Columbia on Parade, 19 of their 1932 UK stars in 1 record!

[JHolmesesq]

I thought this disc would be fascinating for you all. It features 19 of Columbia UK's top recording stars of 1932. This disc has the only known recording of Len Fillis' voice, and also includes:

Norman Long, Jack Payne (Intro & speaking), Albert Sandler, Harry Tate, Raymond Newell (song), Flotsam & Jetsam (song), Trevor Watkin (song), Binnie Hale (speaking & song with Billy Mayerl), Layton & Johnstone (song), Debroy Somers (speaking & song), Billy Mayerl (speaking & piano solo), Len Fillis, Stanley Holloway, Will Fyffe (speaking & song) & Harry Dearth (song)

Part 2 briefly features Len Fillis playing a few bars of Blues guitar. Many of the featured artists - including Len Fillis - sing / speak their own names in the chorus of "Uncle Tom Cobleigh And All" at the end.

Enjoy!

[youtubehd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30jwgTU0emc[/youtubehd]

[gramophoneshane]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering if the original was better than the second record, & indeed it is!
They should have stuck to the same format when they recorded "Columbia on parade No.2". I think no.2 is aweful

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SaSqrcZyAQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VakKdYpo8xQ[/youtube]

[JHolmesesq]

Haha, that sounds a bit...weird. Castles and kings? How silly of them, I find it much more interesting to hear about them in the format of the 1st one

[Guest]

This record was produced by Joe Batten who is heard introducing the artists. Does anyone have any more information on Joe?

[Lenoirstreetguy]

Speaking of Joe Batten, here's what he has to say about this record in his autobiography entitled, logically, Joe Batten's Book: The Story of Sound Recording. . Batten was Edison Bell's...and later Columbia's....answer to Fred Gaisberg. He was the A and R man of for both companies. He, like most of the Columbia staff, felt that they rather got the short end of the stick at the time of the creation of EMI. The book is interesting, but it could have been much more engaging with a more proactive editor. Batten at his best conveys his considerable charm, but he can't decide if it's his life story, or the story of his life in the recording business: he actually should have written two books. The early sections are the best, but by the time he reaches 1930 the chapters become less of an autobiography and increasingly a recitation of all the people he met...and liked ... in the business. It seems he wanted to give everyone credit, but unless one knows who he's talking about, it becomes a bit tedious. He was a member of the Savage Club, that famous London gentleman's club for those in the creative arts.... and like all Savages he was intensely sentimental about those good times with his fellow members. But his final paen of praise to the club makes one want to take him aside and say, " Enough Joe: ya kind of had to be there....."

Jim

[syncopeter]

Marvelous record. Not something to play everyday, but still a great one.
There's a funny story attached to Tea for Two on side on. Many composers made up fake lyrics to accentuate what they found important in a song. With Tea for Two Irving Caesar actually decided to stick with the original words of the refrain as supplied by Vincent Youmans and write his song around it. The rest is history.
These all-star records were never officially for sale and can be quite hard to find. I've ever had only 2 or 3, but most of them were in super condition. They quite probably were pressed on superior quality but less hard wearing shellac, because they sound much better than the original records.