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THE RISE & FALL OF PARAMOUNT RECORDS VOLUME 2

THE RISE & FALL OF PARAMOUNT RECORDS VOLUME 2

On Nov 18th, Jack White's Third Man Records, in partnership with John Fahey's Revenant Records, will unlock the second and final chapter chronicling the curious tale of America's most important record label with 'The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 2 (1928-1932).’

A stunning omnibus of words, music, art and design, 'Volume 2' picks up where the "spectacular" (New York Times) and "unprecedented" (Rolling Stone) 'Volume 1' left off. It documents the label’s final 5 year period between 1928-32, a stunning second act in which Paramount birthed the entire genre of Mississippi Delta blues and issued some of the most coveted recordings in the history of the medium: Skip James, Charley Patton, Son House, Tommy Johnson, Geeshie Wiley, The Mississippi Sheiks, Willie Brown, King Solomon Hill, and hundreds of others.

‘Volume 2’ contains six LPs, a sculpted metal USB drive with 800 songs and 90+ original hand-drawn ads from the Chicago Defender, a large-format hardcover book telling the label's story via new writing and original images, and an illustrated Field Guide with biographies and recording information for each artist represented in the set. It is all housed in a streamline case of polished aluminum modeled after a portable phonograph in 1930s American “Machine Age” Art Deco style.

Like ‘Volume 1’, the collection was co-produced by leading Paramount authority Alex van der Tuuk.

Paramount Records’ open-door recording policy led it to the very bedrock of America’s untamed blues, jazz, gospel and folk sounds. In the process the label provided the earliest and most representative snapshot of America's sonic landscape.

‘Volume 2’ offers a magnificent conclusion to this story of how a Wisconsin chair company, despite producing records on the cheap, changed how America thought of itself by allowing this young country to hear what it really sounded like, in all its stripes, for the very first time.

'Rise and Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 2 (1928-1932)’ contains:

  • 800 newly-remastered digital tracks, representing 175 artists
  • 90+ fully-restored original 1920s-30s Paramount ads from Chicago Defender
  • 6 x 180g LPs pressed on alabaster-white label-less vinyl, each side with its own hand-etched numeral and holographic image
  • 250 pg. large-format clothbound hardcover book featuring original Paramount art and the label's curious tale
  • 400 pg. encyclopedia-style softcover field guide containing artist bios & portraits and full Paramount discography
  • Polished aluminum and stainless steel cabinet, evoking 1930s high art deco stylings and America's own Machine Age modernism
  • First-of-its-kind music and image player app containing all tracks and ads, housed on sculpted metal USB drive

Comments

Kali Durga

Just had an opportunity to show this to my friend Mr. Harris, who wanted to cuss both me and Jack after he got the last set and it gave him flashbacks to listening to these records on his grandfather’s front porch on a wind-up Victrola while his grandpa and pals ate moonshine-soaked watermelons. He recently took his Volume 1 over to a friend’s house and played the records for his friend’s aunt and she told him stories of her memories of those songs that were apparently even better than his childhood tales. I told him next time he goes over there he needs to record her talking about it. He’s ready to place his order for Volume 2 right now.

Raw

I emailed TMR and got a reply within a couple hours. They said they are most likely not having a holiday bundle and they are discussing the possibility of matching up people’s serial numbers. No guarantees yet however….

I think just the quick and honest reply, which I told them was all we really wanted. That was really awesome of TMR!!!

Quizze

Im wanting to bet that the pricing will be the same

Raw

Also, is the pricing the same? $400???

AlabamaWoody

Looks stunning. Can’t wait to get my hands on it ! These are works of art. Nicely done … again !

Raw

Wow, that is cool to see people wanting the same number. I said that months ago! What I want to know is will there be a holiday bundle like last year. That is what I got!!

Raw

Well damn, there goes my money. If you got the first one, what number did you get?

RKanas0522

And PLEASE, if there is a bundle please make it available on the release date and not a month later like volume 1…..

Sugar

Very cool sconces by the way.

Quizze

Sassy…. and appropriately evolved as stylistic expression and reflection of the era through its values… yet and still distinctly modern! KUDOS TMR!!!

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