Preservation Sound

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  • Preservation Sound Radio 080818: LINK TO LISTEN NOW

    This month’s Preservation Sound Radio show has aired, but you can stream the program at this link until September 9th 2018.  Solo show this month; typical 1967 – 1982 rock, new-wave,  soul, and psych sorta LPs that I usually play but the show is ALL-NEW this month,,, been a good month for crate digging.  Please note that there is a skip at the beginning of the stream, so the first track (Stratford’s own EPITOME, 1977 Dolls-esque punk cover of “Transistor Sister”)  was lost… also several other random skips in the stream… the station had server issues that night apparently…

    Setlist:

    1. Epitome TRANSISTOR SISTER (missing)
    2. sniff n the tears DRIVERS SEAT
    3. the psychedelic furs FOREVER NOW
    4. automatic man PEARL
    5. Jim carroll LORRAINE

    (set break)

    6. atomic rooster TOMORROW NIGHT (stream damaged)

    7. uriah heep DREAMIN  (stream damaged)

    8. the witch BLACK TEARS

    9. hal Atkinson UNTIL YOUVE BEEN ON A HARLEY DAVIDSON

    10. circuit rider HOW LONG

    (set break)

    11. rick danko BRAIN WASH

    12. Gary wright TWO FACED MAN

    13. John Lennon MIND GAMES

    14. bernie schwartz CANT GO ON

    (set break)

    15. terry reid SEED OF MEMORY

    16. marcus GRAINS OF SAND

    17. hackamore brick GOT A GAL NAMES WILMA

    18. cat mother TRACK IN A

    19. kyle I THINK IM GONNA RAIN

    (set break)

    20. bonnie koloc ANGEL FROM MONTGOMERY

    21.roy harper SHES THE ONE

    22. nicky hopkins DOLLY

    23. michael kamen HOT AS THE SUN

    24. ricki illonga STOP DREAMING MR D

    (set break)

    25. faith FREEDOM

    26. gil scott heron THE BOTTLE

    27. brother to brother I WISH IT WOULD RAIN

    28. millie jackson TELL HER ITS OVER

    29. mystic moods orchestra MIDNIGHT SNACK

    (set break)

    30. wee AEROPLANE (REPRISE)

    31. clearlight symphony SIDE 1 EXCERPT

    32. lord buckley MARQUIS DE SADE (EXCERPT)

    33. cromagnon CALEDONIA

    34. csny OHIO (Live NJ 1970)

    (set break)

    35. airport convention TIME WILL SHOW THE WISER

    36. kevin john agosti OREGON

    37. brethren SUCCESS BRAND OIL

  • Preservation Sound Radio: THE 80s PART 2 w/ Special Guests: ARCHIVE STREAMING NOW

    Dave Zamboni, Emily Illsa and Masa Funiculaire joined me in the WPKN-FM studio for a second three-hour all-80s vinyl show.  As usual the emphasis is on new wave and post punk sounds.  The show has been archived and available for streaming until August 12 2018s, so don’t snooze!  Here’s the link. Safari seems to work best.  The setlist:

    1. theme from ‘forbidden world’ SUSAN JUSTIN

    2. that summer feeling JONATHAN RICHMAN

    3. good friend THE VIOLENT FEMMES

    4. the telephone always rings FUN BOY THREE

    5. reap the wild wind ULTRAVOX

    6. nice ago YMO

    (set break)

    7. everybody wants you BILLY SQIER

    8. touch and go THE CARS

    9. head-on THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

    10. i got you SPLIT ENZ

    11. india THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS

    (set break)

    12. mad at you JOE JACKSON

    13. love +1 HAIRCUT 100

    14. only a lad OINGO BOINGO

    15. don’t go YAZOO

    16. e=mc2 BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE

    (set break)

    17. waiting (if i had a photograph) FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

    18. moonshine STEREO

    19. o superman LAURIE ANDERSON

    20. cry baby cry THROWING MUSES

    21. brass neck THE WEDDING PRESENT

    (set break)

