hell of a lot about him in his own words.

 

[BrainCase]

You could do a Natalie/Nat King COle style collaboration, and trade licks with him.

Definitely burn the stuff to share with family. More might be explained through his music regrding him and his life than any faded memory.

Cool stuff, and an interesting responsibility to a man's legacy.

 

[Aaron Cheney]

You could do a Natalie/Nat King COle style collaboration, and trade licks with him.

A very interesting idea!

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com