The invention of the guitar

Here's what's really amazing: The history of the guitar. And I don't mean the history of fender or martin or Jimi Hendrix. I mean, like, the 'pre-history' of the guitar; of any stringed instrument. I can almost track the entire development of the thing. I remember being a kid and for the first time noticing that if I pluck a rubber band or even a shoe lace there'd be that low 'Bwong'. It makes me wonder about the first, perhaps, caveman who noticed it-maybe while pulling on a vine or tearing the rubbery ligiments from the flesh of its kill-and thought to tame it. I mean, it's pretty 3rd dimensional thinking not just to hear a sound and like it for no specific evolutionary reason but to want to immitate it, repeat it's effects, manipulate it. In a way, music must have been a very early science. It may have been the first science that wasn't neccessarily vital to man's survival.

But that's just one string. And how was it decided to press in against a board? Or perhaps the string instrument developed more like a harp than a guitar. In either case, how and after how much time was it decided to add two strings of different tones? Then there's the discovery of the scale which I believe is, in fact a discovery and not an invention. I mean- all music is is manipulating the sound waves available to our range of hearing to varying degrees. That range existed before anyone noticed it- it's a discovery not some arbitrarily decided pattern.

What mastery this species has over it's environment to affect it on so many planes. We've stressed string made of horsehair, sheepskin, wound steel and nickel pillaged from deep within the earth. We studied the tension and tonal impact; chopped down mighty trees and carved them into shapes most condusive to acoustic amplification; all for the benefit of pretty sounds. Some caveman wanted to understand that vague bwong that rang out as he peeled a thin pine branch long ways and look at us now.

Just one of those amazing, beautiful, giagantic things that make humans sorta awesome.


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F the CC

So, I saw this documentary, Fuck, it was kind of the only fun watch in the series of documentaries I've been renting lately. Plus it turned me on to this awesome Steve Earle song.

Not to mention, it may be the last time Hunter S. Thompson appeared on film.

Albums listened to today

Just thought you should know

We're bombing the Moon (no, really)

I keep finding weird things that mirror Mr. Show episodes. Like this



and this




Hey, Mr. Monkey, don't be askin why...

It's time to start the music

Video games remember when music wasn't just in video games

I like video games, but it seems like there was a time, even in my life, when more people played sports that didn't involve the TV. I love Wii bowling, but I can't help but notice, it isn't really bowling. I hate to be the old curmudgeon, but is this what's happening to music? Will kids ever pick up guitars or keyboards now? Why should parents want to spend all that money on an instrument and lessons when they can just get their kid a video game? Why should they even go to a concert or search out old footage of great bands when they've got this bullshit?





I don't know, maybe I'm wrong and kids will still want to learn guitar, but something about seeing John Lennon and Kurt Cobain reduced to blocky video game characters makes me gag a little. Why did people react so fiercely after Nike stuck Revolution in a sneaker ad, but no one is raging against this machine? Why don't they put Iggy Pop or The Replacements up there? Shit, they might as well add The MC5, Velvet Underground, Black Flag and Dead Kennedy's while they're at it. Would Jello Biafra suck this corporate wang-dang-doodle? Put his face on an ad to sell plastic guitar shaped controllers? Oh wait...

Harmonix and MTV Games today announced 16 tracks from Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, Dead Kennedys and more coming this week to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content for the Wii system.

ugh.

Flowchart of a total eclipse (of the heart)

Click it for bigger.