    22. 7 minutes to midnight WAH

    23. paint a vulgur picture THE SMITHS

    24. better things THE KINKS

    25. happy hour THE HOUSE MARTINS

    26. julie loves johnny THE EASTERN DARK

    (set break)

    27. my city was gone THE PRETENDERS

    28. she pays the rent THE LYRES

    29. flip your wig HUSKER DU

    30. no looking back BLUE ORCHIDS

    31. my dreams THE GUN CLUB

    (set break)

    32. the rainy season HOWARD DEVOTO

    33. haunted LOVE AND ROCKETS

    34. this is your life GLAXO BABIES

    35. fragile TOM VERLAINE

    (set break)

    36. two guitars YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS

    37. fall on me REM

    38. circles CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN

    39. wuthering heights (1986 vocal) KATE BUSH

    40. vanishing girl DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR

  • THE CITY new single from ULA RUTH available now

    Ula Ruth‘s new single THE CITY is available now for streaming at purchase at all major digital outlets including Spotify and iTunes/Apple Music. The full record will be released soon; it’s one of the last albums that was tracked at Gold Coast Recorders and I am so excited for y’all to have a chance to hear it all soon…

    Recorded at Gold Coast Recorders
    Produced and Recorded by Chris Ruggiero
    Mixed and Master by Greg Giorgio
    Art/Design by Aashna Shah

  • Preservation Sound Radio : June 12 2018 : NOW STREAMING

    you can stream the complete 3hr 6.13.2018 WPKN FM show at this link ///click here/// link will be active for 30 days, so don’t snooze, some very rare numbers here…

    SETLIST

    1. alan price LUCKY MAN

    2. terry reid SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YR PEACE

    3. fluff YOU MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL

    4. catmando TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR LIFE

    5. five man electrical band SIGNS

    (mic break)

    6. frijid pink A SONG FOR FREEDOM

    7. elephant’s memory MONGOOSE

    8. kongos HE’S GONNA STEP ON YOU AGAIN

    9. john entwhistle I WONDER

    10 . mike wilhelm GOING TO CANADA / STYROFOAM

    11. fusion GOIN UP TO CARSDALE

    (mic break)

    12. blue cheer SANDWICH

    13. alexander gradsky ROMANCE FOR LOVES (EXCERPT)

    14. pink floyd ASTRONOMY DOMINE

    15. amsterdam INDIAN PIPE

    16. quicksilver messenger service CODINE

    (mic break)

    17. tranquility COULDNT POSSIBLY BE

    18. king crimson EPITAPH

    19. pelican GOLDEN PROMISES

    20. manfred mann SPIRIT IN THE NIGHT

    21. thin lizzy SPIRIT SLIPS AWAY

    22. rolling stones NO USE IN CRYING

    (mic break)

    23. spooky tooth I AM THE WALRUS

    24. tin tin SPIRITS ON THE STARBOARD

    25.  sammy johns CHEVY VAN

    26. gallery I BELIEVE IN MUSIC

    27. jim dawson THE GOOD EARTH

    28. the great grizzly bear hunt I DREAMED I SAW ST AUGUSTINE

    (mic break)

    29. black pearl PEOPLE GET READY

    30. the sopwith camel DANCIN WIZARD

    31. mike yanoska SONG

    32. fairport convention EASTERN RAIN

    (mic break)

    33. country joe and the fish WHO AM I

    34. yes YESTERDAY & TODAY

    35. john prine ANGEL FROM MONTGOMERY

  • Preservation Sound Radio: May 09 2018: The 80s with Special Guests

    Last night’s show has already aired, but you can stream it for a limited time at this link.  The theme for this show was THE 80s and I had three guest selectors in the studio with me.  All vinyl as per usual.  Here’s the playlist:

