THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson
“The only sure thing about luck is that it will change. ”― Bret Harte
What do you say about Charlie Watts? A few weeks ago it was just that he wasn’t hitting the road with the Stones for the US shows. It seemed preposterous at the time for just one tour without him…
What a drummer. What a band.
George Horn, legendary Fantasy Records engineer, passes away
Another legend from another part of the music industry has also died this week, George Horn. My friend and one of the best mastering engineers in the business, Gary Hobish, was early in his career when taken under Horn’s wing. This is what Gary had to say about him (thank you for this, Gary):
“It is no stretch to say that George Horn was legendary in the Bay Area audio and music engineering scenes. He’d been a fixture here, first in radio, then moving to audio engineering and mastering in 1967, working along the way for Mercury, Bill Putman’s Coast Recorders, Columbia and Kendun Recorders in Burbank before finally landing at Fantasy in 1980. From then until just a few months ago, George cut many thousands of records for the cream of the San Francisco music scene and the world, as well as cutting or supervising the mastering on literally every single release from the huge Fantasy records jazz catalog. There were scores of engineers and producers who would use no one else.
I was chosen to be George’s assistant in 1981 and was lucky enough to be mentored by the best in the business. His consistency and dedication to doing right by the artist informed my entire attitude towards the mastering profession. We continued to enjoy lively discussions on the art and the business throughout that time, right up to the present. I’ll miss him.”
Sex Pistols win legal fight against Johnny Rotten over songs
It is a shame that Johnny Rotten ends up seeming like a complete ass in so many ways. I guess that is what you should expect from a guy who chose his last name to be Rotten….what else should be expected of him? He certainly fit the part of the punk rock vocalist…and seeing PIL a few years ago proved that he still had his chops….and oh yeah I am looking forward to the upcoming Sex Pistols show on the tube.
Masatoshi Naito's Photographs of Japan's Female Shamans
Woah. “Masatoshi Naitō was amongst the only photographers to capture the legendary female shamans, known as itako, who invoke the spirits of the dead.”
Would Kant Have Worn a Face Mask?
Todd Mei lays down a great argument here “Some people, such as American anti-government activist Ammon Bundy, claim that rules requiring masks are a form of tyranny. Kant’s distinctive understanding of morality and freedom can help show why this is confused at best…those who say mandating mask-wearing is ‘tyranny’ are confused about what it means to be a capable human. It means being able to reason about how we should act towards others.”
Mark Twain’s Final Home Is For Sale
Mark Twain only spent his last 2 years here…but it is interesting to see it anyway. It is a shame that the updated to the interior don’t really jive with Twain’s era. That being said, it is a pretty bucolic spot.
Beautiful Beast: AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON at 40
A great look back at an excellent horror movie….
Sitting at Night on the Front Porch
By: Charles Wright
I’m here, on the dark porch, restyled in my mother’s chair.
10:45 and no moon.
Below the house, car lights
Swing down, on the canyon floor, to the sea.
In this they resemble us,
Dropping like match flames through the great void
Under our feet.
In this they resemble her, burning and disappearing.
Everyone’s gone
And I’m here, sizing the dark, saving my mother’s seat.
