My kick ass guitar teacher has a brother who developed software that allows you to create loops and other sorts of musical feats without ever touching a computer. Amazingly cool. Introducing, the Amazing Rolo’s Wii Loop Machine!
I can’t wait to check it out. I already am imagining myself dancing around the kitchen while making music for radio, with just the click of a button.
PS–I have to say it’s a little eerie how much my guitar teacher and his brother look alike.PPS-And NPR passed on this guy when he applied for a Kroc fellowship. I can’t believe they let this genius slip through their fingers. Or wait, maybe I can.
That title sure got your attention. So I recently started internet dating. Which is kind of funny because the first collaborative radio piece Kara and I ever did was on sex and the Internet.
Filling out the profile I realized a few things 1) Pro Tools figured prominently, 2) I mentioned my cat three times and 3) while both 1 & 2 seemed sad, I figured I could exploit this online meet-and-greet for our Song and Memory series. Hence, my profile says,
“If you have a really cool story about your most memorable song from childhood…let me know, you might go on the radio.
Really. Write and let me know. Even if you don’t add me to your hotlist.”
And it worked! Men ripped through my ethernet cable to share their most heartwrenching/heartwarming memories. OK. Not really. But I have gone on a few dates (fun, but no love connection Chuck) and found one promising Song and Memory story (it involves cheesecake, Brooklyn and NWA). I’ve also gathered sounds. Because if you date me, you date my microphone.
Date Sound #1:
Peter is a Ph.d guy who makes music videos, robots and audio software. He’s also into exploring things like abandoned subway tunnels. Rather than doing the standard bar and drinks, our date consisted of sneaking down a ladder at the end of an MTA platform. He brought his camera to film. I brought my stereo microphone to record. And no, we didn’t make out.
Date Sound #2:
Anders grew up in Sweden. He sent me this email.
“Not sure if this is a cool story, but my most favorite childhood song comes from a schlocky Swedish comedy duo called “Trazan and Banarne.” Back in the day, me and basically every other Swedish kid under age 10 would obsessively be up by 7a.m. watching two grown men in monkey suits singing with their mouths full of bananas.”
The date was standard (drinks) and the story was just OK. But now I have the sound of two Swedish men in monkey suits, singing in Swedish and eating bananas.
Which goes to show that maybe I’m not really looking for love at all…maybe all I need to be happy is good sound.
Sometimes I think there needs to be cussing on public radio. Not because I want to go head-to-head with FCC Chairman Martin about issues of free speech. (En garde!) But sometimes the people you interview use sh-#$%$ and f-%$# and b-^#%@$ more often than the word “and.” It’s just who they are. So when you take out the “bad” words you lose, I think, an accurate representation of their f*cking awesome personalities.
Case in point, Bobby Hansson. Bobby is the artist featured in our recent piece Tin Can Orchestra. He is colorful in dress (see pictures from previous post) and in language. Admittedly, there were times when I cringed a little as I held the microphone because what Bobby was saying was inappropriate and cheesy. But there were other times when I just laughed. He was quirky. I liked him. So I was a little sad that I had to cut out some of Bobby’s zingers.
Here is my mini tribute to Bobby’s colorful mouth. It was done in a flash. I’m pretty sure there is better stuff in the raw tape, but at least it’s something, right?
(The piece of opera music is from Bobby’s record player that he connected to a power strip in his blacksmith shop. It’s Maria Callas, don’t ask me from what opera. My mom would kill me if she found out I didn’t know.)
PS–Is it just me or does the FCC chairman look like he’s twelve?
Weekend America ran the HV story “Tin Can Orchestra” by Ann Heppermann & Kara Oehler: Bobby Hansson is a phtogrpaher, filmmaker, blacksmith, and tin can artist. He’s created an orchestra of musical instruments from them, and other dumpstered materials. They’ve never been played all together before. Until now, for this radio piece. His book is The Fine Art of the Tin Can: Techniques and Inspirations.
This is Bobby Hansson with his friend Andrew Hayes holding the “sascatuner,” a musical instrument made out of a bicycle seat, two horns, plastic tubing and a trumpet mouthpiece.
This is where Bobby fires the coals for his blacksmithing work. He built the coal forge himself.
Bobby’s blacksmith shop. He built it himself out of old tires, recylced wood and bottles for the windows. To the right,
you can see the speaker where he rigged up a record player to blast
opera music.
Bobby sitting in the kitchen table with his own rendition of American Gothic hanging above him.
Bobby Hansson playing “Big Gray Elephant” on an instrument he made out of a giant maple syrup can (0:29):
The other night, I walked into a liquor store in San Diego. I wanted a bag of chips. I walked over to the rack. I couldn’t buy the bag of chips. But I left with a new found respect for OCD.
It’s a behaviour that can produce aesthetically pleasing results.
This is where Bobby fires the coals for his blacksmithing work. He built the coal forge himself.
Bobby’s blacksmith shop. He built it himself out of old tires, recylced wood and bottles for the windows. To the right,
Bobby sitting in the kitchen table with his own rendition of American Gothic hanging above him.