    Neneh Cherry “Buffalo Stance”
    Tina Turner “Better Be Good to Me”
    A Flock Of Seagulls “Space Age Love Song”
    Jan Hammer “Theme from Miami Vice”
    Fleetwood Mac “Seven Wonders (Remastered)”
    Kate Bush “Cloud Busting”
    Grace Jones “Nipple to the Bottle”
    Beastie Boys “Egg Raid on Mojo”
    Flock of Seagulls “Telecommunication”
    Glaxo Babies “This is your life”
    Au Pairs “Don’t Lie Back”
    The Vapors “talk talk”
    New Order “the village”
    Shannon “Let the Music Play”
    Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark “Telegraph”
    NRBQ “Captain Lou”
    Book of Love “boy”
    Two Party System “safety in numbers”
    Mystery Girls “Mystify Me”
    Kristy MacColl “A New England (12″ Mix)”
    The Cult “Big Neon Glitter”
    The Smiths “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This Once Before”
    Echo & The Bunnymen “The Killing Moon”
    Orange Juice “What Presence?!”
    Billy Idol “eyes without a face”
    Inxs “New Sensation”
    The Pretenders “Middle of the Road”
    Barrence Whitfield & The Savages “Georgia Slop”
    The Pogues “If I Should Fall from Grace With God”
    Blue Orchids “Dumb Magician”
    The Clash “Atom Tan”
    Big Dipper “Ron Klaus Wrecked His House”
    New Order “Age of Consent”
    The Go-Betweens “Cattle and Cane”
    The Sea Urchins “Cling Film”
    The John Black Experience “crystal mirror”
    Enya “Storms in Africa”
    Momus “Flame into Being”
    Jane Birkin “Baby alone in Babylone”
    The Philistines Jr. “Tarzan at the Met”
    Jane’s Addiction “Up the Beach”
    The Smiths “I Know It’s Over”
    The Commodores “Nightshift (Single Version)”
    Devo “beautiful world”
    Cocteau Twins “Cico Buff”

  • HOT DOCS Toronto 2018 Festival to feature two films with scores by Halpern and Ruggiero

    I am very pleased to announce that two films I’ve recently scored (with Nathan Halpern) are appearing in this year’s HOT DOCS film festival in Toronto.

    CALL HER GANDA premiered just last week at the 2018 TRIBECA film festival.  This intense and beautifully shot film was reviewed in The Hollywood Reporter this past week.

    MINDING THE GAP premiered at the 2018 SUNDANCE film festival where it won an award in competition.  This film has received numerous strong reviews and we are thrilled to see it appearing now in this fantastic showcase for documentary cinema.

  • STREAMING NOW: Pres Sound Radio 4.11.18: 90s Indie Rock Vinyl w/ J Hammel and EKL

    Jason Hammel (Vosotros, Mates Of State) and Emily K Larned (Muffinbones) join me in the studio for three hours of HVY 90S NOSTALGIA all broadcast from the original 45s and 33RPM LP records.  Check it out ::: This program has already aired, but u can Click here to stream the show until May 2018.

    Setlist:

    1. Guided by Voices – My Son Cool

    2 Helium – Baby Vampire Made Me

    3 heavens to Betsy – calculated

    4 beck – Asshole

    5 sebadoh – on fire
    6 blonde redhead – fake can be just as good
    7 stereolab – miss modular (12″ single version)
    8 gamma rays – Lovely
    9 aislers set – red door
    10 nirvana – Molly’s lips
    11 free kitten – Cleopatra
    12 chisel – your star is killing me
    13 pavement – carrot rope
    14 eggs – a pit with spikes
    15 team dreschdon’t try suicide
    16 Gbv -game of pricks (ALT EP version)
    17 superchunk – kicked in
    18 mommyheads  -cactus farm
    19 the sea and cake  -Station in the valley
    20 sebadoh – Soul & Fire
    21 lungfish – instrumental
    22 six finger satellite -coke and mirrors
    23 Neptunes – knife fight
    24 Antioch arrow – Too band you’re gonna die
    25 slant 6 – click-click
    26 secret stars -sister brother
    27 heavenly – trophy girlfriend
    28 pavement  – Perfume V
    29 lync -firestarter
    30 the monorchid – oral fixation
    31 the makeup  -the choice
    32 air Miami  -Airplane rider
    33 thermals – no culture icons
    34 gbv -cutout witch (EP version)
    35 new bad things -no pass, no fail
    36 kicking giant – she’s real
    37 smog – all your woman things
    38 cat power – you may know him
    39 aislers set – Chicago  New  York
    40 belle and Sebastian  – Slow Grafitti
    41 neutral milk hotel – Naomi
    42 nick cave – are you the one I’m waiting for
    43 pavement  – filmore jive
    44 Elliot smith -St Ides Heaven
    45 porno for pyros – black girlfriend
    46 broadcast – living room
    47 Mates of State – I have space

