His Master's Voice Portable Gramophones

Description

"How pleasant, to lie on the beach and listen to the latest fox-trots played by the world's liveliest dance bands, or to some popular artists singing your favourite melodies..." So ran the publicity for the very latest in sophisticated and technical innovation: the His Master's Voice Portable Gramophone, a new luxury which not only promised "sunny hours" but which was also a tremendous fashion statement and status symbol. Dave Cooper explains the birth of the EMI label, and how the His Master's Voice Portable Gromophones became the most coveted of gromophones. His Master's Voice Poratable Gramophones takes us back to the glamour of an era when records were 78s and recording artists were still at the experimental stages of understanding this new technology. With a wealth of photographs, old advertisements and ephemera, the book is a guide for the collector and general enthusiast alike, offering tips on how to start collecting, maintenance of machines and also detailed diagrams explaining the workings of what was a complete novelty in the world of music.

Born in Kidderminster in 1956 the son of a county cricketer, Dave was interested in music of all kinds at an early age. As well as pop music, he also loved the music of an earlier generation and began collecting old 78s in his early teens. His first gramophone, luckily for him, turned out to be a highly desirable HMV model 101. Thus began his writing career both for various magazines and books. At sixteen Dave decided to concentrate on his music and became a professional musician playing drums and percussion in London's West End and on cruise ships. By 1980 he was writing again. Other books by Dave Cooper include Buddy Rich Discography and Buddy Rich: A Lifetime of Music