More Tales from The World of Money
Corporate Ethics 1966
"Why Miss Cerf, how are you? You're looking lovely today."
"Why thank you Mr. Masters. It's a fine evening, isn't it?"
"It certainly is. Say, you know I'm glad I ran into you. Fact is I've been meaning to talk to you for some time now, Miss Cerf."
"You have? About what?"
"I'd rather not discuss it out here in the lobby. Look, I know you're anxious to go home, but, if it isn't too much of an incovenience, would you mind stepping into my office for a minute?"
"Your office? Well...I guess so. Is there something wrong?"
"Oh no, nothing like that. I just have something I'd like to talk to you about, that's all. If you have the time, that is. Is this a bad time?"
"No, not at all. I was just on my way home, but I wasn't in any hurry."
"Good. Good. Well, follow me, then. We'll ride up together."
(They take the elevator to the 50th floor and walk down the hall to Mr. Masters' office)
"You don't mind if I close the door, do you Miss Cerf? I don't want anyone to overhear our little chat."
"No, I don't mind."
"Good" he says as he closes the door. "Here, let me take your coat. Have a seat, Miss Cerf."
"Thank you."
"How long have you been with us now, Miss Cerf. Has it been 3 years already?"
"It'll be four years this October. October 15 is my anniversary date."
"Four years, my, my, my. Where does the time fly, huh?"
"Oh it's been wonderful here, Mr. Masters. Everyone's been so good to me and I've learned so much."
"Well I'm glad. You know we like to think of Swinger Industries as one, big, happy family. "
"Oh, it's true. Everyone's so nice."
"Why I remember the first day you started with us, Miss Cerf. You were just a skinny little kid back then, weren't you? Straight out of high school with no work experience and, well, look at you now."
"You remember me? Really? I had no idea."
"Oh yes, Miss Cerf. I had my eye on you from day one, and, let's just say that over these past few years I've been very interested in your development."
"Well I don't know what to say Mr. Masters. I really had no idea."
"The thing is, Miss Cerf, I think that maybe the time has come to get you out of the secretarial pool and into something, er, more suitable to your talents. You don't want to sit behind a typewriter the rest of your life, do you Miss Cerf?"
"No. I mean, it's a good job but I'd like to, you know..."
"You'd like more of a challenge, right? Maybe a promotion, a little extra money each month?"
"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? A promotion? Oh, Mr. Masters, I..."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute. Not so fast."
"I'm sorry. It's just that I thought..."
"Truth is we do have a position opening up here on the 50th floor. Just the sort of thing for a bright, energetic girl like yourself. But, I don't know. It's a big move and I'd like to know you a little better before I make a firm commitment. After all there are plenty of girls who've been working in the Secretarial Pool longer than you have and they might resent someone junior getting promoted ahead of them. If it's the right girl, though, then who cares. Let them get jealous. That's what I say."
"I see. Well, what would you like to know?"
"Heh, heh, heh. No, Miss Cerf. What I meant was that I'd like to get to know you, well, more informally, more personally. You know, find out what kind of girl you are outside of the office. I was thinking we could get together for a drink or something like that. Maybe go someplace where we can relax and let our hair down, if you know what I mean."
"A drink? Mr. Masters, I don't know. I mean, what if someone at the office should see us. What would they think?"
"You're right, you're right. What was I thinking. I mean, even though it would be completely innocent, well, you know how people talk."
"I appreciate the offer but..."
"Say, I've got an idea. Yeah, why didn't I think of that before? Miss Cerf, I think we're in luck. It just so happens my wife took the kids up to her mother's house yesterday and they're going to be gone for the entire week. Geez, it just completely slipped my mind. Tell you what. Why don't come over to my place and we can have a little drink and relax and get to know each other there. The house is empty and I'm sure no one will see us or bother us."
"Mr. Masters. You're house? I couldn't do that. I...I...I..."
"Why not?"
"Well, it's just that my sister's expecting me. I always go home right after work and if I don't show up she'll be so worried. Mr. Masters, you don't know how she gets when she worries. Oh, it's just terrible."
"So call her. Tell her you got tied up at the office and you'll be a little late. She'll understand."
"No. I mean, it wouldn't be right. Not with your wife and children gone and all..."
"Just one little drink. I promise. Nothing's going to happen. Miss Cerf, I hope you don't think I'd try to do anything improper or try to pull some kind of hanky-panky. I'm a very respected man, Miss Cerf and my reputation is..."
