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Country Blues => Super Electrical Recordings! => Topic started by: M.Vidrine on January 10, 2004, 08:33:56 AM

Title: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: M.Vidrine on January 10, 2004, 08:33:56 AM
Hello everyone 
Just wanted to spread the news that a great new set of early gospel and congregational preaching called Goodbye, Babylon. A local friend of mine spent the last four years putting the set together with the help of many other old-time notables. Encompassing six CDs (the first five of music, with the last focusing on preachers) the compilation includes artists from many different genres. The packaging is wonderfully done, even rivaling the Patton set on Revenant (it was the same folks who worked on both). I also believe it was remastered by the company that did the Anthology of American Folk Music. The list of liner note contributors includes Lynn Abbott, David Evans, Ray Funk, Anthony Heilbut, Kip Lornell, Luigi Monge, Paul Oliver, Opal Louis Nations, Bruce Nemerov, Guido van Rijn, Ken Romanowski, Tony Russell, Doug Seroff, Dick Spottswood, Warren Steel, David Tibet, Gayle Dean Wardlow, and Charles Wolfe.

The label is called Dust-to-Digital & their website is at - www.dust-digital.com/ (http://www.dust-digital.com/). In the works for next year is a compilation of pre-war sacred harp music. This will be a tough package to top, but I foresee a great future for the label!!

The set is also on sale at Venerable Music for $99.50 (with free shipping). Here is a link to the page - www.venerablemusic.com/catalog/TitleDetails.asp?TitleID=6443 (http://www.venerablemusic.com/catalog/TitleDetails.asp?TitleID=6443).

Take Care,
Malcolm
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Johnm on January 10, 2004, 11:20:33 PM
Hello all,
Thanks, Malcolm, for letting us know about the  Goodbye, Babylon re-issue set your friend put together.  You are right, the line-up of artists and songs is amazing, and in terms of casting a pretty wide net to encompass artists of different musical genres playing religious music, this set one-ups the diversity of the recent Yazoo re-issues, which most often combine Country Blues and Old-Time performers.  In addition to including musicians from those styles, this set also includes a fair bit of Bluegrass, popular Gospel performers like Mahalia Jackson and the Golden Gate Quartet and a lot of preachers, choirs, and smaller sacred ensembles.
Looking at the titles included in the set, the only drawback, apart from cost, that I can see is the same drawback that a number of people had with the Revenant Charley Patton set--many of the cuts that you would most want to have, you might already have on other anthologies.  A very high percentage of the cuts on the early Revenant re-issue, American Primitive, Vol. 1, Raw Pre-War Gospel, are included in this set.  Of the Old-Time cuts, a good number have appeared on earlier County re-issues. 
This new set, though, is far more comprehensive than any previous set I have seen, so if you like this kind of music and preaching, and would like to have a single source set that included a ton of music, this set looks like a great one to get.
All best,
John   
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: M.Vidrine on January 11, 2004, 01:25:43 PM
Yes, I noticed a few of the tracks were also on the Antology of American Folk Music. I asked Lance (the fellow in charge of the project) if he took that into account when choosing the songs for the compilation. He replied "No", what he did was look for tracks that emitted a raw gospel feeling. He was more after the mood than trying to put out a unique collection. All & all, it's a wonderful collection. It was the first time I ever laid my ears on Brother Claude Ely. There Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down is a great track!! Anyone have his collection on ACE??
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Bill Roggensack on January 11, 2004, 03:47:07 PM
Thanks for the 'heads up' - this collection is of great interst to me, and even though I have quite a few of the tracks scattered across other recordings, it will be great to have so much material together in one easy-to-find collection. I also like the way a variety of genres have been stacked on top of each other - this should make the recordings pretty easy to listen to. Uncle Dave Macon singing 'The Bible's True' on the same CD as the Stanley Brothers doing 'Standing in  the Need of Prayer' and Bascom Lunsford with 'Dry Bones' should be a real listening experience. I wonder if Uncle Dave was sober when he recorded that one?

By the way, AMG has given this collection a five-star rating and a very positive review.
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Johnm on January 12, 2004, 10:28:37 AM
Hi all,
I realized when I thought about it a little more that it could easily cost five to ten times as much to try to amass the titles on this collection through purchases of other individual anthologies, even assuming you could do such a thing.  It is a tremendous set of titles.
All best,
John
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Johnm on February 05, 2004, 06:59:10 PM
Hi all,
This set received an absolutely glowing recommendation in the February 2 issue of the New Yorker magazine, p. 8.  I don't know if your friend who put out the set knew of the review in advance, Malcolm, but if he has not seen it, he will really be gratified by it.  It's about as good a review as a re-issue project can get.
All best,
John
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Slack on February 06, 2004, 07:54:15 AM
Dang, this weeniecampbell association gets expensive sometimes.  ^-^  I went ahead and ordered the set after listening to the nice samples Malcolm has on his site.  Looks like the set is popular as it is backordered for a couple of weeks.

cheers,
slack

Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: M.Vidrine on February 08, 2004, 07:03:15 AM
Hey Guys,
Yes, he knew about the review in the New Yorker. The press on this set has been absolutely amazing. It may be that my close proximity to this project colors my view, but few titles have come close to equaling the media storm. Hmm, lets see, there was the Anthology of American Folk Music re-issue, and above that the Sony issue of the Robert Johnson recordings.

