Group Harmony R&B 78, Thrillers, I'm Going to Live My Life Alone, JVB demo, RARE
$
400
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Description
The Thrillers, I'm Going to Live My Life Alone b/w Hasting Street on a JVB demo 78. This is by far the rarest version of a record that is extremely rare in all its manifestations. Released twice on the Thrillers label (actually JVB), there are only a couple known copies of this demo version. The take of I'm Going to Live My Life Alone is the same as on the Thrillers-label release. But the B-side here is different, and, I believe, is entirely unissued elsewhere. It's a late-night, slow-groove jazz-R&B instro led by a sax and including wordless, shouted vocals in the background--the effect is like it's from a night club performance or a house party, though it's probably actually a studio recording. It's a pretty great piece, with an ace band getting greasy and raucous in a 3 a.m. kind of way.
I'm assuming the instro is called Hasting(s) Street, as one label on this record (the side with "I'm Going to Live My Life" in the grooves) is blank, and the other (pictured) side has a red stamp of the vocal-side title, and the handwritten text "Hasting St." below it. But, since JVB (and Joe von Battle's record shop) were on Hastings Street in Detroit, it's possible that the written words are just a reference to the location of the studio. It would be interesting to know who wrote those words on the label--since there were only a couple of these demos made, and Joe von Battle was the one having them made, it seems likely that he handled them himself and perhaps added the cursive handwriting there himself.
The record is in what 78 collectors would call V condition (or V+ on the more liberal scales), with fairly glossy patches mixed with dulled or rubbed patches and a lot of scratches and scuffs (though nothing particularly deep). If a 45 looked like this, I'd probably call it G+. In short, a typical, well-used but not ruined old 78 that probably didn't see a sleeve from shortly after it was pressed until I found it in a Detroit closet 15 years ago. Plays through fine with some surface noise throughout, and does require a dedicated 78 needle and cartridge to sound its best. In any case, a very, very rare incarnation of a legendary record from a legendary record man.
For a great overview of this band's astounding history, and more info about this release, check out the site known as Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks.
Note that the record will be shipped double boxed with lots of padding, so it will get to you intact.
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