"No, no, Mr. Masters. I wasn't trying to imply anything like that. It's just that...well...you know I've had a busy day and I really should be going home. My sister will worry."
"Call your sister. Tell her you'll be okay and not to worry. Look, Miss Cerf, this is a very important position I'm trying to fill here. It would be quite a step up for you. I'd hate to think you'd pass up this opportunity because of a lack of trust. You know, opportunities like this don't come around everyday."
"..."
"Just a drink, I promise. We can relax, tell a few jokes, get to know each other, then I can know if I'm making the right decision or not. What do you say?"
"Just one drink? That's all?"
"I promise."
"Because I can only stay a minute. I really do have to get home. I can't stay too long"
"Miss Cerf."
"Yes?"
"Trust me."
Corporate Ethics 2006
"Hey Bob, can I see you for a moment?"
"Sure, Harry. What's up?"
"C'mon in. Close the door, would ya?"
"Yeah, sure thing. How's the arm?"
"Oh, still a little sore. Doc says I gotta cut back on my golf for a while, you know. Shit. What am I gonna do if I can't play golf all day. Sit around the office? Give me a break. Go on, have a seat."
"Thanks."
"Say Bob, I want to talk to you about last quarters financials. I've read the reports and I'm a little worried."
"Look, Harry. I admit we had a tough quarter but it's this goddamn economy. Shit, first it's that asshole Greenspan jacking up the interest rates and now we got this new asshole Bernanke walking around with his head up his ass."
"Yeah, I know Bob. The whole country's going to hell. Pretty soon the goddamn Chinese'll be running everything. But what about these numbers, Bob. You know we've got a shareholders meeting next month and..."
"Fuck the shareholders. All they ever care about is the share price. They don't know what we're facing here. The shareholders are just going to have to be patient, Harry. You talk to them. You're good at that."
"But Bob, I'm the Chairman of the Board. I'm supposed to be acting in the shareholders best interest here. You know we granted you a very nice incentive package in addition to a very generous salary on the condition that you perform, but, frankly, after losing a billion dollars last year I don't see how we can..."
"What are you saying Harry. You want me out, is that it?"
"..."
"..."
"Har, har, har, har, har, har, har... Had you going there didn't I. No, hell no. Like you said, fuck the shareholders. Look, I met this fella down in the Grand Caymans last year and I think maybe you should go have a talk with him. Real sharp fella, can work wonders on an Income Statement and Balance Sheet."
"What's his name?"
"I'll get his number for you. He's a real operator, if you know what I mean. Been to law school and all that. Knows every trick in the book. Tell you what, we'll let him massage the numbers a bit and those shareholder assholes won't know the difference."
"Sounds good Harry. Shit, you had me going there for a minute."
"Hah, almost pissed your pants didn't you. Har, har, har. Hey, about the bonus. How much do you think I should pay you for losing us a billion dollars last year?"
"I don't know. I could really use an extra 10 million or so."
"10 million? Quit thinking small potatoes, Bob. You'll never get anywhere thinking like that. Tell you what, how about we back date a few stock options and throw in an extra 80 million to sweeten the pot. That sound good to you?"
"Yeah. Thanks Harry."
"No problem. I'll send you that fella's number so you two can get in touch, ok?"
"Sure."
"I mean it. Clean up those numbers. I don't want to have a bunch of angry shareholders breathing down my neck. You hear?"
"Yeah."
"And you'll get it done before the next month's meeting?"
"Yeah, I'll get it done. Trust me."
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Greatest Guitarist No One Ever Heard Of.
I dropped out of school in 1978 so it had to be either '75 or '76 when Roy Buchanan gave a free concert at the local college. At least that's how I remember it, though to tell you the truth I'm not sure of the year or if the concert was free. Roy Buchanan was there. I do remember that.
I was still playing the guitar back then and was used to the "Roy who?" reactions I'd get whenever I mentioned his name. "Roy Buchanan", I'd say, "the greatest guitarist no one ever heard of."
That was his nickname back then, the result of a PBS documentary about him that aired in the early '70's. When Jeff Beck saw it he proclaimed Buchanan as the most amazing guitarist he'd ever seen. They would later become friends and Beck even dedicated his intrumental piece "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" to Roy Buchanan. Years later, Eric Clapton, then widely proclaimed as the best guitarist in the world, saw Roy Buchanan play a concert and conceded Buchanan, not he, was the best guitarist in the world. Countless others were influenced by him. Just listen to Santana's Moonflower album or anything by ZZ Top and you'll hear some of that trademark Buchanan sound.
