Bob & Ray - Throw a Stereo Spectacular Classic Records 4x45rpm LP TEST PRESSINGS

$

168

This Sale is for Four Individually Sealed Test Pressings Manufacturing date: February 27, 1996

Classic Records LP Item - audiophile issue, TEST PRESSING
Pressing is in STEREO
Bob Elliott (born 1923) and Ray Goulding (1922–1990) were an American comedy team whose career spanned five decades. Their format was typically to satirize the medium in which they were performing, such as conducting radio or television interviews, with off-the-wall dialogue presented in a generally deadpan style as though it were a serious broadcast.

Elliott and Goulding began as radio announcers (Elliott a disc jockey, and Goulding a news reader) in Boston with their own separate programs on station WHDH-AM, and each would visit with the other while on the air. Their informal banter was so appealing that WHDH would call on them, as a team, to fill in when Red Sox baseball broadcasts were rained out. Elliott and Goulding (not yet known as Bob and Ray) would improvise comedy routines all afternoon, and joke around with studio musicians.

Bob & Ray's first album for RCA Victor, Bob & Ray Throw a Stereo Spectacular, is actually a sampler record for the label's Living Stereo line with a handful of comedy bits appearing between cuts from other albums in the series. Bob & Ray's portion depicts their visit to the castle of Dr. Ahkbar, a mad scientist (voiced by Bob Elliot) whose bizarre experiments give the comedians an excuse to fool around with stereo sound effects. Listening with headphones is advantageous, but most of the humor holds up independently of the stereo effects. The one exception is "Bob and Ray in the Laboratory," which consists of practically nothing but sound effects. The music ranges from the orchestral instrumental pop of George Melachrino, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, and Skitch Henderson to vocal performances by Abbe Lane and Julie Andrews. Richard Leiber plays "The First Noel" on the pipe organ, Lena Horne performs the suggestive "New-Fangled Tango" live in concert, and Harry Belafonte's Belafonte Singers contribute the folk song "The Ox Drivers." The gleefully cacophonous Guckenheimer Sour Kraut Band takes the prize for providing the most unusual musical selection, but the overall program is extremely diverse. Whether Living Stereo collectors want to hear Bob & Ray -- or Bob & Ray fans want to hear a Living Stereo sampler -- is another matter, but the comedy and music are enjoyable. ~ Greg Adams, Rovi

As far back as 1953, RCA VICTOR experimented with two track recordings. Starting in '55, this company issued a series of stereo reel tapes and when Westrex developed a practical system for stereo LPs a couple of years later, RCA got into this format in a big way. In 1958, their first full year of LIVING STEREO album production, they issued about 200 titles. BOB AND RAY THROW A STEREO SPECTACULAR (LSP-1773) is one of these pioneering records.

It's really a chance for the label to demo this new process and offer samples of their growing stereo catalog. Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding's bits sprinkled throughout the program are excuses for various sound effects. On these segments, cross-channel panning is used to simulate movement across the sound stage. Stereo was a novelty that year, so the wider the spacial effect, the bigger the "wow!" factor.

On "B & R at the Castle" we meet hunchbacked 'Gore' (Bob as Karloff) and 'Dr. Akhbar' (Bob doing Peter Lorre). He's Director of Bob and Ray Scientific Research and we're first shown Dr. A.'s experimental fly, 'Neil.'

The "Minuet on the Rocks" excerpt is boogiefied Paderewski, with Skitch pounding away at a honky tonk piano. Behind the creaky door of "The Round Room is a bagpipe marching band. Besides many unusual percussion instruments in the Schory's "Buck Dance," we also hear tap shoes. Lena's "New-Fangled Tango" is a mono 'live' at the Waldorf performance that has the audience giggling. Within the ballroom on "The Thing" is a clock with a screaming human pendulum. "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" is an edited version of one of the most insane oompah band recordings ever made.

Richard Leibert was Radio City's first-ever organist. His high output holiday song at the keys really gives your speakers a workout. If "Song of the Volga Boatmen" sounds like Glenn Miller, there's a good reason. Several Miller alumni play on this recreation of the original Bill Finegan arrangement. The experiments in Dr. A.'s "Laboratory" are samples from RCA's sound effects library.

