evm1024
New member
Does anyone know where Decca, Capitol etc keep their catalog of pre recorded open reel tapes? I've been searching in google and have not stumbled upon one yet.
Thanks
Thanks
littlesongs
New member
it seems that unless you are looking for something specific or an auction, there are no definitive sources... to satisfy my own curiousity, i poked around a bit and came up with a few links...
an incomplete list of quad reel to reel releases --
http://members.cox.net/surround/quaddisc/quadQRP.htm
and...
the beatles on reel to reel --
http://www.friktech.com/btls/tapes/rtr.htm
virtually any album released from the early 1950s until the early 1980s could have been available in this format, but the way the companies approached the technology was rather cautious at first and totally schizoid by the end...
early on, an unwavering focus on the hi-fi market meant that jazz, opera and classical recordings dominated... rhythm & blues, gospel, country and rock-n-roll was not issued at a time when all of those genres were reaching a new peak... but, then again, many of the best artists of the time were on little shoestring labels like sun, chess and king and not the sort of stuff that anyone in the big machine wanted to acknowledge...
the first stereo recordings were available on tape before they debuted on vinyl... this new medium opened the door for more releases like musicals, movie soundtracks and modern sounds from composer-arrangers like henry mancini, esquivel, martin denny and others... however, very few country, teenage-pop or rock-n-roll records were released on reels until the mid 1960s... but when they did, some real gems came out... to my ears, virtually anything from atlantic, motown or stax is very delicious on reel to reel...
economics were also a factor, so many independant or smaller companies never made their catalog available on reel to reel... in fact, from what i have seen, reel to reel was a game played by the big boys and only truly widespread from top to bottom in the industry for a handful of years in the early to mid 1970s... this was perhaps due to the rise of quad and the dominance of another 1/4" tape based format, the 8-track, but that is purely conjecture on my part...
i sure wish vagabond records was still up there in the 'Couv' -- remember that place downtown? back in the day, they had a once a year sale and every title in the store was a dollar... you could only buy 20 a day, but it was plenty to make you happy! we'd jump the old 5 bus from portland, buy 19 rare titles we needed -- mothers of invention, united states of america, phil ochs, syd barrett, the who, etc. -- and one gem to sell when we got back to town... more often than not we broke even... they had a mess of reels too... these days, if you are looking for reels, a few places in portland are worth a trip... mississippi records, crossroads music -- while you are there, talk to erik about reel to reels! -- and everyday music all have at least a few good ones any given day...
good luck!
dave
an incomplete list of quad reel to reel releases --
http://members.cox.net/surround/quaddisc/quadQRP.htm
and...
the beatles on reel to reel --
http://www.friktech.com/btls/tapes/rtr.htm
virtually any album released from the early 1950s until the early 1980s could have been available in this format, but the way the companies approached the technology was rather cautious at first and totally schizoid by the end...
early on, an unwavering focus on the hi-fi market meant that jazz, opera and classical recordings dominated... rhythm & blues, gospel, country and rock-n-roll was not issued at a time when all of those genres were reaching a new peak... but, then again, many of the best artists of the time were on little shoestring labels like sun, chess and king and not the sort of stuff that anyone in the big machine wanted to acknowledge...
the first stereo recordings were available on tape before they debuted on vinyl... this new medium opened the door for more releases like musicals, movie soundtracks and modern sounds from composer-arrangers like henry mancini, esquivel, martin denny and others... however, very few country, teenage-pop or rock-n-roll records were released on reels until the mid 1960s... but when they did, some real gems came out... to my ears, virtually anything from atlantic, motown or stax is very delicious on reel to reel...
economics were also a factor, so many independant or smaller companies never made their catalog available on reel to reel... in fact, from what i have seen, reel to reel was a game played by the big boys and only truly widespread from top to bottom in the industry for a handful of years in the early to mid 1970s... this was perhaps due to the rise of quad and the dominance of another 1/4" tape based format, the 8-track, but that is purely conjecture on my part...
i sure wish vagabond records was still up there in the 'Couv' -- remember that place downtown? back in the day, they had a once a year sale and every title in the store was a dollar... you could only buy 20 a day, but it was plenty to make you happy! we'd jump the old 5 bus from portland, buy 19 rare titles we needed -- mothers of invention, united states of america, phil ochs, syd barrett, the who, etc. -- and one gem to sell when we got back to town... more often than not we broke even... they had a mess of reels too... these days, if you are looking for reels, a few places in portland are worth a trip... mississippi records, crossroads music -- while you are there, talk to erik about reel to reels! -- and everyday music all have at least a few good ones any given day...
good luck!
dave
evm1024
New member
Found the quad and beetles lists....
Thanks. I had found the Beatles and quad lists but nothing else. I remember buying albums on reel way back when but sold them when I moved onto a boat ages ago. wish I had not. I've only lived in Vancouver about 20 years. I grew up in Hillsboro and Seattle before that.
I'll check out the music stores you spoke of. I tend to be more interested in buying at garage sales for a buck and selling on eBay but I am interested in some 70's era music (classical and progressive rock, ELP, PF, the Who to name a few). I am interested in compairing vintage tape to current release CD.
I may end up in putting all the catalog numbers I come across into a database and put it online. One of too many projects.
Regards, Ethan
Thanks. I had found the Beatles and quad lists but nothing else. I remember buying albums on reel way back when but sold them when I moved onto a boat ages ago. wish I had not. I've only lived in Vancouver about 20 years. I grew up in Hillsboro and Seattle before that.
I'll check out the music stores you spoke of. I tend to be more interested in buying at garage sales for a buck and selling on eBay but I am interested in some 70's era music (classical and progressive rock, ELP, PF, the Who to name a few). I am interested in compairing vintage tape to current release CD.
I may end up in putting all the catalog numbers I come across into a database and put it online. One of too many projects.
Regards, Ethan
jpmorris
Tape Wolf
I've never seen a commercial tape older than the 60s. I didn't know 70s prog rock was ever available in that format at all.evm1024 said:
Perhaps only in the US or something, still, now I know it might be worth looking out for...
krhall
New member
hmm i have a few pre recorded tapes (2 Track Mono)
They are all 5 Inch Emitape.
They are from here :-
World Record Club Ltd
Parkbridge House
Little Green
Richmond
Surrey
I don't know if the address is still valid
This company produced a HUGE range of 2 track mono and 4 track stereo pre recorded tapes from the early 1960's up to possibly the early to mid 80's
Here are some links
http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/mikworld.htm
http://www.concentric.net/~Oakapple/gasdisc/pirworld.htm
This is all i could find
Hope this info helps
Keith
They are all 5 Inch Emitape.
They are from here :-
World Record Club Ltd
Parkbridge House
Little Green
Richmond
Surrey
I don't know if the address is still valid
This company produced a HUGE range of 2 track mono and 4 track stereo pre recorded tapes from the early 1960's up to possibly the early to mid 80's
Here are some links
http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/mikworld.htm
http://www.concentric.net/~Oakapple/gasdisc/pirworld.htm
This is all i could find
Hope this info helps
Keith