The Virtual Victrola

Kindred Spirits #3

Here is another collection of links to kindred websites:

Vitaphone Varieties - "Observations on Film, Music, and Imagery of the Past".  For starters, you should read his detailed write-up on the 1929 RKO musical extravaganza Rio Rita.

The Bijou Blog.  This great blog about vintage film and popular culture is tied into the PBS series Matinee at the Bijou, which brings back vintage feature films, shorts, and serials for enjoyment by contemporary television audiences.   The program is hosted by Debbie Reynolds.

Thomas Edison's Attic.  An audio program produced by WFMU radio and hosted by Jerry Fabris, curator of the Edison National Historical Site.  The program features recordings from the Edison archives dating from 1888 through 1929.  The show has been suspended, but four years worth of audio archives are available online.

Rapidly Rotating Records.  Another vintage audio program, hosted by the "High Tech Hobo" Glenn Robison.  The program airs Sunday PM over KISL FM from Santa Catalina Island, California.  The current edition of the program is available as a RealAudio stream.

Tuxedo Junction.  A great website for Big Band fans.  George Spink, the owner of the site, is currently rebuilding it (hopefully on a Web 2.0 platform) so there isn't much to see right now.  But he has two great audio players embedded, one featuring the music of Glenn Miller, and another featuring hours of Big Band audio programs, both contemporary shows and vintage radio broadcasts.

Record Changers in Action.  A fun collection of videos and information about vintage record changers, including the pioneer Victrola 10-50 and the amazing Lincoln Model 50.

Kindred Spirits #2

Recently I have begun devoting a portion of my online surfing time to finding kindred spirits for this blog.  Here are a few that I have found:

Western Swing on 78 - operated by long-time contributer to the alt.binaries.sounds.78rpm-era newsgroup, High Falutin' Newton.  A great collection of pictures, trivia, and music from the Southwest during the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's.

CrudCrud - a fellow vinyl junky, although one who leans more toward the 45 rpm/8-track era, and specialized in truly bizarre or awful music.  He always finds something interesting, though.

MySpace : Radio Dismuke - the MySpace address for avid 78 collector Dismuke, who for years has run the very popular "Dismuke's Hit Of The Week" website.  You'll also enjoy touring his entourage of MySpace friends.

MySpace: The North American Phonograph Company - not only do they preserve and restore vintage Edison cylinder recordings, they also run a recording service that lets contemporary artists record 2 minute and 4 minute Edison cylinders.  Not surprisingly, rock bands don't record well on cylinder equipment.

Kindred Spirits #1 WFUV's "The Big Broadcast"

For over thirty years, host Rich Conaty has been spinning 78's over WFUV, Fordham University,  New York City.  Rich entertains his audience with pop music from the 1920's and 1930's, trivia, and dry humor.  He also deals in records through Ebay under the seller name MRC Records.

Through the magic of the Internet, you can hear Rich's show on Sunday nights from 8:00PM 'till midnight, Eastern time.  There is also a limited number of Big Broadcast shows available in the WFUV Archives, although the fate of the archives is uncertain due to the current squabble over Internet music royalties.

Rich's community of listners also meets in an online forum to discuss the show and music and entertainment from the first half of the 20th Century.

Check out The Big Broadcast; you'll be glad you did!