Demo's with minor/ stereo- why?

[Geeselad]

Just wondering why so many demo's were single sided, with a mono/ stereo mix?

[Only Dreaming]

I'm pretty sure it was because many US radio stations at the time broadcast mainly in mono.

Dave

[Tlscapital]

This has to do with the stereo and MONO "war" and the switch in the manufacture of the "mothers" lathe  that were always and still done with a 'MONO' cutter for the MONO records up to 1967 but then they switch for a 'stereo' cutter even for the MONO groove "mothers" lathe. It's believed that by the early seventies about every lathe cut were then done with 'stereo' cutters even for MONO records.

Since the mid sixties the practice for 'rush' promo releases for major labels with double 'A' sides promotional issues became more and more accepted since radios were indeed playing a lot the same sides when a 'HIT'. Although this thing started because the record companies had no material to toss on the flip and so rushed releases them double 'A' sides or later even 'single sided' for even less elegance.

By the late sixties most radios were broadcasting in stereo but not all and many still were using MONO phono gear and so they gave those promos a stereo and MONO double 'A' sides. These MONO sides were cut with a stereo cutter and prove rather disappointing IMO as it's not real MONO but stereo made to be MONO. On my MONO phono set-up those stereo sides sound better than those "fake" MONO sides.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Tlscapital

[Geeselad]

2 hours ago, Tlscapital said:

This has to do with the stereo and MONO "war" and the switch in the manufacture of the "mothers" lathe  that were always and still done with a 'MONO' cutter for the MONO records up to 1967 but then they switch for a 'stereo' cutter even for the MONO groove "mothers" lathe. It's believed that by the early seventies about every lathe cut were then done with 'stereo' cutters even for MONO records.

Since the mid sixties the practice for 'rush' promo releases for major labels with double 'A' sides promotional issues became more and more accepted since radios were indeed playing a lot the same sides when a 'HIT'. Although this thing started because the record companies had no material to toss on the flip and so rushed releases them double 'A' sides or later even 'single sided' for even less elegance.

By the late sixties most radios were broadcasting in stereo but not all and many still were using MONO phono gear and so they gave those promos a stereo and MONO double 'A' sides. These MONO sides were cut with a stereo cutter and prove rather disappointing IMO as it's not real MONO but stereo made to be MONO. On my MONO phono set-up those stereo sides play better than those "fake" MONO sides.

Thanks very much, highly informative