Good to see you back Allan - and WHAT an experience!!! I think the gentleman/buyer is spot on: Your YT channel is a great source for learning (and entertainment) - you should be proud that it has lead to this. I'm looking forward to the next steps in the process. I hope you'll be able to get some interesting records along the way - and share them here, so we'll all have some joy of this huge VOA collection.
Onya Alan. What a score! So true that you are an educator and (without pissing in your pocket) an asset to this project. Enjoy it all- we are all very envious. Cheers from Oz
Thank you for telling us about this Voice of America collection. I've come across a couple non-profit environmental organizrions that accept donations of used LPs, CDs, and 45s and the accumulation is massive. The mission is to keep this out of the landfills. There is a flat price of $2 for LPs, $1 for CDs no matter what the condition or rarity. The CDs are very slow sellers as are the Classical LPs. I refer to CDs as the K-Cup of the music industry. Most of these end up in landfills. You can't give them away.
Fascinating story. Thank you for the excellent historical background discussion. And I always enjoy and appreciate the photos you add to the presentations you create.
I was Director of the English Division at the Voice of America from 1988 to 2012, and the Music Library was part of our division. You have acquired an invaluable collection of recorded history but I can't imagine how it happened. I'm not trying to cause problems, but almost all of the albums, both vinyl and CD, were provided free of charge by record companies. Most of the physical copies clearly state that they are "Not for resale." Was this ever considered? Did the government receive special permission from the record companies? What are the legal ramifications? Also, to address one of the questions in the RUclips piece, the card catalog library is excellent and very valuable for cross-referencing. As I said, the collection is invaluable and I wish you the best in finding the best home for each and every recording.
Thanks for your comment, John. I suspect most of your questions are more appropriately directed to management at Voice of America. I can tell you that the purchaser obtained these records through an open auction and the decision to put these assets up for auction was made independent of anything to do with him. There are some records we encountered which are stated as not for resale, and those are the specific Voice of America/US information agency records. For better or worse, they were included in the sale. They are, however, a very, very small percentage of the total records in the collection. The lion’s share of the records we have seen so far are simply commercial copies of records which, my interactions with other Voice of America staff indicate, were acquired by routine purchases of records from record labels. I don’t mean to be difficult. As somebody who worked for government for many years, I can appreciate that it is frustrating to see a valuable asset liquidated for expedient and non-artistic reasons, perhaps, without full appreciation of the true value of the asset. However, as above, these are decisions which were made by Voice of America management, for better or worse. And I suspect there are many decisions made more broadly by government to liquidate assets which are equally troubling. The valuation of large amounts of legacy media is inherently problematic; something I can say with some authority, having been engaged in the vintage record market for many years.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews Thanks for your thoughtful and astute response to my note. You are absolutely right: my concerns should be directed at the Voice of America. If there is any liability, it is with them and not the purchaser. As I'm sure you know, most domestic radio stations routinely receive vinyl and now CD recordings from record companies so that they get airplay. This is usually done through a subscription and there is an agreement with the recipient that they not be sold. Only a small number of the VOA recordings were purchased outright. I'm not going to pursue this; what's done is done. But I hope VOA knows that they have relinquished a "valuable asset," as you put it. It seems as though the purchaser is aware of the value and is handling the dispensation effectively as you stated in your review. I wish him/her well. By the way, I think your TenMinuteRecordReviews are well done. Best regards.
“Not for resale” is not a legally binding command. It was to prevent retailers from selling free copies. If say, a Tower Records store were found to have been selling Atlantic promos, then that store may have had their promo subscription suspended by the label for a period of time. In the same way a street date violation may result in the label delaying subsequent shipments of new releases to the offending store, the promo pact was simply an agreement between subscribers and labels, and not something that had any legal ramifications.
@@CasinoClamsI did 7 years in medium security prison for taking the tag off my mattress. I got two tear drop tattoos, so don’t tell me words aren’t legally binding!
I can appreciate this. In 2018 I acquired a 2,000 reel collection of old time radio, about 6,000 hours worth. 75% of it was numbered and it came with card catalogs--one set by reel number and the other set by program showing which reel to find a program on. Obviously this record collection is an order of magnitude greater but I know the feeling.
@TenMinuteRecordReviews BRAVO and CHEERS🇨🇦 to your work, my good man. Looking forward to your video updates regarding this project. Question: Will you continue your work highlighting the great Jazz labels? I ask because Argo / Cadet is on your list and I’m a HUGE fan of their history and roster. As you already know, there are so many tremendous and important artists and recordings on that label. The newbie to casual Jazz fan will be pleasantly surprised how vast it is and how there’s so much cheap heat to be found in this Chicago based recording company. Fingers crossed🤞🏻and excited to see and hear your take on Argo / Cadet’s important Jazz contributions.
