The Music Court

I apologize for the lack of posting today. Moving up to Binghamton University has taken up the majority of my day. I promise you though that tomorrow there will be some epic posting. Cross my heart, hope to die. I shall be posting from my new quarters in my dorm room. I cannot leave you with nothing today though. So, straight from my roommate Josh, the present song that has been stuck in his head for over a month, “There will be a Light,” by Ben Harper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4252BNZuiE&feature=related

           What many do not realize is that without Les Paul there is no rock and roll. No Beatles, No Stones, No Jonas Brothers (ew! Maybe he should have put a limit on who can use the guitar). Les Paul, besides being an incredible guitarist, was a rock pioneer and his invention of the solid bodied electric guitar kind of started a pretty big movement in music. I mean can you imagine an unplugged performance of “Enter Sandman” in Madison Square Garden. Yeah, probably wouldn’t sound so metal. Les Paul, rock god, unfortunately passed away today at the age of 94 and instead of focusing on lyricist #97 I thought that it would be only right to pay my respects to the man who shaped 20th century rock and roll by focusing on his incredible life in this post.

  Les Paul was a tinkerer. A life long experimenter. Give him a musical object and he would search his brain for ways to make it work and sound better. He also was like any performer who is young at heart. He became easily bored. That is one of the reasons he created the solid bodied electric guitar in the first place. The acoustic guitar simply wasn’t making the cut anymore and Paul wanted some more sound. So, at the same time that Leo Fender also was experiencing a similar dilemna, Paul went on a mission to create a guitar with an electric sound. The project resulted in his famous “Log” (the guitar prototype), a 4 x 4 aptly titled piece of lumber which came with the full works (guitar neck, fret board, and, of course, a pickup). He then slapped on the body of an Epiphone hollow-bodied for the appearance. The result. Well, this:

 Look familiar. Yeah, those rock artists today you see performing with a Les Paul in concert are using variations of this 1939 beauty. After performing with the Les Paul Trio (which actually included Chet Atkins older brother, Jim, the Gibson Guitar Corporation got wise and designed a guitar using Les Paul’s plans. Les Paul liked the creation and signed on with Gibson agreeing only to be seen with Gibson guitars. Interestingly, Paul’s contract with Gibson ended after Paul saw a changed, more agressive-looking guitar, in the window-sill of a shop. Gibson had changed the design on Paul and this did not make him happy. Yet, after none other then guitar legend himself Eric Clapton used the guitar again, it regained its popularity and the brand of the Les Paul was once again added to the Gibson line after Paul resumed his relationship with the guitar company.

            Paul did not stop at guitars, also revolutionizing recording techniques in 1948. Multitrack recording, which allows for separate tracks of sound to be combined to form one complete project, was also created by Les Paul. Paul also saw the ability to use multi-track recording, as well as several other potential features (like echo) with the new commercially produced reel-to-reel audio tape recorder (recording that focused on reels rather then encased cassettes. Paul, when given the model, used the machine to play along with previous tracks and record over these tracks in the process. Keep in mind the recordings were Mono (singular, ONE) so tracks were erased when new tracks were made. This, of course, until the innovative two to three track recorders that Les Paul created because of the necessity to not erase all of the tracks. With this revolutionary recording process Les Paul, and his wife Mary Ford, created some incredible tracks reflecting on the new technology. For example, “How High The Moon,” and I have a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UvXr2e9DwU&feature=related  (Check this out it is great stuff)

           Paul finished his illustrious career with a 1988 induction into the rock and roll hall of fame, an award by the Mix Foundation named after him in honor of his work in audio mixing, an induction into the National Inventors Hall Of Fame and an induction into the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame. His work will forever go down as both incredible and highly necessary. Next time you go to a concert think of how key it is that the guitar is hooked up to an amplifier. Rest in Peace, Les Paul, and for all you aspiring rockers, play on.

I hope I can stomach the procedure tomorrow. hahaha.

Tomorrow I will be going under for around five minutes while I receive an endoscopy. Easy procedure where they will stick a tube down my throat and inspect my insides checking for ulcers and other great stuff. Yeah, I thinks I gots me a case of that acid reflux. Stinks but hey things can be a lot worse. Like, not getting to post something tomorrow. GASP!!!! Just giving the warning that if you do not see a post that is why. I think I’ll be able to get it to you guys a little later but cannot make any promises.

So, okay okay okay before I go off to dreamland I will give you some lyrics. Hmm lets see. Stomach problems. What is a good song for that. How about the Canadian indie rock band that consists of countless members who are part of countless other bands. The name suits them. Broken Social Scene. Their music is classified as Baroque pop. What that means? Similar to Fleet Foxes, who I mentioned yesterday, their music is characterized by interesting orchestrations. They also have a song about stomachs. “Stomach Song.”