So how come no one's ever heard of him? For one thing he was famous for shunning the spotlight, and once declared that nothing scared him more than being a pop star. But more than just his natural shyness, his anonymity also sprang largely from his uniqueness and free-spirited style of play. Ironically, the virtuosity and inventiveness that won him the respect of his fellow musicians mostly bored the broader rock and roll audiences as a whole. Buchanan eschewed electronics and pedal effects or anything that would distort his sound, and instead of the big and heavy head-banging guitar sound that audiences loved (and still love), he preferred to keep his playing tight and clean, favoring technique over volume and working his wizadry entirely within the strings and knobs of his telecaster.
The audience didn't go for it, and Buchanan enjoyed only limited commercial success. I remember reading or hearing an interview many years ago where Jimmy Page, then the lead guitarist with the rock group Led Zeppelin, was asked his opinion of some of the leading guitarists at the time. When Roy Buchanan's name was mentioned Page replied "a guitarist's guitarist." That was the real story of Roy Buchanan. Extremely talented, but ultimately just a musician's musician.
So when I went to see him play at the local college I wasn't expecting much of a crowd, and it was a pretty sparse audience that night. They had set up a little wooden stage on the lawn next to the college chapel, and Roy walked out with his band and proceeded to play some of the most amazing guitar I've ever seen. The small crowd turned out to be a blessing in disguise because that meant that I was able to stand right next to the stage, not 8 feet away from the famed guitarist. Like I said, I used to play a little guitar myself back in those days and flattered myself that I was picking up a few licks while I stood there watching him dominate that ol' telecaster of his, but that was purely conceit on my part. He was simply a master of that instrument, and I was unbelievably lucky to be able to stand so close and watch his fingers dance over those frets. (Just imagine standing on stage next to Hilary Hahn and watch her play the Schoenberg concerto to get some idea what the experience was like) It seemed like such a simple instrument in his hands, even though I knew better.
Anyways, Buchanan died in 1988 and while it would be nice to say that a whole new generation has discovered his music, that would be a lie. Just as it would be nice to say that he left a great library of music behind, but that would be a lie too. Throughout his career Buchanan was the constant victime of producers and record companies that tried to turn him into something else, be that country picker or rock god or blues legend - anything they could market and sell. Unfortunately the results were mostly uneven or just plain disastrous. A summer night on a tiny stage in front of a sparse crowd where he felt free to explore and innovate was where Buchanan was at his best.
Luckily, through the magic of the internet, you can still hear and see some of his work. I don't think there are any great Buchanan albums, but if I had to pick one track to listen to it would be Ramon's Blues, a bluesy duet he recorded with Steve Cropper on the Loading Zone LP. There are also these two Youtube links. Although not definitive by any means, they do give a small taste of what he was all about.
Sweet Dreams: A Buchanan classic from his first LP. This record introduced the world to Buchanan's trademark use of controlled harmonics - the high pitched whistling sound created by simultaneously picking and dampening the string as it is plucked. Over the years just about every guitarist would copy the sound. Just think of ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons who cites Buchanan as a major influence of his style.
Roy's Blues: This clip shows just a little of Buchanan's free spirited and explosive style of playing. To say that Roy didn't follow the rules has to be the understatement of all-time.
I dropped out of school in 1978 so it had to be either '75 or '76 when Roy Buchanan gave a free concert at the local college. At least that's how I remember it, though to tell you the truth I'm not sure of the year or if the concert was free. Roy Buchanan was there. I do remember that.
I was still playing the guitar back then and was used to the "Roy who?" reactions I'd get whenever I mentioned his name. "Roy Buchanan", I'd say, "the greatest guitarist no one ever heard of."
That was his nickname back then, the result of a PBS documentary about him that aired in the early '70's. When Jeff Beck saw it he proclaimed Buchanan as the most amazing guitarist he'd ever seen. They would later become friends and Beck even dedicated his intrumental piece "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" to Roy Buchanan. Years later, Eric Clapton, then widely proclaimed as the best guitarist in the world, saw Roy Buchanan play a concert and conceded Buchanan, not he, was the best guitarist in the world. Countless others were influenced by him. Just listen to Santana's Moonflower album or anything by ZZ Top and you'll hear some of that trademark Buchanan sound.