  • Preservation Sound Radio 031518 : LINK TO STREAM

    Last night was the first P-S-R broadcast of ’18.  The show has been archived and you can stream it until April 15 2018 at this link.  Don’t snooze this is a good one – the first two hours are post punk /new wave and the last hr is moody 70s doper jams.  All from the original LPs.   GET IT ::::::::::

    1. Joachim Witt GOLDERNER REITER
    2. Grauzone EISBAR
    3. Greg Kihn THE BREAKUP SONG
    4. Soft Boys I WANNA DESTROY YOU
    5. Hot Head Slater IT HAPPENED TO ME
    6. 999 HOMICIDE
    7. Romeo Void NVR SAY NVR
    8. The Flying Lizards HER STORY
    9. Anika YANG YANG
    10. Alva KOPA
    11. Glaxo Babies AVOIDING THE ISSUE
    12. Siouxsie and the Banshees JIGSAW FEELING
    13. Blue Orchids DUMB MAGICIAN
    14. MI-Sex COMPUTER GAMES
    15. Yello NIGHT FLANGER
    16. Magazine DEFINITIVE GAZE
    17. Higelin BOOGIE ROUILLE
    18. The Only Once ANOTHER GIRL ANOTHER PLANET
    19. Nick Lowe HEART OF THE CITY
    20. INXS DONT CHANGE
    21. MX80 Sound MAN ON THE MOVE
    22. Larry Wallis POLICE CAR
    23. The Chameleons DONT FALL
    24. Simple Minds SPEED YOUR LOVE TO ME
    25. Soft Boys INSANELY JEALOUS
    26. Talk Talk HATE
    27. Colin Newman FISH 3
    28. Lilliput HITCH HIKE
    29. The Raincoats IN LOVE
    30. Violent Femmes GOOD FEELING
    31. Robert Wyatt AT LAST I AM FREE
    32. Can DEADLOCK (theme from the film)
    33. Peirre Bachelet & Herve Roy EMANUELLE THEME
    34. Total Issue LES MARINS
    35. Plain Jane SILENCE
    36. John Kay TWO OF A KIND
    37. The Appletree Theatre WHAT A WAY TO GO
    38. The Rationals GLOWIN’
    39. Fluff WHOS GONNA LOVE ME
    40. Elephants Memory PIECE NOW
    41. Blue Cheer SATURDAY FREEDOM
    42. Lee Python Jackson IN A BROKEN DREAM
    43. The Instincts DONT LOOK BACK
    44. Don Walker DEAR PRUDENCE

  • Excellent Larry Scully / Bert Whyte interview from AUDIO 1969

    Download the complete 5-page Bert Whtye interview of Larry Scully from the 11.69 issue if AUDIO:

    DOWNLOAD: LarryScully_BertWhyte_Interview_AUDIO_1169

    As longtime PS dot com readers know, we are based in Bridgeport CT,  former home of Scully.  Scully was America’s leading manufacturer of Lathes for cutting LP masters; only Neumann lathes offered any real competition in terms of quality. Starting in 1962, with the aid of former PRESTO engineers, Scully also began manufacturing high-quality tape machines in a variety of formats.  I had a Scully 1″ 8-track machine recently and it was a marvel of engineering; the sound quality was absolutely astonishing.  In this article, L Scully describes his father’s start at Columbia Records (also based in Bridgeport in the early 20th century), their movement the manufacture of professional tape machines, ETC.   Great piece of history.

