Invictus/Hot Wax/Music Merchant Masters

[woodward]

I just read in the booklet from the new Brenda Holloway CD that she recorded a version of Band of Gold while at the HDH run company.

Does anyone have any knowledge where the masters are for the 3 labels run by HDH? It would be great to hear this version to see how it compares with Freda Payne.

[TomatoTom123]

Oh, I didn't know Brenda did a version of "Band Of Gold"... now that would be interesting to hear. I'm sure it would be great.

Is much known about Brenda's time at and recordings for Invictus / Hot Wax?

[bradsupremes]

I thought I read the Invictus/Hot Wax masters and record-keeping were in disarray and it was very difficult to find tracks. May be why we really haven't seen much unreleased tracks released.

[paul_nixon]

I thought I read the Invictus/Hot Wax masters and record-keeping were in disarray and it was very difficult to find tracks. May be why we really haven't seen much unreleased tracks released.

I think that may well be partly true also do the trio really need the hassle or possibly even any rewards it might bring?

[woodward]

Oh, I didn't know Brenda did a version of "Band Of Gold"... now that would be interesting to hear. I'm sure it would be great.

Is much known about Brenda's time at and recordings for Invictus / Hot Wax?

I have the Sequel Records Music Merchant Story and it includes two songs by Brenda:

Let Love Grow and Some Quiet Place. I just saw where these two songs were the first 45 issued by HDH on the Music Merchant label, catalog #1001.

[Motown Eddie]

I just read in the booklet from the new Brenda Holloway CD that she recorded a version of Band of Gold while at the HDH run company.

Does anyone have any knowledge where the masters are for the 3 labels run by HDH? It would be great to hear this version to see how it compares with Freda Payne.

The last I heard was that H-D-H own the masters for the songs they recorded on the Invictus/Hot Wax/Music Merchant labels. And unless they decide to do a full Brenda Holloway collection [[or a good bootleg should turn up), it's not likely we'll hear Brenda's take on "Band Of Gold".

[jsmith]

Wasn't there an Inv/HW/MM compilation CD released in the UK a few years back that included some previously unissued tracks ??
I do know that when such a project was first talked about that it was stated that the HDH tape vaults were in disarray.
It was also stated that when some master tapes were unearthed & sent to a reissue company that they couldn't believe just how many different mixes these guys had laid down on different acetates and test-pressings. A phenomenal amount compared to most other record companies. Some tracks they got hold of the masters for had 10 different mixes and those were just the different mixes that they could find at that time !

[jsmith]

I believe this is one of the CD sets that came out in the UK as a result of the above trawl of HDH's vaults ...
The Complete Invictus Recordings: 1969 - 1978 Box set -- Chairmen of the Board .....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-In...n+of+the+Board

[Motown Eddie]

Wasn't there an Inv/HW/MM compilation CD released in the UK a few years back that included some previously unissued tracks ??
I do know that when such a project was first talked about that it was stated that the HDH tape vaults were in disarray.
It was also stated that when some master tapes were unearthed & sent to a reissue company that they couldn't believe just how many different mixes these guys had laid down on different acetates and test-pressings. A phenomenal amount compared to most other record companies. Some tracks they got hold of the masters for had 10 different mixes and those were just the different mixes that they could find at that time !

Yes there was such a set; The Complete 45s Collection [[Demon/Harmless-2014). The compilation had 14 CDs with 18 previously unreleased [[or alternate takes/mixes) tracks in addition to every single from the Invictus/Hot Wax/Music Merchant labels. And yes, I've heard that the HDH vaults are in disarray [[and there were several errors on the box set which were addressed in various posts three years ago).

[smallworld]

Didn't that "Complete 45s Collection" not actually feature all that many "45s"? I believe they overwhelmingly used stereo LP versions. It seems like false advertising to me.

[Motown Eddie]

Didn't that "Complete 45s Collection" not actually feature all that many "45s"? I believe they overwhelmingly used stereo LP versions. It seems like false advertising to me.

That's right Smallworld. One of the big mistakes on The Complete 45s Collection is that they didn't have the original mono mixes of many of the tracks. False advertising alright.

[theboyfromxtown]

I believe this is one of the CD sets that came out in the UK as a result of the above tral of HDH's vaults ...
The Complete Invictus Recordings: 1969 - 1978 Box set -- Chairmen of the Board .....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-In...n+of+the+Board

Not taken from the vaults John - they were taken from acetates held by someone you know.

[theboyfromxtown]

The only time that I am aware when the HDH vaults were accessed was when Rodney Brown of NYPA released some alternative versions of previously released material on a few single artist albums many years ago.