To the best of my knowledge, there is but one instrument that can be played without touching it in any way. It was invented in 1920 by Léon Theremin, and yes, it’s called a Theremin. The idea occurred to him while developing an early form of motion detector. Theremin’s own life is a damned interesting story in its own right, and questions still remain about much of it, but let’s just concentrate on the fact that he designed an instrument to be played without physical contact. The instrument generates an electromagnetic field which is then played by moving one’s hands in proximity to its antennae. One hand controls the frequency; the other its volume.
The result is music!
The video above features Theremin playing his own instrument. Below is an audio recording of his protégé, Clara Rockmore, whose work helped to popularize the instrument. If you are having trouble placing the sound of this instrument, just think ‘horror movies’. It has featured in quite a few.
The hey-day for Jethro Tull would have to be the 1970s, though I always thought they got a lot more airplay after the classic rock stations began to form in the late 80s. They sort of peaked as an active band, and then peaked again with a trace of nostalgia a few years on down the road, not that they’ve ever stopped touring. It just seems that their biggest hits really took off a little after the fact.
Back in the early 80s when I was in high school, most of my classmates had no idea who these guys were. The only people that did know about Tull seemed to be the metal-heads, which was a little odd, because Jethro Tull was hardly a metal band. They had one album that could be called hard rock, and that was Aqualung, but the rest was hard to classify. Today folks tend to call it ‘prog rock’. In any event, for those that do know about them, Jethro Tull has always been known for one thing, the way that front man, Ian Anderson, played the flute. The flute is more than a little unusual for a rock band of any sub-genre. Oh sure, folks may add it to a tune here and there, but to have a band incorporate it as a standard instrument throughout their entire body of work. Well that was weird. The instrument absolutely defined the band. In any event, I’ve been a well-hooked fan ever since first hearing my older sister’s 8-track of Songs from the Wood.
…which is why I found this story to be so damned interesting. You see, in this interview (and a few others), Ian Anderson explains how he learned the proper fingering technique for playing the flute.
I’ve always loved this particular tune. I grew up listening to the Allman Brothers version, and count it as one of my favorites. Like a lot of great rock&roll tunes, though, it has an interesting past. You see, it isn’t just that the old rock bands were inspired by blues. Some of their greatest hits were cover tunes. According to the almighty wiki, this was first recorded by Elmore James who didn’t release it for several years. Later Sonny Boy Williamson put out a couple different versions. I think my own favorite would be the Williamson version with Buddy Guy on guitar.
What the Hell is a Rockabilly band doing claiming the Cramps as a major influence, opening for Ministry, and working with Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers? None of these things would seem to add up to that 1950s nostalgia that always comes to mind when I hear the word ‘rockabilly’. And in the case of the Reverend Horton Heat, they really don’t. No, this band is its own kind of monster, and I love them for it. Their work often goes to 11, but for this Monday, let’s just take a minute to listen to this wholesome-sounding tribute to a bit of Texas folklore.
“Can anybody play the drums? Can anybody play the drums? I mean somebody good.”
These aren’t the words one would expect to hear at a major rock concert, but that is exactly what Pete Townsend asked the crowd at The Cow Palace in San Francisco on November 20th, 1973.
It was the opening date for the start of the Quadraphenia tour, which is to say that this was one of the biggest bands out there at the peak of their popularity. Drummer Keith Moon had just passed out for the second time that evening, and apparently there was no reviving him. So, in what has to be one of the greatest rock&roll moments in all of history, Townsend turned to the audience and asked for a volunteer. What they got was Scot Halpin, a recent high school graduate who hadn’t played the drums in a year.
Halpin played three songs with The Who that night and closed the show.
So, I’m tooling around Vegas a couple weeks back, listening to Ozzy’s Boneyard when I hear this story about the origin of No More Tears. Apparently, Ozzy was in the bathtub, so the story goes, when inspiration struck.
I’d always wondered about that.
It’s just a little disappointing, isn’t it? I mean, this is hard rock and metal. All this time, I thought the Devil himself was supposed to be speaking to us through Ozzy. Is he using commercial jingles for a translator? I suppose that could be, right? Perhaps his evil word is too much for the ears of a professional musician, so maybe the Dark Lord has to find a truly evil minion to convey his word to the chosen spokes-stars. When he wants to reach the masses he turns to rock-stars; when he wants to reach rock-stars, Satan turns to advertisers.
…which actually makes sense to me.
That aside, you have to wonder if the folks from Warrant ever realized why the phrase “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” resonated with them. Seriously, I can just imagine it. They are sitting their, doing what rockers do when they write lyrics (and seriously, whatever the procedure is, I hope it’s truly depraved), and they are trying to write a song about a brutal murder out in the boonies, and suddenly somebody comes up with this reference to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Does everyone just think it has a nice ring to it?
Or better yet, maybe they knew what the were doing all along! Was that song a stealth history lesson, guys? Subliminal edumacation comin’ through your radio. Cause that would be awesome if it were true.
By ‘awesome’ I might mean ‘awful’.
Really, I’m not sure which.
Speaking of Rockin’ History lessons that almost happened, I can only assume Ian Astbury was well aware of the fact that there really was an American Horse. Given his own love of indigenous themes, I’d guess he was thinking about that very person when he wrote the song American Horse. At the very least, I imagine he was thinking about the old Lakota leader when inspiration for that tune began to take form, but of course “American Horse” isn’t actually about American Horse, at least I don’t think so.
…which come to think of it is probably just as well.
Every now and then the net gives you something really beautiful. I’m particularly fond of Stumbleupon these days. In any event, here are a few of my favorite finds. No special point to be made; I just invite you to enjoy the performances.
A guitarist from Botswana
I’m not even sure how to describe this.
Carolina Chocolate Drops – Memphis Shakedown.
CCD gets two, because I’m in love with want Rhiannon Giddens.
Most movie villains would be content to achieve a ten out of ten on a villain rating. Not this one. No, Nigel Tufnel isn’t satisfied with that kind of mediocre performance. His villainy is always one louder.
Oh sure, just another misunderstood heavy metal musician you say? We’ve all heard the wild rumors that rock&roll is subversive? They’re just rumors, aren’t they?
Well no, dammit they’re not. When rock&roll is done right it is subversive.
And no-one is more subversive than Nigel Tufnel. With songs like Big Bottom and Sex Farm Woman, he destroyed the sexual mores of middle class culture. With Hell Hole, he exposed the veneer of “success,” and with Stonehenge, Nigel reminded us all that Pagan worship is damned cool.
Not content to corrupt the souls of the young, Nigel inflicted his musical perversity on the fans of classical music, or at least he will as soon as he completes his long awaited trilogy and “Lick My Love Pump” knocks Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart right off the charts and into the corner pub where lesser musicians belong.
This man isn’t misunderstood at all. He is rock&roll badness at its worst. He wants your money, your daughter, and your freakin’ Oreos. And he doesn’t want the damned creamy filling!
Nigel doesn’t just create the music. This make-up wearing, Gumby-Lovin tight-panted freak with a guitar and a violin is the music your parents don’t want you to hear.
northierthanthou 