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1964
The creation
of Highland Sound Company/Phantom Productions, Inc.
In
the early '60s Martin spent a lot of time at Alpine's radio station KVLF with
DJ's Phil Wayne Ebensberger, Bob Biel and David Forcheimer (a high school
classmate). He became "hooked' on the music and radio business.
The
photo above was taken in Alpine's KVLF studio at a time RCA was testing new
smaller video cameras. KVLF was only a radio station, however Gene Henricks
(station owner) provided space to enable the trial of the new RCA equipment and ran a VHF television station (KVLF-TV Channel 12) 1963-1965. The
person at the mike is a French foreign exchange student Claude Guillimet.
"The
Believers"
Junior/Senior
High School Prom, Alpine, Texas May, 1964
When
the Believers (poster page 1, page
2) played at the AHS Junior Senior prom in 1964, Martin asked for
a copy of the tape recording made on their Roberts recorder (seen above).
The Believers
were a group of Sul Ross State College (now University) students. After the
prom the band members headed for their homes for the Summer of '64. Go
to Believers page
 Martin and Grainger 40 Years later
The Lead Singer, Grainger Hunt (seen in the middle of the photo above) stayed in Alpine with his family. Knowing Martin had acopy of the tape, he called and asked to hear it. Just the month before, for high school graduation, Martin's parents bought him the Webcor (below) which enabled "sound with/on sound." Grainger asked if Martin would help him develop some new songs. The rest of the Summer was spent in numerous ("fun & learning") sessions and the "draft" recording of new material for the Believers, including the development of their new song "Motor Mouth." The Believers then went to San Angelo and recorded"Motor Mouth" at Ron Newdoll's Accurate Sound Company. The studio had a #1 hit with "Last Kiss" by the Cavaliers.
Here's a picture of the AC building as it looked in 2003 and 1960s inside the studio with the Cavaliers.
   
  
First
reel to reels - 5" Western Auto, Webcor & Sony 300 (Alpine HS). Mikes came
from Lafayette radio. Wish we'd bought more of the $5.95 Calrad in the
center as its being sold in auctions for up to $100. Go figure.
Click
here to see great brochure on the Sony 300 See
Webcor catalog listing
Martin
created a recording company (his Grandmother suggested the name Highland
Sound Company after her Scottish roots). This was later changed to Phantom
Productions created from the idea of phantom powered microphones and the
"behind the scenes" empowering the company envisioned itself performing
through recording and promotion. View old movie of studio
1965
   
By
early 1965, Highland Sound Company was working with several bands including
the Believers, a couple of other rock and country groups as well as a pair
of great guitarists from Mexico. Martin convinced his parents to remodel part
of their home into a recording studio (control room and single isolation room).
Often, more of the house was taken over for the cutting of multiple tracks.
The Alpine School District contracted with Highland Sound to record their
weekly radio program (picture below). This evolved into remote recording and
production for KVLF radio.
This
photo shows the equipment in use in the early studio (1965-1966). The man
in the picture was the PR person for the Alpine ISD who recorded a weekly
radio program for the schools. There's an Electro
Voice 665, a Calrad (or Lafayette) mike for "talk-back" (studio
window is out of picture to the right), Sony 250, 260 & 600 recorders; plus the Garrard Lab 80; an Eico
2080 Amp; Sony F-87 mikes on the
shelf with Robbins splicer; head demagnetizer;
head cleaner; and Sony headphones. You can also see a Lafayette
4-channel mike mixer (beside the clock); another 4 channel mike mixer
on the "Davis" speaker (under the Garrard dust cover); a Switchcraft
source switcher to the left of the Garrard; and a Lafayette power box by the
Alpine School employee's right hand. The two audio boards were custom built
by Martin and enabled multiple mike and line mixing, as well as, a "pan"
control. The lower unit on wheels was constructed of wood and intended to
go "on-location." The weight was a bit much though.
1966
It
was difficult to buy recording and sound products in Alpine. Martin had upgraded
to Sony recorders and approached Sony Superscope in New York with a view to
represent them in the Big Bend area of Texas. Sony connected Martin with Balco
Sound of Lubbock, Texas. The relationship resulted in Highland Sound becoming
the re-seller for Altec, Ampex, Electro Voice, Shure Sony and many of the
other major manufacturers. Martin's parents home and their commercial building
next door became showcases for recording tape and supplies, as well as the
full line of Ampex recorders.
  Listen
to HSC Radio ad
Equipment
display with Sony 260. Note variety of literature from Ampex, Electro
Voice, Roberts, Shure Sony, Turner, etc
1967 equipment
display with Eico amp, Fisher receiver, Garrard turntable, Altec speakers &
Sony 350
   
Phantom's equipment in 1967 - Concertone 800, Garrard Lab 80, Eico Amp, Ampex 1100
  
Martin
in original Phantom/Highland Sound Company studio 1965-1967 - view video (RealPlayer)
 
 
Bob Simonetti and his band Bob & His Agents were on of several Alpine bands who recorded at the HSC Studio
1967
  
The
pictures above are of a Phantom Productions (Highland Sound Company) remote
radio broadcast set-up for a concert at the Sul Ross State College's main
auditorium. The equipment included an Ampex 800,the Sony 600, a Bogan
MXM-A,
and three pieces of remote equipment from Alpine's radio station KVLF.
The
Big Bend photographer Peter Koch contracted with Highland Sound to produce
the sound track for a film he produced about Texas' Big Thicket. This film
helped enable the area to become a National Preserve.
1968
 
While
working on his Bachelor's degree in Music, Martin produced most of the music
recording for the Sul Ross University recitals, concerts, tours, plays (Brigadoon,
My Fair Lady, etc.) and College record albums. The Band Director, Lloyd Cook,
provided two customized 30' microphone stands (collapsed to 5') which were
erected at each major session. When the band and choir were on tour, Martin
would arrive (by car rather than bus) early at each site to set up the recording
gear. Here's one of the album covers.
 
 
 Click
here to listen to some of the band SR album cover • HSC sign on car • Sony 630 Fisher tuner and Eico amp • Sony 630 and Altec Seville speakers
1969
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