I'm really surprised it's lasted this long. It must have never been played. Just thinking of those old wind-up crank record player with steel needles. It would have only been a one time play I would think. Awesome find!
I immediately recognised the Word "Durium" but not the significance. I have a CD, "Listen to the Banned", subtitled "Risqué songs of the 20s and 30s", which features a couple of songs by the Durium Dance Band ("Let's All be Fairies" and "She Was Only a Postmaster's Daughter, But..."). I had to do a quick Google, but this was the house band of Durium Records, and presumably these songs were initially released on that format (the release dates of 1932 and 33 would be consistent). It seems there was a British subsidiary of the US firm, and the accents of these two songs suggest that it's a British recording. They sold at one shilling, which I guess would be roughly the equivalent of the 15c price of their American counterparts. There's quite a few of the Durium Dance Band's songs on UA-cam - and some are still quite funny.
11:16 - Remember: in the early 30s there were NO overdubs! Everything was recorded live-in-the-studio. (If someone made a mistake the whole band would have to start again at square-one!)
WOW you just brought back a memory ! I remember at 9 yrs old in the early 70's managing to get a Sonora victrola out of my grandmother's attic & that Chevrolet record was on it. I still have the Victrola but not the record. It was the first record I ever owned (-: I remember it would skip where he said six cylinders & I would have to nudge it to keep playing. I played it until it literally turned to dust
You should record these records to digital and link them in the description. If you can't upload them to UA-cam due to copyright then post a link to an MP3 or something.
This is so cool! That a 90-year-old cardboard / plastic record could play that well and with barely any hiss and crackle etc. I am fascinated by the early history of sound recording, when everything was new. Thank you for sharing
15:07 It's nice to hear the 'Happy Days Are Here Again' tune at the beginning and end of that record. I bought a 78 rpm record of the song a number of years ago (perhaps by Ben Selvin and his orchestra) and it certainly captures the '30's era and the Great Depression.
This label certainly made it possible for many folks to be able to occasionally purchase a record - 1930-1932. Unfortunately, the thin surfaces had a tendency to flake off - as can be seen on the edges of the ex. shown above. Folks don't realize just how close to oblivion the record industry came - by 1932. Victor sold less records in 1932 than they had in 1901! Budget labels [especially those issued by Victor] such as Crown, Bluebird farted better due to deep pocket support. The late 1920s dime store labels didn't survive due to more limited financial support - including labels such as harmony and Velvet Tone - issued by Columbia [another major company hit hard by the Great Depression] jazz and blues labels died out or were sold to newly formed companies such as Decca. Bottom line: finding blues, jazz etc. on 1931-1933 78 rpms in Excellent condition can be quite a challenge as folks played their few affordable purchases - - to death.
What a great video ... yeah, a wavy, bumpy and funny ride... but that's the fascination of vinyl records: If you store that one well, you can listen to it after another 90 years... it sounds so fantastic !!!
sounds pretty clear, most likely electrically recorded? I wonder if it would've helped to put more weight on the head shell to keep it from jumping too.
In this country one breakfast cereal manufacturer started gluing flexi-discs to the outside of the cereal box. You didn't peel them off; you were supposed to cut the box around the record and then play it still attached to the cardboard. Probably a very similar method as was used on these.
11:22 Sometimes I think I had a previous life in the 20's, 30's, and 40's because I gravitate to that kind of music. Yes, I can enjoy a lot of modern music too and rock music, etc. but there's a real charm to songs and bands of those eras. :)
The weight of the sound-boxes and early electric pick ups were of substantial pressure on these records that they would play pretty good, I have one and it plays good, of course it isn't warped either too
For being what they are, they often have a very good dynamic sound. I've been amazed many times when I've listened to Durium and Hit of the Week-records.
I'd never heard of these! Thanks for the education. :) I agree, it sounded incredible considering the material and the age. Bravo for picking that cup up in time. I totally would've made a mess of that!
"Hit of the Week" was indeed produced by Durium Products from 1930 through 1932. This particular one [1:52], "I'll Be Blue Just Thinking of You", was recorded in August 1930 [vocal refrain by Dick Robertson], and available on newsstands on November 6, 1930 (a new "Hit of the Week" was usually distributed on Thursdays).