Allan, Thank you for sharing this with us! Sooo close and yet so far away… I work a couple blocks from all of this. Who knew? Obviously one lucky guy! Although we should always be careful for what we wish for… I hope that you are doing well. 😃🙏🏻👍🏻
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews The data about what is in the collection-- not just jazz, but everything-- would be valuable to music historians. I hope there's a way to make visible exactly what's in this collection before parts of it are sold off or otherwise gotten rid of. I would be very interested in knowing what is in the "new music" (20th-century classical) part of the collection.
Allan, as it did for my former VOA colleague (see below), your episode brought me back to many hours spent in that basement library, finding music for various radio productions during my 20+ years at VOA. You mentioned a lack of pre-1950's 78's and that the collection preserved dates back to around 1954. That would coincide with the relocation of VOA from its original home in NY down to DC. The move was preceded by a brutal series of HUAC and McCarthy interrogations that decimated the staff, especially those broadcasters with Eastern European backgrounds. Careers were cut short, there were suicides and the surviving staff had a general sense of betrayal. In that atmosphere, I don't think it would be surprising if the music collection did not make the move intact and that might explain the missing decade or so (from 1942) in the library.
Fascinating. Thank you for your comment, I am very interested to learn this. I have learned through other sources that the collection only began in earnest in 1954/55, which explains the lack of 10 inch, shellac and 78 records. It is disappointing, but not surprising, to learn that the red scare paranoia reached Voice of America. Although it’s richly ironic, given the whole purpose of voice of America was a fundamentally anti-Soviet enterprise.
Man, in just a small sample you flipped past multiple copies of Victor Feldman's Latinsville! and Freddie McCoy's Spider-Man, both of which I'm eagerly on the lookout for in the wild. You guys are gonna have an amazing time combing through this collection
Wow. I just helped a friend go through a couple thousand 45's that he got from an estate so this video hit home although the scale of that collection pales compared to this one. Basically dumped all the easy listening/orchestra stuff and then organized into four groups. Pop/Rock, Funk/Soul/Disco, Country, and then there were the records of value that I am selling for him. Good luck with those records. Looks fun... and exhausting.
Looks like a lot of the collection went to Goodwill and the remaining unwanted will go there also. Sure would love to walk into a Goodwill and find some. Wish they’d done a lottery and let others besides Noble records in on the collection.
I hear you. But if it's the only time you've bought a large amount of records, and you've bought 100,000 of them -- a huge amount, for which your storage situation is not ideal -- the hard truth is you need to move quickly and make executive decisions.
It's interesting: Ina martell and Bridget Ahrens were from Eastern Germany and they produce some of the most beautiful music of the 1960s. You have to listen to a few of the songs maybe to get to the ones that are the best. There are other ones also. European female pop music from the 1960s is an amazing untapped genre. Amazing melodies and arrangements.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews My guess is there is no Zappa in the collection.🥸😄 If I'm right, will I win a prize? Like picking one record from the collection?
Tax payers that collections was yours . And there are many similar still with the Voice of America - who on a dime try to spread Good Will & MUSIC around the world ( not allowed to broadcast in the US due to outdated law) - and are today trying to do it on 2cents. We pay for it and can’t even hear it!
Those murals tell the tale of an effort to put the power of art into the hands of an organized citizenry. That this archive should fall under such disrepair is a testament to the conditions of what was once referred to as the Common Good and Scholarly Interest, now is plopped on the street illustrates the deepest failure. The cross referencing those cards provided as the Dewey Decimal system obliged manuscripts, all library materials have now been replaced by material value first online. Cross reference is the key to learning, but search online and you'll only find what's on sale and what's been recently sold. In summary, you have to know the answer to the question before you look for it. As the public works and their artifacts dissolve, what are we left with? We hear of "warehousing" children and pets, our history fares a worse fate.
I am a former Voice of America music presenter (among other things) who spent many hours in the VOA Record Library. The collection truly is a treasure trove of original vinyl pressings of jazz, rock, pop, and soul music from America's Golden Age or recorded music. One correction to your otherwise excellent synopsis of VOA history: the graphic lobby murals in VOA's Cohen building headquarters are by Thomas Hart Benton, not Ben Shahn.
Thank you! Now I’m puzzled. Might the murals not have been created by two separate artists? For reference, see here: www.insidevoa.com/a/historic-murals-at-voice-of-america/1364570.html. It was definitely the “Social Security” ones we saw.
Although I spent 27 years working at VOA in the Cohen building, I was only ever told by oldtimers that all the lobby murals were by THB. Now - 21 years after retirement, I've been set straight! It is true, however, that during the "red scare" era (and beyond), the murals were hidden from public view behind heavy drapes because their imagery was deemed too socialist.