So how come no one's ever heard of him? For one thing he was famous for shunning the spotlight, and once declared that nothing scared him more than being a pop star. But more than just his natural shyness, his anonymity also sprang largely from his uniqueness and free-spirited style of play. Ironically, the virtuosity and inventiveness that won him the respect of his fellow musicians mostly bored the broader rock and roll audiences as a whole. Buchanan eschewed electronics and pedal effects or anything that would distort his sound, and instead of the big and heavy head-banging guitar sound that audiences loved (and still love), he preferred to keep his playing tight and clean, favoring technique over volume and working his wizadry entirely within the strings and knobs of his telecaster.
The audience didn't go for it, and Buchanan enjoyed only limited commercial success. I remember reading or hearing an interview many years ago where Jimmy Page, then the lead guitarist with the rock group Led Zeppelin, was asked his opinion of some of the leading guitarists at the time. When Roy Buchanan's name was mentioned Page replied "a guitarist's guitarist." That was the real story of Roy Buchanan. Extremely talented, but ultimately just a musician's musician.
So when I went to see him play at the local college I wasn't expecting much of a crowd, and it was a pretty sparse audience that night. They had set up a little wooden stage on the lawn next to the college chapel, and Roy walked out with his band and proceeded to play some of the most amazing guitar I've ever seen. The small crowd turned out to be a blessing in disguise because that meant that I was able to stand right next to the stage, not 8 feet away from the famed guitarist. Like I said, I used to play a little guitar myself back in those days and flattered myself that I was picking up a few licks while I stood there watching him dominate that ol' telecaster of his, but that was purely conceit on my part. He was simply a master of that instrument, and I was unbelievably lucky to be able to stand so close and watch his fingers dance over those frets. (Just imagine standing on stage next to Hilary Hahn and watch her play the Schoenberg concerto to get some idea what the experience was like) It seemed like such a simple instrument in his hands, even though I knew better.
Anyways, Buchanan died in 1988 and while it would be nice to say that a whole new generation has discovered his music, that would be a lie. Just as it would be nice to say that he left a great library of music behind, but that would be a lie too. Throughout his career Buchanan was the constant victime of producers and record companies that tried to turn him into something else, be that country picker or rock god or blues legend - anything they could market and sell. Unfortunately the results were mostly uneven or just plain disastrous. A summer night on a tiny stage in front of a sparse crowd where he felt free to explore and innovate was where Buchanan was at his best.
Luckily, through the magic of the internet, you can still hear and see some of his work. I don't think there are any great Buchanan albums, but if I had to pick one track to listen to it would be Ramon's Blues, a bluesy duet he recorded with Steve Cropper on the Loading Zone LP. There are also these two Youtube links. Although not definitive by any means, they do give a small taste of what he was all about.
Sweet Dreams: A Buchanan classic from his first LP. This record introduced the world to Buchanan's trademark use of controlled harmonics - the high pitched whistling sound created by simultaneously picking and dampening the string as it is plucked. Over the years just about every guitarist would copy the sound. Just think of ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons who cites Buchanan as a major influence of his style.
Roy's Blues: This clip shows just a little of Buchanan's free spirited and explosive style of playing. To say that Roy didn't follow the rules has to be the understatement of all-time.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Screens Get Bigger and Pictures Get Smaller
Vloggercon came to San Francisco last week, and I have to say that outside of a tight circle of geeks and assorted weirdos the entire event went pretty much unnoticed around here. I didn't attend myself because (1) I never heard of Vloggercon before, and (2) even if I had heard of it I wouldn't know what the hell it was. But I have a good idea that it was a conference for all the folks doing those newfangled things called video blogs or vlogs, or what I like to call video podcasts.
Now we all know what podcasts are. At least we should know. In fact, if you don't what podcasts are by now then I'd say maybe you should just forget the whole tech revolution and go back to paper and pencil and rubbing two sticks together to make fire. For the sake of this blog, though, I'll just assume we all know what podcasts are.
Now, podcasts are great. In fact, the first time I subscribed to one and downloaded it to my mp3 player I knew right away that this was the way to go. Finally, podcasting gave the listener the means to break away from the interminable sameness of commercial radio and find creative new voices and refreshing new ideas. I liked podcasting from the first moment I heard it, and can't imagine ever going back to the days of searching the dial for interesting things to listen to.
So, just as podcasting changed the audio experience, video blogging has also changed the video experience. Right? Right? Well...
