OT: The first A&R man. Fred Gaisberg

[smudge]

Listening to an astonishing BBC radio prog. which sweeps from the first recordings of Caruso, via an insane trip across the planet with wax discs in pursuit of lucrative new recordings - before anyone had the means to play them - landing up with Melba. 100 year old recordings of a celebrity singer in India, professional women singers in Japan, and the last castrati. 14 year old Yehudi Menuhin being conducted by Elgar at Abbey Road. Magnificent.

The A&R man, Fred Gaisberg didn't always like what he recorded, but he appears to have been hugely smart about what might sell. Oh - and this was the birth of HMV, then EMI.

For any that can listen to it online, here's the link. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00krhhl

[DirtyMartini]

Sounds curious. Thanks, me duck.