The Lost Fine Gospel Tapes

[bosshoss]

Back to funk with the Gospel Tones "I'm On My Journey", who recorded enough tunes for an entire LP in one straight 1972 session, one track after another, all first takes. The LP was never released, but they managed to release 2 excellent 45s on Fine, "Sinner Man" / "Moses" in 1972, and "What Manner Of Man Is This" / "Where Could I Go But To The Lord" in 1973

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/GospelTones_Journey.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

An intense, extended bluesy screamer by The Travelling Six, called "More And More"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/TravellingSix_MoreAndMore.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

The Radio Gospel Kings sing about "Troubles". Just a piano, and vocals.

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/RadioGospelKings_Troubles.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Another mover by The B.C. Harmonizers, probably called "Run On"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/BCHarmonizers_RunOn.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Gospel Tones "Sell Out (To The Master)"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/GospelTones_SellOut

I'm adopting this officially as my own personal theme song and mantra.

 

[bosshoss]

The 4 Kings "I Want To Know"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/4Kings_IWantToKnow.mp3

This is a folk/gospel standard. I've heard The Weavers highly regarded live version of this, and The 4 Kings is superior in every respect. Especially the quality of the baritone vocal.

 

[bosshoss]

This slow, soulful blues number is from an unmarked tape. I suspect the Travelling Six due to the rampant screaming to be heard from both lead and backup vocalists, but that's only a guess. There were 2 takes of this one, each very different. Maybe it was intended to be "Part 1" and "Part 2" of a 2-sided 45.

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/Unknown_HeWillUnderstandPt1.mp3
http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/Unknown_HeWillUnderstandPt2.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Here are the Sons Of David with "It May Be The Last Time".

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/SonsOfDavid_ItMayBeTheLastTime.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

The 4 Kings singing "You Must Come To Him". 2 takes, slightly different.

http://www.finerecodingstudio.com/gospel/4Kings_YouMustComeToHim1.mp3
http://www.finerecodingstudio.com/gospel/4Kings_YouMustComeToHim2.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Here's one by The N.W. Spiritual Singers. As far a I know, they never had any records released on Fine or its subsidiary labels. So far I've only discovered one tape by them, with just 2 songs (with some multiple takes) including this one, "Let It Shine".

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/NWSpiritualSingers_LetItShine1.mp3
http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/NWSpiritualSingers_LetItShine2.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Here's the other track by the N.W. Spiritual Singers, take 4 of "Two Weeks"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/NWSpiritualSingers_TwoWeeks.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

This one is by the Royal Harmonier Singers, but I can't make out the words too clearly. Therefore I don't know the title of the track, but I'm calling it "Let It Ride" until someone can decipher the true lyrics.

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/RoyalHarmonier_LetItRide.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Here's one that was actually released as a Fine 45rpm disc (Fine FI-6703). The date of this release can be worked out from the catalog number, 6-70-3 means June 3, 1970. The month is always first, the day is last. That's the date the order for pressings was written, not the release date.

http:www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/RadioGospelKings_IFoundJesus.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Another one by the B.C. Harmonizers, this time a soulful blues shuffle, called "Sweet Home"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/BCHarmonizers_SweetHome.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Continuing the Gospel Tones funk-Odyssey, with "I Got Religion" (and I'm not ashamed).

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/GospelTones_IGotReligion.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

This great unknown male vocal combo recorded several versions of each of 2 tunes presumably recorded for a 45. I have absolutely no information on this tape, as there was no box, and all the writing on the reel was completely obliterated by water damage.
One thing I'm sure, it is not the Travelling Six, even though one of the songs is "I'll Fly Away". I've included FlyAway3best which was chosen by Vince Jan for possible release, and also a faster out-take which I like even better.

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/UnknownMC_IAmHappyWithTheLord4.mp3
http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/UnknownMC_FlyAway3best.mp3
http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/UnknownMC_FlyAway2fast.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Here is another one by the B.C. Harmonizers, "Do Like The Lord Say Do"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/BCHarmonizers_DoLikeTheLordSayDo.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

And another winner by the B.C. Harmonizers, "I Cried Lord"

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/BCHarmonizers_ICriedLord.mp3

 

[bosshoss]

Studio recording equipment used by Vince Jan for all Fine recordings :

Berlant Concertmaster 2 track tape machine (quite a cheap one actually, around $500 at the time). The one shown below is the ConcerTone, very similar but the Concertmaster had 2 input modules.

Shure microphone mixer (added in the mid-60s)

half a dozen mics
Gates SA-39B mono compressor

various el cheapo spring reverbs and odd bits of outboard

No mixing desk.
Mixing consisted of folding the 2 tracks down to mono.

Instrumental and vocal backing tracks were recorded live in mono or stereo, mixed live with the Shure mic mixer. Sometimes one overdub, often vocals, was laid down using the second track of the recorder.

Listening to the results, what else would anyone ever need for recording?

 

[bosshoss]

This one is a complete unknown, a bit different with the inclusion of a '60s style organ. I can't even guess at the song title. Anyone care to give it a name?

http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/gospel/UnknownCombo_Song1.mp3

There are 2 or 3 more songs on the tape by the same combo, but they are inferior and I'm not sure if I'll bother putting them up.