Monday, May 23, 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBERT MOOG

Robert Moog turns 71 today. Or maybe it was yesterday. Regardless, the inventor of the synthesizer deserves our heartiest best wishes. The Moog wasn't just the first synth - during the '60s it was virtually the ONLY one, and hence, the name Moog (rhymes with "vogue") was synonomous with the synthesizer. Not until the '70s did other challengers like The Arp get into the picture. This University of Iowa Moog demo from the '70s contains a truly odd "remix":

"Envelope Follower" That'd be a cool band name, eh?

Electronic music technology has, of course, come a long way since the '60s, but some synthesists prefer vintage analog gear over this newfangled digital stuff. Thelonious Moog play the music of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk in a wonderfully wacked-out Space-Age style that, upon even a brief exposure to their album "Yes, We Didn't," would cause jazz purists to clutch their chest and topple over backwards.

"Off Minor"
"Bye ya"
"I Mean You"

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Check this out
http://www.presspop.com/en/shop/archer_prewitt/moog_doll.html

I want one!

Happy Birthday Mr. Moog!

Mr Fab said...

A Bob Moog Doll - how lovely. Looks like that's a Japanese site, tho. Start saving your yen...