I think there is really one basic difference between podcasting and video blogging. Namely, the time and effort that goes into a podcast versus the time and effort that goes into a video blog. One of the things that has made podcasting so successful is that it is cheap and easy to do and literally anyone with a microphone and a computer can do it. That means geeks can do it, but chefs and artists and sports fans and whoever else wants to give it a try can do it too. Even catholic priests can do it for crying out loud, and the great diversity of voices and talents is what makes podcasting so much fun.
Video blogs, on the other hand, suck.
I mean I want to be fair and I certainly can't claim to have seen every video blog out there, but believe me I've seen enough of 'em to know they suck. Maybe it's because the barrier to entry is high and you don't have as big a pool of potential video bloggers as podcasters, but for whatever reason I've yet to find a video blog that wasn't a complete waste of time and bandwidth. If you don't believe me then just take a look at Rocketboom, currently the king of the video blogs. Just go to the website and watch an episode and see if you can figure out what all the excitement is about. Lord knows, I can't, although I think it has something to do with the whole "Indie" movement that seems to be taking the world by storm. You know, if something is "Indie" then that implies a chic coolness, regardless of whether it's any good or not. That, as far as I can figure , is what the Rocketboom phenomena is about. If you ask me it's just a bunch of empty calories. Pretty to look at and not much nutritional value.
What really gets me about the video blogging thing, though, is why do people subscribe to these things when there is so much good video available on the web. Here are a few examples -
ABC.com
DL.tv
Crankygeeks.com
Youtube.com
And on and on and on. There's so much video happening on the web these days it just seems pointless to waste time on the vlogs. Rocketboom? Let me tell you, you'll get more content in just one segment of DL.tv or Crankygeeks than in a whole month of Rocketbooms. And there are other shows on the web that are just as good.
Vloggercom? Bah, humbug. Let's talk about video that's worth watching, and for the rest just stick with podcasting. Speaking of podcasting, here are a couple:
Thomas Edison's Attic: This is actually a real radio show that's produced by a station out in New Jersey. Luckily, they also syndicate it out as a podcast for those of us who don't happen to live in New Jersey. The show is produced by the Edison National Historic Site and every couple of weeks they broadcast some vintage recordings from Thomas Edison's collection of late 19th and early 20th century wax cylinders. If you're at all interested in early recorded music then you'll want to subscribe to this podcast. Excellent!
SMTV: Samantha Murphy is a working musician who travels the country doing interviews and highlighting the works of other "Indie" musicians (there's that word again). It's an interesting look at bands who are working and recording and yet haven't been able to make that next big step into stardom. I can't say I like all the bands she features, but I like hearing their stories. What do you do if you're a struggling band? Do you strike out on your own and be the master of your own destiny, happy just to make a living doing what you love, or do you wait for that big record deal, surrendering control for the big shows and the mega-bucks? A lot of bands are trying to figure that out these days. Samantha Murphy likes to joke about her "five listeners", but I think she's got a few more subscribers than that.
And while I'm on this linking thing, one more Youtube link. This one is a 10 minute short made back in the 1940's and features two legends of the saxophone. The first half features Lester Young playing in his intimate, soulful style, and the second half features Illinois Jacquet picking it up and getting sassy. Of course there's a whole cast of musicians playing with them but those two are the stars.
Vloggercon came to San Francisco last week, and I have to say that outside of a tight circle of geeks and assorted weirdos the entire event went pretty much unnoticed around here. I didn't attend myself because (1) I never heard of Vloggercon before, and (2) even if I had heard of it I wouldn't know what the hell it was. But I have a good idea that it was a conference for all the folks doing those newfangled things called video blogs or vlogs, or what I like to call video podcasts.
Now we all know what podcasts are. At least we should know. In fact, if you don't what podcasts are by now then I'd say maybe you should just forget the whole tech revolution and go back to paper and pencil and rubbing two sticks together to make fire. For the sake of this blog, though, I'll just assume we all know what podcasts are.
Now, podcasts are great. In fact, the first time I subscribed to one and downloaded it to my mp3 player I knew right away that this was the way to go. Finally, podcasting gave the listener the means to break away from the interminable sameness of commercial radio and find creative new voices and refreshing new ideas. I liked podcasting from the first moment I heard it, and can't imagine ever going back to the days of searching the dial for interesting things to listen to.
So, just as podcasting changed the audio experience, video blogging has also changed the video experience. Right? Right? Well...
