A Porky Prime Cut

I'm not sure what made me think of this, but I have always been intrigued by that message you sometimes get etched on the run-out groove on vinyl records, 'A Porky Prime Cut'. After some digging around I found out that it's a signature of a guy called George Peckham, who is a cutting engineer (ie one that creates master dics that vinyl is cast off). He must be the top banana in his field as I would have a guess that at least half the vinyl I ever owned was cut by him.

Apparently he got the nickname Porky (I quote) 'cos of all the old slagbags I used to chase and the ale I put away'. He used to be in the 60's band The Fourmost who were managed by Brian Epstein. He left the group to help The Beatles transfer their studio sound onto vinyl and was then offered the position of chief Apple cutter. When a master is created, the cutter has to etch in a catalogue number on it as there is no other way to identify the disc when it goes on the press. Peckham started using 'Porky' to further identify the disc, and that's how it all came about.

I used to look at all my vinyl trying to find subliminal messages but can't remember many offhand. I do recall 'Nigel's Dream: Tranmere 6 Liverpool 0' on Half Man Half Biscuit's 'Trumpton Riot EP' though.

So there you have it pop pickers.