Xavier's Cugat's fourth wife, Abbe Lane ("Whatever Lola Wants") is a Jewish girl from Brooklyn, born Abigail Lassman in 1932. "The Ox Drivers" reflects a popular trend of that day, folk music. Album-closing "The End" has shrunk-in-size Bob and Ray as the mad doctor's final experiment. - By Annie Van Auken
Highly sought after title by audiophiles and music lovers alike - the stereo, original shaded dog is very rare, especially in near mint shape - in our humble opinion, the Classic Records reissue bests the original in many ways - in years of collecting we have had a good number of originals. All of them pale in comparison to the reissue, primarily due to condition, noisy vinyl, dynamics, etc. This is your chance to hear what this LP is supposed to sound like!
The Test Pressing stamped information indicates: February 27 1996, LSP 1773, 45, (A1,A2,B1,B2 one of each) this stamped information indicates the date of manufacturing of the test pressing, the record catalog number, the side of the record and stamper number, and that the LP is cut at 45rpm for greatest dynamics. This ad is for all four 45rpm LPs (A1, A2, B1 & B2) and music is only on one side of each LP.

This listing is for a very rare, long out of print and factory sealed audiophile LP TEST PRESSING issue of a much sought after recording featuring -
Bob Elliot and Ray Goulding
Music and title of this LP:

Bob and Ray Throw a Stereo Spectacular

SIDE ONE:
[4:25] Bob and Ray Visit Dr. Ahkbar at the Castle
[2:41] Riders in the Sky - George Melanchrino & his orch.
[1:10] Minuet on the Rocks - Skitch Henderson & his orch.
[2:23] Bob and Ray in the Round Room
[2:29] Buck Dance - Dïck Schory's New Percussion Ensemble
[3:04] New-Fangled Tango (from the Broadway musical "Happy Hunting") - Lena Horne
[1:18] The Thing - Bob and Ray
[2:07] Second Hungarian Rhapsody - Guckenheimer Sour Kraut Band
SIDE TWO:
[2:09] The First Noël - Dïck Leïbert at the Radio City Music Hall Organ
[2:49] We'll Gather Lilacs in the Spring (from the London musical "Perchance to Dream") - Julie Andrews
[3:28] Song of the Volga Boatman - Sauter-Finegan Orchestra
[2:20] Bob and Ray in the Laboratory (Rifles; Surf; Cat Fight)
[2:29] Whatever Lola Wants (from the Broadway musical "Damn Yankees") - Abbe Lane w/Tito Puente & his orch.
[2:30] The Ox Drivers - The Belafonte Singers
[2:10] The End - Bob and Ray

LP catalog # LSP 1773

4x45rpm single sided LPs and comes with NO artwork on the jacket.
Each white, generic LP jacket is in MINT condition - it is FACTORY SEALED!

Selling most of a recently found collection of pristine audiophile LPs: Test Pressings, 45 RPM Sealed Reissues, Original & Reissue Mercury Living Presence, Decca/London, RCA Living Stereo, Japanese reissues, etc. Mostly classical and rock. This collection built by an audiophile who had little time to listen and never played most of the records. This is my record hunting find of a lifetime!

I would keep them all if I could afford to. Prices are below market based on my research via eBay, Discogs, etc. I hope to give buyers a chance to load up at fair prices resulting in a win/win with me getting a few LPs and providing a co-op service to many music lovers. I am not a dealer, just a music and audio fanatic, as well as president of my local audio club (non-profit). PM me with your email and I will send you a spreadsheet of all available LPs.

Many LPs are sealed. ALL UNSEALED LPs CLEANED ON VPI VACUUM MACHINE, and stored or played once. 90% of the collection looks as new. Unsealed album covers protected by outer sleeves. SHIPPED IN DEDICATED LP BOX/MAILER.

***TERMS OF SALE***
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2) PRIORITY MAIL/TRACKING/INSURED [USA ONLY], Please Note! Shipping costs are for continental US ONLY. All others should request a shipping through Ebay International Shipping Program.
3) ASK ABOUT COMBINED SHIPPING.
5) Subject to prior sale on other sites, forums, & blogs.
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7) No Returns As I am an enthusiast selling part of a collection, not a dealer.