What a story, glad you're involved! Found some (public) info, it was a govt. auction after all! It looks like the collection was well stored, vertically and on those fancy archival shelf units with the cranks on the end caps, and almost certainly climate controlled. Sold to our hero for $135,500.00. Only 2 bidders. I'm guessing, depending on labor, overhead, wheat/chaff ratio etc. etc. that the owner should be able to eventually recoup his costs and still end up with a sizeable collection of keepers(?) Hell, even the 78,000 CDs have *some* value! Let me know if you see a mint Led Zep 2 w/RL deadwax, I'll take that off your hands!😉
Wow, what a channel. So glad I came late to the party.This guy that bought all this needs to start his own label . I am sure voice of America also recorded all the Newport jazz concerts . Also will you doing a Columbia jazz record episode. I did hear they released more jazz than one else. And is there going to be Atlantic jazz records episode . Anyway great work and thanks for the content . From a jazz connoisseur
Thanks! And yes I will be doing both Atlantic and Columbia… though despite the volume you mention, Columbia’s overall output is slightly disappointing I feel. Welcome aboard!
In many cases those can be removed with care (for instance, Sharpie marks with a dry erase marker on laminated record jackets). And we didn’t spend enough time with the 45s for me to answer your second question definitively.
Thanks for this amazing video. It's either a dream or a nightmare to find so many records. I'm wondering if the VOA archive also covers ethnic releases from other countries, Africa, Latin America, Asia. That could potentially hold as much gold as found in the jazz section. Including releases that no one even knows about today.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviewsI’m really glad you’re well versed in Brazilian music. Just knowing whether 60s and 70s Brazilian music is in the archive will be fascinating, not to mention the monetary value.
More so than you can imagine - especially so from Africa. Again ther’s is a most valuable resource - essentially yours and mine - Funded by the US taxpayer - who don’t have access to it - as do all the citizens of the world not in the United States!
The masking tape can be removed fairly easily. Steam the area until the tape comes off easily, then use goof off to remove the residue. Laminated covers only.
Amazing collection. I'll just throw this out here, in that if you might want to hire other folks to go through and organize that collection, I'm available and could potentially fly out to DC at any time. I am a record collector myself, with a particular interest in jazz, but also with a good base of knowledge in other genres of music: rock, R&B, reggae, world, etc. Feel free to reach out to me to discuss...
LOVE your intro. LOL. -- A lot of those records are labelled with tape (or sharpie, yikes), which is certainly unsightly (= diminished commercial value), and also is an archival nightmare (I'm a retired museum curator). As a collector, I am getting more picky about sleeves, and I would not get any of those. my 2c.
Very interesting. I am sure vinyl collectors mouths are watering but I prefer to be a disinterested examiner of the entertainment. I wish you well in your task of disposing of the dregs of the collection (eg Mantovani crap) and finding appropriate homes for the excellent jazz and pop records. Best wishes to you. I subscribed to stay tuned.
I wonder.... Given the volume, I wonder if first sort/inventory would be by label/catalogue number. Then, one could approach labels (or even Discogs or MusicBrainz) for databases of releases. It might then be easier to do your queries and pulls with SQL or MS Access.
Makes sense. Though the thing we have to deal with is how to minimize the time spent on each record at the initial moment of triage. An additional 20 seconds to record a catalogue number for each record in the set of 88,000 equates to 488 hours, or 12 additional person-weeks of time. This project is a classic case of the GOOD-FAST-CHEAP dilemma (you can only pick two).
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews please delete comment if inappropriate. Yes, buyer has bought himself a job for an extended period. Let me know if you need help with this effort or a contact at Goodwill. I am available.
Trace amounts. Far more Ruth Brown than Marion Brown; far more Hotlips Page than John Cage. The classical LPs we did not go through to any great extent, as they are principally US pressings which as you may know are less sought-after.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviewsThanks for the response! I’m happy to help search for that kind of stuff. I agree that searching through classical can be a chore but some of the more esoteric stuff can have value. I’m located in DC.
Fantastic! I found your channel for the first time by this post. Enjoying it very much. By the way, I would avoid using Goof Off and all such solvents on covers. You cannot predict which tape adhesive or which ink you are dealing with from that era.. ALSO Hard on the lungs...Just sayin.
Well, we know that with all those catalog stickers on the album covers they can grade all the covers as VG-. One problem solved and a ton more to go. 😂 Good luck and enjoy this new adventure.
Perhaps, though in my experience the vinyl collecting world is not of one mind on that. Personally, as my own collection is for playing, if the disc is VG+ or better my only criterion for the cover is that it not be falling apart.
Is the successful auction price in the public domain? I have found a figure, but I don't know if it was the final bid. Interesting to what happens next. Thanks for sharing.
a great project whose treasure-find aura only seems fitting to encompass you in it (the collector's words confirm Fortuna's blessed ways :) regarding Jazz & state propaganda, i immediately thought of Johan Grimonprez' recent film (which is fantastic) - something i'm sure you (and faithful viewers) would love: ruclips.net/video/_MRHFGP7Oho/видео.html looking forward to the upcoming episodes!