I managed a returns department for a major music distributor when the Robert Johnson box came out. I can't tell you how many copies came back as "defective" because they sounded like an old record. This is when you know that the press is doing it's job!!

Anyway - thanks for the order Slack!! We should be getting more in this week & I have a feeling it'll just cover the backorders. I know Lance just ordered another 1000 copies pressed and has 800 of those sold. Last I heard he was going to run yet another 1000.

I'm very happy for him, as he spent the last 4 years creating the set and took a chance (going 6 digits in debt) pressing it!! The story snuggles up to the entrepreneur in me. The only downside - How can you follow it up?? Still, tough to have the blues when your sittin' on top!!

Thanks,
Malcolm
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Bill Roggensack on February 14, 2004, 10:50:24 PM
There was a very glowing review in the recent issue of Blues Revue, making noises about this set being of award-winning calibre, better all-round than the Patton set from Revenant.

I've joined Slack on the backorder list, and will be looking forward to a package arriving sometime in the next few weeks.
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Slack on February 21, 2004, 09:00:38 AM
Hey Maocolm,

Received the box set a couple of days ago - have listened to the 1st two CD's - I have a smattering of these cuts - but much of it is new to me.  Absolutely wonderful set - give Lance a high five for me.  Clever packaging too, which I'd forgotten about - the raw Georgia cotton is a nice touch.
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: M.Vidrine on February 21, 2004, 09:50:30 AM
Hello Slack -

Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: M.Vidrine on February 21, 2004, 09:58:12 AM
Sorry, premature post on that last one.

Slack - Glad it made it to you safely!
Front Page - I'll have yours in the mail on Monday!

On a sad note, Lance is on his way to the Washington D.C. area to help out his friend Dick Spottswood. Apparently Dick had an accident slipping on some ice while walking his dog. I think he broke his leg pretty badly and is having trouble getting around. If anyone knows him, you may want to give a call or send a card.

Take Care,
Malcolm
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Slack on February 23, 2004, 10:17:15 AM
Malcolm,

Just in case you are wondering what the heck is going on.

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?Itemid=47&?topic=260.0

cheers,
slack
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: waxwing on December 07, 2004, 11:13:00 AM
Just notice mka posted this on the PWBL:

Quote
The box set Goodbye Babylon is nominated for two Grammy Awards,

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
and
Best Historic Reissue

Way to go Malcolm, et. al.

All for now.
John C.
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: M.Vidrine on December 08, 2004, 12:33:48 PM
Thanks John - I get to be excited by association. Lance (and others) did all the work; I just put a few hundred of those things together at the height of sales (it was a little much for 2 people to handle). Expectations are modest as Johnny Cash is nominated in both categories as well. You never know? If he does take it home, I've already got dibbs on the first spit-shine - ha!

If you haven't seen it yet, the Dust-To-Digital Christmas CD is just as good (on a much smaller scale) - http://www.venerablemusic.com/catalog/TitleDetails.asp?TitleID=8408. It was curated by musicologist Dick Spottswood & features more world style music. I love the two Calypso tracks - I didn't even realize I was a fan.

Lance also recently introduced me to Frank Mare. Little did I know he lives just a few blocks away from my daughter's pre-school. I have never been around a collection of 78's that massive (literally thousands). All I can say is the afternoon went by pretty quickly just listening to music. He had tons of stuff I have never heard or seen re-issued. Next time I'm bringing a tape - dang it!

Malcolm
Title: Re: Goodbye, Babylon - Early Gospel
Post by: Bill Roggensack on December 12, 2004, 03:27:31 PM
Re: Grammy Nominations for "Goodbye, Babylon"
Well deserved! This is without a doubt the best CD box set I have in my collection. Not only is the music phenomenal, but the liner notes set a standard that have not been achieved before. Best of luck in the competition. For what it's worth, Johnny Cash and I shared a common great-great grandmother (Note: grannies, not Grammies) - so I'll have to keep an open mind regarding the outcome. Whether "Goodbye, Babylon" scores zero, one or two Grammies, I will continue to enjoy these inspirational recordings for many years to come.
 O0
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