Shellac Stack Podcast

shellacstack-2013I’ve been collecting 78 rpm records for most of my life. Something about these heavy, scratchy old discs caught my ear when I was a kid and I’ve been fascinated by them ever since. In this digital age of heavily-produced music that involves layering and piecing together snippets of sound recorded on multiple tracks over days, weeks, or months, then tweaking pitches and rhythms to create a “perfect” performance that never existed, there’s something refreshing to me about placing the needle in the groove of a 78 rpm record and listening to a musical performance captured in a single, uninterrupted “take” by talented musicians working side-by-side. Essentially, each disc offers one or two studio-recorded “live performances” that allow me to appreciate completely the talent of the musicians; I never have to wonder if what I’m really enjoying are the mixing and editing skills of a nameless engineer.

I have fairly eclectic tastes in music and 78 rpm records offer so many choices. Whether it’s the ragtime banjo stylings of Fred Van Eps, the western swing of Milton Brown and His Brownies, Jesse Crawford at the Mighty Wurlitzer, the tight vocal harmonies of the Revelers, the hot jazz of Jelly Roll Morton, the cornball comedy of Homer and Jethro, the sophisticated piano of Cy Walter, the hard-driving swing of Benny Goodman, the haunting voice of Om Kalsoum, or even the syrupy violin-laced parlor music of Joseph C. Smith, I enjoy them all. (Though I have to admit a particular affection for the hot dance bands of the late 1920s and early 1930s.)

shellac-stack-phonograph

78 rpm record collectors seem to have a variety of ambitions. Some collect because they get a thrill from owning the original artifacts associated with their favorite music. They may be willing to spend $500 or more to own an original Victor 78 of Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Band, even though the music is readily available on CD reissues. Others collect because they enjoy music that can’t be had any other way; so much of what was recorded in the early 20th century has never been reissued on LP or CD and likely never will be. Like most collectors, I suppose my collecting interest is fueled by a little of both. So much of what I want to hear has never been reissued, and I can’t deny that in this day of MP3s and streaming audio, I get a certain satisfaction from holding a clean 90-year-old copy of Roger Wolfe Kahn’s recording of “She’s A Great, Great Girl” and admiring the elegant scrollwork on the Victor label before placing it on the turntable and watching it spin while Jack Teagarden’s robust trombone fills the room.

Of course, one of the real joys of collecting is sharing my finds with others. I’m fortunate to have some fellow collector friends nearby, and we enjoy getting together occasionally to listen to records and learn about the music from each other. My Shellac Stack podcast began in 2006 as a way to share the communal listening experience with far away friends. In the years since then, I’ve made some new friends through the podcast and they have provided the encouragement to continue. In an ideal world, I would record and post new podcast episodes according to a regular schedule, but my life these days just doesn’t seem to have enough time to make that possible. I will post new podcasts here as I record them. If you enjoy what you hear, please use the contact form to send me a message. I would love to hear from you! (Encouraging feedback inspires me to keep it up!)

I am grateful to the Shellac Stack‘s sponsors, who help me to cover the ongoing costs of producing and presenting the program. In particular, I would like to express my thanks to Malcolm Billingsley, Ken Brown, Darcie Daniels, Dave Davis, Bill Hoffman, Brenda McNeal, John Mikulka, Gary Motter, Ray Olszewski, Gary Orlando, Kaethe Phelps, Rich Procter, Bill Shute, Neal Siegal, Daniel Squire, JiHoon Suk, Richard Todaro, and Adam Wright. If you’d like to join them, please visit the Shellac Stack‘s Patreon page: patreon.com/shellacstack.

To subscribe to the Shellac Stack in iTunes to automatically download future podcasts when they are posted, please go to: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-shellac-stack/id590609578

If you prefer to subscribe using another podcast client, please use the following RSS feed: http://www.bryanswright.com/wpdir/?feed=podcast

To download the podcasts manually, or listen online at this site without downloading, you’ll find links to individual programs below. NOTE: Programs 1-29 are currently unavailable. (They represent a “learning” period for me and are a bit too rough to share anymore!)

