Stars' music tapes may be destroyed
File photo of singer Tom Jones performing during his concert in Vina del Mar...Singer Tom Jones performs during his concert in Vina del Mar, about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Santiago in this February 6, 2010 file photo. Jones cancelled a Saturday night concert in Monaco due to severe dehydration, his spokesman said on August 28, 2011, but he denied reports that the 71-year-old veteran Welsh crooner was suffering heart problems. REUTERS/Eliseo Fernandez/Files (CHILE - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)...E
UNCLAIMED demo tapes belonging to AC/DC, Metallica and Bono at Windmill Lane studios are deteriorating by the day unless they are salvaged, according to producers.
THE acclaimed Dublin recording studio has a collection of thousands of tapes that date back to the early 90s.
Windmill Lane producers said they would love to see the tapes returned to their artists or archived by music historians – but they may have to destroy them.
The tapes also include unusual recordings of collaborations between Mark Knopfler and Paul Brady, another between Bono, the Edge and Christy Moore, and even Tom Jones.
Producer Tony Perrey said that they would like to see the two-inch multitrack tapes go to a good home.
"They've been there for nearly 20 years. We are expanding – we have a successful college as well with degrees in music production as well as commercial recording," he explained. "We don't want to dispose of them."
"They are not ours to sell and we would prefer for people to archive them."
Tapes
Mr Perrey said the material includes Metallica, performing with Marianne Faithful, original Spice Girls material and an early version of AC/DC's Thunderstruck.
"That album (by AC/DC) was done partly in Vancouver but bands often do that – they might start an album somewhere else and record along the way," he told the Herald.
Mr Perrey said that the Ringsend-based studio will reluctantly begin to destroy the tapes from May if they are not claimed. Further information is available at windmilllanerecording.com
clairemurphy@herald.ie