It's curling just for the reason you mentioned. If they would have put the same material on the backside then it probably would not have warped. Same thing can happen with furniture that has veneer on one side and on the other side of the plywood does not have a layer added to even out the change in moisture.
Fisher was the company that used to stamp bodies for General Motors. Back then, body stamping was very expensive and very specialized work. So, rather than General Motors doing it themselves, they contracted with Fisher to stamp bodies for them. Then, GM folks would weld them together. If I'm not mistaken, GM eventually absorbed Fisher sometime in the 1980's. Fisher stamped bodies for many of the car companies back in the day including Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, all the GM marks and even for Ford for a while. Chrysler's bodies were usually stamped by Briggs Inc. I think postwar Packards were also stamped by Briggs until Chrysler bought-out Briggs in 1954. At which point, Packard had to do it on their own at the old Connor Ave. Plant in Detroit - a very costly venture that probably helped Packard to bankruptcy more than staving it off. Another manufacturing corporation that provided bodies for a short period of time was Budd Manufacturing. They did bodies for Dodge until Dodge was absorbed into Chrysler but they too continued on into the 80's providing all manner of parts for the automobile corporations. It's final project was providing the plastic body panels for the Pontiac Fiero.
Records from the 1920`s are also made of Celluloid, New Flexo, Filmophone! I have all but one HIT OF THE WEEK Record Including the one You played in this video!! They are FANTASTIC! And Clear and Crisp! BUT You have to flat store them! They also had the New 1931 Chevrolet add with "Sing A New Song" as the theme song! I have a copy of it!
I have a good sized collection of those "Hit of the Week" discs...one is a commercial for the 1932 Chevy! Reader's Digest issued a series of sample records, promoting their boxed album sets...these were 331/3 speed...from the 1960's I have that 1932 Chevy disc, as well as the Bert Hesrch "Hit".
Very interesting video. In all my years of record hunting, I only remember seeing a couple durium records, and the condition was so horrible, I always passed them up. These were the first ones I've seen that were playable.
I've had some luck keeping records flat by cutting a hole in the bottom of a tupperware (round ziploc twist) container, putting it over the spindle and then filling the container with weights (rolls of pennies/quarters etc worked well).
Similar to celluloid, which will also warp with age, and will shrink. Columbia made cylinders in the early 1900's, Edison then got to the celluloid market in about 1912.
Worth observing that "Happy Days are Here Again" was the theme song of Roosevelt's campaign for president. Not clear to me if he was associating himself with Chevrolet, or vice-versa.
It was a popular ditty of the day that that came from the Technicolor movie from 1929 called Chasing Rainbows. The Roosevelt team took it on as his "theme song" to replace FDR's favorite "Anchors Away". Once it stuck everyone used it to associate their product, idea, etc. with a new time, a winner, etc. There was no direct connection between FDR and GM that I have ever heard of.
I have a couple of these and, for what they are, they sound good. To think these are 90 years old and still play, and I've had CD-R discs fail after only a few years speaks volumes for this older technology.
Very nice! Almost like a time machine. Since this is pre-RIAA, I wonder what sort of equalization curve needs to be applied to get it to sound correct to the source.
The recular record undutry almost disappered in the depression, but the 15¢ at the newstand was more affordable than 25(-50 cent " dime store" or 75 Victor. The WARPING from papper backing. Often seen also on paper vore recording blanks. Some weekly issues had actual names of performers, given state of tecord business better Hit 0f The Eeek than nothing. Joe Franklin played first 1930 issue, it featured TIP TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS after a speech about unbreakable Durium being invented by a Columbia Colledge Progrssor.