2013-01-01: Shellac Stack No. 30

2013-01-08: Shellac Stack No. 31

2013-01-16: Shellac Stack No. 32

2013-01-22: Shellac Stack No. 33

2013-02-07: Shellac Stack No. 34

2013-02-15: Shellac Stack No. 35

2013-03-10: Shellac Stack No. 36

2013-03-21: Shellac Stack No. 37

2013-04-02: Shellac Stack No. 38

2013-05-26: Shellac Stack No. 39

2013-06-02: Shellac Stack No. 40

2013-07-12: Shellac Stack No. 41

2013-08-30: Shellac Stack No. 42

2014-12-28: Shellac Stack No. 43

2015-01-11: Shellac Stack No. 44

2015-01-25: Shellac Stack No. 45

2015-02-10: Shellac Stack No. 46

2015-02-22: Shellac Stack No. 47

2015-03-08: Shellac Stack No. 48

2015-03-22: Shellac Stack No. 49

2015-04-05: Shellac Stack No. 50

2015-04-19: Shellac Stack No. 51

2015-05-03: Shellac Stack No. 52

2015-05-17: Shellac Stack No. 53

2015-06-14: Shellac Stack No. 54

2015-06-28: Shellac Stack No. 55

2015-07-12: Shellac Stack No. 56

2015-08-09: Shellac Stack No. 57

2015-09-06: Shellac Stack No. 58

2015-09-20: Shellac Stack No. 59

2015-12-13: Shellac Stack No. 60

2016-01-10: Shellac Stack No. 61

2016-01-24: Shellac Stack No. 62

2016-02-07: Shellac Stack No. 63

2016-02-21: Shellac Stack No. 64

2016-03-06: Shellac Stack No. 65

2016-07-31: Shellac Stack No. 66

2016-08-14: Shellac Stack No. 67

2016-09-18: Shellac Stack No. 68

2016-10-30: Shellac Stack No. 69

2016-11-20: Shellac Stack No. 70

2016-12-04: Shellac Stack No. 71

2016-12-18: Shellac Stack No. 72

2017-01-01: Shellac Stack No. 73

2017-01-15: Shellac Stack No. 74

2017-01-29: Shellac Stack No. 75

2017-02-12: Shellac Stack No. 76

2017-02-26: Shellac Stack No. 77

2017-07-02: Shellac Stack No. 78

2017-07-09: Shellac Stack No. 79

2017-07-16: Shellac Stack No. 80

2017-07-23: Shellac Stack No. 81

2017-07-30: Shellac Stack No. 82

2017-08-06: Shellac Stack No. 83

2017-08-13: Shellac Stack No. 84

2017-08-20: Shellac Stack No. 85

2017-08-27: Shellac Stack No. 86

2017-09-03: Shellac Stack No. 87

2017-09-10: Shellac Stack No. 88

2017-09-17: Shellac Stack No. 89

2017-09-24: Shellac Stack No. 90

2017-10-01: Shellac Stack No. 91

2017-10-08: Shellac Stack No. 92

2017-10-15: Shellac Stack No. 93

2017-10-22: Shellac Stack No. 94

2017-10-29: Shellac Stack No. 95

2017-11-05: Shellac Stack No. 96

2017-11-12: Shellac Stack No. 97

2017-11-19: Shellac Stack No. 98

2017-11-26: Shellac Stack No. 99

2017-12-03: Shellac Stack No. 100

2017-12-10: Shellac Stack No. 101

2017-12-17: Shellac Stack No. 102

2017-12-24: Shellac Stack No. 103

2017-12-31: Shellac Stack No. 104

2018-01-07: Shellac Stack No. 105

2018-01-14: Shellac Stack No. 106

2018-01-21: Shellac Stack No. 107

2018-01-28: Shellac Stack No. 108

2018-02-04: Shellac Stack No. 109

2018-02-11: Shellac Stack No. 110

2018-02-18: Shellac Stack No. 111

2018-02-25: Shellac Stack No. 112

2018-03-04: Shellac Stack No. 113

2018-03-11: Shellac Stack No. 114

2018-03-18: Shellac Stack No. 115

2018-03-25: Shellac Stack No. 116

2018-04-01: Shellac Stack No. 117

2018-04-08: Shellac Stack No. 118

2018-04-15: Shellac Stack No. 119

2018-04-22: Shellac Stack No. 120

2018-04-29: Shellac Stack No. 121

2018-05-06: Shellac Stack No. 122

2018-05-13: Shellac Stack No. 123

2018-05-20: Shellac Stack No. 124

2018-05-27: Shellac Stack No. 125

2018-06-03: Shellac Stack No. 126

2018-06-10: Shellac Stack No. 127

2018-06-17: Shellac Stack No. 128

2018-06-24: Shellac Stack No. 129

2018-07-01: Shellac Stack No. 130

2018-07-08: Shellac Stack No. 131

2018-07-15: Shellac Stack No. 132

2018-07-22: Shellac Stack No. 133

2018-07-29: Shellac Stack No. 134

2018-08-05: Shellac Stack No. 135

2018-08-12: Shellac Stack No. 136

2018-08-19: Shellac Stack No. 137

2018-08-26: Shellac Stack No. 138

2018-09-02: Shellac Stack No. 139

2018-09-09: Shellac Stack No. 140

2018-09-16: Shellac Stack No. 141

2018-09-23: Shellac Stack No. 142

2018-09-30: Shellac Stack No. 143

2018-10-07: Shellac Stack No. 144

