[78-L] Test Pressing?

[Gregg Kimball]

Thanks for the information, Steve.  No, I don't need anymore!  My collection 
of Columbia ethnic series records is mostly made up of Celtic and 
French-Canadian stuff with a smattering of other odball things.  I was 
really just interested in it as an example of how a company like Columbia 
vetted a recording. I guess the guy who wrote "bad" didn't rule the day!

Gregg

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Shapiro" <steveshapiro1 at juno.com>
To: <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Test Pressing?


> Greg, this record is by the ubiquitous Four Sicilians.  This should be a 
> waltz.  Did they write "valcek" on the test?
>
> It was issued on Columbia as E4655.  For the Italians, it was titled 
> "Italian Boys"; for the Slovenians, "Slovenian Wedding".
>
> Enjoy.  If you want any more records by this group, let us know.  There 
> are bound to be plenty of people on this list with 1000s of their records 
> somewhere in their basement, garage, or storage bin.  If I remember 
> correctly (caveat:  I may have this wrong), their voicing influenced some 
> of Lionel Belasco's waltz records in the late 1920s.
>
> As for what purpose test pressings were used, I'll defer to those expert 
> on this subject.  When I cut an album with The Growling Tiger in 1979, I 
> didn't know from test pressings.  We recorded in 16 tracks, but the album 
> was issued with only two songs in stereo.  After the album had been 
> released, Dick S. informed me about test pressings and why a producer 
> should always have one made.  Rounder innocently perpetuated this error 
> when they reissued the album as a cd./steve