Tag Archives: the beatles

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– #16 – part 1   First posted on vinyl memories December 10, 2015 I really needed a strong nudge to resume these unpublished interviews after such good intentions ….The death ofContinue reading “A Personal History of the British Records Business #16 part 1”

Century of Spinning Plastic Discs

By Wayne Shevlin Opening salvo of the 21st century: announcing the end of the copy economy – sunset on the century of spinning plastic discs. Viktor Vasnetsov – Grave-digger (1848 modified by WS) – Public Domain    The Byrds once advised aspiring rock n’ roll stars: “Sell your soul to the company, who are waiting thereContinue reading “Century of Spinning Plastic Discs”

From Outside, In: Discovering the EMI Archive at Hayes – part 1

  SOTH is delighted to welcome our latest contributor Brian Kehew who join’s our ever growing list of esteemed contributors.   Brian is a LA based musician and music producer. He is a member of The Moog Cookbook and co-author of the Recording The Beatles book, an in-depth look at the Beatles’ studio approach. Kehew isContinue reading “From Outside, In: Discovering the EMI Archive at Hayes – part 1”

The record business? Its always been about the technology.

Edison, Berliner, Johnson invented the record business. They brought into being the modern music industry. Capturing sounds from the air so that they could be played back in any place and at any time. Imagine the revolution in thinking that brought about. And what do the three fathers of the music business have in common?Continue reading “The record business? Its always been about the technology.”

Whatever happened to Decca Studios?

When The Beatles couldn’t agree to visit Everest for a photo shoot for their final album which they intended to name after the mountain and instead named it after the studio in which they had recorded much of their wonderful music, they bequeathed upon Abbey Road the greatest marketing gift of all time. Abbey RoadContinue reading “Whatever happened to Decca Studios?”

Setting up a record company: #1 Get the technology right

When William Barry Owen and Trevor Williams shook hands to establish the UK’s first record company, The Gramophone Company, in 1897 they sent for Fred Gaisberg, an American “recording expert” to come over to England to help them by setting up the recording department and the UK’s first recording studios in Maiden Lane. Fred’s involvementContinue reading “Setting up a record company: #1 Get the technology right”

HMV 363 Oxford Street

This was the Daddio of record shops. HMV 363 Oxford Street, London in the late 1950’s: The shop plays a part in The Beatles story. HMV, which was then part of EMI, had a small recording studio that members of the public could record songs for their sweethearts. In February 1962 Brian Epstein was inContinue reading “HMV 363 Oxford Street”

“No place for a woman in a recording studio”. Delia Derbyshire denied by Decca invents (soundtrack to) time travel.

There are not that many prominent women in the history of recorded sound. Indeed there are not that many women working in recording studios even today. Boffins and creatives have tended to have the odd Y chromosone or two. The recording studio can be like a gang hut. A step from Lord of the FliesContinue reading ““No place for a woman in a recording studio”. Delia Derbyshire denied by Decca invents (soundtrack to) time travel.”

George Martin documentary review

Thanks to the wonders of the BBC Iplayer I finally watched the Arena documentary Produced By George Martin last night. It was even better than I’d hoped for. If you are in the UK you can still just about catch it here and I’d advise you to ignore the Bank Holiday sunshine for an hour andContinue reading “George Martin documentary review”