It’s late summer 1902. Fred heads to Tilbury Docks to board the steamer SS Coromandel and set sail for India. His objective? “To open up new markets, establish agencies, and acquire a catalogue of native records,” as he puts it in his diary. And what a trip it is. Accompanied by an assistant called GeorgeContinue reading “Series 2, new episode: Fred heads east to India”
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New podcast series: Fred’s back and this time, he’s got a plaque. This episode is about the great unveiling with Queen’s Roger Taylor and our own James Hall.
Fred’s back! And he’s got a plaque! The first episode of Series Two of The Sound of the Hound covers the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on the wall of Europe’s first recording studio, opened by Fred Gaisberg in Covent Garden in 1898. The unveiling of the plaque, which is part of the Westminster CouncilContinue reading “New podcast series: Fred’s back and this time, he’s got a plaque. This episode is about the great unveiling with Queen’s Roger Taylor and our own James Hall.”
Sound of the Hound: Series 1 Sampler
We have pulled together a sampler of some of the best bits from Series 1 of our Sound Of The Hound podcast about Fred Gaisberg and the very early days of the record business, presented by long time music exec Dave Holley & author and journalist James Hall. In this sampler: Dave thinks signing &Continue reading “Sound of the Hound: Series 1 Sampler”
Fred Gaisberg records the Great Caruso and kickstarts the modern record business – our new podcast episode out today
It’s the spring of 1902. Italian tenor Enrico Caruso is due to sing in Covent Garden later in the year, and Fred and Will are still in Milan desperate to record him. Their plan – in what predates the now-ubiquitous music industry ‘360’ marketing deal by over 100 years – is to print the masterContinue reading “Fred Gaisberg records the Great Caruso and kickstarts the modern record business – our new podcast episode out today”
James Hall finally tells all about his book The Industry Of Human Happiness – its the new episode of The Sound Of The Hound podcast!
This episode is a little bit different. Dave interviews co-host James about his novel on the early days of recorded sound, The Industry of Human Happiness. James tells how he chanced upon the adventures of Fred Gaisberg and William Sinkler Darby in the sleeve notes of a CD that he bought outside a concert, andContinue reading “James Hall finally tells all about his book The Industry Of Human Happiness – its the new episode of The Sound Of The Hound podcast!”
Fred Gaisberg records the Great Caruso and kickstarts the modern record business – our new podcast episode out today
It’s the spring of 1902. Italian tenor Enrico Caruso is due to sing in Covent Garden later in the year, and Fred and Will are still in Milan desperate to record him. Their plan – in what predates the now-ubiquitous music industry ‘360’ marketing deal by over 100 years – is to print the masterContinue reading “Fred Gaisberg records the Great Caruso and kickstarts the modern record business – our new podcast episode out today”
When Fred Gaisberg set the Vatican on fire
Fred Gaisberg and his brother Will had been sebt to Milan in early 1902 to try to entice the superstar opera singer Enrico Caruso. When he was playing hard to get the brothers headed to Rome with the hope of recording the Pope. That proved impossible but they did get to record the last castratoContinue reading “When Fred Gaisberg set the Vatican on fire”
New podcast episode – Fred Gaisberg heads east to pre-revolutionary Russia
Today we publish the first of two episodes following Fred on recording expeditions to Russia. In early 1900, with their bosses dissatisfied with what they’ve recorded to date, Fred and his colleague William Sinkler Darby are under pressure to find fascinating sounds. Their agents in St Petersburg, charged with finding singers and musicians, are uselessContinue reading “New podcast episode – Fred Gaisberg heads east to pre-revolutionary Russia”
We have launched a podcast – it goes live today
Here is the press release that we have put out: London, April 1, 2020 —The Sound of the Hound today announced the launch of a new historical podcast series sharing the adventures, stories and lives of the entrepreneurs, artists and eccentrics who invented the music industry and brought recorded music to the masses at theContinue reading “We have launched a podcast – it goes live today”
A Personal History of the British Records Business #16 part 1
The Hound is delighted to post, for our readers delectation, the first instalment by EMI’s very own David Hughes MBE – A Personal History of the British Record Business. Wayne Bickerton – #16 – part 1 First posted on vinyl memories December 10, 2015 I really needed a strong nudge to resume these unpublished interviews after such good intentions ….The death ofContinue reading “A Personal History of the British Records Business #16 part 1”
Sound Of The Hound 