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Last updated by Chrome Oxide on 03/26/2001

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CHROME hEARing
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[What's New (this page)]
[Intro - Music Collectors Column]
[Why Do I Collect?] [What Do I Collect?] [What Do I Really Have?] [How Did They Do That?] [The Joys of Collecting.]
MISC
[Other Links] [Classifieds]
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WHAT's NEW (this page)
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What's new on this page?

If you see the date changing on this page, without an announcement in this section, it is probably something like fixing minor coding problems, spelling errors, minor layout changes, new page on this site (so I changed bottom index), ... Any major changes to this page, will be announced here.

July 18, 2005. I just noticed that the ezBoard message board that I had set up for this web site had been deleted. Since restoration of the deleted conference is only available to subscribers to their service, and since the activity was relatively light, I not planning on looking for another message board. If you do think a message board is worth while, or you have a message board that you like, let me know and I may promote it here. As always you can contact me here.

March 10, 2001. It looks like I may have been premature in moving to a new web hosting site. I just found out that whenever Tripod.com is having hardware or software problems with their servers, they put up a message for the webmaster that their site is in violation of terms, and the web site has been deleted (instead of a message about system problems and try again later). Anyway, I believed Tripod.com when they said they deleted my account, so I will be moving, and making chromeoxide.com my new home on the web.

March 10, 2001. As long as I am moving my entire site, I decided to make a few changes to the layout of the individual pages, and the web site in general, including (but not limited to) I removed the counter, and moved the listings of mirror sites to the bottom of the page, ...

March 6, 2001. Sometime between March 1 to March 5, 2001 Tripod deleted my account/web site. The last stats Tripod gave me were 9,000+ visitors per month. Since my site is so popular, I have decided to keep it going, in spite of this major setback. But rather than trying to build up another free web site, and possibly deal with this problem again, I decided go with CommandLine.net to host the new chromeoxide.com.

October 31, 2000. The new Chrome Oxide Music Collectors Pages Message Board is provided by EZBoard.

April 21, 2000. You asked for it (you did, really, you did), you got it. You may have thought that since I don't have much person commentary on my site (other than the choice of bands) that maybe I didn't have any opinions. Well, you were wrong (I hope), and here is proof.

I have been asked to write a column for VinylSale.com. This is a web site that specializes in buying/selling/trading vinyl. Evidently they are just getting started with original content, and for some reason they picked me. :-) Anyway, until I start getting some feedback, I will just ramble on about whatever I feel like.

I checked back recently, and since I wasn't getting any feedback, so I wasn't writing a regular column, they deleted it from their site. :-(

April 16, 2000. This page. :-)

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CHROME hEARing
INTRO
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Originally VinylSale.com asked me to write a column for them. But since I got no feedback, I stopped writing new columns for them, so they deleted all the columns I had written. :-( But you can still see them here! :-)

This page is another attempt by me to add more original content to this site. I have been asked to write a column about music collecting for VinylSale.com, a site that specializes in collecting vinyl. I figured, as long as I am going to go to the effort to write a regular column, why not post it on my site as well.

These articles will get first publication on the VinylSale.com site, but they will be get reprinted here.

If you have any questions about music collecting, how I do it, why I do it, ... Please let me know. You just might get an online response.

Or if you would like to write something for electronic publication on this site, I would be interested in hearing from you.

My main focus, will continue to be adding one band per month to this site. I have ideas for the next few months for this column, but after that, who knows. Check back and see if I can maintain a monthly music column as well as the new monthly band page.

I am also interested in getting wider exposure for this site. So links from your site to mine would be appreciated. And if you know of any sites that allow/encourage submission, I would also appreciate knowing about them as well.

Please send to:

Chrome Oxide
P.O.Box 8106
Mission Hills, CA 91346-8106

Chrome Oxide
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CHROME hEARing
Why Do I Collect?
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Evolution of a Collector aka Why do I collect?

When I was very young, I didn't know there was music. And I didn't care.

But one day, my older brother got a transistor radio.

And then there were the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, and the British Invasion, and the American Retaliation, and ... All the music I could possibly want. All the time. On the airwaves.

And it was good.

For a while.

And then I found out you could actually buy and own the same vinyl they were playing on the radio. And I could listen to the songs whenever I wanted to. And there were lots more songs on the albums than they played on the radio. Many were as good or better that what was played on the air. And there were 45s, that sometimes had songs that weren't on albums.

And it was good.

For a while.

And then I started buying books, and reading magazines to find out more information on my favorite bands. And I found out that there were many more records available than I had originally thought possible. And that many of the band members were in other bands prior to their current band. And some of those bands were also worth listening to.

And it was good.

For a while.