I have a six-record set containing a French language learning course all made from this red/brown Durium/cardboard material in my collection. I would make the qualified guess, that originally it could have been bought as a mail order item, since it seems obvious that it would survive this kind of distribution to the end user much easier, than a six record set made from shellac. Alternatively it could have been bought from a book or office supply store. Well, it's all pure speculation for this specific item. I wouldn't say that a complete language course is disposable as such. My set has been taken good care of.
i have a few of those but they're all curled. Mine are a lot more curled than that. I'm betting that the curl is from the original form of the paperboard used. Most likely, they'd come on a huge roll, like toilet pare the size of a Volkswagen. I think the reason the needle sticks on that tiny record is because that spindle won't let it go any farther. Also, you should've used a thinner record to put under it like, a flexi-disc, even a CD or DVD might work. Well, antique stores are known for GREATLY over-charging for the stuff they're trying to sell!! That's probably part of the reason they aren't selling much stuff! I know of one near here that has all their records up on the 4th floor and there's thousands of 45's and possibly 78's and they have a few large cardboard boxes loaded with cylinders!! If I had the money and the room (I've already got 54,000 records), I'd grab `em, mostly out of historical preservation reasons but, they had 2 cylinder players on the first floor and they wanted an insane amount for those so, you can just imagine how much they'd charge for the records! I was only there culling Delta numbers from their 45's. They don't even keep them in any kind of good condition!! Just toss them into a box, some of which had chunks of plaster that fell onto them...but they're probably gonna charge mint condition book prices for them!!
Put a real 78 under it for support, or play it on a full size platter, your record weight should work better then. If you wish to record it, perhaps tape the edges down to an old 78...a one time solution.
it looks like those are running at 78 or 45 try setting to 33 or 16 record it and using the pitch change settings in the editor compensate that would be like playing vaporwave at 45 and you would then hear the songs they stole.
If you think about it, that basically disposable popular music recorded on a very disposable medium is enjoyable 90 years later. I wonder what would happen to all that today's disposable pop made by Disney and other media monopolies, all that autotune abusing hip hop, trap, reguetón, cumbia, cachengue and other crap in ninety years...
I actually have that 1932 Chevrolet record. I bought it nearly 45 years ago for one dollar at a flea market. Absolutely love it!
I'm really surprised it's lasted this long. It must have never been played. Just thinking of those old wind-up crank record player with steel needles. It would have only been a one time play I would think. Awesome find!
I think that the structure of the paper causes this curling of the record, as the paper fibers are oriented mostly in one direction.
I immediately recognised the Word "Durium" but not the significance. I have a CD, "Listen to the Banned", subtitled "Risqué songs of the 20s and 30s", which features a couple of songs by the Durium Dance Band ("Let's All be Fairies" and "She Was Only a Postmaster's Daughter, But...").
I had to do a quick Google, but this was the house band of Durium Records, and presumably these songs were initially released on that format (the release dates of 1932 and 33 would be consistent). It seems there was a British subsidiary of the US firm, and the accents of these two songs suggest that it's a British recording. They sold at one shilling, which I guess would be roughly the equivalent of the 15c price of their American counterparts.
There's quite a few of the Durium Dance Band's songs on UA-cam - and some are still quite funny.
Try to spray a "dust" of water on the back side of the paper record🤓. It can do it more "flat". Regards Stig Österberg from Dalsbruk in Finland.
11:16 - Remember: in the early 30s there were NO overdubs! Everything was recorded live-in-the-studio. (If someone made a mistake the whole band would have to start again at square-one!)
They were still recording "live" into the 1980s.
11:20 Wow, it's really impressive just how great that record sounds! Not bad for a 90-year-old. :)
Kind of like William Shatner...
You could always find a scrap 33 RPM album and glue these paper backs to the 33 that would flatten it out good and play it
WOW you just brought back a memory ! I remember at 9 yrs old in the early 70's managing to get a Sonora victrola out of my grandmother's attic & that Chevrolet record was on it. I still have the Victrola but not the record. It was the first record I ever owned (-: I remember it would skip where he said six cylinders & I would have to nudge it to keep playing. I played it until it literally turned to dust
You should record these records to digital and link them in the description.
If you can't upload them to UA-cam due to copyright then post a link to an MP3 or something.
This is so cool! That a 90-year-old cardboard / plastic record could play that well and with barely any hiss and crackle etc. I am fascinated by the early history of sound recording, when everything was new. Thank you for sharing
15:07 It's nice to hear the 'Happy Days Are Here Again' tune at the beginning and end of that record. I bought a 78 rpm record of the song a number of years ago (perhaps by Ben Selvin and his orchestra) and it certainly captures the '30's era and the Great Depression.
