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Magical Sound
FORGET GANDALF AND DARTH MAUL, OUR NEW FRIEND BILL E. ONCE
SAW EVIDENCE OF DIVINITY IN A MASTERFUL HOUSE MIX BY SOME
GUY BACK IN THE EIGHTIES!
Hey Old Man,
HEY, BILL E.!
I was recently directed to ProSoundWeb.com by a friend
who told me about your rants. So I have been reading them with joy, they are
wonderful.
THANK YOU! I CAN TELL THAT YOU ARE A VERY LITERATE AND SLIGHTLY
OUTRE
KIND OF SOUNDMAN. OUTRE MEANS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE, KIND OF
LIKE THE OUTER
LIMITS, OR OUTER SPACE.
The one guy asked "Why are you so crabby?"
HE SURE DID! AND I FIXED HIS WAGON,
DIDN’T I?
That article reminded me of the best sound I can remember
at a gig.
NOT SURE WHY, BUT PLEASE PROCEED …
It was in 1987. That sound guy made my drums sound
like God. He made the whole band sound better than we were.
I do long for a night like that again. In music, what we really
seek is the magic. That stuff we can't explain that just happens.
You reminded me that a good portion of the "magic"
can come from the sound guy. Thanks.
Bill E.
NO PROBLEM!
YOU TOUCH UPON A GOOD POINT THERE, BILL. THAT MAGIC SOUND
– WE HAVE ALL HEARD IT, RIGHT? WHEN YOU HEAR IT, YOU
KNOW IT. AND IT DOESN’T NEED THE LATEST GIZMOTRON, BUT
IF ONE IS THERE, EVEN THAT IS ABSORBED AND MADE USE OF, WITH
ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF THE SYSTEM.
STATE OF THE ART SPEAKERS AND AMPS, OR LOVINGLY MAINTAINED
RELICS, EITHER CAN CHANNEL THE MAGIC.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU THINK THERE IS AN EXCHANGE TAKING PLACE
BETWEEN THE AUDIENCE AND THE MUSICIANS, AND WE SOUND FOLK
ARE THE FACILITATORS.
NO, I DON’T MEAN WHAT THE FANS’ BANK CARDS ARE
BEING DEBITED TO WATCH THE SHOW!
I’M TALKING ABOUT THE RECREATION OF A MYTH. TRAVEL BACK
IN TIME WITH ME, PAST LOUIS
ARMSTRONG, PAST THE VAUDEVILLE ERA, PAST THE CIVIL WAR
STRING BANDS, PAST MOZART AND THE WEIRDOS IN THAT FILM, WE
ARE TALKING GRECO-ROMAN
RITUALS INVOLVING BOWL-SHAPED AMPHITHEATRES. THE ONLY DFFERENCE
NOW IS THAT CLEAR CHANNEL OWNS THEM!
THE MAYANS ALSO BUILT SOME BAD-ASS
PLACES TO PARTY, BUT NOWADAYS, WE DON’T NECESSARILY
WANT TO RIP THE BEATING BLOODY HEARTS OUT OF ANYONE FROM CLEAR
CHANNEL. IN FACT, WE WANT THEM TO LIKE US. AND GIVE US SALARIES.
AND BENEFITS.
OH, NO! WHAT HAPPENED TO ME??!! I STARTED FALLING UNDER THEIR
SPELL FOR A MINUTE, BILL! OH, MAN! YOU’LL HAVE TO EXCUSE
ME.
WHAT’S THAT? OH YEAH, THE MAGIC. WELL, THAT IS WHY MOST
OF US GOT INTO THIS. WHICH IS SAD, BECAUSE SO MANY OF US SAW
SO LITTLE OF IT AS WE SOLDIERED ON, AS WE LABORED TO PUT A
ROOF OVER OUR FAMILIES’ HEADS, AND FOOD ON THE TABLE.
BUT RIPPING THE BEATING BLOODY HEARTS OUT OF SOMEONE FROM
CLEAR CHANNEL WON’T SOLVE ANYTHING, BILL!
YES, I’M SURE.
YES, I KNOW IT WOULD BE FUN.
BUT IT’S WRONG, BILL.
WRONG!
LUV
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
