The imminent loss of all 20th Century analog music is in the near future. What will we do about it? Can we do anything about it? Discuss....
The NYTimes article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/magazine/universal-fire-master-recordings.html
Join Team FranLab!!!! Become a patron and help support my YouTube Channel on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/frantone
- Music by Fran Blanche -
Frantone on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/frantone/
Fran on Twitter - https://twitter.com/contourcorsets
Fran's Science Blog - http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/design_writings.html
FranArt Website - http://www.contourcorsets.com

By Fran

16 thoughts on “The day you lost your music legacy”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars High Roller Discs says:

    ..And you are the person who finds Tom Petty recordings on a Tascam..? Fate is real

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Minecraft Maker says:

    I had no idea how much music was lost in that fire. So much was lost, not just music. I was told by a production designer that many costumes were stored in one of the buildings going back decades – including virtually every 1940's era tuxedo in the world. After the fire, Universal reached out to all of its video vendors asking if they had high quality sub-masters of their film and television properties so that they could rebuild their library. With copies. But there were good reasons for vendors to have copies – made for selling properties to markets around the world. The chances of backup copies of any of this music are far lower.

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Scott Grammer says:

    I never heard about this before today. How stupid companies can be in their efforts to make money. Very sad.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Paul Stuckless says:

    A crowd of people in a Japanese shopping centre suddenly performing Beethovan's Ode To Joy, should give us little hope. Somewhere in the future the correct way to perform the Duck Walk may be a subject of Scholarly Research.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tom Dees says:

    Hi Fran, I'm a resent subscriber to your channel and while browsing your videos I came across this one. I remember this tragedy quite well and read the article you are referencing and was stunned, and yes…tears…it was unthinkable what was lost. But even more egregious was the fact there was no fire suppression or fire proof storage for this irreplaceable music archive…tears…The passion to keep archives of this magnitude safe, wanes over the decades and falls into hands that only care about "copy rights" and money made from those rights…greed. The more the torch is passed, the less care there is to keep the flame alive. I'm 70 and my greatest asset is my music…I have a vinyl collection over 800 going back to the early 60's when I was in my teenage years…I have many first addition albums. In particular and very rare, the Who's Tommy album and I also have that same Buddy Holly set. I could go on & on, I could write a book…😥

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Earl Blakley says:

    Hopefully the library of Congress might have some of them. I can't believe they didn't have fire suppression for a collection like that. It does cost a good amount of money to storage that stuff and to keep things in check. I worked with a contractor that had the contract for the library of congress. 2- steam boilers,three chillers to keep the stuff at temperature not to mention all the air handlers and dehumidification it takes on top of that. Nirate film is another subject all on its own.
    It all came down to the dollar figure is what it sounds like. Fire systems cost money to maintain and monitor. This company had priceless artifacts why didn't they donate it to a facility that could preserve it?

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars bumblesby says:

    So many great artists in that list. When you said Carpenters, my heart sank again the same as when I heard that Karen had passed away. I hope Richard has at least copies of the masters. Ugggg….

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jonsey says:

    I honestly thought (obviously naively) that artifacts of this import would be in the hands of a museum or some similarly responsible entity who could properly curate items of this value to our entire race. I guess when the greed factor expires the responsiblity expires also. So very sad.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bowtech2 says:

    Since when has a company been a good Stewart of anything? Never, they would rather watch it burn rather than let someone else

    make money off it.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars ExStatic Bass says:

    It figures you love music the way I do. What a shame. You'd think they would store those in a place that's protected by halon and is temperature and humidity controlled. So many titles gone forever. I'd give just about anything to hear those unreleased tracks….

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars David Russo says:

    Fran – thanks – a sad subject but at least you brought if forward. Thanks for the message.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Robert Donnell says:

    Exactly like the burning of the library of Alexandria!

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Steve Powell says:

    The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Fernando Cue says:

    Its a labor of Love for the art.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Fernando Cue says:

    So that record collection of yours just got a pump up in value. = )

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Fernando Cue says:

    Most of those cans are stored in vacuum sealed rooms. No Oxygen, no oxidation. No Oxygen, no fire. = )

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.