New Country Music History

[Big Beat Steve]

One thing that I think that has been lost with all of the reissues is that what I would call the thrill of the chase. Who looks for old LPs, 45s, and 78s anymore? (There are a few people here who seek out 78s and play them, mainly, I believe, for the improvement in sound over LP and CD reissues.) How many people look for old o/p LPs in used stores (other than maybe Jim Sangrey)? Easier to buy a Fresh Sound. How many people seek out old blues 45s anymore? It's easier to browse the internet for compilations.

Everything is easy these days and easy isn't always better. It used to be exciting to find something obscure. It's not so exciting to go online and get hold of everything with a series of clicks. And having everything easily can make you appreciate what you have less. I don't know if you agree, Steve, but I know you've been collecting long enough that you've experienced the difference.

Yes I do see what you mean, and I agree. The thrill of discoveries is gone in some respects and sometimes buying what you are looking for has become too easy (funds permitting ... ).

But please step back for a minute and take a look at the OVERALL situation of what you can reasonably find AT ALL from a NON-U.S. perspective:

As for originals, apart from the question of "where do you start and where do you finish" when you have tastes that are not too narrow,

a) no matter how much you search, a lot of stuff just is inacessible to anybody outside the country where the records were first issued (and often probably outside the state/county where they were pressed and sold off at gigs), and

b) I simply am not crazy enough to go on 45rpm hunting sprees through the U.S., shelling out 500 or 1500 $ for some obscure original 45 as many country/rockabilly fanatics from Europe have done, nor

c) do I (nor hardly anybody else) have the funds to keep up with those insane Asians who have pillaged European sources for "Eurojazz" for years and decades and have driven the price of those records that remain to totally sick levels.

Beyond that, I certainly do search for vinyl, including originals, and I have paid quite a sum through the years, but prices being what they are I'd just as much settle for a decent reissue (particularly one of these facsimile reissues reproducing the original cover artwork etc. and NOT one of those garish contrivedly modernized 70s covers). And even though I still do prefer vinyl and have been known to sell off a CD as soon as I was able to find the same material (at last) on some LP there are many cases where you just cannot find anything except CDs if at all (because originals are just inaccessbiel for the above reasons).

Realism just has to prevail sometimes, even in "Collectingland".

And this is where reissues (including and above all CDs these days) come in.

Of course, if heirs of record collection estates dating back to periods when there would be interesting originals from the 40s, 50s or 60s (bought by the only owner new back then) to be found would make an effort to sell these records one by one or in small lots at prices decent for both sides instead of unloading even those collections in one swift go with dealers who'd pay far less (than what private buyers would pay for items of their choice) but will of course charge top money when THEY resell or (in most cases) auction these items to the next round of prospective owners, then overall accessibility would be a bit better too. But ... as shown in other discussions this seems to have become unrealistic too.

So unless you are REALLY rich you are off to the reissue market again ...

[AllenLowe]

1) I'm not really sure which are BACM's most recent; but I've received 3 recently that were just disgusting - 2 hillbilly gospel and a '30s Bluebird country collection. Never again,

2) I do remember the thrill of the search but ultimately the bigger thrill is finding recordings I thought I would never see or hear, from Bert Williams to original masters of Gus Cannon to Tony Fruscella; geez, in the 60s and 70s we couldn't even find the Bud Powell Roosts.

Edited November 26, 2014 by AllenLowe

[Big Beat Steve]

1) I'm not really sure which are BACM's most recent; but I've received 3 recently that were just disgusting - 2 hillbilly gospel and a '30s Bluebird country collection. Never again,

They are now at CD 468 so that gives you an idea ...

I have a hunch I know which ones you are talking about and they are not that recent. Uh oh ... doesn't bode well, though I find lots of others (more recnet ones) quite OK, even when comparing them to other reissue labels with that kind of material, but of course have no 78s to compare with.

2) I do remember the thrill of the search but ultimately the bigger thrill is finding recordings I thought I would never see or hear, from Bert Williams to original masters of Gus Cannon to Tony Fruscella; geez, in the 60s and 70s we couldn't even find the Bud Powell Roosts.

Yes, I'd know one or two where the thrill of finding THOSE would be as intense as when I first learned of the existence of these records in 1975 or 76 or so ...

Just like with others that took me some 20 years of searching to find.

[JSngry]

How many people look for old o/p LPs in used stores (other than maybe Jim Sangrey)?

I've got good company/competition-to-be-feared right here in the DFW area, believe me, hello Ken, hello Joe, hello all you who I don't know but who grab shit when I leave to get coffee and come back to it not being there no more, hello!

[Neal Pomea]

I'm definitely interested. If you're keeping a mailing list for it, put me on it or I'll just keep my eye out here if you announce them for sale.

Me too!