You may think you don’t know it, but you most certainly do.
Hometracked has the skinny:
When used noticeably, an auto-tuner produces what most call “The Cher Effect“, named for her trademark sound in the song Believe. (In essence, we named the effect like scientists naming a new disease after its first victim.) Treated this heavily, a vocal track sounds synthetic, and obviously processed.
This remarkable device was invented by Frenchman Jean Auscher as an acoustic navigation device in case of radar failure on small vessels. Shown at the 1960 Brussels Inventor’s Fair, and, one suspects, nowhere else ever again.
Want one! More fun at the Amplifier Institute’s page of failed projects.
For those of us who remember the unique vocal harmony of Loggins and Messina from their string of highly successful albums in the 1970s — in particular, their quintessential 1974 live album, On Stage — we will surely welcome this musical stroll at San Francisco’s Cow Palace on April 4th, 1976, during their Farewell Tour. It explains why they were such FM radio staples in the 1970s and beyond (they don’t make music like this anymore, do they?).
Go on, try it, Be Free.
David Byrne’s Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars.
Is this the future present so many people are afraid of?
Byrne’s one of those quirky visionaries and he does have a point. Still, I wonder… Perhaps, first and foremost, this notion whereby the internet will stick around for eternity, providing us with instantly downloadable digital delight, might well be a fantasy. Second: people like to own stuff. This is about tangible goods. Cardboard LP sleeves. Actual, physical CD boxes even.
The internets is a fragile house of cards. What if we come to depend on it for our sole source of music/entertainment? Am I being an old analog fart?
You tell me.
So, say your typical big-mouthed Dutch guy yells “play the banjo!”
What do you think Old Neil’s going to do next?
Neil Young, live in Amsterdam, February 18, 2008. Wish I’d been there.
Meanwhile, here’s what Pope “Look into my eyes, look into the center of my eyes” Benny and his crazy boys over at the Apostolic Penitentiary have been up to:
Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of “new” sins such as causing environmental blight.
Catholics. Italians. Waste management.
Which reminds me we’ve been holding a Sopranos marathon at Barry Towers, late to the party as ever. Pure brilliance! Aah, the inimitable James Gandolfini — although this guy gets pretty close…
For as long as I can remember I have always been a proponent of the D.I.Y philosophy, never more so than when I founded my own micro-press in the mid 80s. At that time, in Canada at least, publishing was largely controlled by two groups: large corporate publishing houses, and government funded, University based presses. They did not welcome my small, independent publications then, and still do not welcome them now. This, of course, has never stopped me from publishing. As I have witnessed media being concentrated in the hands of the corporate few (and manipulated by their agendas), never has the need for an independent, vibrant media been more important than it is right now.
Perhaps this is what attracted me to Kill Ugly Radio in the first place. While so much media was taking a hard turn to the right, KUR drove straight through all perceived hypocrisy with irreverence and humor.
As my chosen links attest, it’s my aim to bring a new and vibrant view of counter culture to the new KUR — not only through music but zines and micro-press publications in all their myriad manifestations (even a particular favorite composer will make appearances where relevant).
Of course, I’m open to any and all suggestions. KUR is a community best served when it drops the KUR Crew a comment about what it likes and dislikes.
This is going to be fun.
Okay, you (we?) think you’re a “community”, right? But do we know where WE are at all? Here’s a quiz for you, a game with which you can “develop a mental map of Europe“. You think you know this continent, right? Now try to find Estonia (or the faraway country of Belgium – ever heard of that one?), or tell the name of the capital of Montenegro! Hah! The upper levels are really tough!
Okay, if you have some more time, you can go on with the 50 states of the USA (me: 60%, average error: 252 miles…) – or play Statetris Europe!
Not dead yet — told you so!
I could go into minute detail about how, when and why we set this new blog up. I could get all bitter and resentful while at it. I won’t.
This is the new KUR — for better or for worse. It’s good to see you again.
Hope you like it!
