Messages on the run out grooves of Disco records

[Henri]

I'm still stunned by the amount of knowledge of you people!!! Geezzz...



Ok, here's one I never got an answer on:

On many 12"-es I bought in the middle '80-s who were pressed in NY, there was a small message written on the vinyl close to the label. Sometimes just a smiley, then something like 'still kicks in '86' and it was all done by the same person. I guess the operator of the mastering station (or how is that called). I'm in the middle of a move, so all my records are packed otherwise I could point it out for you guys.



Has anyone ever noticed this? Who was this person who mastered a lot of 12"-es in the '80's?



Thanks



Henri

[Bernie]

The man is Herb "Pump" Powers of Frankford Wayne. The symbol you speak of is his trademark "smiley face" with the word "Herbie." It appeared on so many records during the eighties regardless of record label.



Ever read some of the messages on the runout grooves? Take a look at some of that old vinyl and find some clever or funny remarks. As I come across them, I'll post them here.

[disco1999]

Bernie while we are at vinyls, maybe you can answer this dumb question I've had for a long time but never asked. I have a few lp's that comes with different patterns of grooves on vinyl surface, depending on tracks. Like my Gino Soccio album, the "Remember" track shows obvious different pattern from the 2 other tracks on one side of record. Is that done intentionally ? if so, how'd they do that ?

[Giovanni]

This was done intentionally in order to let visually recognize the different parts of the track (intro, main body of the song, drum break, etc). The Motown 12" in the series M000xx had all this special feature of the vinyl.

[DJ-Pir]

There have been a lot of those funny messages in the run-out area of 12"es, for instance :

The 12" of The Salsoul orchestra feat. Loleatta Holloway - mastered at Frankford/Wayne has "Hot" written in it, by the engineer who worked there and liked it i guess and who left his name on many records, he alway signed with "Herbie4"

This same Herbie also signed a lot of Disconet 12"es, like Volume 6 Program 1 the side with two sisters - High noon which has a heart and arrow in it (guess Herbie was in love then....)

A very nice one also is Diconet top tune medley 1979 mastered at Sterling and dedicated " to daddy " but not by Herbie apparently.

Allright, i'm gonna play them now that they're out.....Bye.

Regards, Peter