Larry Adler on the BBC

No cutup, just music.  I was listening to an old Goon Show, the BBC radio comedy series, and this scintillating sound came dancing out of the speakers.  And not cornball "filler" music, like most shows ran in the breaks.

Adler had quite a story.  Discovered playing for pennies in Times Square, he hit it big in vaudeville, and I mean Big.  Famous composers writing things for him to play, kind of big.  And no one had ever thought of the harmonica as a serious instrument.

The Commie Fighters turned his name into mud, after he fought back and sued them for libel.  But they kept it in court until he ran out of money for lawyers.  Couldn't buy a job in the US after that.  He moved to England, where at least he could work.  And thus to the Goons, where he regularly performed as "Max Geldray".

Probably the greatest harmonica player we'll ever hear.  His birthday was Feb 10th.

Larry Adler, 1955: Brazil

William S Burroughs, Cutup Lecture On Cutups

For his birthday, Feb 5th, a bit originally posted 4 years ago, back by popular demand (mainly, mine!)

WSB 100th Birthday

cummings/Cohen: in just spring

I've often wondered what Linda Cohen's piece would sound like with the poem it's named after.  Sounds like this.

Wilhelm, the Immortal

If a coward dies a thousand times, it must be this guy.

In explanation: "the Wilhelm Scream" is a sound effects clip of a man shrieking.  It was first used in western movies in the early 1950's.  At some point, foley artists-- who put together film sound effects-- made it a running gag and started using it all the time, in dozens, maybe hundreds of films.  This piece was created from one of many compilations available on YouTube.

About the bit: it sounds like the scream is on a loop and all the other sounds are tossed over it.  Not quite.  It's actually a bunch of clips played in sequence, and the screams are all synced to a click track-- which I left in for the rhythm.

Wilhelm, the Immortal

We Scold These Truths

Created from We Hold These Truths, a radio play by Norman Corwin.

New audio.

News Channel Ate Amanda Knox

From 5 years ago.  I think it was up here for a while. 

News Channel Ate Amanda Knox

Love Field, Nov 22, 1963

The man shrugging in perplexed confusion is a Secret Service agent at Dallas' Love Field on this day in 1963.  He's just been ordered off the President's car as it drives into downtown Dallas, leaving no protection.  "Hey!  Can someone give me a lift?"

Talk about hiding things in plain sight.  All those photos, we never noticed there wasn't an agent within 20 feet of the President when he was shot.  Not a one.

I wonder how Oswald worked that out.