Category Archives: HISTORY OF RECORDED MUSIC

Russell Hunting stories #1 1894: Mephistopheles in red tights haunts Fred Gaisberg

This week we are planning to run a five day series of blog entries about a maverick who was involved at the start of the very start of the record business when its pioneers were searching to find the best business model to capitalise on the new sound-recording and playback technology. Patrick Feaster, a musicContinue reading “Russell Hunting stories #1 1894: Mephistopheles in red tights haunts Fred Gaisberg”

Congratulations to Tony Wadsworth CBE

Many congratulations to Tony Wadsworth on being awarded the CBE for services to the Music Industry in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Tony is Chairman Of the BPI and ran EMI’s UK operation for many years. It’s difficult not to sound rather creepy when somebody you know and admire gets a gong, but Tony isContinue reading “Congratulations to Tony Wadsworth CBE”

Setting up a new record company #7 Sell your product!

This week we aimed to tell the story of how Emile Berliner and Fred Gaisberg set up their record company in America in the late 19th Century. Seven blog entries on seven days. This is day #7. The final day; we made it! Its 1896. The new Philadelphian investors have decided that the United StatesContinue reading “Setting up a new record company #7 Sell your product!”

Setting up a record company #6 Getting the right people onboard

This week we plan to tell the story of how Emile Berliner and Fred Gaisberg set up their record company in America. Seven blog entries on seven days. This is day #6. It’s late 1895 and the fledgeling gramophone enterprise has just raised $25,000 from the Philadelphian syndicate to expand the business. Berliner now beginsContinue reading “Setting up a record company #6 Getting the right people onboard”

Russ Terrana – the most successful recording engineer of all time?

Russ Terrana was the Motown recording engineer who recorded and/or mixed down 89 US #1 records. Yep that’s right EIGHTY-NINE NUMBER ONE RECORDS!!! He joined Motown in 1966 when the company bought the Golden World Studio in Detroit that Terrana was working for at the time – Motown were having so many hits that theyContinue reading “Russ Terrana – the most successful recording engineer of all time?”

Setting up a record company #5: Perfecting the gramophone

This week we plan to tell the story of how Emile Berliner and Fred Gaisberg set up their record company in America. Seven blog entries on seven days. This is day #5. Its 1895. Whilst Berliner is perfecting the shellac disc and Fred Gaisberg is on the road raising money for the new gramophone business,Continue reading “Setting up a record company #5: Perfecting the gramophone”

Setting up a record company #4: Making better records

This week we plan to tell the story of how Emile Berliner and Fred Gaisberg set up their record company in America. Seven blog entries on seven days. This is day #4. We’ve reached 1895 and whilst Gaisberg and Karns are on the road trying to find investors for the new gramophone business, Emile BerlinerContinue reading “Setting up a record company #4: Making better records”

Setting up a record company #3: Raising finance

This week we plan to tell the story of how Emile Berliner and Fred Gaisberg set up their record company in America. Seven blog entries on seven days. This is day #3. Its 1894. Berliner has developed the gramophone to a degree that it’s ready for market. Fred is on board to make demo recordingsContinue reading “Setting up a record company #3: Raising finance”

Setting up a record company #2 Finding the right artists

This week we plan to tell the story of how Emile Berliner and Fred Gaisberg set up their record company in America. Seven blog entries on seven days. This is day #2. Its 1893.Fred Gaisberg has joined Emile Berliner in his attempt to bring his new invention, the gramophone, to the market. It meant FredContinue reading “Setting up a record company #2 Finding the right artists”