I feel like NTX Vinyl (www.youtube.com/@NTXVinyl) would be all over buying a big bulk lot of those mid-value records. Fascinating project, good luck with it! Looking forward to the next video on this subject.
For someone who wanted to peruse and catalog the treasure,he didnt waste much time letting noble records go thru and take to sell records.now you're stuck with junk.i dont know how serious or deep your pockets are,but you completely did a turnaround.scratching my head.i know,because I went thru and evaluated Elton John's collection for purchaser who didnt know anything either.now the best would be to bulk out.wish I knew about this,cause you would not have gotten it.good luck
Hi Clifford. To clarify for the interest of others reading this thread, if you're getting the impression that on our watch we facilitated a cherry-picking of the collection, that's not the case. If you watch my recent update video, you'll see what we set aside for the owner to keep (having gone through 55% to 60% of the collection and especially the years 1955 to early 70s). The Noble video doesn't show the large portion of the room which had been emptied in this process, not that he had any obligation to show this. During our work there, thousands of records were specifically set aside and boxed up for Noble's attention, in the dozens of boxes. A far greater quantity of records, with minimal to zero commercial value, was donated to charity. As it stood when we departed, we had identified and set aside a collection for the owner which more than justified the original investment. I am certain that however things were presented elsewhere, the owner exercised the same diligence re the records which Noble Records subsequently reviewed and accessed, and that the records which Noble purchased were exchanged at a fair price.
It seems a shame to break up the collection. It would be nice if collectors could add to their private collections, but ...still...this must be one of the largest archives on the planet. Wouldn't it be better to preserve this in a vault, considering the horrifying job the labels have done with master tapes?
I take the point. Counterpoint: they’ve already been in a vault for 30 years, dormant. Records were meant to be played. Plus there is chaff and wheat in equal parts.
That family silver like all of Voice of America was bought w tax payer $$$. - and by outdated law and corporate greed we can’t eat off it, unlike any hungry person outside the United States.
Good to see you back Allan - and WHAT an experience!!!
I think the gentleman/buyer is spot on: Your YT channel is a great source for learning (and entertainment) - you should be proud that it has lead to this. I'm looking forward to the next steps in the process.
I hope you'll be able to get some interesting records along the way - and share them here, so we'll all have some joy of this huge VOA collection.
Thank you kindly, Captain! It’ll be a journey…
Onya Alan. What a score! So true that you are an educator and (without pissing in your pocket) an asset to this project. Enjoy it all- we are all very envious. Cheers from Oz
Thanks. We're having a blast. But it is certainly daunting.
Thank you for telling us about this Voice of America collection. I've come across a couple non-profit environmental organizrions that accept donations of used LPs, CDs, and 45s and the accumulation is massive. The mission is to keep this out of the landfills. There is a flat price of $2 for LPs, $1 for CDs no matter what the condition or rarity. The CDs are very slow sellers as are the Classical LPs. I refer to CDs as the K-Cup of the music industry. Most of these end up in landfills. You can't give them away.
Fascinating, Mark. Thanks. Can you point me to their sites?
Fascinating story. Thank you for the excellent historical background discussion. And I always enjoy and appreciate the photos you add to the presentations you create.
Thank you. The photos help minimize glare from my gleaming scalp.
Fascinating!
Looking forward to following this project.
I was Director of the English Division at the Voice of America from 1988 to 2012, and the Music Library was part of our division. You have acquired an invaluable collection of recorded history but I can't imagine how it happened. I'm not trying to cause problems, but almost all of the albums, both vinyl and CD, were provided free of charge by record companies. Most of the physical copies clearly state that they are "Not for resale." Was this ever considered? Did the government receive special permission from the record companies? What are the legal ramifications? Also, to address one of the questions in the RUclips piece, the card catalog library is excellent and very valuable for cross-referencing. As I said, the collection is invaluable and I wish you the best in finding the best home for each and every recording.
Thanks for your comment, John. I suspect most of your questions are more appropriately directed to management at Voice of America. I can tell you that the purchaser obtained these records through an open auction and the decision to put these assets up for auction was made independent of anything to do with him. There are some records we encountered which are stated as not for resale, and those are the specific Voice of America/US information agency records. For better or worse, they were included in the sale. They are, however, a very, very small percentage of the total records in the collection. The lion’s share of the records we have seen so far are simply commercial copies of records which, my interactions with other Voice of America staff indicate, were acquired by routine purchases of records from record labels.
