A Tribute to an Old Friend, Stereo Demonstration, Brainwashing, Mood Music, Carla and Linda, and More!

I would like to start today's post with a bit of a tribute. It was shortly before I finished my last post, on Easter Sunday, that I learned that an old friend of mine had died in his sleep on the overnight going into Easter. I'll just refer to him Mako, as that's what all of us called him. He died after at least ten years of failing health, a period during which he lived in a nursing home, and unfortunately, I think I spoke to him only once, during that period, and didn't see him at all. 

I first met Mako when I was around 19 and he was around 13. He was unusually smart and witty for an early teen, and had broad and deep interests in many things. I remember arguing and discussing a variety of political issues with him a few years later, when we were, respectively, about 21 and 15 (what I had known and thought about any such issues at age 15 would have fit into a thimble). He was a self described "raconteur and bon vivant", and rarely has anyone described himself more accurately. He could speak extemporaneously about nearly any subject, and was rarely less than fascinating to be with.

I've written from time to time about the parties featuring improvised and planned comedy and music, which I was one of the driving forces behind, and which were held from 1983 until 1991, and again from 2004 until 2016 (and which perhaps will start up again!). Mako was a central part of these from the beginning. One of the things I've found myself quite good at is coming up with comedic concepts (and even character names) which I am unable to pull off myself, but for which I can often successfully figure out who else might make the idea "work". So it was at the first of these parties, when I suggested that Mako host an improved, fake revival meeting as a man with the old south in his bones, "The Reverend Billy Joe Bob Leghorn". It was a magnificent 20 minutes. He was all of 17 at the time. Mako and I were in and out of each other's lives between the late 1980's and the early 2010's, and when we were in touch, he attended these parties, and always played a central role when he was there. 

Eight years later, in 1991, it was, as it turns out, the last such party for 13 years, and Mako was again present. It was the smallest attended of these parties ever - only about eight of us there - but one of the best. As I sometimes did, I wrote a lengthy fake newscast, riffing off the stories of the day and simply playing with language to make jokes. I also usually wrote a few other things for my friends to read, as part of the newscast. This party occurred not long after the Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill story was in the news, and in response, I wrote what I think is one of the funniest bits of comedy I ever composed, a veritable string of double entendres about the matter. However, as good as it was, in Mako's hands, it became exponentially greater. He did a perfect job, and made it far funnier than I could of, or than anyone else I knew could of. I asked him simply to perform it in that same character, The Reverend Billy Joe Bob Leghorn. He took it and ran with it. It turned out to be the third and last time he would inhabit that faux preacher. 

This recording even fits with the theme of this site. All but the first two parties are preserved on videotape, so there is video of this performance. But being that I am a person who treasures high quality recordings, ALL of the parties have also been captured in reel to reel tape. 

That was sort of a long story, but Mako is worth it, and a lot more. Maybe someday I'll post his attempt (also my idea) to host a talk show parody, as the lead in "Mahatma!: The Mahatma Gandhi Show", from a 1985 party, or the other talk show parody he hosted (an idea cooked up by my younger child and me), in the persona of Mothra Bunsen, host of "Mothra Bunsen's Neck-Slappin' Good Time Hour" (maybe you had to be there...). But for now, here is his masterpiece - a rendition of a script I wrote called "The Missionary Position": 

Download: Mako (As the Rev Billy Joe Bob Leghorn) - The Missionary Position

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I'm ever so glad I got to know Mako, and that I had the opportunity to introduce him to so many others, who got to know him through the aforementioned parties. He brightened my life every time I was with him. 

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A short introduction for this next piece. Here is yet another of those Stereo Demonstration tapes which came with the newest of stereo tape recorders, in the years when such technology was new, roughly 1957 to 1961. You'll even get to hear "The Ceremony of the Keys". I'm sure the narrator, with his cultured English accent, was chosen for just the sort of style and finesse such a voice brings to mind when hearing such a demonstration. Interestingly enough, this tape did not come to me in its original box, and unlike every other demonstration tape I've heard, the narration doesn't seem to be promoting a specific brand of tape machine or record label's releases. This is quite unusual. But regardless, I don't know who produced this tape!

Download: A Journey Into Sound - Stereo Demonstration Tape

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Nearly 14 years ago, at WFMU's blog, I posted an interview with Edward Hunter, the man who coined the English language version of the term "Brainwashing". Today, I have another recording of Mr. Hunter, a lengthy speech given in Port Washington, New York. And that's all I have to say about it. 

Download: Edward Hunter - Speech on Brainwashing in Port Washington, New York

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This next tape, as you can see from this scan of part of the tape box, is labeled "Mood Music for Motion Pix": 

And I'm going to share it just as it plays off the reel, and identified under that title. And for more than 30 of its 40 plus minutes, I believe that's exactly what it is. But the first ten minutes don't really fit the description, nor do they seem of a piece with the rest of the tape. That section all seems to be its own segment, and I also think it is an example of what today would be called "World Music", and I'm not even going to hazard a guess as to what part of the world it is from. 

The rest really does sound like maybe someone compiled it for use with home movies or perhaps an amateur film, or perhaps even something else. 

Download: Mood Music for Motion Pix

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Here, maybe this will help. These four sheets of paper were contained within the box, stapled together in the order I've scanned them here. They certainly purport, I think, to describe in detail what's heard on this tape. But I can't match these various notes together in any way that makes sense, to the sounds heard on the tape. Perhaps some smart person (or people) out there can figure it out and educate me. 

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Now, here's a tape featuring sisters Carla and Linda, singing a wide variety of music. It's dated from December of 1959, and February and May of 1960. Not surprisingly, the early parts of the tape are dominated by Christian and/or Christmas songs (not all of the latter being of a religious nature), but then the rest of the tape is filled with everything from nonsense songs to folk songs and even a pair of songs from the German opera Hansel and Gretel, as well as some re-written Mozart. 

Along the way, the girls' father interviews them a few times, and we learn that for Linda's 1960 birthday party, the family went to Fanny's Famous Restaurant, which was a legendary spot on the north side of Evanston, IL, well known for its unique salad dressing and unique spin on spaghetti, giving us a good idea of where these girls were growing up. 

I figure these girls are somewhere close to 70 years old now. 

Download: Carla and Linda - Singing and Talking, December, 1959 to May, 1960

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And now, here's something I've wanted to do for a while. I have no idea if it will popular or not, but if you're of a mind to, please tell me. I'm simply going to share both sides of a home recorded variety reel - a tape which appears to all come from the same person or family, which contains a variety of different types of recordings made around the house, live as they lived, or off of the radio or records, or, as on the first side, perhaps by someone who carted their recorder to a singing lesson or performance. I do not know anything about the people heard on this tape, aside from some names which crop up on the second side. 

The first side is about a dozen minutes shorter than the second side because the opening musical performances were recorded at 15 IPS while the rest of the tape was recorded at 7 1/2 IPS. The names of the files explain very well what is contained on each side. 

Again, let me know if you're interested in more of this sort of "slice of someone's life" thing. 

Download: A Home Recorded Variety Reel, Side 1 - A Soprano Rehearses, Pop Songs, Trumpet Practice, Talking and Singing

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Download: A Home Recorded Variety Reel, Side 2 - Home Recordings and Radio Broadcasts - Piano, Hawaiian Songs, A Soprano On the Air, A Bit of Talking

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And now it's time for our "Very Short Reel". This is all that was recorded on a full, 1200 foot reel of tape - the rest was never used. I think it's self explanatory. 

Download: "Not Plugged In"

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