Amazon exiles discussion
The Gone But Not Forgotten RIP Thread
now, now, duke, let's not be quick to judge! he'd served his time and became a respected actor, not to mention becoming a renowned webcam star! :)
awful news this morning that the glasgow school of art has been subject to a major fire again, 4 years after the first devastating blaze. rennie mackintosh must've done something awful bad!was in the original building many times, felt like you were stepping into another time! very sad.
Tech wrote: "awful news this morning that the glasgow school of art has been subject to a major fire again, 4 years after the first devastating blaze. rennie mackintosh must've done something awful bad!was in ..."
Unbelievable, indeed.
I was working a late shift in the city centre last night, when a colleague got a message from a friend who lives nearby and could see it. We shut up shop and headed up Sauchiehall Street, so got there just before the police started evacuating. It was a terrifying, heartbreaking sight, and part of me wishes I hadn't seen it. Just the most enormous conflagration engulfing the building,incredible heat and explosions. Can't believe it's happened again.
A belated one here as I only came across this just now! Deborah Coleman, blues guitarist and singer died last April from bronchitis and pneumonia, aged 62.
In an era where the word “champion” is bandied around so easily, I’d like to say farewell to golfing legend Peter Thompson who died this week aged 88. Here was a man who won the British Open five times and finished second on three other occasions. He won national titles in ten different countries. Some said he was no good in the U.S. but he went there in the 1980s to play the senior tour and won nine tournaments. They also said he his success in Britain was due to the lack of Americans competing at that time, but when he won the Open in 1965 at Royal Birkdale, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player were in the field. When asked whether he or Greg Norman was Australia’s greatest golfer, he said that title belonged to Karrie Webb who had won seven titles on the women’s circuit. He had a degree in chemistry but his passion was geology, an interest that served him well in designing golf courses all around the world. He described golf as “brain work”, adding “Golf’s always been a sport, a game, a recreation, leisure for me.” He despised the modern tendency to overanalyse – “It’s just whacking a ball for goodness sakes.”
Val wrote: "In an era where the word “champion” is bandied around so easily, I’d like to say farewell to golfing legend Peter Thompson who died this week aged 88. Here was a man who won the British Open five t..."He sounds like a man of sense and modesty as well as achievement, Val. A far cry from some modern "sportsmen"!
Okay..somewhat the polar opposite of this thread's purpose, but there isn't a 'birthday' thread in this group currently, so i'll stick it in here..mibbe somebody will create a birthday thread soon!!A day overdue, but on 21st June 1948, Colombia Records unveiled to the world, the first 33/1/3 rpm unbreakable microgroove vinyl LP record to the masses, It's 70 years old folks! Before that, we had the olde worlde shellac records, and before that, the very late 19th century ones were made of rubber! Boing! And finally, before that...a variety of materials and designs including the wax cylinder, glass, metal, paper tubes..and so on.
The first attempt at sound recording for perseveration, was in 1857 by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville. His invention of the Phonoautograph was able to record sound, but couldn't be played back. In 2008 several early phonoautograms produced before 1861, were heard for the first time by optical scanning the 'barrels' and processing the sound via a computer.
The first playable recording came in 1877, two inventors, Charles Cros & Thomas Edison (yep..him!) developed Scott's technology. Cros realised that a phonautograph recording could be converted back into sound by photoengraving the tracing into a metal surface to create a playable groove, then using a stylus and diaphragm similar to those of the phonautograph to reverse the recording process and recreate the sound, However, before Cros was able to put his ideas into practice, the announcement of Thomas Edison's phonograph, in the same year, which recorded sound waves by indenting them into a sheet of tinfoil from which they could be played back immediately, temporarily relegated Cros's less direct method to obscurity.
Still with me, so far?!
10 years later, the world's first flat disc player was developed in 1888 by Emile Berliner, & founded the first Gramophone company in 1894. The Gramophone, initially scribed onto horizontal cylinders, Berliner then switched to flat disks, in which the stylus traced a clear sound-modulated spiral line through a very thin coating of wax, initially on a glass disc, then later on Cros (yes, him again!) employed his photoengraving method, on zinc, which was then etched in acid to convert the line of bared metal into a playable groove. Further developments involved using rubber discs with a diameter of about seven inches.
These early inventions were of low fidelity & volume and required louder instruments to be used to effect an audible recording. By 1925, the electric era would render this technology obsolete.
With the advent of microphones, electronic signal amplifiers and electromechanical recorders, during the 1920's, the signal was still physically inscribed into a wax 'master' disc, and consumer discs were mass-produced mechanically by stamping a metal electroform made from the wax master into a shellac based compound.
In 1930, RCA Victor began experimenting with a new material, using an early form of plastic (celluloid) in 1930, & from the late '30's onwards, Dr. Peter Goldmark of Colombia Records developed it further using a mixture of polyvinyl acetate & vinyl chloride, resulting in the Vinylite record. On Friday June 21, 1948, Columbia Records held a press conference at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City to unveil their new technology which was a non-breakable, 12-inch, microgroove disc that had a playing time of a whopping 23 minutes per side.
