HISTORY
This recording and the packaging just oozes Australian history!
First up, please realise that this is NOT a vinyl record but in fact made from composite material pre-vinyl days, this Australian release dating from the late 1940's
I am unable to listen to this release "properly" because of the rotation speed (78) and to play these correctly you need a nice fat styli to run in the grooves, this was pressed when the grooves were much wider than modern vinyl and if played using a modern stylus, the surface noise level will be much higher due to the styli sloping around all over the place while it runs in the grooves.
Please, if you are not a collector (who would be aware of this), these shellacs are brittle and do not take kindly to undue bending or flexing - they will snap (no, not the house artist!)
Like all records, whether they be shellac, acetate or vinyl, keep away from heat sources - these little discs hate heat.
Australian history here ... Les Welch was (at the time, in the 1940's ~ early 1950's) a very popular bandleader, artist, pianist and performer who covered a range of genre's including Blues, Boogie Woogie and even some Rock and RnB back in the day. Les was even one of the earliest A&R guys at Festival Records, Wow! Apparently at one stage, Les and the band managed to get themselves crowned as "The King Of Swing" Double Wow! Les had a different band on each side of this record, that is why I have just called this "the boys" - the complete stage names are showing in the track listing below.
The record label Tempo is (was) an Australian company, actually it was a combined effort between Towers Of London (Aust.) Ltd and the Recording Corporation Of NZ.
But wait ... there's more. Take a gander at that record sleeve! Of course Eastway's has long gone but Dudley's Corner (located at the intersection of Maroubra Bay Road & Anzac Parade) remains a very vibrant area of Maroubra Junction
Note Eastway's telephone number, FX 3125, rotary telephones (PMG) were being used in the 1940's but in those days, Maroubra Junction was considered well out in the stix! This is also why the sleeve proudly claims that the music store sells at "City Prices" - the "city" being way over the horizon from Maroubra Junction.
Imagine, some kid probably bought this copy from Eastways and ran home to listen to the latest "hot" music of the day. That same person would now be (if alive) at least 90 years old!
Now let's get down to the details ...
LES WELCH AND HIS NAKED CITY SEVEN - Cigareets And Whusky And Wild Wild Women
Tempo Records
Cat # T-010
Mono recording
Should be spun at 78 plus you need to use the correct WIDE styli to play this properly
1949
Australian release (not NZ)
Retail record store, Eastway's, sleeve is in amazing condition considering the years that have passed by. NO personal writing, no tears and not even a seam split. Only the front is printed, the rear being blank.
A new (modern) plastic liner sleeve is supplied to protect the shellac
The shellac record is also in amazing condition. So often shellac is terribly damaged over the years due to it's brittle nature and general careless handling - NOT THIS COPY. I have examined the record on both sides and can only see one or two extremely light scratches, certainly no gouging! The shellac surface remains shiny and it just looks so good. No edge chips and absolutely no cracks! I have placed this record on the turntable but only spinning at 45 to check for warps - there are none. Actually at this point I couldn't help myself and I DID play the record, at 45 and with a much smaller styli than should have been used but the sound was great, although soooooo sloooooow! I was impressed at both the lack of surface noise and the music, particularly Elevator Boogie Blues.
An additional clear plastic sleeve is fitted to the sleeve packaging to protect the whole deal
SIDE A
Les Welch And His Naked City Seven
TRACKS: Cigareets And Whusky And Wild Wild Women
OTHER SIDE
Les Welch & His 8 Beat Boys
TRACKS: Elevator Boogie Blues
Although I cannot play this copy, here is someone else who still has the "right gear" - I strongly suspect this was a popular "drinking song"!
BUT ... the other side is more to my personal taste (da Boogie)
When being shipped, this shellac will be sitting on very stiff 3 wall export cardboard in a "sandwich" style so that there is no way it can be flexed while in transit.
