SergeModular

> new edition:
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415936446/qid=1027840276/sr=1-4/ref=
> sr_1_4/104-2338814-1315124
>
> just saw there's this new updated edition in The Wire.
> I don't have it yet.
> -pH
>

speaking of new books, "electronic music pioneers" by ben kettlewell is out.
despite looking very promising, this book contains so many typos, poor
syntax, and ludicrous/false claims that i would have a hard time
recommending it to anyone. for example:

"For a number of years, the Simmons company defined the state of the art in
electronic drums, with innovations like percussive hits of the drum pad
being capable of controlling and varying intensity in different parts of the
same pad trigger, creating multiple timbres and MIDI events. This was
revolutionary technology for 1981." p. 223. MIDI didn't exist in 1981 other
than on paper.

in the otherwise wonderful interview with michael stearns (with serge pic
and lengthy serge discussion) in chapter 8, serge tcherepnin is referred to
as Serge "Terrapin". however, a page prior, in chapter 7, he's properly
named. pp. 145-154.

on p. 83 kettlewell claims that john williams, the film scorer, is raymond
scott's son. john is in fact johhny william's son, who played drums in
scott's band in the 30's.

p. 77: claims ondioline was used on del shannon's "1958" hit, "runaway". its
1961.

etc etc etc. these seemingly little details bugged the crap of me while
reading this book. there are plenty more. its not that they are simply
typos: you read something like this and you think "hmmmmm....was 'runaway'
in '58 or early sixties?" and you waste your time looking it up.

worst of all are some of kettlewell's claims about the origins of electronic
music, like this one: "(Darius Milhaud) is considered a forerunner of rap
and hip-hop DJs because of his experiments with electronic audio equipment".
p. 59. good lord! "considered" by whom? milhaud played around with the
speed control on record players and thats about it. this statement sounds
like kettlewell read this fact and said "hey! i can link up the 20's to the
90's via milhaud in my electronic music timeline because he found out that
slowing down records makes weird sounds. cool!"

most grating to me, personally, as a huge beach boys/brian wilson fan (no
relation) is this: "(the theremin) has also played an important role in pop
music culture, including the spacy introductions on the beach boys hits
"good vibrations" and "surfing usa". p. 57. there is no introduction, spacey
or otherwise, to GV, and therefore no theremin in the introduction. it does,
of course, feature during the bridge. and theremin on "surfin usa"? nope.
not at all. also, claiming that the theremin has played an "important role
in pop music culture" is sure stretching things a bit. if anything, the
machine is a footnote in said culture.

anyway, sorry for the rant. the book just stands out as being a sloppy
production, almost a rough draft really. where was his editor?

more caffeine! gimme another dark dog!

blake


m. blake wilson is OdysseySounds
email: mbw@...
web: http://members.cox.net/mbw/construction.htm
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serge: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SergeModular/