The Sound Of The Hound

The Sound of the Hound is a podcast series about the people and the technology that brought recorded music to the masses in Victorian London and beyond. In it, journalist and author James Hall and music industry executive Dave Holley chronicle the adventures of the early sound pioneers as they risked life and limb to capture sound and launch the music business as we know it today. In particular, the series focuses on a genius called Fred Gaisberg. The world’s first A&R man, Fred was a nineteenth century amalgam of Steve Jobs, Simon Cowell and Indiana Jones. He travelled by cart, cargo ship and camel – from London to Italy and from Japan to India – in search of intriguing music. His – and others’ – stories have to be heard to be believed. The Sound of the Hound is brought to you by EMI Archive Trust.

James Hall is a music journalist and author. As well as being one of The Daily Telegraph’s rock and pop critics, he has written for The Times, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The FT and The Observer. James’s novel about the birth of the recorded music industry in 1890s London — The Industry of Human Happiness— was published in 2018. James’s prize possession is a very battered, very loud gramophone-in-a-suitcase from the 1920s. His neighbours are equally enamoured of it.

Dave Holley is a music business suit. He ran EMI's recording studios, including Abbey Road and Capitol Studios, and remains a trustee of The EMI Archive Trust. He is currently CEO of Wise Music Group one of the world's leading independent music publishers. If you hear a dog in the background of the podcast that is Dave's labrador Leo who joins us for the recordings, dozing as we speak. He occassionally talks in his sleep.