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Author Topic: Blues Discography 1943-1970  (Read 16202 times)

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Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2006, 01:12:20 AM »
It might be worth waiting until the book makes its way into the distribution and retail pipeline. I doubt that we'll see any significant discounts on this one, but Amazon's free shipping and no charge for credit card orders will knock $20 off the total price.
I'm afraid it won't. I enquired about this from McGrath prior to ordering my copy. Two choices, either direct from him at the website or via Roots & Rhythm who will take the order and pass to him for despatch. I took the latter option thinking that after our four decade friendship Frank Scott could do with the commission. R&R were extremely efficient at handling the order and my copy (via airmail from Canada) arrived 5 days later, even if at extreme cost to myself. Beats UK domestic second class post anyday. :)
« Last Edit: October 28, 2006, 01:13:52 AM by Bunker Hill »

Offline Stuart

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2006, 09:50:36 AM »
It might be worth waiting until...
I'm afraid it won't....

Thanks for the update, BH. Sometimes we have to pay top dollar for quality--and not wait for a sale that will never happen.

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #17 on: October 28, 2006, 11:07:04 AM »
Quote from: Stuart
Thanks for the update, BH. Sometimes we have to pay top dollar for quality--and not wait for a sale that will never happen.
Quite so.

That's exactly what happened with Blues Records Vol.2 (L-Z). When it finally appeared in 1994 (7 years after vol.1) folk held off buying in the anticipation that after a couple of years it would be sold cheap like Vol.1. The reality was that Vol.2 sold out within two years. A reprint never took place and all those holding out for cheap copies were left with only half a discography (A-K). On the rare occasions that the second volume came onto eBay, it sold for sums well, well beyond its worth - and was out of date into the bargain!

Offline CF

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2008, 08:29:42 AM »
I'm confused  :) Having ordered 'Blues & Gospel' I may want this down the road . . . but, is this an A-Z discography or just A-M for 1943-1970??
Stand By If You Wanna Hear It Again . . .

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2008, 08:50:11 AM »
I'm confused  :) Having ordered 'Blues & Gospel' I may want this down the road . . . but, is this an A-Z discography or just A-M for 1943-1970??
One huge volume, two columns per page, miniscule typeface, A-Z.

See www.eyeballproductions.com where details of Gospel discography also available.

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2008, 10:52:03 AM »
Here follows Bob McGrath's introduction under the heading "History and rebirth"

The Blues Discography is the successor to the trailblazing Blues Records 1943-66 by Mike Leadbitter and his partner Neil Slaven (first published in 1968). Sadly the world lost a great Blues advocate in 1974, when Mike died of tubercular meningitis at the age of 32. Thirteen years later in 1987 as a belated tribute to Mike, Neil (with support from Alan Balfour and Chris Smith) completed the first part (A to K) of the much anticipated second edition of Blues Records broadening the content to include more city blues and R&B artists and expanding the years covered to 1943-1970. Due to disagreements between Neil and his publisher, things then temporarily ground to a halt. Eventually Les Fancourt was persuaded to take up the reigns and the second part (L to Z) saw the light of day seven years later in 1994.

I've always loved Blues Records. When it was first published I was delighted that someone had finally afforded the same dignity to the Blues that had long been the accepted standard for Jazz discography. The same, of course, was equally true when Cedric Hayes and Robert Laughton cataloged the parallel universe of Black Gospel music a few years later within. Gospel Records 1943-70. My copies of both of these milestone works are falling to pieces in beautiful distress as a result of their constant abuse. l had dabbled with discographical ramblings myself at the original time of their publication and many years later I was inspired directly by these publications to attempt a similar task when I embarked on the huge undertaking of chronicling all independent record labels that released Black music. This became The R&B Indies.

It occurred to me one day, in the course of my research and investigation of indies lore, that both Gospel Records and Blues Records were long overdue for republishing. Les Fancourt, Cedric Hayes and Bob Laughton had been very helpful supplying information for The R&B Indies and I was delighted to learn from them that they had continued to gather information and develop the manuscripts over the last 11 years or so, despite the slim chance that a future edition would ever be published. It seemed criminal to me that after all this research, revision and effort that they had made, should be left in desk drawer purgatory. After talking with Les, Cedric Robert and Neil and reviewing the bruises and baggage we decided what was needed, was a fresh start. The new incarnations, The Blues Discography 1943-70 and The Gospel Discography 1943-70 are by default, very much just that, as so much fresh information has been uncovered. Now that they are reborn we have close to complete coverage of the genre's most exciting period. The Blues Discography catalogs the Blues' transition from an almost totally African-American and often localized target group to its eventual international acclaim.

The Blues, as we all know, is a many splendored thing and not a finite science so there will undoubtedly be endless disagreements of what should and shouldn't have been included. I fought tooth and nail to allow "The Sweethearts Of The Blues" to be included as Les made room for harder blues but as a Swedish associate of mine explained "one man's meat is another's pickled herring". Yes well, I think its best to leave it there. As for the unfortunate 'almost-blues' artists that have slipped through the cracks, they will perhaps be presented one day in a third companion work The Soul Discography 1960 - 80. I am currently in the process of convincing a gentleman who is extremely well qualified to give up his life for the interim and partner with me on this project.

