Steven,I loove obcure records,and have ever since I was a little kid,digging unknown surf,and doowop 45s out of nine cent 45 bins at Woolworth's.I can think of no genre,and that includes classical,where I own no unknown/obscure records.(I would like to see some more serious archaeological research done on 50s indie/budget classical Lps,as there are no doubt more undiscovered gems,like the Wilhelm Kempff,and Oswald Kabasta,on Royale/Varsity.One such oddity,I own,is a 50s Lp,of The Nutcracker Suite/Swan Lake excerpts,by Henri Tomasi,and an unidentified French radio orchestra.)(I also thank a 90s radio show called "The Road Gang's country music the way it ustawas." for introducing me to unknown stuff here.)I think such a registry,should cover all genres,and eras.It should start,however,with records that have either,had great cultural impact,or helped give birth to important (sub)genres,or revolutionized the way music was recorded.Which is why a recording needs to
 be at least 25 years old,before it is considered.It should also be limited to American artists,and orchestras.Which is why,say,The Beatles,or ska/calypso should be excluded.Not just "I like this."So-called easy listening can be a misnomer.It can mean Lawrence Welk,or it can mean Steve Lawrence.It can mean exotica(Of which I am a big fan.)It can also mean Frank Sinatra,who should no doubt be included.The obvious choices being his (RCA )Victor Dorsey sides,and his Capitol stuff,like "Witchcraft",and "Come Fly With Me".You could also toss in stuff like "I Left My Heart In San Francisco",by Tony Bennet,while you're at it.(Almost as important as Jolson's "California Here I Come" for its time.) There is a smart way to do this. Roger

steven c <[log in to unmask]> wrote: ----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger and Allison Kulp"
> In all seriousness.if we are to have such a list,there needs to be some
more seriousness of thought to go into it.(I have not seen previous
lists,so for now,I will stick to the post 1950-stuff.) Motown should
definitely be included,but we ought to start with more historically
important records,like "Got a Job","Money",or "What's Goin' On".and what
about Stax/Volt,while we're at it? There is no question American record
labels revolutionized classical recordings,in the decade following
WWII.From the Lp,to stereo,and whatever else you want to name.So the most
obvious choices here,would be the 1954 "Living Stereo" "Gaite' ",and
"Zarathustra",and of course the MG50000 "Pictures",the record that made a
classical music lover out of me.Second tier choices,would be the famed
Binaural Heifitz Bach,and whatever recording Coulmbia first
made,exclusively for the new Lp format.(ML 4001 was first issued on 78 was
it not ?)Enough time has passed,that the contributions
> punk,and rap have made,and the impact they have had,need to be
recognized. Obvious choices,are "RAMONES",or "Blitzkrieg Bop" (1976) ,and
"Super Rappin' "(Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five 1979.)Just my first
two cents here,Roger
> steven c wrote: ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stephen C Leggett"
> > NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY ANNOUNCED
> > 2005 National Recording Registry (in chronological order)
> All these records, and STILL no "Since Willy Got a Whippet!"
> :-)
> Steven C. Barr
Well...looking at your post I can see there are BIG problems coming up!
For example, I can't comment intelligently on either your comments about
classical microgroove records or your seventies punk and rap...in fact, I
don't own any discs in any of the above genres, and as well I haven't
listened extensively thereto! Likewise for obscure fifties material (I
grew up then, but like most teens only listened to the local "Top 20"
stations--who, fortunately, played occasional Jimmy Reed tunes!);
ethnic releases of any era; "easy listening" (does that INCLUDE any
recordings worth preserving?!); and obscure blues and country
records (WAY outside my budget!).

I can comment reasonably intelligently on pop music c.1900-c.1950;
blues records c.1940 to the present; non-obscure country music
of the later 78 era; and a few odds and ends (like "Since Willy
Got a Whippet," which is a less-than-well-known Grey Gull B-side
of about 1929).

In fact, I'd be surprised if anybody...or even a group of anybodies...
would have extensive knowledge of everything that had been recorded
from Edison's first "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to all the obscure stuff
like the two CD's of my own blues band!

So, who decides...in fact, who decides who gets to decide...?!

Steven C. Barr



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