Arcania International on WVTF -- Part 4 (tape delay)

Here's an excellent example of the value of a radio station's website.

As the distributor of Arcania International releases, I've been very interested in a series public radio station WVTF has been running. Reporter Connie Stevens has been profiling various artists featured in Arcania's "Ol' Virginia Soul" and "Aliens, Psychos and Wild Things" compilation CDs of Virginia soul groups and garage bands of the 1960's. These "Captive Audio" news segments have made for interesting listening -- even for those not interested in these musical genres.

I missed the broadcast of the latest installment -- it aired back in July. But because WVTF archives their news features, I could access it, listen to it -- and now share it with others by linking to it.

In that episode, Stevens tells the story of the Phantoms from Abingdon, Virginia (found on "Aliens, Psychos and Wild Things, Volume 2"). Brent Hosier of Arcania International and guitarist Herb Proffitt talk about the Phantom's only recording, and how it was saved by modern technology. But there's more to the story...

And thanks to WVTF's website, that story can be heard again and again.

- Ralph

Day 102 of the WJMA Web Watch.

Arcania International On the Air Again (sort of)

Another installment of "Captive Audio" ran on WVTF's "Morning Edition," featuring music from the Arcania International label. Reporter Connie Stevens is using Arcania's CD reissues of 1960's soul and garage band records as a starting point for a series about forgotten Virginia artists.

The latest installment is an interview with Gene Brumley of Gene & the Teen Beats from Martinsville, Virginia. Stevens did an excellent job, and Brumley shares some great stories.

Gene & the Teen Beats (later the Team Beats when the band started aging) have tracks on Arcania International's "Ol' Virginia Soul, Part 1." And although Brent Hosier's liner notes are pretty extensive, there's not a lot of overlap between his entry for Gene & the Teen/Team Beats and what Connie Stevens presents.

Which is great.

I admit that I have a vested interest in this series (we carry Arcania International's releases), but just as a listener, I'm really excited about this oral history chronical "Captive Audio's" creating.

Can't wait for the next installment!

- Ralph

BTW - The other band mentioned in the segment, Captain Darby and The Buccaneers, can be found on "Aliens, Psychos & Wild Things, Volume Fore (sic)."

Arcania International On The Air!

Brent Hosier, owner of the Arcania International record label was featured on WVTF during "Morning Edition" today.

It was a pretty exciting time for all of us. My business partner and I at DCD Records have been working with Brent for some time, trying to get some well-deserved attention to his releases.

Brent's a knowledgeable record collector, and his compilations of 1960's garage band and soul records are pretty remarkable. Brent insists only using tracks that haven't been previously released on CD, which keeps the selections fresh-sounding. Further, he's pretty much limited his compilations to Virginia artists (with a few side trips).

Arcania International has two series running. The four volumes of "Aliens, Psychos and Wild Things" focuses on garage and psych bands of the mid- to late-1960s. "Ol' Virginia Soul" collects soul and R&B tracks from (mostly) the Old Dominion on three CDs.

Some of the discs have fallen out of print, and that's where we've come in. DCD Records has reissued "Aliens, Psychos and Wild Things, Vol. 1" and we're working on the others.

Check out the "Captive Audio" series at WVTF. You can even listen to the segment. And then -- if you're so inclined -- you can toodle on over to DCDRecords.com and buy a CD or two. We'll all be glad you did.

- Ralph