Eighty years after his death, the name "Houdini" is still synonymous with magic and mystery. His daring escapes and clever illusions made him a legend, and his untimely passing on October 31st 1926 marked the end of an era. Aside from the skills which made him a household name, Houdini was also fascinated in the twilight world of spiritualism. In his quest for the truth, he exposed many frauds, but still maintained an open mind on the subject. In fact, he offered a $10,000 reward to any medium who could perform to his satisfaction under close scrutiny. As might be expected, there were many takers, but no winners.
Having encountered so many fakes, it is perhaps surprising then that he and his wife Bess made a pact to perform the ultimate experiment in spirit contact. They agreed that whichever of the pair should depart from this life first would attempt to contact the survivor, from 'the other side'. In turn, the surviving partner would try to do the same from the world of the living. Harry and Bess vowed to continue their attempts for a full ten years, after which they would cease trying. When Harry died in 1926, it was time to begin the great experiment.
And so, every October, Bess Houdini faithfully held a seance in hope of fulfilling her pledge. After nine earnest attempts, her efforts had still proved unsuccessful. 1936 marked the tenth anniversary of Harry's passing. Bess' pact was almost over. Her tearful last-ditch attempt was staged in Hollywood, California, and transmitted Live to an expectant audience around the world. On this new CD is a recording of that historic "Last Seance", a poignant final chapter in a love story which had spanned almost half a century. Also included is a 30-minute radio documentary, The Story of Houdini, from the late 1940s, produced just a few years after Bess rang down the final curtain and joined her beloved Harry.
The sequel to Revenant's Ghost Tapes CD, The Houdini Tapes is another carefully-restored and faithfully reconstructed presentation of a classic psychic recording. Eleven digital processes were applied to improve the sound of these vintage programmes. While not comparable to that of modern-day recordings, the quality has still been significantly improved on this new CD edition.