This label certainly made it possible for many folks to be able to occasionally purchase a record - 1930-1932. Unfortunately, the thin surfaces had a tendency to flake off - as can be seen on the edges of the ex. shown above. Folks don't realize just how close to oblivion the record industry came - by 1932. Victor sold less records in 1932 than they had in 1901! Budget labels [especially those issued by Victor] such as Crown, Bluebird farted better due to deep pocket support. The late 1920s dime store labels didn't survive due to more limited financial support - including labels such as harmony and Velvet Tone - issued by Columbia [another major company hit hard by the Great Depression] jazz and blues labels died out or were sold to newly formed companies such as Decca. Bottom line: finding blues, jazz etc. on 1931-1933 78 rpms in Excellent condition can be quite a challenge as folks played their few affordable purchases - - to death.
I have a cereal cardboard record, It’s a Froot Loops one called “Toucan Sam takes you on a Listening Safari!” From 1983. It’s a 6-inch 33 1/3 RPM.
I've got quite a few of these records and even knew with an advertisement after the song and one that has rudy valley's face on the back
Not new to me. I was blessed to have some when I was a kid. My grandpa found them. A couple by Rudy Valee, one by Vincent Lopez, and a few more.
What a great video ... yeah, a wavy, bumpy and funny ride... but that's the fascination of vinyl records: If you store that one well, you can listen to it after another 90 years... it sounds so fantastic !!!
for a record that old, it has some good sound LOL. cracks me up how an old record could have that good of audio LOL.
Wow the quality is impressive
sounds pretty clear, most likely electrically recorded? I wonder if it would've helped to put more weight on the head shell to keep it from jumping too.
In this country one breakfast cereal manufacturer started gluing flexi-discs to the outside of the cereal box. You didn't peel them off; you were supposed to cut the box around the record and then play it still attached to the cardboard. Probably a very similar method as was used on these.
I've seen postcards like that, too. A large one with a spindle hole in the middle. Just place the hole card on the turntable and play it.
I couldn't stop laughin' at the shape of that yellow & green gourd!
I knew someone would say that.
11:22 Sometimes I think I had a previous life in the 20's, 30's, and 40's because I gravitate to that kind of music. Yes, I can enjoy a lot of modern music too and rock music, etc. but there's a real charm to songs and bands of those eras. :)
The weight of the sound-boxes and early electric pick ups were of substantial pressure on these records that they would play pretty good, I have one and it plays good, of course it isn't warped either too
For being what they are, they often have a very good dynamic sound. I've been amazed many times when I've listened to Durium and Hit of the Week-records.
great demo of the durium records . i have loads here in the uk and play them on my 1930s radiograms 👍
I'd never heard of these! Thanks for the education. :)
I agree, it sounded incredible considering the material and the age. Bravo for picking that cup up in time. I totally would've made a mess of that!
I have quite a few of these. Betty Boop is my favorite.
"Hit of the Week" was indeed produced by Durium Products from 1930 through 1932. This particular one [1:52], "I'll Be Blue Just Thinking of You", was recorded in August 1930 [vocal refrain by Dick Robertson], and available on newsstands on November 6, 1930 (a new "Hit of the Week" was usually distributed on Thursdays).
It's curling just for the reason you mentioned. If they would have put the same material on the backside then it probably would not have warped. Same thing can happen with furniture that has veneer on one side and on the other side of the plywood does not have a layer added to even out the change in moisture.
Fisher was the company that used to stamp bodies for General Motors. Back then, body stamping was very expensive and very specialized work. So, rather than General Motors doing it themselves, they contracted with Fisher to stamp bodies for them. Then, GM folks would weld them together. If I'm not mistaken, GM eventually absorbed Fisher sometime in the 1980's.
Fisher stamped bodies for many of the car companies back in the day including Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, all the GM marks and even for Ford for a while.