And then I found out that not everything that a band recorded was released through official channels. And that live performances of the band that never were intended for release were also available through the unofficial channels. And that all this and more was also available through the unofficial channels.

And it was good.

For a while.

And finally I started going to LOTS of live shows, where I could see the bands playing material they never recorded, and never intended to record. And playing songs differently than they were on record. And I found out that the opening bands, which didn't always have recording contracts, were also worth listening to.

And then I look at my room with walls completely covered with cases of records and tapes and wonder how this ever got started.

So, in answer to the question "Why do I collect?"

I answer, "Have you ever heard a song on the radio, and wished to hear more from that band? Then have you purchased the album, liked it, and wished to hear even more from that band?"

That is why I collect. I want more!

Keep your tape heads clean.

Chrome Oxide

Chrome Oxide Music Collectors Pages
submitted: April 16, 2000 Number 1 of ...

Copyright © 2000 by Chrome Oxide

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What Do I Collect?
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What do I collect?

I know of (have met) various different kinds of collectors.

- Some collectors will buy anything by a band. T-shirts, stickers, magazines, records, tapes, ....
- Other collectors only collect all musical releases by a band. They need to have one of every release for every country it is released in.
- And still other collectors only care about different versions of the music released. If it is a new song, or a new version of an old song, they need to have a copy for their collection (this is the kind of collector I am).

How do I choose the bands I collect?

I like listening to them. It is that simple. I heard them on the radio (or in a club, or ...), and I liked what I heard. And wanted to hear more.

How does this make a band "Collectable"?

It doesn't make a band "Collectable". But if you like a band, then maybe someone else does too. And if you get a few friends hooked on a band, and they get a few friends hooked, and their friends get hooked, ... then pretty soon you have a large circle of fans/friends, collecting your favorite band. Still no guarantte of collectability. But you will be making friends and having fun. What more can you ask from a hobby?

How do I collect?

I don't "Collect". I collect. I don't buy records, CDs, tapes, ... with the hope of it going up in value. Although some of it may have gone up in value. I buy because I like listening to the music. Or watching the video. Or reading about the band. And I want more.

This doesn't necessarily make any of it "Collectable". But it doesn't mean that it won't become more valuable. Keep in mind that most major corporations only have eyes out looking for the next million selling product. If the band doesn't perform immediately, they can get booted off the label, and the product discontinued. But what happens to your favorite little band, that goes to the next label, that suddenly sells multi-platinum? The original issue, small print run becomes more valuable as newer fans look for the older material.

Where do I collect?

In Los Angeles (where I am located) there are lots of "Collector" stores, as well as the regular stores. Also swap meets, thrift shops, garage sales, the internet, overstock stores, ...

How can you get started?

Buy something. Start small. Find a band you like. Trace the other works of the individual members, as well as their work in other bands.

Keep your tape heads clean.

Chrome Oxide

Chrome Oxide Music Collectors Pages
submitted: April 16, 2000 Number 2 of ...

Copyright © 2000 by Chrome Oxide

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What Do I Really Have?
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What do I really have?

I have been collecting rare tapes over the years. And it is very easy to just dash off a quick note about the tape, forgetting some of the details along the way. But if you are like me, and like to collect specific periods of various bands, then how do you figure out what you have? And what about commercial releases? Do the people writing the liner notes ever make mistakes?

Let's take a look at John Mayall's Bluesbreakers live performances with Eric Clapton on lead guitar, and Jack Bruce on bass. Some tracks were released on at least two albums (Looking Back and Primal Solos), and each one has a different date listed as the recording date (March 17, 1966 or April 1966). (Although both list the same location for the recordings.) After corresponding with an informed fan who found my site, and double checking with the Eric Clapton Sessionography site, and the book Disraeli Gears: Cream by John Platt (Jack Bruce was quoted as saying that he was in another band at the time and didn't play with John Mayall then), we determined that the sessions must be October or November 1966 (the only time Jack Bruce played with the band) and settled on November 28, 1966 as the actual date of the recordings.

Tracking down a recording date is not always quite that easy.

Another example. I have a live recording by the Yardbirds, that in my collection, has a hand scrawled note stating that it was 1968 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. But when the Yardbirds were playing in the L.A. area in 1968, they played 2 nights at the Shrine Auditorium. And the photographer (I met at a record swap meet) for the "Last Rave Up In L.A." confirms that those shows dates were correct. So, either the date of the tape is wrong, or the location is wrong. The Yardbirds did play at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on July 22, 1967 with Jimmy Page. And since there isn't much in the way of a date (1968), I am relabeling the tape as July 22, 1967 until I can get better information (one way or another).

Who knew that listening to music might eventually involve detective work?

Keep your tape heads clean.

Chrome Oxide

Chrome Oxide Music Collectors Pages
submitted: April 18, 2000 Number 3 of ...

