Hot-footing it into Eil Towers this week has been a superb collection of library LPs from some of the genre’s leading labels; Studio G, KPM and Music De Wolfe.
“Mummy, what’s a library record?”
Library records were a response to a growing need from television and theatre for music that could be used to accompany productions without copyright restrictions; their ‘golden age’ was the ’60s/’70s and ’80s. In recent years these recordings have become particularly collectable, sourced by beat hungry bedroom producers eager to find sample friendly material or to those simply seeking out new musical thrills. Although some of the albums were made by artists who recorded under their own name or as part of a band, the majority were made by those who seldom saw the limelight (Martin Denton, Alan Hawkshaw, Keith Mansfield), these top session musicians/arrangers were able to create music that explored all manner of genres and styles, including jazz, classical, pop, hard rock and funk, not forgetting the pioneering use of electronics created by members of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop – you name the style, jobbing library musicians would be asked to re-create it, and re-create it they most certainly did!
You can find our listings here but if there are any you’re still searching for, get in touch and let us know.
eil.com… the world’s largest online retailer of rare and out of print vinyl, CDs and music memorabilia – since 1987.
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