I think there is really one basic difference between podcasting and video blogging. Namely, the time and effort that goes into a podcast versus the time and effort that goes into a video blog. One of the things that has made podcasting so successful is that it is cheap and easy to do and literally anyone with a microphone and a computer can do it. That means geeks can do it, but chefs and artists and sports fans and whoever else wants to give it a try can do it too. Even catholic priests can do it for crying out loud, and the great diversity of voices and talents is what makes podcasting so much fun.
Video blogs, on the other hand, suck.
I mean I want to be fair and I certainly can't claim to have seen every video blog out there, but believe me I've seen enough of 'em to know they suck. Maybe it's because the barrier to entry is high and you don't have as big a pool of potential video bloggers as podcasters, but for whatever reason I've yet to find a video blog that wasn't a complete waste of time and bandwidth. If you don't believe me then just take a look at Rocketboom, currently the king of the video blogs. Just go to the website and watch an episode and see if you can figure out what all the excitement is about. Lord knows, I can't, although I think it has something to do with the whole "Indie" movement that seems to be taking the world by storm. You know, if something is "Indie" then that implies a chic coolness, regardless of whether it's any good or not. That, as far as I can figure , is what the Rocketboom phenomena is about. If you ask me it's just a bunch of empty calories. Pretty to look at and not much nutritional value.
What really gets me about the video blogging thing, though, is why do people subscribe to these things when there is so much good video available on the web. Here are a few examples -
ABC.com
DL.tv
Crankygeeks.com
Youtube.com
And on and on and on. There's so much video happening on the web these days it just seems pointless to waste time on the vlogs. Rocketboom? Let me tell you, you'll get more content in just one segment of DL.tv or Crankygeeks than in a whole month of Rocketbooms. And there are other shows on the web that are just as good.
Vloggercom? Bah, humbug. Let's talk about video that's worth watching, and for the rest just stick with podcasting. Speaking of podcasting, here are a couple:
Thomas Edison's Attic: This is actually a real radio show that's produced by a station out in New Jersey. Luckily, they also syndicate it out as a podcast for those of us who don't happen to live in New Jersey. The show is produced by the Edison National Historic Site and every couple of weeks they broadcast some vintage recordings from Thomas Edison's collection of late 19th and early 20th century wax cylinders. If you're at all interested in early recorded music then you'll want to subscribe to this podcast. Excellent!
SMTV: Samantha Murphy is a working musician who travels the country doing interviews and highlighting the works of other "Indie" musicians (there's that word again). It's an interesting look at bands who are working and recording and yet haven't been able to make that next big step into stardom. I can't say I like all the bands she features, but I like hearing their stories. What do you do if you're a struggling band? Do you strike out on your own and be the master of your own destiny, happy just to make a living doing what you love, or do you wait for that big record deal, surrendering control for the big shows and the mega-bucks? A lot of bands are trying to figure that out these days. Samantha Murphy likes to joke about her "five listeners", but I think she's got a few more subscribers than that.
And while I'm on this linking thing, one more Youtube link. This one is a 10 minute short made back in the 1940's and features two legends of the saxophone. The first half features Lester Young playing in his intimate, soulful style, and the second half features Illinois Jacquet picking it up and getting sassy. Of course there's a whole cast of musicians playing with them but those two are the stars.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
The World's Library
Let's face it. If you're an old geezer like me (and if you're reading this blog then you probably are) then the internet can seem pretty hostile and strange sometimes. So much of it is about being young, hip and cool, and gray-haired toothless types like us have got to wonder what all the fuss is about. Sure you can track your investments or research whatever disease you think you're coming down with, but that's not where the "buzz" is. No, the "buzz" these days is all about social networking and Web 2.0, not the retirement calculator over at the AARP website.
So, with that in mind, I want to talk about Youtube. If you're over the age of forty I'd say the odds are probably 1 in 5 that you've ever heard of it. On the other hand, if you're under the age of 21 and you haven't heard of it then you are like "so don't get it". Well, I'm over forty and even though I'm way past the age of being either hip or cool I've been over to the site a few times just to check it out, and I have to say....
I don't get it.
Well, actually I do get it. Sure, if you're 16 years old what could be cooler than making some kind of off-the-wall (i.e. "indie") video and posting it to the web. That's what Youtube is, you see. It's a place to post videos and share them with other Youtube users. And if you're of a certain age then one of the things to do these days is to go over to Youtube and check out the latest totally killer videos. If you want to be au courant, that is.
Yeah, seems pretty harmless. I've got no criticism of the whole thing really, but I can't help but wonder if I was so easily entertained when I was 16. Oh hell, I probably was.