I don’t mean to be difficult. As somebody who worked for government for many years, I can appreciate that it is frustrating to see a valuable asset liquidated for expedient and non-artistic reasons, perhaps, without full appreciation of the true value of the asset. However, as above, these are decisions which were made by Voice of America management, for better or worse. And I suspect there are many decisions made more broadly by government to liquidate assets which are equally troubling. The valuation of large amounts of legacy media is inherently problematic; something I can say with some authority, having been engaged in the vintage record market for many years.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews Thanks for your thoughtful and astute response to my note. You are absolutely right: my concerns should be directed at the Voice of America. If there is any liability, it is with them and not the purchaser. As I'm sure you know, most domestic radio stations routinely receive vinyl and now CD recordings from record companies so that they get airplay. This is usually done through a subscription and there is an agreement with the recipient that they not be sold. Only a small number of the VOA recordings were purchased outright. I'm not going to pursue this; what's done is done. But I hope VOA knows that they have relinquished a "valuable asset," as you put it. It seems as though the purchaser is aware of the value and is handling the dispensation effectively as you stated in your review. I wish him/her well. By the way, I think your TenMinuteRecordReviews are well done. Best regards.
“Not for resale” is not a legally binding command. It was to prevent retailers from selling free copies. If say, a Tower Records store were found to have been selling Atlantic promos, then that store may have had their promo subscription suspended by the label for a period of time. In the same way a street date violation may result in the label delaying subsequent shipments of new releases to the offending store, the promo pact was simply an agreement between subscribers and labels, and not something that had any legal ramifications.
@@CasinoClamsI did 7 years in medium security prison for taking the tag off my mattress. I got two tear drop tattoos, so don’t tell me words aren’t legally binding!
1500 boxes is 150k lp
Just amazing. This will be so interesting to follow along.
I can appreciate this. In 2018 I acquired a 2,000 reel collection of old time radio, about 6,000 hours worth. 75% of it was numbered and it came with card catalogs--one set by reel number and the other set by program showing which reel to find a program on. Obviously this record collection is an order of magnitude greater but I know the feeling.
That’s cool. Did you digitize any of it?
This is fascinating. Thank you for posting this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
CONGRATS, Alan👏🏻 It’s going to be so fulfilling to you and that gentleman once the project is completed. Stay undaunted, sir!
- Edward
We don’t know the meaning of the word daunted!
@TenMinuteRecordReviews BRAVO and CHEERS🇨🇦 to your work, my good man. Looking forward to your video updates regarding this project.
Question: Will you continue your work highlighting the great Jazz labels? I ask because Argo / Cadet is on your list and I’m a HUGE fan of their history and roster. As you already know, there are so many tremendous and important artists and recordings on that label. The newbie to casual Jazz fan will be pleasantly surprised how vast it is and how there’s so much cheap heat to be found in this Chicago based recording company. Fingers crossed🤞🏻and excited to see and hear your take on Argo / Cadet’s important Jazz contributions.
Can’t wait to see more of the collection!
Hope to have an update in early November.
Allan,
Thank you for sharing this with us! Sooo close and yet so far away… I work a couple blocks from all of this. Who knew? Obviously one lucky guy! Although we should always be careful for what we wish for… I hope that you are doing well. 😃🙏🏻👍🏻
Very well, thanks. Yes it's all a bit daunting. Spending lots of time thinking about method.
what an epic story! Vinyl nerds no matter your taste, UNITE!
Wow, Wow, Wow, boy is he going to need a very well designed and structured database!
Absolutely. This is a data challenge well before it becomes an archival or music challenge.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews The data about what is in the collection-- not just jazz, but everything-- would be valuable to music historians. I hope there's a way to make visible exactly what's in this collection before parts of it are sold off or otherwise gotten rid of. I would be very interested in knowing what is in the "new music" (20th-century classical) part of the collection.
Allan, as it did for my former VOA colleague (see below), your episode brought me back to many hours spent in that basement library, finding music for various radio productions during my 20+ years at VOA. You mentioned a lack of pre-1950's 78's and that the collection preserved dates back to around 1954. That would coincide with the relocation of VOA from its original home in NY down to DC. The move was preceded by a brutal series of HUAC and McCarthy interrogations that decimated the staff, especially those broadcasters with Eastern European backgrounds. Careers were cut short, there were suicides and the surviving staff had a general sense of betrayal. In that atmosphere, I don't think it would be surprising if the music collection did not make the move intact and that might explain the missing decade or so (from 1942) in the library.
Fascinating. Thank you for your comment, I am very interested to learn this.
I have learned through other sources that the collection only began in earnest in 1954/55, which explains the lack of 10 inch, shellac and 78 records.
It is disappointing, but not surprising, to learn that the red scare paranoia reached Voice of America. Although it’s richly ironic, given the whole purpose of voice of America was a fundamentally anti-Soviet enterprise.
