The famous painting of a dog listening to a gramophone that eventually became RCA Recording's logo is pretty recognizable by anyone who's lived in America for very long.
The dog's name is "Nipper", and was the real name of the real dog that the painter recalled being puzzled by the voices coming out of the machine. A few years after the dog (who also apparently loved to fight other dogs and chase rats and pheasants in the park) died, the artist, Francis Barraud remembered pooch fondly enough to commit him to canvas.
After shopping the image around for awhile for a buyer, "The Gramophone Company" commissioned a new version of the painting that featured one of their models of record player, and it became their logo. The company eventually became RCA.
The title of the original painting is "His Master's Voice", which kind of became RCA's slogan (not sure if it was officially or unofficially adopted).
What I didn't know, though was that in today's environment of media companies buying each other and merging and expanding and trading divisions like Pokemon cards, that RCA's identity has mostly been absorbed into the entertainment group EMI.
However, there's still the record store (an anachronistic name i insist on hanging onto... I can't imagine going into a "CD store" or a "FlashMemory MP3-transfer Depot" or whatever, regardless of how much of a tech-nerd I am otherwise)...
I'm surprised I didn't know until today that the HMV music stores all over NYC (and Europe) are named for "His Master's Voice".
Posted by ryan at July 09, 2003 02:08 PMHMV - I always thought it was something like Home Movies Video or Home Music Video or something.
(I like that you update your blog a lot more recently, yay!)
Posted by: Maggie on July 9, 2003 03:15 PMRyan, when referring to record stores, just remember to change the accent, then you will seem like a media saavy dude. Instead of pronouncing it as REK-ord use REE-cord store, thus implying it as a store where recordings are sold.
Then you will really seem like a dork. Of course when the clerk asks if you need help, remember to tell him you are looking for the 12" vinyl of Negativlands "U2". That usually kills about 15 minutes.
And as long as you are talking about corporate history, most people don't realize what the name Sony stands for or JVC. (Standard Oil of New York, Japanese Victrola Corporation) Both of those companies sprung out of the ashes of Hiroshima as a part of the WWII "we are sorry we bombed the hell out of you" rebuilding plan. I think JVC was spawned by RCA when it used to be RCA Victor, the Victrola being a model of record player.
Another cool thing is the picture of the record player you got up there looks like an old skool wax cylinder player. I think they used grooves called hills and dales instead of the modern day grooves which are side to side instead of up and down. (not to be confused with Isaac Hayes grooves) Ahhh, the sweet sounds of mechanical audio. No electric used for recording or playback. Them was the good ol days.
Sorry, had to rant on this since i love obsolete audio crap...
Posted by: jay on July 10, 2003 10:41 AMThen, Jay, you would love the giant replica of the dog which sits atop an abandoned building up here in Albany. One of the few worthwhile things to look at up here in Albany.
Posted by: sugarkat on July 16, 2003 11:33 PMI know exactly what you mean Ryan it wasn't until yesterday 27th October 2003 at the age of 21 did I too learn the meaning of HMV. This what seems like a minor discovery has helped my research into labels alot, however I still don't know what the first record label was, when it started and where do you?
Posted by: Nikki Reynolds on October 28, 2003 05:25 AMAh another revelation, I'm only now reading the other comments and this thing about Sony is very interesting I must say it does help in understaning why the industry is so shit they are not at all focused on music just money.
Posted by: Kaijah on October 28, 2003 05:33 AMCan anyone tell me what kind of dog that is in the RCA logo?
Thanks.