Record Collector

[Mick Howard]

I thought I might share the following extract from an autobiography that I am re-reading:

"When we were young men, though, business was the last thing on our minds. We were record hunters, fierce and indefatigable. To discover, in the back of some basement in Far Rockaway, a carton of unopened, still-in-original-wrapper sets of Black Swans - a label owned by W.C. Handy and responsible for Ethel Waters's first recordings - was an experience second only to orgasm"

Although the book from which the passage comes from was published in the early 90's it is actually describing the 1930's, although you knew that didn't you?

How many of us on here have felt the same way as the writer, particularly that last line? We don't even have to change the sentence much either - a carton of unopened, still-in-the-wrapper sets of Swans. How brilliant is that?

Finally, can you identify the writer?

Mick

[Funky 4 Corners]

Hi Mick

About 15 years ago I was talking to some guys who are into jazz and they had very similar recollections when looking for jazz 78s in a record shop in Tib Street in Manchester in the 50s.

[Mick Howard]

Hi Mick

About 15 years ago I was talking to some guys who are into jazz and they had very similar recollections when looking for jazz 78s in a record shop in Tib Street in Manchester in the 50s.

Hi there Keith

So we (i.e. the 'Soul' fraternity) were'nt really the first 'anoraks' were we?

Re the question - jazz is certainly a connection....

Mick

[pikeys dog]

IFinally, can you identify the writer?

Mick

Ahmet Ertegun?

[Amsterdam Russ]

If you haven't seen it, check out the documentary film Desperate Man Blues.

Record collector Joe Bussard parties like it's 1929! A cultural scavenger, musician and broadcaster, he was a pioneer in the preservation of 78rpm records and the roots music produced in pure and undiluted form in the 20s and 30s. Bussard has rescued priceless shellac artefacts from attics and basements across the US for more than 50 years. He has amassed a vast collection of more than 25,000 rare discs. At 65 Bussard has the enthusiasm and energy of a 16-year-old and will happily spin 75-year-old records all day for anyone who will listen. All the while he gives a running commentary on the music and performer, reliving the day it was made and relating some crazy tale of how he came to rescue the record!

Source: IMDB

You want to see hunting for old records? Here's your man, and he has some great tales to tell in the film of heading out into the countryside and knocking on the doors of old black families living in wooden shacks, trying to find out of they might have some even older records stashed in the barn or under the bed. Watch this and you realise that it could just as easily relate to the hunt for rare soul vinyl. In fact, there is no difference. The hunt is the same, and so are the hunters - the genre is irrelevant.

Just found a trailer for the film on YouTube. In it, Jo Bussard talks about record finds including one which netted him the only known copy of a particular 78, valued, he says, at US$50,000.

Edited November 2, 2010 by rigilbert

[Ian Dewhirst]

Record hunting has gone on a long time. In the grand scheme of things, Northern is relatively recent.

I haven't researched it yet but I'm willing to bet that music collecting started with the pianola and then every format and genre since.

I'm acquainted with serious collectors of Blues 78's which probably go back to the late 20's, Jazz guys who go way back to the 30's and 40's and Doo-Wop collectors who go back to the 50's There's a guy at the end of my street who has a phenomenal collection of 40's and 50's crooners on all the original labels but, hey, there's only so much Mario Lanza a guy can take...............

It's a good job there's people out there like us who are researching our international musical legacy throughout all genres and all decades. We're true historians and future generations will benefit from our knowledge. Music is like a time-capsule and a mini-soundbite of our history so it's important to preserve that slice of history 'cos it can say so much more than almost any other mass media medium.

Ian D

[boba]

If you haven't seen it, check out the documentary film Desperate Man Blues

Source: IMDB

You want to see hunting for old records? Here's your man, and he has some great tales to tell in the film of heading out into the countryside and knocking on the doors of old black families living in wooden shacks, trying to find out of they might have some even older records stashed in the barn or under the bed. Watch this and you realise that it could just as easily relate to the hunt for rare soul vinyl. In fact, there is no difference. The hunt is the same, and so are the hunters - the genre is irrelevant.

Just found a trailer for the film on YouTube. In it, Jo Bussard talks about record finds including one which netted him the only known copy of a particular 78, valued, he says, at US$50,000.

I found the racial element in the clip sort of offensive

[Kris Holmes]

Desperate Man Blues is an incredible film. The cut with commentary by Bussard is facemelting, stories for days. I think that youtube clip is for a different thing, because it's not what's on DMB.

What racial element? Mimicking the voices?

some cool pics from Joe's:

[Amsterdam Russ]

I think that youtube clip is for a different thing, because it's not what's on DMB.

Looking again this morning, I believe it's actually taken from the 30 minute 'featurette' that accompanies the film on DVD (or from the extra "40 minutes of footage not in the original film". Well, that's what it says on the back of my DVD cover).

