"The low gen (probably 1st gen) reel to reel tapes that all our copies seem to trace back to were transfered to cdr a while back. Those reels are owned by Bill Gadsden. Bill and a guy named Peter Kafer made copies of Peter Abram's (owner of the Matrix) two track 7" Scotch reels in the summer of 1974. Peter Abram's reels were either Masters or 1st gens, so the reels that all our old tapes and now cds originate from are either 1st or possibly 2nd gen."
I am no longer so sure that this is strictly accurate. I am pretty sure that at least two other people made or were given copies of Abrams' reels, or at least of some of them. And at least some of these other reel sources have been digitized and circulate, though perhaps only lightly, in CD format. I have for some time been wanting to bring all three sets together to see which sound best, how they can be optimally compiled, etc., but just haven't had the time for it. Not a big deal, and certainly Bill Gadsden deserves all the credit he gets (and then some!) for circulating these and other incredibly historic shows, but I think there's a case to be made to nuance this language (which appears in all of the Deadlists entries for Hartbeats and David & the Dorks material, I think) just a little bit. Joe Jupille