Initially sharing the new technology with RCA Victor, then their biggest rival (because Colombia Records didn't have a record manufacturing plant at the time!), RCA Victor, now suitably annoyed that Colombia had beaten them to it..then developed the 45rpm microgroove record. Apparently, the different speeds, (there were four to choose from; 78, 33 1/3, 45, & 16 - never heard of 16 rpm before!) confused the consumers and thus were slow on the uptake. The 1st vinyl LP released by Colombia Records was...….Columbia ML4001 - Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor with soloist Nathan Milstein, and Bruno Walter conducting the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York, in 1948. In the first year of he LP's release, Colombia made over $3 million dollars! For a classical record!
And the rest is history! (Thank feck for that, I hear you say!!)
70 years old..and still going strong, when other newer technologies have fallen by the wayside, and others heading that way....I wonder how much longer the humble CD will last, that has only been around since the early '80s! :)
Paradoxically, the supposed vinyl revival apparently isn't all good news for record storeshttp://thequietus.com/articles/24312-...
The problem seems to lie with limited edition versions - special coloured vinyl for example - which means fans (or perhaps that should be 'fans') don't want the regular black version. This trend is probably strongly linked to the findings of the BBC survey of a few years ago, which found that only around 50% of records being sold in the UK were finding their way onto a turntable, and indeed a significant proportion of purchasers didn't even own a record player!
I buy both black and coloured variants myself. But I think it's more to do with the way in which records are sold these days, many of which are stipulated in that article. I would say I buy new releases direct from the band themselves, either through their own labels or from an contracted label. I must confess, that I've not been inside a record shop in years, but do buy from a few regulars via the internet. It doesn't detract from the fact that vinyl record sales are on the rise, with over 4 million sold last year, it's just the way it's sold now. In golden days, one had to buy via a record store...now can one go to their local supermarket, buy online, visit a café that sell records on the side, even special vinyl clubs (I'm a member of vinyl collective & have considered joining VMP too), produce their own variants...the fact is, there is now more flexibility and competition than before. Is a good thing? Does that mean small indie stores will once again disappear from our towns? Maybe.
The truth is, just like all shopping in general these days, consumers have switched from traditional bricks & mortar shops to online shopping, some small record shop still don't have an online webstore...I know of two in my local towns that don't.
As for the struggling black vinyl...well yes, the coloured ones will be more desirable, but then the argument that it's fans who want them is only half true...I find that as soon as a coloured variant is sold out...flippers suddenly ramp up the prices on them...it's not about the music, it's just pure greed, praying on the poor fans who missed out. I maintain that for best sound quality, you can't do better than black vinyl. But then again, I'll admit, most of coloured variants have not seen a deck, yet, some are just too valuable to even contemplate playing them, even though I've no intention of selling them. Maybe you're right...perhaps we should return to the standard black, and stop the craze for expensive coloured pressings. But would that itself lead to a demise in vinyl popularity again? The rise of the exclusive ltd edition coloured vinyl, appeals in part because of it's desirability and value over the hard done 'basic' black....for me, I only buy albums from artists I actually like...other collectors could just be collecting for exclusivity & profiteering. Maybe that's the true crime here? The music is being superseded by a piece of pressed plastic in a variety of colours, is the real draw. I can't deny, that I do find the appeal of them myself, the buzz of owning a rarity....but the day I buy a record just for it's exclusivity and not for the music on it..then i'll will have lost the plot!
And yes Tech I know what you think mate...just keep it to yaself! :)
How do you know when a stylus needs replacing and how are they sold these days? They used to be specific to the equipment and there were dozens of different makes and sizes. I remember mine had to be Goldring, or perhaps that was just a collaboration between them and the turntable makers!
well..generally if your stylus starts skating across the record, then ya need to change it! I find that some stylus are hard to find, my deck is from the '80's and the original replacements are no longer available. Fortunately, some styluses (or is it styli? Dunno!) are interchangeable with other models and makes,,,i use a Panasonic one for my Technics deck.I had to crawl through the geeky parts of the net to find that out though!
Vinnie Paul, founder and drummer with metal legends Pantera, died yesterday, 22.6.18 aged just 54https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AkFqg5w...
Anyone see Ray Davies on Channel 4 news?He's either on drugs or slowing down like a knackered wind up toy.
He'll be dead soon.
Lez wrote: "Always reliably positive, Serial !"And then this -
https://news.sky.com/story/ray-davies...
Life in the man yet it seems.
.....and talking of michael jackson (?), i see his bullying, childbeating father has died......and talking of michael jackson (?), were you aware that he played violin on a radiohead album?
yes, he was the 'Kid A' fiddler!.....................whit?
you're of course correct!he allegedly played violin on a radiohead album! :)
i noticed: see above.if, as it's alleged (thankyou tim!) he was a bully and a childbeater, then to my mind, the world is a better place with him dead. as it was upon the death of his (alleged) deviant son!