Copyright © 2000 by Chrome Oxide

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How Did They Do That?
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Did you ever hear a live performance by a band being broadcast on the radio and you wondered:

How did they do that? and How can I get a copy?

Both are interesting questions, and both have interesting answers.

How do they do that? A few of the ways of doing that are:
- bring the band into the studio, and let them play for who ever can fit into the broadcast booth.
- send a mobile recording studio into the field and link to the station so that everything is broadcast as it happens.
- send a mobile recording studio into the field and record the show for later broadcast.

The Dream Syndicate - The Day Before Wine And Roses (live at KPFK FM June 5, 1982) is a good example of the first kind of live show. A then unknown band, playing for a local station, for broadcast to local listeners. Everybody squeezed into the broadcast booth, set up the equipment, and played. A tape was made, which did get passed around, and later played on the radio once or twice. Parts of it did get commercial release. But finally, the complete performance was released commercially.

David Bowie at the Santa Monica Civic October 20, 1972, is a good example of the second kind of show. A local radio station sent their production crew to mic the concert for a live broadcast. And as long as the show was being broadcast by the radio station, it was also being recorded by the station. This show got a lot of good reviews. And since it was an investment by the radio station to do the broadcast, they later rebroadcast the show a few times. Eventually the record label got a tape copy of the show from the radio station, and released it commercially.

The third kind of show is the most common. And there are a few variants of it. Some shows were recorded as a promotional effort for the band. Copies were pressed up for radio stations (and/or reviewers) and if you got lucky, you heard parts of it on the radio. Unlike some of the live shows I mentioned earlier (that were broadcast in their entirety), these may have had one or two tracks played on the radio, but there was no push to play the whole concert. Some examples are:
Pretenders - Live At The Santa Monic Civic - Warner Brothers Music Show
Talking Heads - Live On Tour - Warner Brothers Music Show
Graham Parker - Live Sparks (later released commercially).

The most common of the third kind of show, is the syndicated radio show. Syndicated radio shows are all recorded for later broadcast. (King Biscuit Flour Hour, BBC, Westwood One, ...) However, some times, the band plays longer than the time allowed for the broadcast. Extra tracks are left floating in limbo. Those extra tracks can turn up later. Some examples of complete live show releases are:
Procol Harum - Live In Concert (3/22/74)
(includes one track excluded from original broadcast)
Deep Purple - In Concert (2/19/70, and 3/9/72)
(includes some tracks excluded from original broadcast)
Led Zeppelin - BBC Sessions (3/3/69,6/16/69,6/24/69,6/24/69,4/1/71)
(not all shows are complete, but includes some tracks excluded from original broadcast)

Others, with a lot of live material, but not necessarily a complete live show, just get compilations of live material.
Beatles - Live At The BBC
Fleetwood Mac - Live At The BBC (1967 - 1971)
Humble Pie - Natural Born Boogie (The BBC Sessions)
Small Faces - The BBC Sessions
Rory Gallagher - The BBC Sessions
Jimi Hendrix - Radio One (2-13-67 to 10-17-67 bbc)
Yes - Beyond And Before - The BBC Recordings 1969 - 1970

These syndicated radio shows are licensed for a single broadcast only. Afterwards, the radio station is supposed to dispose of them. I think they were supposed to destroy them. But many find their way into hands of collectors. These shows were originally distributed on open reel tape, later on vinyl, and now on CD.

Some examples include:
Translator - BBC College Concert # 10 week end 11/14/82
Wall Of Voodoo - BBC College Concert # 20 week end 2/6/83
X/Waitresses - In Concert # 82-26 Country Club

If you do manage to pick up something like this. You not only have a rare release, but sometimes even rare material. And usually very enjoyable listening.

Keep your tape heads clean.

Chrome Oxide

Chrome Oxide Music Collectors Pages
submitted: May 5, 2000 Number 4 of ...

Copyright © 2000 by Chrome Oxide

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The Joys of Collecting.
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The Joys of Collecting.

Are you trying to collect every song ever released by a band? Then you have your work cut out for you. In the 1960s, when record labels hated rock music, but were afraid to not release some of it for fear of not making money, they did a lot of screwy things to the recorded music.

In Europe (England), in the 1960s, a band was allowed to cut a 45. If the 45 was popular, the band might be allowed to cut another 45. Or if the 45 was very popular, the band might be allowed to cut an album. But the album was seperate and distinct from the 45. After all, if you bought the 45, you didn't want another copy of it on the album. You also had something called an EP (Extended Play 45), which instead of one song per side, had two songs per side. Again, it was considered like a 45, seperate and distinct from the album.

