Reslo & Rod Stewart

Reslo & Rod Stewart at the Marquee Club, London

"Who's that?" you're asking, well, yes you're right, it's none other than Rod "The Mod" Stewart in his 60s glory. There is some great vintage footage courtesy of BBC One's "Imagine" documentary series & the British Film Institue available online.

Reslo & Rod Stewart at the Marquee Club, London

The BBC's "Imagine" programme featured an original programme from the 60s that focused on Rod Stewart when he was just starting out as a performer and was still living at home. Some of those early scenes were shot at the legendary Marquee in London and featuring Reslo RB Ribbon Microphones.

Reslo & Rod Stewart at the Marquee Club, London

Rod Stewart - official website

The Marquee Club

Watch the programme on BBC iPlayer here

The Sound of 2012 Michael Kiwanuka

You may have first heard of native north Londoner Michael Kiwanuka back in January this year when he won the BBC's Sound of 2012. You may have seen his debut video for "Tell a Tale" which was filmed in Berlin and featured sumptuous shots of Super-8 analogue goodness. Or you may have heard those warm analogue tones of his songs smoothing out of the radio and thought to yourself ..."who is this undiscovered gem of a soul singer from the late 60s/early 70s ?". 

Well, as his BBC award shows he is very much an artist of today. Often compared to a string of legends such as Bill Withers & Van Morrison, he's definitely his own man with his own style, a man of analogue style.

Michael Kiwanuka with a sitar in the kitchen, unusual? Not at all!

Michael Kiwanuka at London's Toerag Studios

Michael released a couple of EPs last year and in March this year his major label debut LP for Polydor Records "Home Again" was released, all of which were produced and recorded by Paul Butler (head honcho of the eclectic & eccentric band, The Bees!) in his predominantly analogue favoured Steam Room Studios on the Isle of White (always handy for Bestival!). Along with producing his own recordings Paul "chicken shack" Butler has also co-produced Devendra Banhart’s last album "What Will We Be" over in Bolinas, North California. 

It's no surprise to see Michael join forces with Paul, commenting on why he thought Paul was the right man for the job Michael states "It’s just his take on sound, really".

After reading an interview with engineer Russell Elevado, who recorded D’Angelo’s landmark album "Voodoo", Michael seemed to have realised his search for a sound..."he was just describing how they recorded it with old tape machines and old amplifiers, and most of it was to tape, and the kit didn’t have millions of mics around it. I was like, ‘Well if it works for new and old, it’s gonna be universal.’ So I figured that’s the best way to record music.”

Michael in Paul Butler's Steam Room Studios - Photo Samuel John Butt

 From the photo above let's check the studio's analogue credentials:

• Fender Rhodes - check
• Roland SH-101 analogue synth - check
• Roland Space Echo tape echo/spring reverb - check
• TL Audio 5021 valve compressor - check 
• Fender Twin Reverb - check
• Fender 2 x 15" cabinet - check 
• Maracas in rastafarian colours - check

 Oh and a Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone check, check, check!

Carrying on the analogue theme (what else would you expect on the Reslo blog), the picture of Michael above was taken by photographer Samuel John Butt while recording his first EP on the Isle of Wight. You'll be pleased to know that it was shot on film and Sam describes himself as a big fan of the analogue process, be it in photography, music or film. Check out his sites here: Sam's website, Sam's tumblr blog, Sam's blogspot.

Michael Kiwanuka filming his debut "Tell a Tale" featuring lots of Super-8 footage

As a fan a good music Michael naturally veered to the analogue side of life. Commenting on an acoustic recording of Otis Redding's classic "Sitting on the Dock of The Bay" Michael noted that..."It was quite raw, it didn't have the electric guitar, it had some horns but it was really raw. You could hear the engineers talking over it while the acoustic guitar was strumming and I loved that sound. And then the glorious voice started."

You can really see this influence on some of the low key acoustic performances from Michael where he'd be joined simply by double bass & flute as seen on his BBC "Later...with Jools Holland" appearance.

To add to this warm soul lineage Michael has also played with Bill Withers's drummer James Gadson..."That was pretty crazy, I did some sessions with him, worked on some tunes - he still sounds the same." 

Check out this video of Bill Withers performing "Ain't No Sunshine" in the same BBC TV studios as Michael's Later appearence some 40 years earlier.
 

Having played with the likes of Adele and those analogue fiends The Black Keys (check out their collaboration on "Lasan"), Michael is currently on tour in America so our friends over the pond get the chance witness the Kiwanuka experience. He's also working on a new album so there's much to look forward to.

Links:
http://michaelkiwanuka.com/
http://michaelkiwanuka.tumblr.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelKiwanukaMusic

The Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary

It's only rock 'n' roll but we like it!

It's official, The Rolling Stones reach their half ton!

Keith Richards on stage with a Reslo Ribbon Microphone at their first ever show at the Marquee, 165 Oxford Street, London...50 years ago today!