    There is a plethora of Scully, Columbia/Bridgeport, and Bert Whyte material elsewhere on this site; just use the search box. 

  • Studio Report (c. 1949) : WMGM NYC (later FINE SOUND INC) (UPDATED 1)

    Download a 7pp article from AUDIO ENGINEERING magazine March 1949 on the subject of WMGM NYC.  Author is one M. E. Gunn.

    DOWNLOAD: Audio_Engineering-4903-WMGM_(later_Fine_Sound)-2018_scan

    Thanks to Tom Fine for the scan, and for this context:

    Here’s a look at WMGM, at 711 Fifth Avenue NYC (now the Coca-Cola building). My father’s first company was called Fine Sound, located in Tomkins Cove NY (Rockland County). He and George Piros started the company after they both left Reeves Studios, around 1951. It was there that the recording truck was conceived and built (*see here for our extensive prior coverage of that endeavor*), and also where my father invented a process we’d today call pseudo-stereo sound for film, PerspectaSound (more at  widescreenmuseum.com).
    Fine Sound INC circa 1954
    Loews/MGM bought 51% of PerspectaSound and moved my father’s studio business to most of the WMGM space described in this article. Studios A and B, which were 2-story floating rooms within the building, were the original NBC Network studios, before Rockefeller Center. After NBC moved out, World Broadcasting occupied the space during WWII. Loews/MGM bought the building in 1948 and set up their main radio station there. By the time Loews/MGM bought 51% of Fine Sound, WMGM wasn’t doing large-audience live radio very much, so Studios A and B weren’t needed for day to day radio work. So it was a good business move to convert most of the space into a recording and mastering facility. Columbia Pictures bought the building in 1956 and wanted to take over Studio A as a large screening room. My father’s business wasn’t viable without both big studios, so he got into a lawsuit against Loews/MGM to block the sale. He lost and ended up without a business. He ended up back on his feet a couple years later with Fine Recording (*see here for our extensive coverage of Fine Recording*)
    The ground-breaking Miles Davis/Gil Evans/Gerry Mulligan “Birth of the Cool” sessions were done at WMGM. As Fine Sound, the studios were host to numerous jazz sessions for Norman Granz (Norgran/Verve) and Mercury/Emarcy, by the likes of Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hodges, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Clark Terry, Roy Eldridge, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Patti Page, etc.
    Fine Sound studio B during Raymond Scott “Your Hit Parade Session.” Photo by Bob Eberenz, courtesy T. Fine
    The studios were also used by Raymond Scott to pre-record music for “Your Hit Parade,” and also to pre-record music for Patti Page’s TV program. There were also early stereo recordings made for Grand Award (Enoch Light’s company which ABC-Paramount bought and it then became Command Records).
    Raymond Scott (R) and assistant during”Your Hit Parade Session.” Photo by Bob Eberenz, courtesy T. Fine
    The studio was also used to produce PerspectaSound soundtrack masters for MGM movies and cartoons. Fine Sound also had a unique mono LP cutting system, using the Miller cutterhead. This system had zero electrical feedback, instead the cutterhead was mechanically damped with rubber blocks. The cutterhead could be driven with more power and was capable of greater dynamic range than Westrex mono system. Fine Sound was the largest independent (ie not Columbia, RCA or American Decca) LP-cutting facility in the USA in the mid-50s.
    As Prior

    During its time at Fine Sound, one of the 12-channel RCA consoles was converted to three-channel (in reality, it ended up being three 4×3 mixers). That console later ended up in Studio B of Fine Recording from 1958 to 1967. In the film-mixing studio (Studio C), MGM installed a custom Western Electric console designed and built specifically for MGM (and described in a SMPE [pre-SMPTE] Journal article). This console also ended up at Fine Recording, in Studio C, and was then at Walter Sear’s studio in NYC, and later it was briefly used at the now-defunct Museum of Sound Recording. It’s now privately owned and under restoration.