I tend to discount the fourth possibility based on my assumption that only Victor contracted (a few) artists long-term (and Columbia had a few, like Frank Crumit). From what I understand, all the other labels hired performers for a fee per record, no contract as we know it today (I remember seeing a budget sheet from Edison that Jack Palmer was kind enough to send me, with a list of performers, recording matrices, and fees paid for services rendered -- but it is a somewhat distant memory, admittedly). This one-time-payment practice, plus the fear of radio taking the jobs of performing artists both live and on record, was the impetus for the formation of ASCAP (to which the formation of BMI was radio's answer).
I love a good mystery! Wonder if we'll get to the bottom of this one, however. best, r. > So there are four possibilities for these records with the unfinished > edges(?): > Tone Test record > Test Pressing > Factory Reject > Cancelled artist contract resulting in a small number of records > being unfinished because distribution has been cancelled. > > This last seems somewhat unlikely compared to the first three, and I > only bring it up because of the same artist appearing on two > different unfinished records. > > Andy >