Keith Richards with a Reslo Ribbon Microphone, note Keith's hand drawn "Rollin' Stones" logo

Original Marquee newspaper advert

  

It was today on Thursday 12th July 1962, half a century ago that saw the fledgling R&B group perform in the basement club of the Academy Cinema at 165 Oxford Street, London, better know simply as the Marquee.

Inspired by the electric R&B sound of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry the Brian Jones led band were booked to play along with Long John Baldry. 

Billed as "Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones" they played a set chock full of blues covers by the likes of Elmore James & Jimmy Reed. Mick's name was used in the billing as he would have been known to a number of the Marquee faithful as he regularly performed at the Marquee with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated at their weekly Thursday night residency. Blues Incorporated were a collective of some of the most exciting exponents of early British Blues including amongst others Cream's Jack Bruce.

It was due to Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated cancelling their regular Thursday gig at the Marquee, as they had been booked by the BBC to perform on the live "Jazz Club" radio broadcast for the Light Programme, that the Stones had their opportunity to perform. "Auntie Beeb" wouldn't pay for seven musicians to perform due to Musicians Union rules at the time so Mick was dropped and just Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies would do the vocals.

Original advert showing Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated gigs & BBC broadcast

On Wednesday 11th July 1962 the rag "The Jazz News" ran a story that read: "Mick Jagger, R&B vocalist, is taking an R&B group into the Marquee tomorrow night while Blues Incorporated do their Jazz Club brodcast gig." The line-up at the show was Brian Jones (guitar), Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitar), Ian Stewart (piano), Tony Chapman (drums) & Dick Taylor (bass). Not long after this show Dick helped found The Pretty Things, he also produced and played on Hawkwind's first album!

This was the opportunity for Brian Jones to showcase his band...the rest is an unprecedented 50 years of rocking and a rolling!

Happy 50th Anniversary boys! 

Keith Richards & Brian Jones with a Reslo Ribbon Microphone

Keith Richards with a Reslo Ribbon Microphone

 

50th Anniversary shoot by Rankin

The Rolling Stones at 50

A Free Photographic Exhibition at Somerset House

13 July – 27 August 2012

‘This is our story of fifty fantastic years. We started out as a blues band playing the clubs and more recently we’ve filled the largest stadiums in the world with the kind of show that none of us could have imagined all those years ago. Curated by us, it features the very best photographs and ephemera from and beyond our archives’
Mick, Keith, Charlie & Ronnie.

Photographer at the Marquee unknown.

More information at the following links:

The Rolling Stones & Reslo microphones

The Rolling Stones

Keith Richards

The Pretty Things

The Marquee Club

Alexis Korner

British Blues Archive

"The Boat That Rocked" & Reslo Microphones

The British comedy from 2009 "The Boat That Rocked" (also known as "Pirate Radio" in America, "Good Morning England" in France & "Radio Rock Revolution" in Germany...have you ever known of so many different titles!) is a comedy set in the 1960s about an illegal radio station on board a ship in the North Sea and their fight with the government to keep broadcasting.

Pictured here is the news reader character 'On-The-Hour' John, played by actor Will Adamsdale, with a Reslo RV Ribbon Microphone. Note the nice period detail of adding a Vortexion 4/15/M valve mixer as loved by the likes of Joe Meek. Also spotted John's tea mug with his embossed name label, essential in any British studio! 

Expressing his dedication to be a news caster John says "I've always lived for news and weather. Happy to die for them, too. Especially the weather.

"The Boat That Rocked" written & directed by Richard Curtis ( Love Actually, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, The Vicar Of Dibley et al) and features a stellar cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Chris O'Dowd, Rhys Darby, Katherine Parkinson and Nick Frost.

Here's a great piece of artwork by "unconsciousargentine" reminiscent of the style in The Beatles Yellow Submarine film.

View more photographs of Reslo microphones used in films on our flickr page


"The Boat That Rocked" official film website

p.s. don't forget the up coming 50th anniversary of The Rolling Stones first performance on the 12th July 1962 at the Marquee Club in London.

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 in the BBC's famous disused church studios on Dickenson Road, Manchester, 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".

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 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, "My Generation: The Glory Years of British Rock"

BBC News, Birmingham & The Black Country

 

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

More Rolling Stones pictures can be seen at the Reslo flickr page

Want more links? OK then, here's a few Top Of The Pops related sites!
The Beatles In Manchester
Manchester Beat
Sixties City

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

Reslo Ribbon Microphone on ITV's "The Royal"

Viewers in Britain got a bit of a Reslo-tinged treat this Sunday when an episode of ITV's "The Royal", a retro hospital drama set in the swinging 1960s, featured an offshore pirate radio station complete with disc jockey and of course a Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone.


The episode was broadcast on Sunday 10th July 2011, featured a girls' trip out on board a fictional pirate radio station ship, Radio Neptune, clearly inspired by the original pirate radio ship Radio Caroline. After succumbing to the "groovy" DJ's charm, events turn out differently to what they had expected!