Man, in just a small sample you flipped past multiple copies of Victor Feldman's Latinsville! and Freddie McCoy's Spider-Man, both of which I'm eagerly on the lookout for in the wild. You guys are gonna have an amazing time combing through this collection
Yes, the constant battle on our first visit was actually to do some planning in between episodes of finding rare records and saying “look at this!!”
Good job, Allan! I'll be following this story as it unfolds.
Thanks Andy!
So if I'm correct the remaining records (mostly non-jazz) were recently bought by Noble Records. What an incredible collection that is!
Some, but not all.
I was Music Librarian at VOA from 1976 to 1990 - perhaps I can help ....
Looking forward to upcoming episodes!!!
Good god- it will be a lifetime project. Fun and intimidating at the same time.
Nailed it. But accent on the fun.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews -You sure said it. If I lived closer I’d volunteer to help just to see it in person. Thanks for sharing this story.
Mind Blown!
Wow. I just helped a friend go through a couple thousand 45's that he got from an estate so this video hit home although the scale of that collection pales compared to this one. Basically dumped all the easy listening/orchestra stuff and then organized into four groups. Pop/Rock, Funk/Soul/Disco, Country, and then there were the records of value that I am selling for him. Good luck with those records. Looks fun... and exhausting.
Pretty much our approach as well. All very well to name the categories. But it’s the marginal calls…
Tres Hombres...so good!
Looks like a lot of the collection went to Goodwill and the remaining unwanted will go there also. Sure would love to walk into a Goodwill and find some. Wish they’d done a lottery and let others besides Noble records in on the collection.
I hear you. But if it's the only time you've bought a large amount of records, and you've bought 100,000 of them -- a huge amount, for which your storage situation is not ideal -- the hard truth is you need to move quickly and make executive decisions.
It's interesting: Ina martell and Bridget Ahrens were from Eastern Germany and they produce some of the most beautiful music of the 1960s. You have to listen to a few of the songs maybe to get to the ones that are the best. There are other ones also. European female pop music from the 1960s is an amazing untapped genre. Amazing melodies and arrangements.
No doubt - though I suspect if there is anything NOT in the Voice Of America collection, it's pop from East Germany.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews My guess is there is no Zappa in the collection.🥸😄
If I'm right, will I win a prize? Like picking one record from the collection?
Please keep up abreast of the process and logistics. It will be very interesting to learn
That's the plan!
Tax payers that collections was yours . And there are many similar still with the Voice of America - who on a dime try to spread Good Will & MUSIC around the world ( not allowed to broadcast in the US due to outdated law) - and are today trying to do it on 2cents. We pay for it and can’t even hear it!
Those murals tell the tale of an effort to put the power of art into the hands of an organized citizenry. That this archive should fall under such disrepair is a testament to the conditions of what was once referred to as the Common Good and Scholarly Interest, now is plopped on the street illustrates the deepest failure. The cross referencing those cards provided as the Dewey Decimal system obliged manuscripts, all library materials have now been replaced by material value first online. Cross reference is the key to learning, but search online and you'll only find what's on sale and what's been recently sold. In summary, you have to know the answer to the question before you look for it. As the public works and their artifacts dissolve, what are we left with? We hear of "warehousing" children and pets, our history fares a worse fate.
I am a former Voice of America music presenter (among other things) who spent many hours in the VOA Record Library. The collection truly is a treasure trove of original vinyl pressings of jazz, rock, pop, and soul music from America's Golden Age or recorded music. One correction to your otherwise excellent synopsis of VOA history: the graphic lobby murals in VOA's Cohen building headquarters are by Thomas Hart Benton, not Ben Shahn.
Thank you! Now I’m puzzled. Might the murals not have been created by two separate artists? For reference, see here: www.insidevoa.com/a/historic-murals-at-voice-of-america/1364570.html. It was definitely the “Social Security” ones we saw.
Although I spent 27 years working at VOA in the Cohen building, I was only ever told by oldtimers that all the lobby murals were by THB. Now - 21 years after retirement, I've been set straight! It is true, however, that during the "red scare" era (and beyond), the murals were hidden from public view behind heavy drapes because their imagery was deemed too socialist.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews The murals were created by Philip Guston, Ben Shahn, and Seymour Fogel.
@russellwoodgates8591 Fascinating! One of the enduring qualities of reactionary politics is the heavy strain of philistinism.
What a story, glad you're involved! Found some (public) info, it was a govt. auction after all! It looks like the collection was well stored, vertically and on those fancy archival shelf units with the cranks on the end caps, and almost certainly climate controlled. Sold to our hero for $135,500.00. Only 2 bidders. I'm guessing, depending on labor, overhead, wheat/chaff ratio etc. etc. that the owner should be able to eventually recoup his costs and still end up with a sizeable collection of keepers(?) Hell, even the 78,000 CDs have *some* value! Let me know if you see a mint Led Zep 2 w/RL deadwax, I'll take that off your hands!😉
Will keep that in mind :-)
Jeez, I’m overwhelmed if I bring home 10 records from the record store….
