Back in 1962, WA music industry pioneer Martin Clarke launched Clarion Records, changing the face of WA’s recording industry.

Focused on local acts, Clarion brought us releases from The Valentines with a young Bon Scott before he found fame with AC/DC, Johnny Young, Robbie Snowden, The Birds and more.

Clarke used a lathe – which converts an audio signal into grooves on an acetate blank with an embossing stylus – to produce master discs which he used as templates to produce records on a commercial scale.

The Presto 6N lathe and acetate blanks were synonymous with Clarke and Clarion’s early productions, giving Clarke substantial control over the final sound of his records.

Lathes and acetates from this period are rare and highly sought after, but an incredible collection of a Presto 6N lathe and acetate blanks used by Clarion Records calls the WA Museum home, providing a tangible snapshot into the technologies and techniques used by Clarke to produce West Australian artists in the 1950s to the 1970s.

The collection also includes a growing number of items related to WA's popular music scene, especially those associated with recording and production.

The Martin Clarke and Clarion Records collection is a fantastic addition, particularly for its role in documenting the development of pop music in Western Australia.

You can explore more of the Museum's collection in the live music display at Boola Bardip’s Reflections Gallery.