The companies’ collector

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A spin-doctor like no other, he makes all other collectors look like snotty school kids. Vinod Sonthalia has been collecting records since 1964. His collection consists of more than 24,000 vinyl records from Do Dil to Dil To Pagal Hai. Vinod is such a prolific record collector that he contributes to, rather than collects from, music companies. Though popular among record collectors, this is the first time his collection has been laid bare before the public.
“From 1986-1993 HMV was looking for rare recordings. I took some of the ‘source recordings’ to HMV and recorded them at their studio. In 1996 the company did press a few copies of Dil To Pagal Hai but that was not sufficient. Though the company had plans to release Silsila but it discarded the thought later on,” says Vinod.
Some of the pieces in the collection are extremely rare and possibly the only surviving copies such as Bhoot Bungla (Angel 3AEX 5054), Ram Rajya (Angel EMI 3A EX-5133), Kahin Din Kahin Raat (Angel EMI 3A EX 5192), Dillagi (Angel EMI 3AEX 5091), and Akalmand (Angel EMI 3AEX 5093). But the jewels are the 10-inch LP of Pandit Omkarnath Thakur (Columbia 33EC 3751), Imdad Khan’s Sohni (Gramaphone Concert Record, GC-17364, 1932, one-sided record) and a 78 rpm by one Ratan singing Pahadi and Piloo (Zonophone Record, X-3-102475, 1898).
-- Mathures Paul

Comments

Anonymous said…
I have acopy of Kahin Din kahin Raat, that I bought on Indiavarta.com in 2007 for $1.

I am looking for The original recording of Dil Aur Mohabbat. The songs HMV re-published used the movie print which is not as good.
5:36 am
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