I wouldn't have brought the whole thing up if it wasn't for something I discovered on Youtube a couple of weeks ago. I was just digging around you see and thinking what a gigantic waste of time the whole thing was, when all of a sudden there, hidden behind all the highest rated and most watched videos I found a whole other secret place in Youtube. Not the sort of place the kids would go, mind you, and not the sort of place the advertise on the front page, but there it was, down among the dusty old shelves in the basement where old fuds like me have been quietly amassing an amazing collection of videos that aren't about the latest TV shows or off-the-wall antics. No, just clear away the cobwebs and pry open some of those crates and you know what you'll find?
Culture.
Honest. No kidding. I wouldn't lie about this. Culture right there in dark and dusty bowels of Youtube.com. I couldn't believe it at first because, I mean, where are you going to find culture these days? On TV? At the movie theater? In the schools? Give me a break. Symphonies are going broke and schools can't cut their arts education programs fast enough.
But it's there on Youtube. Unfortunately, you have to dig to find it, and that's the adventure of the whole enterprise I suppose. That's also why I've become such a Youtube junkie. The search for hidden treasures, it turns out, is a lot of fun.
Rather than blabber on and on about this I thought I'd post a few links and give a few examples of what I've found. This is some of the stuff that turns me on. You'll have to find what turns you on for yourself.
Opera:
Vissi d'arte from Puccini's opera Tosca, as sung by Leontyne Price. Her fans consider Leontyne Price to be the greatest soprano of her era. Listen to this clip of her singing one of Puccini's most famous arias and see if you don't agree. Can anyone argue about the beauty and richness of her tone or her incredible power and control?
E Lucevan le stelle from Puccini's opera Tosca, as sung by Mario Lanza. This one was a real suprise. I remember Mario Lanza from those old Hollywood musicals but I had no idea he could sing opera. This was really a revelation for me. Such a clear, ringing and powerful tenor. Why didn't he pursue opera seriously?
Classical:
Vladimir Horowitz playing Chopin's Polonaise Op. 53 in A Flat Major. The famous Russina pianist playing one of Chopin's most famous Polonaise's.
Arturo Rubinstein playing Chopin's Polonaise Op. 53 in A Flat Major. The famous Polish pianist playing one of of Chopin's most famous Polonaise's. I love this because you can compare and contrast 2 musical legends playing the same piece. Horowitz who seems to attack the piece and wrestle with it, and Rubinstein who sits back with his eyes almost closed and just lets the music flow spontaneously from his soul to the keyboard. I'll leave it to you to decide which is better.
Jascha Heifetz playing the Paganini Caprice No. 24. What can I say. The man was a legend.
Jazz:
Miles Davis and John Coltrane play So What. Here's Miles and Trane playing one of the most famous jazz compositions ever recorded. Not quite the original cast and I'm really not too good at picking out the players, however I believe that's Paul Chambers on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, Wynton Kelly on piano, and John Coltrane on sax, along with a host of others.
Miles Davis plays So What with his legendary quintet. Ok, here's another compare and contrast. This is the legendary quintet of Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums.
John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy play Impressions. Kind of a historical oddity. At the time I believe the critics labeled the music these two were making as "antijazz".
Just for fun:
Ruth Etting in Roseland. If you've read this blog then you'll know I'm a big Ruth Etting fan. What I want to know is where did this guy ever find this video! Not the best song Ruth Etting ever sung, but quite a rarity.
The Rhythm Boys singing "So the Blackbirds and the Bluebirds Got Together". Another rarity. So who were the Rhythm Boys? Check out the funny looking guy on the end. He got started with the Rhythm Boys but soon struck out on his own. Did kind of well for himself, too.
The Beatles - Hey Jude. I remember when they played this video on the Smother Brothers. How long ago was that? Oh man, I don't want to think about it.
Let's face it. If you're an old geezer like me (and if you're reading this blog then you probably are) then the internet can seem pretty hostile and strange sometimes. So much of it is about being young, hip and cool, and gray-haired toothless types like us have got to wonder what all the fuss is about. Sure you can track your investments or research whatever disease you think you're coming down with, but that's not where the "buzz" is. No, the "buzz" these days is all about social networking and Web 2.0, not the retirement calculator over at the AARP website.
So, with that in mind, I want to talk about Youtube. If you're over the age of forty I'd say the odds are probably 1 in 5 that you've ever heard of it. On the other hand, if you're under the age of 21 and you haven't heard of it then you are like "so don't get it". Well, I'm over forty and even though I'm way past the age of being either hip or cool I've been over to the site a few times just to check it out, and I have to say....
