Decca masters lost in Universal fire?

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trev · #1 Post by **trev** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:21 pm

Some reports are saying that a number of Decca masters from the 40s and 50s have been lost in the Universal Studios fire, but that they have digitized everything so nothing has been lost forever.

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/u ... c-history/

I'll see if i can find more info...

Eyeball · #2 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:16 am

Whoa! Horrible! No one is talking. Will they ever or do they even truly know? We may not know until they go looking for something.

Thx for posting that.

Matthew · #3 Post by **Matthew** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:58 am

Eyeball wrote:Whoa! Horrible!

Well, that depends on what they lost. If they lost some Basie, it's a tragedy. If they lost some generic, white crap that doesn't swing, it's a blessing.

Hehehe...let the second round of flames begin!

trev · #4 Post by **trev** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:49 am

Matthew wrote:
Eyeball wrote:Whoa! Horrible!
Well, that depends on what they lost. If they lost some Basie, it's a tragedy. If they lost some generic, white crap that doesn't swing, it's a blessing.

Hehehe...let the second round of flames begin!

Haha, I know you're just shitstirring - but the more i delve into music history, the more curious I am in hearing non-swinging generic white crap. Preserve everything, I say!

And yes, confirmation of this rumour is hard to come by.

Toon Town Dave · #5 Post by **Toon Town Dave** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:11 am

The article seems to focus more on the video aspect. Also, for a "vault", the lack of fire protection/suppression seems odd. I'd speculate that this was just a warehouse for stuff that didn't have much value and/or was already backed up elsewhere.

OTOH, it could just be bad risk management. Music execs run their business like it's still 1955, perhaps they are just as out of date on risk management.

Out of curiosity, what kind of condition would the masters be in after more than a half century of storage in a not so archival looking facility?

Eyeball · #6 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:28 am

Matthew wrote:
Eyeball wrote:Whoa! Horrible!
Well, that depends on what they lost. If they lost some Basie, it's a tragedy. If they lost some generic, white crap that doesn't swing, it's a blessing.

Hehehe...let the second round of flames begin!

If they managed to save at least one late 40s/early 50s jump blues or r&b recording, then they have managed to save them all.

Are you talking about Count Basie or Kent Basie? Kent Basie was the older brother who lead the society band.

Eyeball · #7 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:30 am

Toon Town Dave wrote: Also, for a "vault", the lack of fire protection/suppression seems odd.

Their "vault" equals our "basement" perhaps.

Eyeball · #8 Post by **Eyeball** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:02 am

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/u ... c-history/