Chrysler's bodies were usually stamped by Briggs Inc. I think postwar Packards were also stamped by Briggs until Chrysler bought-out Briggs in 1954. At which point, Packard had to do it on their own at the old Connor Ave. Plant in Detroit - a very costly venture that probably helped Packard to bankruptcy more than staving it off.
Another manufacturing corporation that provided bodies for a short period of time was Budd Manufacturing. They did bodies for Dodge until Dodge was absorbed into Chrysler but they too continued on into the 80's providing all manner of parts for the automobile corporations. It's final project was providing the plastic body panels for the Pontiac Fiero.
Fascinating!!! Thank you for the info!
That last instrumental bit reminded me of the Spongebob background music!
Records from the 1920`s are also made of Celluloid, New Flexo, Filmophone! I have all but one HIT OF THE WEEK Record Including the one You played in this video!! They are FANTASTIC! And Clear and Crisp! BUT You have to flat store them! They also had the New 1931 Chevrolet add with "Sing A New Song" as the theme song! I have a copy of it!
I have a good sized collection of those "Hit of the Week" discs...one is a commercial for the 1932 Chevy! Reader's Digest issued a series of sample records, promoting their boxed album sets...these were 331/3 speed...from the 1960's I have that 1932 Chevy disc, as well as the Bert Hesrch "Hit".
That sounds good for a 90 year old record! Thumbs up! Trish
I had one that was Rudy Vallee, it even had his picture on the back.
I love Hit of the week records!! a great slice of time that survives great music.
Very interesting video. In all my years of record hunting, I only remember seeing a couple durium records, and the condition was so horrible, I always passed them up. These were the first ones I've seen that were playable.
The second record was no doubt mailed to radio stations for airplay as a commercial!
Mailed to customers actually
I've had some luck keeping records flat by cutting a hole in the bottom of a tupperware (round ziploc twist) container, putting it over the spindle and then filling the container with weights (rolls of pennies/quarters etc worked well).
Similar to celluloid, which will also warp with age, and will shrink. Columbia made cylinders in the early 1900's, Edison then got to the celluloid market in about 1912.
Diamond discs?
Amazing sound from those two records especially with what they are made of and how old they are great video
Worth observing that "Happy Days are Here Again" was the theme song of Roosevelt's campaign for president. Not clear to me if he was associating himself with Chevrolet, or vice-versa.
It was a popular ditty of the day that that came from the Technicolor movie from 1929 called Chasing Rainbows. The Roosevelt team took it on as his "theme song" to replace FDR's favorite "Anchors Away". Once it stuck everyone used it to associate their product, idea, etc. with a new time, a winner, etc. There was no direct connection between FDR and GM that I have ever heard of.
I have a couple of these and, for what they are, they sound good. To think these are 90 years old and still play, and I've had CD-R discs fail after only a few years speaks volumes for this older technology.
Very nice! Almost like a time machine. Since this is pre-RIAA, I wonder what sort of equalization curve needs to be applied to get it to sound correct to the source.
sounding better than antisipated
The recular record undutry almost disappered in the depression, but the 15¢ at the newstand was more affordable than 25(-50 cent " dime store" or 75 Victor.
The WARPING from papper backing. Often seen also on paper vore recording blanks.
Some weekly issues had actual names of performers, given state of tecord business better Hit 0f The Eeek than nothing.
Joe Franklin played first 1930 issue, it featured TIP TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS after a speech about unbreakable Durium being invented by a Columbia Colledge Progrssor.
Amazing sound quality.
Love the tea cup idea
The oldest record I have is a single sided 78 from 1904 (I've never played it yet)
They're about as old as William Shatner, 90 years before he would blast off to space for real!
Durium Record...the UA-cam Remix! 😆
Little car record opening and closing song is "happy days are here again"
I have a handful of these type records
I like the Chevrolet record
These are very historical records, they even managed to squeeze 5 minutes into some of them. Another product of the great depression.
Suspect these will be hard to find in the UK, although I pay closer attention when going through old 78's and 7inch ones. Interesting video.
They were huge in the UK. The US was late to the Durium party actually.
Try playing it on your antique machine it will still sound good, and it wont be wobbly
That records sound great for 90 years old
Dang, sounds great for 90 years old!
