Matt Monro Forum

I was wondering how much is actually lost material that Matt has recorded that was taped over or just scrapped or lost for some reason or other?

It depends on what your talking about. Every studio recording made for disc release exists in one form or another save for two reported tracks made for Decca that weren't archived (but may have been recorded in the first place). Most session tapes up to 1966 are gone but that is the same for every EMI artist as the had no archive policy for session tapes only masters back then.

Some mastertapes are gone but these are for non EMI recordings - Strange Lady, the Top Pop Club Songs (Twixt Twelve & Twenty etc) and the two songs recorded in the Philippines (nobody can explain where they went!).

The BIG subject though is TV & Radio. The vast majority of appearances have gone including a whole TV series several specials and hundreds of guest appearances, the Royal Variety from 1966, Eurovision 64 the list goes on. On Radio only one song exists from hundreds performed on the Show Band show for instance.

It's a very sorry state of affairs unfortunately - Unless of course you know different (and if you do please get in touch!)

Some further reading for you

http://www.mattmonro.com/spotlight_missing_media.html
http://www.mattmonro.com/spotlight_nov0 ... att_2.html

Note though that those articles are now quite old and some material has been located since (but not much!).

How is the material archived and how much of it? If its on tape surely it has a chance that it will deteriorate surely?

On restoration projects. The Godfather film was in a terrible state but was rescued in just in time I think and they did a marvellous job and cost a lot to restore it was restored at 4k.

Film is a funny medium, it can fade or shrink or even turn to dust due to it's chemical processing. Tape is inert and stored properly is by far one of the best storage mediums. Tapes from the 1930's (Before the technology was even perfected) can still be played back perfectly.

Even tapes made when the formulation was dodgy (when they used an artificial lubricant in the 70's) these tapes can be baked and then will play perfectly. They can be submerged in water and still be played once dried out. They aren't indestructible and can be ruined with just a magnet but are far safer than digital storage techniques we have now!

Richard