The work's format is set in a standard discographical layout, alphabetically by artist, chronologically by session and matrix number, listing personnel details where known and unissued titles. All original releases are listed, mainly 45 rpm and 78 rpm issues but where appropriate, selective EP, LP and CD entries. Non-US releases are excluded unless they are themselves the initial issue. A cross-referencing musician's index can be found immediately following the discography on page 611. Unfortunately some new information came to light after the index had been written and to avoid rearranging the pagination and therefore necessitating a complete rewrite of the index, these have been annexed as a Late Additions section on page 626.

Dovetailing perfectly with this volume is a companion work The Gospel Discography 1943-70 by Cedric Hayes & Robert Laughton available from Eyeball Productions (2007). For pre-war recordings see Blues and Gospel Recordings 1890-1943 by Robert M.W. Dixon, John Godrich & Howard Rye (1997) avaiable from the Oxford University Press.

Offline CF

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #21 on: July 19, 2008, 11:50:51 AM »
Great Alan, thanks for that. I may have to get this sooner than I planned. I looked into ordering it from Eyeball but it seemed a paypal account was required . . . I'd rather not go down that path if possible but I don't know where else I could pick this up . . .
Stand By If You Wanna Hear It Again . . .

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2008, 12:09:03 PM »
Great Alan, thanks for that. I may have to get this sooner than I planned. I looked into ordering it from Eyeball but it seemed a paypal account was required . . . I'd rather not go down that path if possible but I don't know where else I could pick this up . . .
I bought mine via Frank Scott at Roots & Rhythm using a credit card. I thought the least I could do was give the commission to an old friend. It was mailed to me by Eyeball.

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #23 on: July 27, 2015, 11:27:10 AM »
Just to be sure. Is the information in the discography Blues Records, 1943-1966 the same as in Blues Records, 1943-1970?
So Blues Records, 1943-1970 is basically Blues Records, 1943-1966 with 4 years added?

Offline alyoung

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #24 on: July 27, 2015, 04:21:50 PM »
Just to be sure. Is the information in the discography Blues Records, 1943-1966 the same as in Blues Records, 1943-1970?
So Blues Records, 1943-1970 is basically Blues Records, 1943-1966 with 4 years added?
There's an enormous difference, because of the amount of extra information garnered since "1966" was published. No comparison between the two -- "1966" was in effect the first attempt to get the ball rolling; the latest 1943-70 (while still not perfect) is a huge advance.

Offline dj

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #25 on: July 27, 2015, 05:30:32 PM »
Quote
No comparison between the two

I'll second that.  Browsing through the first few pages of each, 1943-1970 covers many more artists, has more complete information on artists covered in both (and not just because it includes 4 more years of entries), and presumably has more correct information on artists, issues, personnel, etc.

Offline Stefan Wirz

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2015, 07:31:46 PM »
... The New Testament - in chronological order  ;D



- Mike Leadbitter & Neil Slaven: Blues Records 1943 to 1966 - A complete guide to 20 years of recorded blues.- London/New York (Oak Publications), 1968

- Mike Leadbitter & Neil Slaven: Blues Records 1943 to 1970 - A selective discography, Vol. one, A to K.- London (Record Information Services), 1987

- Mike Leadbitter, Leslie Fancourt & Paul Pelletier: Blues Records 1943 to 1970 - A selective discography, Vol. two, L to Z.- London (Record Information Services), 1994

- Les Fancourt & Bob McGrath: The Blues Discography 1943 - 1970.- Vancouver 2006
- Les Fancourt & Bob McGrath: The Blues Discography 1943 - 1970 (2nd edition).- Vancouver 2012

- Robert Ford & Bob McGrath: The Blues Discography 1971 - 2000 [the later years].- Vancouver 2011

Offline Bunker Hill

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2015, 11:37:23 PM »
Nice one Stefan. I've attached a scan of the cloth (hardback) edition published by Hanover Books Ltd. In the early 70s the late Mike Leadbitter once worked at Hanover.

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #28 on: July 28, 2015, 01:06:10 PM »
Thanks for response. I guess you don't really need 43-66 if you have 43-70.

Add Blues & Gospel Records - 1890-1943 (Dixon, Godrich, Rye) to the testament and you're all set.

Recording The Blues (Dixon, Godrich, Oliver) would be a good companion
https://archive.org/stream/RecordingTheBlues/Recording%20the%20Blues#page/n1/mode/2up

Offline Blues Vintage

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Re: Blues Discography 1943-1970
« Reply #29 on: July 28, 2015, 01:25:19 PM »
The 1943-1966 edition is currently offered at my local online market. It's being advertised as "extremely rare". I thought about bidding on the book but hesitate now knowing the 43-70 is so much better. Below some photos from the listing.

« Last Edit: July 28, 2015, 01:31:40 PM by harry »

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