[Guest]

Thanks for that Desperate Man Blues tip guys! Amazing film. And great pics Kris.

Edited November 3, 2010 by ak45

[Guest Dave Turner]

Looking again this morning, I believe it's actually taken from the 30 minute 'featurette' that accompanies the film on DVD (or from the extra "40 minutes of footage not in the original film". Well, that's what it says on the back of my DVD cover).

Enjoyable few minutes read on Bussard here ------

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/16690/desperate-man-blues

[Guest]

I found the racial element in the clip sort of offensive

Yup

He seemed to be an offensive guy .

Edited November 5, 2010 by mossy

[Kris Holmes]

wow, I love it how you can judge someone completely from a 5m youtube clip

[Guest]

OMG, look at all his records!

I didn't find it racist but I could detect his excitement. Although I'm not a collector I found that really interesting

[macca]

I downloaded (from a torrent site) a film about Bussard called 'down in the basement' after seeing a fabulous colour clip of son house on youtube. when you see him in action throughout the film, he definitely doesn't come across as a redneck chancer. in fact there's one clip where he calls on some old black guys who'd answered one of his ads. the scene is great and though the records they have are not what he's looking for, he's respectful and tries to 'connect' with them. The guy also happens to be a fantastic ragtime guitarist. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and would recommend it to anyone on here. the guy's enthusiasm is so contagious, especially when he takes you into his record room to listen to long forgotten 1930's jug bands whooping it up. great sound system for 78s too. :-)

Edited November 5, 2010 by macca

[Guest]

Then peoples conclusion of the man, via a very small clip, is misplaced

[Guest]

wow, I love it how you can judge someone completely from a 5m youtube clip

Yeah you are quite right,

It was just impersonating black accents and laughing in front of his crowd when he described how he ripped off the guy

I found a bit disrespectful.

but then no one is perfect are they .

And it is a really intresting look at other collectors

I shall get out of my glass house

[macca]

Let the man without sin cast the first stone. when I paid a dollar each for unplayed demo copies of yvonne baker and the van dykes in a washington record basement in 1987 I didn't bat an eyelid. was I ripping the guy off? It's all very relative...

[dthedrug]

HI ALL THIS IS THE FILM THAT i RECOMMENDED ON SOUL SOURCE, WHATS THIS RACIEST CRAP ABOUT, ONLY THE OTHER DAY, WHEN I WALKED OVER TO THE BUS STOP! I SAID TO THIS GEEZER "HEY MATE WHENS THE NEXT BUS DUE? HE REPLIED F**K OFF PIKEY" WELL , ALSO IN LETCHWORTH THEY HAVE GOT "BLACK SQUIRRELS, WHAT A NICE WORD!...BLACK?? TIS TRUE, I AM WELL IN WITH THE BME! ALWAYS HAVE, HOWEVER SOME OF MY MATES ARE ALSO PALE FLESH, I AM A MED ARAB FLESH, A FEW PEOPLE ARE SELFISH, NOW GO TO BED:ph34r: DtheDRUG

[Larsc]

Isn't the original quote from Jerry Wexlers autobiography?

[Mrtag]

Let the man without sin cast the first stone. when I paid a dollar each for unplayed demo copies of yvonne baker and the van dykes in a washington record basement in 1987 I didn't bat an eyelid. was I ripping the guy off? It's all very relative...

You Or He Wouldnt Be The First And You Won't Be The Last!!

[Dylan]

I didn't find him racist to be honest.

will order the film as I can imagine it will be very interesting.

[Amsterdam Russ]

It really is worth watching.

I'm quite surprised that no one has so far claimed that their mates, or some geezers that they heard about on another forum, cherry-picked Bussard's collection years ago, and that the sad reality is that its crap cos there's no four or five figure Northern in there.

Edited November 6, 2010 by rigilbert

[Ian Dewhirst]

It really is worth watching.

I'm quite surprised that no one has so far claimed that their mates, or some geezers that they heard about on another forum, cherry-picked Bussard's collection years ago, and that the sad reality is that its crap cos there's no four or five figure Northern in there.

Nothing to write home about. I cleared him out in '77 when I swapped him some crap Blues 78's from the 30's for the Sillhouettes album on Goodway which he had by accident...........

Ian D

[Mrtag]

Yeah! But Did He Leave The Free 7" In It!!

[Mick Howard]

Isn't the original quote from Jerry Wexlers autobiography?

Lars

Bang on my friend.

Wondered how long it would take someone to identify it.

Wexler was indeed an avid collector of Jazz of the 20's and 30's but I bet it was nowhere near like that Joe Bussard.....

Mick

[Kris Holmes]

That Jerry Wexler book is actually a really good read.