Bob Marley “Lost Masters” Collection Restoration Complete
About a year ago, a cardboard box of 13 reel-to-reel, analog master tapes containing lost Bob Marley recordings were discovered damp and damaged in the basement of a rundown London hotel. Now, after about $32,000 and more than 12 months of meticulous restoration, the tapes have been restored, and they are brilliant. Known as “the lost masters,” the tapes hold live recordings of Marley’s concerts in London and Paris between 1974 and 1978. After being discovered and rescued, the tapes were sent to sound technician specialist Martin Nichols, who was able to fully restore 10 of the 13 tapes. Of the other three tapes, two were blank and one was damaged beyond repair. Now the recordings live in high quality digital audio, a testament to high level of professionalism in which the tapes were made. (The Guardian)
Hip-hop Sample Legend David Axelrod Dies at 83
Composer and producer David Axelrod passed away over the weekend at the age of 83. Born in 1933, Axelrod’s unique blending of jazz, soul, and rock landed him immediate success with his debut album Songs of Innocence that was followed-up a year later with the successful Songs of Experience. His fame took an unexpected turn in the 1990s when his music saw a huge revival in the way of hip-hop sampling, making Axelrod an unlikely legend in the hip-hop world. Known for being incredibly intimidating but incredibly loyal to those he liked and respected, hip-hop artists such as DJ Shadow and Questlove paid tribute to Axelrod over the weekend noting his authentic appreciation for hip-hop culture. To quote Questlove, “He was so immersed in creativity and so pure with his arrangements he WAS hip hop.” (The Guardian)
