Behind the scenes of Xicano Records

Xicano Record Co.

EST 2015

In 2015 I had the idea to start a record label that would be able to represent who I am as a person and the music I love to play and seek out. Eventually, learning to love my Chicano background and my community full of Chicanos and the lowrider culture all around, I decided to name my record label "Chicano records" … but spelled with an “X” in front of it. Why so? In Nahuatl (the Mexican Uto-Aztecan language,) the “X” is pronounced “CH” and is a first generation way of spelling “Chicano.” I wanted to use the X to symbolize my love for finding ORIGINAL and hard to find oldies on their native formats - the vinyl record.

For some time - the idea for this record label sat dormant; EVEN after I started to promote it and out its name out there. It was until I entered Dr. Preston’s English 3 class where he promoted a “Big Question” in our lives that revived my pursuit for building this record label. He urged me to follow my passion of music and it was there that I mentioned my idea for a record label that would not only release new music with an old sound, but a label that would reissue rare and hard to find records with AMAZING sound quality; unlike most of the marginal reissues us collectors scowl at.

I plan on moving forward with my idea and making it into reality by initiating a first release. I have the help of my friend, mentor, and brother PJ Noce who gives me excellent ideas, rare records, and tips on how I should remaster certain songs. I also have the help from my good friend Jonny Benavidez who recently had an original composition written and sung by himself released on a retro Funk & Soul label called “Timmion Records.” Alongside with the talents of these 2 gentleman, I have the pleasure of ACTUALLY knowing and being acquaintances with some of the people who sang the music I earnestly seek out for. Some include: Jerry Morano (Lead singer of “The Stratfords” on Universal Artists,) Louis Longo (Tenor Sax on “Two Hearts Fall In Love” b/w “Before I Go” by “The Connotations” on Technicord; Member of “The Four Tiers.”) and Robert Paladino (Lead singer of “The Brooks Four.”) These people are a wealth of knowledge because they knew even more recording groups of the 50’s and 60’s.

For now, I have a few written compositions ready to be recorded once I have a band and a group to perform them. I plan on reissuing some rare singles to catch the attention of the public's eye before initiating a modern recording done by myself at Xicano Records. I have made good friends with Hector Gonzalez who owns “Rampart” records in Los Angeles, famous for songs such as “Land of 1,000 Dances” by Cannibal & The Headhunters and “Viva Tirado” by El Chicano. Connections like these are what will help me to achieve my goal of initiating that first release; as I have gotten permission to use their music!

HOW REISSUING IS DONE

Reissuing music nowadays has proved to be especially challenging. I’ve heard it said that, to re-release music nowadays, you have to be totally obsessed with the music and do nothing else but find more of it. Point is? I am definitely one of those people. The challenge that comes with reissuing, is getting legal rights to either buy the ownership of the song from the record company or owner, or attaining rights to reissue this music from either the family or the recording artists themselves. Since most of these records are rare, obscure and VERY unknown, tracking down the artist or their families can be a tough situation.

The next challenge is attaining a solid analog format to remaster digitally for it to be cut onto a laquer preview disc. Most times, we try to find an ORIGINAL copy of what we’re  trying to reissue. We look for quality in the sound - the less imperfections the better. Once we have a copy of what we’re reissuing - we then transfer it digitally into an audio program, from there we do lots of touching up! First, we remove as much background noise as possible (ticks, pops, continuous crackle) without removing any of the voices or instrumentation. From there, we compress and EQ the audio file, removing any low bass hum or rumble present due to imperfections picked up by the stylus on the record surface. Finally, after the last touches of EQ and Compression are added, we have ourselves a remastered digital copy of the original vinyl hard copy.

Once you gain rights to the song, and have a remastered version of the song you are releasing - it is sent of to a record pressing plant. There, they will (most times) master the song once more to be pressed onto a vinyl record. As soon as you verify your order of however many records you are pressing - you will soon receive your reissues of the song you really want to put out !

REMASTERING EQUIPMENT

PICKUP CARTRIDGES (Needles)

ADC Goldbody cartridge (STEREO)

Audio Technica ATP-2XN (STEREO)

Audio Technica AT-Mono 3 LP (MONO)

Ortofon OM-D 25 M = (MONO)

Shure M97xE = (MONO)

EXTERNAL EQ

Double Cork Slipmats (reduces bass rumble and hum from turntable motor)

Yaquin Tube Buffer (provides added warmth by means of Vacuum Tubes)

Spectro Acoustics 217 (Preamplifier with various EQ settings, REALLY adds life to recordings)

Jensen Iso-Max (Eliminates hum from a bad ground loop)

Vintage Vacuum Tubes (Various brands such as General Electric and RCA Victor - to provide various EQ and Warmth)

TURNTABLE USED

Audio Technica AT-LP 120

(Rare East L.A Chicano Soul played on my setup, with no enhancements whatsoever)

Why re-issue music?

