I know I’m a little late but since no one in my limited circle has mentioned it, I thought I would. Have you heard Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman” used in an HTC phone commercial? I’m confused with whether this is the hippest thing in the world or most lamentable. Should I be cheering that a…
Category: Reviews & Commentary
Reviews & Commentary
Dr. Who Gets Pink Floyd Treatment
The “Dr. Who Theme” is pretty iconic for English musicians. Written by Ron Grainer and realized by Delia Derbyshire, it was one of the first electronic TV scores and plugged in several generations of electronic musicians. I just ran across this video by a group called Traffic Experiment. It’s a Pink Floyd “Echoes” era style…
Reviews & Commentary
Ten Observations for Electronic Musicians
I’ve been following electronic music since the early 1970s and have explored its growth and breadth going back to the musique concrete of Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henryto the latest ambient/techno/electronica/glitch extrapolations. More than almost any other music form, electronic music embodies the spirit of creation. Every generation births new forms, technologies and sounds. But…
Reviews & Commentary
Prog Heaven Past & Future coming to Philly.
Philadelphia, where Echoes is based, will be experiencing a wave of progressive music past and present in the coming months. From the past, Tangerine Dream, UK and Van Der Graaf Generator. Reflecting the past, Broekhuis, Keller & Schonwalder. From the present, Sigur Ros, Dead Can Dance (well, kind between past & present), Radiohead and Iona. …
Reviews & Commentary
Beach Boys Return via Middle of the Road
The Beach Boys reunited for the Grammys and are currently readying a new album and tour. I was a Beach Boys fan. The first single I ever bought was “Help Me, Rhonda.” Actually, my grandmother bought it for me while we shopped at Grants Department store in Wilmington, Mass. Although I think Pet Sounds…
Reviews & Commentary
Lefsetz claims electronic music Next Big Thing.
For those who don’t know, Bob Lefsetz is a music crank who has gotten a voluminous amount of attention lately for his blogged rants on music and the music industry. He’s even a speaker at the NON-Commvention this year in Philadelphia. I subscribe to his newsletter and got this one today with the subject line:…
Reviews & Commentary
Space Music on YouTube
I got a notice from Chuck Van Zyl, the producer and host of WXPN‘s Star’s End and one half of The Ministry of Inside Things about a live solo performance this Sunday, April 15 at 7:00 PM at the AxD Gallery, 265 S. 10th Street in Philadelphia. (It’s a static site and there’s no info…
Reviews & Commentary
A Treasure Trove of Electronic Music Journalism
Those of you who are old enough might remember Synapse magazine. When electronic music represented the brave new frontier of sound, Synapse was the leading source documenting this movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Zappa, Eno, Fripp, Stockhausen, Devo and other artists famous enough to be referred to only by their surnames, adorned…
Reviews & Commentary
Pioneer Laurie Spiegel heard in The Hunger Games.
Fans of early electronic music will be interested in this tidbit from The Hunger Games, which uses an ancient piece from Laurie Spiegel. Read about it at wired.com I had some great interviews with Laurie in the 1980s for Totally Wired and maybe Electronic Musician. Always a smart and gracious artist. ~© 2012 John Diliberto…
Reviews & Commentary
Nearfest Exits, Farfest Enters
If you missed out on tickets for Nearfest Apocalypse, the final edition of this venerable festival, then hang on until October for Farfest, a four day progressive rock festival happening in Wilmington, Delaware at the Grand Opera House October 4-7. The festival has put together an impressive array of 70’s Progressive rock acts, all from…