Pink Floyd & Reslo Microphones

So it's a leap year and it's the 29th of February so time for a new post. The theme this time is Pink Floyd, why? you ask...well why not! Pink Floyd are perpetually inspirational and influential, and as "The Pink Floyd Sound", as they were originally called, are in the middle of releasing über-deluxe "immersion" versions of three of their classic albums, what better an opportunity!

First up is an early shot of a certain Mr. David Gilmour strumming on his Höfner Club 60 and singing with a Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone. According to the book "The Höfner Guitar : A History" David persuaded his parents to buy him a Fender Telecaster, after which he sold this original guitar as he owed someone some money. The band known as "Joker's Wild" also featured Dave Altham (instrument-less), John Gordon ("The Infotainer" on a hollow bodied guitar) and Tony Sainty on bass. Obviously one Reslo microphone was not enough for four performing singers!

Photograph courtesy of John Gordon www.myspace.com/the_infotainer

Of course, not to forget that before David Gilmour there was the crazy diamond himself Syd Barrett.

Perhaps being slightly subtle here but you can just spot a Reslo Ribbon Microphone on the left, just by the curtains, next to what's probably a Beyer M160 Ribbon Microphone. Syd with his trademark Fender Telecaster, spot the Selmer Twin Selectortone valve amplifier just behind him. Also peeking out on the right is the heel end of Roger Waters Höfner bass! What must've been a great jam in someone's front living room, and all of which being presided over by the guiding eye of Howlin' Wolf!

Seen below on the left with a Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone and playing a Framus Sorella is Syd in his pre Floyd band "The Tea Set". Note Syd's Bird amplifier complete with maracas on top!

Spot someone else here #1? Yep, Roger Waters playing a lovely Höfner President 500/5  hollow-bodied bass. Also seen here is The Tea Set's lead singer Chris Dennis.

Spot someone else here #2? Yep again, slightly obscured (by clouds..perhaps?) is Rado "Bob" Klose, a friend of David Gilmour who also played on an early Pink Floyd acetate recording as well as appearing on David Gilmour's last album "On An Island" in 2006.


Thanks to Wolfgang Jünemann for spotting Syd' Framus guitar, Photographer probably Sebastian Jenkins.

Finally moving onto c.1967 and the point where Pink Floyd are fully formed. Here we have the much missed Richard Wright with his faithful Farfisa Compact-Duo organ as well as a Reslo CR Ribbon Microphone.

More information at these links:

Official Pink Floyd website

Offical David Gilmour website
Official Roger Waters website

Richard Wright fan page

Official Syd Barrett website

Fables of History - The Reslo

Over at the Fables of History blog, there's a great vintage vibed picture post of a Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone. The blog is run by James Edward Bagshaw who is the guitar player in English band "The Moons" who are currently working on a new album. The band will also be going on tour across Europe with Liam Gallagher's band, Beady Eye, so go seek them out.

James mentions how he was given this mic by Edwyn "A Girl Like You" Collins during recent recording session. James says "This Reslosound ribbon mic dates back to the sixties, it was kindly given to me by Edwyn Collins during the recording of the forthcoming Moons album. I have always preferred the sound of ribbon microphones, they have a velvety smooth sound to them."

Fables of History : The Reslo

Reslo & Mick Jagger at the BBC's Top Of The Pops studios

Mick posing with a Reslo RV Ribbon Microphone for BBC photographer Harry Goodwin, 1964.

Harry Goodwin was the BBC in-house photographer for Top Of The Pops. He photographed many of the musicians appearing on the programme including Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Bob Dylan. His prints formed part of an exhibition recently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

This shot was taken at the BBC in Manchester at the famous disused church studios where from new year's day 1964 up until 1967 all the early Top Of The Pops programmes were recorded (of course, later in their wisdom the BBC demolished the church in the 70s). The Rolling Stones were the first artist to appear on TOTP on the 1st January 1964 were they performed "I Wanna Be Your Man".

As described by the late great Jimmy Saville, "The BBC had a studio in Manchester [on Dickenson Road] which was a disused church and, anything they didn't want to do in London, they slung up into this old church. And, of course, they didn't want anything to do with pop music so that was our place. And it was marvellous".

This is a video from the V&A lauch of the exhibition with interviews with Harry along with snippets from amongst others the DJ Jimmy Saville, Paul Gambaccini, Tom McGuinness (Manfred Mann), and Pan's People!

Harry's V&A touring exhibition 'My Generation: The Glory Years of British Rock' has currently taken up residency at "The Public" in West Bromwich, England until mid January 2012 so come down to the black country and view these photographs in true analogue style! It's also free to enter.

The Public website My Generation: The Glory Years of British Rock

BBC News page BBC News Birmingham & The Black Country

 

V&A interview with Harry Goodwin remembering Top of the Pops: V&A Interview

More Rolling Stones pictures can be seen at the Reslo flickr page www.flickr.com/reslosound

Want more links? OK then, here's a few Top Of The Pops related sites!

The Beatles In Manchester

Manchester Beat
Sixties City

Reslo Ribbon Microphones on show in the film "Nowhere Boy"

Once again UK viewers got some Reslosound action this past Sunday when "Nowhere Boy" had it's UK terrestrial premiere on Channel 4, who also helped finance the film. Sam Taylor Wood's biopic about a young John Lennon and the women who shaped his pre-Beatles life, namely his aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas), who raised him and his absentee mother Julie (Anne-Marie Duff) who re-enters his life.

Aaron Johnson plays John Lennon and is depicted in a number of scenes performing in "his" band The Quarrymen (the official stance on Quarrymen or Quarry Men here: The Original Quarrymen website). Later he is joined in the band by Paul McCartney (Thomas Sangster) as well as George Harrison (Sam Bell). These scenes are really well designed with great art direction and attention to detail including correct era clothing, stage setup, instruments and of course Reslo Ribbon Microphones.

More pictures from the film and the originals which inspired the film design on the Reslo flickr page here: Reslo & The Beatles flickr set


Watch the film again again Channel 4's website: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/nowhere-boy

Official film website: http://www.nowhereboy.co.uk/

Official Quarrymen website: www.originalquarrymen.co.uk/

Reslo RB Ribbon Microphones on stage at The Cavern with the The Harrison family 1964

"Meet the Beatles for Real" posted a nice candid photograph of the Harrison family on stage in 1964 at the Cavern Club posing with a trio of Reslo RB Ribbon Microphones.

Pictured from the left are Louise (George's mom), Harold (George's dad) & Louise (George's older sister).

Meet the Beatles for Real: The Harrison family at the Cavern Club