Band Seeks Union Approval to Wax Columbia Album

If permission can be obtained from the musician's union, the Band will record an album of marches for the Columbia Recording Company this spring, Manager Paul A. Lucey '51 revealed last night.

A decision on the part of the union is expected by Monday, according to Lucey. Negotiations are being carried on by Manny Sachs, New York representative for Columbia.

Union rules prohibit commercial recordings by non-union bands. However, the rule has been waived from time to time for certain amateur organizations, although never before for a college band.

The most recent dispensation granted by the musician's union allowed the band of the Coldstream Guards, a British military organization, to make a number of recordings of marches.

University Permission Necessary

Columbia approached the Band with the proposition, which Lucey interpreted as meaning that the company was reasonably certain of obtaining union approval. If this is done, only University permission will be necessary to complete the details.

The Band's treasury stands to profit if the recordings are made, according to Lucey. Besides a standard recording fee the Band will receive a two and a half percent royalty on 90 percent of the total sales.

Assuming the negotiations are successfully completed, the Band would probably make the recordings at Symphony Hall in Boston, Lucey said.

The Band has recorded twice before, but never for a commercial organization. The Iv League Album, cut in 1946, and the Halftime Album in 1948 was made by Trans-Radio, under a non-profit arrangement.

The only alternative for the Band if the musician's union vetoes the current non-union project would be to join the union. "That," said Lucey, "we will never do."