I don't get it.
Well, actually I do get it. Sure, if you're 16 years old what could be cooler than making some kind of off-the-wall (i.e. "indie") video and posting it to the web. That's what Youtube is, you see. It's a place to post videos and share them with other Youtube users. And if you're of a certain age then one of the things to do these days is to go over to Youtube and check out the latest totally killer videos. If you want to be au courant, that is.
Yeah, seems pretty harmless. I've got no criticism of the whole thing really, but I can't help but wonder if I was so easily entertained when I was 16. Oh hell, I probably was.
I wouldn't have brought the whole thing up if it wasn't for something I discovered on Youtube a couple of weeks ago. I was just digging around you see and thinking what a gigantic waste of time the whole thing was, when all of a sudden there, hidden behind all the highest rated and most watched videos I found a whole other secret place in Youtube. Not the sort of place the kids would go, mind you, and not the sort of place the advertise on the front page, but there it was, down among the dusty old shelves in the basement where old fuds like me have been quietly amassing an amazing collection of videos that aren't about the latest TV shows or off-the-wall antics. No, just clear away the cobwebs and pry open some of those crates and you know what you'll find?
Culture.
Honest. No kidding. I wouldn't lie about this. Culture right there in dark and dusty bowels of Youtube.com. I couldn't believe it at first because, I mean, where are you going to find culture these days? On TV? At the movie theater? In the schools? Give me a break. Symphonies are going broke and schools can't cut their arts education programs fast enough.
But it's there on Youtube. Unfortunately, you have to dig to find it, and that's the adventure of the whole enterprise I suppose. That's also why I've become such a Youtube junkie. The search for hidden treasures, it turns out, is a lot of fun.
Rather than blabber on and on about this I thought I'd post a few links and give a few examples of what I've found. This is some of the stuff that turns me on. You'll have to find what turns you on for yourself.
Opera:
Vissi d'arte from Puccini's opera Tosca, as sung by Leontyne Price. Her fans consider Leontyne Price to be the greatest soprano of her era. Listen to this clip of her singing one of Puccini's most famous arias and see if you don't agree. Can anyone argue about the beauty and richness of her tone or her incredible power and control?
E Lucevan le stelle from Puccini's opera Tosca, as sung by Mario Lanza. This one was a real suprise. I remember Mario Lanza from those old Hollywood musicals but I had no idea he could sing opera. This was really a revelation for me. Such a clear, ringing and powerful tenor. Why didn't he pursue opera seriously?
Classical:
Vladimir Horowitz playing Chopin's Polonaise Op. 53 in A Flat Major. The famous Russina pianist playing one of Chopin's most famous Polonaise's.
Arturo Rubinstein playing Chopin's Polonaise Op. 53 in A Flat Major. The famous Polish pianist playing one of of Chopin's most famous Polonaise's. I love this because you can compare and contrast 2 musical legends playing the same piece. Horowitz who seems to attack the piece and wrestle with it, and Rubinstein who sits back with his eyes almost closed and just lets the music flow spontaneously from his soul to the keyboard. I'll leave it to you to decide which is better.
Jascha Heifetz playing the Paganini Caprice No. 24. What can I say. The man was a legend.
Jazz:
Miles Davis and John Coltrane play So What. Here's Miles and Trane playing one of the most famous jazz compositions ever recorded. Not quite the original cast and I'm really not too good at picking out the players, however I believe that's Paul Chambers on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, Wynton Kelly on piano, and John Coltrane on sax, along with a host of others.
Miles Davis plays So What with his legendary quintet. Ok, here's another compare and contrast. This is the legendary quintet of Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums.
John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy play Impressions. Kind of a historical oddity. At the time I believe the critics labeled the music these two were making as "antijazz".
Just for fun:
Ruth Etting in Roseland. If you've read this blog then you'll know I'm a big Ruth Etting fan. What I want to know is where did this guy ever find this video! Not the best song Ruth Etting ever sung, but quite a rarity.
The Rhythm Boys singing "So the Blackbirds and the Bluebirds Got Together". Another rarity. So who were the Rhythm Boys? Check out the funny looking guy on the end. He got started with the Rhythm Boys but soon struck out on his own. Did kind of well for himself, too.
The Beatles - Hey Jude. I remember when they played this video on the Smother Brothers. How long ago was that? Oh man, I don't want to think about it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