Wow, what a channel. So glad I came late to the party.This guy that bought all this needs to start his own label . I am sure voice of America also recorded all the Newport jazz concerts . Also will you doing a Columbia jazz record episode. I did hear they released more jazz than one else. And is there going to be Atlantic jazz records episode . Anyway great work and thanks for the content . From a jazz connoisseur
Thanks! And yes I will be doing both Atlantic and Columbia… though despite the volume you mention, Columbia’s overall output is slightly disappointing I feel. Welcome aboard!
"I might find some music I would like to keep."🤣🤣🤣
What about those stickers and/or Sparpie writings. Do they affect the intrinsic value of the LP. Also, the 7inches were the original covers kept. Thx.
In many cases those can be removed with care (for instance, Sharpie marks with a dry erase marker on laminated record jackets). And we didn’t spend enough time with the 45s for me to answer your second question definitively.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews Thx Lucky DeviL !
Thanks for this amazing video. It's either a dream or a nightmare to find so many records. I'm wondering if the VOA archive also covers ethnic releases from other countries, Africa, Latin America, Asia. That could potentially hold as much gold as found in the jazz section. Including releases that no one even knows about today.
You anticipate our own ponderings. I suspect yes. Closer to home there is also vintage punk and hip hop which will also be very valuable.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews Can't wait for the follow up videos!
@@TenMinuteRecordReviewsI’m really glad you’re well versed in Brazilian music. Just knowing whether 60s and 70s Brazilian music is in the archive will be fascinating, not to mention the monetary value.
@@xentakis Yes, one of a number of genres the existence of which in the catalogue we're keen to determine.
More so than you can imagine - especially so from Africa. Again ther’s is a most valuable resource - essentially yours and mine - Funded by the US taxpayer - who don’t have access to it - as do all the citizens of the world not in the United States!
Sorry I missed it if it was mentioned, but does anyone know the price paid for this collection?
135,500 U.S. buckeroos.
i also saw thevideo on the rock section; interesting
The masking tape can be removed fairly easily. Steam the area until the tape comes off easily, then use goof off to remove the residue. Laminated covers only.
Thanks. I was kind of hoping we'd get some expert tips!
Amazing collection. I'll just throw this out here, in that if you might want to hire other folks to go through and organize that collection, I'm available and could potentially fly out to DC at any time. I am a record collector myself, with a particular interest in jazz, but also with a good base of knowledge in other genres of music: rock, R&B, reggae, world, etc. Feel free to reach out to me to discuss...
Noted, thanks.
I’d be so bummed if it was 99% Sing Along With Mitch and Jane Fonda workout records.
So far that element looks to be fairly minimal. It helps that this was a curated radio collection and not an estate sale!
LOVE your intro. LOL. -- A lot of those records are labelled with tape (or sharpie, yikes), which is certainly unsightly (= diminished commercial value), and also is an archival nightmare (I'm a retired museum curator). As a collector, I am getting more picky about sleeves, and I would not get any of those. my 2c.
I hear you - but am of the polar opposite disposition. For me a cover in less-than-pristine condition makes the great music inside more affordable.
Very interesting. I am sure vinyl collectors mouths are watering but I prefer to be a disinterested examiner of the entertainment. I wish you well in your task of disposing of the dregs of the collection (eg Mantovani crap) and finding appropriate homes for the excellent jazz and pop records. Best wishes to you. I subscribed to stay tuned.
Many thanks, and welcome aboard!
I wonder....
Given the volume, I wonder if first sort/inventory would be by label/catalogue number. Then, one could approach labels (or even Discogs or MusicBrainz) for databases of releases. It might then be easier to do your queries and pulls with SQL or MS Access.
Makes sense. Though the thing we have to deal with is how to minimize the time spent on each record at the initial moment of triage. An additional 20 seconds to record a catalogue number for each record in the set of 88,000 equates to 488 hours, or 12 additional person-weeks of time. This project is a classic case of the GOOD-FAST-CHEAP dilemma (you can only pick two).
@@TenMinuteRecordReviews please delete comment if inappropriate.
Yes, buyer has bought himself a job for an extended period. Let me know if you need help with this effort or a contact at Goodwill. I am available.
Thanks David, noted (and not just saying that, but as you indicate we need time to get on top of the contents first).
Lucky duck that dude. It's a minor miracle they didn't end up in a dumpster.
Does the collection include a decent amount of avant-garde, contemporary classical, or early electronic music (Stockhausen, Cage, Glass, Reich?)
Trace amounts. Far more Ruth Brown than Marion Brown; far more Hotlips Page than John Cage. The classical LPs we did not go through to any great extent, as they are principally US pressings which as you may know are less sought-after.