Mint.... they sound amazing!! I have a number of them
Hit Of The Week records are cool so are the Marconi ones from 1907 but they are scarce and I only have 1 on those
I have a hard time getting them flat enough to play. I have seen them glued to 78s to make them play better.
I have a six-record set containing a French language learning course all made from this red/brown Durium/cardboard material in my collection. I would make the qualified guess, that originally it could have been bought as a mail order item, since it seems obvious that it would survive this kind of distribution to the end user much easier, than a six record set made from shellac.
Alternatively it could have been bought from a book or office supply store.
Well, it's all pure speculation for this specific item.
I wouldn't say that a complete language course is disposable as such. My set has been taken good care of.
Awesome they lasted so well , great to hear them ,what record player is that please ?
Fascinating!
To flatin the record glue cardboard 10 inch diamator on the back of the record. Mine work just find with great sound
i have a few of those but they're all curled. Mine are a lot more curled than that. I'm betting that the curl is from the original form of the paperboard used. Most likely, they'd come on a huge roll, like toilet pare the size of a Volkswagen. I think the reason the needle sticks on that tiny record is because that spindle won't let it go any farther. Also, you should've used a thinner record to put under it like, a flexi-disc, even a CD or DVD might work.
Well, antique stores are known for GREATLY over-charging for the stuff they're trying to sell!! That's probably part of the reason they aren't selling much stuff! I know of one near here that has all their records up on the 4th floor and there's thousands of 45's and possibly 78's and they have a few large cardboard boxes loaded with cylinders!! If I had the money and the room (I've already got 54,000 records), I'd grab `em, mostly out of historical preservation reasons but, they had 2 cylinder players on the first floor and they wanted an insane amount for those so, you can just imagine how much they'd charge for the records! I was only there culling Delta numbers from their 45's. They don't even keep them in any kind of good condition!! Just toss them into a box, some of which had chunks of plaster that fell onto them...but they're probably gonna charge mint condition book prices for them!!
Awesome ad disc
Fascinating.
What about gluing it to a vinyl record, so it won'1 wobble anymore?
Chevrolet/GM used fisher body's for there cars since they started till the 2000s if I remember correctly just a fun fact
Put a real 78 under it for support, or play it on a full size platter, your record weight should work better then. If you wish to record it, perhaps tape the edges down to an old 78...a one time solution.
15c then is like $15 now. The sound of the larger record is better than many old 78s.
But I've never heard about those records before incredible
P.S.- as some others say, might be better played on an old gramophone player although the cup seems to a fair job.
be nice if you secorded the 10 inch disk and upload it as an mp3 be nice to hear it on my hifi :)
Very cool!
Oh yes-during your car ride--you passed by a 4 tower AM Directional antenna array!The first record needed a serious record weight to hold it flat.
That Audiotronics 304A is a fickle machine, i.e. skipping.
Nice!
how do you just finish a video n youre house then jump in car to do the ending lol !
Impressive,indeed...and,I'm hardly hearing a thing,as far as a nick,or,a scratch.
I think it sounded good. To play it, use that tacky clay to keep it down.
a advertcorde eh? i didnt know they used records for advertizing lol.
Cool.
Before watching, I’m going to guess a fair amount of dust.
After watching, that’s pretty cool. The equivalent of email advertising today.
Happy Reformation Day!
it looks like those are running at 78 or 45 try setting to 33 or 16 record it and using the pitch change settings in the editor compensate
that would be like playing vaporwave at 45 and you would then hear the songs they stole.
Confederate Roadster
Durium? I don't even know him!
And no crackle
I thought you kept saying durian. That is a stinky ass fruit. Glad Duriam records aren't made out of durian
If you think about it, that basically disposable popular music recorded on a very disposable medium is enjoyable 90 years later.
I wonder what would happen to all that today's disposable pop made by Disney and other media monopolies, all that autotune abusing hip hop, trap, reguetón, cumbia, cachengue and other crap in ninety years...
Pseudonym = soo-doh-nim
Duct tape the back to flatten it out
"Suede-o-nym????? The word is pronounced 'SOO-DO-NYM'.