If you are in the UK you can watch this episode for the next 27 days on ITV's website using their ITV Player. Viewers outside the UK may encounter copyright problems, but give it a try anyway.

ITV Player

Eagle-eyed amongst you will have also spotted a Vortexion CBL tape recorder in the background.

More information on the programme here: The Royal

And more information on the famous pirate radio ship here: Radio Caroline

More pictures of Reslo microphones on film at the Reslo flickr page

British Pathe newsreel filmed at The Cavern

Filmed by British Pathe for a newsreel film entitled "The Mersey Sound (aka Liverpool- Home of the Mersey Sound)", a host of bands appear at The Cavern Club for the "New Sound of 64 Beat Contest" with scenes dripping in Reslo RB Ribbon Microphones! Bands in the clip are The Ko-Dells, The Drovers, The Jinks and The Merseybeats.

Click on the chap below to view the film at British Pathe.

Some stills from the film: featuring The Ko-Dells from Manchester performing 
"Got My Mojo Working" live at The Cavern 1964.



Reslo - HRH Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh 1960

Reslo RV Ribbon Microphone - HRH Prince Philip 1960, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

In honour of today's Royal Wedding between Prince William of Wales & Catherine Middleton, here's a special photograph of William's Grandfather, HRH Prince Philip with two Reslo RV Ribbon Microphones.

Prince Philip (on the right of the three men) Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, born "Prince of Greece and Denmark" and of course the Queen's husband presents an award at the British Film Academy Awards, better known now as the BAFTAs (the British Oscars),

Official British Monarchy flickr stream:
www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy/

Official British Monarchy website:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/ThecurrentRoyalFamily/TheDukeofEdinburgh/TheDukeofEdinburgh.aspx

Not in England...follow the wedding on youtube!
www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel

Reslo - John Mayall's Blues Breakers 1968

Reslo CR Ribbon Microphone - John Mayall's Blues Breakers 1968, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

Reslo CR Ribbon Microphone - John Mayall's Blues Breakers live at the Falmer campus, Brighton University, May 1968.
What a great photograph this is!
From the left:
John Mayall - Vocals, Harmonica, Guitar, Hammond Organ & Reslo Ribbon Microphone
Keith Tillman - Bass
Keef Hartley - Drums & hat
Dick Heckstall-Smith - Alto & Tenor Saxophone
Mick Taylor - Guitar & future Rolling Stones member

Although often known as John Mayall's Blues Breakers, only one record (Bare Wires 1968) of the three records made during Mick Taylor tenure was credited as such. The other two (Crusade 1967 & Blues from Laurel Canyon 1968) were billed simply as John Mayall.

Listen to a track recorded live at this show in the Reslo youtube playlist here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Reslosound?feature=mhum#p/c/AE12F8F3E6241FE6/41/H344QYJM18c

Official website here: www.johnmayall.com/
More reading: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mayall

Photographer unknown

Record Store Day 2011

Record Store Day 2011, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

It's here Record Store Day 2011.

So, what lovely warm vinyl will you be buying from your fave record shop?

www.recordstoreday.com

The Rolling Stones & Reslo 1962

It's not just The Beatles you know!

Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone - The Rolling Stones 1962, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones (..as if you didn't know!) with a Reslo Ribbon Microphone, live at their first ever show on the 12th July 1962 at The Marquee Club, London. Look at Keith's hand drawn "Rollin' Stones" logo on his guitar supporting Long John Baldry and his band.

Photographer unknown.

London 60s Week July 2011

London 60s Week July 2011, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

Looks good, get along folks!

http://www.london60sweek.co.uk/happenings.html

Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone - BBC Training Manual

Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone - BBC Training Manual, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

BBC Programme Operations Training Manual.

High-Quality Sound Production and Reproduction by H Burrell Hadden.

Reslo - The Quarrymen (The Beatles) 1957

Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone - The Quarrymen (The Beatles) 1957

Paul McCartney & John Lennon's first known photographed performance.

Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone - The Quarrymen (The Beatles) 1957, a photo by Reslosound on Flickr.

Reslo Ribbon Microphones

Hello to you all!

Welcome to this new Reslo blog, to kick things off just a few links to whet your appetite.

Be sure to check back once our ball has started to really Rock n Roll !
Find us elsewhere on the interwebnet-thingy:

www.flickr.com/reslosound

www.youtube.com/reslosound

www.vimeo.com/reslosound

www.myspace.com/reslosound



Ribbon microphones, both vintage and new, are in daily use throughout the world by well known established studios and broadcasters as well as in personal home studios. Some of the most influential and seminal recordings ever made, were recorded with ribbon microphones.


Two examples:
#1 Jimi Hendrix's guitar - recorded with a ribbon microphone.
#2 John Bonham's drums - recorded with a ribbon microphone.



'nuff said!