[sdiy] Francesco Lupica & The Cosmic Beam

[John Blacet]

I've heard of this guy. Looks like you would need two beefy roadies and 
a large van to move this beast around!

Matt Simpson wrote:

>downtime at work, so I figured i'd regale the list w/a somewhat nifty story.
>
>i've been into synth-diy for a long time (hell, it's what prompted me
>to go to gatech & get my compe degree...i wanted and still want to
>build crazy sound equipment), and i'm finally getting around to
>actually *doing* things.  the past 8 years have seen me immerse myself
>in information & networking with talented folks.  much like everyone
>here, it's a driving passion.
>
>i've been dating my current girlfriend, missy, for 2 years, and she's
>mentioned her uncle before, saying he made a whole lot of new age
>music on the west coast for a number of years, including making his
>own insturments which were described very vaguely to me.  she hadn't
>met him, but she's heard his records for ages.  last year she & I went
>up to see her family for her mom's funeral, and these are the folks
>that have known him for a really long time, and they kept playing his
>record.  interesting new age stuff.
>
>missy's an artist.  primarily visual, but always really into music. 
>now that she's making music w/me, she's suddenly extremely interested
>in finally talking to her fabled uncle.
>
>she caught up w/him last night.  turns out his instrument, the Cosmic
>Beam, isn't what i thought it was:
>
>http://www.virtualvenice.info/music/francisco.htm 
>"Inside the tent was a guy playing a very long metal beam, like a
>steel I-bar, with a few piano type strings stretched from end to end.
>He had it hooked up with an electronic pickup, so it could be
>amplified and use echoplex effects. In one hand he held a thick metal
>cylinder, like a giant version of the one steel guitar players use.
>With the other hand he plucked, stroked, bowed and hammered on the
>strings while moving the bar. The harmonics and textural magic from
>this instrument, which literally moved through your body, was so
>incredible people would stay for hours..........John Beal"
>
>her uncle's name is Francesco Lupica, and has apparantly been heavily
>involved in the west coast music scene for several decades now. 
>having read his descriptions of his instrument & seen pictures of it,
>i'm dying to meet this guy now.
>
>long story short:  It's pretty rad to be dating a girl who's uncle is
>heavily into very similar things as I.  double plus bonus, considering
>missy's a treasure herself.
>
>hooray!
>
>threv
>  
>

-- 
Regards,
John Blacet

Blacet Research
http://www.blacet.com