Re: [ARSCLIST] LP pressing question

[phillip holmes <insuranceman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Anyone know why Van Gelder put "ears" in the "land"?

Frank Wylie wrote:
> Roger and Allison Kulp wrote:
> > Bob,
> >
> > Dead wax is the term for the area in between the label.and the end of 
> > the runoff groove.Actually non-promo test pressings get out there 
> > quite a bit.I own several dozen.At least 100 or so,including one of 
> > "A Christmas Gift to You From Philles Records".The oldest one I have 
> > seen,is an early Columbia test pressing of an uncredited recording of 
> > "Casey Jones",that I was able to date to about 1906.I sold it on eBay 
> > last year.This had a blank white label,with the title written in 
> > pencil,and the label usually found on the backs of Columbia of this 
> > period.
> >
> >
> >                                     Roger
> >
> >   
> Apropos of nothing;  I remember as a teen discovering cryptic messages 
> inscribed in the "dead wax" (thanks for a new term!) area of LPs I 
> purchased.  They  must have been cut into the masters and most 
> messages were in the (for lack of a better term) retrace area that 
> parks the needle at the end of the record.
>
> Can't even remember which albums had these strange tags on the 
> retrace; anyone else know of this practice and any history behind it?
>
> Thanks.