Re: [ARSCLIST] Back-catalog (was Columbia Studio/Warehouse Fire)

[Steven Barr <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger and Allison Kulp" <thorenstd124@xxxxxxxxx>
> There used to be a lot of agonizing of this in the punk rock 'zines,in the
80s,and 90s.
>   It's just gotten worse,as the megacorps have gotten more desperate.
>
The difference is, of course, that only in the last few years has the
emergence of CD-RW techology...both practical and affordable, made it
possible to produce effective perfect duplicates of commercial digital
recordings (including one's own!)...!
...scb

> Steven Barr <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>   ---- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lou Judson"
> > I would also be curious if there were unadmitted or unknown losses from
> > before Sony acquired many smaller record companies?
> >
> > I always find it odd to see references to "Sony Music" and "Sony
> > Studios" as I wonder what they were before the acquisition... and I'd
> > be very interested to know if Sony built any studios or record
> > companies from the ground up?
> >
> Sony was, of course, once CBS...and CBS had acquired the operations of
> the American Record Corporation in 1938. ARC was formed by a merger of
> Pathe (which had already acquired Cameo) and the Plaza Music Company,
> which pressed numerous labels. ARC took over the rights to Brunswick
> at the end of 1931, and Columbia (which included Okeh) in mid-1934.
> Brunswick, of course, had already acquired Brunswick.
>
> Shortly after ARC took over Columbia, Jack Kapp founded the Decca
> label (fall, 1934). (RCA-)Victor, although they did consider
> abandoning the record business in the early thirties, continued...
> meaning there were three major record companies from 1934 to the
> eventual emergence of Musicraft as well as Eli Oberstein's efforts
> to found a financially viable record firm.
>
> Once the record business regained economic health, it was a
> field entered by virtually anybody with any interest...custom
> recording studios, pressing plants and printers(for labels,
> sleeves, usw.) meant that any new label didn't need the
> extensive machinery the original ones did! There were
> any number of successful "not quite major" labels after
> 1942-45, and some went on to become majors.
>
> The final question will be who will be left after the massive
> waves of mergers and takeovers are finished...OTOH, CD technology
> makes it possible to become a "record company" with very little
> hardware!
>
> So, when "Every Record Label You Have Ever Heard Of, UNLTD" has
> to do economic battle with about a gazillion music types who
> have CD burners...
>
> ?!
>
> Steven C. Barr
>
>
>
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