In America, the attitude was very different. If the 45 was a hit, then it HAD to be on the album, or no one would buy it. Therefore, the record labels put the hit song on the album. Many times, removing some other album cut to make space for the hit single. Normally they did this before the release of the album. But not all the time. For example, Buffalo Springfields' first album had Baby Don't Scold Me replaced with For What It's Worth. But in this case, it was done AFTER the album had been released. So you ended up with multiple versions of the same album released to the public.

In other cases, if the American record label didn't like a song(s), the record labels would make the artist replace it with another. For example, Traffic's first album had three songs on the American release that weren't on the European release, and the European release had two songs that weren't on the American release.

And still in other cases, the American labels thought a good way to rip off the American public was to take a European release that had twelve songs, remove two of the songs, and then release the album in America with only ten songs on it. All the Beatles' original albums were all (mis) handled in this fashion. So, if the group released four more albums, the American label now had enough songs for a new American release, and didn't have to bother the artist about asking for permission, or more material, or ...

Also, since the record labels cared so little about music, sometimes when it came time to release a record in a foreign country, they couldn't even be bothered enough to release the same version of the song. They would just go to the vaults and grab whatever looked good, or was handy. So sometimes different versions of the same song were released in different countries. The Kinks and Yardbirds were good examples of this. If you picked up some of their 45s from various countries, the mixes were different because there may have been a few copies of the tracks in the vaults.

Censorship was also a problem. Record label executives felt free to steal money from bands (they still do today), have illict sexual affairs, ... But they wouldn't allow bands to sing about it. The band either had to re-record the lyrics, or the record label would cut up the song. For example, "Gloria" was a hit record, but while the record executives thought its' lyrics were offensive (she come up to my room, she make me feel alright), they couldn't afford to not release it, but they were offended that someone else would talk about what they were doing, so they edited out the offensive lyrics.

And then there were soundtrack albums.

Originally, movie soundtrack albums were a way to promote a movie, and once the movie was no longer available for viewing on the big screen, there was no point in having the sountrack album available at the record stores.

Now, the movie soundtrack album is considered a profit center. And if there are one or more hit songs in the movie, the soundtrack could make more money than the movie. And the movie soundtrack definately has a longer shelf life than the movie.

This makes some of the earlier soundtrack albums more collectable.

For example, lots of exploitation movies (cheaply made, inexperienced actors/writers/producers/directors/...) used rock music to try to cash in on the youth market. While other bigger budget movies used rock music to try to set the mood of the scene or the movie.

For example Revolution had some tracks by Quicksilver Messenger Service and Steve Miller Band that were recorded for the movie (before either band had a record contract) and were unavailable for a very long time.

Or Zachariah, which had some tracks by Country Joe and The Fish, James Gang, ... that are only available on the movie soundtrack album.

Or Blowup, which had a Yardbird track that for the longest time, was only available in the movie soundtrack.

I guess music collecting was not as simple as I first thought.

Keep your tape heads clean.

Chrome Oxide

Chrome Oxide Music Collectors Pages
submitted: March 26, 2001 Number 5 of ...

Copyright © 2001 by Chrome Oxide

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OTHER LINKS
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Do you have a Music Opinion related site? Do you want a link from this page? E-Mail me!

I am also interested in getting wider exposure for this site. So links from your site to mine would be appreciated. And if you know of any sites that allow/encourage submission, I would also appreciate knowing about them as well.

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CLASSIFIEDs
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This is an experiment. I am listing various classified ads that might be of interest to browsers of this page.

Let me know what you think of this idea?

And if you do order something listed here, let them know you found out about it here.

Also, let me know how this worked out for you.

June 29, 2003.
MusicStack looks like a good source of used music items (LPs, CDs, posters, ...).
As always, let me know what you think.

4 Million Hard to Find CDs & LPs at MusicStack
December 10, 2002.
Back in October 1999 I put up links to CD-Now so that visitors could easily link to the related band pages and instantly see which items were still in print/available for purchase. CD-Now no longer has that option. For the moment I am putting in Amazon.com search boxes. Amazon.com doesn't easily allow for links to individual band pages in the same way that CD-Now used to. So, instead of me being able to create direct links, I have put up the Amazon.com search box instead. So you can still go to a page with the various bands products, buy you now need to go through a search box.

As always, let me know what you think.

April 22, 2002.
Would you like to show your appreciation for (the time, effort, money, ... that goes into creating, maintaing, updating) this web site, without getting anything in return (except a listing of your name (and url) on this web site as a friend of this web site)?
sign up for PayPal and simplify your online payments.

Send Chrome Oxide some money

December 3, 2002 CD Now is undergoing changes, and asked that ALL links be removed.
October 28, 1999 I signed up with CD Now.

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Band of the month for March 2004: [Raw Power Rangers]
Book review of the month for October 2006: [Skydog - The Duane Allman Story]

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