Jose Estragos conciertos en casa!

Jose Estragos has been playing some intimate "Home Shows" in Madrid and has some lovely photos featuring some of his vintage guitars and of course his Reslo Ribbon Microphones.

 

Heres' a few shots of Jose with his vintage Höfner Club 40 guitar.

 

The Gretsch (Country Gent I believe) also gets a look in!

joseestragos.blogspot.com

www.vintagehofner.co.uk

www.hofner-vintage.com

www.hofner.co.uk 

www.gretsch.com

 

Record Store Day 2013 & Peter Parker's Rock N Roll Club

It's nearly here again Record Store Day 20th April 2013.

Record Store Day 2013's ambassador is Mr Jack White. He owns a record store, he runs a record label, manufacturers his own vinyl, he's an analogue fan. We can't think of anyone else better to fly the flag for Record Store Day 2013.

 

Good news for us is that analogue fiends Peter Parker's Rock N Roll Club are releasing a limited 7" EP on transparent blue vinyl via Those Old Records.

Peter Parker's Rock N Roll Club with their Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone

The band will be performing at Casbah Records in Greenwich on the day itself 20th April. So get on down there or over to Those Old Records store in Rugeley, Staffordshire and get yourself a copy before they're gone.

 

Casbah Records in Greenwich

Once again design for the EP is from Emma Prew with portrait photography by Matt Hass and analogue studio shots from Enrique Rovira.

Photograph by Enrique Rovira

Peter Parker in Lewis Durham's analogue studio

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

USA - www.recordstoreday.com
UK - www.recordstoreday.co.uk

BBC Olympic Broadcaster

It's here, the London 2012 Olympics open in with an inspirational opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, Trainspotting) featuring scenes from the British countryside, the industrial revolution, Kenneth Branagh, Mr. Bean, Her Majesty The Queen & James Bond, Artic Monkeys, Paul McCartney and a whole host of other artists, dancers and perfomers complete with an amazing and iconic lighting of the Olympic flame.

The entire Olympics will be covered by some way or another this year via a plethora of platforms by our cherished "Auntie Beeb" (the BBC's affectionate nickname). The BBC's flagship sports programme for many decades was the influential Grandstand. With over 3000 editions and covering 23 summer and winter Olympic Games as well as 13 Commonwealth Games it was certainly a forerunner of todays 24 hour sports channels.

BBC's David Coleman presenting Grandstand with a Reslo VRT/M Broadcasting Ribbon Microphone c.1962

BBC's David Coleman presenting Grandstand with a Reslo VRT/M Broadcasting Ribbon Microphone c.1962

First broadcast on the 11th October 1958 from the BBC Lime Grove Studios, London. After just three programmes David Coleman took over the presentation and became the most popular and recognised face and voice of Grandstand, he remained for a further 20 years.

The BBC used a Reslo VRT/M Broadcasting Ribbon Microphone which was a BBC specified modification of the standard Reslo RB Ribbon Microphone. You can see the VRT clearly in these two photographs complete with what looks like a pair of GPO 400 series telephones and an empty "in tray"!
Wonder what sport's being shown behind David on his own black and white telly!
 
Photographs courtesy of the BBC.

More information here:
Grandstand on the BBC
BBC's London Olympics coverage

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

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

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.