“Some boys I know

They speak with broken mouths

I have to sit inside their stomachs

To find out what they’re really about”

I hope they do not find a little man in my stomach. That would just be odd.

Hello readers. Well, I have returned from my five day tropical getaway in Aruba where I soaked in the strong sun and constant 30 mph winds. Yeah, it is really really windy there. But the vacation has ended and that means two things. One, I am back in New York. Two, the Mets will begin to lose. Yes struggling Mets fans, if you would like to ever feel joy send me on vacations. You just have to pay my air fare and hotel room.

But, what this also means is the return of the The Music Court. Yippee. Streamers are flying around the room. Noise makers are going off in the background. The music has been turned back on. A little overdramatic, okay. Over the course of the vacation I got to thinking about the blog and went back to the drawing board. Over the past couple of weeks there has been a noticeable decline in posts. One reason for this is that while there was a two man system working for a while here, the second man skipped out of daily updates and his section, leaving me all by my lonesome making posts. So, here is what I plan on doing.

Firstly, you will see some sections being erased. These are sections that have not been in use at all. Will they come back? Possibly, sometime in the future when I gain the luxury of a surplus of writers. But, for now they are on hiatus. What you can now expect from the music court is a devoted effort to bringing you your daily harmony. There will be a song of the day or lyric of the day waiting on your driveway each day like a plastic covered newspaper. A sealed song for your listening pleasure. Also, you will occasionally get themed posts. Some links of the day. A 60’s band of the day. Good stuff like that. Maybe, even an album review at times. But, the most you will see in a day is one or two posts. I will be honest with you. I need some help.

What I now propose to you is a request *cough plea cough.* Excuse me. But, seriously, my goal for this blog is to make it a first stop for music cravers. I want it to provide daily songs for enjoyment, news for interest, links for fun. While being reputable, I also want it to be opinionated and fun, like all blogs should be. But, if this is going to happen there needs to be more then one person running the blog. What I am thinking is about four.

 So, without further ado, THREE JOB OFFERS

 1.)    Newsman/lady

–         As the music court newsman/lady you will be looked at to provide readers with daily news. One who is right for this position is interested in not only listening to music, but also keeping updated on the latest gossip, cd releases, concerts, tours. The whole nine yards. News posts will be daily (except for Sunday, you can take that day off). I suggest have a few sites online that you can turn to for news (rolling stone is a good one). Be on call for the latest cd releases (metacritic.com) or the latest concerts (pollstar.com).  Now, along with these updates have a sense of humor with it. Be opinionated. Creed is coming to Jones Beach. How does that make you feel? Are your arms wide open or do you want them to go away. That kind of stuff.

 2.)    The Link and Poll guy/gal

–         As the link and poll guy/gal your job is to deal with links and polls. The links will be daily but the polls can be weekly or bi-weekly. I love reader participation and I feel that it is also important. Links and polls provide that. Links can be anywhere online related to music. A cool live performance, an awesome amateur. Something in that nature. I would think two links a day but if there is only one awesome one or a many cool ones, that is perfectly fine. Wonder what it should like? Check out the past links of the day.

–         As poll guy/gal make some polls. Out of these bands which do you think has the least talent? Things like that. Let’s get people involved. There is a wordpress option for polls so it will make it for you

 3.)    Song/Lyric of the day guy/gal

–         As of right now I do a song or lyric of the day on top of posting links and various other things. Yet, I can only do one. I would like someone with a good sense of humor and a great background in any type of music (more modern would be best). They would do daily updates with me on a schedule. If I am doing a song they do a lyric. That easy. Look at past ones for ideas.

 In my opinion, with a group of four people equally putting there share into the blog we can really make this an awesome blog atmosphere. Yes, the jobs are unpaid (I wish I could pay you) but go on the drive that this is music we are talking about. Enjoy it. Let us spread the harmony. I give you two perks. You are writing for a cool blog and I have an incredibly large music collection and will send you anything you want. Not like anyone wants my underground 60’s stuff! Hey, if you’re interested in making this blog good again e-mail me at musiccourt@gmail.com. Easy enough to remember I think. Tell me why you want to write for the blog and a little about yourself and your love for music. You do not have to bother with a writing sample if you are illiterate I can tell in the e-mail.

So, as of now faithful readers, welcome back the music blog, as I sit here now in good ol’ New York, New York. Betcha can’t guess what the song of the day is going to be.