Whatever his (alleged) shortcomings, I'm certain the family will close ranks.... for a while at least. The allegations were made by Michael, but denied by his brothers.
Jon Hiseman of Colosseum, a truly great drummer, June 12th
......and alan longmuir, aged 70, a truly great bay city roller - yesterday!
I can just imagine you in the 70s Techy, all decked out in your Tartan and platforms.
no, let's not forget his brother, the beast!
Tech wrote: "no, let's not forget his brother, the beast!"Oh yeah, shoulda read it first, you search for Alan, you get Derek.
"70s Techy"still am, collette! :)
well, they all looked the same, those guys! :)
Richard Swift - singer, songwriter, the bassist for 'The Black Keys' and a former member of 'The Shins' has died at age 41.His death was confirmed in a Facebook post which read: "And all the angels sing 'Que Sera Sera' - Richard Ochoa Swift March 16, 1977 - July 3, 2018"
Tech wrote: ""70s Techy"still am, collette! :)"
You could always funk it up a bit with a Suzy Quatro T-Shirt, Techy.
😊
... but please?! ... NO Leather Trousers! ;o>
Peter Firmin died aged 89 on the 1st of July ... an English artist and puppet maker, he was the co-founder of Smallfilms Production Company along with Oliver Postgate. Between them they created a number of popular children's TV programmes including ... Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, The Clangers, Bagpuss and Pogles' Wood.He co-created the puppet, Basil Brush, commissioned his wife, Joan, to hand-knit all of The Clangers, and his Daughter, Emily, is the Emily who is always shown in the opening sequences to Bagpuss.
Steve Ditko, the reclusive artist who helped Stan Lee to create Marvel superheroes such as Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, the Lizard, Green Goblin and Doctor Strange, died whilst home alone at the age of 90 in New York. He was found at his home on the 29th of June - but is believed to have already passed away from Heart Disease complications on the 27th of June.
Ditko has been credited as being the creative force behind Spider-Man's distinctive red and blue Costume and his Web shooting mechanism.
Author Clive King, died on 10th July; most famous for the children's classic 'Stig of the Dump'.
I always liked him - he came across as being a nice guy off-screen as well as on ... RIP Tab ... x
suzysunshine7 wrote: "I always liked him - he came across as being a nice guy off-screen as well as on ... RIP Tab ... x"RIP Tab - like on zon's cardboard mailers?
tab hunter - the man who couldn't find his stash of l.s.d.? boom!was great alongside divine in john waters' 'polyester' mind!
Tech wrote: "tab hunter - the man who couldn't find his stash of l.s.d.? boom!was great alongside divine in john waters' 'polyester' mind!"
Tab Hunter should've formed a supergroup with the Q Tips - they could've released some serious wax.
I think, Tab Hunter must have been a very generous man by all accounts.....Mr T Hunter, a man who liked to seek out & pay other people's lunch tabs! :)
This one is month late, but discovered this whilst reading about another Star Trek actor who passed away recently:Anton Yelchin, aged 27, died 19th June this year..who played Pavel Chekov in the first three movies of the current 'revised' Star Trek franchise. He died when his own Jeep Cherokee rolled back into him and crushed him against a brick mail box, at his own driveway. On any other day..i would find that funny...but I kinda liked his portrayal of Mr Chekov..such a unnecessary tragic and daft way to go.
The other is Roger Perry, aged 85, died 12th July, from prostrate cancer. He appeared in one episode, Tomorrow Is Yesterday, as Captain John Christopher. His acting career spanned from the late '50's to his last role in 2011. He has appeared in many popular television series & had supporting parts in 2 horror movies. His typical acting roles were generally police officers, military types...& later on medical characters.
Anton Yelchin died two years ago, Poppet - it was such an awful way to die and apparently it was also a known fault with the Car at the time. His Parents recently won a Lawsuit against the Car Company.
Ah crap! Sorry, 2016 looked like 2018 to me..i still need to get some readers.it seems. But yeah..what a tragic way to go.
Elbert Howard, one of the founders of the Black Panthers in the U.S. died on July 23rd.
Sad newsfeed coming in about an up and coming Team GB snowboarder, Ellie Soutter who died yesterday on her 18th birthday.She claimed Team GB's only medal, in the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Erzurum, Turkey, and was due to compete in the Junior World Championships in New Zealand. She was also expected to be selected a place in the squad for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
No info on CoD yet..but how sad, for her to have gone so soon.
Barry David Elliot, one half of the comedy duo, the Chuckle Brothers, has died today, aged 73.
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
A Pirate Looks at Fifty (other topics)Hear Me Out (other topics)
Fifteen (other topics)
Fifteen (other topics)
Fifteen (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Edna O'Brien (other topics)Eric Carle (other topics)
Judith Kerr (other topics)
I never knew that he was a convicted murderer, imprisoned in the '60's. Makes me wonder how the rest of 'enders cast were like around him..especially given the character he played...bar steward or what! Talk about walking on tiptoes..sheesh!