Ban the Robots! I'm making the exception for this one as the synth content if any is unknown as I put this up. According to the link title, this is from March 9, 1931 the source image.
I'm curious exactly what this petition refers to. If you look at 120 Years, you can see a number of electronic instruments that were out at the time including the Theremin, Theremin Chello, Trautonium, and the Ondes Matenot amongst others. Fascinating stuff.
Thanks goes to Mark for sending this one in.
Probably had to do with Talkies for film and other playback devices like 78s. Now a days we invent robots to play improv.
ReplyDeleteThat was my guess too, replacement of live musicians that accompanied silent films.
ReplyDeleteI think it just means recorded music. "Robot" would be a new and hot button word that would hopefully get people railing against it. Also I think it means "theatres" as in the stage. I believe if it were the cinema they would be specific rather than "theatre". My guess is there might be a connection in that the talkies made sound amplification systems commonly available for theaters and I'm sure there was legit fear that the theater orchestra would be replaced by a phonograph record.
ReplyDeleteI know the musicians union has had a lot of issues with the record industry even though this is a case of them vs live theater.
It also sure smells to me that RCA poured all that money back in the 50s into the RCA Synthesizer in response to their dealings with the union... and the union certainly complained when they got wind of it.