In today's world, "Doo Wop" is associated with maybe a barber shop quartet or even Pitch Perfect acapella. To us collectors, it's NOTHING near barber shop quartets or even Pitch Perfect. In fact, to us it's a dying art form in need of being saved. Doo Wop for many is a lifestyle, most people who live this lifestyle are way up in age. Back in the 60's and 70's and even the 80's we hear fabled stories of Times Square Records, and stories about "Stormy Weather" by The Five Sharps. (Rarest Doo Wop 78 RPM) We hear of seeing records on Slim Rose's wall like "Can't Help Lovin' That Girl of Mine" by The Hide-A-Ways for under $10 (now a $5,000 record!) Many people like Ronnie I, Gus Gossert, Jocko and Terry Lee have come and gone and left their mark on this beautiful music. 40-50 years later Doo Wop is still alive, but not many people are trying to preserve it. Most of these fabled records by now are nearly impossible to find; if they show up they are most times beat up.

My goal is to try and find the rarest of the rare records that have the sound I myself would love to put out on Xicano Records. It is my goal and desire to put out the music that never made it to the radio back in the 50's & 60's when it was put out, I want to preserve the originals for safe keeping and produce reissues that could possibly sound EVEN BETTER than the originals! As mentioned before, some originals may cost you well over $200. Take a look below at just some of the pricey, expensive, and TOTALLY rare records i've acquired through my time as a collector.

                     

(The ORIGINAL 1958 Pressing. Re-Recorded in 1959 and released on KAPP)

Here is an example of a rare 45 RPM record in my collection of “Lost and Found Oldies” records. This record due to popular demand and rarity is valued at $800! Bootlegs can be bought for far cheaper than $800 (about $5), however the sound quality suffers dramatically. ONLY an original copy gives you the rich “Lo-Fi” sound that bootlegs cannot. I have been contacted by even the family of one of the group members asking to buy this off of me… I said “No.”

                   

(1960 Pressing from Houston, Texas. No bootlegs have been produced of this)

Valued at $1,000, this is one KILLER uptempo group harmony record that fetches quite a lot of money. Collectors don’t know much about the group or ther record, other than that it is worth LOTS of money!

(Extremely rare early Motown production)

   

Extremely rare Barry & Raymona Gordy production. Tom Clay was a DJ who played lots of Berry Gordy produced records, so it is believed that Barry wrote up a record for Tom to sing in hopes of it becoming a hit. The record went nowhere and it is one of the rarest early Motown records. I am fortunate to own a clean copy ! I cannot price this one, as it hasn't sold enough to prove a steady price.

Unheard of Materials

(Pre-production acetate disc with core metal exposed)

Amongst my collection are “Acetate” records, which are pre production records meant to test the sound quality of a record before it is actually pressed onto the initial release on vinyl. Acetate was and is (though VERY rarely nowadays) also used to record a live group onto the blank disc. The acetate is VERY fragile and brittle; meaning - they cannot be played continuously like a normal record - they last about 5-10 plays before the sound quality deteriorates badly. The acetate can be compared to a substance similar to nail polish; after a while - the acetate will begin to chip off, leaving the metal core exposed.

The acetates most collectors go for are the “Unreleased” acetates. These unreleased acetates are acetates that never made it any further than being cut on a few reference copies. A song could be held back for a myriad of reasons, for example - it could be rejected by labels; or it could be that the group did not like the way a certain song sounded. Though a lot of acetates are pretty terrible - some hold the most AMAZING tunes yet to be heard by the public. Acetates, in my opinion are always extremely rare and sometimes one of a kind. In my eyes, they are the gems of record collecting. 

(Recording Tape, often referred to as a "Master Tape")

Similar to acetates, these were used to record a band in the studio. From the master tape it would be cut on to acetate. Some tapes never even made it to the cutting stage of the process! Unlike acetates, these are more durable and can be played without rapid deterioration. Master tapes can most times be easier to work with, on the basis that it has no phasing issues or tape hiss. If you are lucky you will have a clean tape and a very easy "canvas" to work on !