Records Cut (In America)

 

Records cut in America
Believe in the process
Working with a grid
That started in Africa

4/14/1966

(Beatles Studio Diary)

"There had for some time been puzzlement at Abbey Road as to why records cut in America sounded so much better than British cuts. The bass content in particular was greatly diminished on British records. Jerry Boys has a clear recollection of John Lennon demanding to know why the bass on a certain Wilson Pickett record far exceeded any Beatles disc. Certainly one has to listen very intently to hear Paul McCartney's bass playing on Beatles records pre-1966. But on 'Paperback Writer' all that changed. In fact, the bass is the most striking feature of the record. "'Paperback Writer' was the first time the bass sound had been heard in all its excitement," says Geoff Emerick. "For a start, Paul played a different bass, a Rickenbacker. Then we boosted it further by using a loudspeaker as a microphone. We positioned it directly in front of the bass speaker and the moving diaphragm of the second speaker made the electric current."

4/14/1998

Interesting interview on NPR with Chuck Close....He says "believe in the process, define the task and eventually, you have a complete work without being swept along by The Muse. Working with a grid, he saw each grid has a tiny painting, which would fit together like a puzzle. That way he can continue to do large works.

4/14/2005

Article in Tribune about a five-year study to trace the evolution and migration of human beings through the study of DNA. It is all but confirmed that it started in Africa (I hope they discover why the seed of Africa can be relevant to us all). The music is definitely relevant as it brings together the "acoustic" elements of social order (McLuhan) and use of rhythm and beats to communicate and form unique cultures.