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DEMO CASSETTE & PROMO CASSETTE 1982/83
Webmaster says:- '...I first heard Torch Song whilst on vacation in Toronto, Canada (1984). In subsequent years I collected various Torch Song commercial releases until........ In late summer 1994 I responded to a 'Wanted' advert in Record Collector magazine. Another collector was seeking any material by Torch Song. I was amazed that anyone else in the UK was even aware of Torch Song (especially in 1994!) and, having spare copies of some of their product, I was pleased to help. Since I also wanted additional Torch Song material for myself, I asked this collector whether he had been offered duplicate copies of anything interesting. A Laurie Mayer 12" was the only stock item. However, he had been offered a demo cassette but had declined because, in his opinion, the person was asking for too much money. I contacted this other person and was quite shocked at the amount being asked but, after some deliberation, decided to go ahead with the purchase.......
I purchased the cassettes in October 1994. The following is quoted verbatim from a letter, written by the seller, enclosed with the cassettes: "....As a result of placing an advert in Exchange & Mart in November 1983 to sell a Nakamichi N581 cassette deck, Grant Gilbert contacted me and a price was agreed to include a photocopy service manual and delivery from my home in Watford to Guerilla Studios in Maida Vale, London. (Early in December) myself and a friend, an electronics engineer, delivered the deck to 16, Blomfield Road. There Grant introduced us to William Orbit who also maintained the equipment. As we had a common interest in recording and electronics we chatted for a couple hours and were shown around their studios in the detached garage. I asked what sort of music they wrote and Grant kindly opened a mailer to be sent to a record company and gave me items listed below: 1) 13 Track Demo Cassette sent to record companies July - December 1983. TDK AD C60 (1982 packaging BATCH CODE top edge of shell: ANE1227). Shell marked side A with a photoset cut out of group name and phone number. Side B, photoset name on plastic clear film. TDK inlay card with photoset group name on a plastic film on spine; typed track listing set on to clear plastic film stuck onto inlay. 29 MINUTES MUSIC EACH SIDE APPROX. 2) 2 Mixes of 'Prepare to Energize'. White label blank shell cassette (duplicating type), chrome screwed shell. Printed inlay with fake 'rubber stamp' type printing, dark grey print on white glossy card. No other details except group name and song title. MIX 1: 3Mins MIX 2: 5Mins 11 Seconds
3)Compliments slip for group giving group name and Absonplay Ltd, their company which owned the studio, address, phone no., VAT & Company registration numbers. I think you will agree from the sound quality that the demo is a first generation copy from the 2 track reel to reel master. I found the sound stunning - almost CD quality. Let me know what you think, also what tracks are unreleased, rerecorded, remixed etc. I have made a safety copy in the event of a mishap etc. I suggest you listen to the tape once, copy it and listen to the copy. As the music is not to my taste the cassettes have only been played twice. They have never been copied off or loaned out. I believe these items are the first to be put onto the collectors market (barring friends of the group). You have a very rare artifact there. Keep it in Mint Audio condition. Happy listening! K.G. 31st October 1994..."
And that is what I have done. I made a cassette copy in 1994 and finally copied the original to DAT in 1999. Having inserted start IDs I then transferred it to CDR using a professional HHb CDR-800 Compact Disc recorder. The sound is a little 'bright' but is, nevertheless, superb. The track listing of the original demo tape is:
SIDE 1 SIDE 2 Typed under the track listing is the message, 'Entirely recorded in our 8-track studio Nov 1982 - July 1983'.
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Vinyl Record Sale
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