@@TenMinuteRecordReviewsThanks for the response! I’m happy to help search for that kind of stuff. I agree that searching through classical can be a chore but some of the more esoteric stuff can have value. I’m located in DC.
🤯 just 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Yup.
Did he ever sell the cds?
Not our remit, so can't tell you. Noble Records has been involved more recently.
As for the spoken word records, contact Mark Maron, comedian, who has the WTF podcast. He has a lot of knowledge of the field and contacts.
Thank you.
I think Dillon at Noble Records posted on this collection...🤔
Yes, he did!
They were first!
Fantastic! I found your channel for the first time by this post. Enjoying it very much. By the way, I would avoid using Goof Off and all such solvents on covers. You cannot predict which tape adhesive or which ink you are dealing with from that era.. ALSO Hard on the lungs...Just sayin.
Thanks very much; your comment has the ring of hard-won experience!
OMG!!!!
Right?
Well, we know that with all those catalog stickers on the album covers they can grade all the covers as VG-. One problem solved and a ton more to go. 😂
Good luck and enjoy this new adventure.
That’s what I was thinking. They bought 88,000 damaged records.
@@johng.4711 We will have stay tuned for the next installment video to see what the actual vinyl condition is on many of these records.
It's generally VG+ or better, from what we can see. It was a government radio station collection.
Re the covers, aside from the tape and Magic Marker they're typically well stored with little splitting or ringwear.
Perhaps, though in my experience the vinyl collecting world is not of one mind on that. Personally, as my own collection is for playing, if the disc is VG+ or better my only criterion for the cover is that it not be falling apart.
Is the successful auction price in the public domain? I have found a figure, but I don't know if it was the final bid. Interesting to what happens next. Thanks for sharing.
No idea. And yes it will be interesting!
a great project whose treasure-find aura only seems fitting to encompass you in it (the collector's words confirm Fortuna's blessed ways :)
regarding Jazz & state propaganda, i immediately thought of Johan Grimonprez' recent film (which is fantastic) - something i'm sure you (and faithful viewers) would love:
ruclips.net/video/_MRHFGP7Oho/видео.html
looking forward to the upcoming episodes!
Hey thanks! Will investigate. And yes I do feel lucky!
I feel like NTX Vinyl (www.youtube.com/@NTXVinyl) would be all over buying a big bulk lot of those mid-value records. Fascinating project, good luck with it! Looking forward to the next video on this subject.
@@unityoc thanks for the tip.
For someone who wanted to peruse and catalog the treasure,he didnt waste much time letting noble records go thru and take to sell records.now you're stuck with junk.i dont know how serious or deep your pockets are,but you completely did a turnaround.scratching my head.i know,because I went thru and evaluated Elton John's collection for purchaser who didnt know anything either.now the best would be to bulk out.wish I knew about this,cause you would not have gotten it.good luck
Hi Clifford. To clarify for the interest of others reading this thread, if you're getting the impression that on our watch we facilitated a cherry-picking of the collection, that's not the case.
If you watch my recent update video, you'll see what we set aside for the owner to keep (having gone through 55% to 60% of the collection and especially the years 1955 to early 70s). The Noble video doesn't show the large portion of the room which had been emptied in this process, not that he had any obligation to show this. During our work there, thousands of records were specifically set aside and boxed up for Noble's attention, in the dozens of boxes. A far greater quantity of records, with minimal to zero commercial value, was donated to charity.
As it stood when we departed, we had identified and set aside a collection for the owner which more than justified the original investment. I am certain that however things were presented elsewhere, the owner exercised the same diligence re the records which Noble Records subsequently reviewed and accessed, and that the records which Noble purchased were exchanged at a fair price.
Can I please come over and help out? Jared white (Clinton street records) portland,or
Hi Jared. I think we’ve got the team sorted for now, but thanks for the offer.
shame the VoA collection could not have been properly archived and gone to a proper institution instead of a random, private collector.
Government makes the decisions it makes, regardless of country, is my observation.
It seems a shame to break up the collection. It would be nice if collectors could add to their private collections, but ...still...this must be one of the largest archives on the planet. Wouldn't it be better to preserve this in a vault, considering the horrifying job the labels have done with master tapes?
I take the point. Counterpoint: they’ve already been in a vault for 30 years, dormant. Records were meant to be played. Plus there is chaff and wheat in equal parts.
Dude.
Occasional Insurrection 😂😂😂
Did I say that? I meant perhaps, overly-aggressive sightseeing.
Dont be mean to Burl Ives.
Just tongue in cheek! Of the very first records I remember as a child, one was a Burl Ives record on which he sang “John Henry.”
Selling off the family silver for a halfpenny's worth of tar ....
Well, when you are born with a golden spoon in mouth (government money)...
That family silver like all of Voice of America was bought w tax payer $$$.
- and by outdated law and corporate greed we can’t eat off it, unlike any hungry person outside the United States.