I found this metal (copper?) mother plate in San Francisco. It's on the Golden State Records label. Cat # GSR-201. Released on December 19, 1977. Anyone knows what this is? Discogs and Google don't yield any useful infofo.

 

UnknownArtist-UnknownTitle(GoldenStateRecordsGSR201_1977).mp3

Edited October 24, 20177 yr by cmp

Golden State was a record label BUT it was also a recording studio (both run by Leo Kulka out of San Fran). He also had the Golden Soul label & his own mastering service (Sonic Arts out of the same building @ 665 Harrison Street, San Francisco).

His label seemed to use around 8 / 9 different numbering systems but by the late 70's, the label was using numbers more like #437. None of their systems used any number like 201.

So, I'm guessing that this could even have been cut at Golden State but not destined to come out on the GS label (which seemed largely in-active at the time). The record that did escape on the label in 78 was by female Joy Higgins and it obviously ain't that.

I quite like it, it has a sort of jazzy (70's) Terry Callier type of vibe. Bet the likes of Colin Curtis would go for it.   

 

Edited October 22, 20177 yr by Roburt

Thanks, Roburt. I am 100% certain that this is related to Leo Kulka. I acquired several other metal plates, some Golden State Recorders acetates, Sonic Arts testpressings and other stuff related to Sonic Arts/Golden Gate Recorders/Leo Kulka in general. See pictures. The majority of the metal mother plates I have belong to the early Sonic Arts Laboratory Series (mostly audiophile classical music). These are 14" plates with a huge hole in the middle that are inverted. They don't play on a normal turntable and if so, it would be backwards/inside out. These were pressed up by TELDEC in "West" Germany, then sent back to Leo Kulka. A few non LS Series plates have an actual label glued on the sleeve, which make it easy to identify. It also shows the number of copies pressed up (500 in Imani's case), which is a pretty sough after record. 

This particular one - GSR-201 - appears to have been cut as a 45. It's one of the few smaller mother plates that is a normal 12" size with a small hole and has only one song on it. I am not sure how it fits in with their numbering system. There's no additional info on it other than a little note card listing 6 different cat. numbers. It appears to be the only Soul related mother plate in this batch and one of the few that actually plays... 

I was going to ask how did you play it, but thanks for clearing that up. 

You got a great historic haul there, pity not much is soul related.

The sax playing is really good

 

9 hours ago, Roburt said:

You got a great historic haul there, pity not much is soul related.

Spoke too soon...found some Funk & Soul related Master Reel To Reel tapes by Wally Cox, Snooky & The Cosmic Flowers, Windjammers, San Francisco T.K.O.'s, etc.

4 hours ago, woolie mark said:

The sax playing is really good

 

Thanks for sharing. Great picture!

Mystery solved! This 45 was released on Rampart Records (R-201). It's called "Dev Singh - No Surprizes". They spelled surprises with a 'z'. 

https://www.discogs.com/Dev-Singh-No-Surprizes-Maple-Leaf-Summer/release/9703949

On 23/10/2017 at 06:51, cmp said:

Spoke too soon...found some Funk & Soul related Master Reel To Reel tapes by Wally Cox, Snooky & The Cosmic Flowers, Windjammers, San Francisco T.K.O.'s, etc.

What a cool find ...damn !

I got this cd around 2007  which features some of those same artists .

Me, jealous ?....hell yes ! 

Edited February 9, 20187 yr by Soulsides