2018-10-14: Shellac Stack No. 145

2018-10-21: Shellac Stack No. 146

2018-10-28: Shellac Stack No. 147

2018-12-23: Shellac Stack No. 148

2018-12-30: Shellac Stack No. 149

2019-01-06: Shellac Stack No. 150

2019-01-13: Shellac Stack No. 151

2019-01-20: Shellac Stack No. 152

2019-01-27: Shellac Stack No. 153

2019-02-03: Shellac Stack No. 154

2019-02-10: Shellac Stack No. 155

2019-02-17: Shellac Stack No. 156

2019-03-03: Shellac Stack No. 157

2019-03-31: Shellac Stack No. 158

2019-04-07: Shellac Stack No. 159

2019-04-14: Shellac Stack No. 160

2019-04-21: Shellac Stack No. 161

2019-04-28: Shellac Stack No. 162

2019-05-05: Shellac Stack No. 163

2019-05-12: Shellac Stack No. 164

2019-05-19: Shellac Stack No. 165

2019-05-26: Shellac Stack No. 166

2019-06-02: Shellac Stack No. 167

2019-06-09: Shellac Stack No. 168

2019-06-16: Shellac Stack No. 169

2019-06-23: Shellac Stack No. 170

2019-06-30: Shellac Stack No. 171

2019-07-07: Shellac Stack No. 172

2019-07-14: Shellac Stack No. 173

2019-07-21: Shellac Stack No. 174

2019-07-28: Shellac Stack No. 175

2019-07-28: Shellac Stack No. 176

2019-09-15: Shellac Stack No. 177

2020-05-24: Shellac Stack No. 178

2020-05-31: Shellac Stack No. 179

2020-06-07: Shellac Stack No. 180

2020-06-14: Shellac Stack No. 181

2020-06-21: Shellac Stack No. 182

2020-06-28: Shellac Stack No. 183

2020-07-05: Shellac Stack No. 184

2020-07-12: Shellac Stack No. 185

2020-07-19: Shellac Stack No. 186

2020-07-26: Shellac Stack No. 187

2020-08-02: Shellac Stack No. 188

2020-08-09: Shellac Stack No. 189

2020-08-16: Shellac Stack No. 190

2020-08-23: Shellac Stack No. 191

2020-08-30: Shellac Stack No. 192

2020-09-06: Shellac Stack No. 193

2020-09-13: Shellac Stack No. 194

2020-09-20: Shellac Stack No. 195

2020-09-27: Shellac Stack No. 196

2020-10-04: Shellac Stack No. 197

2020-10-11: Shellac Stack No. 198

2020-10-18: Shellac Stack No. 199

2020-10-25: Shellac Stack No. 200

2020-11-01: Shellac Stack No. 201

2020-11-08: Shellac Stack No. 202

2020-11-15: Shellac Stack No. 203

2020-11-22: Shellac Stack No. 204

2020-12-06: Shellac Stack No. 205

2020-12-13: Shellac Stack No. 206

2020-12-20: Shellac Stack No. 207

2021-01-03: Shellac Stack No. 208

2021-01-10: Shellac Stack No. 209

2021-01-17: Shellac Stack No. 210

2021-01-24: Shellac Stack No. 211

2021-01-31: Shellac Stack No. 212

2021-02-07: Shellac Stack No. 213

2021-02-14: Shellac Stack No. 214

2021-02-21: Shellac Stack No. 215

2021-02-28: Shellac Stack No. 216

2021-03-07: Shellac Stack No. 217

2021-03-21: Shellac Stack No. 218

2021-03-28: Shellac Stack No. 219

2021-04-04: Shellac Stack No. 220

2021-04-11: Shellac Stack No. 221

2021-04-18: Shellac Stack No. 222

2021-04-25: Shellac Stack No. 223

2021-05-09: Shellac Stack No. 224

2021-05-16: Shellac Stack No. 225

2021-05-23: Shellac Stack No. 226

2021-05-30: Shellac Stack No. 227

2021-06-06: Shellac Stack No. 228

2021-06-13: Shellac Stack No. 229

2021-06-20: Shellac Stack No. 230

2021-07-04: Shellac Stack No. 231

2021-07-11: Shellac Stack No. 232

2021-07-18: Shellac Stack No. 233

2021-07-25: Shellac Stack No. 234

2021-08-01: Shellac Stack No. 235

2021-08-08: Shellac Stack No. 236

2021-08-15: Shellac Stack No. 237

2021-08-29: Shellac Stack No. 238

2021-09-05: Shellac Stack No. 239

2021-09-12: Shellac Stack No. 240

2021-09-19: Shellac Stack No. 241

2021-10-03: Shellac Stack No. 242

2021-10-17: Shellac Stack No. 243

2021-10-24: Shellac Stack No. 244

2021-10-31: Shellac Stack No. 245

2021-11-07: Shellac Stack No. 246

2021-11-14: Shellac Stack No. 247

2021-11-21: Shellac Stack No. 248

2021-11-28: Shellac Stack No. 249

2021-12-05: Shellac Stack No. 250

2021-12-19: Shellac Stack No. 251

2021-12-26: Shellac Stack No. 252

2022-01-02: Shellac Stack No. 253

2022-01-16: Shellac Stack No. 254

2022-01-23: Shellac Stack No. 255

2022-02-06: Shellac Stack No. 256

2022-02-13: Shellac Stack No. 257

2022-02-20: Shellac Stack No. 258